OK- OK- Not to a flag- But I am pledging to go Seamless!
I, Laurie, being of sound mind and body, am taking the “Seamless Pledge.” If you read about clothing you will find that a lot of the stuff we buy is “junk.”
“Cheap fashion has set a trap for us, where retailers like H&M, Target, Old Navy, and Forever 21 lure us into stores on a continuous basis to keep their profits up. Americans are hooked on buying 20.5 billion garments a year or 68 garments and 8 pairs of shoes per person, and the fashion industry’s enormous environmental footprint is growing by the year. We nurture our overconsumption by expecting our style icons to wear something new every single day. Marie Antoinette was rumored to never wear the same thing twice, but she didn’t live in an age of overpopulation, strained environmental resources, and out-of-control consumption.” – Elizabeth L. Cline, The Good Closet
And what about who MAKES those clothes!? It is a vicious circle if you ask me. Can you IMAGINE? Just AMERICANS buy 20.5 billion garments a year! So, to start out I am not going to buy anything new (other than undergarments and shoes!) for the next 6 months. I may go longer! But for now- I will sew my own clothing, and I will thrift quality clothing. When I sew it fits ME! And I know every Tina, Donna and Henrietta isn’t sporting the same thing!
Anyway- the fact is I have heard about it- but Gillian at Crafting a Rainbow has pushed me over the edge and I have decided to join the madness. I mean sanity… I think it is VERY sane. 
I am rather excited!
I made these two tops last night. One for day and one for night. One for Summer and one for Winter. One dressy and one casual. It is exactly the same pattern as my knit top I made the other day. I love this pattern! And now I have 3… It is a start… Let’s see what other things I can create to join these two tops in my closet! And if you want to be a part- go here and read all about it!
-Laurie
Good pledge! Although you could also make your own underwear if you were SUPER ambitious! Lol. I find that since I started sewing, I’m not even that interested in buying new clothes, just prefer looking at them and figuring out what pattern and fabric I could use to try to make my own
YES! I agree… and I have made one pair! Out of a t-shirt! … I love looking at stuff on the runway and then figuring out how to make one similar. That is going to be one of my new ambitions… And hey- maybe I will stock up on made by me “unmentionables” too! -L
Thats a great way to shop, “idea shoppin”
I definitely think most of the stuff in the stores is junk. You wear it once, wash it, and then it looks like it’s years old. I have also never found anything in the store that has fit me properly. Making my own clothes is the best option for me. It doesn’t save me money, but it means I have clothes that fit- clothes that will last me longer. That saves me money in the long run!
I totally agree Laura! They are junk and we wear and wash them a few times and they start falling apart. Things I make I control! And it is a challenge too. If I find something I love in a store I am going to “copy” it with my own make!
Your tops are really cute. It has been quite a while since I purchased any new clothing items for myself but I am always afraid to say I won’t buy any because then I might decide I really want something afterall. Maybe I’ll just go ahead and pledge any way.
I sat on the fence for a few months Darlene but now I know I can do it! And being able to thrift I think helps too. I did find a Carole Little black silk blazer the other day. And I paid $3 for it. Can’t beat that!
I am totally impressed. I gues I basically have been sewing most of my clothes for a while already. I do not like to go into stores and shop. I get so frustrated with the low cost on garnments that I know demands much work to make. So I gues I hide, (sort of) behind my sewing machine and spend very little time in stores…..
Some years ago I took a master in change management. For my master thesis I was a part of a project focusing on CSR (Corporate Social Responsebility). Everyone in the project focused on different branches of industry. My area was the clothing industry and I gues it did something to me. I am totally in on this one
Anyway, the stuff I make myself is a lot more satisfying.
I am totally impressed by your pledge and incouraging others to join!
Yes! I totally agree… Here are a few facts I found:
-Only 3% of clothing bought in the U.S. is made in the U.S., down from around 50% in 1990
And really shocking:
-Chinese minimum wage is still around $150 a month in the coastal regions; in Bangladesh, garment workers make $43 a month. Can you imagine sewing all day and making $43 dollars a month? And at the same time the Gap is raking in 14 Billion dollars in a year. I know I am worth WAY more than $43 dollars a month!
Happy to have you make a Pledge as well! -Laurie
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Yay! It’ll soon become second nature!
YES! I truly believe that. I believe I can go a whole lot longer without buying junky stuff!
I want to do this, I sort of already have, but I don’t have the skills for underwear or jeans, I still have some ‘staples’ I have to buy…but I will admit, clothing shopping gets less enticing all the time. The husband has even picked up[ on it- I hear ‘Don’t you have a pattern like that?’ alot more now.
I can understand the staples… Secretly I WANT to make 3 things that I’m reluctant to try for fear of failure… A lined coat, undergarments, and pants. I have made a pair of undies and was surprised at how easy they were! So eventually I will get to these goals I’m sure!! But first I need to do some serious Fit Studies!
If I tried pants, I would need massive adult supervision. The husband has advised that I just skip making dress slacks- he thinks they always fit women funny- I’m not at the level to prove him wrong!
Pants will be up last for me… I am not at that level either! YET… Hopefully some day BUT maybe I will never have the patience to get the fit right. Time will tell!
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So happy you will be joining us! We can make LOTS of pretty things to wear!
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