What You ACTUALLY Need to Make Clothes in an Apocalypse
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ค. 2024
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Discovering leather thimbles was life-changing for me.
Come on now, I got a treadle because I realised I needed one from my favourite era of clothing, because you did ❤😂❤
I cannot escape that game their ads are everywhere
I’m not sure I can understand enough for me to follow through with you in your video. I can’t side with someone’s energy who doesn’t understand mine therefore I don’t understand this energy. It clearly does Not match mine at all. I don’t know who you are.
@@GoldenSheenObsidan I can't tell if you're being serious.
Having all the safety pins loose rather than threaded onto one big safety pin is a level of chaos I was not expecting!
This woman has a letter opener or mini dagger through her hair bun. I'm not surprised at her level of chaos.
Wait this is a brilliant idea
Yup, thread all the same size on their own large pin.
@bernadettebanner you did not know of this? Another thing I always do is thread a largish safety pin onto my key ring. No matter where I am, my keys are a thing I'm likely to have with me and be able to find easily. *Boom* safety pin in a pinch.
Most of my safety pins are large, so I don't have them like this, but I do have them stored inside those square baby food containers.
Poverty substitutions:
A Tic-Tac box can be a good pin holder.
Silicone swimmer's ear plugs are good thread conditioner, at least for modern sewing.
A prescription bottle can be a good needle case, and maybe also hold a thread spool, leather thimble, plus conditioner.
Ziploc bags can be good sewing kits or project bags (2 gal size will hold an entire shirt).
Leather for thimbles or bags can be harvested from a thrifted bomber jacket that was full of holes.
Fiskars makes really good small pointy scissors for just a couple of bucks, and they are plenty sharp especially when new.
A sheet of craft felt can be cut into 2"x3" squares and sewn together like a book, which is excellent as a pin/needle organizer and also as a pincushion.
There are also little disposable adhesive discs of thin tough plastic that you can stick to your finger as needed for protection, called Thimble-It. They might work for people who just hate thimbles.
Sewing machine bobbins can be a great way to bring along enough thread to work with, without taking up much space.
If I could carry only one spool of thread, it would be gray. Gray blends surprisingly well with almost any color or shade, and is good enough for an emergency repair. Often, you can't even see it because it is hidden in a seam. I've got lots of repaired clothing that I totally forgot were ever broken, until I'm washing it inside out and see the thread mismatch. But it's easy to see and replace if that is ever important to you.
The point is that getting started doesn't have to mean buying anything expensive. Beautiful antique bird-shaped embroidery scissors are wonderful to have, and great to aspire level up to when you find this hobby really is a long-term passion. But for starting out, a beginner's kit is a great way to introduce yourself to the hobby and have time to build your skills before investing too much. Also, cheap kits like this are good for folks like me with ADHD who forever are losing our kits and need to replace the stuff often.
PS. I also like nail clippers to snip threads on the go. Easier on the pockets than scissors.
Great ideas! A felt book for pins and needles was not something I dreamed of, but now I think that might be the cutest idea today! Love it
All great suggestions. I was helping my daughter finish a cosplay and had to hand sew through suedecloth. To help pull the needle through, I cut a small square from one of those thin rubber disc's that are used to open tight jar lids and used it to grip the needle to pull it through. It really helped my arthritic knuckles.
I use automatic pencils because I can never find my pencil sharpener. The lead containers also make good needle cases. Especially the rectangular ones. Adhesive strip magnets stick well to them for keeping track of the needle in use.
I like to also keep a lot of these things in my kit! I have a bunch of gray thread myself for the same reason you suggested :)
I *love* your silicone swimmer’s earplug suggestion! I usually use thread magic, but that’s so expensive! I’m betting the earplugs will work just as well or even better! Thanks so much!!
Another thing I’ve added is a small piece of gear-repair tape. I often use a hiking backpack as my main bag, and you really don’t want to sew that without a way of waterproofing it. So I use gear-repair tape (I personally have a strip of Tenacious Tape in clear in my kit) as a way to mend my backpack if it ever develops a rip. And to ensure the adhesion is really strong, I also keep an alcohol wipe to clean it off.
I love me some Fiskars. Their budget stuff has been with me since I was a kid and lasts a really long time! I have their hori hori for my garden and a pair of their shears for my admittedly extremely limited sewing projects, but they are sharp af, which is sharp enough for me.
That opening of Bernadette emptying her sewing bag is exactly like that gag in action films where the one character just keeps. pulling. more. weapons. out of their pockets for far too long. 😂
I was thinking of Hermione's little magic bag on Harry Potter
Mary Poppins' carpetbag. Minus the hall tree.😅
Like Fili when he gets caught by the elves. 🤭
Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality
@@HughMiller98yes! With all the food 😂 the boob donut 😂
Update life goals: ask my local, small town sewing store, "What needles will I need in an apocalypse? "
,😂😂😂😂😂😂
Sharp ones with a clean eye...don't go for cheap needles...
@marisameans9859 Yes! Also, quality needles will last you for a long time.
...and a couple of curved ones!
@@marisameans9859 Good for sewing and for dealing damage to the zombies.
I am an aircraft electronics technician. I also cook and play D&D sometimes. I don’t sew. I have never sewn. I don’t even have any real particular interest in garments. That being said, I really enjoy watching Bernadette’s videos. Watching intelligent people talk about their craft of which they are passionate about is always the best thing, regardless of the subject.
