Firehose

A Dress of Violet Taffeta / Tessa Arlen NY: Berkley, c2022. 335 p.

In any case, this book focuses on Lucy at the moment that her first marriage is breaking down. Her husband James Wallace was a drunk and a philanderer, and he walked out on her and their daughter Esme. She, somewhat scandalously at the time, filed for divorce. But to support herself and her daughter, she started designing and selling dresses from their... [read more]

Update: May 18, 2023. It took a few weeks, but Twitter finally shut off our API access. Though we were in limbo for a bit, we can now confirm that our services have been disconnected and Twitter is no longer part of Jetpack Social.

In early April, we experienced an unexpected suspension of our Twitter API access. This access is what powers Jetpack Social, which in turn helps you automatically share your blog posts to Twitter. Though the service was restored that same day, it turns out that there were bigger changes looming on the horizon. 

Twitter recently notified Automattic that it was dramatically changing the terms and pricing of the Twitter API. The cost increase is prohibitive for us to absorb without passing a significant price increase along to you, and we don’t see that as an option. We have attempted to negotiate a path... [read more]

Pattern: Deer & Doe Acajou Trousers
Fabric: Denim Stretch twill; dark from Ohlssons Tyger, light from Böttger Stoffwinkel, Alkmaar. (Both out of stock. In fact I bought the last on the roll of the light blue denim)

Notions: 20 cm zipper, elastic, button, interfacing.
Also wearing: Hi-lo shirt.

While falling into a Youtube rabbit hole, I got stuck in a Hunger Games groove, prompting me to re-read the books. They are quite quick to read, as the language is adapted for teens, as well as pretty much non-stop action. Being a total fangirl, I even fashioned my hair into a Katniss braid (which it was before it became an Elsa braid), although I feel my hair is a little too short for the full effect. 

I don’t think my Acajous will be a trilogy, at least not at the moment, but I... [read more]

 There are a number of reasons I wanted to share this 

(it ran this morning on Toon In With Me on me.tv) and some of them are about Maisie's time management skills

She gives herself five minutes to get ready for work and get to work. There's a family member who would have enjoyed this cartoon this morning, but she gives herself five minutes as well, so she didn't have the time.

[read more]

Sewing the New Classics: Clothes With Easy Style / Carol Parks NY: Sterling, c1995. 152 p.

Since I was thinking so much about capsule wardrobes this month, I checked out this 1995 tome from Open Library to see how it had aged. Surprisingly well, actually! It's old school; there are 10 patterns for "wardrobe essentials" included, in the way that it was done in the 90s -- sketched out on a grid for you to enlarge by hand yourself. You'll find these items: a traditional shirt, a collarless tunic, a T-shirt, a straight skirt, a full skirt, elastic-waist pants, tailored pants, a jacket, a fitted waistcoat, and a big vest or jacket.

I remember wearing some of these styles in the past, but many of them could be very easily translated to contemporary styling depending on the choice of size and fabric. The 90s aesthetic is still current in its use of more... [read more]

At WordPress.com, we’re always pushing our platform to do even more so that you can create, design, and publish amazing things with ease. 

The last few weeks have found us as busy as the springtime bees improving the writing and publishing process even more, bringing our ad platform to mobile, and ensuring that previous edits to your work are readily accessible. 

Let’s jump in and take a look.   

Write without distractions 

One of writing’s biggest challenges has nothing to do with the words — it’s filtering out the noise (both literal and figurative) so you can focus. We can’t change your physical environment, but we’re doing what we can to help you get into “the zone” a little more easily. Enter distraction free mode, a minimalist WordPress experience that removes the buttons and... [read more]

So I do realize I keep saying I shouldn’t do tests when school is in, then I do another test, but sometimes a project is just that good that you want to be in on the ground floor.

Let me introduce you to the Amador Top* which is the newest design from Itch to Stitch. It’s a great top that features dolman style sleeves and a fun front detail with the lower bodice forming a point at the centre front the has some gathering under the bustline. It has a v-neckline that is neatly finished with binding.

I made mine out of ITY jersey. As I finished sewing it up we were under a storm watch and I took the photos on a “snow day” from work. Happily all the snow has since melted - although this being the prairies and all we are forecasted to get up to 10cm of snow over the next day. No thank you!! I’d much rather be able to wear my spring like Amador Top thanks!

As I... [read more]

 I started drafting this on the second week of February.

I started cutting this soft boucle cardigan jacket out the third week of February
It really has been drafted and assembled in ten minute bites. 
There's just not enough time. 

Another Cameron shirt cutie...

