Saturday, November 20, 2021

Misfits and some humble stitching

Misfits delivered yesterday, before noon, in great shape, nothing missing. I think Friday deliveries really work.



Plenty of apples, gala and Pinova. The Pinova are particularly good, not often available. Bartlett pears. Lovely Vermont maple syrup.

Some dried apricots to make jam. The apricot season is only a couple of weeks long here, and if you blink you miss it, so I'm going for dried. 

I'm taking a chance because they're treated with sulfur, the reason I avoid dried fruit, since it can trigger asthma. But I'm hoping the soaking I plan will help.

And a new one for me -- pea shoots. I added them in to last night's salad, interesting addition. You can also cook them, but I think I'll eat them raw.

You can tell the season's changed -- no freezer packs in the box, no need.

Then, after reading of Mary Moon's wabi-sabi mending adventures, I happened on a YouTube video about sewing your own underwear. 

The two worked on me and I realized I could pretty easily handsew undies. The kind I like isn't made as well as they used to be, also the styles I like aren't very available. Soooooo, since I also have underwear with plenty of life in it but looking shabby, I thought aha, I can renovate, too.

So I found that lovely soft jersey sheet, the one I made the top from, plenty of fabric still available, 



and in less than half an hour had my first reno done.


Just replaced the gusset and vyeolia! Like new again.

I can easily do this for other pairs, just cut out the shabby bit, use it as a template for the new one, cut double, stitch it around, insert and stitch.
And there's a built in elasticized hem in the sheet fabric, which can work for new pairs, either waist or leg openings.

If I decide to make new, maybe I can also make cute ones, from the skirt leftovers. 


With a boy leg cut, since it's not a stretch fabric. Maybe some of the silk sari fabric, with a knit jersey gusset, will work, too. No end of possibilities. 

So this happened while I was learning to hibernate..

Did you know that a posh lady's maid in times past was expected to make her boss's underwear? As well as keep her clothes clean and pressed and mended, she handsewed underwear. Often from silk. They were pretty skilled.

So, a bit more experience in this department and I can apply for a job as a lady's maid in a posh house in the past. Maybe I can play one on TV.

I'm not addressing the current bad, and good, news in the world at large. But my own good local news is that for once in a long time, Handsome Son is not working Thanksgiving, so we can celebrate on the actual day. Yay! 




17 comments:

  1. You can come and be my lady's maid and sew my underwear. I'll pay you in apples.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I'm totally avoiding the expected bad news. Just one more example of this country in decline.

    Never thought of making my own underwear but I doubt I'll give it a try. My preferred is Hanes boy short undies and for a while they had many options on line, now only two last time I checked.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes,Hanes has cut back on what I like. Or changed manufacturers so that the product isn't as comfortable. That's part of my motivation.

    I'm currently wearing my first Reno pair. Very successful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I swear to you- last night as I was about to fall asleep I thought, "Liz must have gotten her misfits box today!"
    And so you did.
    Terrific idea on the underwear! Love it! Yes. Make some silk ones. For you, not some fru-fru lady boss.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You simply never know when you'll crop up in someone else's mind! Too funny. Yes, I fancy silk undies.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Misfits box looks great as usual. Making one’s own underwear is an interesting project. Beyond my ability however.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You'll have to hire a lady's maid then!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really like this idea. Undie quality and selection has gone down in our neck of the woods too. I may follow (my) Mike's stellar tailoring example and take apart a pair of undies as a pattern, if I can find similar material. Mine always go out at the hips, where my thumbs poke through the fabric right under the elastic when I don and doff them.

    Glad you and Handsome Sun can celebrate Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day, for a welcome change. Not that the date really matters - I suspect every time you get together is a bit of Thanksgiving for each other.

    Chris from Boise

    ReplyDelete
  9. That elastic problem is one you can avoid by using a casing and elastic instead of that stitched on elastic the mfrs use. Yes, taking apart an old pair as a template works. Where I've wanted to make other things without demolishing the original, I've just cut around the original, remembering seam allowances. You can buy patterns, but you don't need to.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Goodness! The things you learn from blogs.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is good news about TG, but there are subjects on blogs that I never thought I'd encounter. Not that I mind. 😎😊

    ReplyDelete
  12. Something new to add to ye olde resume. You just never know when you might need that skill!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Speaking of which, the fancy pants to match the skirt are nearly done. No I won't model them!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well, yet more proof that one never knows what one will find whilst visiting you! Now I'll never see a picture of you again without wondering what wild and wonderful creations might be lurking out of sight.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Well, now I think I've started something! A woman of mystery, me.

    ReplyDelete

Please read the comments before yours and see if your question is already answered! I've reluctantly deleted the anonymous option, because it was being abused.