I'm asked this question a LOT. Why bother sewing garments for yourself when ready-to-wear is so inexpensive? I'm glad you asked!

1. The sizing is spot on. No need to take in a waist or hem a pant leg, the clothes are made to your measurements. As long as you have an honest relationship with your tape measure, the clothes will fit and make you feel marvelous. 
2. Fabric choices are vast. Go into any fabric store or browse an online retailer and you will find more options to make that little black dress than you thought possible. Nordstrom may only have two to choose from this season.
3. No one else will be wearing what you're wearing. Normally I'm not one to care about such things, but it is nice to know that the dress I wear to weddings, no matter how often I bring it out, will be unique in the crowd because I made it.
4. This season's fashion offerings may not suit you. The color palette, hem length, or skinny vs. flare pant legs may not appeal to me or flatter my figure at all. By choosing patterns that DO fit and flatter me, I don't have to feel awkward wearing this season's off-the rack styles (indie pattern designers are amazing at making cool clothes that fit and flatter all body types). When you're sewing for your children, especially girls, being able to make skirts and shorts the length you want your daughter to wear is empowering. This season's shorts look more like underwear? I've got you covered, dearrie. And you can pick out the print of the fabric.
5. Creative expression. I feel great wearing something I've made with my own two hands. That feeling of pride and self-satisfaction is priceless.
6. Continuing a longstanding tradition. My great-grandmother was a seamstress at a department store in Baltimore back before ready-to-wear clothing existed. People have been making their own clothes for thousands of years, it's only relatively recent that we can buy clothing off the rack. I feel a connection to all those who came before me, and like to think my great-grandmother is smiling seeing me continue to sew. Plus, many consider it a post-apocalyptic life skill, so it's not a bad thing to know how to sew your own clothes. Just in case.
7. Minimizing my environmental footprint. By sewing with natural materials and staying away from plastic (i.e. polyester), whatever clothing I make, I know will eventually biodegrade. I recycle scraps, and compost whatever I can that comes from my sewing. Making a long-lasting garment means less waste over time.
8. Discouraging the disposable fashion industry that exists on sweatshop labor. If you haven't already, read the book Over-Dressed:  The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth Cline.  You support industries with your dollars when you buy their products. Not purchasing sends a clear message. I will confess that I still shop at stores like Target and Old Navy. I have children who grow out of handmade clothes faster than I can finish stitching the hem. So a large portion of their wardrobe is not handmade. Mine, is. I try to buy quality, classic, investment pieces when I buy clothes, shoes or coats for myself. I also shop at thrift stores and consignment shops. About 40-50% of my wardrobe is now handmade!
9. Handmade lasts. Most of what you find at stores like Target, H&M and Old Navy is disposable clothing. It's not meant to last more than a season, so you're forced to go back again and again to buy the next season's trendy items (see #4 above). A well made garment that fits you beautifully, that you make from quality fabric will last for decades. 
10. NOT to save money. In the initial investment of time and money, you will not save money by sewing your own clothes when compared with shopping at big box stores. There are some gems of fabric stores that carry quality fabric that is discontinued (see my post on Lorraine's here in Rhode Island). Inexpensive is very different from cheap. Sewing with fabric from a thrift or consignment shop can keep your initial cost down. Sewing with crappy fabric from certain big box stores will ensure that your garment will fall apart after a few washes. Read my post about fabric quality here. 

I hope this list has given you something to think about. I'm going to keep sewing my own clothes, and maybe my wardrobe will be closer to 60-75% handmade a year from now!

Why do you sew clothing? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

"Caring Today for Seven Generations of Tomorrows" (www.seventhgeneration.com)

The first time I saw the logo for this company I was deeply moved. It clicked, it made sense. The company motto is taken from a Native American way of life. We should be emulating people who lived in harmony with the Earth for centuries. How did we stray so far by creating a culture that values buying so much cheap disposable stuff made far far away from here?

My eco-friendly efforts start at the beginning when I wash all my fabric. Not only do I wash with this detergent, but I wash everything in cold water in an energy efficient high capacity front-loading machine. I freely confess to machine drying the fabric as well, but that is to pre-shrink. After that, line drying is best.

Bubble mailers seemed the right thing to use at first. Even though my items are not fragile, the thought of a package sitting on someone's front step in the rain for hours is awful. Who wants a new handmade soggy tote bag? The plastic liner seemed necessary. Then came Eco Mailers (www.ecoenclose.com). What a fantastic product! Compostable. Tamper-proof. Can be used a second time with an additional adhesive strip. If you throw it away, it will biodegrade in a landfill within 60 months. AND they are comparably priced to bubble mailers. Genius! I plan to order all mailing products from them as I run out of what I currently have in stock.

