False Economy

Growing up my dad loved a sale, he would line up and be so proud to score a deal. When I buy something on sale, I still talk about how much I saved instead of how much I spent.
At this point in my life, I'm trying to consume less, and create more. Which brings me to this post's topic I'm undertaking the seamless pledge in part to save money. Making clothes is much cheaper than buying new, especially in New Zealand. As such, I have spent $100 in the last month on patterns and fabric. Which made me think, if I were not sewing, how much would I have spent?

In economics when the price of a good falls (as would happen if I switch from buying new to making it myself) there are two effects. Consider for a minute that I only consume chocolate and clothes If the price of clothes falls, I can now afford more of both chocolate and clothes.

Income Effect - The increase in consumption due to the additional purchasing power experienced when a price falls.

This means that I will buy more clothes (or sew more clothes) but doesn't imply that I spend more money on clothes (because they're cheaper).

The second effect is that clothes are now cheaper relative to chocolate. For example assume that previously I chose between consuming 5 chocolates, or 1 shirt, and now my choice is between 5 chocolates or 2 shirts. As a result I may now switch from eating chocolate to making more shirts because I can get 2 shirts for every 5 chocolates I give up instead of just 1.

Substitution Effect - The change in consumption from one good to another due to one good becoming cheaper relative to the other good

This will lead to me spending less money on chocolate and more on clothing, because clothing is now cheaper relative to chocolate.

So, to make a long post short, essentially economics tells me that by switching to a cheaper form of clothing (i.e making my own), instead of spending less on clothing, I will now spend more!

My Sewing Table - November 2011

Just a quick post to keep me honest, this is what I've got coming up:

For me:
Amazing Fit dress - my first lined dress and my first invisible zipper, Simplicity 2024

Retro Butterick dress with vintage fabric - Fabric is only 36" wide, hopefully I can scratch out enough for this pattern

A couple more knit tees from my favorite vintage butterick pattern

For the LO:
Series of ottobre tanks with stenciled animals (he loves animals these days)
A few pairs of short pants for summer (just below the knee)
Awesome T-shirt jacket from i am momma hear me roar

I'm hoping to get the Amazing Fit dress done tonight in class.
Sorry for the crap pics, I took my camera to work with me today, to upload pics I had taken this morning, but no SD card slot, and then forgot the camera at work, so this is my laptop cam. I just wanted to get this post up before heading up. At least there's room for improvement :)

Dress Fail

Huge fail. Completely unredeemable. I'm really disappointed, this is the first item that I am unwilling to wear (I have pretty low standards) It's the Stylearc Slip-on Suzie dress,


[Pattern image from Stylearc website]

In all fairness I don't think it's a pattern failure, I think it's a beginner-sewer failure. The dress is way too loose through the bust, and a little tight through the hips. It has 1/4inch SA, so there's no room to fix it. The top gapes horribly, and for some reason the sleeves were smaller than the opening, so I had to stretch them a little to fit, and now they stick out straight. I think it was a bad choice of pattern for me, and I should have been more careful in the measurements. I like the fabric, so I'm going to take it to sewing class on Tuesday, and see if I can make a skirt out of it (with Spanx it works). Major disappointment, and I'm back in my old faithful, easy vogue fake wrap dress.
On the plus side the whole family is wearing homemade today. my DH's in his Colette Negroni, my son's in his moustache T (variation of the '90 minute shirt') and giraffe-lined flat front pants (Both from MADE),

and I'm in my dress. very proud sewing day for me :)

The Seamless Pledge

I, Jennifer, take the seamless pledge until I move into my new house next year. I will abstain from buying any new clothes until the end of my pledge. I will find ways to be fashionable without breaking the bank and without contributing to the cycle of fast fashion consuming the high street. I will trawl through charity shops, I will attend clothes swaps, I will look for second-hand items on eBay and I will craft my own clothes with my own two hands.

Yep, I've done it. I am officially taking the pledge, and dragging my 16 month old son along with me. This is a fitting first post for my blog - as I learn how to sew I'll be able to see my wardrobe evolve, and the pledge will give me the kickstart I need.

A little about me -
Transplanted Canuck in NZ, married with a 16 month old.
Sewing equipment: 5 vintage Singer machines (401 and 417 for fancy stitches, two 201 workhorses for straight stitching everyday use, one 99 for taking to sewing classes) and an overlocker. I love my vintage machines, it makes what I do seem just a little more artistic.