Handmade – Wearable Art Is Amazing

I love my wardrobe.

I didn’t always feel this way. It wasn’t that long ago that I felt bored when I looked at my clothes. When the thought of wearing them just made me feel sad and repressed.

I didn’t particularly enjoy spending money on clothes back then either. Even when I had money to spare, I wasn’t really intrigued by anything I saw in either department. The men’s clothes fit well, so there was that. But what is deemed to be menswear by the industry can be so boring. And what they deem to be womenswear… Sure there are more colours and a few more styles, but the quality is often very poor and the fabrics are so fragile. One gust of wind and poof. They’re also very impractical. Many of the garments look like the seams would burst if you decided to breathe while wearing them.

Also, I feel like every person I talk to tells me how much they love pockets. So why are there so few garments that have pockets? I mean actual pockets, not the tiny ones that you can barely get your thumb into. A conspiracy to sell more bags? I don’t know. I just find it weird.

Making my own Wearable art

I have always wanted to make my own clothes, but for a long time it was more of a dream than anything else. I didn’t know where to begin. And then one day I just started making them. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but recently I realised that most of my wardrobe is handmade. That’s pretty amazing.

I have always been more of a freeform crochet artist rather than a pattern follower. I don’t think I’ve ever followed a pattern actually. So I apply the same method when I make my own clothes. I come up with the design for the garments, make the patterns and then I make the clothes. I learn more with each garment I create and it’s a lot of fun. Each one is a piece of art that I felt I had to create, and now I get to wear my art. I love that.

I never have to decide whether style or fit is more important to me, and none of us should have to. We should all be able to wear what we want to wear.

Socks

I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but right now I am focusing on making socks. This might not sound very interesting to anyone else, but learning how to make them has been very interesting for me. I have made a handful of pairs already, but I have enough yarn left that I’ll be making socks daily for a few more weeks. Right now I am working on a pair of multicoloured socks. The yarn I use has been dyed in a handful of colours, and it makes the design look very intricate and unique. I really like it.

New life

The other day I went through my bags of scrap yarn. I connected every thread that was long enough to use and eventually I had a big ball of yarn. I made one ball with 8/8 yarn and one with 8/4 yarn. If you don’t do any kind of needle work, all you need to know is that 8/8 is thicker than 8/4.

I haven’t decided what to make yet, but I have a few ideas. I might end up making a top or tanktop with some of the 8/8 yarn. I might make a button up shirt for summer with the 8/4. It’ll take longer to finish it, but I can play around more with the stitches and use a smaller needle. I think I might also turn some of the 8/4 into some colourful and quirky underwear. That could be fun.

What matters most is that I’ll be able to use the yarn scraps again for something new. Something I need. I know many crafters throw them away, but that is such a waste. Even if you don’t turn them into new projects, you can make a stuffed animal or a quilted design and use the scraps as a filler. Or you can donate them. There are plenty of thrifty people who go to yard sales and charity shops looking for affordable yarn and crafting materials. Many even purchase knitwear so that they can unravel the yarn and turn the yarn into something new.

Have you ever wanted to make your own clothes?

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