Surviving the Apocalypse - the Ragged Truth

Have you ever noticed just how fast clothing falls apart?

I've got a small farm, and I go through barn clothes at top speed. A t-shirt becomes stained, snagged and ratty looking in a summer. After the Apocalypse, how long before for a person's clothing would be reduced to rags?

Not that long - think about this:

Jenny Doe is on the road, looking for her family. She carries a light pack of clothing...maybe enough for a week. That's seven pairs of underwear, seven pairs of socks, three bras, four t-shirts, three tank tops, two pairs of jean shorts and two pairs of full-length jeans. She wears a set of flip-flops and packs a pair of running shoes.

For the purpose of this example she's lost so much body fat that she no longer has her period. (Yes, this happens.) This extends the life of her wardrobe. Otherwise this example will become even more complicated, so we'll keep it simple.

I know from my childhood that a pair of flip-flops will last about 2 months of constant wear. The underwear might last 4 months, with minor repairs. The bras might last 6 months.

The t-shirts will become stained in a matter of days. Then as she tries to clean out the stains, thin patches will develop. In say, 3 months threads will begin to break, she'll have to start patching holes and seams, for sure, in 4 months.

Let's say the shorts last 4 months - but show the wear in frayed edges, side seams, occasional tears and thinning fabric. This is assuming the clothing was of good quality to begin with, and doesn't get any rips or tears for the first 6 weeks. In the Apocalypse she'll be doing a lot of hiding in nasty places, ducking into weeds or woods and occasional fights or flights. All her clothing will show considerable wear in a matter of weeks.

If our Jenny learned a bit about sewing, she'll be in better shape for a short period of time. This means she'll have to take time from traveling to patch and re-seam her clothing. It can't be done by firelight, you need daylight. If you don't believe me, try threading a needle by candlelight.

My experience with clothing tells me that Jenny will be in rags in 4 months, regardless. So she'll need a completely new set of clothes every season.

Where is this clothing going to come from?

No one is making new clothing. The stores will be completely picked over for whichever season the Apocalypse hit - so if it hits in summer - there will be no winter clothing on the shelves. I doubt there will be anything left in in stores after the first six months, in a year, there will be nothing left.

Cotton is the most comfortable fabric, but it rots if it is worn while wet and dirty. Think about a body that gets washed maybe once ever couple of days - and the amount of sweat that body produces from a day of hiking/hiding/fleeing/fighting. Then bacteria start growing, producing acidic waste to add to the acidic sweat. Say goodbye to cloth covering armpits, the inner thighs, socks and your underwear.

Synthetic fabric like nylon has a long wear-life than cotton. The problem with nylon is that it shreds at stress-points. The very threads that hold it together eventually shred the seams.

My point?

It's a simple one - after the first year, you won't be able to tell the zombies from the living from a distance. The zombies won't care if they're naked, but living humans are going to have trouble surviving without proper clothing.

Unless our Jenny can find a treadle sewing machine and a fabric store, she's gonna be in big trouble in Year 2. She can't carry a treadle sewing machine in her backpack. She's going to need sewing thread, scissors and a supply of needles in order to keep from being naked...that is if she learned how to sew before the Apocalypse.

There are time-tested fabrics that CAN hold up under conditions that will reduce cotton to thread-bare shreds, these are linen and wool. Both of which can be found in any climate. Each has advantages for different seasons.

Our ancestors had extremely limited wardrobes. In the Dark Ages it was customary for a surf to have only two or three changes of clothing. They might have a set of 'finery' for special occasions. Servants were giving a suit of clothing once a year as part of their pay. This clothing would be handed down from the gentry's family. This clothing would be either linen or wool.

Linen is a must-have for underclothes. The more it's washed, the more it's worn, the softer it gets. It stains easily, but during a burning hot summer there's nothing like it. Made from flax, in a process that involves numerous steps, linen thread can be hand spun and woven in to lengths of cloth.

Wool is another fiber tough enough to survive the post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The drawback with it - many people born in modern times are allergic to the lanolin in it. It will make them itch like crazy. Itching means scratching, which leads to sores, open wounds, infection, blood poisoning, gangrene...and death.

Wool is sheared from the back of sheep. The dirt encrusted, stinking, lanolin dripping fleece was washed (several times) carded, spun, dyed and woven into lengths of cloth, or pounded into felt before it was cut or knitted into clothing.

Leather - the great cop-out.

