Slow Fashion October: Week 1

I'm so excited to participate in the first Slow Fashion October.  If you're new here, introductions might be helpful.  I'm Kate.  I knit,  spin, sew, and crochet.  This is my blog, of course, which, until Me Made May 2015 was essentially a record of what I read and knitted with the odd birth story thrown in.  Then I found myself documenting more of our lives, through the lens of what I make and what we wear.  You can see more over at Instagram, where I am @willfulmina.

I live in upstate NY with my husband Peter and our two kids, Lucy, 3, and Sebastian, 1.  

All four of us wear handmade items nearly every day.  

Since moving to this rural area, I've gotten more into thrifting, especially for my kids' clothing.  New clothing for children is either well-made or cheap.  Buying second-hand seems to be the only affordable answer.  I've taken it a step further and have begun salvaging fabric from thrifted items to make garments for them.

As for clothing myself, it's been a process.  At some point, shopping for clothing that actually fit was becoming increasingly frustrating.  I'm 5'10" and curvy.  There are very few options for tall women as it is, but when I moved out here to the wilderness, the options became downright frustrating.  When I could find something that fit, the quality left something to be desired.  Enter Natalie Chanin.  Her books sparked something in me a few years ago.  I had crocheted and knitted for some time already and even made some attempts at sewing garments for myself, which weren't terribly successful.  

Then I found her guide to making garments by hand, an utterly relaxing process for me, out of cotton jersey, which I loved but had been intimidated by the prospect of machine sewing it.  I began by making the basic garments, and in the past year have finally begun delving into the embellishments that elevate her simple garments to works of art.

I love how much power making my own clothes gives me.  Raising a neckline, lowering a hem, and adding sleeves are all within my skill set now.  I learn as I go and am not afraid to fudge it.  Clothing my family gives me a huge charge as well.  This month I hope to work on everyone's winter wardrobe and to share my process here.