All clothing is handmade (2022)

The idea for this quilt came to me several years ago. Besides making quilts, I make some of my own clothes and occasionally make clothes for people in my life. I made my own wedding dress and one for a college friend as well (and never doing that again). There’s something special nowadays about something that was made or tailored just for you, whether it was done by a friend/family member or something you had made. When I was a kid, my father gave my mother a birthday gift of what was essentially a copy of her favorite dress, made by a local seamstress. The style was pretty basic, but not being sold in stores at that time. I’m sure it was quite expensive. It was very thoughtful, she loved and wore the dress for ages, until her cancer surgeries made its fit uncomfortable. But while I love the personal connections of bespoke/self-made clothing, I want to push back a bit against some language that occurs when people (myself included) talk about store-bought clothing, especially cheaper ... Read full article.