Monday, February 27, 2006

On art, craft, and wearing the same dress again and again

I was planning to start this post with an old photo of my mom, me and two of my sisters. We were all wearing the same dress. My mother sewed the dresses for us, and I can only imagine the responses we got when we arrived at church looking like Photoshop gone haywire. Fortunately, I wasn't paying enough attention to people's reactions or I may have needed years of therapy to recover. (Then again, maybe that's what subconsciously drove me to work in fashion?) My poor younger sisters wore the same dress in different sizes for many, many years. Very cute dresses, but I'm sure they would have appreciated a little more diversity in their lives. Sorry I couldn't dig out the photo in time for this post; it's quite amusing.


I was thinking about those dresses over the weekend, in part because I just finished these hats: one for me and one for Bebe. I would have felt a little silly if the hats matched perfectly, so I switched the color placement on them and frankly still feel a little silly. But I'm happy with them and I don't mind having frogged and reknit my hat four times because it's a great fit now. The baby's hat took no time at all, since by the time I made it I was very experienced with the pattern, gauge, etc.!

Pattern: Kim's Hats from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay, colors Butane (33) and Cerise (47)
Started: too long ago (like maybe two months ago? I can't remember)
Finished: February 19

Here's a photo of us modelling our new chapeaux.

And speaking of wearing the same dress for a long time, this weekend I saw the Andrea Zittel show at the New Museum of Contemporary Art for the second time. I really like Zittel's work, and I think one of the reasons it appeals to me is the way that she has crossed the barrier between art and craft. Zittel's art involves her home and her clothing, and much of her work focuses on creating new ways to shape her living space and the functional items around her. I like the way her mind works. If you are not familiar with her work, here are a few links that may be of interest:

Zittel's website
Art:21 short bio and summary of her work. Be sure to view the A-Z Six Month Uniform link
New Museum of Contemporary Art website
Photos and a short article about a Zittel clothing show in Tokyo
Another Zittel show currently showing at the Whitney Museum at Altria

One of my favorite aspects of Zittel's work is the dresses that she makes and wears for six months at a time. Her crocheted dresses are really thoughtful, creative designs that cross the line between fashion and art. Now she's making felted tunics. I wanted to find some nice photos of the crocheted dresses to show you, but they don't seem to be available on her website yet.

Anyway, that photo certainly seemed to capture my mindset this weekend. Perhaps I'll dig it out in time for a Self-Portrait Tuesday post sometime soon. And Mom told me those dresses are still showing up at church periodically; they've been handed down many times. Andrea Zittel would be proud.

Postscript: ok, here it is. My sister, Christy, remembered that it exists in digital format. I hope it's everything I said it was.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

How to wear it

Here's a little something I've been doing for about a year now and have found to be very useful. Now that I'm not making an income, I really can't afford to buy many clothes. And frankly, I don't need more clothes; I've accumulated a lot of things that just need to be worn more often. To help me do that, I've been gathering tearsheets from magazines. Often when I'm looking through a catalog or magazine I'll see a photo that reminds me of something I own which is worn in a different way than I would normally wear it. I save those pages so that when I can't find anything to wear I can look through the photos and be inspired or reminded to pull out something I might have forgotten or overlooked.

Granted, these days you can almost always find me wearing the same pair of jeans and a t-shirt, but every so often I pull out a skirt or a pair of wool trousers again. Makeup? Don't push your luck.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

That's more like it!

It's official; I like silicone. My silicone hotpads and new baking cups are pretty great, and I highly recommend them. But I'm a relative baking newbie, so take my recommendation with a grain of, what, baking soda?



Anyway, chocolate cupcake recipe #2 (found via Not Martha) turned out much better than recipe #1. We had some difficulty finding Dutch-processed cocoa, which wasn't available via my fabulous on-line grocery service (Fresh Direct is what makes living in Manhattan possible. Delivery charge: $4.95; Fuel surcharge: $.79; Tip to delivery person: $3.00; avoiding the surly cashiers at the local grocery store: priceless.), but after trying those nasty local groceries we were on our way down to Dean and Deluca's and stopped at our favorite coffee supplier. Lo and behold, they had it!

I chose to try the Magnolia Bakery buttercream frosting recipe for the icing this time, since their cupcakes are Todd's favorites. And I'm quite pleased with the results, although I probably should have kept adding sugar to make it thicker. It was late, I was tired. The frosting was a little runny. I popped the cupcakes into the refrigerator and prayed that the icing would solidify quickly before it created puddles on the plate.



While I was at it, and because I had some heavy cream to use up (and it's winter so we all need extra calories and comfort food, right?) I made my first creme brulee as well. Can't wait to try it tonight!