Leather isn't the all-weather solution to the clothing dilemma. Leather takes more time, special chemicals and skill to tan than most people realize. Not only that, but sewing together a leather garment takes special needles, threads and cutting skills. Then there's the stench...it can carry for MILES.

When leather gets wet, it needs to be treated with oil (like neatsfoot oil) or it will dry as stiff as a dog chew. Anybody want to wear a dog chew while hiking for miles every day?

All these fabrics require something our Jenny doesn't have: a safe place to stay while she grows the flax, or raises the sheep, or tans the leather. Then she's got to have enough to eat for herself and her critters. Not likely while she's on the run from marauders or zombies.

Only those who have safe shelter are going to wear anything better than layers of rags post-apocalypse.

Stay tuned!

What to wear to the Zombie Apocalypse:

Part II - Footware Jimmi Choo isn't coming to visit.

Putting Down Roots in the Real World AND Cyberspace?

Just before my mother passed, I wrote a piece called 'Sense of Place' that talked about my sense of belonging in this part of Kentucky.

Earlier this year, I went to Ashtabula and found that after 20 years, I could still have a sense of belonging there. I found it when I met up with my cousins at the Farmer's Market.

Now, thanks to social media, like Kindleboards, Goodreads and Facebook, I've been able to keep in touch with people who are important to my sense of place in the larger world.

My friends are a far-flung bunch who cover the major continents. Some are blood-kin, most are as dear to me as my blood-kin. They keep me feeling connected on an intellectual level, we can debate and disagree - not something you can always do with face-to-face friends.

For a couple of years, I was really worried that the majority of my life took place in Cyberspace. Now that I've found satisfying, real-world hobbies like spinning and knitting, I'm better balanced between the two worlds.

I need my far-flung friends to share my real-world adventures with, as I need my face-to-face friends to have those adventures.

I've got a general plan for my spinning and knitting (and some day for sewing) that can go in several different directions. I'm going to see where this track takes me. It could open some really neat doors in time.

Maybe not, you never know.

We'll see how this works out.

Meanwhile - I've put the drive band on the sewing machine. It's loose, but it works. The attachments arrived on Saturday. I'm waiting for the spool post before I start using the machine. I cleared a space for my Singer zig-zag in my den/work place. I'm willing to be the attachments for it will fit the old treadle.

If only I knew what the heck they were!

More to learn every day.

Stay tuned.

Update on the Singer 66

This is what my Singer looks like, though mine is more worn. 

I found the attachments online - my first attempt at purchasing them fell through. The second attempt appears to have worked better.

The drive belt came today. I haven't got a clue on how to cut it and attach it. So that's going to wait.

The spool post shipped today. The manual should ship in a few more days. 

The machine is very heavy, yet the parts move very easily. I suspect a bit of cleaning and some grease will improve it even more. 

Singer 66

The other day Hubby and I went to an antique store to browse around.

We found a really nice treadle sewing machine, with a cabinet in good shape, that moved with surprising ease. It appeared to be well taken care of - but there were no attachments, or belt.

I was on the fence - the mechanics looked about perfect - but I didn't know if I could find the important things like a manual and parts.

I really shouldn't have worried.

When the ladies explained that the machine was half price - Hubby grinned and said "Happy Birthday."

We brought it home for less than $40.

So far, I've been able to find everything I need to put the machine back in working order. The parts are - of course - more expensive than the machine. However, I'm pleased to be able to find what we needed on eBay and Amazon.

So everything I need is on order. I've signed up for a quilting class - along with my knitting classes.

I know it's a bit weird for a Techie like me to have old fashioned hobbies like spinning, knitting and crocheting. Adding sewing on a peddle machine to this and I'm starting to look like a throwback to a previous generation.

However, I see it this way - 10k years of spinning history is in my genes. Sewing and spinning are sisters. I'm going back to an expression of my heritage. I could be spending a lot of money on tanning beds and manicures like a normal woman.

I met a British ex-patriot yesterday who commented on the name of 'Jordan's Croft'. Since he was a Brit, I focused on my Scots heritage. (Brits like the Irish about as much as red-necks like Latinos or Afro-Americans.)

We had a great conversation - I realized then I slid into my comfort zone, with one foot in the 21 century and one in the 19th century. It makes perfect sense, if you figure that my grandparents were from the 19th century and my mother was of the 20th century.

I'm one of the links - there aren't that many any more - my life is linked across 3 centuries via 3 generations. Most people can't say that. I'm very happy to have that kind of link. It makes me who I am.

Stay tuned - I'll pictures of the sewing machine when it's done.