People of Leisure is a collection of (sometimes) upcyled, recycled + plant-dyed, organic clothing...all made in Los Angeles. Keep a lookout for all natural fibers.

All photos via People of Leisure. Find this + many other fair brands on our ethical brands page, when you need them.

My big goal this month is to make jeans! Yikes! This is a piece of clothing I never really thought I could make. I made my wedding dress, but I've avoided zip flies. :) The sheer number of pairs of readymade jeans I need to try on in order to find one that fits is enough to deter me. It would take a miracle for me to make jeans that fit. (I might be talking myself out of this right now- ha!) 

I'd always thought that jeans were made, at least in part, with special equipment. A few years ago, however, the sewing community just sort of seemed to decide that jeans were the next thing to tackle. (Not that adventurous sewists hadn't been sewing them all along.) Patterns + denim started to appear more + more. So many talented sewists have made amazing pairs of jeans, but I didn't really feel the need to tackle them myself.

It was those Merchant & Mills overalls I made recently that got me thinking...as a successful project often does. That pattern, taken one step at a time, produced a pretty professional looking end product. The idea of having a pants pattern at the ready that fits + that I can make again + again is intriguing. And I'm feeling both inspired + emboldened by all the amazing handmade jeans out there.

So...I'm going to give jeans a try.​ My favorite patterns are:

• Merchant & Mills Heroine jeans pattern :: because I think their shape has a cool, vintage vibe...I like the high waist...and they look like they could be quite comfortable
• Megan Nielsen's Dawn jeans view B :: because I like the high waist, the more fitted thighs + straight legs 

I'm in the hope + dream stage at the moment, but I'm excited to get started.  :)

All photos via links.

Love,
​Jane

This weekend in addition to watching it snow, I'm pre-washing fabric for my next sewing endeavor (which led to cleaning the washing machine), listing a few things for resale, trying to find a low bed frame for our mattress (recommendations welcome), and reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. 

A few more things I've enjoyed lately:
China banned plastic straws + bags.
Enjoyed this compliment to one of last week's reads.
​Is the end in sight for big oil?
Celebrating Black History Month with black artists across genres.
Fashion doesn't actually have to be consumerist.

How is your weekend coming along? Hope you are staying cozy + healthy, friends!

Love,
Jane

Courage
is as contagious
as fear.
~Susan Sontag

A little bit deeper cleaning of the kitchen is on my calendar for the first week of every month. The shelves get dusted, the fridge + microwave get cleaned + all of the surfaces get a little extra attention. As every jar, can + bottle gets pulled out, I take note of what needs to be used up. ​Sometimes those forgotten bits are treasures...today I found a lonely Christmas chocolate!  :)

Having this chore scheduled helps me stay on top of using up what I have...even the more obscure ingredients. I try to only buy things that I know I will use up, but occasionally I end up with things that require a bit more intentional thought + action.

It can be inspiring to think through ways to use up those bits + pieces. Creativity often leads me away from my regular makes. Today, I made an apple cake substituting a few of my found bits into the recipe.

After today's cleaning, I knew just what cup of tea to drink this afternoon...using up the last of that matcha. Tomorrow I'll use up that chai. Drink it up...eat it up...zero-waste.  :)

Love,
Jane

Step 2 :: 
Let's think through what an appropriate amount of food might be. I'd imagine you have some feelings about whether you tend toward having too much or too little in your home. Also consider how often you want to shop? How much space do you have for food storage? Do you preserve food? How many do you cook for? How often will you pick up food from a restaurant?

We may want to address our feelings of anxiety + fear of scarcity vs. trust that there will be enough at this point. I feel like trust is good for my soul, my sense of well-being + my peace of mind. But I also remember the specific moment in March when I noticed that the checkout lanes in Target were overflowing with people + their full carts. It was those full carts that made me feel like I was competing for a finite amount of stuff. If they were stocking up on toilet paper, I felt like I had no choice to buy a few extra rolls in order to have any at all. I also felt like I should buy some extra cans of soup in case we were all sick at once + couldn't leave the house. 

Now some time has passed, and we have a little perspective. What did you learn? Does your stockpile have expiration dates? (If you need a go-bag or choose to keep a buffer, be sure to set reminders on your calendar to rotate items in + out before the expiration dates come...so that you can use things up.)

We've had enough time now in pandemic times to take note of how much food we need to prepare meals at home day by day + week by week. If we haven't tuned in to this or been intentional about what we would like to be eating, now might be the perfect time. ;)​

Step 3 ::
Let's get real about what we have. Get in the pantry, the cupboards, the fridge, the garage, the basement + take stock. Pull things out of hiding. Wipe down the shelves. 

What thoughts are coming to the surface? How does this make you feel? 

Our goal is to:

• take a look at each + every food item
• note the expiration date
• set aside expired things...take note + consider how to avoid this waste in the future
• designate a spot in the cabinet, in the fridge, in the freezer, etc. for things to use soon
• make meals out of what you have (prioritizing the must-use-soon items)
• eat those meals until you can't make any more meals out of what you have
• make a meal plan/grocery list prioritizing what you have + only adding things to the list that fill in the blanks

You may decide to donate non-expired non-perishables that you are ready to let go to a food bank. Make note not to purchase these again...or at least not in the quantity that led to this excess. Donate with intention next time.  :)
​

Step 4 ::
​For the next month, repeat the last three bullet points in Step 3 at your preferred meal planning/grocery shopping intervals.

Some might be able to eat what they already have for quite a while...maybe even the whole month. Maybe you can decide what you will spend your savings on...paying down debt? saving toward something? donating money to a food bank?

Observe + note your feelings. What do you learn about "enough" in regards to food? Track spending + waste. How would you like to move forward?

Step 5 ::
Further thought + exploration: 

• ​Build awareness of the scarcity mindset + work towards recognizing "enough".
• Build awareness of food waste + the needs of others.
• Work toward building an abundance mindset.

• We've lived through a time when we were aware of shortages like meat. Consider alternatives + solutions which move you away from feelings of scarcity. Could you eat less meat? Consider intentionally embracing some delicious meatless meals. 
• What are some proactive ways to fight food insecurity? How can we improve food security for all of us?
• Become a part of sustainable solutions. Where does food come from? Make connections with farmers. Sign up for a CSA right now to ensure your food security into the next year.
• Consider planting a garden.
• Lobby for a vacant lot to become a free community garden space. Educate yourself about real food insecurity in your area. Get involved. Participating in the bigger picture helps us to see ourselves in proper perspective. Let's be part of collective solutions...a web of strength!

​Find our other experiments with less in the kitchen here: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05.

Love,
​Jane

This is an interesting intersection: a big brand + clothing rental + gently worn resale.

Clothing rental is an intriguing approach to fair fashion. For those who have the means to do it, renting clothing offers a way to rotate clothing in + out of one's wardrobe without excessive waste. It offers an opportunity to share clothing in an organized way. 

Those of us who can't quite swing or justify the expense of rental could recreate the concept with a group of similarly sized family members or friends. We can attend clothing swaps, shop local thrift stores + sites like Poshmark or ThredUp (and resell there too).

Pieces like the gently worn resale pieces above are available online at Anthropologie (type "gently worn" into the search bar). They seem to be pieces that were previously rented via Nuuly (a clothing rental site). I appreciate that these pieces are available in a variety of sizes. Some even have their reviews attached. Nice!

All lovely photos via Anthropologie.

Love,
Jane