Friday, April 30, 2010

Springy again, and sewing


Springy again, originally uploaded by Cohabitating_Closet.

First, thanks for all your thoughts on my culture rant yesterday. My thoughts are still in flux, because I'm no scholar of culture (I do law, international stuff, and economic related stuff. But I'm not an economist. I'm what a crude Marxist might call a "Base" person). Yesterday I was overdressed for the weird, windy, 65 degree weather. Today I am layering up and brining a tote bag in case I need to carry my clothes home again. The subway is A/C'd, but school is hit or miss.
I don't teach on Fridays (although Blokey does), but I'm going on in today for a research talk, which I hope will inspire me to do my own. Fridays at work definitely call for stretchy, knit jersey dresses and separates that feel like pajamas, but the denim jacket hopefully gives it more "structure." I was inspired by Audi to layer skirts and dresses, and Erin to bring back my hoodies.

LinkI'm dreaming about the end of the semester

Angie on YLF posted recently about boots in summer. I am a huge boots in summer fan, especially cowoby boots but black boots with florals work for me as well, until it gets really really hot. I hate how mean sandals are to feet. Do you folks wear boots in the summer?

On the creative front, I've been making progress on the "Oktober dress" in the Built By Wendy Dress book. I bought quite a bit of super cheap coral Swiss dot fabric (really sheer, but I didn't think about that while in the fabric store months ago).

Don't most sewists (or in my case, wannabes), like to read about financial crises and central banks?

Before finishing the seams, I tried it on and I decided I hated the cap sleeves and odd wider neckline. So I took my tailor's chalk and went nuts, designing a new neck and chopping of the sleeves. Then I added my homemade bias to the neckline, without trying it on first. Oops. This may be another "learning experience" (or Blokey says I can wear it when I'm preggers, one of these distant days). Reminder to self: when learning to sew, remember you can't screw around like when cooking.


But I am proud of the gathered skirt and how evenly I attached it to the bodice. I have enough fabric to redraft the bodice but I may abandon Wendy's pattern to use one of my others (I have many).

Unrelatedly, the birds in Bed Stuy have been ignoring my awesome (wedding gift) bird feeder for a month now. I know there are birds here. I see them eating off of abandoned fried chicken bones (ew?) and the bread that local folks throw on the ground for them. Are the Brooklyn birds like American children who would rather eat McDonald's then kale and brown rice? I filled it up with millet and seed blend. Sigh. Any advice, fellow urban bird watcher wannabes? (I'm not picky. I'll take pigeons!)

A lonely, top of the line "Squirrel free" bird feeder

Dress: Zara (via Beacon's Closet)
Hoodie: H&M
Socks: Gap
Boots: Palladium (via Heavenly Soles, Minneapolis)
Jacket: Levi's
Skirt: Urban Outfitters

5 comments:

  1. Hahahahah, I liked your McDonald's comment ;). I think today's birds are getting fat.

    I think you did a great job on the dress! I still can't believe how talented you are. And I go shopping a lot and find that there's a little too much fabric in the front and think "OH, I can buy it now and wear it later when I'm pregnant." Hahah my husband doesn't let me though. Same with baby clothes.

    Also, the Geox flats are pretty comfy. My first pair were $108 and my second were $36. So averaging at around $70, they are worth it to me. They are all I really wear!

    Enter to win a professional flat iron!
    clothed much, a modest fashion blog

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  2. I love the dress you're wearing today! It's so cute and flattering :)

    And the color on the dress that you're making - WOW! Who is this making bright orange dresses, and what have they done with Rad? I love it.

    Our new nextdoor neighbors have a bird feeder too, but the reason it doesn't get any use is because our coach house cat is a hunter. The neighbors may have started to wonder about this by now...
    But not being able to mess around like you do in cooking would be hard for me. That must be why all of my hobbies are open to lots of interpretation, like cooking and music.

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  3. I've got a post coming up on boots in summer. Definitely something I love. My feet prefer socks.

    Speaking of which, those stripy socks are too cute!

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  4. I love the layered skirt and dress, and the socks and boots are just too cute! I love boots in the summer; SF is almost always cool enough for boots, and I think they look great with sundresses.

    You might try switching the seed you're using in your bird feeder. It looks like you're using millet seed, and that generally works better in platform feeders. Try using black oil sunflower seeds to attract chickadees, which are great fun to watch at the feeder.

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  5. I had a bird feeder at my last place that hung there for weeks and weeks without any activity and then BAM the birds discovered it and I had to go get more feed, so...maybe they need time?

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