In Which I Bury the Lede (As per Usual)

I should be doing many things right now, namely: unpacking my clothes (which means I have to find the majority my clothes), massive clean up of M's bedframe (that was somehow removed from under protective plastic at the beginning of the demolition and can't be moved till "de-hazmatized"), reorging a basement that's so full one requires gold-standard tetris skills to manage it (and till this is done, furniture that isn't supposed to live upstairs is piled in a corner of my living room) - I could go on...

The thing is, I'm exhausted. I'm exhausted on pretty-well every level. I'm about to go back to work tomorrow (after a two-week "break") and I don't even know how my intellectual self is going to resurface. I'm trying to find the spark but I'm like a lighter at the end of its fluid.

My nature is compelling me - I'm scared shitless that, if I don't get up and work on everything right fucking now, I'm going to lose my will (already rather non-existent) and I can't bear to spend the rest of my life in this state of chaos. In case you're wondering about the veracity of one's mind being a bad neighbourhood that one shouldn't visit alone, I'm the very instrument of this misery. I'm the bomb I need to detonate. Scott keeps promising me that he won't lose his will and that, if we do even two hours a week, things will get done eventually. I just didn't think that things would continue to be so challenging, even though Scott warned me constantly, in an effort to prep me for ongoing stimulus.

On the flip side, I'm sure I'm learning many excellent life lessons I'm going to appreciate next year.

But talk about burying the lede. This post is about how - despite the flaws in my brain-state - my broken faith in humanity is being restored - in large measure because I am the most fortunate person on the planet when it comes to friendship.

Let's take a moment to dwell on that: I have awesome friends who show me love and acceptance and support at every turn. They call me to check in. They lift hundreds of pounds in boxes and furniture. They manage my work portfolios when I'm on vacation. They buy me dinner and dessert and listen to me chatter incessantly. They give me beautiful bottles of pink bubbles (that are real Champagne!). They inspire me with their diverse experiences and philosophies.

I have always said that, when it comes to friendship, I won the freakin' lottery. They should write on my gravestone: She reveled in friendship because she had the best friends.

Which brings me to the most fantastic experience I had yesterday. Gillian - who truly is as adorable in real life as she is in your blog feed - made a point of it to invite me to a sewing meet up (despite my not having looked at a machine in 18 months) and sweetened the deal by a) picking me up / taking me there, b) making me a NEW dress that actually fits (Lady Skater, my fave design ever) and a gorgeously-fitting new black T-shirt, c) cutting me out a Camino Cap T pattern plus fabric while d) standing by me with confidence-inspiring words while I serged it together amongst a group of utterly lovely women. And then she gifted me a copy of the "dress of the summer" pattern: The Fiona Sundress. Can you imagine such generosity?

Not only did Gillian take me away from the overwhelming in my own environment, but she guided me through an experience that might have been differently overwhelming, but wasn't, by making it normal. That's the mark of a terrific teacher and an excellent friend.

But let's go back to the part where she made me a dress and a top. I freakin' need that dress and top! They fit so beautifully. She chose perfect fabrics (I will post photos soon, I just have to take a shower before anyone sees me in anything). The dress is in animal print! What I learned yesterday, what metaphorically smacked me in the head, is that I have to stop with the goddamn fitting perfectionism. Lord, people - Gillian didn't even have my body there when she cut out these patterns, and the clothes fit.

Let me say this in front of an audience so I cannot back track in the future: Perfection is the enemy of the good because there ain't no good once you slice it to shreds - 3/8 of an inch at a time.

My goal as a sewist, over the coming months, is to go slowly (I don't need to make a capsule wardrobe in a weekend - not that this ever worked, given my natural pace) and to make the assumption that I'm not so much a special snowflake on the fitting front that I can't make a change or two to the vertical dimensions and call it a day.

If I want to be different - and I do - if I want to grow as a person and as an artist - then I need to see things through a different lens. If I can sever myself from perfectionism when it comes to the things I make - the things that are supposed to bring me joy - then I will be able to transfer that awareness to the other areas of my life.

Yesterday Gillian gave me a wonderful gift that I will not forget, one in lieu of the beautiful clothes that she made for me. She brought me closer to myself, and for that I am very, very grateful.

I Got A Parcel!!

I can scarcely believe my good fortune when it comes to friends. Look at what I arrived home to last evening (after a really long day):

Evie knows how I LOVE the UK snack food and she didn't hold back on her birthday gift to me. You can't even see all of the amazeballs stuff:

• Skips (prawn-flavoured weird textured, styrofoamy chips that I love beyond belief)

• Twiglets. Gluten-freeness can eff-off. These things are delicious (and maybe even vaguely healthful, though that's not why they've been on my top 5 list of chips, like, forevah (since I lived in England as a teenager).

