Problem: sometimes I like to wear pants. Like when it's cold outside. Or when I want to blend in and look like a normal person. These objectives are becoming increasingly difficult to meet. Every viable pair of pants I own has started to initiate self destruct sequences.
Case in point. Yesterday morning I was wearing some brown corduroys that I bought at Ross just a few months ago. These had already begun to fall apart, as one of the belt loops got ripped out, but they were still wearable because I could just wear a long shirt to cover the hole. I took off the pants just before work and changed into a skirt. This morning I wanted to wear the corduroys again because I was feeling a little chilly. I put them on and attempted to button them, only to find that the button was no longer attached. In fact, it appeared to have gone on a leave of absence and was nowhere to be seen. These are pants that I had to unbutton to take off yesterday, and they hadn't been messed with since. They had a heavy duty blue-jean-like metal button closure, not some wimpy barely-tied-with-string number. What the hell?
The other pairs of pants are disintegrating with less mystery. They are becoming worn in the upper thighal region...In fact three pairs have already worn visible holes in exactly that location since last summer. The last pair bears material that is woefully threadbare.
Theory: maybe I am just not meant to wear pants anymore. I went to Ross on Tuesday intending to buy a pair of jeans and discovered that this particular Ross no longer sells petite pants. Should I just give up now?
I can certainly use some more Simplicity-5914-View-D-Skirts. Plus trips to Hobby Lobby are always welcome and are never attended with shameful glances into criminal fluorescent dressing room mirrors.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Adventures in Clawhammer
So far I'm a little ahead of the game since I've been practicing that frailing bum-ditty move for about three years and I started practicing the first song in Wayne Erbsen's book, Old Molly Hare back in January. Rather than practicing that tune straight from the book, I'm trying to add some drop thumb and double thumb action: techniques that I haven't tried before yesterday. Luckily my fingers are used to doing all sorts of strange things like spin wool and configure it into interlocking loops, and so I picked up drop thumbing with relative ease. This is getting very, very eenteresting. As soon as I get the song the way I want it I might even post a video....Maybe.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Stranger than non-fiction
In the past four or five months I’ve checked out about 30 fiction novels to read, and have only successfully finished about two of them. Strangely enough I’ve read completely about 10 or more non-fiction books. Most of these were related to religious topics or were funny memoirs. And one juicy morsel about polygamists. The two fiction novels I successfully completed were both Christian books about 1) A Quaker pastor and 2) An Amish community. This is very, very strange for me. My whole life I have been feverishly and rabidly devoted to science fiction or horror. Now I hardly even begin before I set the book down indefinitely.
Here is another curiosity. Last Friday I went to a party with a bonfire in the back yard. All of the wood for said bonfire was chopped and split by my dear beared, ax-wielding husband. I remember declaring enthusiastically at the party, in a confession brought on by several dixie cups of homebrew Belgian White (also created by Mr. Bearded), that there is just something special about seeing a modern American man chopping wood. The only way it could get better would be if he was wearing black pants, a white shirt and suspenders. And shave off the mustache portion of his beard. And wear a straw hat. I think I’ve truly gone under. Fascination with the Amish becomes a sick (but strangely alluring) obession.
These strange interests have sprung from my very new habit of studying the Bible. I initially started studying the book just to get a better understanding of the Christian religion, to help alleviate the tension from years of bad feelings about Christianity, and to understand the example of Jesus who, I believed, had many wise things to say. At some point in the journey, somehow it ended up convincing me! I feel like a veritable Paul. Strange, strange. My new reading interests seem to stem from a desire to read positive words which enhance my (sometimes hard-won) feelings of optimism. No violence or sex are necessary at this moment.
One more strange gem: I started tracking my fertility cycle and have learned that I get unbearably weepy during ovulation. Who’da thunk it?
Here is another curiosity. Last Friday I went to a party with a bonfire in the back yard. All of the wood for said bonfire was chopped and split by my dear beared, ax-wielding husband. I remember declaring enthusiastically at the party, in a confession brought on by several dixie cups of homebrew Belgian White (also created by Mr. Bearded), that there is just something special about seeing a modern American man chopping wood. The only way it could get better would be if he was wearing black pants, a white shirt and suspenders. And shave off the mustache portion of his beard. And wear a straw hat. I think I’ve truly gone under. Fascination with the Amish becomes a sick (but strangely alluring) obession.
These strange interests have sprung from my very new habit of studying the Bible. I initially started studying the book just to get a better understanding of the Christian religion, to help alleviate the tension from years of bad feelings about Christianity, and to understand the example of Jesus who, I believed, had many wise things to say. At some point in the journey, somehow it ended up convincing me! I feel like a veritable Paul. Strange, strange. My new reading interests seem to stem from a desire to read positive words which enhance my (sometimes hard-won) feelings of optimism. No violence or sex are necessary at this moment.
One more strange gem: I started tracking my fertility cycle and have learned that I get unbearably weepy during ovulation. Who’da thunk it?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Quilting Plans
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Simple dress
There have been so many changes for me since around September of last year. I'm not sure how to write about it without sounding like a crazy person, so I will limit myself to speaking of one symptom of the metamorphosis. I have begun dressing more simply, and have begun the journey to sew my own modest clothing. I find that by sewing my own I can control colors, fiber content and modesty of garments. This has involved me spending a lot of time at Hobby Lobby (yay!). I told Oliver that by practicing my sewing skill now, I will be better equipped to clothe him in the event of a global zombie apocalypse. He thoughtfully accepted that explanation, and also requested that I knit him a pair of socks (next knitting project?!).
A primary reason for dressing plain and simple is that it eliminates the need to spend much thought on my personal appearance. Less thought on my own appearance means that I am less likely to harshly judge myself or others based on it, which is a big deal for me because I want to be able to see the equality in all people regardless of what anyone looks like. It feels freeing to be released from the needling judgments that I used to make towards myself. It also frees me from the tendency to constantly compare myself to others (in appearance, success, possessions) and come up short which used to result in jealousy and other negativity. Plus sewing is a neat, entertaining, useful hobby.
Here are some pictures of items I've sewn so far.
I just realized my skirts were on kind of crooked in these pictures....don't blame the pattern, blame the wearer. The only one I wasn't totally pleased with was the blue Butterick shirt. It just doesn't fit right. The shoulders are too wide. I am going to make some more of the New Look pattern, as that one is VERY comfortable. I've also completed one more pattern since the pictures were taken: a 1990s button up jumper. And perhaps I'll talk about head covering at some other time.....
A primary reason for dressing plain and simple is that it eliminates the need to spend much thought on my personal appearance. Less thought on my own appearance means that I am less likely to harshly judge myself or others based on it, which is a big deal for me because I want to be able to see the equality in all people regardless of what anyone looks like. It feels freeing to be released from the needling judgments that I used to make towards myself. It also frees me from the tendency to constantly compare myself to others (in appearance, success, possessions) and come up short which used to result in jealousy and other negativity. Plus sewing is a neat, entertaining, useful hobby.
Here are some pictures of items I've sewn so far.
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| Simplicity 5914 D in twill |
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| Simplicity 5914 A in weaver's denim |
 |
| Butterick 6085 |
 | ||
| New Look 6963 |
I just realized my skirts were on kind of crooked in these pictures....don't blame the pattern, blame the wearer. The only one I wasn't totally pleased with was the blue Butterick shirt. It just doesn't fit right. The shoulders are too wide. I am going to make some more of the New Look pattern, as that one is VERY comfortable. I've also completed one more pattern since the pictures were taken: a 1990s button up jumper. And perhaps I'll talk about head covering at some other time.....
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