Big same, it's why I'm also subscribed to some blacksmiths and car guys. It's fascinating to hear people talk about subjects you have very little to no knowledge of!
Navy gang! (nuke here)
I actually find historical clothing content fantastic for DnD world building! The video from a couple months back about how people used to bathe and keep their clothes clean really helped me characterize one of my PCs (a very foolhardy and spoiled nobleman in exile who kept spending money he no longer had on extravagant baths and getting his linen just so).
Ooh cool, I kinda wanna be the same thing!
For emergency repairs to clothing, all you need is a few basic materials and good eye-hand coordination. Someone who knows how to sew can make it look pretty afterwards.
I work at a library and was making some online content. I was telling everyone about how a book on pinloom weaving essentially changed my life and turned me into a weaver. One of the things I mentioned was that during a zombie apocalypse, I now have the very useful skill of creating fabric. 😂
Edit: Sorry for not naming the book! It’s Pin Loom Weaving by Margret Stump. It’s the book that really peaked my interest in weaving. Now I own a few dozen pin looms, a couple of inkle looms, a rigid heddle loom, and an 8-shaft floor loom. But that’s the book that got me started.
What's the book??
Indeed, inquiring minds need the information: what's the book?
Name of book please 🙏
You are a blessing in disguise when the time comes 🎉
I think I said something similar to my mom when I learned to spin yarn, but she was decidedly unimpressed.
When seeing the leather thimble I realized it's probably possible to improvise a thimble out of duct tape.
Have done it before, yup this totally works
Ohh, great suggestion! Yet another reason to keep a small amount of duct tape wrapped around something, haha
I always have some wrapped around a pen in my kit, so I’m sure I could whip up a thimble as needed!
It’s also great as a needle puller if one doesn’t have a pair of tiny pliers handy. Definitely the best multi-use item to keep on hand.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I just use a Bandaid. I like to still feel the needle on my fingertip
I actually made mine out of duct tape and extra fabric sewn together. I added an old penny to one thimble for extra durability since I was embroidering at the time.
Bernadette banner takes priority over food and water come Armageddon.
Imagine everyone walking around in historical garments after the apocalypse because Bernadette was the most experienced seamstress to make it through alive
@@spiritsafe-ko4ee😂😂😂
After food and water, the next priority is likely to be to clothe yourself..
Back in her NY apartment during shutdown she answered the question “what # things would you grab if you had minutes notice to flee the zombie apocalypse?” I’m pretty sure she immediately answered sewing kit and then dithered on the other items. Lol
It makes totally sense since she is a sewist….furthermore, should an apocalypse come anyone with some useful skills can survive with that. With a sewing kit you can clothe yourself but also do clothes for others on exchange for something you might need.
My Taylor's Shears belonged to my Grandfather's older brother "Uncle Bob" who I'm named for. Made in the 1930's, he had them in his kit when his unit hit the beach at Normandy in 1944. He used them all though his career as a men's clothier until he retired in the 1980's. I've cut dozens of garments with them (Sailcloth & Leather, too) and never sharpened them. The steel is probably better than several of the hand forged swords that I own as part of my Scottish and Medieval period garb. They are coming up on 100 years old soon. Every time I use them I think of him and thank him.
Thank you for sharing that story!
Wow!
If you are somewhere in the wilderness and mostly have to patch holes in things like socks, pants and underpants, I'd actually go with black (or dark blue) nylon thread. Very strong, very cheap, can be used for shelter building and to elongate fishing lines as well.
Do you mean nylon like that used for fishing? Surely it would be so scratchy against the skin, especially the knots where the threads are tied off? I think I'd go for a darning mushroom and some darning yarn.
@@sharoncox1734
Never noticed anything. It's for hand sewing, pretty soft and you use very small amounts of it, like maybe 10cm or so.
Nylon thread which is explicitly for fishing lines is AFAIK significantly thicker, firmer and transparent than sewing nylon thread. But even the latter should do the job for up to maybe 500g fish (or you can coil up multiple threads).
@@Alias_Anybodyalso known as 'invisible thread', yes it's nylon and soft. Many quilters use it for quilting multi colored fabrics, so the thread blends in to all colors.
Love the comment that “my sewing kit is full of people who have believed in my sewing career over the years and I get to keep them with me at all times.” That reminder of support is so important, well everywhere, and especially in non-linear life endeavors. Thanks for squaring us away for the apocalypse. 😊
Well, my main take away from this video is that I want a sewing kit full of people who believe in me. That sounds pretty damned essential.
This is a solid take-away
The irony for me being the amount of people who have believed in me could fit in a thimble, or on the head of a pin! 😅
@@Emiliapocalypse Well, I believe in you, and I definitely would not fit in a thimble! So there you go! ❤
A purely aesthetic comment, the light/softbox/whatever-that-thing-is-called looks like a huge moon in the reflection and I absolutely LOVE the vibes it gives. A vampire lady telling us how to survive and sew.
The Sherlock pin cushion is adorable! Good job Heathcliff 👍🏼
Thank you! 😌
@@mxheathcliff I was ogling that pincushion enviously the whole first part of the video hoping she would reference it and tell us where to get one. Alas, securing one evidently requires securing a Heathcliff of one's own first, and high-quality Heathcliffs such as yourself are a vanishingly rare and precious resource. I shall have to make due with inspiration and some cabbage of my own. 😊
Yesss I loved it too!!! So adorable!