• Chocolate eclairs - which made with awesome English chocolate (wait - the package says "Made with Belgian Chocolate"?!) - are terrific. Ask me how I know.

• That's a salted-choclate Galaxy bar, peeps. Um, who's been into the salted chocolate since the freakin' 80s?

• There's a UK-version Dairy Milk. The Canadian ones are a PALE comparison to the quality of these.

• Finally there's an awesome box of herbal tea. It's fantastic and made of one of my fave flavour combos on the planet: black currant and licorice. Seriously, find something made with these 2 things and eat it. You will be powerless against it's deliciousness.

I am totally hiding this from my kid.

(Thank you Evie!!! Edible gifts really are the best. xoxoxo)

More than the Sum of its Parts

A while ago, I wrote about this shawl I made. I mentioned that my knitting-partners-in-crime (they being Andrea and Sara) would also knit it. Yeah, there are photos, but let's talk for a moment...

I must extol the virtues of knitting partners-in-crime. Knitting can be a solitary act. Certainly, it has been for me. In general, I enjoy the solitude because it allows me to commune with the problem-solving centre of my brain. But please be aware, you can solve more problems, more quickly, with with more brains!

Our knitting collective is comprised of three, well-aligned, but very different working styles:

• The Intuitive: Y'all know about me. My technical talents are not natural, but my tenacity knows no bounds. Fancy fitting appeals more than fancy knitting. I'm drawn to the texture of yarn, to patterns that appeal on an architectural level. I like LOTS of instruction. In fact, I generally rewrite instructions to suit my need for instructions, as I like them. I'm high-strung, passionate even, but I pull it back from the edge.

• The Natural: Andrea is a natural crafter. She knits as she sews and makes bags and jewelry and furniture. It's all so freakin' organic. She's quite languid, unfussed by pace. She is truly herself in her working style, which is a beautiful contrast to mine. Oh, and all of her things finished objects are gorgeous, attributable in no small part, I suspect, to her organized and systematic process.

• The Scientist: Sara is the knitting newbie in our group, which is hilarious since I've only been knitting for 3 years. But don't be fooled. She is a natural technician, par excellence. Her brain reads instructions like a sponge and spits them back out, in finished rows, at a pace that defies reason. She likes the hard stuff (BT 5 out of 5 star difficulty, not bourbon). She likes to make 6 things at a time. She finishes them all before I finish one thing I am making monogamously.

Imagine the enjoyment of merging those disparate skills in purchasing yarn, debating instructions, considering modifications, dealing with lost stitches (that was my issue) - and the list goes on.

I don't think any of us can say we loved making this thing (click link in first sentence of this post for my perspective), but we sure did love working together.

Check out Andrea's post today for lots of photos (why reinvent the wheel, I say). Sara's will be up in a little while, so hit her blog, later today, for her perspective too!

Gorgeous Knitting

I suggest you head on over to Sara's blog today, to check out her latest finished object, the Channel Cardigan by Jared Flood.

In truth, it's not her latest finished object. Somehow she's knit 3 sweaters and two shawls in something like a month. She's a speed-knitter (and I'm not using the term loosely).

If you didn't want this cardigan before, you sure will want it now. And apparently it's not as challenging as the 4 out of 5 star rating would lead you to believe.

I, for one, will admire it from afar. It looks pretty damned complicated up close.

PS: There's a rare sighting of me at the end of Sara's post - in the most absurd posey-pose - photo courtesy of Andrea. As A is moving at the end of the week (sob), we had to get together to post shots of our Spring Shawl KAL finished garments. More on this to follow in three upcoming posts... We intend to saturate the internet!

Travels With Friends

Hey peeps, a bit under the weather here (and not entirely psyched to go back to the regular pace of life) but I thought I'd post a photo from a wonderful day yesterday:

Crazily, given that I don't tend to leave the central west urban core (unless I'm getting on a plane), I made my way to Kitchener on VIA with Sara and Andrea, to meet up with Gillian. (Unfortunately, our other partner in crime, Anne, was unwell and couldn't join.)

Regrettably, not that we let it wreck our good time, the return train was 90 minutes late so we didn't get home till the middle of the night. Oh, and the reason for the delay? The train waited 90 minutes, elsewhere, for connections. WTF?! Gotta say, VIA is going to be hearing from me about the stupidity of that decision. Apparently, they never do this and, in truth, I've never experienced a time delay on VIA of any sort. But that shit is not ok.

