Sincerely Yours, Kate

The ghost of Thanksgiving Past.

2011-11-24T22:56:00.001-06:00

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all of the wonderful Thanksgiving's of my past:

2010: Our friend Jarret joined us for Thanksgiving while his wife traveled to see her family. He brought delicious mashed potatoes. In true Kate and Sam style, we promised dinner about 3:30 and actually sat down around 7:30 p.m. It always takes about twice as long to cook as I imagine.

2009: Dinner with our friends Lucy and Kipp, and Lucy's mother and grandmother who were visiting from Denver. We brought brioche clover rolls and Mario Batali's panchetta and thyme Brussels sprouts, and also a deep dish pecan pie. I enjoy spending the holiday with friends and their families, who are often so loving and friendly that it feels like I could be at home.

2008: We headed home to Colorado to share Thanksgiving with my family in my sister Ellen's place. She was house sitting a beautiful, old mansion house in Boulder just off of Pearl Street, and it made a lovely setting for Thanksgiving. My Grandmarj flew in from South Carolina and after dinner we enjoyed cigars on the patio. It was a picture perfect Thanksgiving.

2007: Sam and I traveled to Paris and Amsterdam for our Honeymoon. Thanksgiving was our first night in Amsterdam, and we went to an Indonesian restaurant recommended by our B&B hosts. The food was nothing like a traditional Thanksgiving, but somehow the many dishes of brightly colored, flavorful dishes felt perfect for Thanksgiving. Plus, Amsterdam had such a lively and friendly feel after the more quiet and refined feel of Paris that it felt like we were sharing our meal with friends and family. A definite Thanksgiving to remember.

2006: Sam and I drove out to Big Bend for a long weekend in the National Park. It turns out all the campsites were booked, so we had to drive back out of park grounds and find a place to camp in the wilderness. We brought pre-made Thanksgiving food from our local Central Market and reheated everything in the dark by headlamp.

... and of course there have been so many more. In 2005 we spent Thanksgiving with our friends Chris and Alex in Padre Island at the home on the sea-side canal. We brought Pumpkin Beer because we knew Alex loves beer, but it turns out he only likes Lone Star! In 2004 Sam and I stayed in my rental house in San Antonio and attempted our first solo Thanksgiving, getting the meal on the table about 9 p.m. The year before his Dad visited from Tucson and I learned the hard lesson not to commit to yeast-risen cinnamon rolls for breakfast on the same day we are also cooking a full feast. It's too exhausting!

My sophomore year of college my roommate Elizabeth's family came to visit for Thanksgiving and we all spent the long weekend together site seeing San Antonio! I spent my collegiate Thanksgiving with my suite mate Amber at her family's house in Austin and learned about the UT/A&M football rivalry firsthand. And of course the Thanksgiving's of my childhood were always spent with all six of my family members gathered around the kitchen dividing and conquering the various cooking for the dinner while we watched the parade.

Last week we shared a pre-Thanksgiving "Fakesgiving" or "Spanksgiving" with friends in Austin as part of their annual gathering of friends tradition. And today, even though I wasn't with my family, I got to FaceTime them on the iPhone and see their beautiful meal and feel almost like I was at the table. And tonight I ate a lovely homecooked Thanksgiving meal with my wonderful husband, who humored me with a FULL Thanksgiving feast even though it was only the two of us. Tomorrow, we head to our friend's John and Lauren's for a day-late Thanksgiving with their family. The moral of this is that I am a very lucky woman with so much to be thankful for. If I am very lucky, there will be many more memorable and loving Thanksgivings in my future. Let's hope so. Gobble gobble.

Estes Park and Pumpkin Pie

2011-11-07T23:43:00.000-06:00

In September I flew home to Colorado to take part in a family tradition - heading to Estes Park to hear the elk bugle while eating pumpkin pie. The two go hand in hand. Well at least sort of. Sure, you can have pumpkin pie without hearing elk bugle. But in our household you certainly cannot hear the elk bugle without pumpkin pie.

The time in Estes Park was good old fashioned family fun. We camped, we ate chili by the fire, we hiked, we listened to bluegrass music and drank beers. And we met new friends. In fact, the running joke of the trip was that on that trip I met the couple that will be my new best friends someday when we move back to Colorado someday - my sister Claire's friend and coworker Carissa and her husband Dave. Claire was so cute and excited when she described how well she thinks Dave and my husband Sam will get along. Dave is a software developer; Sam is a software developer. Dave has a beard; Sam has a beard. And throughout the weekend we found more uncanny similarities. Dave likes to buy shirts from shirt.woot.com; Sam likes to buy shirts from shirt.woot.com. Dave was raised vegetarian and hated it; Sam was raised vegetarian and hated it. The list kept growing and growing, making the joke of new BFFS even more hilarious. I wished Sam had been on the trip to meet our new BFFs too.

The elk bugled all night long (they don't eat or sleep during the rut, those crazy bulls!), we enjoyed pumpkin pie and the crisp mountain air, and I was able to see leaves changing and fall approaching in a way that doesn't happen in my South Texas home. And I got to take part in a family tradition for the first time. It was a lovely trip.

When I said the trip was about pie, I wasn't kidding.

Claire smiles with pie.

He/she who takes the biggest bite wins.

Chili in front of a roaring fire.

Watching those elk bugle in the distance.

Hiking in the golden aspen leaves.

The trail with the aspen canopy.

Relaxing in front of the fire.

Guest Blog: Chickens for Anne, cake for all.

2011-10-19T00:03:00.001-05:00

It has been a long while since we've had a guest post, but they are back! Today's post is brought to you by my sister Anne, who has the most adorable hen coop in her backyard, constructed by her husband Blake and decorated by her. In it, she keeps some lovely little chickens. I was introduced in September, and we are all anxiously awaiting some home laid eggs. That is because Anne is very, very good at baking cake.

Anne holds Penny before releasing her into the garden to peck.

Chickens for Anne, Cake for all.

by Anne Eden

I have a dirty confession to make. I'm allergic to eggs.

Most of the time this unfortunate but not deadly allergy makes more problems for others than it does for me. Inviting me to your place for brunch guarantees at least a few moments of bafflement as you try to envision a savory breakfast dish that does not rely on eggs to make it delicious. The same goes for dessert, sauces, and nearly all breakfast burritos. So why then would I bring four chickens into my life?

Barbarella (Barbie for short) is the first chicken I have ever held, and she was sweet as can be.

Adorable chicken antics, that's why. It's also the thrill of discovery each morning, checking to see if the ladies have left me any (non-poop) surprises. It's spending the afternoon on my deck watching the ladies tear into the late-summer remainders of my garden, tearing into each tomato like it's the last they'll ever have. It's the sense of self sufficiency should the global apocalypse arrive. It's the pleasure of naming and caring for four funny pets (for the record,Lucy's the blond, Penny the redhead, Barbie is black and white, and fancy Fatima will someday lay blue eggs).

Also, although eggs in their natural state make me feel terrible, eggs once they've been cooked into something like rich golden pound cake suit me just fine. Albumen, the protein in the white of the egg, is denatured at high temperatures. Once my ladies begin to lay, I'll have nearly a dozen fresh eggs a week. I plan on making cake.

Their coop is a happy home, with an area for roosting, and area for laying, and plenty of space to peck around.

Eggs are necessary in baking for several reasons. First, they act as a binder, holding all the other ingredients together within their protein-rich matrix. Additionally, beaten eggs add air into a batter,leavening your cake as the air expands in the heat of the oven. Some cakes use beaten eggs as their only source of leavening. And the fact of the matter is the fresher your eggs the better they will express these binding and leavening properties within your recipes. I don't just want to make cake; I want to make the best damn cake possible.To do that, I need a steady supply of fresh eggs.

Did you know that if you buy eggs carton labeled "fancy fresh" this means the eggs are around 10 days old? Anything not labeled "fancy fresh" is even older than that, since eggs keep well for more than a month if properly refrigerated. The problem is that time ages us all, eggs included. Old eggs have yolks that lose their shape, gummy whites, and even if they haven't become home to massive bacterial colonies they will make your cakes sad. With my own mini-egg production unit out back, I have the pleasure of knowing exactly where my eggs come from, how fresh they are, and what the chicken have eaten. I want happy cakes to fill my home, and the chickens are step one in that process.

So this fall, if you need me, I'll be out in the backyard having cake with my "ladies"

Have you ever seen a chicken coop with mini prayer flags? So cute. So Annie and Blake.

The papa bear nesting bowl.

2011-10-01T12:05:00.001-05:00

For our fourth wedding anniversary my husband broke down and gave me an early birthday gift. We weren't going to exchange anniversary gifts this year, but he was so excited. Now I know why. I opened the carefully packed box to find the fourth bowl to complete my vintage Pyrex nesting bowl collection. I've had my eye on these bowls for ages, and when I got a new job this past spring and felt flush with cash I went ahead and purchased the three-piece set on eBay. Well, now i have the fourth. To celebrate I made him pancakes with it. I think what I love even more than the bowl is knowing a married a man who pays attention to my vintage Pyrex affection and knows enough about our kitchen to complete the set.

A little DIY for memories from abroad.

2011-09-06T07:13:00.000-05:00

We spent a lot of time in beer gardens, brew pubs, and eating and drinking establishments on our trip to Germany and the Czech Republic this summer. So naturally, we ended up with some great memories and some coasters. Sam brought them home as a memento, but what to do with them? We could tuck them in a box, save them for an album, or put them in the junk drawer. Or, he thought, we could display them in a frame. So a little DIY project was born this long weekend.

We purchased a pack of really inexpensive frames from Target - 3 frames for $6 I think - and stuck in the coasters. But it was a bad fit. Too much white space. Glancing around, I saw our used guidebooks and the weathered map sticking out of the edge. I know we won't need it again, so I traced out the relevant areas on the map to create a backing for the coasters. Viola, they are not more visually interesting, the two coasters from the same trip are unified as a set of art, and our memories are easily jogged with images and stories from each place when we see the coasters. It was a simple but interesting little project and we hope to continue the collection with future trips and future coasters.

A place for things.

2011-08-21T09:57:00.002-05:00

Do you like my new dresser? I do. I found it a few months ago on a trip to Austin when Anne was in town. The sticker in the South Congress thrift store said it is Tiger Mahogany, and the dresser drawer is stamped with "Northern Furniture Company, Sheboygan." I guess it was made up in Wisconsin sometime in the 30's-1950s. It's a sturdy piece with a lovely mirror, and we bought it for $260. Now, I don't know if you have shopped dressers anywhere lately, but a plywood piece-o-nothing will cost you almost $250 at Target. So I feel like we got a deal.

It looks so pretty in the dining room that I bought a bunch of pretty pink peonies to decorate. And thanks to the mirror its almost like I bought TWO bunches of peonies. Do you see our big brass peacock too? We found that in Austin a few months ago, also on South Congress. That street matches my sense of decor!

I was actually really surprise when Sam agreed to purchase the dresser, but I think he was inspired by a little furniture opportunity we fumbled recently. You see, Sam and I walked to the gym on a Saturday afternoon, and in the parking lot was a rummage sale. There was a beautiful, and I mean BEAUTIFUL, mid century china cabinet for sale. It had golden wood, old glass, and turquoise colored inlay handles. It wasn't too big, maybe five feet high by four feet wide, but still it was too big to put into our overfilled apartment. Logically I knew we shouldn't take it home. But I loved it and kept staring.

"Make me an offer." the rummage director said. She wanted rid of the piece. I looked stumped, thinking to myself "Should I offer $200? Would she accept that little?" She said "How about $35, and we'll drive it to your place right now." I wavered. I wanted that piece. I knew in my heart of hearts it was worth more, and I also could see myself putting it in my future house someday. Darn it, I wanted that furniture.

Sam, ruled by logic and good sense, did not. There was no logical way to fit it into our house. So we walked away. Me begrudgingly. Well, I Googled that piece of furniture a few days later found an exact match of the cabinet, sold in Colorado for $380! I wish we would have purchased the cabinet, if only to resell it for a small profit. But mostly I wish it was in my future house holding pretty things.