The little needle cushion Heathcliffe made is ADORABLE. Fantastic work Heathcliffe, it's so cute, I adore it
Thank you! 🥰
Yes! Adorable.
That concept takes me back to the pessimistic days of the early 2010s, when apocalypse seemed to be right around the corner. Little did we know it would actually happen in this weird slow moving way
You mean, after Hurricanes repeatedly destroyed American cities? Or Wall St melted down the whole economy? Those were apocalyptic. It came. Don’t use science fiction as the definition of disaster, millions of deeply traumatized, newly homeless people are a better yardstick.
Nothing worse than an apocalypse where you still have to work every day and where everybody else is still alive and fighting your for scarce resources.
@@johannageisel5390 especially the working part. At least the allure of a zombie apocalypse was that you didn't have to show up to work the next day
I imagine a real apocalypse would be more like living under a cartel than a zombie movie. People with skills will become slaves, not scruffy backwoods entreprenuers. People with guns will either have them taken away by whatever group becomes dominant or be forced to join them in bringing lone wolves under the gang's control.
@@pendlera2959 You realize this is the Negan subplot in the walking dead, right?
Love the cyberman head in your fabric stash. Further evidence Bernadette is actually a Time Lord.
She's Mercy Hartigan 😂
We like to refer to one as simply, LORD 😂
Love it when you discover people are dw fans ❤
I think wax is super essential so you don't have to lick the thread to poke it through a needle, way easier waxing the end, and more acceptable on the tube
Yep, that's one of my go-to tricks when thread is being difficult.
I love your hair! The tiny sword is so whimsical and sophisticated. Defo a need for whenever you need to stab an enemy or an esteemed rival.
I actually think I have the exact same hair stick. They're metal and sold on etsy with some whimsical celtic knot designs and some other fantasy inspired options.
Oh my god i didn't even notice that! But yes it seems very bernadette
As long as she can face her rival and, in the words of Skallagrim, "End him rightly" with it.
Speaking of "enemies", "Just Stab Me Now" is a book you may enjoy.
When I was young - from my Teens to my 40s I sewed all my Dresses by hand. Beautiful Dresses, beautiful workmanship. My Mother and Grandmother were excellent Seamstresses - they taught me. I didn't like the Sewing Machine. I usually used VOGUE Patterns which I changed to suit myself - I liked simple lines, often bias-cut skirts. I haunted the 39th Street fabric stores in Manhattan. I made my Wedding Gown and Veil in 1970.
Fast forward to 2024. I'm 76 and don't even own a Skirt. I've been living in Jeans and Tees for decades. Well-fitting Jeans and good Cotton Tees. Turtlenecks. Sweaters. Simple black Dress Slacks when needed.
The Times, they are a-changin...
But I still have a small Sewing Kit for repairs!
Ditto from another 76 yr old. All my jeans, & most tops, are black to show off my hand knit sweaters & eliminate dress pants. Blundstones, Birkies, & ll bean boots are my wardrobe. Still sew but handmade quilts. BB often temps me to sew clothing, again, but I lie down in a darkened room with a cool cloth on my fevered brow until I recover.
I can hear my 95 year old grandmother, who made all her own clothes and in her teens all those for her 8 younger siblings, being shocked at how you had the time to not use a machine, and wondering what that would have been like.
@yarnexpress Totally agree with you! I'm currently mending some loose seams on a beautiful Corduroy Patchwork Quilt that I bought from a woman whose Grandmother made it...I love the feeling of doing needlework. It's just that my life is very active and simple, and nowhere to go in those lovely Dresses of Yesteryear!
@@SewingandSnakes Because I didn't have Kids to sew for? Hand sewing is a relaxing pleasure ❤
I only buy thrifted clothing (because I'm poor) but having hand-sewing skills helps a lot to personalize a fit or make repairs so things last longer.
I've sewn mostly pillowcases and simple things by hand, because clothing rather intimidates me. I do also make simple skirts for little girls, because it's not much more than a pillowcase really, with an elastic waistband. Lots of respect to you for your amazing skills! I'm proud to be part of the hand-sewing club, even though I'll never be a Queen like you!
Your little deerstalker hat pincushion is adorable! Love the little nod to Sherlock Holmes :D
Edit: Another thing I've found invaluable (as a featherhead who frequently puts down needles/pins and forgets to pick them up) is a little magnet. Great for finding dropped pins before your hands/feet do.
I use the rectangular cases automatic pencil leads come in and adhesive strip magnets stick really well to them.
I picked up an extendable handle magnet at a hardware store to run it along the floor and carpet. It beats having to get down on my knees and risk pricking my hands.
@@nightfall3605 Yes! I found a wee little magnetic tray in the hardware shop - for holding loose nuts and bolts. It's great for making sure the pins and needles don't abscond on you :)
I believe they have magnetic wrist cuffs too, but haven't tried them yet.
@@RuailleBuaille I have a magnetic wrist cuff. One of those snap round your wrist plastic straps. It's very useful but I don't find it comfortable to wear for any length of time. I will continue to use it as my daughter gave it to me, but in the event that it needs replacing I'd go for one with an elasticated strap which could be altered to fit.