But back to the fun: It was a truly delightful day, the highlight of which was going to this superior knitting shop. Honestly, I've never seen such a place. I got a few skeins of novelty yarn (will discuss more in another post) but I could have bought the place. We all did pretty well there, even Gillian, who doesn't currently knit!

And, amazingly, this is one of 7 boutiques (and the only on in Canada) that supports Custom Fit onsite. I spent quite a while discussing the mechanism by which one creates a Custom Fit pattern for oneself, as that's the way the majority would do so, and I have to say, I'm not convinced that the system is adequately integrated at this time to make it functional for the wide variety of knitters who might otherwise be interested in it.

It's a complicated, convoluted process that yields a pattern and a recipe, via two different sites, for two separate charges, which one must view simultaneously in order to create the garment in question. Furthermore, there are practically no actual pre-designed patterns uploaded into the wizard at this time, so effectively, you must design your own sweater from a bunch of templates.

Seems to me that one has replaced the "math portion" of making the sweater of ones' choice with the "design portion" and I don't know that I'm interested in that trade-off.

Sure, if you've never been able to make a sweater that fits you, and you want a very simple sweater, then I think it's a good plan. The results do appear to fit the testers and early users very well. But if you want to make any of the zillions of cool sweaters that someone's designed, this isn't going to get you there easily - if at all.

Final word on this for now: I'm not slow on the uptake. It shouldn't require an email exchange with the Custom Fit people (very nice and helpful, fyi), a 20 minute conversation at a yarn store with an expert on the system, and rereading website/promo material in order to gain some firm understanding of the basic logistics of the process, never mind the hardcore specifics.

I think Custom Fit, at the moment, has a small core market (which doesn't bode particularly well for quick upgrades to a system with a ton of potential). I hope the people who can benefit from it are not put off by its relative unwieldiness and that they flock to the site so that the future incarnations will be supported.

I probably will design a simple sweater via Custom Fit, at some point this winter, because of my interest in fitting, and the potential of this format, which I'd like to support. But I sense, it's not going to be my new go-to platform anytime soon.

Remember That Spring Suit?

You'd be forgiven for thinking that I've ditched the project altogether - and not merely my original jacket choice. (Hopefully, I'll be forgiven for my delinquency.)

One of the great things - side bar, but on point - about meeting the glamorous Clio a couple of days ago, is that she was able to give me some info about my new spring jacket pattern because she made the peplum version in leather (aka best project ever):

Burda 07/2010 118-119

 Would it kill them to photograph the jacket in such a way that you can see what's going on??

The technical drawing gives you a little bit more... FYI, in truth I'm confused at the moment. I don't know if I'm making the version with the zipper or the one with buttons. And I don't mean "I haven't decided". I mean, my fitting friend (aka "the nicest person on the planet") traced the pattern for me and it's only after I write this post that I'm going to go upstairs and see the pattern pieces for the first time, draw all of the seam lines and then make the muslin. So let's see what's coming! Happily, I love both options.

Clio did infer that it's one of those jackets that attracts men from far and wide. Mind you, she is so gorgeous, I'm sure she finds that happens wearing many outfits! And on the topic of outfits she wears - this dress really is as chic in person as it is in pics. Lest you think she's just a pretty face, we had great conversation about politics, work, careers and family. You know it's a good meet-up when you barely have a chance to speak of the hobbies that brought you together for all the other things you want to discuss.

I sense that I will redraft the lapels slightly. They are wide for someone of my proportions. Mind you, that's the joy of the muslin, yes? One gets to see how everything's been drafted and then to change it if she chooses.

As I was considering new jackets to make, I did come across a very exciting vintage option on Etsy. Yeah, I bought it (though it was a pricey, unprinted vintage pattern). It's not where I'm at for this project. I don't have the energy to learn about how to make a jacket with barely any instructions and no printed markings - especially given the complex tailoring involved, but I will post about it soon - cuz it's very lovely and who doesn't like to look at a pretty vintage pattern envelope?

In the meanwhile, today's questions: What do you think of Burda patterns (this will be my first)? What do you think of this jacket (very different from V8333, yes?)? Is Clio's version not a thing of beauty?? (I want to steal hers, say I made it and call it a day.) Let's talk!

In Sanskrit, Yoga Means "To Yoke"

Where to begin, as I sit here nursing a martini? I am all over the place. I should be knitting. I should be planning. I should be cooking.

