On sustainability

I've come to the realization that I do NOT need more fabric. I'll buy what I need to fill in the gaps, but I do not need to buy anything "just because" ever again.

Did you notice that when I was in Vancouver that I did NOT visit the quilt store that was downtown? Nope! No desire, but I did go to the used book store. That has become my new destination store whenever I visit a different location.

Keep in mind, I do NOT buy willy-nilly. I have a very specific list. It's books that I can't get access to at my local library. Currently, there are 22 books on DH's list and there are 6 on my list. The thrill of the hunt is what makes it exciting to visit a new used book store. Also checking out the condition of the used book store is another source of excitement. I know - I don't get out much!!!

Let's just say that it's way more entertaining than clicking on an online site to buy the books from a certain bookseller who shall remain nameless because I do NOT want to be promoting them. Yes - I know they are a front for a lot of smaller book stores. Doesn't matter - since I have the opportunity to visit these stores in person - that's what I'll continue to do until there are no longer any books on those lists.

And why aren't the books available in the library? Well, the one I finished yesterday was published in 1964. I'm not surprised that the library no longer has that book. I bought it at the bookstore in Orillia and I'll return it to them to get some store credit. I'm good with that. I'm not buying these books to add to my shelf. I'm buying them to read and then I want it gone. With everything I want to read, I don't have time to reread a book! When I was a kid, I didn't have many goals, but one of them was to read every book in the world. What a dreamer!!!

I still have to respond to an e-mail that someone sent me about buying books. They buy books to keep and reread. I do not. Why? I think because all of the used books that I buy are fiction - murder/mystery/suspense and why would I want to reread them? So I'm not saying to not buy books - I just buy what I can't find at the library and then I get rid of them.

By the way that book published in 1964? It was called "From Doon with Death" by Ruth Rendell. It is the first in the Inspector Wexford series. Helen gave me some Ruth Rendell books a while back and of course, I have to read them in order! Now that I'm on a kick to make that happen, I'm having a blast looking for the missing books. Sometimes, I may appear not very organized, but that reading list is extremely well organized.

I was reading an article on sustainability in the textile industry. It's in the Feb/March issue of Sew News (that I borrowed from the library). Here are some interesting stats about clothing. In 2014, the average North American purchased 35 pounds of clothing - that's the equivalent of 16 pairs of jeans. Hmm - someone else bought a whole bunch because I rarely buy any clothes. And this is shocking, but in the UK - about 30% of the clothing donated to charity shops can be resold. In Australia, it's about 15% and in the US, it's 10%.  That's awful!!!! That means that most of our clothing gets trashed!

It doesn't surprise me though with the quality of what is being made and purchased. It's obscene and how many clothes does one person need???  I need to go through my closet one more time and get rid of more stuff that I no longer wear. I also need to buy one or two more pair of pants that fit me. I put on a pair this morning and well, let's just say that they are a tad too big!!!

But here's some good sewing advice, whether you're a garment sewer or a quilter and this is from the same article.

• Buy the best quality fabrics you can afford. (we all know that garbage in is garbage out. Why do people buy just because it's a sale???  Even if they don't need or can't afford something?)
• Use your sewing skills to mend, alter or refashion clothes. (as quilters, we all laugh and say that we don't hem pants, etc. But why don't we? We're perfectly capable of doing that!)
• ENJOY the process of sewing/quilting. (why are we always in such a hurry to finish something and start the next thing? Unless you have a deadline, take your time! Do the project well and enjoy the process. 

Sustainability is also about using up everything! It doesn't mean that we should make a garment or quilt and throw the scraps in the garbage. Find a use for them. Make a matching bag or tote, or use as trim on another garment or use in a quilt. Find a student or new sewist who can't afford to buy fabric. Sewing can be very wasteful - we need to be more responsible. 

All that to tell you that I had a super productive day yesterday. I got two quilts done. I'm going to trim them this morning and today I'll be in Studio U - I've got some upcoming classes that need to be prepped and quilts to make with deadlines. I did manage to get out to the library yesterday - that's my new thing. I'm trying to get a walk in every day in addition to the walk with the girls in the morning.

OK - here's the two quilts I quilted yesterday. My back was so tired at the end of the day since I spent most of it standing.

Customer quilt - one - done!

Customer quilt - two - done!!!

Oh, let's not forget that I was at physio yesterday. Gosh - I have two knotted muscles in my left shoulder/neck that will just not release. We've tried massage, pulling, manipulation and still locked tight. They tried a wee bit of accupuncture yesteacupunctureI have more movement in my neck today, it's still pretty painful.

As I was leavning my physio appointment, I was waiting at the stop light to turn left. The light turns green but I have to wait for a couple of cars to come through the intersection. They were waiting - why??  Because they could see some idiot barreling down the street and sailed right through the red light. I couldn't see him because of a bus to my left. If those cars had not of been there, I would have been in the intersection. Do people no longer care?????  This car never even slowed down and probably had no idea they blew through the red light.

I wanted to share this picture with you. There's now a quilting fairy that resides at Fireside Retreat!! So cute - it was tucked into one of the exposed support beams in the great room!

The Quilting Fairy

On that note, I'm out of here.

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!