this shirt is like an old friend.  it's the sort of shirt that can be worn with jeans out to dinner, or over a swimsuit and cut-off shorts to the beach, it looks cool over a tee dress on a summer evening, and i love it over a jumpsuit in autumn.  this shirt fits just like i want it to... it's perfectly soft and broken in.  it's a shirt that i want to wear and love for a long time.

last spring, i took it on a road trip and started stitching that sun in the car.  i wore the shirt to jo's birthday concert that evening (after removing it from jo who thought she'd try to quietly walk off in it).  this week i filled in the sunshine a bit more and added the triangles.  

i like the idea of this shirt getting worn, loved and stitched as the years go by.  it feels like the type of shirt that will buck trends and remain classic, but funky.  i'll wear it on a sunrise hike in joshua tree, on a windy beach in malibu, and around the campfire in big sur.  it'll fit right in thrift shopping on haight…and bike riding through our neighborhood.  this shirt with its stitched tattoos growing…growing better, stronger and more loved with each stitch and adventure.

(some of the suggested topics for this week of slow fashion october are:  second-hand / mending / caring for things / laundering for longevity / design for longevity (bucking trends, quality materials …) / heirlooms
these are some of my favorite topics and i've written posts about them here.  feel free to take a look at a few of them: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

love,
jane

"Economist Peter Edwards argues that instead of pushing poorer countries to “catch up” with rich ones, we should be thinking of ways to get rich countries to “catch down” to more appropriate levels of development. We should look at societies where people live long and happy lives at relatively low levels of income and consumption not as basket cases that need to be developed towards western models, but as exemplars of efficient living."  

"In light of this, perhaps we should regard such countries not as underdeveloped, but rather as appropriately developed. And maybe we need to start calling on rich countries to justify their excesses."  here



"A far cry from the market-is-king model of capitalism, it inspired the recently revised Ecuadorian constitution, which now reads: 'We ... hereby decide to build a new form of public coexistence, in diversity and in harmony with nature, to achieve the good way of living.'"

"According to buen vivir, humans are never owners of the earth and its resources, only stewards."

"Small-scale production has a number of benefits: it's more likely to reflect and enhance local culture, to include local people and to protect the local environment. Importantly, it also has a higher probability of serving local needs too."  here



"The appetite of countries such as ours for [quinoa] has pushed up prices to the extent that poorer people in Peru and Bolivia, for whom it was once a nourishing staple food, can no longer afford to eat it."  here

these enamel bowls were bought for camping.  i wanted to pack as little as possible, so eliminating the need to take both plates and bowls (and disposables) was a priority.  these bowls are large enough to accommodate plate meals like sandwiches and hotdogs as well as bowl meals like salad, soup, or cereal.  the bowls + camping = success.  

​when i got home i put them inside the little cooler we had also bought just for camping and stored them in the back of a cabinet for the next camping trip.  i felt annoyed that they were only going to be used a couple times per year, but it seemed like the only choice.

one day i was looking for dishes to hold our zero-waste/stove top popcorn and these bowls came to mind...  perfect!  (no skimpy portion sizes here.)  :)  the more popcorn we ate, the more we used the bowls, so they started to earn a more accessible spot in the kitchen.

that's when i started to find all kinds of uses for them.  they are bigger than our normal soup or cereal bowls, but smaller than a mixing bowl.  they are less breakable (one did chip with a fall to the cement the first time we used them camping- but is still totally useable) and more lightweight than ceramic bowls.  we take them out to the garden to gather tomatoes, peas, strawberries and peppers.

...and as part of a double boiler to make candles and lipgloss...

…and they fit perfectly over our plates to keep leftovers in the fridge- no plastic wrap needed.  now these bowls have a place on our open shelving…right where i can reach them.  they have saved the need to buy a number of other single use items.  minimalism, zero-waste, and tim gunn agree, "make it work!"…use what you have.  :)

others in this series :: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09

love,
​jane

this simple hat was knit to use up even the smallest bits of left over yarn…and it turned out to be one of my favorites!  the main yarn and all of the extras are quince & co. osprey (100% american wool yarn), so they work together perfectly.


i love knitting hats, because they are a relatively quick project, and i like to wear them too. they make great gifts and don't take a lot of yarn.  i thought i'd share my pattern notes for this easy hat, just in case anyone would want to use them.  you can get creative about how to put together colors, stripes and patterns or craft a lovely single color hat.  

zero-waste osprey hat (adult size)

1 ball osprey, or equivalent in various colors (it takes much less than a ball, though)
size 10 16" circular needle (i also knit this hat on size 9 needles for a tighter fabric that still fits an adult)
size 10 double point needles set

Using circular needle, CO 72 st.
Join for working in the round, placing marker at the beginning of the row, being careful not to twist.
Work in rib stitch- knit 1, purl 1 until hat measures about a 1 1/2 inches from the cast on row.
Knit until hat measures about 6 1/2 inches from the cast on row.