But you know what they say. Alls well that ends well, because now we have a new dresser. And we even rearranged the apartment for the better to make it fit. I think Sam was feeling some guilt for being so logical that we passed up a steal of a mid century piece, and it led him to be extra accommodating in the rearrange process.

I am happy, with only a twinge of longing for the lost china cabinet. I think our new dresser is a pretty piece, completely solid and sturdy, and now I have a place to stash all of my sewing fabric and supplies. It's a win win for everyone.

Negroni: Tissue Fit II

2011-08-19T14:26:00.000-05:00

After the Negroni Tissue Fit I, I diligently traced and marked the pattern for alternations (so I don't ruin the original pattern). Then, we had tissue fit II where I made some pattern adjustments. Tell me what you think. Am I on the right track?

Tissue Fit II, no alterations (ignore the silly/scary face):

Looking at the fit, I can see the biggest issues to work around are 1) the fit of the yoke and the back shoulders, and 2) the fit of the collar and neck area, with that huge gape. As a key to these photos - the original pattern lines are in blue, and the original stitching line based on size XL is in orange. This is where I pinned for the first tissue fit. The lines I redrew to show a new stitching line are in black (I have not redrawn the seam allowance on here yet). From this, I hope you can get an idea of where I will be removing fabric and adding back fabric.

For the back, I knew I want to address the shoulder fit by matching the shoulder seem to Sam's pivot point at the top of the shoulder. To do this, I think I will need to narrow the shoulder width, which of course means making changes to the yoke, the back, the front AND the sleeve. Yikes, it's intimidating. The good news is that Peter's Negroni Sew-along covered this alternation in detail, so I have a good point of reference.

I used Peter's example of taking fabric away from the shoulder yoke and front of the shirt and transferring the excess into the sleeve cap as my guide for this adjustment. You can see the new line of the shoulder in black in the above. Since Sam is not narrow backed, I am tapering the new stitching line back to the size XL under the arms.

The neckline issue is a bit more ambiguous. See that orange line? The collar is very, very high at the center front neck. On Sam's ready to wear, I notice this causes a crease or a buckle of fabric around the unbutton neck as this excess caves in on itself. I can take a wedge of excess out of the chest, as I have shown, but that leaves me with a weird line to true around the front button placket. Since the pattern is gingham and will have an obvious grid, I don't want to throw anything off grain. I could just redraw the neckline, but my instinct tells me there is something more with this alteration - that either the shoulder slope or the armhole fit is the culprit. Any suggestions?

My instinct wast to pin a wedge out of the neckline to bring it down. But this might not be the right move. I forgot to see what this does to the hemline, but I can tell from the photos that the alterations swings the center front across his body at an angle. I want to be really careful about what I do to the grain line of the fabric because I want the gingham grid to line up neatly up and down and side to side.

As I look at this wedge and what it does to the pattern, I think it actually pulls the slope of the shoulder down near the neckline, decreasing the slope. So perhaps rather than a a wedge, I should do a square shoulder adjustment by adding some fabric near the shoulder, to change the slope of that shoulder. Without the seam catching on Sam's pivot point and holding the rest of the shirt up, the entire bodice front will be able to pull down lower on his chest, bringing the neckline down too. Is that sound logic? I guess there's only one way to find out.

Negroni: Looking at another shirt's fit.

2011-08-17T11:02:00.000-05:00

Do you know that White Stripe's song "The Hardest Button to Button"? Well, the lyrics suited Sam when we were taking these pictures. That darn top button is the hardest button to button, which is why Sam hardly ever buttons it! Thank goodness he doesn't wear many ties.

Our Negroni tissue fit was a bit confusing, so I put him in one of his button downs to look for fit issues, theorizing that the fabric version might help me identify major issues. The good news is that upon close inspection, his ready to wear is actually kind of ill fitting, but I still think he looks damn good. So even if his Negroni is a wee bit off here and there, it should be of the same fit quality as off the rack.

This is a Banana Republic "fitted"button up, size XL (17-17 1/2). It's a nice quality shirt and what we would consider a good fit for off the rack. Immediate issues I notice:

- Pulling from the top button to his shoulders along the upper chest. What causes this?
- A bit more bunching and excess in the armscye than I would think would be ideal, but certainly not the worst in the world.
- There's a crease in the sleeve that starts near his shoulder and creases dramatically in to the elbow area. Surely this indicates something is off, maybe where the sleeve cap is seated? Beats me.
- The sleeves are a bit short. He usually rolls them up to compensate for this. Good thing I know how to add length to a pattern, easy-peasy!

- Pulling from under his arm and mid-side toward his pecks/mid-chest. This could be because he is fuller in the chest area than the shirt is cut for, or could it be the armhole is not right?
- That crease in the arm rolling from shoulder to elbow front is really prominent. What could be the cause?

- There is some puddling of fabric in his lower back. If this was a woman's top, I would call for a sway back adjustment. Except Sam has the flattest man-butt ever, so it couldn't be a sway back, could it? Maybe I shouldn't worry about this, as men's shirt traditionally don't lie as flat and fitted as women's shirts.
- The tuck in the back shoulders coming from the yoke is creasing in toward the armpit. Is that normal? Is there an alteration for a smoother fit?

- The side seem hangs nice and straight. I think he has enough room around the stomach.

So, any other obvious figure nuances that you see that I can apply to the Negroni pattern? Do you have alteration suggestions? Please advise.

Negroni: Tissue Fit I

2011-08-15T10:43:00.000-05:00

Well, I thought making a men's shirt was going to be easier then sewing for myself. No boobies to dart around, no girlish curves to contend with, and less restrictions on close-fitting to personal shape. However, the tissue fit of Sam's Negroni is not promising a lot of easiness in this task. There is something wrong in the shoulder, armscye, and neck. In positive news, the length looks good, as does the waist width. (Also, I think I have the over-fitting disease, so I might just be too critical. Please tell me if you think I am taking this too far.)

I have Sam in the straight XL size, as he fit the pattern measurements most closely in this size. Sam's got a pretty standard male figure, tall, relatively broad, and without too much slope in his shoulders (he's a cutie, right?!). He also likes a pretty fitted look in his shirts, keeping with the youthful trends of today. So I want to make sure this shirt hugs his figure pretty good.

What do you think? Are they major adjustments to be made in tissue before I proceed with the fabric muslin? Give me your thoughts?

The back:

It looks pretty good in terms of width across the upper back I think. However, the shoulder is sure hanging far off of his natural shoulder. If you zoom into the pictures you can see that the size small line is actually following the natural pivot line of his shoulder. This makes me thing I should pull in this stitching line closer to the medium, so he gets that fitted look he likes. Of course, I need to keep the XL sizing in his mid and lower back, and through the armpit. Looks like I might be reshaping the yoke shoulder seam and tapering back to the pattern lines like Peter did here.

The front:

The front is of more concern to me than the back. The neckline seems really, really high. In Sam's ready to wear he frequently gets a buckle, or a significant fold of fabric, around his neckline where the shirt seems to cave in on itself around it neck, with wrinkles that smile up from high chest to mid-shoulder (very much along the line of his wife beater neckline there). Could this be similar to the gaping that appears in a lapel line after a full bust adjustment (see Patty's excellent description of this fit issue and alteration here)? If yes, it's just a matter of pinching out a wedge of excess around that second button and truing the center line back up. Or maybe there's another option...?

The side seem looks good.

Negroni: Where I make promises that are hard to keep.

2011-08-14T18:26:00.000-05:00

Sam's 30th birthday was in April, and I wanted to give him a special gift. So I thought, what better than to MAKE him something special... A shirt perhaps? And I knew just the pattern, Colette's Negroni. It's a great men's shirt pattern, described as modern with a retro vibe, and since it's a Colette pattern it has wonderful instructions and thoughtful design. Plus, the pattern has been all the rage in the sewing blog-o-sphere these days, so there are sew along and pattern reviews galore to help me through the project.

I bought the pattern and picked out some really nice fabric from Sew Mama Sew - it's Carolina 1" Gingham by Robert Kaufman in blue. It will be just right for Sam, since he's got blue eyes and enjoys the hipster vibe so vogue these days. (The only other piece of clothing I made Sam in my early days of sewing was decidedly NOT his style, plus I got teh print upside down).

We will make some tiny design changes to keep things in Sam's style. He wants a stand collar rather than a camp collar as the pattern in drafted, and I should be able to accommodate that. We are also playing with the idea of a contrast fabric for the facings. Even with little changes, I am feeling pretty in-tune with fashions of the time though, because not but a few weeks after I promised to make the shirt and gave Sam the fabric and pattern, he came across this shirt in the window of Brooks Brothers. Is that a 1" blue gingham with double pockets and a retro vibe? Damn straight it is! I just hope I don't regret offering to make the shirt when I could have bought an exact identical.

So, I am months behind making this a timely birthday gift, but I am starting now and have high hopes for the final results. Something homemade with love will always be more sentimental than store bought, and if I can manage to keep everything relatively un-wonky, it might just be a useful addition to his closet too.

Prague.

2011-08-09T22:08:00.001-05:00

They final city our our most recent European tour was Prague, a city much hyped and vastly popular with European travelers theses days. It's popular for a few reasons, one being its stunning old world beauty. Prague was not bombed in WWII, one of the only great European cities to escape being leveled in rubble, so it's street grid, buildings, and history is all originally preserved. Second, Prague sat behind the Iron Curtain of the Soviets for a long time, so it was largely undiscovered except for the last 20 years. Apparently that makes it feel more like an "authentic" European destination in our ever-globalizing world. (I for one think the city seems to have been "found" as it was so crowded with throngs of tourists.) The last thing that makes Prague a delight is that it is low on sights and high on ambiance, so it basically begs for strolls, and lingering lattes at cafes and a general sense of meandering.

After Berlin we shifted gears and took a train to the city of Prague in the Czech Republic with Will and Carmen, while John and Lauren made their way to Italy. Prague was in stark contrast to Berlin, as it is one of the only cities to escape any bombing in WWII. Thus the city retains the charm of an old European city with winding medieval roads, loads of ornate and varied architecture from different eras of fashion, plus intact cathedrals and a castle, all flanked by a lovely rive - the Vltava.

Many people describe Prague as magical. I have heard it called a Fairy Tale city and a like-a-postcard. And by many accounts they are right. Prague is lovely. Also, it is crowded. So, so crowded. We were surrounded most times with other French, British, Spanish, and American tourists. Prague seemed eager to handle the tourist flood. In fact, thanks to the throng of tourists, Prague almost felt a bit confused in its identity. On one hand, the visuals of the city are so refined and elegant and stately. On the other hand, the tourist industry in Prague is almost shameless in their blatant effort to sell the city - with kiosks blasting rock music and Abba and postcard shops on every corner. I know it's not my place to judge an entire city and culture, but I will say that it gave me a sense of sadness for the Czechs, as it seems like their modern culture never was given a chance to form a proper and lasting identity - they went from crushing Soviet tyranny to tourist capitalism so quickly that they have not necessarily defined any of their native culture as sacred yet.

I will say that one thing that makes Prague a delight is that it is low on sights and high on ambiance, so it basically begs for strolls, and lingering lattes at cafes and a general sense of meandering. We obliged gratefully as we escaped the crowds.

Above Prague sits one of the larges castles in Europe. It has been there in various states of construction since the 13th century and still functions as the seat of Czech government. Above the castle is a monastery, and the walk from the monastery to castle offers sweeping and stunning views of the charming city below. The monastery is also where an old Czech lady tried to rip Sam out of 300 crowns by giving him the wrong change. Turns out, the guidebooks are a bit right about Prague being full of swindlers!

We took the tram system up the big hill to the castle in a tram almost entirely to ourselves. That was nice, because my favorite Rick Steves suggested this tram line is ripe with pickpockets. Since we were green tourists, we were highly nervous of the pickpockets (some of us more than others, Will was cool and trusting).

