Sew comes before Cook and Act

Peace.

This is a righteous sewing build. If you aren't righteous you will be lost. This is my disclaimer. Carry on.

The Knowledge Culture degree of the 1:14 asks,
"What is the meaning of M.G.T. and G.C.C.?
Ans. MUSLIM GIRLS TRAINING AND GENERAL CIVILIZATION CLASS. This is the name given to the Women and Girls thay belong to the Nation of Islam in North America, teaching them:
HOW TO KEEP A HOME
HOW TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN
HOW TO KEEP A HUSBAND
Sew, Cook and in general how to act at home and abroad. These training units were named and given by our Prophet W.D. Fard."

For most Earths this is the blueprint on how to be a proper Earth.

I'm an Earth and I know a few Earths here and there. One of the things I have noticed is Earths take a LOT of interest in cooking, natural health, homeschooling, revolutioning, and such. I'm not saying that they shouldn't, yet don't take the same interest in sewing. Hmmm.....

I'm not trying to say that sewing is more important than other things. It's not. But its not less important either. Sewing is just as important as any thing esle on the list.

Folks really behave like creation of righteous clothing is an after thought or a superficial frill that Earths should not possess. We should be humble and boring looking. Ummm.... Emphatically Now Cipher. Why can't we be supa dupa fly? And why would be judge each other for making our appearances a priority? I'll wait....

There are plenty of reasons to educate oneself on the politics of the garment industry. Did you know most of the ready to wear clothing that is purchased in this country is made somewhere other than the US? That means by purchasing RTW garments you are taking money out of this country and supporting China, Indonesia, India, etc. Less than 5% of clothing is made in the US. It is a crippled industry for Americans. Also the people making said clothes work in extreme conditions for little money. They are sweat shops. But it's legal because it's abroad. So by purchasing RTW garments you are supporting this.

Did you know that sythetic fibers choke the skin? You skin can only breathe in natural fibers. Cotton, Rayon, Silk, etc. And these Franken-fabrics may be composed of chemical wastes and debris. I have excema and have noticed that when I wear natural fabrics mys kin does way better than when I don't. Hmmm.... Does sewing sound less important now?

I am a decade long vegetarian, I am currently walking the God through the vegetarian transition. I recycle, I am gainfully employed. I Knowledged 120 in December 2009. I add on as much as I feel comfortable to do. All my ducks are in a row for the judgmental folks. I take care of myslef and the God. I know and control the ins and outs of our cipher. So I'm thinking I've hit all the pillars that are applicable. Can you say the same thing?



Peace

Vintage

Peace,

I like vintage sewing. I do. I realize the best option for me is to make my own vintage inspired clothing. Because (a) I WILL NOT pay an exorbitant amount for the garments, (b) it's unlikely that I will find garments in my size and (c) they will be old and musty. I like to have a certain amount of control over things and you have little control over ready to wear clothing. So I guess it's a good thing that I can sew by eye. All I need is a picture of said garment and I can re-create it. Just like my grandmother did.

Okay... That being said... All my love gushing out.... I follow a lot of vintage blogs. A lot. And I have some questions......

Question 1...
What kinds of jobs do these people have? Clearly they aren't performers and lots of them have tattoos. A lot of tattoos. Do they wear these clothes to work? My boss already has issues with the evolution of my wardrobe. If I suddenly started coming in here dressed like Lois Lane, I'm thinking I won't have a job anymore.

Question 2....
Why do the vintage sewists get off on sewing on vintage machines? I mean it's nice to inherit something from a family member, but why go out of your way to get a machine that has maybe 2 stitches and is essentially antiquated when you can have a brand new razzley dazzley machine with ALL the bells and whistles. And old machine is going to require all kinds of work. You just know that going in. And I'd slap someone if they tried to give me a treadle.

Question 3.....
Do these people have a whole wardrobe of vintage clothes? Why? My vintage inspirations serve a practical purpose. Prior to the 1960's most of the clothes were fairly modest. 3/4ths is easily observed with these clothes. That's how I fell into vintage in the 1st place. But from the blogs and forums, it seems these people have whole wardrobes of vintage or vintage inspired clothing. That seems wasteful and begs me to re-visit question 1 again.


I don't get a lot traffic to these blogs of mine and I can be cool with that. I didn't start these blogs to be popular. I was loading up my main blog with clothing issues and I didn't want to alienate my male readers. So I probably won't get answers to my questions, because I don't have the readers. But I can ask.



