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The sewing machine died a couple of weeks ago (or a few weeks ago? I can't keep track of time any more.) I took it apart a few times trying to figure out what was wrong but was just stumped. At the time I was really trying to get a project done. So I took it to a place that does sewing machine repair, allegedly. Actually, what a sewing machine repair shop does is to look down their noses at your sewing machine and say "it would be $200 to repair that, so why bother when you could buy a refurbished machine for only $50 more? Here's a refurbished machine that you will be happier with for only $250!" So I walked out with a new-to-me sewing machine.
They were right. I am happier with this machine. It's a stronger machine, so it deals with thicker layers of tough denim.
I have been unable to summon up enthusiasm for sewing masks. I feel like I should sew masks. I have a sewing machine and all the sewing things and time to sew. I'm certainly all in favor of wearing masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19. There are many very nice masks that one can buy. But as long as I am unemployed— and don't see my way out of unemployment— my intention is to set the policy that if there's a cheaper but more time-consuming way to do something versus a quicker but more expensive way to achieve the same goal, then for now I should opt for the cheaper but more time-consuming option. So, given the choice between "buy mask" and "make mask" I should make masks.
That's not what I'm passionate about doing, though. Sewing is my once and future hobby, but not just any sewing: the sewing that brings me pleasure is to recycle worn-out old blue jeans into new useful non-clothing things. Primarily reusable grocery bags and totebags, although I've also made a pocketbook, various other types of bags, a pincushion, a plush toy, a trivet, upholstered sofa cushions, and I've contemplating making a wall hanging. I'm willing to branch out into recycling pants of any tough fabric— jeans of any color, corduroy. A mask, though, can't be made out of such fabric. I think you really would suffocate in a denim mask. I want a mask of very light fabric so I can breathe through it. I'm quite fond of breathing. For this, I need to chose a lighter thread, and wind a bobbin of that, and maybe have to adjust the thread tension, and probably change the needle. This has been endlessly procrastinated and I've been going around with a bandana tied around my face, or re-using the disposable procedure mask I got at BIDMC until it falls apart.
I'm so passionate about making grocery bags out of jeans and have had so much time to spend on that that I've mostly worked through my supply of old jeans. I've even used the 3 pairs of jeans that Joc just gave me recently. I need to ask around and get people to clean out their closets of old jeans again.
This is a bad time to pursue the old-jeans-into-bags hobby, though. The plastic industry jumped on the COVID-19 as an opportunity to sell more single-use plastic bags, by putting forth the bogus theory that reusable bags could be a vector for disease. They managed to bend the ear of the Governor of Massachusetts, and thus Massachusetts banned reusable bags. Not that you entirely can't use reusable bags. There's a little local store where they seem to have not noticed the ban. At CVS the cashier didn't touch my reusable bag, but did let me put my purchases in my bag. It's fraught, though. I've found out the hard way that I get yelled at for trying to use reusable bags at Star Market and at Walgreens. Reusable bags now have this image problem of being perceived as dirty, even though my bags are perfectly washable. I could wash them on hot and dry them in the dryer until crisp after every use and they would be fine. They're jeans.
This makes it an awkward time to try to persuade people to reduce their use of plastic by adopting my bags. I have many bags available for adoption, and if I get more old jeans and keep sewing, I will have many many more. It's a hard sell, when not only would one have to learn to get into the habit of remembering to take the reusable bags, one now also has to figure out, for each store, how hostile a reaction the bags will receive.
Also, perhaps people are not so quick to discard old clothing at this point? I know I am. Can you buy new clothing at this point in time? On-line, sure; but jeans, I find, I need to try on before purchase. So I am continuing to wear my own disgustingly worn-out and ugly old jeans rather than figure out how to buy new clothes. And, with the massive unemployment; new clothes are expensive, one might want to try to make do with the old clothes. And, in quarantine, who's going to see the big rip in your old jeans anyway?
That being said:
1) If you have old, worn-out and/or unfashionable and/or ill-fitting jeans uselessly using up space in your closet, give them to me!!!!
2) If you could use a totebag, or 3, let me know. Totebags free to a loving home if they will actually get used ever.
They were right. I am happier with this machine. It's a stronger machine, so it deals with thicker layers of tough denim.
I have been unable to summon up enthusiasm for sewing masks. I feel like I should sew masks. I have a sewing machine and all the sewing things and time to sew. I'm certainly all in favor of wearing masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19. There are many very nice masks that one can buy. But as long as I am unemployed— and don't see my way out of unemployment— my intention is to set the policy that if there's a cheaper but more time-consuming way to do something versus a quicker but more expensive way to achieve the same goal, then for now I should opt for the cheaper but more time-consuming option. So, given the choice between "buy mask" and "make mask" I should make masks.
That's not what I'm passionate about doing, though. Sewing is my once and future hobby, but not just any sewing: the sewing that brings me pleasure is to recycle worn-out old blue jeans into new useful non-clothing things. Primarily reusable grocery bags and totebags, although I've also made a pocketbook, various other types of bags, a pincushion, a plush toy, a trivet, upholstered sofa cushions, and I've contemplating making a wall hanging. I'm willing to branch out into recycling pants of any tough fabric— jeans of any color, corduroy. A mask, though, can't be made out of such fabric. I think you really would suffocate in a denim mask. I want a mask of very light fabric so I can breathe through it. I'm quite fond of breathing. For this, I need to chose a lighter thread, and wind a bobbin of that, and maybe have to adjust the thread tension, and probably change the needle. This has been endlessly procrastinated and I've been going around with a bandana tied around my face, or re-using the disposable procedure mask I got at BIDMC until it falls apart.
I'm so passionate about making grocery bags out of jeans and have had so much time to spend on that that I've mostly worked through my supply of old jeans. I've even used the 3 pairs of jeans that Joc just gave me recently. I need to ask around and get people to clean out their closets of old jeans again.
This is a bad time to pursue the old-jeans-into-bags hobby, though. The plastic industry jumped on the COVID-19 as an opportunity to sell more single-use plastic bags, by putting forth the bogus theory that reusable bags could be a vector for disease. They managed to bend the ear of the Governor of Massachusetts, and thus Massachusetts banned reusable bags. Not that you entirely can't use reusable bags. There's a little local store where they seem to have not noticed the ban. At CVS the cashier didn't touch my reusable bag, but did let me put my purchases in my bag. It's fraught, though. I've found out the hard way that I get yelled at for trying to use reusable bags at Star Market and at Walgreens. Reusable bags now have this image problem of being perceived as dirty, even though my bags are perfectly washable. I could wash them on hot and dry them in the dryer until crisp after every use and they would be fine. They're jeans.
This makes it an awkward time to try to persuade people to reduce their use of plastic by adopting my bags. I have many bags available for adoption, and if I get more old jeans and keep sewing, I will have many many more. It's a hard sell, when not only would one have to learn to get into the habit of remembering to take the reusable bags, one now also has to figure out, for each store, how hostile a reaction the bags will receive.
Also, perhaps people are not so quick to discard old clothing at this point? I know I am. Can you buy new clothing at this point in time? On-line, sure; but jeans, I find, I need to try on before purchase. So I am continuing to wear my own disgustingly worn-out and ugly old jeans rather than figure out how to buy new clothes. And, with the massive unemployment; new clothes are expensive, one might want to try to make do with the old clothes. And, in quarantine, who's going to see the big rip in your old jeans anyway?
That being said:
1) If you have old, worn-out and/or unfashionable and/or ill-fitting jeans uselessly using up space in your closet, give them to me!!!!
2) If you could use a totebag, or 3, let me know. Totebags free to a loving home if they will actually get used ever.