Instead, I'm blogging. What can I say? I'm a writer first.

Let's start with an update on the Spring Suit. I can count the number of times I've done this on one hand, but I gotta level with y'all: I am leaving V8333 behind.

Don't fear! I'm still going to make a tailored jacket (if one that's slightly less "couture"). And I'm also going to work with S on her V8333 - cuz she's still into it. But I'm moving on because, quite honestly, I don't much like the look of this garment on me.

In truth, we had a better-fitting muslin of this garment before I made the drastic changes leading to where we're at now. It's now far too big everywhere, having added onto that side front piece like a nutcase. S and I recognize we took a bad turn somewhere. (Um, hello, this IS kind of rocket science.) The fix is to a) start again at the very beginning (given the insane shape of the current muslin) or b) say goodbye and make another jacket (starting with a totally new muslin, natch!) that might actually suit my shape better than V8333.

I'm conflicted. You know I don't like to give up on things. Mind you, I do realize that I could persist, spend another 40 hours on muslining (that's how much I've spent so far), use 200 bucks-worth of materials and not love the end result because, really, on me this thing is kind of dowdy.  It emphasizes my widest parts and de-emphasizes the small and nicely-proportioned ones.

The point is, with the benefit of a test garment (and a fuck of a lot of work), I'm opting to do something that will turn out better. I'm not giving up because I can't do it. I'm moving on because the process has served its purpose.

It's not my fault, neither is it the pattern's. In fact, I'm glad I get to go through the V8333 process with S, because this jacket looks much nicer on her frame.  Mind you, I still feel kind of crappy about this turn of events.

I've chosen a new pattern, by Burda, a brand I've never tried because I'm afraid of the overlapping patterns. S says the drafting is superior, in her opinion, to just about any other company. She also offered to trace it for me - which is outrageously nice of her and I didn't even try to resist out of politeness. I considered it briefly, then realized I was really grateful not to have to do it, and said thank you very much. BTW, more to come on the new pattern soon, natch.

OK, onto the next thing... I went to a lovely TO blogger and sewist meet-up organized by Gillian and Adrienne and I am so thrilled to have met some wonderful peeps. I had no idea there are so many representin' for this town! Of course, I bought new fabric and notions that I probably didn't "need", let's face it - which I'll no doubt discuss in coming posts. Crowd mentality is dangerous! :-)

And on the topic of stuff I don't need, the Fabric Mart Modal arrived. What a disappointment. It is entirely different from the original order (aka the batch I bought last year) - to the extent that I almost don't believe it's Modal (not like any I've seen before). Furthermore, it's peacock green! Like crazy, light-green meets blue (sort of). Aquamarine, my ass. I might even have returned it, what with my recent purchase of Tencel that has basically the same drape and fall, but that would be way too much effort. Who can say. I may find a great use for this stuff and recant my current bitch, but you're just gonna have to wait for it. The colour is out there, though.

OK, finally (presuming you are still reading), here are a few shots of the Indicum Pullover as it stands currently:

This is my first yoked sweater and I find it fascinating... It's all wrinkly cuz of the front (which is underneath it) but I assure you it's a lovely, old-school look.

Whatcha think of my first attempt at stranded-colourwork?

In a totally bizarre turn of events, I've managed to accomplish most of my 2013 "goals" in the first quarter of the year. Phew. Now I can get on with the under-functioning! :-)

I'm going to write about this project in more detail, of course, but I will point out that I should have made a smaller size - as always... And I made the second smallest size. And I'm not exactly a waif.

Also, there's not as much shaping as I prefer, nor is there any stretch to speak of in the ribbing at the neck or hem. Plus, they curl (as others have mentioned). I do hope this blocks out.

On the plus side, the fabric isn't nearly as ugly as I thought it would be. It's insanely soft (though, here's hoping there's good recovery in the stretch once one wears and blocks it). For once I made a sweater long enough. And, it's got lovely lines. Very lovely lines. Plus, it fits in the shoulders which is the arbiter of fit, IMO, as you know.

Lord, this is rambling...

Today's questions: Have you ever begun a project and stopped after the muslin stage cuz you didn't like what you saw? Do you feel bad or like you "failed"? Or, on a totally different topic, whatcha think of my Indicum Pullover? Have you made a yoked sweater in the past? Do you like the lines? Let's talk!

The Tailored Suit: People, I'm on Muslin 7.

I can't not talk about this. Trust me, I considered it, but the story is too good.