Peace

Pattern Stories

Peace,

I have made my peace with patterns. I don't love them. I don't hate them. I realized as I tried (unsuccessfully) to clean my sewing room that I have managed to acquire quite a few. There is this fabric store that was selling patterns for $.25 a piece. You can't beat that with a stick. Unfortunately most of them were too small. BUT.... I have learned to grade patterns. So Maybe it's not all bad.

Also, I have come to realize that the free handed way I had been sewing was moderately inefficient. I mean it's God Cipher Cipher Divine that I am not dependant on patterns for my creations, but should I ever want to make a garment again, I would have to reinvent the wheel, and I hate doing that shit. It gives me comfort to know that for some things I already have 1/2 the work done.

Another thing I have noticed, is the fear that I had that sewing with a pattern would zap my creativity was wrong. It has had no effect. I actually have a new way to create. I can take the already perfected bodice from one the collar form another, the skirt from yet another and "Frankenstein" an outfit together. A cute on at that! Yeah patterns aren't grafted.

But just because I have warmed to patterns and realize that the size doesn't necessarily correspond to your ready to wear size doesn't mean that I will always use them.

This is an aside.... I am developing a fabric stash. I read that this can happen. You buy but don't use it. I don't think I like the direction this is taking so I'm going to have to do some house keeping soon. I'm certain it will require a blog.

Until then.....



Peace

I'm Cheating....

I've got so much to do.... And I'm online just fooling around. I will pay for it later by being up late all night. I still need to make a lasagna. But what brings me to blogging is this.... It's still kind of hot, yet autumnal equinox has passed. I wear a lot of white clothes when the weather is warm, yet I don't want to wear them anymore. Since moving to hot-assed-Atlanta, I moved my cessation of white to the equinox. I go from spring to autumn in white.

I am now folding up the clear summer clothes. But its not a delineating moment, meaning I'm not putting up all my summer clothes. The clothes in the trunk are cold weather clothes, yet I need to pack up the summery things in exchange for fall.

I have been intending to collect a season-less wardrobe, but have been vastly unsuccessful in that endeavor. I think the reason why that is, is because I have REALLY stopped acquiring new clothes I the last couple of years. Really since I made that decision. I suppose sooner or later it will come to pass.

Another thing is I normally stash unwearable clothes in the spare room. But since the God has moved to the Garden, that has become his space. Not that I'm bitching, but it has limited my space. I have no idea where I'm going to store this stuff.

Alright. Rant over.

What are y'alls policy with wearing white clothes and accessories into the fall?

Back to Work!


Peace

UFOs aka Comcast Sucks!

Peace.

This weekend I worked on some unfinished projects that are laying around in my sewing room. I didn't get to everything, because Comcast sucks.

There was a lightening storm on Friday night and it fried our cable box. We were at the Comcast office when the opened at 9 am. They told us they didn't have the box we needed replaced and that they weren't going to get them. So we would have to take whatever they had. I had to ask them if other locations had them. They begrudgingly said another location had them. I asked them to call and reserve it for us. They claimed to do so. I took their names and the address of the location. After a 30 minute drive to the new location, they tell me they don't have the same box, but that a shipment of boxes was coming in and they were certain one was on it. They also told me the shipment would be there within an hour and that they would call me. They never called. We went back and the woman that was handling our case was at lunch. Sigh. We wait for her and she says they didn't get the box. When I asked her if a person from the previous location called and reserved a box for me, she had no idea what I was talking about. ***sigh*** So Comcast chick gave us a dinosaur of a box and said whenever they got new boxes she would call us. Whatever. I ain't holding my breath on that. We take the box home, hook it up and it doesn't work. We call CS and trouble shoot, still nothing. We take that box back too. The give us another box that works a little but not completely. We call back. Now they are sending someone out to check it. The claim that it will be a free service visit, but I am skeptical.

All that being said, I didn't get anything accomplished on Saturday that I wanted, which just left Sunday to clean, sew and cook. Cooking suffered, which means I will suffer for the rest of the week trying to make up for it.

I cleaned downstairs and insisted that the God put his stuff away so that I/we can reclaim the den. I have been avoiding allowing people to come to the house because his shit was every where. Now it's put away. The garage is still a work in progress. It looks nice and neat. God sweeps it out regularly and has drawn a big Universal on one of the walls.

Any who, I started on the God's robe. He wants a bathrobe with an Universal on it. The Universals colors are black, cream and gold... All colors I would have used as the robe material. And the God is very heat sensitive. It was Love, Hell or Right finding a color and a fabric that the Universal would show up on. I found heavy Royal blue sheeting. I cut the robe out of that. It is my determined idea to trim the robe out in an orange plaid (orange and blue is one of his favorite color combinations) and make the belt out of the same material. I will sew the front back and the sleeves up tonight. It will look like a robe but still unfinished. ***sigh*** It's a work in progress.

