so i've written about the beginnings of my simple wardrobe story, but how can you get started even wanting to think about a simpler wardrobe?  maybe you are happy with the way things are.  maybe you have only what you need and you naturally tend toward keeping it that way…good, you've already got a simple wardrobe.  i guess i'm thinking that most of us tend to desire more than we have.  we think that we'll be happy if we get just a little more- money, stuff, house, clothes.  i deal with this struggle.  i haven't arrived at some zen contentment state and probably never will.  it has gotten easier, but i still have to keep reminding myself of this temptation... keep pushing myself to recognize it and step past it... keep recognizing the gifts i already have.  that wanting keeps us spending, and maybe more is not the solution.  chances are we are going to reach a point in our accumulating where we realize that more is just not bringing lasting contentment.  there is always something new to want.

most of us in the western world tend to desire more than we need.  we don't have a very good understanding of what we really need to live.  when we see other people's needs, real need for clean water, safety and employment…we can start to see some of our "needs" as excessive want.  seeing other people as our neighbors, brings us closer to seeing ourselves as part of the solution to their deprivation.  whether christian or not, most of us believe in the golden rule, "whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them," matthew 7:12.  if the roles were reversed, would you see things differently?  if you were sewing t-shirts in a factory 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, for just enough money to sleep on the cement floor of a room with 7 other girls and to share a pot of rice twice a day…would you wonder who this person was who needed so many cheap t-shirts?

"love your neighbor as yourself," mark 12:31.  

maybe when we start to consider our neighbors' need, we can start to adjust our own into a more appropriate place.  maybe we could actually start to desire less.  

most of what we can mindlessly consume costs someone else.  learning about the origins of my clothes was a kick in the gut.  books like where am i wearing by kelsey timmerman and overdressed:  the shockingly high cost of cheap fashion by elizabeth l. cline expose some ugly truths that we can not ignore when we truly love the neighbors who make our clothing for us.  check them out at your local library.  

i think ultimately the desire for less is going to originate in finding that something or someone else is more important than more.  

in my case, i say, people are more important than my desire for another cheap t-shirt, pair of jeans or whatever.

"He has told you what is good…what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."  Micah 6:8

less > more
love,
​jane

all of us picking among the crickets, spiders and buzzing creatures today came in with so much goodness!  we even picked our first fiesta pepper.  i think i should have left it to turn red though, oops!  i'll know for the next ones.  i had watched this one go from pale yellow to yellow-green to pale orange and now this deep orange, so i thought that was enough fiesta... but i guess it still has red to come.   here we have sungold, green zebra, paste, japanese black trifle, and black cherry tomatoes.

we harvested these potatoes in july and really wanted to plant another round, but i couldn't let any of these go to seed.  they are just to yummy!  we'll do that next year.   we are up to our ears in kale right now too, so lots of green smoothies and trying to add it to everything.  this has been a good garden year so far.  it's like an incredible miracle each year to plant something so small and then have actual food develop!  duh, but just not…you know?  God created such amazing processes and we are so incredibly lucky to witness bounty coming from dirt!  All of this color and diverse flavor…amazing!

what are you growing?

love,
jane + jo + julia

we are still enjoying our sungold days around here! here are a couple more meals we love that feature these little beauties… this guacamole is made from halved sungold + one diced avocado + red onion + one lime's juice + pepper flakes + salt.

this sauce is made from halved sungold + red onion + one diced zucchini + pepper flakes + salt sautéed in olive oil until the liquid is slightly reduced.  yum!

love,
​jane

jo: we thought we'd show you a few of my favorite sewn items- they look brilliant, you know! i feel so very lucky.  :)
i'm beginning a college yoga class in two weeks- today i got my mat (it's cute, an almost dark lavender!) and my mom whipped up this brilliant bag for me! i love it. the strap is the perfect width and length, the pockets have such potential to hold useful little things... and the fabric has been waiting for its perfect use... and now we've found it! so in love. thanks jane!!
i'm also wearing one of my favorite dresses today. i don't often wear dresses, but i love to wear this one- it's comfy, looks and drapes perfectly, and the color is amazing. i love the high-low twist on a simple skater dress-ish pattern. love. this. dress.

jane:  sewing is a great way to add items to your simple wardrobe in an ethical way.  made in the usa!  :)  i have loved sewing since i was a girl learning on my mom's singer feather weight.  if you don't sew, just know that it is not hard.  i bet you know someone with a sewing machine who would like to share it, and some knowledge, with you.  you also might find a great used machine on craigslist.  i will share some great books and websites for beginners in another post.

this is one of my favorite dresses I've made!  it is april rhodes' riding peplum and party dress pattern.  i used the longest length on a smaller size when cutting.  the fabric is a shot cotton, perfect for this dress.  this pattern comes together easily and i think the results are so cute. 

the yoga bag is amy butler's free pattern, the nigella yoga bag.  it is a simple pattern that turns out beautifully.  It's lined and has pockets all around the bottom.  i added a bit of length at the top of this one and included a drawstring.

making always makes me feel happy.  :)  what do you like to make?

love,
jane + jo