A while back, one of this blog's readers - a sewist - contacted me to suggest that we meet for coffee. Let's call her S. S recently moved to Toronto. She has been reading for a while (but isn't a blogger). She's a delightful person who makes lovely clothing and she's passionate about fit!

At any rate, she must have felt my blood pressure through the internet and she (incredibly kindly) offered to come and help me with the jacket today.

Man, what a gift! I cannot tell you what an awesome and instructional experience it has been.

We worked for about 5 hours - which flew by - and at the end of it I have another muslin. It's not a perfect muslin. There are still more kinks to work out, believe it or not.

Let's just say, at this point, I might as well have drafted this jacket myself.

Some fascinating things I learned:

• My upper bust tapers to the size 4 in this pattern. My full bust probably correlates with a size 10 - but only very briefly. We actually ended up doing an SBA (small bust adjustment) on my TBA (targeted bust adjustment) above the full part of my bust. Hilarious! (Fortunately S is all too familiar with that adjustment.) It was nice to learn that someone else concurs that my boobs are very hard to fit. The size differential between them and everything else - is really challenging. I know, cry for me.

• The side front pattern piece is marked erroneously. Either that, or it's badly drafted. My previously determined, one inch tapering of that piece is non-negotiable - no matter how I put things together. S noted that almost immediately. And I made her look at all of my cut lines to ensure I hadn't made a mistake. The error is not mine this time.

• Nonetheless, I may not need to redraft the armscye - the problem is only in one spot on the side front - and the length added to the armscye by the alteration is supported already by the original length of the front sleeve cap. It remains to be seen if it will be required, but I'm committed to that alteration too, if it comes to it.
  

• The back is looking good - but with room still for sleeve insertion. Tomorrow I'll fit the sleeves in again and determine what's next.

Note: We did work with shoulder pads.

I'm sort of in an altered state at this point. I can no longer manage to work up the will for a quick conclusion. I just want to get it as right as possible before I make the real jacket. I'm sorry to keep on about this but, undoubtedly, this is the most challenging sewing experience I've had to date. I don't want to deal with anything harder until I forget this - and I'm wearing a suit jacket of such fantasticness that people stop me on the street to ask where I bought it.

Let's just say I only hope I can return this favour with as much skill and patience as has been shown to me.

Perseverance

Peeps, this has been a very good day.

It's been good in so many ways: insanely beautiful weather, time to myself, productive at work. But two ways in which it's been extra good are these:

• I have inserted the invisible zip into the new, non-bias version of the skirt. Before doing this, I cut that section along the selvedge (for extra stability) and then added silk organza interfacing along the inner seam and allowance. My friends, there is not a wave in sight. Hallelujah! (On this topic, I've come to some conclusions about inserting invisible zips without using any pins or wonder (soluble) tape. It's nervy. Stay tuned.) I still have to finish the waistband and hem this skirt but the rest of it is complete. I hope I have the energy to do it tomorrow after work
  

• I won a truly awesome giveaway! And in the most unexpected way. See below for the very interesting back story but here's the Julia dress!

The Very Interesting Back Story: Recently I discovered a blog, written by a blogger who also runs a boutique for which she designs and constructs all of the clothing. A number of things have really impressed me about Lady D and her shop.

1. She, and the people who model her handmade wares, are utterly adorable and they look great in her designs.
2. Her ability to design and create garments is fantastic. Everything is so lovely. Clean but elegant. She's a young woman but she's not designing exclusively for the 20-something set. Her clothes are good for working women of many demographics.
3. She wrote a post, a while ago, in which she discusses how she thinks (spatially) which fascinated me.
4. She's an actual tailor (from a family of actual tailors!). The more I sew, the more I realize that tailoring is the direction in which I'm headed. I am not a naturally "spatial thinker" but fit and construction are everything, IMO. I sense that Lady D concurs.
   

Here's the thing: I didn't actually win the dress?! I wanted to win it, but some other lucky woman won the draw. Incredibly, though, this woman did not claim the dress?!?!? As I was the first commenter, indicating my interest, it was generously offered to me.

Can you get over that?

I really respect this woman's path. It can't be easy to sew for a living (though it must be very satisfying). Look at a few other beautiful - and insanely affordable - things in her shop that I am resisting:

Both of these are constructed from vintage fabric (hello, sustainability!) I can totally see a theme in my latest fashion urges. I appear to want muted florals. Hmmmm.....

Please feel free to purchase them and tell me how I've lost out :-)

So, am I a fortunate woman, or what?

All Consuming

Check out this very thoughtful and articulate post on the nature and impact of first-world consumption, told from the very personal perspective of Zoe. I particularly appreciate her discussion of "new is a new concept".