What serendipity, my sewing machine is in storage and I need a dress for a traditional occasion so my 1st hand sewn dress is under way! 🎉 wish me luck.
You’ve got this! Good luck
Good luck and have fun!
I made my own dress to attend a wedding last year, hand sewn, with zero experience, and it turned out really nice! Some problems but none that anyone could really see. You can definitely do this, good luck!!! You're gonna look fabulous!!
Good luck. I have faith it will turn out ok.
Woo! Good luck 🫡
I am saving this to send to the people that harass me about sewing them things. That is my go to response for people that won't take a polite no. "I can't, but I can teach you" Often get the response that they don't have a sewing machine. Now I have a vid to send them.
They can also buy a used black singer
Why does this singer have to be black? And how does music help?
Ugh it's indeed rather annoying when people ask you to sew you something, saying they can pay you, when they have no idea how much it would cost if you would charge them properly. Like, here are your simple trousers, that's 900€ please. ✨✨✨✨ People are so used to fashion being cheap, sorry for this random rant haha, but it annoys me xD I also always turn their question in a 'I can teach you' but the look on their faces is like, oh :/
Plus sewing for other people is taking time away from something that's essentially just a self care thing
A mini Altoids tin or two is amazing to have. Add a magnet, or a scrap of cabbage and it can be an easy place to store pins (both straight pins and or needles). I have a wound bobbin, bird shaped needle threader that can also cut the thread and some needles for an emergency sewing kit. Oh. And a little scrap of wax.
Second the Altoids tin. When some weirdo real estate agent mails you a magnet, glue it to the inside. And old gift cards make excellent "bobbins" for whatever thread you need to take with you. (The ones from target seem to be just the right size.)
Do i sew? No
Do i have any intention of sewing? Also no
Do i still watch almost all of bernadettes videos? Yes
I use makeup bags as sewing kits. Well, I have 3 different ones floating around: 1 full sewing, 1 full for knitting and 1 embroidery.
An archery glove can be really useful as a handful of leather thimbles. At least until you figure out exactly how you push the thimble through.
Or those amenity kit bags you get from the airlines
I have a single leather work glove. I think you just inspired me because I hate thimbles but have needed one from time to time. My finger is shaped oddly from pencil-clenching for decades, so they never fit. Until this video, I did not know the brass ones were shapable.
@@jjez61I read this as "pencil cleaning" and was about to ask you what kind of job is that 😅 I guess I have to go to sleep
12:11 Morgan Donner says that you should use the bit of the Seam Ripper with the red bit in the fabric.
100% yes. The red dot inserted TOWARDS/INTO the fabric is the way to use those to avoid puncturing thr fabric
If you spend as much time as Bernadette and I, you don’t need to worry about that most of the time!
It's so funny that you mention putting your pins in the lining of your sewing kit- I have an antique sewing kit with beautiful silk lining on the inside of the lid...and tons of old pins and needles shoved in there. I tried to take them out but some are rusted in place on the wrong side of the lining. People never change!
This that razor blades in the wall type of thing but small 😅
The little thread rolling away with a "farewell" cracked me up so bad.
yess I loved it too :'DD
Came to say the same lmao
I also can't use metal thimbles, I just can't get them to work, so I worked thimble-less for many years. And then I was sewing mysself a shirt and the eye end of the needle literally stabbed a hole in my finger. There was blood. I expect that from the pointy end but not the eye end. And it was that day that I (painfully) made my first leather thimble, following the instructions you made many years ago. Do'nt go thimble-less, you will end up betrayed by those you least expect
This will now be help for researching my apocalypse story 👀
I've been sewing for 2 years and still have my skirt, fully hand sewn, because if Bernadette can make an entire gown, I can make a circle skirt. Thank you for being an inspiration throughout my sewing journey
I bought a leather thimble with a circular piece of metal on the pad of the finger. CHANGED MY LIFE! Obvie won't be necessary for everyone, but was super helpful for taking in my store bought jeans and suck. Not its the only thing I use.
I nominate you for 'cutest and most appropriate typo in the stream. 'store bought jeans and suck' is everything!
@roxiepoe9586 I didn't notice this until reading this reply🤦🏻♀️. But I can't edit it now. I've been nominated!
You can use a scrap of felt to keep needles together.
Yes! I made a booklet of scrap and attached a little string to it so it's nice to roll it up for safe keeping
@@adriandatura Me too! But I sewed a thin strip of felt as a loop on the cover, rather like Moleskin journals have an elastic band, to hold it closed.
You are absolutely correct Bernadette, when you buy quality tools they will last a lifetime! I have sewing tools I have used for 40 years, and they should last for many more!
Conversely, I have used cheap sewing equipment for years, and am not unhappy with them. I may have to replace things once in a while (because I lose things a lot) but basic sewing kit stuff doesn't always need to be "the best" to work well enough.
I've used Dritz assortment needles that had good clean eyes and were smooth and sharp and lasted me for years. And small pointy scissors I got from the craft section of my supermarket that I've never been disappointed with.