We saw two Taiwanese brides getting wedding portraits taken under the astronomical clock. It was just too funny to see one in the picture and the other with a camcorder, all in the great old square FULL of tourists, looking totally out of place.

On our last day Sam and I took a paddle boat out on the Vlatava for a relaxing hour long float. The river is really calm, so it was easy to navigate under bridges full of pedestrians with views of the Castle and the Charles Bridge. As we pedaled under one bridge that led out to a river island, we saw a woman squatting under the bridge, surrounded by ducks. "Fun," we thought, she must be feeding ducks. Then we got closer and saw her trousers were slipping down around her ankles. "Oh my," we thought "maybe she is peeing." Then, as we paddled within about 15 yards of her, we saw her belt unwrapped from her arm and we realized "Holy sh*t, she was shooting up." It was quite a contrast to our tourist bliss. But don't let drug addicts scare you away from the joys of paddling the river. Otherwise, it was very lovely and relaxing.

The Jewish Quarter in Prague is amazing because it holds history from centuries and centuries of European Jews. The circumstances that created this cultural richness are tragic and unfair, as the Jews of Prague had been quarantined to this small area of the city since the 1500s through the Nazi expulsion in the Holocaust. Through the 400 years of their time in this quarter, there was only one cemetery to bury their dead, so the graves stacked upon each other over the years. With time the headstones shifted, leaving a crowded, chaotic, yet peaceful cemetery representing a long history of a people. We toured the cemetery along with several synagogues and museums that shared the history and heritage of the Jewish faith and people. Additionally, the Jewish Quarter of Prague is one of the most beautifully preserved Art Nouveau neighborhoods in all of Europe.

We rented an beautiful apartment with Will and Carmen that came with two showers, two queen sized beds, a fully stocked kitchen, How I Met Your Mother dubbed in Czech on TV, a bidet, and this tiny elevator that was supposed to comfortable carry three. In reality, it barely carried Sam and one suitcase.

Prague castle is one of the biggest in all of Europe, and included a lovely cathedral built in several phases in different centuries and featuring lovely stain glass, plus a giant hall where nobles used to conduct horse jousting in bad weather. We hiked a long hill down to the castle where we tried to take nice photos, but the sun was so bright (finally) I could barely open my eyes.

Berlin, part III.

2011-08-03T06:47:00.000-05:00

I don't think many people think about Germany as once being the European super power, but its true. Hence the Brandenburg Gate, built by the Prussian monarchs in the late 18th century. It is the only remaining gate of a series through which Berlin was once entered. It is apparently one of Europe's most famous landmarks, although I am pretty sure the six of us had little idea of that going into our trip. Call us undereducated Americans, but none of us really know our Germany history prior to WWII. At least I know more of it know that I have visited and read all about it. Whats amazing is that this famous gate was stuck between East and West Germany divided by walls for almost 30 years.

The guy on my left (your right) was the saddest, most depressing looking statue actor ever. He was so good I gave them a coin, and then they forced me to sit in this chair for photos. I had no idea! They asked me where I was from and when I said Texas, the other statue guy just kept saying "Texas Ranger, Texas Ranger" and giving me the thumbs up. I was totally flustered.

Did I mention it rained for much of our trip to Berlin. Yes, indeed, it rained quite a bit. First it rained in Munich, then it rained for days on end in Berlin. It cleared up eventually, but we were quite damp for much of the trip. Sam even started a very artistic photo series of broken umbrellas littered across the streets of Berlin. As he put it "So many good umbrellas were claimed before their time." But we slogged through the bad weather (for the most part) to explore the Berlin Wall, the palaces at Potsdam, and of course the Berlin staple currywurst.

It was the residence of the Prussian kings (German emperors), until 1918. The parks and palaces include the featured Sanssouci Palace, which means "without a care." Believe it or not, the Sanssouci is actually a relatively modest palace. There are many other palace in the Potsdam park. Apparently is was super vogue for all the Prussian royalty to build themselves summer homes in this area. One of the more recent palaces is also the site of the Postdam Conference - the major post-WWII conference between the victorious Allies including Churchill, Stalin, and Truman. Sam stood right by Stalin's desk and we took a photo at the table where they negotiated the division of Berlin.

Currywurst is the iconic food of Berlin. It is basically a fancy hot dog in a curry ketchup, served with a soft roll or french fries, and delicious in its greasy goodness. It hardly feels refined, and it is most certainly not healthy, but they do serve it with tiny cocktail forks which you use to pick up slices of wurst and french fries. We ate it more than once, and it was good each time.

We spent a lot of time learning the history of the Berlin Wall, and this open air park and museum was the best site. The Documentation Center at Bernauer Strasse is actually situation on a space where the Communists leveled a church and relocated a cemetery in order to construct the wall. It preserves a section of the two walls as they were before it was torn down, with the "Death Zone" where anyone crossing was shot and a guard tower. We saw images and learned that they days after the wall first went up, the communists actually boarded up apartment building doors and windows of buildings that were on the boarder of the wall so that people could not jump from their windows into the West. In fact, before the wall there was just waist-high barbed wire, and there is a story and a photo of a man handing his child over the wall to the boy's mother in the East. Apparently the Dad had the boy for the day and the wire wall went up, with the mother at home in the East. The couple was separated and could not reunite thanks to the barrier and the guards enforcing the boarder, but they let the Dad hand the child to his mother so she could raise him. It sounds awful. In fact Communist soldiers were even known to make a break for freedom in the West by jumping the wall sometimes.

Berlin, part II.

2011-08-01T16:49:00.000-05:00

In Berlin, we visited a bunch of museums. Classical art museums, modern art museums, antiquities museums, German History museums, a natural science museum, and even a museum on The Wall barely worthy of the title museum.

Museum für Gegenwart - or the modern art museum - is in the old Hamburger Bahnhof train station, much like the Musee D'Orsay in Paris, only more modern. We saw a bunch of Warhols and some other famous art, plus some crazy cool art made out of stone and mud. I enjoy looking at modern art, even if I don't find it aesthetically pleasing or don't totally "get" it. But this museum had a healthy dose of lovely art that I could understand, as well as some truly crazy sh*t that can barely qualify as art. Definitely worth the visit.

We stopped for afternoon dessert and lattes before Museum Island one afternoon. We each choose our treats from the longest dessert bar in Europe (so my guidebook claimed). I had a blaubeere tart, there was a busker on the corner of the cafe playing classical music, and after we got up hoards of tiny birds attacked our leftovers.

Because it was raining, and because we had a museum pass that let us into all state-run museums for free, we went into the Natural History Museum. It was an old-school place, with dioramas, some big dinosaur skeletons, and a room floor to ceiling with old sea creatures saved in formaldehyde. It was like a twisted scientist's lab, totally memorizing, and nice because it was one of the few air conditioned places in the city.

Berlin, part I.

2011-07-31T13:16:00.019-05:00

After our damp train trip from Much, Sam and I headed Northeast to met our friends John, Lauren, Will and Carmen in Berlin for a week in the city. The entire European vacation came together based on one inebriated and spontaneous evening with these four last October.

We were at a charity event in town, eating and drinking and gawking at all of the socialites with the means to attend galas like this on their own dime (each of us had scored complimentary tickets in one way or another). Well, a few glasses of wine later we were feeling like socialites and started bidding on the silent auction. Seriously, when you bid in a silent auction, you are about 98% certain you will never win. And the wine and the foie gras from the evening had a feeling a little bit daring, so for a cheap thrill, down went our name to bid on a one week stay in Berlin, followed by a drunken pinkie swear we would all be in if we won. An hour later, much to our disbelief, we won. And that, my friends, is how we ended up in Berlin together in a lovely apartment overlooking the Berlin Zoo and the Tiergarten.

The city was incredibly interesting, if a bit more cosmopolitan and urban that one imagines when they think of old Europe. It only makes sense. After all, Berlin was basically leveled after the war, and built back up in two competing movements - a Western capitalist effort and a Communist socialist effort. The history of the city captivated throughout our visit, from it's days as an old European power, to the Nazi rise and occupation, through the Cold War and The Wall, to today.

That photo that led off the post is the group of us jumping in front of the Reichstag, Germany's Parliament building. Of course, since the photo is minus the photographer, me, I took a lone version too. We wanted to climb the glass dome to the top, but we saved this for our last day only to learn (unmentioned in all of our guidebooks) that we needed to make an appointment 3 days in advance. Blast. So instead we took silly photos outside.

The glass addition to the German History Museum was designed by I.M. Pei, the same architect that designed the glass pyramid in Paris' Louvre. The museum was full of historical artifacts and the story of Germany from the Germanic tribes through today.

Have you ever had a Kinder chocolate. I am sure in German Kinder is some sort of low-brow candy, but to our American palates it tasted like heaven. The many varieties of candy use hazelnut and chocolate and crispies and yogurt and sugar to make addicting treats. Plus, these Kinder Joy eggs came with a prize. I brought home an appalling amount of Kinder treats as souvenirs for friends and coworkers.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe sits in the center of Berlin. It is a very modern and conceptual large-scale sculpture that visitors can walk through and interact with. There are multi-height coffin shaped stones that lead into a maze of stone, and it is designed in a way so that any direction you walk, it always looks as if the exit is uphill. Attached to the memorial is a very moving museum with photos and correspondences tracking the stories of holocaust victims alongside the history.

I am pretty sure we were not using German correctly, but we started calling sitting "platzing", and we took every opportunity possible to platz - on the lawn, on a bench, in the U-Bahn (subway) - basically anywhere that would rest our weary feet. It turns out that in addition to regular exercise, a European vacation requires an aggressive regime of standing practice in advance of the trip. Our tired feet required more platzing than expected.

The apartment we stayed in was lovely, like an Ikea poster child. We were on the eighths floor with floor to ceiling windows in the living area, and two terraces with sweeping views of West Berlin. Plus, we overlooked the Therman Day Spa, full of naked people swimming all day and all night. It's true, we drank cocktails and ogled the nudists. We even saw an old man do naked calisthenics on the lawn. After all, we are American prudes and it was a cultural experience.

Munich.

2011-07-31T12:10:00.006-05:00

Sam and I spent three lovely days in Munich from 7/17 - 7/19 2011. If it looks like all we did is eat, that's pretty accurate. We ate, and we walked, then we would eat, then we would walk around some more. Munich is a lovely city full of beer halls and crowded pedestrian malls and parks. The entire city was leveled during WWII, so much of Munich is new construction designed to replicate the older city before the war. It gives the place a crazy feel of old world Europe with newer plumbing and niceties. The beer was delicious, and it was pleasant to be in a place dominated by outdoor socializing as opposed to tons of museums and formal sightseeing.

The Marienplatz, or old town square, has a life sized glockenspiel that tells a story in motion at the top of some hours. I imagine in the days before electricity, this would have been an utter marvel.

After a long nap on our first day in town, we hit the Hofbräuhaus for an introduction into beer hall culture. Complete with an Oom-pah band and locals in lederhosen, we drank away several liters of beer and ate some sausage with sauerkraut.

We visited the BMW Welt Museum and showroom to admire the modern innovations of luxury car manufacturer, as well as a bunch of art cars painted by famous artists, such as this Andy Warhol BMW.

Pretzels and beer in the Chinese Garden in Munich English Garden.

A snack of bratwurst and beer, mid afternoon. I don't know how those German's stay on there feet with all that beer. They pack in those liters like they're nothing but water.

The view from the top of the glockenspiel. It's hard to believe that just 65 years ago the entire city was in rubble after the bombings. Today it is a mix of new designed to follow the grid and architecture of the old.

On our last night we dined in the Augustine Beer Garden with about 1,200 happy locals. I enjoyed potato salad, pork knuckle, and roasted chicken along with a pretzel with cheese spread and a huge beer. This place pours their beer from wooden kegs, and you can hear them tapping a new one every 10 minutes or so. Shortly after finishing our beers, we were caught in the most torrential downpour I have ever experienced, soaking us from head to toe (along with the other 1,200 jovial beer garden patrons) just in time for our 10 hour train trip to Berlin!