I have some crafty things ready to show you, but I need the help of a photographer (i.e. Todd) during the daylight, so you may have to wait a few days to see them.

And now I'm very tired of baking and really want to get back to more sewing and knitting and things. After I get a little sleep.

Mint chocolate chip


I'm so pleased with these little pants, which match the sweater Grandma made. Note to self, however: stop buying printed fabric in half-yard increments. When she grows into the next size I won't have enough length.

Fully lined with muslin. Next time I'll line them with the contrast fabric that I used as the binding at the hem and as the waistband. That way the legs can be rolled, since they're a little too long for her at present. I plan to make more of these little pants. In fact, maybe I'll draft some other sizes as well and sell them? We'll see. I have a few other children's items I'm planning, so this may be a nice addition to the bunch.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

One year

Name: Little (for blog purposes, anyway)
Age: 365 days
Height: 2 feet 4 inches



Hobbies: cell phones, computers, feeding herself, crawling really fast, banging

Interests: people, cats and dogs, anything with buttons to push, being outside

Dislikes: diaper changes, sitting still, going to sleep

Favorite words: Ahdah, Ahmah, Uhh

Goals: walking, trying to eat cat food, doing things by herself

Best attributes: sense of humor, love of people

Craving color

I love color, but I don't always want to live with it. For some reason I seem to be attracted to the neutral palettes in home design/decor magazines.








Lately, however, I find myself craving a little color around here. Maybe just because it's the middle of February, but actually I suppose most decor can benefit from a little added color. I've always felt that our apartment could use a more color but didn't know how I wanted to add it. Aside from my love affair with green, which shows up in a few small spots, most of the color in our living room is found in our art collection:




While I was reading Julie and Julia a few weeks ago it suddenly struck me that the colors in the book cover would be a great addition for us.



I started with the two felt fabrics in the upper lefthand corner, but the colors quickly became more vibrant. The two felts in the upper righthand corner insisted on coming along. And then I discovered the turquoise leather and the printed cottons in my stash, and suddenly we have a color story. I guess I'd better get busy sewing.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Bits and bobs

You haven't been hearing from me much lately, I'm afraid. But I've been thinking about you. With our last-minute travel, the nasty cold that's had me pinned in its claws for the past week and a half, and lots of other normal life business, I haven't had any time at the computer lately. I'm starting to catch up now and have lots to talk about. Here are a few things to get you started:

Look what this blogger has done with her Mrs. Beetons and a little Olympic spirit. This link and other photos of Mrs. Beetons can be found at Cast On.

This is a brilliant idea, beautifully executed. I may need to try making some like this before spring arrives. Green Kitchen looks like a great new blog.

And what's a blog post without a photo or two? Remember the saga of the missing little people? Well, here's what we found at Grandma's house while we were visiting:



Yes, we were in heaven. And after we returned home, we received a wonderful package from the baby's other grandparents (who, by the way, came to visit us this weekend. We had a lovely time together.) which included lots of little people to replace the one that ran away (The other one showed up again under the desk. I guess she missed us and decided to return.). So we've created a small temporary sculpture we've entitled "The 14th Street Crosstown Bus."



Now you know why we do so much walking in our neighborhood.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Mrs. Beeton has arrived


As you read this, there are three (nearly four) babies out there who are missing their baby gifts. Why? Because I just had to make these wrist warmers. Selfish me. And I finished them just in time for our 52 degree weather today. Good thing I hurried!

Pattern: Mrs. Beeton designed by Brenda Dayne (of Cast-on.com) and available at Knitty.com
Yarn: RY Cashsoft 4 Ply and Rowan Kidsilk Haze

Can you see all the little beads at the edge of the lower ruffle? I just love the feminine look of these wristwarmers, and they are so much better than the old mutilated socks I was using previously. Oh, and do I need to point out that these are green?

Now, can I force myself back to the sewing machine to finish those baby gifts? I'm so close to being done, but I already have plans for another pair of wristwarmers in a different colorway...

Monday, February 13, 2006

Visual candy

I have to show you these terrific photos from the new Marie Claire Idees magazine (March 2006 issue). If you're not familiar with this magazine, you may want to locate it; it's such a terrific resource for inspiration and ideas. I finally quit trying to track down individual issues on the newsstands and subscribed, which you can do via Amazon quite easily. It's published four times a year and has various articles and photo spreads focused primarily on crafts but also covering fashion, travel, food, beauty, and selections of new products. I should point out that it's all written in French, but if you're already buying and looking at Japanese craft books you're familiar with interpreting via photos and drawn instructions. Directions for most items are given in the back of the magazine. And I hope I don't get into trouble for posting these photos; I just want you to see what an amazing resource this is. It's one of those publications that just keeps getting better; after more than three years of reading it I still love every issue.

old transferware dishes with decoupage illustrations applied

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Would I really do that to you?