I do have a pair of special sewing shears though, with a bit of lace tied to the handle, which anyone who touches them will get chewed out for sure! I keep enough cheap scissors around the house that there is never a need or excuse for daring to violate that rule.
im a clown and learnt to sew with fur fabric and thick vinyls and the like, the amount of needles ive snapped T-T
I've been using my grandmother's for a decade and they are still going strong ❤
I have nothing to add except: A piece of kitchen sponge makes a fine makeshift pincushion that'll fit even the most compact sewing kit.
An empty container for a classic roll of film for an equally classic camera is perfect for short objects with sharp ends.
Or those empty pill bottles which are see through and secure. Mine sit in a sort of tool roll so I can quickly find the right pin or needle
@@OvcharkaShepherd Yes! I use one as a complete emergency sewing kit, with needles, thread, and a blob of thread conditioner for a pocket-sized travel kit.
I hold onto those cases dearly because they are watertight but impossible to find anymore.
I find those film canisters difficult to open sometimes. And if you have to use a lot of force to pop it open, the pins could fly out!
The end with Bernadette reminiscing about all the people who gave her these items was so touching.
OMG, THIS IS MY JAM!!! I’ve been so annoyed that the post-apocalyptic genre has not at all addressed garment making: The Walking Dead, Fallout, Battlestar Galactica-after awhile garment repair and production will be very important. I was beyond annoyed that TWD can spend an entire episode on a side quest to find a light bulb for a film projector, but they can’t spare one discussion of a garment maker and repair. Can’t have the person who when scouting for supplies comes back with needles, thimbles, some thread, perhaps even parts and needles for a non-electric machine (of which there are still millions around the world, many of them in daily use).
My personal motto is: if you are prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse, you are prepared for any disaster!
Zombies don’t exist. A hurricane destroying the Gulf Coast and several cities happened. This is not a whimsical joke. We keep having massive climate disasters. You will be very happy to have hand sewing skills and a few notions when it slams into you.
@@elizabethclaiborne6461 Ma'am, it's tongue--in-cheek. We are all aware what the state of the world is in right now, that's why we joke and laugh, because the other option isn't pleasant.
Exactly. I live in a region surrounded by major fault lines that have done some serious damage to cities in my state, multiple times in my lifetime. If I'm ready for zombies, I'm also ready for an earthquake.
But, I'm also ready for a flood (happed to a whole bunch of towns nearby last year), a power outage (can you say "summer blackouts"), a severe storm (hurray, climate change!), virus lockdowns with empty store shelves (didn't used to think that would ever happen, but then 2020 came along), or any other disaster that is infinitely more probable than a zombie apocalypse.
I don't think I'm ever going to have to go all Zombie Land, but actual disasters happen every year, all over the world. Having some emergency essentials is smart. Zombies are just more entertaining to plan for.
@@elizabethclaiborne6461 I've found that talking about "zombie apocalypses" is an easier way to talk about preparedness with people than just telling them about how many terrible things that could happen. People sometimes freeze when they think about scary things happening, and then do nothing. But, preparing for zombies gives a degree of fantasy/playing that allows them to prepare without being frozen by fear.
What do you do if a zombie (or earthquake or hurricane) tears down your house? What do you do if you need to quickly evacuate because of zombies (or hurricanes or wildfires)? What do you do if your path home is disrupted by a hoard of zombies (or a flood/earthquake) destroying your road/bridge home? What if they (or snow and ice) block the road home? What do you do if zombies (or an earthquake, etc) destroy the power or water that supplies your house? Or if they destroy the infrastructure that allows you to flush a toilet and have the poop go away. How do you wash your clothes and bodies? What do you do if the zombies (or an accident) hurts you or a loved one or stranger? What do you do if zombies (or a large earthquake or hurricane) disrupts the supply chains for long periods of time and you need to fix things without being able to buy a replacement or tools?
The preparedness is pretty much the same for all of these. Have long-term food storage. Have emergency sources of light and heat. Have extra stored water and the way to filter water. Have a "go bag" with shelter, food, medical supplies, important documents, etc. Have a list of the most important things to grab if you need to evacuate. Learn skills like first aid, gardening, mending, identifying wild edibles, woodworking, etc.
If zombies help more people be prepared, than that's awesome. More people are prepared and when disaster strikes, we'll all be more resilient.
At work we joke about the "zombie plan" being more developed than the "active shooter" (I work retail)
Finding out that there was such a thing as left-handed sewing scissors was a game changer for me. I always just thought I was really bad at cutting fabric 😅. Turns out having the proper scissors makes a difference.
I did a massive spit take when you were talking about tailor scissors and that Inigo Montoya meme appeared. As a child, I remember my mother referring to her "good scissors" and those were NOT the ones used for sewing, they were for general purpose (the sewing shears were in the large Danish Butter Cookie tin that she used as her sewing box). Mom definitely had different scissors for different purposes. As for thimbles, I prefer leather ones since they fit better and don't get in the way of my holding a needle. I bought mine and they have a small metal insert at the pad of the finger so that you push a needle using the metal insert and not risk having the needle go through the leather. Great video !!
Magnets are my happy place for pins and needles, especially when finished with a project and looking for overlooked pins or needles, on the floor, table, in the garment. (my Mom is notorious for leaving pins in garments she has sown, magnet has saved sneaky impaling incidents from occurring, etc. ) I know, a bit anachronistic, but there are some luxuries I prefer to live with. :)
One thing I never needed when I was young, but is a necessity now - a *good* needle threader.