We took an overnight train from Munich to Berlin, paying a hefty price for the private coach. We anticipated traveling in luxury. While it was very comfortable, the entire space was about 17 square feet total, including the bed, which meant for cramped quarters in our sopping wet clothes. It was a funny experience. Plus, they served us potted liver mousse for breakfast!

So the jet lagged make pretzels.

2011-07-31T10:50:00.000-05:00

Returning from Europe has given me a bit of jet lag. We arrived Friday night at midnight after 20 long hours of travel, but I still woke up at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. This morning, I woke up at 4 a.m., went back to sleep for a bit, then woke up again at 6:30. I figured hey, if I'm up then I'm up, why not do something fun? So in memory of the trip to Germany, I mixed up Alton Brown's soft pretzel recipe. Then I began sorting Germany pictures while the dough rose.

By the end of the morning I will have photos of the trip posted to the blog, plus the smell of baking soft pretzels throughout the house to add ambiance to the effort. And if I am extra lucky, tonight my husband and I will break out our souvenir 1 liter beer mugs from the Hofbräuhaus and sip on some suds while we snack on pretzels and reminisce. As they say in Germany, "Guten Appetit.'

Homemade Soft Pretzels
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Directions:
Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Summer Swimming.

2011-07-16T09:19:00.011-05:00

On our last visit to Colorado, Anne and Blake took us swimming in Eldorado Canyon's spring fed swimming pool. It was lovely. As my sister Anne said, "The water feels wetter here." The pool, originally built in 1905, boasts a long, metal, barely-safe slide and beautiful views of the mountains.

The (fishy) fruits of our labor.

2011-07-11T17:28:00.005-05:00

Sam and I went home to Colorado for the 4th of July. Among the many fabulous events of the long weekend - barhopping downtown, dinner at the back patio, a fiesta party with old family friends, swimming in the spring fed pool, patriotic music on a picnic blanket - we also took our first successful fishing excursion as a family. And we caught fish. Lots of fish.

Which we then ate.

We had fish prepared three ways: with lemon and herbs, cooked on blanked cedar, and stuffed with bacon pieces. While they were all delicious, stuffed with bacon was the best! What is it about bacon that makes things taste so good. We ate all ten fish sitting together on the patio, enjoying the cool Colorado summer nights. It was so good, and it almost seemed unfair because it was so easy to catch those darn fish.

It was easy because we cheated a little bit, and we went to a stocked trout pond near Mt. Evans to do our fishing. You see, my parents were feeling upset that they had never taken us fishing. They kept saying "One of our great regrets is that we never took you girls to catch fish." Honestly, if not catching fish with your daughters is one of your only regrets, I think you are living a pretty great life. But who wants to live with any regret? So we went fishing and it was fun.

The scenery was lovely, and the place rented fishing poles, stocked bait, and basically guaranteed as many fish as you could catch. Not more than 90 seconds after the first cast, we were already reeling in the fish. They even gutted and cleaned the fish for you when you were finished (unless you're Blake, in which case you gut and clean your own fish).

I am not going to lie, there was a bit of guilt involved in catching the fish. It is sad to pull a lovely living thing out of its habitat and let it suffocate at your own hands. And pulling that hook out of the throat was a bit gross and a lot painful on my sense of kindness. But eating that fish, and feeling that sense of satisfaction for having caught my dinner, quickly erased the gross parts of fishing. Plus, it's good to wipe a regret off the list.

Anne casts her line.

Blake shows off is catch.

Removing the hook.

Kate's trouble casting.

Three cheers for fishing success - thanks Ellen and Dad.

A true father daughter moment as I learn how to hook my fish on the line.

Mom and Ellen scoop one out of the water.

Fishy kisses Annie.

Blake guts his own fish.

Sam displays the trophies.

The Rawley crew after a successful trout fishing adventure.

Marfa in a Dreamy Diana haze.

2011-06-13T17:18:00.000-05:00

Did I mention that in Marfa we had not only a vintage trailer, but a claw foot bathtub under the big blue sky? It's true. Did I take a bath in it? You better believe that's true too. And did I perhaps put on some bright red lipstick specifically for the bath. Damn straight, that's true as well. Because when in Marfa, we are all inspired. And I find a glamorous bath inspiring.

I also took a whole series of photos that morning to showcase the dreamy, other-worldly haze of Marfa's vintage charm using my dreamy, other-worldly photography lens. For Christmas, Sam gave me a plastic Diana lens for our Cannon digital SLR. The box describes it as the "dreamy Diana lens" because it takes images with such a soft focus and ethereal light. And you will agree that these images make Marfa glow like a glamor shot in the dessert.

Oh, I miss it already.

Marfa Part II: El Cosmico.

2011-06-01T19:26:00.001-05:00

Another thing that made Marfa amazing... the accommodations. We stayed in a little place best be described as a boutique campsite. A place known as El Cosmico. Keeping in line with the Marfa theme, it was minimalist yet vintage, comfortable but not too flashy, and it just reeked of one-of-a-kind charm. In case you can't tell from the photo, the place is made up of suites of vintage travel trailers from the 1950s and 60s! Eek. Gasp. Swoon.

And not only was the place made up of vintage trailers, but it was decorated with a stark and restrained elegance that kept the place from being kitschy. Instead, the styling made if feel modern. There were no TVs, but instead little red radios tuned to Marfa public radio. The trailer featured golden wood from floor to curved ceiling, with nary a decoration to compete with the architecture. There was just a framed print of a Hindu god, a couple of wicker hanging lamps, a few offerenda candles, and a orange retro fan. Outside, our trailer had an open air claw foot bathtub and a rope chair that looked like sculpture. Inside, a tea kettle for brewing morning coffee dotted the two-burner store, and a tiny hotel-sized Dr. Bronners soap sat by the sink for the washing. It. was. HEAVEN.

The landscape is flat and dry, and perfect for lounging outdoors. It's so much less sweaty than San Antonio. And that chair looked like a piece of art.

The trailer had a living space with a "sofa", a dining table and stool, a cozy little kitchen with stove, fridge and sink, a toilet, and a bedroom. there was lots of storage and we moved right in to keep the place neat and pretty and home-like.

Our patio featured an old claw foot bathtub, surrounded on three sides by green canvas walls. It ran hot water for a bath under the clouds. The whole thing felt a bit obscene, as there was a definite chance of the neighbors spotting you as they walked to their own trailer, but the lack of modesty was somehow a bit appropriate in the wilds of Marfa.

To prepare ourselves for trailer sleep, Anne and I sat on our patio and drank some beers under the stars before bed, with Marfa public radio playing quietly in the background. They played Cher and old country and some new indie stuff and it was amazing. I slept in the bedroom and Anne choose to sleep on the sofa, so I had this little space all to myself. It looked so pretty and peaceful before I hit the hay. It turns out the windy Marfa evenings make a trailer rattle like the dickens, so I recommend earplugs next time, but it sure has ambiance even if it was noisy.

The second night at El Cosmico, our trailer was booked, so we moved in to a yurt in a sunny, grassy field. The yurt was charming and comfortable, with a raised wooden floor decorated in a cowhide rug, and a mattress with woolen blankets and a heating pad for the chilly night. A punched tin lantern hung from the ceiling. At night it lit up a pattern across the dome that made the whole round room glow like a Christmas ornament. There was an open roofed shower, toilet, and sink close by, plus a shared kitchen near the hammock grove for meals (not that we cooked). Really, it was glamorous camping, highly recommended for those of you that don't "camp" but want a taste of outdoor sleeping.

And did I mention the hammock grove? Nothing beats a mid-afternoon nap in some hammocks in the warm shade of Marfa, under a big blue sky.

Marfa Part I: The Place.

2011-05-29T23:39:00.000-05:00

Last weekend my sister Anne flew into town, and we hopped in the car and drove 6 1/2 hours out to nowhereland West Texas, to a very special place called Marfa. Marfa is located far, far away from everything. It sits more than an hour off of any major highway, and hours and hours away from any significant city. The city population is somewhere around 2,000, which is smaller than many high schools!

Marfa exists today as sort of a modern artists colony, pioneered by renowned minimalist artist Donald Judd. In 1971, Judd moved to Marfa from New York City and started to permanently install his art. Eventually Judd acquired decommissioned Fort D.A. Russell, and began transforming the fort's buildings into art spaces. Judd's vision was to house large collections of individual artists' work on permanent display, as a sort of anti-museum. Today, the legacy of his work is a big part of the town. The Chinati Foundation and Judd Foundation work to maintain Judd's legacy, and they do it very well. We took the Chinati two-hour tour and saw several amazing art installations. Plus, signs of the art and respect for art dot the entire place.

Marfa felt like an amazing place for so many reasons, the most important of which is that I was on a sister-only trip with my friend and sibling Anne. But, Marfa is an amazing place because it thrives as an active and engaged community in a place that should be, by all logic, desolate and sad. There is an interesting aesthetic that comes from combining a stark West Texas landscape with a minimalist art movement, and combining an old sheep ranching community with a bunch of hipster infused residents. Doesn't sound like it would work, but it does. And it somehow makes it really magical. And perhaps most , I think the entire town has some secret pack to only use Mrs. Meyers hand soaps in their bathrooms. Seriously, every place was stocked with geranium, basil, lemon verbena, and lavender hand soap.

We spent only about 48 hours in the town, but did our best to pack in all the sites and culture we could.
We caught a stunning sunset on our way to dinner the first night that caused us to drive an extra few minutes out of town and park along the deserted highway to take in the colors and light.

We took a walk down their quiet main street, a combo of small town Art Deco architecture and vintage Texas town square style- some restored and some crumbling and abandon - with hardly any cars or people to obscure the view.

We ate dinner at a charming cafe, but a friendly, modern, minimalist, gourmet cafe. I had cauliflower with capers and tarragon, we ate lentil fritters in coconut chutney, and we had shared chicken and waffles then a piece of ginger root cake for dessert.

We took a two-hour tour of the Chinati Foundation, including the famous metal box sculptures installed in the old artillery sheds. The light against the angles of the art against the dessert plains background was beautiful. It made Anne want to sing and dance around the room. Judd believed that the prevailing model of a museum, where art is shown for short periods of time, does not allow the viewer an understanding of the artist or their work as they intended. Therefore his installations are permanent.

We also saw a light installation by Dan Flavin built out over the course of six renovated barrack buildings, made up of angled neon lights meant to be viewed from many vantages. We had to leave the building and enter from another side to get the full image of the art. Anne loved them.

After our Chinati Foundation tour we stopped at Marfa's sole food truck and had pulled pork tacos and a falafel burrito, sitting in the shade by the train tracks at the old railroad stop. I understand they used to load wool and livestock onto the cars in this space. Even the soda cans are vintage and artsy to fit in.

The day we left we rented vintage cruiser bikes, rode to breakfast, rode to a tiny farmers marker near the railroad track, and then road along the almost silent highway past Judd's cerement block sculptures at the Chinati Foundation. The landscape, the atmosphere, and the company made the place feel special.

Bean dip, or how to make people think you're a genius.

2011-05-09T09:23:00.002-05:00

I have been stupid busy these past few months. I started a new job, a much more demanding job than my last, and it is keeping me working longer hours and then sleeping in my free time. I'm exhausted. There's not been a lot of cooking, not a lot of sewing, not ever a lot of keeping up with other blogger's cooking and sewing. So now more than ever, I think it is the right time to share a fast and dirty secret. It's time to share a culinary masterpiece so delicious yet so simple it feels like you are swindling your diners. The secret... bean dip.