Decidedly not.

I like this new blogging custom of listing a number of facts about yourself corresponding to your age. But there's one downside to my age; I would bore us both if I listed 37 facts about myself! So here are 29, which is still an awful lot of information to disclose.

1. My father is a professor of soils. Yes, he studies dirt.
2. I was born is Seattle where my father was doing his graduate work.
3. We also lived in Vancouver, Philadelphia, and then settled in Madison, Wisconsin, when I was five or six years old.
4. Until I was about eleven, we lived mostly in university housing, which is a wonderfully diverse international experience. At a very young age I had friends from all over the world.
5. I developed a fascination with all things Japanese when I was eight or nine due to our Japanese neighbors. I hope to learn Japanese someday; teaching myself is not going well.
6. For several years we had a real milkman. He actually delivered milk to our back door several mornings each week. He was the last of a generation, I think.
7. I have four younger sisters. Christy (the youngest) and I are almost 14 years apart.
8. My mother sewed many clothes for me when I was growing up. She made me two prom dresses, countless day dresses, once sewed a pair of designer jeans, and made many clothes based on sketches or descriptions I gave her. When I was old enough, I selected the patterns and the fabric for my clothes and she made them.
9. I learned to sew by watching my Mom, but I didn't actually make anything until one summer in college when the family was travelling and I had the house to myself.
10. I love to swim, but I'm too lazy to do my own workouts. I swim with a Masters coach who pushes me really hard and corrects my technique.
11. In the nearly 15 years we've lived in NYC, I've worked as an editor for a publishing house, an equity analyst on Wall Street, and a clothing designer. One friend teases me that I've worked in all the primary New York industries. I counter by saying I've never worked in real estate and don't plan to do so.
12. I fought against working in fashion because I was afraid it would be a superficial, back-biting industry full of self-centered people. I'm pleased to say I was only partially correct, and I've met many wonderful people in the industry. I'm especially happy I finally caved and worked in a field that I enjoy so much.
13. I love coffee, but caffeine does funny things to me.
14. My father's mother, before she got married, was a clothing designer for a dressmaker in Chicago.
15. I can read while walking, and often do when the baby is napping. We go for long walks with the Bjorn or the stroller, and I read novels on the way. We often get funny looks from people.
16. My parents own a book entitled The Strong-Willed Child, and from an early age I knew it was about me. It's probably time for me to read it now that the baby is starting her own tantrums (already!).
17. My father has made 14 trips to Antarctica for research. He took the first trip when I was a baby; he just returned from his most recent trip a couple of weeks ago.
18. Apparently there is a mountain in Artarctica named after my father.
19. I once crashed my scooter on Fifth Avenue, right in front of the library on 42nd Street, and I have a big scar on my elbow to prove it. I was wearing a skirt at the time; it must have been quite a sight for all the bystanders!
20. I was an expert babysitter in junior high, high school and college. I had lots of experience, with so many younger sisters.
21. One of my sisters loved animals and named every one of her hamsters Coco. We had successive Cocos at our house for many years.
22. Pre-baby, our favorite vacations were backpacking trips; it's the perfect antidote to living in a big city.
23. If I could live anywhere besides New York, I would choose Tokyo or Paris.
24. My Grandmother was Martha Stewart before Martha was Martha. She had her own craft show on television, hosted her own radio program, travelled world-wide teaching needle arts, was an amazing cook (German food, mainly), made and sold jewelry, organized neighborhood get-togethers, and founded the public library in her town. She still knits, quilts, and does a lot of needlework. I think she's a fascinating person. And yes, she's the same Grandma who worked as a fashion designer. We have a lot of fun together.
25. I love ballet and good drama, but I have no appreciation for opera or musicals.
26. I had to cancel my Netflix membership because it's too difficult to read subtitles while sewing or knitting. But I'm practicing knitting in the dark, so maybe someday I can watch and knit simultaneoulsy.
27. I minored in French at college but still wouldn't call myself fluent. It's something I'm working to improve.
28. I think really visually and can pick things up really easily, but I'm not sure I can always explain things as well. I'd love to be a good teacher. Maybe that's something else I can work on.
29. I love to travel, but I can just as easily spend an entire day without leaving the house, especially if I'm working on a project.