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• Tues Apr 18 at 9:00pm CEST | 3:00pm EDT | 12:00pm... [read more]

I am a child of the 60s, and while everyone has their day and time,

I am a little sad and very wistful. Quant was the first designer I knew of (okay I was 8). Her looks resonate with me even now: that's my childhood view of the adult fashion world. Down to the typeface and the five petal flower that was her trademark

For a really nice page with loads of links and rich with information:

https://cinebeats.wordpress.com/2023/04/14/fashion-on-film-mary-quant-1930-2023/

Quant was a part of the Youthquake marketing whirlwind.

https://mubi.com/cast/mary-quant

Very well represented in film

You may be familiar with her from the recent V&A exhibition

https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/mary-quant

And I would have adored this pattern 

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/sew-your-own-mary-quant-style-minidress

Feeling springy over here! Flowers are coming up and legs are bare again. We’ll probably have snow again next week, but I’m taking advantage of these opportunities. 

The Sewing Bee is back on our screens in May 2023, broadcast on BBC1. Are you nifty with a needle or handy with a hem? Put your skills to the test! We’re looking for more talented home sewers to take part in the next series of The Great British Sewing Bee.

If you or someone you know is a good sewer, adept at following a pattern, who thinks creatively, can fit to the body and has an eye for design and style then why not apply now? Good luck!

Producers of the show, Love Productions, are looking for the next group of brilliant, amateur sewers to showcase their talents for an exciting new series of The Great British Sewing Bee. So if you or someone you know is a brilliant amateur sewer, then why not apply?

Start your sewing journey with us! Start here!

Sara Pascoe will be hosting the new GBSB show which is back on BBC2 for its 9th series. To keep us all entertained over the weeks,... [read more]

The Great British Sewing Bee is one of the highlights of our year at William Gee’s Online Haberdashery! It should return to our screens any week now, and we can’t wait. The challenges, creations and friendships we enjoy throughout each season have charmed the nation, and it’s something to look forward to whether you sew or not.

What’s it all about?

The Sewing Bee is usually run over 10 episodes – bringing us the highs and lows of 12 sewists as they tackle dressmaking challenges set by judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant. From show-stopping couture to thrifty transformations, there’s endless inspiration and sewing joy to be found.

Left to right Patrick Grant, Sara Pascoe and Esme Young | SOURCE: BBC ONE – The Great British Sewing Bee

When will the 2023 series start?

In previous years the show started in April, but this year the show starts at... [read more]

Executive Summary

LUBUS, a development agency specializing in WordPress and Laravel, faced challenges with variable hosting costs and maintenance for their clients. They needed a solution that offered fixed costs, high performance, secure web hosting, and reliable service and support. LUBUS decided to test WordPress.com and, after witnessing positive results, confidently recommended it to their clients.

The migration to WordPress.com led to faster site load times, improved stability during traffic surges, and significant cost savings of 50-90% for clients. This allowed LUBUS to concentrate on its core services and offer a more straightforward solution to its clients without the need for DevOps budgets or ongoing maintenance costs. WordPress.com provided an all-in-one solution, ensuring a stable, secure, and... [read more]

Sewing Your Perfect Capsule Wardrobe / Arianna Cadwallader & Cathy McKinnon London: Kyle Books, c2017. 175 p.

I recently got this book from my library; it's one I've seen mentioned here and there, and thought it would be interesting to see the advice about a capsule wardrobe given here. Well, I'm glad I got it from the library, because overall I found it a bit underwhelming. 

The book is organized into a structure around 5 core garments: The Vest Top (a tank top in North American speak), Basic Skirt, Shift Dress, Trousers, and Blouse. These are all fairly basic silhouettes -- the book is aimed at the advanced beginner, which I think is about the right level for these designs. There are fold-out pattern sheets included in the book, so you can trace and alter right away. Each basic piece has a straightforward main pattern, then tells you how to alter... [read more]

When I realized that Nina Chang-Smith, the designer and founder behind her indie pattern company, Nina Lee Patterns, had moved from London to the Bay Area, I invited her to be Bay Area Sewists‘ guest speaker in September 2022. It was our first indoor, in-person event since the pandemic began. Our Meetup group had been meeting on Zoom since May 2020 and then had a couple of outdoor meetups in the summer of 2022. I’ve been the organizer for Bay Area Sewists since 2014.

The event was a Q&A with Nina Chang-Smith held in the classroom space at Lacis in Berkeley. After the Q&A, Nina also showed how you can change the closure on a pattern (i.e. from zippers to keyhole openings). I took all the photos except for the one of her in the lavender jumpsuit.

I meant to publish this post months ago but I just... [read more]

Today is already our final day of the Literary Sewing Circle focusing on Theresa Kishkan's Sisters of Grass!

It has been quite a departure from my usual MO to use fabric I have not printed myself and silk at that. But some time ago I came across an Etsy site in New Zealand that imports amongst other textiles silk saris from India. They are gently used, or at least the one I bought is in perfect condition. The colours that suit Indian sensibilities are not always in tune with my preferences, but after choosing carefully I was delighted with my purchase when it arrived.

I wanted a cocktail dress I could wear for evenings out on our European trip and it seemed a waste of all that lovely silk to make it too short. So I decided on a maxi skirt with 3 inverted box pleats front and back, set into the StyleArc Sydney dress bodice. I like the cut on short sleeves and high empire waist of the Sydney.

There are different weights of silk and the type I chose is... [read more]