If you want to make friends quickly, be very popular, and also have people think you are a culinary genius, serve them bean dip. Seriously. The masses, they love it. They fawn over it. They gobble it up with looks of admiration in their eyes. They will even ask you how you made it, lingering a bit in the question as though worrying it might be too hard for them to reproduce at home. And when they ask, my answer is always the same:

"Open a can of refried beans. Mix with a bunch of salsa and a handful of shredded cheese. Add another handful of cheese to the top. Microwave until molten hot. Serve with chips, preferably the generic brand. They are saltier."

Yep, that's it. My highly coveted bean dip is that easy. That accessible. And it's about as far from culinary masterpiece as fast food is. And yet, every time I whip up a batch, I swear folks think I am a genius.

Plus, on those long work days when you are exhausted (like I am every day), or for those times when you just didn't get to the store for the prosciutto and figs appetizer ingredients like you meant to, this is a fabulous go-to. It hits the spot every time.

Earth Day the organic way.

2011-05-01T14:58:00.000-05:00

A nice guy named Craig emailed me on behalf of my FAVORITE grocery store - Central Market - and asked if I would like to review some of their Central Market brand organic products on the blog. Of course I said yes. Actually, I say "Yes! Please! Pretty please!" After all, I am already a fan of the store and the brand. And what wannabe foodie doesn't desire an opportunity to try new flavors and product and give her opinion?

A few weeks ago, my package arrived, chocked full of delicious things, including:
Central Market Organics Agave
Central Market Organics Coffee
Central Market Organics Tea
Central Market Organics Peanut Butter Dots Cereal
Central Market Organics Oatmeal
Central Market Organics Vanilla Almond Milk
Central Market Organics Rice Vanilla Milk
Central Market Organics Almond Preserves

The first thing I opened was the Peanut Butter Dots Cereal and the Vanilla Almond Milk - a delicious combo. I must admit that the cereal tastes incredibly similar to the name-brand, non-organic version of sugar cereal found on most shelves. Except of course it was organic. So, if your organic aspiration is to sub out what you like in the regular non-Michael Pollen aisles of the grocery store with something a little more earth friendly, this is your bet. The almond milk was tasty. I myself am a dairy girl - love me a tall glass of skim milk a day - so almond milk is not something I indulge in frequently. This version was light, appropriately sweet, and good with the cereal. I myself prefer the high protein, low sugar attributes of organic milk over the nutritional and flavor aspects of almond or rice milk, but if you are looking for a substitute this is a good choice.

I love toast, and both the agave and the Apricot Preserves suited bread well. If you are not familiar with agave nectar, it is produces from the agave plant, which looks much like an aloe plant and comes from Mexico and South Africa. Agave nectar has a much lower glycemic index and glycemic load than table sugar, which basically means it is a better sweetener option for those limiting sugar consumption. Fun fact: gave sap can be fermented, and by distillation it becomes a spirit called mezcal , the most widely know version being tequila. but this nectar is far from tequila, and closer to honey. Very sweet and fluid, it coated a toast snack nicely in moderation (agave nectar is about one and a half times sweeter than sugar).

Both the coffee and tea in the basket are tasty and meet my standards for high quality beverages. Nothing novel to report, but I do feel good knowing both my coffee and tea were grown organically. The tea is nice because it comes in a fabric pouch in a pyramid shape, rather than the standard "pillow" shaped tea bag.

Fair disclosure, I haven't tried the oatmeal yet because I have some Bob's Red Milled Oats open in the pantry already. I just can't bear to have two packages open at the same time, but I am swearing an oatmeal-only breakfast diet this summer so it won't be long until I get there. By the tastes of things, I am in for a pleasant bowl of oats when I get to it.

Overall I am a big fan of the Central Markets Organics brand. I like the packaging. It's clean, tidy, and shows the food accurately. Sometimes organic packaging can be the worst - it's either too hippy-dippy (making me think the food will taste like dirt), or too frou frou (making organic seem pretentious and snobby). This hits the spot and is easy to find on grocery shelves.

I can't comment on pricing, as the gift basket was a gift to me, but in general I find the Central Market brand organic products I purchase on my regular shopping trips to be fairly priced. I usually buy milk, olive oil, butter, crackers, microwave popcorn, canned beans, canned tomatoes, and other pantry staples in the brand. Pricing is usually a bit more than non-organic, but more affordable that other organic brands.

I have head debates back and forth on the value of organics. In fact, Penn and Teller even did a Bullshit episode on it in which they determined that from a consumer perspective, there is not much value in purchasing organic over commercial. But still, I value organic options in my grocery store and I will continue to be a customer of the Central Market's Organics brand. I like knowing that organic foods are products that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers. I like knowing that my food does not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. I also like when my food tastes good. Not only does the Central Market Organics stuff taste good, it feels healthier, and I consume with just a tad less guilt than usual knowing I am limiting the impact on the environment during my food's growth and preparation. As the packaging touts, "By choosing organics, you’re helping to reduce the chemical runoff in our ground water sources and to reduce the use of environmentally harmful artificial fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides commonly used on conventional crops." And it's true.

The good life.

2011-04-25T07:03:00.000-05:00

Saturday we lived the good life. Not in a flashy, opulent sort of way. But in an everyday luxuries kind of way. We woke up and went to our favorite coffee shop for lattes. We drove to the farmers market and attended a natural running clinic. For lunch we ate oysters and drank Belgian beer at my favorite seafood restaurant. We jumped into the first swim of summer. We gobbled giant pieces of fresh-from-the-griddle flat bread at an amazing Middle Easters restaurant. We chitchatted with friends until the late hours of the night. We lived the good life, reminding ourselves all the way that we are very lucky people. Very lucky indeed.

Birthday Boy!

2011-04-15T07:38:00.006-05:00

What do you get when you combined one 30th birthday boy, about 30 of his friends, a moon bounce, a taco truck, some patio lights, a bumpin' play-list, a huge cake from Costco, and a game of bags? You get a mighty fine birthday party, that's what you get!

Thanks to everyone who joined us last night to celebrate my Sam's official easement into bona fide adulthood. No matter that for years he has been married, held a stable job, saved in his 401K, paid taxes, and eaten his vegetables without a fight.... somehow this felt like his official transition more than any of those actions.

Happy Birthday Sam. Here's to 30 more, and 30 MORE after that!

Jailbird. A fashion do or a fashion don't?

2011-04-10T11:17:00.001-05:00

Let's just start this post with a multiple choice question.

When Kate wears this black and white striped skirt, she looks:
a) boldly fashionable
b) graphically challenged
c) like she just broke out of jail
d) all of the above
e) none of the above. Other: _______________

I finished sewing this puppy yesterday. But now I can't decide if I can really pull it off. I was inspired by the lovely Lilli of Frocks and Frou Frou, who wore a black and white striped skirt recently with a black and white patterned top (you can see it here). I though she looked so chic, so bold, so confident, and so I immediately began coveting a similar skirt of my own.

I scoured the Internet high and low for the perfect striped fabric. I found very little in the way of appropriate striped fabric. Stripes were either too narrow, or staggered in different sizes, or just plain not available. But while there was no fabric available, along the way I managed to find lots and lots of images of striped clothing to peak my lust, including a Kate Spade yellow striped skirt that enhanced my obsession with striped skirt. I even found a blogger obsessed with Kate Spade who made her own version of striped skirts in red, blue, green, and black. But still, not fabric found. Then, magic of all magics, I found Michael Miller's Two by Two in both black and white and yellow and white.

I made this skirt using a combo of Gertie's dirndl skirt tutorials (#1 and #2), with my own addition of a wide elastic waist instead of a band with zipper. It just is so easy and comfortable with the elastic I added a pocket, which proved challenging as I had to rip it out and redo it twice (if you know how to do french seems with pockets, please share!). I also added a lining of full muslin, which may prove too heavy and bulky, but I was trying to prevent sheerness and add poof. It was a simple project made complicated by user error, but I am optimistic I can crank out more of these quickly, presuming it is a good addition to my wardrobe.

So, that is why I need your opinions. I tried the skirt on with several options for top, and now need to know the truth - does the striped skirt work for me? Let me know what you think. Or, to put the questions in a multiple choice:

If we were going to lunch, and I showed up in any of the outfits below, would you be:
a) openly envious of my outfit
b) a little bit self conscious that my skirt was making others dizzy from the stripe-i-ness
d) worried that I had an inappropriate view of my figure
d) all of the above
e) none of the above. Other: _______________

Mussels in white wine.

2011-04-06T06:39:00.000-05:00

Dinner was going to be plain old paninis, albeit good paninis with roast beef and caramelized onion and blue cheese and arugula. But paninis none the less.

We had the necessary panini groceries in the cart by the time we got to the seafood area of Central Market and started sampling the mussels, and dinner plans changed quite suddenly. You see, the mussel samples we tasted in the grocery store were better than any seafood I have tasted, even in the nicest restaurants. Blasphemous. I mean, Central Market foodies were cooking the samples standing in teh middle of the store, at only Bunsen burners, and wearing silly hairnets at that. And the seafood sample was free. How could it be better than a plate of food I might pay $15, $20 or $30 for if I was out?!? But it was.

This led us to think... maybe, just maybe, we could make delicious mussels at home ourselves? It took a few more mussel samples to convince us. The first taste was a mussel in garlic and white wine, the second was a fried oyster, the third some crayfish etouffee, and then a second mussel steamed only in some water and its own essence. Each bite was fresh, simple, and delicious. We were sold. Six pounds of mussels in the cart, plus a bag of frozen french fries and a six pack of Belgian beer. It was our night to feast.

Trepidation returned briefly in the kitchen, first as we sorted through the mussels (wait, how open means food-borne illness?), then again right before steaming (how much liquid, how hot, how long?). But when we opened our pot of white onion, garlic, butter, white wine and mussels, there there were six pounds of beautiful, perfect, fresh and piping hot mussels, ready for eating. And again, they were better than any bucket of mussels I have eaten anywhere else.

With a big cone of french fries, a heaping side salad of veggies, a nice Belgian beer, and the good company of our friends Will and Carmen (Carmen actually took these pictures, thanks!), we were set for our feast. Additionally, Sam taught me that mussels are the most sustainable seafood. Delicious, nutritious, and ecological! Yeah.

Easy peazy, nice and breezy skirt refashion.

2011-04-03T21:41:00.001-05:00

Nothing like a quick refashion to get the sewing urge recharged. Last year, when Liberty of London and Target collaborated, I was lucky enough to pick up a little dress on sale for $6.49 in the sale racks of my favorite Target. The dress itself was not right for me - it had a jersey halter top with a built in bra that would not come CLOSE to cover my ample self. But, the lower half of the dress was a gathered tube of about 60 inches of pretty, lightweight cotton in a gorgeous Liberty print, including a lightweight cotton lining. I thought "what the heck." It's cheaper than buying a yard of Liberty fabric (or even quilting cotton for the most part).

Well, a year later, I finally got around to converting the steal to a summer skirt, easy peasy. I just chopped off the jersey halter top, regathered the tube of fabric to my waist measurements plus a few inches for pulling on and off, attached it to the lining, and put the whole thing on a circle of extra wide elastic. Viola! A new summer skirt. Since the lining and the fashion fabric were already hemmed and seems serged, it was nothing to do the rest.

The elastic keeps it comfortable. The biggest debate was whether to use black or white elastic. The Liberty pattern has black accents in the flower pattern, and rather than being solid white, the flowers are really more of an off-white. But in the end, I speculated a white waistband would attract less attention to my waist than black. And I thought it would let me wear my shirt tucked in with a slightly higher waist than I usually do.

All in all, I think the refashion worked out wonderfully. So wonderfully, I immediately put it on and wore it to the grocery store. Now that's a statement of success!

Ellen visits Texas.

2011-04-01T07:42:00.006-05:00

When Ellen visited Texas a few weeks ago. We had a good time. She swam in a cold lake, stood by a pit of meat, felt constantly cold despite coming to a warmer climate than she is used too, ate breakfast tacos as many times as was possible, and vainly wore false eyelashes with me . And we talked. And we laughed. And we had such a nice time just being together and relaxing and rejuvenating. I wish my sisters could be with me always.