The cheap wire "lady threaders" will do ... I have a threader that's a thin strip of metal with a hook in one end. The handle is a bird (plastic, alas) and has a blade embedded in it for cutting thread. There's a cover over the metal strip, together they form the bird's beak.
The metal strip is very delicate ... even so, it does not fit in my #10 betweens, but it fits in most other needles. It's also not good for heavy thread or yarn, but I don't need help threading large eye needles.
And she actually owns the Apocalyptic sewing machine, a Singer treadle. My apocalyptic machine is a 1919 Singer model 66, with the 'Red Eye' decals and a handcrank.
My suggestion is to pop on over to your nearest IKEA and grab the paper measuring tapes they have available there! They don’t stretch, are decently durable, and are easy to cut to a smaller size or tape together for a longer size. I highly recommend them, and they fold down much smaller than the plastic tape measures!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one whose sewing kit is sporting Ikea measuring tape(s)!
My needles and pins are opposite to how you have them: needles in the lining and pins in a case. My pricked hands also cannot recommend it.
Me, who has been hand stitching quilts for years: ah, Mistress Bernadette is going to teach me how to hand sew? Yes please!
Get her book! I love mine. Even the paper is better than ordinary paper. The images are lovely and the directions are actually understandable.
And I, the same as you but history bounding garments, say: maybe she has a clever trick I have not heard of yet.
In a pinch you can use multi filament wire, wrapping wire, the wires from wire ties (remove the plastic on the ties from sandwich bread)
Fold it in half, insert, pass the thread through, and pull.
That's basically all you need for sewing. For harder materials, you can use a nail to push the wire through
This is really close to what I started out with when I first started sewing! Amazing apocalypse and beginner kit!
The essential apocalypse kit: Food, water, clothes, sewing kit.
You have that list backwards 😂
@@nightfall3605 😂
Couple thoughts:
You might want to, if you haven't already, do a video about the proper use of thimbles. I've met more than one person who thinks that thimbles are supposed to be used as armor for your off-hand to protect your finger tips from the sharp end of the needle, and I'm always like "oh honey no..."
The "paper dulls scissors" thing is actually a myth. The cellulose fibers in paper aren't meaningfully more abrasive than the cellulose fibers in many fabrics, it's more just a matter of reducing the wear and tear on the scissors in general and making sure that they don't get used for cutting things that are not fabric or paper which might actually nick and dull the blades. If you're not cutting fabric all day long every day of your life, don't worry about it: just learn how to sharpen scissors and freshen up the blades every now and then and you'll never have to worry about it (and your scissors will be way sharper than all your friends who keep their scissors for fabric only but don't ever sharpen them).
Finally, on the subject of "I know it's the apocalypse but why is everyone suddenly wearing unfitted rags", I've never understood why we never see people riding bicycles after modern society has collapsed. It's always "oh no, the car ran out of gas and there's no hope of finding more, I guess we'll just have to continue our cross-country journey on foot, passing countless garages and sheds along the way with barely ridden bicycles tucked safely inside".
As i am a.... lets be polite and say gear connoisseur... This video is right up my alley grabed a snack and enjoyed all of it! I have a sewing kit in my home, but now you have open the door for me to build a smaller one for on the go that "i might need" hahaha. Thanks for showing off the "B-TASK" ( Banner TActical Sewing Kit ) !
Joking aside i once broke a crotchseam in the field, did not have any like this at hand, will blame it on being young and dumb. now a bit older and hopefully wiser ;) sweingkits are as vital as first aid kits i would dare say.
Keed up the good work!
quite frankly a sewing kit can double as a first aid kit, sewing up wounds, making dressings and slings!
@@florriefightingale5161 exaktly! It produces a new firstaid kit When you spent the one you Have ;)
That deerstalker pincushion has taken over my entire life. I will never again know peace. It is purely adorable. ❤
Not essential for Bernadette, but the less skilled among us would appreciate some needle threaders. They're just loops of thin wire with a handle, bent so they can be easily pushed through the eye of a needle. You then put your thread through the wire loop, then pull the whole thing back. Takes all the difficulty out of threading needles.
The needle cushion is now added to the list of my favorite sewing notions I have ever seen. It’s just sew darn cute!
17:07 The deerstalker needle cushion brings me no end of mirth and joy
i love these little subtitles on the screen whenever something is happening 0:44
My needles and pins are opposite to how you have them: needles in the lining and pins in a case. My pricked hands also cannot recommend it
Comment about why you absolutely need pliers!:
I did embroidery work on difficult fabric when i was inexperienced nor owned thimbles, and now i have permanent nerve damage at the tip of my finger, and can no longer use it for most things that require pressing stuff, and on bad days i cant pick up a spoon correctly either.
Entirely avoidable had i gotten some pliers out.
9:50 The other good and readily accessible option is to use a spare piece of cloth to store your pins. A really good first sewing project is to sew two rectangles of cloth right sides together nearly all the way around, turn them inside out, and close the gap with some whipstitches to make a lovely little pin storage unit. 😊
During the Depression, my grandmother and her sisters would buy pincushions second hand and take them apart to get the needles and pins lost inside.
What a great idea! Times were so hard...
I cannot recall how many times my grandmother used to scold me for refusing to use a thimble xD
I happy to know there are other material, because I can surely recognize I could sew better with a thimble, but the metal one has always been a nightmare for me to use.