Blue and green

Here are my cupcakes. The chocolate cupcakes are delicious, but they didn't really like being cupcakes. They refused to come out of my nice new silicone baking cups in one piece, and it just didn't make any sense to frost them. So I ended up making simple white cupcakes for my icing fix. I love the colors, but I'm clearly no pastry chef. Ah well. I'll get more practice in a week or so with a new batch.


Saturday, February 11, 2006

Hmmm or mmmm?

If I had thought about it a bit more, I might have made the connection that if the loaf cake "sinks in the middle" (per Nigella), the cupcakes from the same recipe might also sink.



Perhaps they just need a little extra icing to round them out. I think maybe turquoise-y green icing.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Coloring paste and other treats

Tomorrow is my birthday, but I'm not telling you that because I'm looking for birthday wishes. I frankly prefer not to have a big deal made of my birthday, just as we generally don't make a big production out of most holidays at our house. It's just nice if we can relax a bit rather than make a fancy meal, throw a party, put up decorations, etc. Or that's how Todd and I feel about it, at least.



Anyway, the reason I'm suddenly so excited about my birthday is because I've been obsessing lately about Janes's technicolor icings, and I was looking for an excuse to try making them. We made a trek to the bakery supply store on Wednesday to buy paste coloring, and I was planning to make cupcakes for the baby's birthday in a week and a half. But just last night it dawned on me that I can make them for my own birthday, too; so I don't have to wait as long as I thought!

I think I'll try Nigella's recipe for chocolate cupcakes. Domestic goddess I am not, but I'm able to follow a recipe at least. Usually I don't mind cooking or baking, but honestly I'd rather spend my time making something that lasts longer than a meal or a dessert. However, now that we have a child, it's a treat to have time to play in the kitchen, and if Todd takes the baby long enough for me to bake and frost the cupcakes that will be a birthday gift in itself.



I also hope to peruse the new Marie Claire Idees issue that arrived yesterday, and maybe I'll get some knitting done.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Greeting cards. Or, family, don't look!

Valentine's Day cards are in the post, but if you're family and want your card to be a surprise, don't look below!

This year's "edition," which is really just a nice way of saying that I made everyone the same card, is very simple. I used my trusty heart punch, which has seen a lot of Valentine action over the past ten years or so, and pasted the negative shape (the doughnut, if you will) on the front of the card with the cutout (the doughnut hole?) inside the card. I like the printed paper on the front of the card; without it the card would probably be a lot less interesting and I would have had to do a lot more work although I didn't have much time.
Valentine's Day cards


Since the family isn't looking, shall I show you this year's birthday card edition also? I might as well.

Remember back when I was talking about our friend Yves St. Laurent and his annual greeting cards? I liked the idea of a continuous theme from year to year for the cards, and I decided that I should choose a theme for the birthday cards I make. Cupcakes seemed good, especially since that's what I had already made in 2005. So here's the 2006 birthday card:

Birthday cards

I carved the little cupcake shape and got busy covering colored paper with the stamp. But the best part is the inside.

Birthday cards with Sara's font inside

The font? A good friend's husband made it using her handwriting, which I've always admired. Isn't it great? I'm sort of obsessed with it right now, especially since I haven't seen my friend in years and it feels like having a little bit of Sara right here with me. I used it on the envelopes for the cards as well. Maybe I'll send her a letter in her own handwriting, just for the fun of it. Wouldn't that be weird to receive?

Monday, February 06, 2006

We're back!

The baby and I were called out of town unexpectedly a week and a half ago, but everything and everyone is fine and we've returned home again. It's nice to be back. During our absence, Hotmail deleted most of the blog comments that had been waiting in my account (Blogger makes it really difficult to reply to comments, and then Hotmail puts all comments in my junk mail box - what an indignity for your thoughtful replies! - and deletes them after one week. I'm seriously considering opening a g-mail account and thus far have been too lazy - or busy - to make the switch.). I'm sorry to say that if I am to catch up with the snail mail, laundry, grocery shopping, etc. and find time to craft again I may not be able to reply to all your comments. But please know that I have read and enjoyed every one of them. Comments are like chocolate to me: I'm sure I could live/blog without them, but why would I want to do such a thing? My thanks to everyone who wrote.

I took my sweater along for the trip and made some respectable progress on it during our absence. Don't hold your breath, however; I need to finish some baby gifts and sew some pants for the baby before I do anything else in the craft realm. But look what Grandma finished for the baby's birthday! I just washed and blocked it and added the brown ribbon woven through the eyelets at the neck, cuffs, and hem. Grandma suggested trying to find a ribbon that matches the minty green color of the sweater, but I think I like the brown because it's not so sweet. And the brown and green polkadot fabric in the background may become a pair of pants that the baby can wear with her new sweater.