Berninas are the Best -- TRUE or FALSE?

Let's face it, readers: there's something about Switzerland (and all things Swiss) that's very compelling.

Decisions, Decisions...

Readers, part of being human is having to make decisions.  It doesn't have to be a stress, right?

Fab Flea Market Finds (and Sewing Machines Galore)

What fun I had at the flea market today with my friend Johanna!

Peter's Fancy Fabric Swatch-a-palooza and MORE!

Friends, I know I said no more eyeglass photos this month, but I did want to share this shot of me in a dimly lit restaurant earlier this week, using my new reading glasses to read a menu for the very first time (I ordered the duck sausage).  Life transitions!

Exposed Zipper Dresses -- YEA or NAY?

Zippers, zippers, everywhere.  Parenthetically, friends, is your fly open?

New Cathy Project, New Sunglasses, New IRON!

Readers, this is the last pic of me in sunglasses I'm going to post this month -- promise!  But I did want to provide some closure after the adventures of last week.

Peter's First-Ever Reading Glasses + COMPLETE Linen Photo Shoot link

Readers, I've never asked you this, but do you ever have feelings about the state of my sofa?  Just wondering.

Linen Pants and "Butter" Shirt Outfit - REVEAL!

Indulgent readers, please check out my new outfit, which has just gone "live" today over at the Mood Sewing Network. 

Michael's New Show!

Friends, I'm very happy to announce that Michael has written a new show!  (Actually, he has performed it a few times already in the process of developing it.)

The White Linen Pants are Finished!

Good news, readers: I have finished my linen pants!  (Those are NOT them up top, but rather the J. Crew inspiration.)

White Linen Pants + Sunglasses Update!

Readers, thank you so much for your many comments yesterday regarding my Warby Parker sunglass selections.

I'm not sure if you've ever seen these vintage 80's Commes des Garcons frames I own.  I found them years ago at the flea market for cheap and if nothing else, they always get a laugh from Michael.  But they are different.

Which of these five sunglass frames is your favorite on me?

Friends, for my birthday I thought I would treat myself to new sunglasses: my old ones are shot and you know how much I enjoy sunglasses!

A Second Stab at Vogue 8889: The Butter Shirt

Having taken a hiatus for a couple of weeks, readers, it is time to start sewing again!

There are two garments I want to complete this week: long white linen pants and a butter-colored (or is it Parkay?) cotton short-sleeve shirt.

NAME THAT PATTERN -- Home Game Edition!

Readers, I'm am thrilled to introduce another MPB exclusive: Name That Pattern -- Home Game Edition (HGE)!

MPB EXCLUSIVE: Peter on Men's Accessories!

Friends, except for a wallet, a watch, a pair of sunglasses, and occasionally a hat, I don't wear many accessories.

The Quantity vs. Quality Clothing Conundrum

You hear the arguments again and again:   

Buy less stuff, but better quality.  

It's cheaper in the long run to purchase the best you can afford.  

Penny-wise, pound-foolish.

Whatever Happened to Aerobics?

Friends, from 1986 to 1990 I was an addict.  I was addicted to aerobics.

Things I Don't Get, Vol. 11 -- Sexy Teen Fashion Hysteria

I am not a parent of teenage girls.  In fact, I am not a parent at all -- unless you count two chihuahuas.

But I find myself wondering if all the brouhaha over teens dressing too sexy -- and it's always the girls we're talking about, never the boys -- isn't misplaced.  Perhaps it's an expression of our larger anxiety about how female sexuality is used in the media to sell us stuff, though anyone with even the most cursory knowledge of advertising history knows this is nothing new.

Confessions of a Linen Lover

I love linen.  I love to sew with it and I love to wear it.  Maybe it's the rumpled quality of linen.  Being rather rumpled myself, it feels cozy but classic.

PETER ON VIDEO: Don't Convert Your Treadle into a Plant Stand!

Friends, yesterday we talked about how some people convert old sewing machine and sewing tables into everything from lamps to tractors (no joke).  Some of you were big supporters of this kind of repurposing, while others were against the idea. 

When Bad Things Happen to Good Sewing Machines (and Tables)

As a child of the late Sixties and early Seventies, I am no stranger to the recycled and the repurposed, readers.

Back then it seemed like everybody owned a pair of candlesticks made from old textile spools, or a beat-up aluminum milk can/vase, or an antique wagon wheel mounted on the wall of the family room (alongside a macrame hanging, no doubt).  I guess these objects would have been destined for the landfill, so why not find another use for them?

What Makes a Good Sewing Instructor?

Readers, did you get good sewing instruction, and if so, from where?

A Gravity Feed Iron For My Birthday?

Heavens, readers -- it's almost my birthday again!

At this time of year, I'm always reminded of what Kitty Carlisle's mother purportedly said, that "once you're past fifty, every fifteen minutes it's breakfast." 

The Importance of Having a Plan "B"

 

Friends, if I've learned anything in my half-century of life, it's that it's good to have a backup plan.  Things don't always happen the way you expect, and if you've "put all your eggs in one basket" as they say, then what are you going to do?

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES: The 1970's Men's Suit Pattern Explosion!

Readers, there are so many mysteries in the universe: Do dogs go to heaven?  What really happened to Jimmy Hoffa?  Will we ever see a sequel to Imitation of Life?