The reason, I started on the robe is because it is related to my Universal jacket. When I make the Universal for the robe, I will make another one for the denim jack that I bought for me at the Goodwill. It will be hot once it's all finished. And I will be the only Earth rocking a Universal jacket. Peace!

I also completed my dress form. The God was supposed to make one for me, and he started out strong. But he has been so distracted with the move, finding a home for all his stuff, fixing things in the house and looking for a job, that my dress form has been put on the back burner. Humph! Well, I finished it. Not in the way he would have (it's kind of nigg-a-rigged), but in a way so that I can finally use it. Should he decide to make it all jazzy and such, then he is welcome to. But I need it for my upcoming sewing projects. The fact that it took 3 pillows to stuff it is not lost on me. Yeesh!

Okay. That's it for now. I hope to have more and more and more and more updates for you.

Toodles!



Peace

September Vogue 2010

Peace,

I finally got hold of the September 2010 issue of Vogue. And let me tell you this... I'm a little underwhelmed. The clothes that I saw where better in the other mags. Vogue had a lot of advertisements, but nothing truly awe inspiring in their fashion layouts. I did see a suit that I want to make, retro inspired. But I have seen this suit in various places. I didn't need Vogue for it.

There was an article about Halle Berry that explained a lot, at least to me, about why she can't keep a man. I mean if beautiful Halle Berry can't keep a man, then other ordinary-looking women should have no expectations. But she has deeper issues. Good luck Ms. Berry with the rest of your life!

I went shopping at a sewing store and came up on some new feet! One is for binding off edges and the other is for gathering/shirring. I'm a little more excited than I should be.

So I guess my 5 creations will be...
1. Blue denim wrap dress
2. Blue denim blouse with pussy bow (teehee)
3. Asymmetric skirt
4. retro inspired suit in plum suiting
5. 70's inspired camel coat
6. Leopard bustier
7. A black/printed cotton swing blouse that looks slightly maternity, but isn't, sort of

I guess that's it. 7 is a good number.

Screw you Vogue!



Peace

Ideas Updated

Okay.

It is Wednesday, September 18, 2010.... I have been stalking the stores, and I have yet to spy a September 2010 issue of Vogue magazine. PHOOEY!!!!! Where is it? I've seen Elle, Bazaar, Cosmo, Glamour, Marie Clare and Instyle. No Vogue. I think I'm going to have to go to a book store to get it. There is a magazine depot across the street from the bus stop. The charge more than the magazine retails. I just might have to get one there. I'm sick because I have spent nearly $12 on stop gap mags to quell my thirst for the vogue. Bastards!

Breathe.....

So far, I have decided on 3 garments already. A leopard bustier, a fancy denim blouse with puffed sleaves, a high collar and a pussy bow. (Teehee @ pussy bow!) and a sleeveless wrap denim dress. I have decided sleeveless because then I can wear it with a turtleneck or without, and it will be seasonless. And what makes it completely spicy is I already have the fabric for the blouse (an old wrap skirt) and the bustier. That's three. Although not complete outfits.

I have decided that I want to make a nice suit that suits me and my culture. When I go out to various places. I don't want folks pegging me for a hippy. I have seen some nice patterns for 40's styles suits. I aint buying the patterns though. I'm a sew them just like my paternal grandmother did... by eye. And maybe a beret. Maybe a few.

I want to make a coat too. Since it doesn't get truly cold here until January, I need something stylish to carry me through the fall and then again through the spring. I'm getting too old for the hoodies. I have a black trench, but I don't love how that looks on me. Since I have these big boobs (40J), coats that fit across the chest tend to swallow me. I have decided to accept the boobage and look for a maternity coat. Yes I said it. Maternity. No embarassment. They are cut fuller and more flattering in the front. I'm going with it.

Another coat issue is that coats should be lined. I would choose silk, but silk is hot. I only do the natural fabrics so then I would be forced to endure cotton which isn't often pretty. ***Sigh*** Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

I need to re-clarify my determined idea to whether I mean 5 articles or 5 outfits. The way the denim blouse was styled was with a camel long skirt. I already have one of those. The bustier would go under a jacket or sweater. I just don't see me all out in public with such a sexy top on when I have a God. B.U.T. it's not like I plan to stop sewing after all the articles are finished. So I shall and wait to see what develops In the mean time I'm going to get my dress form in shape and finish the God's robe.

Toodles.



Peace