This post really is worth reading.

Holy Cow!

One of the best things about having internet-found friends is that you get to know dozens (hundreds?) of fantastic people who share your philosophies and interests. These are not friendships of environmental convenience. We choose our blog friends; they're relatively easy to abandon. So when said friendships last for years, and span numerous topics despite distance or age or circumstance, that's more than amazing. It's heart-warming.

It's a stupid understatement to say that I am incredibly fortunate to have many such friends and one who's particularly stand out is Mardel. She's a fascinating woman (People, she went to Vassar!) who has been elegantly managing a significant life challenge, to put it mildly, for the last couple of years. You can read about her many hobbies and perspectives on her blog. Mardel brings a considered perspective to everything. She lives in a gorgeous house on the Hudson (though soon she will embark on a new life in the South). She loves gardening and sewing and reading and knitting with equal measures - as far as I can tell.

As a newbie sewist, I relied on her heavily for advice. I seem to recall an email I sent in the early days with the subject heading "Desperate Sewing Emergency".

A while back M mentioned to me - or was it on the blog? - that she had a few pairs of boots she no longer wears, but which happen to be in excellent condition. I joked that I would take them and, lo, recently she emailed to offer them up. I believe, at that point, I may have sent back an email with the subject heading "Um, Hell Yes!".

Today, they finally arrived - so beautifully packaged with boot shaft shapers (I use magazines when I can be bothered) and tissue paper and some utterly gorgeous Versace fabric.

Yes, there are pics below, but let me stretch the suspense by telling you that M sent 2 pairs of boots - a Walter Steiger pair in animal pattern pony skin - take a moment to digest that. I'll wait. - and another pair of quilted leather Hermes. I know. It's awesome.

Now, the universe obviously didn't want me to get too excited, lest my heart act up, so regrettably the Hermes ones don't fit me. (Note: I may have more to say about this soon. Stay tuned.)

However, these babies fit like a glove:

Yes, those are sexy zippers on the back!

And here is the Versace silk:

I don't suppose it's necessary for me to point out the "Made in Italy" on the selvedge? Or that, it's not so often that I come into the possession of anything Made in Italy.

What a parcel!! (Thank you, Mardel.)

Have You Seen This?

Cross-marketing is alive and well, my friends.

Robin just turned me onto this site. Lisette is a blog and a pattern store and it's (rather intelligently) teamed up with Jo-Ann (a big-box sewing store in the US) to sell the very fabrics in which its season's patterns are modeled. Talk about taking the guess-work out of things.

Of course, seasoned sewists may want to do their own thing, but for a new stitcher - one of those modern-generation crafters who's just trying to get into the swing of things - the patterns are adorable (and simple), the styling retro-relevant, and it's one-stop shopping.

As a test-subject on behalf of y'all, I just spent a reasonable 12 bucks on a pattern - plus an absurd $8.00 in shipping (they are ripping off the international crowd) - to purchase this:




I bought it for dress C - which I'll make with snaps, thank you very much. No doubt, it will be an FBA-experience, but I do think it's adorable.

Has anyone else checked out this site? What do you think of the concept?

Rebirth

There are lots of posts out there right now about "refashioning" - that is, taking an old, seen-better-days garment or two (sometimes vintage), and altering it/them, with nothing more than talent and finesse, into a fabulous new piece.

To wit - and these are just a couple of the many great examples:

• Patty's upcycled cardigan (This woman is a phenomenal, intuitive sewist who really sets the bar for sewing of all sorts, but particularly for the clothing rework...)
• Zoe's knitwear refashion. (This blogger has energized the sewist community to undertake various "all hand-made clothing" challenges such as Me Made March.)
  

Strangely enough (given that I've never refashioned as much as a scarf), lo those many months ago, when I first undertook sewing as my newest passion, the first book I bought was this one:

Born Again Vintage - people, I bought this in hard cover?!

With nary a scrap of ability or experience, even then I knew this was a perfect idea. Back then, mind you, I didn't know a soul who'd approached the concept, much less achieved it. God love the internet.

What's better than taking old garments that have stood the test of time - even vintage ones whose bones are awesome but whose edges have frayed by up to a century of use - and combining them to produce something a) new b) unique and c) tailored perfectly for you?

I dare you to find something suboptimal with this!

Needless to say, I'm not there yet. I'm afraid to disassemble my beautiful vintage (even the stuff that's not that precious - or even that vintage). Maybe it's the perfectionist in me balking at the unknown. Maybe it's a lack of vision.