If you need leather for a leather thimble - google "upholstery clippings free [your location]". I just recieved 5 pieces of quality top grain leather - that I could make 10 thimbles from - for free via express post. Just made my first thimble and it's working great! My tips would be to look for aniline or semi-aniline, top grain leather if possible - avoid corrected grain and pigmented leather as it can be too thick and hard to sew.
I've used my embroidery scissors for anything from cutting thread, trimming my fringe, cutting the elastic fabric for my elastic ankle brace, to opening a packet of chips in a pinch. Most useful item ever!
Needle threaders can be dead useful. If you can come by wonder clips for the expanded kit, they are life changing for thick seams and bias binding. Life. Changing.
Sewing and making clothing in most communities would be a necessary skill for sure!
um Bernadette. Is that your sherlock homles hat recreated as a pincushion? Is there a pettern for this masterpiece?
Until now I hadn't realised that I need a deerstalker hat needle cushion in case of an apocalypse, but I absolutely do! 🤠
For pulling needles through, I recommend surgical needle drivers, they have a serrated, short tip and a ratchet lock, so it holds the needle by itself with varying force.
I think you should do a collab with June's Journey and design a special decoration for your subscribers to have on on our islands. Or a sewing room themed set for one of the scenes.
I might even play the game if she did this
On the topic of seam rippers, if youre poking holes you may be like myself and have been using it wrong. Red ball goes between the fabrics, pokey piece goes on top. Legit found that out at 30 after being in and out of sewing phases since i was a kid.
I took a small sewing kit on a thru hike recently. Just a spool of thread, some needles and pins. I used it quite a few times to patch holes and fix various things. Every time I sewed at camp, everyone would be proferring their holed garments and asked if I can fix whatever it was. "Wow you can sew!!??" Not really, I just watched a youtube video on a few basic stitches. Offered to show everyone who asked how to do basic sewing and the response was always "Seems hard, ill buy you a beer at the next town". Fine with me, but just sad that no one seems to care to learn a super basic skill.
Before I went off to college, my mom got me a full sewing kit saying that I would need it. I packed it anyway thinking I would never use it. Jokes on me, I now swear by that sewing kit and still use it 4+ years later, I just need to refresh the colors of thread!
magnifier ! my eyes get exhausted an hour into any project but a magnifier helps me stretch 15 more minutes of function in a pinch
Its crazy seeing yours becasue my sewing pouch seems so much more condensed, needlebook (with pins in), seam ripper, thimble, and thread. It was originally only yellow and green thread, but now I'm sewing more I've got seven in a box that I'm hoping wont break soon.
My best friend's parents took a leather course and made me a little wallet/book thing - decorated leather cover, with fabric 'pages' inside for keeping pins, needles, etc. Now goes with me everywhere.
My sewing travel kit is a small jam jar where the lid isn't the metal snap lid, it's cardboard, with a pincushion on one side and an enastic wrist loop on the other. All the pins stay in the pincushion (I draw a spot on the pincushion to keep needles from getting lost) and when I need to take it somewhere, I pop off the screw ring lid and flip the pincushion lid over so all the pins are contained within the jar.
A 1/2 cup/125 ml jelly jar is enough for pins, thread on small spools like a bobbin, thimble, and some safety pins, if I want to contain a few of the longer Guterman threads or full sized spools I'll swap out the jar for a bigger one. And nothing says it has to be a glass jar, I just like having a bit of weight under my pincushion, there are a lot of plastic jars that would work with a metal mason jar ring.
DID YOU KNOW SOMETHING WE DON'T? 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
Yes, the Zombie Apocalypse is coming, not sure when but it’s best to have it.
Like the old saying said, “ it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.”
♥️👍😎
17:01 my goodness that needle cushion is adorable 😍
Oh and in a pinch an altoids tin will hold one or two small spools of gutterman's thread, several needles and pins, small stork scissors and a small bit of beeswax as the absolute minimum for sewing kit. and yes, I've put a small magnet in one of them to hold the needle and pins. I've also used a small bit of felt to hold the needles and pins.
That’s a great idea for carrying a mini kit
Forget where I got the idea, but I made a matchbook cover from light card stock and stapled a piece of scrap wool inside to use for pins and needles. Fits nicely in my Altoid tin. Also a Nimble thimble (leather with metal disk and slit for fingernail)
A note: when constructing my own sewing kit, I didn't have a container to keep needles together, so I stuck them through a small, square fabric scrap and then rolled it up so the points were on the inside and tied it with a bit of string, and it's worked out great. I never find loose needles in my bag, and it fits easily even into the teeny pouch I carry around on a daily basis.
I´m terrible at sewing but being a rather frugal person i have taught myself to replace buttons and doing basic repairs on clothes and the cheapest way to get a basic set of quality sewing tools and thread is to buy a surplus military sewing kit. The kit i own is from the West German army, der Bundeswehr and consists of different types of dark green rolls of threads, a high quality pairs of scissors, a thimble, needles in different sizes and a bag of buttons. i think i only payed around 5-6€ for the kit. I have since expanded the kit with some more civilian friendly colours of thread and some other sizes of needles.
I always advocate learning to sew buttons. Just that skill alone makes a difference in keeping clothes out of the trash, and people don't realize that you can get quite creative with them.