Everyone loves a beautifully wrapped parcel. Etsy buyers have come to expect some sort of clever packaging from an artistic community of sellers. This always costs more, by the way! Elaborate packaging that would simply be thrown away doesn't work with my business practices. Enter the 100% recycled tissue paper and fabric scrap ties. You still feel like you are opening a present when you receive your order, but the paper is on its second life, you can recycle it further after opening, and the "ribbon" would have otherwise been discarded in my studio but now has a second life prettying-up your parcel.

Hand sewn alternatives to plastic rings true through most all of the products I offer for sale. Even the baby shoes are washable cotton as opposed to, say, Baby Crocs, faux-leather Robeez knockoffs, or even trendy 80's-retro Jelly Sandals.

My reusable bags speak for themselves. Saving approximately 500+ plastic lunch baggies from the landfill per child every school year? Totally worth the investment, in my opinion. How many of you recycle your clear plastic produce bags? Hmmm, thought so. The mesh bags are a great solution. I'd love to hear ideas for a solution to those bags I still use for grocery store meat, other than buying all of my meat at my local farmstand.

So much plastic has entered my life since having children. I thought I would try to do something about it. Tic Tac Toe, Memory, Go Fish and crayon rolls are great birthday gifts and have been very well received by other moms. Most of my toys are made for the holiday season, but I happily make crayon rolls all year long.

Previously I have made tote bags from upcycled, thrifted fabrics. I like using tablecloths because the weight of the fabric translates well into a tote bag. Everything I make is not upcycled for several reasons: 1) Plenty of people still have an "ick factor" with used fabric and simply won't buy those products. 2) There are so many gorgeous fabrics out there! I can't resist them, and I see no reason why reusable can't be gorgeous or fun or both. 3) When someone asks me, "Do you make snack bags in XXX theme because my Johnny would love to have those in his lunchbox!" I jump on the opportunity to make some. Not only am I helping along the next generation by encouraging green living at an early age, they will be excited about it and maybe their friends will think it's cool too. This is a no-brainer business practice, but it's just a good thing too. See my comments above about thinking forward to future generations.

Using organic fabric is an area I would like to explore more this year. Organic fabric is not just dirt-colored hemp--look at that gorgeous snack bag! The variety and availability is increasing rapidly. There are really beautiful and fun prints out there, though they are still more expensive than their conventional counterparts. The fiber is produced without pesticides and fertilizers, so the land from which the cotton comes is clean. That's a good thing to support. The fabric itself is not treated chemically before arriving at my door. That's another good thing to support. Produce bags made without any chemicals coming in contact with my organic produce? Yes please! Are most of the residues removed during my pre-wash? Probably, but I don't know for certain.

Is this the mess we want to leave the next seven generations ahead of us to clean up?

Buying Local, Sustainable and Handmade is GREEN. Do it now. Repeat often.

Once upon a time I worked in sales for a west coast start-up. They had an unusual name (Velocity 11) and I loved the inevitable question: "Where did the name come from?" Most often I cited the movie Spinal Tap and how the dial "went to 11," but there was never one real answer. My story is not that entertaining, but it's a story nonetheless.

I used to dance. A lot. As in studied ballet from age 3-18. No, I won't be sharing photos. Don't get me wrong, I was never very good and certainly did not have the body for it, but I loved it and kept at it (God bless my mother and the countless hours she logged carting me to and fro). Let's just say it has always been a big part of my life and while I don't study anymore, I'm one of the most appreciative audience members you will ever meet. Modern dance, which I fell hard for in college, was much better suited to me. Add up the years, and that's a whole lotta dancing.

Have you ever watched the threads move within a sewing machine? The thread from the spool is fed through the eye of the needle and thread comes up from the bobbin underneath, weaving the two threads together to make a stitch. A string of stitches is a seam. To me, those two threads dance while I sew.

I live in Rhode Island, and have for 7+years now. We've put down roots and love it here. Plus, there was a weaver in Indonesia who had the "Dancing Threads" shop name already claimed on Etsy. Hence the slightly disjointed "RI" part. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. Plus, the state and feds now know me as "Dancing Threads RI," and it would be a pain to change. I like it. If you want to just call me Dancing Threads, I'm ok with that. I won't tell the weaver if you don't.