The perfectionist in me is a freakin' pain in the ass. She stands between me and my sparky creativity, aggressively thumbing her nose (wtf does that mean, exactly??). What's the harm in taking a chance? At worst, I throw the result in the bin (or on the lawn for pickers). At best, I make the most gorgeous thing ever.

No doubt, I'm not suggesting that one disassemble her prized Balenciaga. But that no-name thing from the 60s that has never quite fit right in the shoulders, well...

So, Lovelies, do tell: How do you feel about upcycling? Have you ever done this for yourself? Are you afraid to work in the medium of pre-existing garments? Do you feel my fears? What do you think - those of you who are comfortable with this art form - is the easiest item to start with? What should I start with?

All That and Less

I've been tagged by the delightful Tanit-Isis with the "I'm All That" Award, the originator of which is the also delightful Beangirl, fyi. If "all that" is code for "wretched stress-mess" then I deserve this unquestionably. Otherwise, the matter is open to debate. Nonetheless, who am I to turn down a fun meme?!


Here are the questions I've been tasked to answer:

1) What size shoe do you wear? If you wear a size 7, can I borrow your shoes?

I'm a real 8.5, so (sorry), no go.

2) 30′s or 60′s?

Definitely 60's - though I've been watching the HBO remake of Mildred Pierce and it's giving me a real appreciation for the post-depression era.

3) Have you ever kissed someone you shouldn’t have?

All I'll say is, if one purports to be innocent of this offense, she is lying.

4) Have you ever been poisoned? Was it by the girlfriend of the person you kissed?? (That is awesomely Knot’s Landing).

Mildly poisoned - yes. I've had food poisoning and stomach bugs that will live on in infamy in my own mind. Also, my mother believes I was poisoned by Mercurius, a homeopathic remedy for strep that I did rather OD on in the 80s. (The jury is out on that one.) And who's to say, if the poisoning was inflicted by the significant other of the person whom I inappropriately kissed, that it wasn't a boyfriend? Just sayin'.

5) Who’s on your “Celebrity Free Pass” list (top 5)?

Alessandro Nivola
Guy Pearce
Colm Feore
Will Smith
Rob Lowe

I'm no good at passing these along but I welcome you all to answer any or all of these questions. And if your shoe size is an 8.5, I want to know.

It's Classic

Sophie is one of the chicest young bloggers I know. I first discovered her via Laws of General Economy, a designer item resale forum on which we both once transacted (she still does), and I've enjoyed watching her wardrobe ebb and flow.

Lately she posted about her classic 10 wardrobe items, an artful assemblage - and ageless I might add.

In fact, I totally share her perspective - on my, ahem, more mature form - re: 8 of those 10 items.

Sophie suggested I undertake her challenge and, while I LOVE the idea (and encourage you all to do the same), I am so overwhelmed by items in work and life right now, it's a struggle just to write - much less catalog.

Nonetheless, this topic is on my future-post list and one day soon I expect you'll see my take.

For now, I urge you to check out her post - and site - because it's a treat.

As a fun sidenote: I'm curious to learn, new and long-time readers, how well do you know my style? Why not guess which 2 (of Sophie's 10 basics) are the ones I don't gravitate towards on me. (Since there are only 2, I thought it would be a more chancey long-shot than to guess those on which she and I entirely concur.) Of course, it goes without saying that I love all of Sophie's choices on her. They are perfectly suited to her modern, sleek and urban look.

You Asked...

So here's a photo of the cape (and the gorgeous Sally and the also gorgeous Audi) taken by the gorgeous Peter. I mean, very handsome Peter:

I have paired it with my orange dress, arguably too formal for a flea market jaunt, but peeps I was out from morning till night. Like 14 hours straight... (That's probably why I've been lying on my bed with the flu for the last 3 days.)

Audi is wearing an awesome Mongolian lamb vest she bought the previous day at Sak's. It was on sale from over $300.00 to something like $170.00, which - trust me - was a steal. I totally wanted one but since I already have a fur vest (pictured) and I really should stop buying everything until I buy a larger house in which to store it all (not pictured). I feel I showed remarkable restraint :-)

On a side note: I've discovered that shoppers fall into 2 camps. There are the considered "save it for the right moment" purchasers i.e. Sally, and then there are the impulsive "Please rip the tags off for me cuz I'm wearing out of the store" purchasers.

Would you like to guess which camp I fall into? And while you're at it - what's your cash and carry modus operandi?