To hold needles and pins on the go, I use a "book" made of felt. It is super easy to make by taking two pieces of felt, one approx. 4x4" and the other 3.5x3.5". Center the smaller one on top of the other and stitch a line down the center which will become the fold line. Sew a snap on the unsewn edge of the larger piece to keep it closed and that is it! Easy to keep pins and needles tucked into the interior piece of felt, easy to access and not having to worry about dropping a container and spilling them all.
Sewing is one of those skills that has a relatively steep learning curve initially but once it "clicks", you can pick up so much so fast that it seems like sorcery. Sewing my first pullover shirt seemed like the hardest project I would ever be able to tackle, yet a few weeks later I was amazed how easily I went from pullover shirts to buttondowns. Honestly pattern drafting is the hardest part in sewing, but once you learn how to make patterns, the rest is surprisingly easy
I am watching this while patching a working salopete for my brother using my sewing kit. I love this video❤
that little deer stalker hat pincushion is just beyond precious, I've been eyeing it from the beginning of the video, really so clever and cute!!
I've found, often self-inflicted by accident, that embroidery scissors can also double as actual weapons due to how sharp and pointy they are, so bonus points in an apocalypse if you run out of knives and find yourself in a craftstore with a zombie lol
Clicked on the video for the title, stayed for the quality content.
(Plus commenting to tell the algorithm that this is interesting).
Btw, sewing a bit of the excess on that tomatoe elastic band could save you from throwing it out!
I don't sew as much. I like thimbles when dealing with thick fabric, but happily do without in thin fabrics.
Bernadette, you are such an inspiring person. I was dreaming about sewing my own garments for a lot of years but I couldn't own a machine to do that. After watching your videos I created one with my hands only. Thank you so much!
I 'm a sewer, but don't do a lot of handsewing -- not more than absolutely necessary (i.e., hemming, buttonholes, sewing on buttons). I think it's because I'm a knitter, and in knitting *everything* is done by hand, so I get my fill of handiwork that way. But here's what's in the little sewing/knitting tackle bag I keep in my workbasket: a needlecase containing an assortment of needles, a box of straight pins, safety pins, stitch markers, a thimble, a stitch ripper, a very small skein of scrap yarn pieces, and a little plastic bag of buttons I have bought specifically for upcoming projects. The bag itself is a Japanese-style bento bag that a friend gave me, and that works really well for this purpose because when I untie it I have such a clear view of, and ready access to, everything in it. Also in the workbasket are a pair of scissors, a measuring tape, and the darning egg my father made for me. The tools I keep by my sewing machine are less well-edited and less compact, but there's a tin box of odds and ends that I probably ought to clean out, a box of sewing bobbins, a pincushion, two pairs of scissors (one for fabric, one for everything else), a stitch ripper and a pair of tweezers. It amused me to see that Bernadette also keeps a pair of tweezers handy. I found myself going to the bathroom to fetch my tweezers to pull threads so often that I eventually just decided to keep an old pair of tweezers by my sewing machine.
I'm so glad you made one of these for people who hand sew! I've seen many of these and they all start with "You need a sewing machine" and I always think, "uhm, no". So thank you for making a very useful list without a sewing machine :)
THE NEEDLE CUSSION IS SO CUTE!!!!!
As a handsewer, I don't care what type of thread I use, coating it in beeswax is a must. A for using a thimble, I am too picking but will always use one.
You know you're a needle woman when you have 2 sterling silver thimbles (winter & summer) & one has a gemstone.
@@yarnexpress try buying a few and lable then as the wrong type of thimble, because the are shorter then the ones you prefer
@@crystalheartcrafts My 2 sterling silver thimbles were hand fitted for me. I hand quilt which means a specialized fit--when first put on it feels too tight but after quilting a few minutes one's finger shinks a bit. The technique for hand quilting requires being able to balance a needle upright between the thimble & a forefinger of the other hand AND the needles used are tiny. The size 10 BB finds fiddly is the largest size used. Fortunately, because the fit is so good it's also ideal for hand sewing.
PocketBernadette is adorable! A lot of good suggestions and I've got a lot of gifted sewing stuff too 😊
As someone who gets nauseous very easily, I find that mint tins make wonderful mini sewing kits/sewing organizers.
I just imagine a post-apocalyptic community scavenging old homes and their glee at finding non electrical sewing machines or your granny's old thread collection.
Building a sewing Go-Bag for the Zombie Apocalypse is a perfect perspective for this type of kit. You should do an episode on crafting the bag and leather thimbles and scissors scabbard. If you can find a rifle range nearby, see if you can get a few brass spent casings and with a cork stopper make a nice little pin container, on theme. Toss a Bic lighter or a (hmm brass) matches container in there for melting straps from fraying and fire starting. Wrap a candle in paper to have a light to read by.
Fancy lady on TH-cam: "This is what you should have in an apocalypse for sewing" and then puts out things I've never even heard of, enough to make actual ball gowns for all the zombies.
Me, a prepper: "If you can't sew at all, sew it all" and looks over at my single sewing needle and the stranded paracord.
Great video and instant subscribe. This is why I love youtube, I don't wear dresses (being a guy) and I can't make a straight stitch unless it's in living skin (sutures) but I've already found ten videos I can't wait to watch.