The Hardest Part So Far...
Well, on Wednesday it will officially be 10 months of not buying any new clothes. That means only 2 months left! Has it been hard? Yes and no. I'll save the benefits of this challenge for another post in December when I wrap up this year-long challenge, but right now I want to talk about what the hardest part has been. You may think that the hardest part has been resisting the temptation of buying new clothes, or perhaps having a hard time finding practical items such as work uniforms or warm things for winter ... but in fact, the hardest part is much more specific...
You see, the biggest challenge thus far for me has been finding WORKOUT clothes!
I don't know WHAT it is, but for some reason finding exercise clothes like tank tops or leggings second hand is nearly impossible. The only ones I ever find second hand are either really worn down, or completely the wrong size. I have yet to find a SINGLE decent piece of workout apparel second hand, and I check every single time I go thrifting.
So you're probably thinking - "well why don't you sew your own?" - and to that I say... that is a very good (and somewhat complicated) question. When I started this resolution, the whole point was that anything I couldn't find second hand, I would sew myself. And I have been able to do that in a few instances this year. But the problem I've encountered with workout clothes is that I don't have a serger. For you non-sewing folks, a serger is a machine that basically locks in all the raw edges of a garment so that no stretching or fraying happens. Look down at the hem of your shirt right now - that hem you see? Probably done on a serger. Not having a serger isn't a big deal most of the time, because I can just use a variety of different stitches to close up the raw edges. But when it comes to stretch fabrics (like the ones found in workout attire), you really do need a serger. I found this out quite early on in my sewing adventures when I tried to sew a dress out of stretch fabric and realized that without a serger, it's really easy for the fabric to run and pull - and oftentimes the stretch allows the threads to actually escape the seam altogether so you have holes everywhere along your seams.
I'll keep looking at thrift stores - you never know when you're going to be surprised - but as it stands right now, my workout wardrobe is looking pretty grim. And with winter approaching and me running my longest race ever in March, I'm really wondering how I'm going to get by without some new and improved winter running gear. But you know what - that's part of what this challenge has been all about. Thinking outside of the box, getting creative, and finding new solutions to all the fashion and functionality problems that life presents. I'm sure I'll figure something out - and of course, I'll be sure to update here when I do.
Until next time,
K.
You see, the biggest challenge thus far for me has been finding WORKOUT clothes!
I don't know WHAT it is, but for some reason finding exercise clothes like tank tops or leggings second hand is nearly impossible. The only ones I ever find second hand are either really worn down, or completely the wrong size. I have yet to find a SINGLE decent piece of workout apparel second hand, and I check every single time I go thrifting.
So you're probably thinking - "well why don't you sew your own?" - and to that I say... that is a very good (and somewhat complicated) question. When I started this resolution, the whole point was that anything I couldn't find second hand, I would sew myself. And I have been able to do that in a few instances this year. But the problem I've encountered with workout clothes is that I don't have a serger. For you non-sewing folks, a serger is a machine that basically locks in all the raw edges of a garment so that no stretching or fraying happens. Look down at the hem of your shirt right now - that hem you see? Probably done on a serger. Not having a serger isn't a big deal most of the time, because I can just use a variety of different stitches to close up the raw edges. But when it comes to stretch fabrics (like the ones found in workout attire), you really do need a serger. I found this out quite early on in my sewing adventures when I tried to sew a dress out of stretch fabric and realized that without a serger, it's really easy for the fabric to run and pull - and oftentimes the stretch allows the threads to actually escape the seam altogether so you have holes everywhere along your seams.
I'll keep looking at thrift stores - you never know when you're going to be surprised - but as it stands right now, my workout wardrobe is looking pretty grim. And with winter approaching and me running my longest race ever in March, I'm really wondering how I'm going to get by without some new and improved winter running gear. But you know what - that's part of what this challenge has been all about. Thinking outside of the box, getting creative, and finding new solutions to all the fashion and functionality problems that life presents. I'm sure I'll figure something out - and of course, I'll be sure to update here when I do.
Until next time,
K.
Comments
Post a Comment