Made By A Fabricista: Weaving parallels between sewing and cooking.

This romper was made in a single morning while my husband and daughter were out and about. I could have used that rare time alone to take a bath, read, or watch some TV, but I purposely stayed home to get my sewing project done, so sewing I did! And they got back home right when I was putting the finishing touches. Perfect timing!

All this year, sewing sessions have been hard to schedule. I have had to be extra intentional with the use of my time. While working on the romper, I kept returning to the same question: why do I still want to sew if it is so hard for me to make the time? Why do I still put "sewing" on my long list of to-dos? The smell of the stew I was cooking while sewing got me the answer: I sew for the same reason I cook! It makes me happy. It means producing something with my hands, magically transforming things – fabrics or ingredients - into other things I enjoy. Making clothes is more expensive and time-consuming than buying them, just as some homemade meals can take more time and money than ordering in or going out (especially now, groceries are getting expensive!) 

There may be no "reasonable" arguments behind it, but for me, both sewing and cooking are works of love, and that is more than enough for me to pursue it! Just like I do not try to emulate chefs in my kitchen, I am not looking to become a Dior seamstress: I simply do my best to produce clothes or food I enjoy using and eating.

This velvet Sirocco romper is an excellent example of all that sewing can mean to me. The jumpsuit probably wouldn't have caught my attention if I had seen it in a store. Velvet fabric? Shiny? Not my style. Next, please. But when I made the Sirocco Jumpsuit in the summer, I pictured a dressy long one for the Holidays, made of velvet or shiny fabric. It would look fabulous! I found this striped velvet fabric in Fabric Mart. It has the elasticity needed for this pattern (you need to be able to pull up your romper, since there is no zipper on the side). I love how the tiny stripes give a texture to it. And lo and behold, it was super inexpensive thanks to a fantastic Fabric Mart sale:  2.5 yards and matching thread for just $10.30! I decided to trust the description, which said the fabric was lightweight, and it was indeed. That’s also a must for the pattern.

I decided to make it sleeveless to give it more versatility. I can put a long-sleeved layer under it for a more informal look or play with accessories to dress it up or down - not that I have any classy gatherings coming up! As I share a good homemade meal with my family, I will enjoy wearing this handmade outfit on Christmas Eve and beyond. The other good thing about sewing? Unlike cooking, you do the work once, and then the fruits of your labor do not finish or get spoiled: you can enjoy them and wear them repeatedly!

Other thoughts came to my mind while trying on the jumpsuit bottoms before attaching them to the top. I need to try my clothes while sewing them to make little adjustments, just as I often taste my food while cooking. My stew needed more spices, and the jumpsuit legs needed elastic cuffs. I can continue to find similarities between sewing and cooking, but I will spare you some time. Just know that if something makes you happy, there is no need to rationalize it: try to keep doing it!  

As always, I want to thank my photographer on this occasion: my friend Jennifer, who lent me her good eye and her beautiful Christmas tree as a background. And please excuse my repetitive poses: I am looking down on most of the pictures because I was keeping an eye on mini-me!

With my best wishes for the holiday season, 

INES  | @bynunis

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Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: VELVET.