Jun 29, 2013

Not ANOTHER Google Reader post + New Patterns, New Life!



If you read sewing blogs -- or any blogs for that matter -- you've probably heard that beginning July 1, there will be no more Google Reader.  I'm not sure how you're choosing to handle this, but there's a BlogLovin' button on the right side of this blog (beneath my bio); I don't think Feedly -- the other popular RSS feed -- has a button available, alas.  UPDATE: Reader Claire found the button and I've posted it -- Thank you, Claire!

In other news, Michael continues to get compliments on the vintage gray cotton print shirt (up top) whose front button placket is 1/2" off center, so much so that I can't bear to take it back from him.  (My mother could not identify said flaw, for what it's worth.)  To console myself I bought myself two new patterns.  And socks.

McCalls 1961 (below) was a very reasonably priced "Buy It Now" eBay purchase.  It's missing the strap piece and the tiara, but I can live with that.  It's both glamorous and hilarious and I hope I can make it for you-know-who this summer.  After a 1940's suit pattern, is there anything better than a 1950's McCall's swimsuit/tutu pattern?





Since I'm likely to have some stretch cotton knit left over from Michael's July summer wardrobe project, I picked up this boxer brief (and jockstrap!) pattern, Jalie 3242, which must be the most erotically charged pattern envelope featuring minors out there.





Meanwhile, today I laundered all my new fabrics and I hope to get started sewing soon.  Why the salmon eyelet photographs hot pink is anybody's guess.



Also on my summer to-do list is Simplicity 2339 -- I was thinking of making my mother a blouse with it.  We'll have to see whether that happens or not.



Readers, that is all for today. 

I wish you all a very smooth adjustment to whatever blog reader you choose for yourself in the future.  If you have a particular recommendation, feel free to share it! 

Happy Weekend, everybody!

21 comments:

  1. I'm trying out feedly on Chrome, but still pouting about Google Reader.

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  2. Reminds me that my father (nebraska farmer) wore knit boxers way before they were cool. He wouldn't wear anything else. They were made by jockey. Jockey discontinued them around the late eighties. My sisters and I each made six pairs for Christmas one year.

    Calvin Klein started making them again and he was quite proud of his Kleiners as he called them. At $20 a pair he should have been.

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  3. Hawaiian shirts should be worn more often. They bring happiness to summer just like flowers do. Not necessary in form or function but so worth the smile. Look at how happy Michael is wearing his! You would think he just won an Oscar!

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  4. When I get around to it, I will be adding a feedly button to my blog: http://www.feedly.com/factory.html

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  5. My mother made me a swimsuit very much like the pink one on the pattern envelope in about 1960. Mine was in pink and white seersucker with Rick-rack trim. I don't think it had a drop waist however. It weighed as much as me when it got wet as I was about 85 lbs at that time! I'd love to see it on Cathy but I don't think pink seersucker is her style.

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  6. Simplicity 2339 is an *excellent* pattern, extremely well drafted. It's now my shirt sloper and I've used it to make 5 shirts so far.

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  7. The reason for the colour change is because cameras LOVE red tones; so much so that if anyone is wondering why they always look like a beet in pictures or why zits seem to show up in photos so well no matter how much concealer you apply, it's for THIS reason.

    That's why they invented "colour-correction". I recall looking at Vogue Patterns a number of issues back and could hardly miss the fact that the models LEGS were all red and purple, and not because of stockings they were wearing!! While I'm not a fan of excessive photo-tinkering; I did think at the time that Vogue really ought to have colour-corrected those ghastly legs!

    Oh, and the reason most people think their photos 'don't look like them' is because they are used to seeing their reflection in the mirror; the face you see in the mirror is BACKWARDS. Hence the subtle but quite perceptible discrepancy in photos that upsets so many people! The camera isn't "lying";the MIRROR is! It used to drive me crazy that my hair part was on the "wrong" side in photos! i tried wearing it on the other side for a while but I got fed up with the change in my hair combing habits and changed it back. Now I just don't let anyone take my pic.

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  8. The Jalie pattern envelope provided great merriment! Thank you for sacrificing it as an entry in a Name That Pattern competition. It would have been a shame to hold it back.

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  9. Does it matter if you don't use an RSS feed? I mean, I usually check my blog list from my blogger page. I'm sooooo internet challenged.

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  10. My preferred way of reading blogs is using the app Currents on mt Android tablet. My second choice is from my blogger page.

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  11. on my Android tablet using Currents

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  12. Wow that Jalie underwear pattern is a bit creepy...

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  13. Like Jen above, I must be internet-challenged. I've been reading (on blogs) about the imminent demise of Google Reader also...except what does it (or Bloglovin' or Feedly) DO, exactly?

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    1. Hoosiermama - it keeps all the blog you like to follow in one place - like a fancy special list really (so you don't have to save them to your internet-browser's bookmarks), plus you can automatically organise different blogs into categories/folders - e.g. sewing all together, cooking separately, travel - whatever you choose. Many "RSS readers" also work on your tablets (iPad / Kindle etc.) or on your Smartphone (iPhone, Android etc.) :)

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  14. Hi Peter, I have emailed you the HTML code to use for your own Feedly button :)
    Best wishes - Claire

    P.S. Love the Salmon eyelet fabric (I have the same design fabric in white).

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  15. OMG! This "erotically charged pattern envelope featuring minors" is just wrong on so many levels. I don't think I will recover from the combo of "fashion" shoot and technical drawing any time soon ;-)

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  16. I'm glad Michael gets to keep the shirt. The new patterns look like fun. I actually had a swimsuit tutu back in the day.

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  17. The shirt really does look good on Michael! I hope you make a shirt for your mother, too-- she's so cute!

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