Beloved by few, but just enough.

2011-03-21T07:38:00.002-05:00

This week I changed jobs. Moving onward and upward, I accepted a position with a wonderful company in town that promises to stretch and grow my professional skills. I am thrilled with the opportunity and excited to be moving forward.

But with moving to something new, I also left something old. I left a job I have been at for almost four years. And with my job transition, I've come to realize that it's a strange and uncomfortable experience to leave a place you have been at for a long time. In my office, I was the only person who did my job, the only person who knew my work, and the only person responsible for raising almost 50% of the small organization's operating budget. Sometimes I felt irreplaceable... and that felt important. But, then I gave notice, and things changed. One day I was very, very relevant to the organization. Suddenly, I was hardly important at all. Decisions were made without my consultation. Plans moved forward without my help. Coworkers stopped talking to me - both about work and socially. I guess they felt their efforts at inclusion were no longer worth their effort.

Now, logically, I understand why these things happened. I was no longer relevant to the organization. But still, it was a real blow to the ego to realize just how quickly my existence in a place could be snuffed. I mean, four years of hard work, of effort, of exceptional performance in which I invested both my professional efforts, but also personal emotional energy. Then "bam!"... nothing.

Through the process, I was reminded of exactly how unimportant and disposable we all are to the majority of the world. But, I was also was reminded of those relationships that do matter. To just a few people in this world, I am beloved. And to me, there are just a few people who I cherish. My husband, my sisters, my parents, my very dearest and closest friends - to these people I am somebody, always. I am important to their lives, always. I am a part of their existence, always. And I am replaceable by no one else, always. Being reminded of this small but esteemed clan of people helped me recognize that a true, deep-rooted, and sincere value of self is not rooted in our professional lives, but in our personalize ones.

Most of us put so much energy into our jobs. Of course, a paycheck acknowledges our efforts. But I think the human condition sort of hopes that in the long-term, our efforts and exertions for our work will contribute to more than our bills. The emotional investment - the personal accountability, the times of stress and worry, the efforts to excel beyond expectation - these are investments that can never be repaid with money, and can never be reclaimed once spent. But the truth is that work cannot and will not repay personal investments their full worth. The only compensation true enough to repay the emotional effort we expend is from those we love, and who love us back. So spend your efforts where the rewards are greatest. Where the rewards are truest. And where the reward - be it the tiniest smiled of a loved one at a moment shared, or the grandest acknowledgment of impacting a life beloved to you through years of relationship efforts - runs deep and true and respected to the very end, and then beyond. Always.

In the end, work will never love you very much, and you should never love it more than those you truly love. To those I love, know that I love you more.

Progress resumes.

2011-03-06T23:33:00.008-06:00

After weeks off, I am back on the Crepe dress and making progress. This weekend I made the final pattern adjustments and cut out the fabric for my semi-final dress.

I am embarrassed to admit that I have more patterns tucked into my sewing closet that have gone through a few rounds of fitting adjustments only to be tossed aside than I care to fess up to. Scroll through the "sewing" label of this blog and you will find dress after bodice after blouse started but, um, never finish...? It's a sorry way to behave and still call myself a sewing enthusiast. But so many rounds of pattern adjustments get so tedious. But today, to fight the trend, I picked up the Crepe dress and resumed progress. After all, this dress is showing great promise.

I have now finished four muslins, and at this point I am both a bit tired of AND a bit addicted to futzing around with them. Every time I think I am almost there, I get to staring in a mirror, noticing flaws, pinching here and there, and in general just futzing around in an attempt to fix the fit to perfection. In fact, I almost went for a fifth muslin, until I decided I should just make the darn dress and wear it a bit to see if I like the general fit first. There are still some wrinkles here and there, some slight puckering and pooling above the bust near the armpit and such, but it's pretty darn good. Perhaps I am critiquing more my shape and body texture rather than the fit of the dress in the name of pattern fitting (Oh that I could only shrinking my tummy or perk up my bust as easily as a pattern adjustment. Just some slashing and spreading here, some trimming off seam allowance there, and viola I look like an hourglass-shaped model!).

As far as what it took to get to the final bodice, I have made so many pattern adjustments at this point I am not entirely sure I can document them all. I may create a summary post and try to consolidate all four muslin adjustments into one neat list, so I can reference for future adjustments. In hindsight, perhaps I should have used the size 16 or even the 14 bodice, grading to the 18 at the waist and doing a much larger full bust adjustment. Then the shoulders and back may have fit better, and I could have adjusted the bust alone. But this seemed to work in the end.

I am nervous to cut into my $125 worth of fancy fabric, so I am sewing the whole darn dress up in an old sheet first. If it works, I will be able to dress like a daffodil for spring. If not, I have reserved the beautiful fabric for something that will.

How many of you have to kneel uncomfortably on the floor and use jam jars and cans of refried beans as pattern weights? Oh, the things we do for sewing.

The gift that keeps on giving.

2011-02-23T16:30:00.001-06:00

I am sitting with a mug of peppermint green tea and a few salted caramel butter cookies capped in milk chocolate. It's a nice way to round out a damp day, with the sun streaming in through the windows, the sounds of early commuters on the road humming up to my second-story window, and the giant box of Trader Joe's goodies finally unpacked and ready for consumption. That is, if we can bring ourselves to consume.

My husband and I are sort of food hoarders. We don't mean to be, but we struggle between the naughty angel on one shoulder that encourages us to purchase delicious treats, and the good angel on the other shoulder reminding us that apples are better snacks than cookies and dessert is not always necessary. Since both these angels are vocal, this leaves a space in between filled, and I mean FILLED, with boxes and bags and tins and jars of uneaten deliciousness in our house. Seriously people. We have an entire shelf in our pantry dedicated to candy, some of which has been there for years. We have a large box of imported alfores cookies from the November 2009 Argentinian food festival at our local market. Last week I finally threw away a box of Girl Scout Tag-a-long cookies from the freezer that have been in there for at least 18 months, maybe more.

It's not that we don't eat. Believe me, we eat. It's just that we tend to buy impulsively, and then restrict ourselves in what can best be called an irrational way. Sure, I might add an extra slice of cheese to a grilled sandwich at lunch, but break into the Maui Loa Toffee Covered Macadamia Nuts we carted home from Hawaii in April? No way. Don't you know those things are full of fat?

But, in an odd twist, one of my New Year's Resolutions is going to be: Eat the box of delicious goodies. That is because for Christmas my parents shipped us a box filled to the brim with the kind of tasty treats we covet and hoard. Behold:

Wine Crackers
Hazelnut Pancake Mix
Tiny box of Portebella Mushroom Soup
Brandy-filled Chocolates
Salted Caramel Butter Cookies
Jar of Salted Caramel
Dried Green Beans
Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee
Buffalo Jerkey
Dark Chocolate Orange Candy
Wasabi Pea, Nut, and Cranberry Mix
Mint Green Tea
Tissues (with the cutest graphics and sayings on the box)
Soap

The Trader Joe's box will be a challenge, but in a good way. I made progress this afternoon by breaking into the tea and the cookies. And it was a delight. Some people like to say "Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels" but I prefer to work with the phrase "Looking at a shelf of hoarded treats does not taste good at all, and you can always go to the gym tomorrow."

Wish us luck eating.

p.s. Also, down at the bottom of the box was a non-Trader Joe's treat, a bag of custom blended hot cocoa from the kitchen of Mike Rawley. I am a lucky girl!

My heart beets for you.

2011-02-14T09:02:00.001-06:00

This Valentine's Day, my heart beets for you my love. Er, I mean beats for you. Or do I mean beets? Yes, I think I mean beets, as in beautiful farmer's market beets striped inside with pink and yellow. To celebrate this day of love, Sam and I cooked a day early, an old French classic that first appeared on the blog in January of 2008, my first real post. It's an oldie but goodie, and like a true love, I know you too will find it comforting, satisfying and easy to go back to again and again.

Happy Valentine's Day to all, and especially to my Sam. My heart beets AND beats for you!

Crepe Sewalong: Muslin IV and IV.5

2011-02-12T14:32:00.001-06:00

Progress = Thumbs up! I am so close to finalizing this Crepe bodice that I can almost, just almost, see the finished project in my mind. This yellow gingham version is my fourth muslin. It features the shortened side and waist darts, deeper and reshaped armpit seams, and a lowered and widened neckline. As you will see, it still requires some additional tweaks. However, all in all, I am getting close.

Observe below for more photos and analysis. And PLEASE chime in with advice and fit tips. In this home stretch, I don't want to leave anything unaltered that might need to be.

Muslin IV:
This version IV features significantly shortened vertical darts that have been curved to nip in fullness under the bust. But I am not sure they are exactly correct. They are so short that they end before my bust starts, and therefore are no longer fitting the bust area. Rather, they are releasing into a significant "poof" of fuller fabric around the low bust. I made some changes to try and correct this, see Muslin IV.5 below.

Another issue is the bodice hemline, it's all wacky and slanted, due to my over-zealous alterations. I had been attempting to lengthen the front bodice without altering the side seams at all (as I think the back length is correct). So I opened a horizontal dart/wedge from the lower side seam to the center front, adding a gradual 3 inches of length to the center front (you can see the pattern alteration here). However, what I have ended up with is a bodice pattern that is about 3 inches or more longer at the center front than at the side seam. Go figure!? You can really see this on the profile picture below. I still do think I need extra length on the front to pull down over my roundish belly, so I wonder if I could create a long, swooping "U" shape to the curve of the lower bodice, to allow more length. Because I have taken length out the shoulders it makes sense I might need to add it back to the front and back.

The armhole fits much better now that i have lowered everything and adjusted the shoulder seam. The bust dart is still too high, it just keeps getting moved up as I play with the shoulders. I may move it down another inch or so to put it back at the apex, but i don't think its the worst thing in the world here either.

I am getting drag lines from the apex to the side seams, not sure exactly why but I am certain it has to do with having a very full bust. The interesting thing is that the bodice does not feel too tight. I don't feel binding or pulling. I just see it. I am not sure the best way to correct this, and may just leave it as is and call it a consequence of my bust size. But if you have a good idea for correcting, let me know.

The back is looking pretty darn good, except for two main issues:

1) The back darts are too center-back for my aesthetics. They are running parallel to my spinal column, just a few inches outside each side of my spine. If you remember in the earlier muslin stages, I had removed the back darts to accommodate my wide waist. However, I put them back in to gather up some of the extra fabric I found in the back. So these darts were pinched out of the back to pull up the fabric exactly where the fabric wanted to be gathered. Therefore I worry about moving them. Any advice?

2) There remains excess and bunching over the shoulder blade. It's not terrible, but also not great. When I asked my husband if he could help me pinch it out and pin it so that I could try to figure out the necessary alteration, he got sort of finicky and told me the bodices looked really good and to stop being a perfectionist. However, I have already made FOUR muslins, and I am not about to quit when something is not quite right. So what do you think?

Below is my current solution to the back shoulder blade bunching AND the issue with the darts. I appreciate any feedback you can offer.

Muslin IV.5 (basically, Muslin IV with new darts and the back pinched up):

So, this is the muslin with the front waist darts altered back to a standard inverted "V" shaped dart (as opposed to the shorter curved darts of version IV). I tried one lower (my left, your right), and one higher (my right, your left). I like the look of the higher dart that is nearly at my apex. Other than adjusting the darts and the hem length, I am feeling good about this fit.

I do still need to work on the back a bit more. The excess over the excess at the upper shoulder and upper arm bugs me. It's just not perfect yet. (Also, I want you all to know that I admit upon reviewing these pictures that I had the ties pulled a bit to tightly. There is a lot of pulling around the darts and waistline. Although the bodice did not feel too tight, it surely looks it. I think a bit more ease in the ties will help this.)

To try and figure out the needed adjustment, I pinned out a tuck across the entire back shoulder blade about an inch deep, perpendicular to the grain line. On my body, you can see the tuck curve down near my outer arm, although the actual alteration was straight across. This seems to have lessened the excess in the back without restricting movement or binging mobility.

