Seam Allowance: Pledge to Make 25% of Your Clothing

Reading Seam Allowance: Pledge to Make 25% of Your Clothing 3 minutes Next Why I Started Seam Allowance.


 

Welcome to the new Seam Allowance Blog! 

This is the first post, so it should be big, important, newsworthy, right? In other words, perfect. Funny enough, this is similar to the feeling I can encounter when beginning a new project; cutting pattern pieces, cutting cloth, choosing yarn, or casting-on for a sweater. Questions run through my head. Have I cut the right size, is this the right fabric for the project, is my gauge correct? These are exactly the questions and the desire to help with apprehension in the creative process that has led me to create A Verb for Keeping Warm, a space, which employs excellent teachers who can help with your confidence, choice of materials, and technique. 

Seam Allowance is the next chapter, it is the community, peer-to-peer part of the equation. Taking the pledge of making (at least) 25% of our clothing is what connects us as like-minds. Seam Allowance is where give and receive feedback and support about the process of making clothing, as well as share resources which could include anything from a list of influential websites to tools. 

At Verb, we are continuing to evolve our studio space to accommodate members of Seam Allowance and their creative goals. We have two, new sewing machines which can be rented by the hour.  We are exploring how we can add the dye studio to the equation. And Seam Allowance members receive special discounts on Verb materials.

One of the things I adore about Seam Allowance is the myriad of reasons why each member is coming to take the pledge. Through this blog, we will explore those reasons through publishing the interviews of Seam Allowance members. I'm also curious as to the process and evolution each member will go through when making their own clothing. How far will some members take this? I envision people going beyond the 25% to 50% or maybe even 75%. I imagine that members will explore more deeply the materials they use and expand the process to include weaving, dyeing, and other forms of surface design. I think people will develop patterns that they love and will fit them well. Maybe we'll even see some members combine knitting and sewing into a single piece! Knowing some of the members, I expect we will see some amazing explorations and results.

Then there are my own goals and aspirations. Even though I own Verb, and have worked diligently for the past 15 years to understand cloth, I still have a world of knowledge to explore. I will use this blog to share my goals and intentions towards making my 25% and to give insight to my progress and process. 

Memberships to Seam Allowance are currently open. I hope you will join us!

-- Kristine

5 comments

Carolyn

Carolyn

I’m living in China so no local meet-ups, but I’ve decided to make one wardrobe item each month this year. Currently only about 10% of my wardrobe is handmade, but I’d like that to eventually be 90%.

I’m living in China so no local meet-ups, but I’ve decided to make one wardrobe item each month this year. Currently only about 10% of my wardrobe is handmade, but I’d like that to eventually be 90%.

Karen Tsutsumida

Karen Tsutsumida

Ii have been readying myself to get back to doing this for a couple of years. Did it before for myself and son long ago but pretty much always have. I am ready.

Ii have been readying myself to get back to doing this for a couple of years. Did it before for myself and son long ago but pretty much always have. I am ready.

AsKatKnits

AsKatKnits

This is a phenomenal idea and yes I would like to join, even though I am on the far distant shores of Lake Michigan – I will make this pledge!!

This is a phenomenal idea and yes I would like to join, even though I am on the far distant shores of Lake Michigan – I will make this pledge!!

Sherrey Meyer

Sherrey Meyer

Like Kristine, were I local I too would join in, but instead I’ll continue to make 25% of my clothing (not quite to 25% yet but just returned to garment making in the last three months) and warm quilts for our home. What a great idea and so inspirational. Subscribing to the blog today. Found you by a sharing of your link by Jimmy Bean’s Wool. :)

Like Kristine, were I local I too would join in, but instead I’ll continue to make 25% of my clothing (not quite to 25% yet but just returned to garment making in the last three months) and warm quilts for our home. What a great idea and so inspirational. Subscribing to the blog today. Found you by a sharing of your link by Jimmy Bean’s Wool. :)

Annika

Annika

Kristine,

This is such a great idea! Were I local, I would join in—but instead, I will participate in the spirit of the idea. I prefer to start small, so my first goal will be to make 25% of my daughter’s clothing.

Thank you for inspiring!

Kristine,

This is such a great idea! Were I local, I would join in—but instead, I will participate in the spirit of the idea. I prefer to start small, so my first goal will be to make 25% of my daughter’s clothing.

Thank you for inspiring!

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