Finished Skirt

Well, at long last I finished making my skirt. Let's just say it was more complicated than the pajama pants I made... ;) It is interesting to go from sewing quilts to sewing clothing. With a quilt you are cutting and cutting and sewing and sewing; it takes a long time and is very repetitive. When making a garment it is literally something like 4-6 pieces of fabric you cut out, and so it seems like it should take very little time to sew it all together. But, of course, there is so much more technique required for a garment! Every stitch counts and significant patience and attention to detail is required!

The skirt was an easy pattern, but because I have had very little practice with garments, I found myself calling my mother at every turn, fearful that a single mistake could ruin the entire skirt. But, in the end, even with help from my mom I still had to tear out some stitches and re-do pieces... and the skirt still turned out. Mostly the issues I ran into were with the machine; for example, we had a hell of a time trying to get the invisible zipper presser foot onto the machine correctly. But in the end, it is finished and, fortunately, it still fits! Here are some photos...

The pattern has four darts (two on the front, two on back)

LOVE this fabric

The invisible zipper

Voila! Not stunning, but hey - handmade.

Here's hoping the skirt still fits after this holiday season -
I made more cookies than originally planned...

Next up - a knit dress. I've never sewn with knits and they seem like a whole different beast to tame. That said, unlike the fabric used for this skirt, a knit fabric will drape more naturally on its own and in that way the fit can be a bit more forgiving. Hoping to have it finished in the next week.

Happy Monday

I don't usually say "Happy Monday," but today is my last full work week of the year so I am quite happy about that. Plus, I've been listening to a new playlist at the office and it really keeps my mood up. One of the songs on the playlist that was fairly new to me, though it came out in 2008 (and was actually written in 1978), is Silver Stallion performed by Cat Power. So good.

This weekend was fairly productive. I made two batches of cookies - snickerdoodles and "french cookies" (previously posted recipe here), got a few Christmas gifts, we connected with good friends, and I nearly finished my skirt with the help of my mother. More to come on the skirt very soon... then onto my first handmade dress.

A few other updates... first, believe it or not, I'm still biking regularly on the trainer! I think I've finally gotten into an exercise habit; it is a relief to enjoy and not dread it! Second, we're on to our next David Tennant TV series - Broadchurch. I've started to really appreciate him as an actor (as opposed to just thinking of him as The Doctor). So far it is pretty dark and suspenseful. I've really gotten into the "murder mystery" genre lately - it is so easy to get hooked in.

Between work and attempting holiday shopping, it will be a busy week. Looking forward to all of the family time and relaxing to come.

Worth Repeating

Last weekend we watched Kill Your Darlings and Howl... you could say it was an Allen Ginsberg themed movie marathon. What can I say? I LOVE the man. And I don't particularly like most of his poetry, but as a human being I think he is one of the best there ever was.

He was extraordinarily sensitive, a philosopher and a poet, an advocate that spoke for those without a voice. He transcended shame and believed whole-heartedly in the power of love. He was a serious person who at the same time reveled in the absurd. So I can't resist but I share with you for the second time on this blog his footnote at the end of the poem Howl.

Footnote to Howl

Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy!

The world is holy! The soul is holy! The skin is holy! The nose is holy! The tongue and cock and hand and asshole holy!

Everything is holy! everybody’s holy! everywhere is holy! everyday is in eternity! Everyman’s an angel!

The bum’s as holy as the seraphim! the madman is holy as you my soul are holy!

The typewriter is holy the poem is holy the voice is holy the hearers are holy the ecstasy is holy!

Holy Peter holy Allen holy Solomon holy Lucien holy Kerouac holy Huncke holy Burroughs holy Cassady holy the unknown buggered and suffering beggars holy the hideous human angels!

Holy my mother in the insane asylum! Holy the cocks of the grandfathers of Kansas!

Holy the groaning saxophone! Holy the bop apocalypse! Holy the jazzbands marijuana hipsters peace peyote pipes & drums!

Holy the solitudes of skyscrapers and pavements! Holy the cafeterias filled with the millions! Holy the mysterious rivers of tears under the streets!

Holy the lone juggernaut! Holy the vast lamb of the middleclass! Holy the crazy shepherds of rebellion! Who digs Los Angeles IS Los Angeles!

Holy New York Holy San Francisco Holy Peoria & Seattle Holy Paris Holy Tangiers Holy Moscow Holy Istanbul!

Holy time in eternity holy eternity in time holy the clocks in space holy the fourth dimension holy the fifth International holy the Angel in Moloch!

Holy the sea holy the desert holy the railroad holy the locomotive holy the visions holy the hallucinations holy the miracles holy the eyeball holy the abyss!

Holy forgiveness! mercy! charity! faith! Holy! Ours! bodies! suffering! magnanimity!

Holy the supernatural extra brilliant intelligent kindness of the soul!

                                                                                                            Berkeley 1955

December Bliss

Some days are just solidly GREAT. Today is one of those days. It has been simple, and yet left nothing to be desired.

Here are the highlights -

• Got up early and got groceries - I love going to the grocery store when it is quiet and empty. 
• Caught one of my favorite radio shows - American Routes.
• Watched the last episode of this season of Dr. Who. It was fantastic.
• Made a sourdough yeast starter. It has been waaay too long since I made sourdough bread.
• Biked (inside using the trainer) while watching the "desserts" episode of last season's Great British Baking Show. It is an epic episode. (Note: don't waste your time on the American version currently broadcasting - it is terrible.)
• Hung our stockings. I'm enjoying being festive and creating new traditions in our new home.
• Ran into my most beloved college professor. I haven't seen him for at least 7 years and he hadn't changed a bit and I felt instantly reconnected to him. It is such a joy to know wonderful people exist in the world, even if you don't see them often. It is even better to run into them every once-in-awhile.
• Made chocolate-covered pretzels for dessert. Yum!
• Started a few handmade holiday gifts. Nothing beats creating something by hand while thinking of the person you're making it for. 

Now I'm sitting next to our bright little Christmas tree and under a new quilt from my mom. John Prine is playing on the record player, and SB is making tacos. Life is good.