Finally, I believe the bodice front and back both need lengthened by an inch or two, to accommodate both for these tucks in the upper chest/back and the straightening of the shoulder seam. Also, I want to give the dress room for the length that will come up when the skirt is attached.

I plan to work on these alterations a bit more this weekend and hopefully trace a final pattern noting all the alterations on Sunday. In this home stretch, any advice is appreciated. Let me know your fit thoughts and advice. Thanks!

Snow Day!

2011-02-04T10:53:00.004-06:00

Wednesday and Thursday it was only 29 degrees in San Antonio. And last night it dusted snow across the city, and today we have a snow day! There is about .0001 inches of snow, but the roads are slippery. In fact, all of the highways are closed. Things are frozen and nobody here knows how to unfreeze them. Hehe. I love an unexpected snow day!

I am going to sew my (hopefully) final Crepe muslin, bake a 6-banana bread recipe (a double batch, to take one to the Lake House tomorrow), and hopefully prepare my pattern for a self drafted dirndl skirt to be made of my long-hoarded Liberty fabric. And I plan to drink tea and eat soup and look out the window at our South Texas Winter Wonderland a lot.

It will be a lovely day. I hope yours is safe and warm too!

p.s. It also gave me an excuse to break out by plastic Diana lens for my camera. What do you think of the above and below pictures? The Diana is often described as "dreamy" and I think that soft blurry haze is indeed a bit dreamy. Although it has blurred out my face in a bit of a ghost-like way...

Pattern Review: Colette Madeleine Mini Bloomers

2011-01-30T18:53:00.000-06:00

These pretty little bloomer shorts are designed to rest underneath a new Burda Allie robe. When Claire visited in December, I promised we would sew. First I promised pajama pants, but then I remember how most PJ pants are frumpy and ill-fitting and just sooooooo unsexy. What's a girl to do?

Then I remember, you know what is super sexy? Colette Pattern's Madeleine Mini Bloomers. I mean, just look at them. They are short. Low cut. Cute and approachable, but with some sex appeal. And best yet, the pattern is free and easy to sew. So we changed plans. PJ pants gone, mini bloomers under the presser foot.

The pattern review is below. Find you copy of this little beaut online at Colette Patterns. With Valentine's day right around the corner, it's the perfect time of year for these.

Pattern Description:
From the website: These are no prim and proper Victorian bloomers. They sit low on the waist, and are scandalously brief. The back view is particularly flattering. The waistband is sewn with two rows of elastic, and the legs are cinched with a length of ribbon. With just two pattern pieces, a beginner who is comfortable with elastic and buttonholes can make these.

Pattern Sizing:
Multi-sized for XS to XL, which encompasses the usual sizes 0-18 (equivalent to ready to wear) in Colette Patterns’ range, roughly hip size 35 inches to 48 inches.

Fabric Used:
We used Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush Viole, including the pattern "First Impressions - Blush". The cotton was GORGEOUS, very soft with a lovely drape, and easy to sew. We purchased all fabric from Fancy Tiger in Denver, Colorado and they were incredibly helpful.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
We sewed Claire's bloomers in a size medium, no pattern alterations made.

However, for mine (featured) I made a few adjustments based on Patty the Snug Bug's review and advice to add some rise length and width. I added two inches of length to the front and back pieces to bring the rise up and waistband closer to my navel. This was a good adjustment.

Also, fearing the size XL would be a bit too tight over my midsection, I graded the front pieces wider by two inches by slashing and spreading 1" extra to each side of the front. This turned out to be a bad choice and a silly adjustment on my part. First, the finished shorts would have been plenty big without the extra two inches, completely unadjusted. But even if I had wanted to add some width, I only really need extra room over the tummy, not over my narrower hips. Colette designs for a "curvy" gal, and her patterns seem to all curve in at the waist. Instead of a straight 1 inch grade all the way down, I should have just straighten out this waist curve and added the inch there alone, truing to the existing hip line. Make sense?

We did not succeed in adding the pleats to the lower leg opening as the pattern suggests, as I could not quite figure out how to work this around the button holes I had already added. They look really adorable in theory, but I don't miss them either.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Like: This is a quick sew.
Like: It's free!
Like: The instructions are clear with great illustrations.
Like: The generous fit means this can be versatile for different sized and shaped people.
Like: The double elastic casing that forms the waistband is GENIUS. It looks super cute and girlie, it was a cinch to sew, and it helps hold the little shorts up like a champ.

Dislike: The rise in the design is really, really low. I mean, loooooow, like, "how low can ya go?" low. Take a look at the the sample on the model here, and you might find yourself thinking "wow, those are low, that model must have a really really long waist"... well, think again. Sure, the model is long and lean, but more than that, the bloomers look that low because they ARE that low. :) They were nearly too low for my 24 year old svelte and flat tummied sister Claire. She admitted she would like at least two more inches in the rise to be considered decent (and comfortable). I added two inches to mine, but the finished product is still really low. I think I really needed four inches extra length total. Even with four inches added to the rise, they will still rest comfortable under my belly button in a very respectable "sexy" position. Consider yourself warned, the rise needs some adjustments for most.

Dislike: The buttonhole placement on the pattern and the point at which the instructions indicate making the buttonhole.... I might suggested waiting a bit and ironing up the hem to gauge placement of buttonholes before adding them to the pattern. This would ensure they fall on the right place for your thighs.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I highly recommend this pattern. There's nothing to loose, its a great beginner project, and it is a nice way to utilize some shorter lengths of fabric from your stash.

I do have a suggestion on creating the leg casings for the ribbon. I am not entirely sure about the instructions for construction of the leg opening. My fabric did not fold and stitch exactly as she suggested it would. I strongly recommend playing with the leg hems and casing area a bit before sewing or adding button holes. Iron out your seems BEFORE you make the holes (the old measure twice, cut once advice).

I also suggest incorporating some elastic into the leg casing. I want my bloomers to look very gathered at the thigh for the flouncy effect. However, I find my thighs spread a bit wider when I sit or lay in certain positions verse when I stand. So, if I tie the ribbon for standing, they feel to tight when I sit or lay. But if I tie them for comfort sitting and laying, they look too loose when I stand. A happy solution would be to attach elastic to the ribbons and run this through the casing. Then I would have the ease of stretch to accommodate movement, but the look of ribbon poking out the casing as designed.

Conclusion:
Cute cute cute! There is no reason not to give these a go.

Crepe Sewalong: Muslin III

2011-01-25T15:22:00.003-06:00

Well, I thought I was finished with the Crepe muslins, but I am not. Something weird is happening in the armpit and shoulder area on this Crepe Muslin III. The dress is binding in my armpit. It is tight when I move my arms forward or up. Also, there are drag lines. And in the shoulder, well the shoulder seam seems to be standing up off of my shoulder a bit. Behold the fit in Muslin III:

See all those drag lines pulling right to the back armpit? Yikes! Other than that, the back looks pretty good, especially with the new darts. I am a bit bummed that the inside wrap folded in on itself for these photos, but whatever.

You can see some fabric gathering above my back armpit there. It binds a lot, and thanks to the pulling sensation I can tell it is not big enough. Also, there are some slight drag lines across my back, perhaps indicating I have pulled the wrap a bit too tight? But I don't think they are major. Hey, I can't expect this to fit without any wrinkles like a knit, right?! Is that a reasonable attitude?

Here's the front, with two different dart lengths. The longer dart definitely goes all the way to my apex (as opposed to ending short of the breast), but it also seems to have less wrinkling on that side. Perhaps on muslin IV (sigh, I have to make a fourth...) I will sew with short, rounded darts and press really well. Instinct tells me shorter is better.

From these side views you can really see how the armpit is too small. The think part of this is because I shortened the bodice from by an inch with a straight across upper chest tuck, which pulled the armpit of the armhole up. But the binding seems most intense at the back of the arm. I am going to try deepening this lower armpit on front and back to correct this (without unleashing the underarm pouch!).

Crepe Sewalong: Muslin II.5

2011-01-24T23:06:00.000-06:00

* Look, new back darts help the fit!

I work at a University, and this fine University has a "Women's Club." It's a rather old-fashioned - and rather AWESOME - organization within the University where female employees, wives of Trinity staff, retired employees, and wives of retired staff get together for social time. I joined the Stitchers Group, a collection of women who meet in the University's costume studio for sewing, knitting, crocheting, and mending once a week.

The costume studio is lovely for two reasons: 1) It is a big space with skylights for ample natural light, plus the amenities of a comfy home, like a washing machine and dryer, dishwasher, sink and fridge, teapot and radio playing happy tunes, and better yet 2) it has every single sewing took imaginable, at my fingertips. And perhaps the coolest thing about the sewing studio is the woman who runs it, Jodi, because she knows so much about sewing and is so helpful to share her knowledge.

She helped me tweak the fit of my Muslin II in late December, making it my new Muslin II.5. The fit is so improved it only needs a few tweaks for perfection. What you see is the beta version of the final Crepe dress. It's almost there, but may have a few bugs to work out yet.

Alterations yet to be made:

Back:
Add back the 1 inch swayback tuck. It was unneeded.
Maybe even add an extra 1/2 inch in length to the back and front
Add back darts in realigned position
Decrease side back by 1 inch (to accommodate addition to front waist, see below)

Front:
Lower bust dart by 3/4" more
Shorten bust dart to align 1" from apex
Curve waist darts
Perhaps shorten waist darts
Add 1 inch width to side front (it's torching a bit forward)
*consider lowering the neckline a bit, maybe...

What do you think, any other changes needed?

Pattern Review: Burda Style's Allie Robe

2011-01-19T17:35:00.001-06:00

My sister Claire is a budding seamstress, so when she planned a Christmas visit, I promised her some sewing. I originally lured her in with a promise to make pajama pants (sadly, the first pair I made for her never worked out), but as I started to plan for the project, I thought "who wants to wear boring old pajama pants anyways?" Instead, I opted for more sophisticated, whimsical lounge wear. We sewed Burda Style's Allie Robe and matching Colette Pattern's Bloomers.

I have two machines, and originally we were going to sew our respective lounge wear simultaneously, me working on my bloomers and robe, and her working on hers. But time got away from us (actually, we spent too many late nights watching Mad Men Season 1 and then sleeping in late in the mornings), so to hustle our efforts I helped with her projects. Two hands on one robe is better than one, I always say!

Pattern Description:
The Allie Robe is a kimono sleeved dressing gown or robe with a loose fit and dramatic kimono sleeves. The pattern is designed to feature big blocks of color or pattern, as the sleeves, back, sides, and front center pieces are separate.

Pattern Sizing:
The pattern features European sizing, sizes 34-48. This essentially translates to a US size of 2 through 14 (or a 24 1/2 waist to a 32 1/2 waist). For Claire we sewed a size 42, roughly a US 10. Because this is a pattern with lots of ease, the sizing is more flexible.

Fabric Used:
The fabric chart recommends using 3 1/2 meters of fabric, but this is for a cutting layout using all one fabric. In my opinion, all one fabric defeats the design elements of the pattern (and certainly refutes the suggestions and sample garment published by Burda Style). To accommodate three different types of fabric, I had to use 6 yards of 54-60" material (1.5 yards for the Sleeves/Belt, 1.5 yards for Center Front/Back Center, and 3 yards for the Side Front/Side back).

We used Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush Viole, including the pattern "First Impressions - Blush" and Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks Viole in "Square Dance - Dusk" and "Pastry Line - Marine". The cottons were GORGEOUS, very soft with a lovely drape, and easy to sew. We purchased all fabric from Fancy Tiger in Denver, Colorado and they were incredibly helpful.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I substituted handmade bias binding for the facings, as facings seem messy and floppy in a lounge robe (in my opinion). I created bias binding from left over pieces of the fabric and used it to trim the robe opening and the hem. Because of this I eliminate any stabilizer or interfacing, except in the collar and in the sash. I also added an inside tie at the waist to help hold the robe closed when lounging. Other than that, I sewed the robe as instructed and designed.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Like: The design is lovely. The blocking in the pattern design makes this an interesting robe. I love the ample and dramatic fit of the kimono sleeves.

