Sew the Sad Thoughts Away
Posted in: Books yum BOOKS
If you were reading on our anniversary, you saw that Alan brought me to the book store. I didn’t find the book I was looking for but found this one instead, Alabama Stitch Book by Natalie Chanin.
I’ve never heard of it before. It was just luck that there was that one copy in the store and that I pulled it off the shelf. I opened the book and fell in love with this reverse appliqué swing skirt.
I sat there flipping through the pages of beautiful pictures. Stopping occasionally to read about beading, stenciling, deconstructing a t-shirt, and at the unexpected like a biscuits recipe and “loving” your thread. And right then and there I knew I had to have the book. I ordered the book and since it’s arrived I’ve been carrying it from room to room reading it.
There’s a paragraph in the first chapter where she writes about how in the mid-1990s a lot of garment factories closed with businesses moving overseas. It makes me sad.
Ok and here is where I go off on a completely different subject.
I read that chapter and in the back of my mind I think about a link my sister sent me, The Story of Stuff and how whenever I go to Target there is just stuff everywhere. Racks and racks of clothes made by cheap labor in other countries. Clothes we don’t need. Clothes that are inexpensive to buy. I think about how much time and effort it takes for me to make something and it makes me mad.
Do we care less about things when we don’t have to pay a lot for them? When they are easy to replace with more cheap stuff that we don’t need?
It makes me think of the documentary my friend, Veronica, recommended, The Corporation, and how big uncaring companies are everywhere. Companies that do not care about the world we live in or the people who live in it. And then I get mad that I shop at Target. That big stores have things cheaper. That food sprayed with pesticides is cheaper than organic. That I don’t even know where to find a mom and pop store for the necessities.
It makes me sad to think our country is a consumer country. We don’t make things anymore. We buy things. Our economy is based on how much we buy. The government is giving us a tax rebate hoping we’ll buy more stuff to stimulate the economy.
I don’t know where I’m going with this. It all just makes me sad, this fast paced life we live in where everything is easily had and easily thrown away.
And even though I think all this I can’t stop myself from wanting a play kitchen. Even after or especially after I quickly made a sucky drawn one for Isabelle.
She sits down and we pretend to have tea on it. So she thinks it’s a little table, not a stove.
I just don’t want to think about any of that anymore. It’s all depressing. I guess I’ll just sit down and sew all the sad thoughts away. Yeah. That’s it. Sewing. Hand made. With love. By me.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:07 am
That book is waiting for me on my amazon wish list!! I first saw it weeks ago on some “famous” blogging gals site (can’t remember who, and I fell in love! When I get back to the States I’m ordering it. Until then, I can’t wait to see what you create from it!
That’s so cute that Isabelle thinks the “stove” is a table! Maybe cut a door she can open and close into the side of a box? she might make the connection then.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:17 am
I feel the same way about our consumer lifestyle — guilt for shopping at the big chains, etc. I’ve made a decision, especially when it comes to things for my daughters, to purchase handmade or make things myself. For example instead of buying an American girl doll we got our two year old a Waldorf doll.
On the subject of play kitchens, have you seen the cardboard kitchen that Anna at fortytworoads.blogspot.com built? She offers the plans at her etsy shop. We built one for my daughter for Christmas and she loves it! I like it so much better than the plastic mass produced ones. Hope this helps!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:40 am
I made Aidan a play kitchen out of some shelves that we will repurpose as regular shelves when she’s done with her kitchen. I totally agree about the “stuff”. People ask me what I want for my birthday and aside from fabric (of which I have too much and am trying to cut back), I can never think of anything. It’s all getting to be too much. I feel like I’m drowning in it.
I have that book on my Amazon wishlist. It looks fabulous!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:48 am
i am right there with you girl. i hate that i have to shop at walmart for things, but on a single income and that of a teacher we just cant afford anything else. if i start thinking about the food and products we buy these days too much i get sick. i want to buy healthy and organic for my family but sometimes its just not possible.
i feel like with the way the economy is going right now that we as americans are going to have to change a lot of our habits. but it seems like that “i don’t care attitude” is ingrained in our country.
yes it is sad and i am getting sad just thinking about it all. i think i’ll go sew too. happy happy sewing.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:13 am
The Story of Stuff changed my life. Seriously. I have only been in Target twice since the beginning of the year. The first time I bought a lot of things (for a craft show) the second time nothing. A huge improvement for me. We shop at wal-mart only for diapers. If and when we have a second one I am going to make cloth diapers. I am making our own laundry detergent and we are looking sign up for a CSA share at a local farm. If I cant find it at a thrift store or make it myself I dont need it. And if I am going to make a purchase I am going to spend a little more for quality and be happy knowing that it wont break three months from now and thrown away for a new one. I am sad too about it all but I know that by changing my mind set I am making a difference. Want to make a difference? Keep talking about it make people think and “see the light” Have a great weekend! (Sorry about the rambling!)
May 8th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Hi. I came across your site and think you are very creative. And your daughter is adorable.
I’m so with you on the frustration of big box stores. Don’t even get me started on dollar stores! It is encouraging to know that other people are trying to make a difference!
Here’s a link to an amazing kitchen http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=142233.120
May 8th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I totally hear you, K. Don’t even get me started! But there are lots and lots of alternatives and it’s not like you have to go cold turkey and not ever buy a cute cheap thing again… just being aware helps, I think. Here are a few links to some play kitchen ideas http://tinyurl.com/6cnc3g and http://tinyurl.com/7b7fg and http://tinyurl.com/2oro75
Also, you can sign up for things like Freecycle.org in your area, and get a used one for free, that’s what I did. People don’t want these things in their homes once their children have outgrown them, and you’d be getting something wonderful for Isabelle and helping keep something out of the landfill at the same time. Whew, sorry, too much information, maybe? But I think play kitchens are great, and hope some of this helps!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:18 am
oh, yummy book, must have it…
May 8th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Ya know I really love your blog. Today though it was very eye opening. I love your kitchen in a pinch. You can always look for a play kitchen at second hand stores or on Freecycle or a yard sale. Put the word out cause I bet there is a house swollen with stuff and a mother willing to share.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I totally get what you are saying. There was just something in the news about children being sold to work in factories. I thought I shouldn’t buy something when I don’t know where and in what conditions it was made. But then I just ordered a few things online without even thinking about it. Like I can’t connect my ideals with my day-to-day. It is tough.
I do try to buy used. I feel like that is a winning situation because I am reusing something and not causing a new one to be produced. (And it is more affordable). But sometimes it takes a long time for the right thing to come along.
Making things yourself is another wonderful solution!!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I just wanted to say that I agree with so much you had to say. I’m really thankful that there are not a whole lot of chain stores here yet, but they are coming. I do try to buy local when I can. I do believe it makes a difference.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
oh and.. you take lovely pictures!
May 9th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
nodding in agreement…sewing away
May 9th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
For Ebow’s b-day, we are not buying plastic disposables but are using real dishes and utensils and washing them in the industrial dishwasher here at the church. All my party favors to the kiddies are all non toxic and made of wood, and paper. No lead. This is why I asked everyone to please do not get any toys for Ebow as gifts and only clothing made of natural fibers. Also, starting to plant again in the garden heirloom veggies, and not GMO.
May 10th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Sewing the sad thoughts away is a good idea. You can’t fix everything. I’m sure you do the best you can, and that’s good enough. Don’t let it all engulf you.
And, there’s nothing to stop Isabelle from using a “real” play stove as a table, even if it has knobs and burners. Kids are kooky.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
My mom worked at one of those closed-in-the-’90s-Alabama factories. It definitely changed my perspective on consumer goods in this country.