Let's Sew Sustainably - Newsletter #3

I hope this season finds you well. During this season there will be family gatherings and celebrations of every type.  Hopefully you will find be able to steal away a little time some time for sewing .

The articles in this issue are:

   1.   A Tiny Getaway

   2.  How  to Get 100% Cotton Fabric  - Dirt Cheap

   3.  Sewing Leather on Your Home Sewing Machine - Part 2   

A Tiny Getaway

Would you like to escape and retreat to a cozy tiny cabin out in nature, where time slows way down, and it’s just you, your partner, and maybe a faithful companion like our dog Charlie? That is what we did this past weekend and it's definitely its own kind of magic.

We visited Postcard Cabins near Navasota, TX. Their tiny wooden cabins appear to be fashioned out of 20 ft. shipping containers. These cabins are really tiny with big picture windows that frame the trees outside like a living portrait. They are perfectly curated with almost everything you could imagine to make your stay a bit more “glamping” than camping. Outside are Adirondack loungers and a large fire ring that doubles as a firepit and outdoor grill.

With two people and a 130 lb dog, in such a small place life becomes about simplicity and connection. A cell phone lock box encourages you to truly unplug. In that setting it’s easy to do. We cooked together in the small inside cooking area, sipped mug after mug of coffee while watching light filter through the picture window and into the forest. We wrapped ourselves up and stargazed at night.

There was no reason to rush —no emails, no to-do lists. Just the chance to talk, laugh, and rediscover each other, away from the whirlwind of everyday life. The little things—like the sound of your partner’s laughter or the warmth of their hand—feel substantial and important.

We had some funny moments too, like when we decided to venture into the nearby town. We traveled down one-lane dirt roads for miles with nothing but the moon to guide us, only to enter a clearing with a space reminiscent of the movie Deliverance. We turned around and went back to the cabin -  promising each other that from that moment on, we would stay at our cabin after dark.

It was cold most of the time we were there and rainy on Saturday. We each got through a couple of books, took turns, sitting in the one chair when inside or on the bed. The view out our window never got old. Our Charlie was a real trooper - enjoying all of the time outdoors as much as we did.

The Postcard Cabin people leave you a postcard in the cabin on which you are encouraged to write a poem or draw a sketch about your stay. As I lie in bed on the first night I marveled at how far my dyed-in-the-wool NYC husband had come since moving to Texas. This little limerick came to me about our trip.

There was a young girl from The City.

Who married an uptight guy. Pity!

At Postcards he relaxed

And chilled to the max

Inspiring this little poem. Witty!

How to Get 100% Cotton Fabric - Dirt Cheap

I like to work with 100% natural materials like cotton, leather, silk and bamboo, when at all possible. 100% cotton is my go-to for lining the bags. An inexpensive way to get a yard or more of 100% cotton fabric is to source men’s size XL dress shirts from thrift stores. These shirts are rarely more than a dollar or two, and the fabric is often of very good quality. These shirts can have great color, patterns and sometimes really funky designs. And one shirt is usually large enough to line even the largest bag.

All you need for the deconstruction process is a seam ripper or scissors and an iron. Below are the steps to deconstructing a man’s shirt for maximum yardage.

• Wash and iron the shirt. Ironing the shirt makes it easier to work with.

• Start at the armhole seam and use a seam ripper or scissors to detach the sleeves. While I find using a seam ripper very satisfying, scissors are much quicker. 

• If you're keeping the cuffs, remove them from the sleeve by ripping out the stitching

• Cut or rip along the side seams to separate the front and back panels.

• Remove the collar from the neckline

• Carefully remove the front button placket and the buttonholes if you don’t need them in your new project.

• Keep them intact if they could add character to your project.

• Rip the seams attaching the yoke (upper back piece) to the back panel and the shoulders.

• Cut off the hem of the shirt.

• Iron all pieces flat to make cutting and measuring easier for your next project.

Sewing Leather on Your Home Sewing Machine - Part 2

The right needle can make a world of difference in successfully sewing leather on your home sewing machine.

There are sewing machine needles made specifically for sewing leather. Leather sewing machine needles are shaped differently than universal needles. The tip of the leather needle is shaped more like a spear than a point, with a triangular shape. It pierces the leather with the tip and then the triangular shape of the needle widens the hole to allow the thread to pass through and make a stitch.

Looking at the chart below, the next to the last needle shown is the leather needle. You can see that the point of the needle will pierce the leather as opposed to tearing it as one of the other needle types would do.

So when should you change your leather sewing machine needle for a fresh one? Needles become dull as they are used. Your needle needs to be sharp enough to cleanly pierce the leather. A good rule of thumb is to change your leather sewing machine needle whenever you start a new project.

The needles shown below are the brand that I use. They are priced about $6 for 5 needles. I am not posting a purchase link for them here because I would like to encourage you to buy locally, whenever possible.

In case You Missed It......

I have a video where I show you how to make the cute pyramid purse that is in the header of the newsletter. Many of you have already watched the video during last year's summit but in case you missed it, just head over to my blog for a link to the tutorial.