Decaffeinating

Good morning, goths, punks and other disaffected subcultures who may or may not hang out in shopping malls and scare the rest of us.  Yesterday's comments reminded me that I have a much more diverse readership than I'd ever imagined.  How you found me I'll never know but welcome just the same.  Especially you poor unloved Emos.

Readers, I have not been feeling quite up to snuff these last few days.  Perhaps I am experiencing caffeine and sugar withdrawal as I've quit both cold turkey since Monday.  (I am so over chamomile tea, I could cry.)

I thought I would sleep better without the caffeine but now I'm thinking the real cause of my poor sleep is sharing my bed with two chihuahuas, one of which (Willy) cannot decide whether he wants to sleep under the covers or over the covers and punctuates each move with a loud ear flap.  Something has to change.

But enough about me and my bedroom problems.

McCall's 2242 has arrived and I have officially started my One Pattern Wardrobe project, though due to compromised health, without my usual high energy.





There's nothing remarkable about this pattern at all, but it was issued at the time the major pattern companies changed their sizing (What used to be 16 was now a 14, etc.), and there are reminders everywhere to pay attention before cutting.

Does anybody know why they did this?  (They'd done it once before in the late Fifties.)



To my surprise, with the exception of the shorts, the pattern was uncut.  Imagine buying this pattern and only making the shorts!

I cut my red and black houndstooth, which will become the tunic top and short pants combo.



The houndstooth is actually printed on the cotton twill and it's an eensy bit off grain, but so be it.  No going back now.  I can't figure out whether to topstitch in red thread or black and I actually brought this question to my Facebook page (Yes, Male Pattern Boldness is on Facebook!  See right column of blog) yesterday with exciting results.

Of course there was no consensus but is there ever?  What do you think?  The weird thing about houndstooth is that the plaid creates an optical illusion: whichever color of the two you're focusing on looks like the background, with the checks in the other color.   And vice versa.  Do you know what I mean?

I also started testing interfacings on the black and white double knit.  The only one that worked -- that stayed on when I stretched the fabric -- was the loosely woven weft weight.  The tightly woven interfacing pulled off, which makes sense.



I may go to the store and pick up a knit interfacing, which is really what this fabric calls for.  (It's just for the collar and facings.)  Interfacing should have similar properties to (as?) your fashion fabric.



And that's it, friends.  It's pouring here and very dreary, which means the dogs probably won't go out.  But, aha!  We have the trusty dog treadmill!

This video is a mere 45 seconds long and as you'll see, the dogs have made quite a bit of progress over the last month, especially little white Willy, the inveterate ear flapper.  And the song will really take you back.



I saw Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in its original release -- twice.  I recently tried watching it on DVD and it was as tedious as I'd remembered it.  It really should be used solely for punishment.  If your child has been bad I recommend a few hours of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (the opening credits alone last ten minutes), followed by Doctor Dolittle, and perhaps a few hours of Julie Andrews in Darling Lili or Star!  (Any overproduced late Sixties muscial will do.) Your child will never give you problems again, promise. 

Stay dry everyone and if you're drinking coffee, well, I don't want to hear about it.

The most excruciating children's film ever made (which I also saw in its original release):


Happy Thursday, everybody!