Decrease for crown as follows, changing to double point needles when necessary:
row 1: K6, k2tog, repeat to end of row.
row 2: knit.
row 3: K5, k2tog, repeat to end of row.
row 4: knit.
row 5: K4, k2tog, repeat to end of row.
row 6: knit.
row 7: K3, k2tog, repeat to end of row.
row 8: knit.
row 9: K2, k2tog, repeat to end of row.
row 10: knit.
row 11: K1, k2tog, repeat to end of row.
row 12: knit.
row 13 : k2tog, repeat to end of row.

break yarn, leaving about 6 inches of yarn.  thread yarn onto yarn needle and draw tail through remaining stitches.  pull snuggly and tie end off.  weave ends in.  wear or gift!

love,
​jane

i like have some portable snacks around to help tide us over until meal time and to keep us from the drive-thru.  recently we tried these granola bar type things, and they will definitely be made again…and again.

they are basically this recipe which i found to be super adaptable.  i used all bulk ingredients including pecans, fair-trade chocolate chips + coconut this time.  next time i'm going to use dried cranberries and maybe some seeds instead of the nuts + chips.  they are vegan and so tasty!  not too sweet- just the way we like them.

granola muffin balls

2 ripe, browning bananas
1/2 c. dates
1/4 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. coconut
1/4 c. melted coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 c. oats
1/4 c. chocolate chips

combine all except 1/2 c. oats and chocolate chips in a food processor or blender. mix in rest. form 2-4 Tbsp. size balls. bake at 350F for approximately 18 min.

a couple in a little jar…and they are ready to go!  yum.

zero-waste granola bars: 01 here

love,
​jane

this is the story of a dress.  a year or two ago i saw an image of a dress that i thought i could recreate.  i started with sew liberated's schoolhouse tunic pattern and some ivory brussels washer linen/rayon fabric.  (i've gotten quite a bit of use out of that pattern over the years, and i love the drape of brussels washer for clothing…though i'm not too enamored with the color palette personally.)  with some pattern modifications and a bit of sewing, i ended up with a dress that looked a lot like the picture + i liked it. :)

this spring i hemmed the dress to just above the knee rather than just below the knee.  i really like wearing my dress in the spring, but i felt like i could get more wear out of it if it wasn't such a light color.  i'd always had in mind that i could dye the dress if i spilled something on it or sat in something.  yup, that's how i think…it alleviates the fear that might keep me from wearing it otherwise.  :)

​indigo has become one of my favorite colors...not original, i know...but it was what i wanted for this dress.  the jacquard kit wasn't really my first choice, because i don't think it gets the same depth or quite the same color as natural indigo.  after looking around, however, it just felt right for this project considering amount of supplies and price.

a few other items were gathered in order to make good use of the vat and then i went for it.  this is not the most zero waste endeavor, honestly.  there is a bit of plastic in the packaging...i was not able to find the kit locally, so had to have it mailed...and it's not exactly all natural.  i do feel like it was a good way to get more use out of my simple wardrobe though.

slowly fashioning this dress from concept to pattern tweaking to sewing to altering to dyeing has been spread over a couple of years.  that time has allowed me to get to know this piece of clothing and feel that it is totally "me".  time doesn't always accomplish that, because sometimes the vision doesn't become reality.  i don't honestly feel more attached to this piece of clothing because of the time spent with it... i've become somewhat unattached to material things over the years of simplifying.  what has happened is that i have come to value what i have more...and i want to make what i have work for me…for longer…because i know that material things have an impact on the earth.  that fabric, thread, and dye took resources to make.  the dress is a useful object and one that i feel quite good wearing.  i want to keep it in use for as long as possible, because it displaces the need for more…more resources, more pollution, more production, more transport, more consumption, more waste.  it is a dress.  it is useful.  i like it and will wear it.  there is value in what it is…and what it is not…and that, for me, is something to love. 

i'm so enjoying this way of dressing.  50 pieces altogether…minimal stacks for each month.  i think it works for me because i really do like playing with my clothes.  this way, i get to have fun with them while keeping a minimal closet and not getting bored.  triple win.  

so here are the pieces i'm wearing this month:

1 dress;
~cream handmade (now indigo)

