When I started sewing more than a handful of years ago, I thought I wanted to quilt.  Turns out, I don’t.  I made one quilt.  It’s usable but unfinished.  I plan on making one more.  That’s it. Quilts?  Not my thang.

But clothes making?  Totally my thang. I’ve made a little bit of everything.  Pants, shirts, skirts, jumpers, dresses, costumes and pajamas.  Mama-made pajamas are most favored nation status around here.

While I subscribe to Ottobre Magazine, my favorite nightgown pattern is easily found at most fabric stores and Wal-Mart (I know, I know the DEBBIL).  It’s a McCall’s  See and Sew B4005 and it runs about 2.99.  Why do I like it?  It really IS easy.  At this point, I can get this nightgown together in about thirty minutes.

Fairy Fabric from Joann's and hid in my "collection" for a couple of years.

I do want to make one point.

The problem with “Big 3″ patterns is that they’re sizing is off.  Seriously.  Littlebit is running around a 4t now.  I pulled out my measuring tape and measured her, matching her measurements to the pattern.  It reccomended I sew her a size 4.

Huge nightie plus some big cheese

Well, as you can see the nightie is falling off of Littlebit.  I could probably cut her down to a size three or maybe even a two without it being too small.  I also chopped about six inches off of the length as well.  My point? Well, it’s a great pattern, but beware of sizing even when measuring.  If your fabric is extra speical and you want a perfect fit, it might be worth it to make a practice nightie in some less special fabric first.

Overall, though, this is a great pattern for a new sewist (I like that better than sewer which can be taken more than one way).  If you have girlie little girls, she’ll probably love it too.

A few days ago, I got a comment that I was probably kind of spam, but the omment was so though provoking, I approved it and left it because if they’d spent that much time commenting on a post of the appropriate subject, I figured they deserved the link back .  The comment was, was the current economy causing more people to take up and therefore enjoy cooking.

And then I started to think.  It’s true that in the blogosphere, that a lot of people are enjoying bloggy success with cooking and baking blogs.  In fact, the pioneer Woman has even recently put out a cookbook and has been on a book signing tour.  That’s success, my friends.  But do I think it’s economy driven?  Yes and no.

Chicken and dumplings, which spawned this whole thing

Cooking from scratch, unless you’re consistently cooking expensive cuts of meat or with truffles or something, is inexpensive.  And, unless you’re consistently cooking high fat or calorie heavy foods, are better for you than eating out, but I think the overall interest in food, cooking, baking, gardening, sewing, knitting and other crafty and DIY pursuits are part of a sort of backlash, anti-technology if you will.  Creating one thing or one small batch.  It seems kind of rebellious in a mass produced world.

Wee bag

For me, it’s not about being a rebel.  And it’s not about economy, though cooking food at home from scratch is economical.  It’s about the joy of using a handmade thing.  it’s about selecting th fabric or yarn or recipe and pattern to fit your exact needs.  It’s about holding on to things done the old way because sometimes the old way is better.  It’s about knowing where things come from.  Whose hands kneaded the dough, or knit the gloves, or sewed the hem or pickled the cucumber.

Clearly I have no problem with modern convenience. I like target and starbucks as much as the next girl.   Maybe more.  But I also like the simple process of crocheting a chain, baking a cookie, sewing one perfect dress.

When there wasn't a foot of snow on the deck.

And teaching the lesson that just because you can buy it doesn’t mean you have to.  It’s not just economy.