Chelsea Morning

So y'all know that I'm more than just a sewing, fashion, lifestyle, interiors - write whatever the hell I feel like it-blogger. Indeed, sometimes I even cross the line into parenting blogger. Truthfully, some of the most fantastic blogs in the world fall into this category - though I don't love the term "mom-blogger". (What is it about angst-ridden, sleep-deprived mothers that makes for such fascinating reading?)

Amongst the best writers in the parenting genre is Marinka. You don't need to have a kid to appreciate her. I am embarrassed to tell you how many times I've laugh-snorted my coffee while reading her posts. You can just follow her on Twitter if you want the lite-experience. There's as much snorting to be had via that medium.

This weekend I had a chance to see her in real life. We went to a Chelsea coffee shop which had a rather "real NY 'hood vibe". It was also one of those cafes where you ask for your dry, extra-hot, skim, double shot cappuccino and you get a lecture. Seriously, if I'm irritating enough to ask for something that specific, dontcha think I've heard about how coffee needs to breathe at a certain temperature? I get it. Now make me a beverage that actually qualifies as warm.

(As a sidenote, Mardel and I had an in-depth conversation, later that day, about the relative crappiness of coffee in NYC. Please NY peeps - don't get mad. I love everything else about your city. But the coffee sucks. I tried it all - and everywhere - 6 dollar capps on the upper east side, designer coffee downtown. Little nondescript shops along Lexington. Saks?! It's actually fun to be all "our coffee is better than yours". I mean, I can't exactly say that about the architecture. But it sure does put Starbucks into perspective.)

Anyway, back to Marinka. She's as dry-witty in person as she is on her blog. I went on this total diatribe about my lone star-sighting: Meg Ryan at Balthazar. Ms. Ryan was with this well-groomed, bearded man wearing zillion dollar sunnies. Meg was the slimmest human I have seen in a long time - somehow baring her abdomen in February (WTF?), which happened to be flat by adolescent girl standards, never mind 50-year old mom standards. I was all animated and gesticular - describing the hair, the outfit, the "work".

And then Marinka has the nerve to tell me that that's not how Meg usually looks, like when they're picking their kids up at the same school?!? Man, that woman knows how to upstage with the arch of a brow.

Just wait till she comes to Toronto, and I orchestrate a run-in at the cheese shop with uber-celebrity Sarah Polley. Who'll have the last laugh then, I ask you?

Complex Geometries

I mentioned yesterday that I hung out with Peter at the Chelsea Flea Market. I was also with Audi and Sally - whom I highly recommend as travel companions.

Here's a fun fact about each:

• Sally - who is as fabulous as I knew she would be - gets tipsy on half a glass of sangria, and it's totally adorable. (Does that make me sound like a hard-core drinker??) Oh, and she's crazily industrious. The reason her blog is amongst the best around is because she gives it all of her love and attention - she seriously cares about her readers and about what they gain from her site.
  
• Peter knows the names and uses of numerous arcane flea shop items i.e. phonograph cylinders. He's also really into hats - most of which look great on him. Plus, I have it on good authority that Cathy should be getting out of jail soon. Oh, and did I mention he's sassily nonchalant about the famous friends??
  
• Audi has ridiculously good luck with the sales read: $1100.00 of merch at Barney's for under $350.00. I thought I might have a nervous collapse after a day of experiencing the "additional markdown"-high that seems to follow her around.

But enough about them! Watcha think of my new scarf??


I got this for 5 bucks at a stall where the (admittedly) crappily displayed goods were reasonably pricey. Call me a thief but I didn't exactly draw attention to the label as I briefly held it up to ask about cost. If only I hadn't thrown it away (albeit briefly) the story would be flawless. BTW, I did a bit of sleuthing and I think this might sell for quite a bit of money. If any of y'all know about such things and can corroborate, I'd love the input. Not that I'm selling it!

Update: Rosesred sent me these fab Desses links - look at those patterns! And I love that M. Desses was part of the draping master set. Draping thrills me. In fact, that's my next sewing tackle. I'm getting me some books to work on this with my new form...

Fashion for Professionals

Darlings: Please head on over to Sally's place (if by some bizarre chance you haven't already been there today) and check out her latest post. I'm one of the guest contributors and the topic is work wear. Let me know what you think!

It's Oz-some!

Hey - due to the time differences between Canada and Australia, I neglected to tell you about my latest interview on Inside Out Style - Imogen's awesome blog. Imogen is an image consultant who really knows her stuff. I've learned so much about body shape and clothing to suit different bodies in the years I've been reading her posts. Please check it out and let me know what you think!