2 jumpsuits:
~navy linen
~tan linen

5 shirts:
~see-sun
~indigo tee
~striped tee
~striped tee
~olive button down

1 sweater:
~tan cardigan

2 pants:
~leggings
~jeans

2 shoes:
~toms
~flats

total pieces: 13

this is a fun stack!  i thought about what silhouettes i want to wear right now:
~soft pants (jumpsuit) + top or sweater
~leggings + top (layered over a longer tank- not counted because i also wear them for pj's + workout)
~top + jeans
~dress + sweater or not  

on warmer days i can remove layers:
~jumpsuits can be worn on their own
~leggings + longer tank
~dress without the sweater

it's encouraging to know that most of these pieces are ethical in that i know where they were made and that the makers were fairly treated.  the jeans were thrifted, and 4 pieces are from madewell, j crew, and clarks uk.  these companies do have social responsibility statements, but i am not quite sure how trustworthy they are.  i purchased these items years ago and i believe that the best way to honor the makers is to wear and appreciate their work now.  

there are 2 new pieces in this stack.  
1.  i sold a striped tee that didn't get worn much and replaced it with this everlane tee.  i like that it has a shorter length that will layer well over my jumpsuits and high-waisted pants.  it also looks cute over a longer tank with leggings.  
2.  i sold a sweatshirt that was replaced by the see-sun top that i wrote about earlier.  

i'm really happy with these new pieces that i collected over the last couple months.  i feel like the hands that made them were respected.  the items are all of good quality, totally "me" and should last.  i'm ready to crunch through the leaves, make soup, soak in the yellow light, eat apples, light candles, and take a road trip.  yay, october!

love,
jane

one of the reasons we are able to have these cell phones is that we have a home phone. when google fiber came through our neighborhood, we signed up for the basic service (which was a significant upgrade from our service at the time).  it involved a one time installation fee with no further payments for seven years.  we had been bundling our phone and internet service for a combined cost of $80/month + the cost of long distance calls. while the installation fee for google fiber was a bit pricey, we felt it would pay for itself in about 5 months.  

for phone service (which we still want for when the girls are at home + for long distance calls) we use ooma.  my sister has used it for years, so we thought it was worth a try.  it works through the internet connection, costs about $100 up front, and less than $5 per month after that. there are no long distance fees, and you can keep using the phones and number you have.

we are very happy that we payed around $350 upfront and decreased our monthly phone/internet bill from around $90/month to less than $5/month!  i don't really like talking specific numbers, but i thought they were significant enough to share.  again, just an option for fewer ends.

love,
jane

this top!  it ticks a lot of boxes for me…small batch independent makers, hand dyed and painted, adorable!!…plus a little extra.

as soon as i saw this top from see sun, i bought it.  usually i hem and haw about whether i really love an item…if it is made ethically…it i really need it…if it's too expensive.  i had not a single reservation about this one!  that's really how i would like all the clothing in my closet to be.  see sun is a collaboration between lena corwin and jen garrido, both of whom i've been a big fan of for a long time.  

here's the little extra:  when i got my top, the sleeves were the tiniest bit tight.  i wondered if jen and lena might have a couple thin strips of fabric that i could sew into the sleeves to give me a bit more ease.  they were amazingly generous and sent me a bit of matching fabric!!  for my first slow fashion october project, i was able to make this top fit just right…and i'm happily wearing it now!

see sun, you are my favorite!!

love,
jane

simple wardrobes, minimizing and creating fewer ends have all contributed to where i find myself craft-wise at the moment.  i love making, but i'm not doing it as much these days.  i don't want to create just for the sake of creating…without a home for the created object firmly established.  i have clothes, my girls have clothes and i don't need more yarn, fabric, or finished objects.  :(  i have lost the burning desire to just try weaving or that new sweater or dress pattern…at least, unless i find a need or real desire for the finished item in my closet or home.  sometimes this makes me feel a bit lost, because creating is something that makes me feel like i have a purpose and value.

i have spent the last couple months cleaning out my stash of fabrics and yarns.  i don't want stuff laying around without a purpose.  some of these stashed items might find more potential in others' imaginations, so i'm letting them go.

this state of mind has made my goals for slow fashion october a bit tougher to define.  i really don't want to start a project just because it will make a good blog post.  at this point i think i will focus on making the wardrobe i already own more lovable…more cherish-able.  :) 

so…the projects that i am going to focus on will be:
~taking three pieces of clothing currently in my october simple wardrobe…and making them more cherish-able (first one tomorrow!)  
~knitting hats and cowls for folks that will appreciate them.  i'm hoping to have 10 finished this month.

these projects will help me to appreciate and spend time with items and supplies i already own.  

i'm also going to continue to focus on makers being valued and appreciated.  i want to know the origins of the items i purchase and wear.  i want to consume less and appreciate what i have already.

i'm really enjoying reading about others' slow fashion october as well!  thanks for sharing, if that includes you!

love,
jane