This post covers the apparel I recently sewed as a travel capsule wardrobe.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sewing
I’m an amateur sewist living in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I like to sew practical items like everyday wear and clothing for solo backpacking.
Originally started sewing my own clothing because I have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and I can’t tolerate wearing certain fabrics on my skin. I’ve found that natural fabrics like Merino wool work for me, and one of my favorite fabric stores is Discovery Fabrics for speciality and technical fabrics. (I’m not affiliated with them.)
My color palette is jewel tones in blue, purple, and especially fuchsia. It’s been fun sewing my own clothing using the fabrics I can tolerate and colors I love!
Who is Betsy Leighton?
I’m a writer, blogger, and healer dedicated to helping individuals reconnect with their innate peace and wholeness by healing nervous system dysregulation. My personal experience with chronic illness called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) shapes my work, and my content offers tools to empower those with chronic illness to improve their well-being and take charge of their health.
I created the Sacred Self-Healing Method and am a trained and certified Safe and Sound Protocol provider, an author, blogger, and A Course in Miracles Teacher. I hold a Master of Divinity in Spiritual Counseling and am a trained spiritual mentor, with certificates in sound healing, aromatherapy, nutrition, and Sacred Deathcare. I offer a self-study certificate program in the Sacred Self-Healing Method, provide spiritual counseling and coaching, courses, and supported subscriptions for the Safe and Sound Protocol.
What is MCAS?
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. It can cause severe, disabling symptoms every day, including potentially fatal anaphylaxis.
The common triggers for MCAS are infections, toxic exposures including mold exposure and EMFs, trauma, concussions, and stress.
MCAS often occurs with other chronic conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Managing MCAS is challenging because many healthcare providers are unaware of it, and diagnostic tests can be unreliable. Treatments include antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers in the form of medications and supplements, along with avoiding triggers. Check out this post on managing MCAS.
Sewing a travel capsule wardrobe
I’ve been wanting to sew a travel capsule wardrobe for a long time, and this spring I finally had the chance! Most of the fabrics for this collection are merino wool, which is comfortable, thermoregulating, and resists odors. Until 2024, I couldn’t tolerate wearing wool of any kind due to my multiple chemical sensitivities, sensitivity to certain clothing textures, and allergy to wool fibers.
My complicated relationship with Merino wool
Before 2024, I had not been able to wear any wool since childhood due to my MCAS, so this has been a significant change for me. I mean, usually, I would need to take Benadryl after accidentally brushing against wool!
But as I was combing through the racks at a discount outdoor store in 2024, I was guided to try on a Merino Icebreaker top that was discounted 75% off, and surprisingly, I didn’t react to the wool. Then I found some Icebreaker Merino running shorts on sale and a set of Merino wool long johns to use as my sleep clothing.
It’s been miraculous to be able to wear Merino wool without negative symptoms, and I credit this to the nervous system retraining work I’ve been doing over the last year, called the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). The SSP relies on a simple app that lets you listen to recorded classical music, specifically filtered to affect the nervous system positively.
Sewing a travel capsule wardrobe
I planned to sew a versatile Merino wool outfit in neutral black that could be worn in various configurations, dressed up with accessories for dinner out, and handwashed in the sink at a hotel. I ordered three yards of Black Merino Wool/Spandex Jersey Fabric – 215 GSM from Nature’s Fabrics. The fabric truly is “hand wash only,” so the pre-shrink wash happened in my bathtub, and I draped the three yards over drying racks in my laundry room to dry.
I sewed the Itch to Stich Lago Tank Top pattern.
Then I sewed the Apostrophe Patterns MyFit Leggings.
Finally, I finished up the set with the Itch to Stich Lisbon Cardigan. (I still need to top stitch the front band and add buttons and buttonholes).
The set is pretty versatile because I can dress up the outfit with a fuchsia cashmere scarf for extra warmth or a pop of color, switch to a Merino wool t-shirt for a different look, or pair the tank and cardigan with a pair of shorts or a skirt for more looks.
I’m happy with how the tank and leggings turned out. The cardigan is a bit too long in the sleeves, so I’ll be altering them.
The fabric is a little more scratchy than I prefer, especially the tank, so I may look for another fabric to remake that piece.
This capsule travel wardrobe will include the Power Wool Silkweight bralette and underwear from this post, and the Power Wool Heavyweight fleece and superfine merino shirts from this post.
Now to plan a trip!
The bucket theory
The bucket theory simplifies understanding symptom reactions with MCAS. Imagine your body as an empty bucket you don’t want to overflow. Reactions to various stimuli fill the histamine bucket at different rates, forming the total histamine level (how full your bucket is). More histamine means more symptoms. By managing triggers, reducing exposures, and taking medications and supplements, you can control your bucket’s level.
Know your typical symptom progression
Understanding your symptom progression during a flare is key to developing your rescue plan. This post discusses how to recognize symptom progression so you can be prepared to address them.
Get my free ebook, symptom log, and meal plan!
Want a tool to easily track your symptoms?
Check out these circadian health tools!
I’m an affiliate with Bon Charge, a company that makes tools for circadian health, and you can receive 15% off your order with my coupon code BETSYL.
Bon Charge offers tools such as yellow– and red-tone blue-blocking glasses, red light therapy devices, PEMF mats, infrared saunas, and EMF-blocking products.
Sign up for the SSP!
I’ve found the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) to be the most helpful bottom-up healing strategy if your nervous system has been overloaded with toxic exposures, including mold or non-native EMFs, chronic infections, concussions, stress, or trauma. The SSP is a passive listening therapy that helps heal nervous system dysregulation. Many people with MCAS and other chronic conditions have nervous system dysregulation stemming from infections, toxic exposures, concussions, and trauma. The SSP is an easy-to-use app that lets you listen to specially filtered music for 30 minutes each day as part of a 5-hour cycle. Studies show the SSP has a profound effect on mental health and chronic conditions. Here’s a short podcast describing the Safe and Sound Protocol.
You can sign up for the SSP here!
Heal your mind!
While the SSP is a bottom-up, somatic therapy for healing the nervous system, the Sacred Self-Healing Method I offer is a top-down nervous system-healing modality that focuses on cognition, attention, perception, and emotion, using the mind’s higher functions. The SSP and the Sacred Self-Healing Method complement each other and together produce lasting results. Here’s a short podcast on my self-healing practice.
I provide one-on-one in-person and remote chronic illness and caregiver coaching, as well as Sacred Self-Healing Sessions based on the Sacred Self-Healing Method, a proven, novel co-creative healing modality detailed in my Books.
Order my books!
Here’s a short podcast highlighting my five books.
My latest book, Living In The Light: Healing with Forgiveness, Sound, and Light, is all about the tools that have been most helpful for me to heal: forgiveness, sound, through nervous system retraining using the Safe and Sound Protocol, and light, through entraining my circadian rhythm with the energy of the sun. Living In The Light is available here!
Rocks and Roots chronicles my solo backpacking journey on the Superior Hiking Trail and my efforts to overcome nervous system dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome symptoms to complete the 328-mile hike successfully.
The Sacred Self-Healing Method ebook is available here and in most ebook retailers!
The Sacred Self-Healing Workbook is available for purchase here!
Betsy’s first book, Sacred Self-Healing: Finding Peace Through Forgiveness, is available here
Companion Recordings
The companion audio recordings of chants, guided meditations, and sound healing demonstrations that accompany the Sacred Self-Healing Method are available for free on my YouTube channel here
What do you think?
I’d love to have your reply below!
Disclaimer
The preceding material does not constitute medical advice. This information is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, cure, or treatment.
