Month: April 2012 (page 2 of 6)

Shared today on Instagram

Shared today on Instagram:

I finished my dress! Very, very pleased with it.
I finished my dress! Very, very pleased with it.

Edited to add: Yes, I finally graduated from shirts to a whole dress! This is the Colette Parfait. I didn’t want to spend too much money in case it came out badly, so I went with a cheap cotton poplin from Lincraft. I didn’t expect to get something so wearable out of it! In terms of sizing, I went with a 16 to make sure it would fit. Yowza, it was quite big around the bust. I ended up taking about an inch from under each arm tapered down to the waist, so I definitely think I’ll make the 14 next time. I didn’t do too badly with the zipper, especially considering I don’t actually have an invisible zipper foot. (I used this tutorial.) I also got to use my sewing machine’s automatic buttonhole function for the first time ever! This project was a big win. I learned heaps, and I got a wearable and CUTE dress out of it.

Hmmm… what should I make next?

In 1950, an elephant fell out of a monorail in Germany

In 1950, an elephant fell out of a monorail in Germany – Wow! Sidenote: I’ve actually ridden the monorail in Wuppertal (which is actually a hanging monorail and is called the Schwebebahn).

“Oh, You Sexy Geek!”: “Geek Girls” and the Problem of Self-Objectification

“Oh, You Sexy Geek!”: “Geek Girls” and the Problem of Self-Objectification – A longish piece, but well worth reading. The sexiest cosplay I’ve done was probably the Wonder Woman outfit from Halloween last year. It falls in a weird area though. I didn’t alter the costume to be sexier; Wonder Woman by default wears a pretty skimpy costume. And I didn’t choose it to be sexy; I chose it because she was my childhood hero and I had the WW Underoos as a kid. (Unfortunately they don’t make WW Underoos for grown-ups.) I actually tried to de-sexy the outfit a bit by adding a skirt over the (very brief) shorts. I guess it’s a bit like the woman in the essay who defends dressing as slave Leia. For her, that outfit is about empowerment. “You put me in a gold bikini with a chain, and I’m gonna choke you to death with it.” For me, Wonder Woman was about embodying my inner 4-year-old’s ideal of a strong, powerful woman. (That said, I felt much more comfortable dressing that way at a party with my friends. I don’t think I would’ve done it at a convention.)

Custom Hand Painted Star Wars Shoes

Custom Hand Painted Star Wars Shoes – This Star Wars fangirl can appreciate the craftsmanship, but there’s no way I could walk in those.

Bicycle Restoration – Sydney Cyclist

Bicycle Restoration – Sydney Cyclist – Brilliant restoration of a very cool kid’s bike. Damn, I wish I had a bike like that!

Just Ask Christopher: The Towering Inferno – An Appreciation

Just Ask Christopher: The Towering Inferno – An Appreciation – Excellent post by Christopher about my own personal favourite disaster movie. My Dad introduced me to it. Christopher didn’t even mention my favourite thing about it: it has both OJ Simpson and Bobby Brady in bit parts!

Retro Kitchen Decor – 1950s Kitchens – House Beautiful

Retro Kitchen Decor – 1950s Kitchens – House Beautiful – Interesting. We thought our stainless steel countertops would modernise our retro kitchen, but it looks like they’re actually authentic to the period! Pastiche it is… 🙂

Favorited today on Twitter

Favorited today on Twitter:

  • thekitchn: GORGEOUS red kitchen from German company Hacker, w/ cement tiles on wall behind. Drooling. http://t.co/gtiUjYWP #eurocucina #milan #isaloni
  • Salon: TN’s "Don´t Say Gay" bill is the legislative equivalent of sticking fingers in your ears and screaming "I CAN’T HEAR U" http://t.co/oDGqBxc9
  • bonappetit: Portlandia’s rockin @Carrie_Rachel Brownstein is super cereal about her at-home meals http://t.co/QQaNRA0h

You can follow me here.

Favorited today on Twitter

Favorited today on Twitter:

You can follow me here.

Shared today on Instagram

Shared today on Instagram:

I put in a zipper!! 4 buttons and a hem and my dress is DONE.
I put in a zipper!! 4 buttons and a hem and my dress is DONE.