I hate shopping for summer tops
A quick follow up on last week’s post, where I shared a little bit about my burgeoning struggle with time management and making the space to sit down and knit. A friend of mine immediately sent me this old Paul Graham post about “Maker’s schedule” vs “Manager’s schedule” (thanks Sean!) and it ~eerily perfectly~ encapsulated all of the feelings I’ve been grappling with. My mind has been working on a “Manager’s schedule” for the past 10 years. When I see a free day on my calendar I instinctively consider it available, a great day to schedule a coffee or lunch meeting. In reframing my schedule as a “Maker’s schedule” I’m learning that a ‘free’ day should be protected at all costs - in fact it’s the worst day for me to schedule a one-off meeting. Unlocking this new mental model has already helped me feel more in control of my time.
On summer shopping…
Ok hate is a strong word, because in general I thoroughly enjoy shopping for clothes. But summer tends to trip me up, probably because I love jeans and jackets and if you know NYC summers... there’s no way I’m waiting on a subway platform wearing a blazer.
I made this very unscientific matrix to illustrate my mental model of summer shirts and why I struggle with them.
I’ve long thought that simple tees & tanks, made with summer-friendly yarn (instead of cotton jersey, aka t-shirt material) could be a perfect solution to my frustration. I know tops like this do already exist, but the ones I’ve tried just weren’t quite right? But a ~month or so ago I realized, this summer could be different, because this summer I could actually make my own perfect summer tops.
Last month I bought a bunch of deadstock yarn from Fabscrap, in addition to the damaged sweaters I’ve been unraveling. Deadstock materials are essentially the ‘left overs’ from commercial production processes (aka the last few meters of fabric, or the last few spools of yarn). Limited quantities make them hard to work with at scale, but they’re great for small/independent designers (especially those committed to circularity and reuse). There was only one spool of this particular yarn, just enough material to make a few pieces. It has an almost ribbon-like texture and a smooth finish (aka not overly warm), and I thought it would be perfect for a lightweight sleeveless top.
Earlier this week I whipped up this tank, starting work on it <24 hours before heading to Mexico City for my brother’s wedding. I had to smuggle a plastic needle onto the plane to seam the sides, but I made it just in time to wear while I’m here.
I love how it turned out - it’s getting me excited to make more tanks & summer tops as we transition to warmer weather 🌞 Stay tuned!
Best,
Anne