Sewing Self Sufficient Clothing :)

I don't actually sew, or rather, I sort of just learned to sew. I've always sewn a little, repairing a tear, taking in a top a little and I could make my own simple skirts, curtains and pillow cases etc., but only really a few straight lines and all by hand. My Sister Becca, is excellent and at one time made an entire wardrobe for herself. My mother could also sew well but I didn't inherit that particular gift.

I've had a sewing machine for a few years now but always had trouble with it. It's brand new and has a little book, I'm just not a machine person. But, I'm running short on clothing and have no money to buy any, second hand or otherwise. So Nik helped me get my machine out and set up (he even read the directions, which never occurred to me) and I just started sewing :) First I started on the little market bags, little drawstring purses to sell, then I started making other things :)

I used one of my favorite tops as a guide and a marker to mark around it, I allowed at least an inch for hemming, ironed all the places I wanted to sew and sewed it on the machine. To my amazement, it turned out wonderfully! Not professional by any stretch but wonderful just the same. I do think I will start trying to double the seams for strength, fold them over or something.

So far I've made myself a long sundress, a long top, a skirt and a thin muslin slip. Now I'm working on a black gauze slip, another top and another gauze slip.

Sundresses are my favrorite because they can be worn year round with other clothing.
This one is cotton fabric I traded herbs for.

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I made the top long enough to be worn as a long top or as a short dress.
It comes to my knees so works perfectly. It's cotton flannel and can be worn year round.

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The skirt looks odd in the picture but it's a straight skirt made of thin, but not to thin, cotton.
Thick enough that it can be worn alone.

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The top and skirt look much better together than in the picture.

They are all actually a little to big but I can take them up and work on them a bit at a time and they're still quite wearable for now :)  I will also be double over all the seams, whioch i didn;t think to do at first, but it will be worth the extra sewing so that they'll last longer. And, now that I sort of understand the idea, I may even try to make something from an actual pattern.
I'm very proud of this accomplishment, not just because I Really needed some cloths but, because the more I can do for myself the less I will have to depend on anyone else and the less we will have to do without or make do with less than pleases us. I think life should be pleasing. Not gluttonous, simply pleasing. We can learn to find pleasure in many things overlooked in the normal world and some folks may find pleasure in wearing leaves and bark, which I think is very cool but not what I want to wear :)