Like: This is a quick sew.

Like: The generous fit means this can be versatile for different sized and shaped people.

Dislike: I dislike tracing patterns or taping hundreds of pieces of paper together, so I took the PDF to FedEx Kinkos and they printed the pattern on their large scale printer for $15. Of course, at this price the pattern becomes as expensive as a commercial pattern, but it saves so much time and energy that it is worth it.

Dislike: The facing design seemed odd to me. I almost always find that facings flap open on wraps and seem to poke out of the inside of a garment. This designed called for facing the front and neck. It was an easy fix to swap bias binding for facings, so that's what I did.

Dislike: The instructions are sparse and do not clarify much with illustration or descriptions. Because of this, the robe is best sewn by someone with basic sewing experience or a good mentor. Luckily, there is not much technique in the construction, but certain parts of the sewing - like creating the collar or attaching the belt loops - was completely vague. I recommend keeping the instructions up online while you sew. The PDF that comes with the online pattern purchase is too small and awkward to be much help, but the online instructions include larger and more complete images.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I am in the process of sewing it again, for myself. As the sizing does not go quite big enough for my measurements I am going to grade the pattern up by adding a few inches to the side seams, and do a Full Bust Adjustment to add some inches across the chest.

I recommend this for beginners with some experience, or beginners sewing with someone with some experience.

Conclusion:
This is my first Burda Style pattern and I enjoyed sewing something with a little more pizazz than the big four pattern designs. I do not enjoy the printing, taping, and tracing required of Burda, but it is a necessary evil for this affordable and fashionable pattern line. The good news is that I have the fabric and the pattern ready to go to create my own version in a slightly larger size, so it will be interesting to repeat the project and see if I can't iron out any kinks.

* This is me modeling her robe before mailing it home to her in Colorado. I am significantly larger than she is, so the size 42 was not quite big enough to comfortably wrap. However, I plan to make this in the size 46, and add a few inches to the side seams and perhaps a small full bust adjustment. I think it does have very flexible sizing and I was surprised that I could fit into her smaller size at all.

Feeding a small army of beer drinkers.

2011-01-11T10:22:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! We rang in 2011 in the good company of 25 friends, mostly old friends from college, their significant others (now newer friends), and some brand new friends made during the weekend. It's all part of a tradition started years ago, post-graduation, to stage a friend reunion annually around the New Year's holiday. After college, friends spread out, so once a year we try to come together over New Years. In year's past we have collected in Chicago, in Austin, in Denver, and this year the group gathered in the Hill Country outside San Antonio.

It's amazing - absolutely astounding - how wonderful it feels to get together with long-time friends and feel like no time has passed. Conversation flows fluid and easy, dormant "inside" jokes are resurrected, and the weight of the adult world fades just a bit with the revitalized memory of those good old days. I saw friends that I haven't talked to in a year or more, and we could jump right into meaningful conversation, personal stories and thoughts, and the intimate little details of our current lives as though we had been a part of each daily routine during all the passed time. It makes for a really wonderful New Year's , at once very nostalgic and emotional, and simultaneously raucous and carefree.

I volunteered to handle the food. Folks paid me, and I in turn planned, shopped for, and prepared all meals and snacks. When I signed up for the gig, I thought "how hard could it be." As the date arrived and eater started praising me on my forthcoming bravery, I felt nervous. What had I gotten myself into? But the weekend arrived and with my talented husbands untiring support we prepared really nice meals for our small army of beer drinking buddies.

And better yet, we got through the weekend with only one out-of-control grease fire, which quite frankly is sort of an accomplishment given the amount of beer that was consumed and the overall revelrous nature of the group. I blame the fire on crazy old Paula Dean, who packs her recipe with about as much fat as will fit in a pan. For breakfast, I made a triple batch of her French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping, which is a really delicious meal for a crowd. And the triple batch calls for not two, not four, but SIX sticks of butter. It also calls for not two, not four, but SIX cups of half and half.

Well, I overfilled the pans, and as they baked, the butter liquefied, melding with the half and half, and then promptly boiled over onto the bottom of the oven. To alleviate the problem, we put some tinfoil down in the oven. Only we made a mistake, put the tinfoil on the heating element, and then allowed butter and half and half to pool in the foil. Folks, let's just say this combination starts a grease fire of paramount proportions. PARAMOUNT. Let me also tell you that cheap Hill Country rental properties apparently do not come equipped with smoke detectors OR fire extinguishers.

Good friends John and Ted acted as brave firemen, saving our breakfast from the depths of the smokey flames. Lucky, it was fully baked. We retired as a group outside into the sunshine and the chill to eat and allow the house to clear out from the black clouds of smoke, the product of flaming butter and Paula Dean's fatty ambitions. Breakfast was delicious, and 2011 started with a jolt of adrenaline, a sweet smothering of maple syrup, and the praise and admiration of well-fed good friends. All in all, a happy start.

* This is what a fridge looks like when filled with 40 hours of food to serve 25 friends.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup
Modified from a recipe courtesy Paula Dean.

This is no slouch of an indulgent recipe. Paula Dean's recipe calls for half and half and whole milk, plus nearly a carton of eggs and an excess of butter. Don't get me wrong, it's delicious, but we found we could swap out some of the fattening elements for less fattening alternatives with favorable results. Additionally, she called for the bread to be layered in full slices more like traditional french toast, and we found big cubes 1 1/2" square worked just as well and seemed to fit more substance into the pan. Finally, we nearly quadrupled the amount of spices she suggests in both the casserole and the topping. All of our changes are noted in the below recipe.

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
1 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
1 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
heavy Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Directions:
Slice French bread into large (approx. 1 1/2) cubes (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange bread cubes snugly but not packed in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish, leaving some room between pieces for liquid. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Cheers! Happy New Years!

Sam, Faith, Anne, and Lucy on a boat.

Only the finest Busch when we play drinking trivia games.

Jules and sparkler.

Co-organizers Kipp and Lucy.

From top to bottom: Leila's Butt, Ted, Lucy, and Kate

Frank and Katie sleep.

Bags, the best lawn game on classy AstroTurf or otherwise.

Kate and Sam's gifts, personalized cookbooks.

2010-12-28T14:47:00.003-06:00

Inscribed: "Kate and Sam, Don't let an old oven hold you back! - C. Kimball"

Inscribed: "To Kate and Sam - "Sincerely Yours"! - Howard McGee"

We matched, and I love birds.

Colorado small batch whiskey, for a manly man.

Merry Christmas!

Claire's gift, a chubby unicorn eating a rainbow.

2010-12-26T14:20:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T22:19:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Christmas Eve ambiance.

2010-12-24T23:20:00.008-06:00

Our stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

Crepe Sewalong: Muslin II

2010-12-19T18:22:00.013-06:00

Behold, Muslin II. I'm making progress. This should look familiar, but better. I have made many adjustments, and the bodice fits better then it started. Alas, I am not there yet. Read on for details about what I have done and what I have yet to do.

Bodice Front, altered original

Bodice Front, comparison

* original pattern is in red, the new pattern with alterations is in blue

Front Changes:
1 inch Full Bust Adjustment
lowered bust dart 1 inch
1 inch "sway chest" tuck to shorten front chest length
lowered neckline 1 1/2 inches
decreased armhole depth by 5/8 inches
lowered front dart 2 inches
shifted front dart toward side seam by 1 1/2 inches
added 2 inches length to center front, tapered to original side seam

Bodice Back, altered original

Bodice Back, comparison

* original pattern is in red, the new pattern with alterations is in blue

Back Changes:
eliminated waist dart
3 inch tuck removed at shoulder, tapered to nothing at side seam
1 inch swayback tuck (proved to be an erroneous alteration, see below for details)

After about five hours of work today, muslin II is sewn and ready for analysis. It's not perfect, but I think there has been progress. It does needed tweaked again. I am hopeful I only need one more muslin to perfect this. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Muslin II Bodice Back:

The back now lays nice and smoothly across my shoulders. The giant 3 inch tuck really eliminated the gaping shoulder issue. I also eliminated the back darts since I have a thick, straight midsection (no reason to nip gently in at the waist for me!). Both alterations worked well.

In Muslin I there was still some gaping and falling at the shoulders that I corrected by tucking the front bodice shorter in the chest. I am not entirely sure I have the alteration perfect, but I can positively say that the shoulders are a snug fit now. Everything stayed in place as it should.

I am concerned about that pull line at the shoulder, wrinkling from the armpit to the "bra strap area." Not sure where is too tight to cause that pull... I am wondering if perhaps the arm hole itself is a bit too small and I need to drop the side seem a tiny bit for ease...

Also, I made a swayback adjustment in this version that I need to correct. It turns out I should not have taken that tuck. I need that 1 inch back in order to allow the lower waist seem to run parallel to my waist. Even still, there is a bit of excess fabric under the shoulder blade. I wonder if I should put a new, smaller, angled waist dart in to control that poofing, but I might just wait and see if waist ties help the fit, rather than fiddle too much.

Muslin II Bodice Side:

The front armhole exhibits MUCH improved coverage since I made it shallower by 5/8 inch. You can really see the improvement on the first image of this post compared with Muslin I images. My bust dart is still too high, despite being lowered by an inch already. Also, the bodice is slightly blouse-y under the bust, I will try a curved dart to nip this area in a bit per Gertie's instructions. Plus, I know that in the final dress a sash will cover some of this area too. All in all, the side looks good.

Muslin II Bodice Front

* font darts pinned into a curved dart, which gives a more fitted (and I think flattering) fit.

I am really optimistic about this front fit. It looks better than most bodice fronts I work with. That said, the bust darts are still too high. I need to lower another inch or so. The waist darts look really good. I think they are in the right place under my bust. They could stand to be lowered another 1/2 inch, and made to curve for a snugger under bust fit, as seen in the second picture.

The shoulder and front chest are really looking pretty solid. There is a tiny bit of excess in my armpits, but if I tuck it out then it becomes hard to move my arms up, so perhaps this is the price for ease of wear?

There are diagonal drag lines between my left side dart and my right bust apex. My right bust is a bit fuller, and I think it is pulling the fabric. Not sure how to fix this, except I might sew my right bust dart a tiny bit shallower for more ease. The drag lines are eliminated when I curve the waist darts, so perhaps a combo of lowering and curing these darts will fix the pulling.

Areas of concern for version III include:

Back Shoulder: The inside shoulder, near my neck. It seems to be pulling. I usually need a high round back, but assumed I would not on this wrap back style. Could I need a little bit of a high round on the upper shoulder to release this pulling? Then again, is adding a high round back sort of like putting back some of that big tuck I took out at the shoulder... I do not want to undo progress.

Back Sleeve: The sleeve, as it seems to be pulling, especially on the lower armpit area. The interesting thing is that it does not bind or constrict at all as I wear it. It doesn't feel too tight, only looks it. I wonder if slightly lowering the side seam in the armpit by about 1/2 inches would ease some of the strain? I also wonder, alternatively, if redrafting a bit of the curve of the sleeve shape would help. It feels low, and when I look at the stitching line, it is odd because it kind of arches near the armpit, then dips lower around the outside arm. I think a gently, even curve might be more flattering. I will have to look at slightly redrafting the sleeve hem shape.

Front darts: They both need lowered, and the waist darts need curved for under bust definition.

Front neckline: I may or may not deepen this a little bit. Any

What issues do you see? Suggestions welcome and encouraged.

The Swayback Mistake, documented:

I did take a swayback adjustment between Muslin I and Muslin II, which proved an error. I thought I would document the alteration and the result for educational purposes.

Muslin I, no swayback tuck, yet:

Looking at the fit, I thought I saw excess fabric "puddling" around my back curve. I had already tucked out a big chunk in a tuck from the shoulder, and I thought these wrinkles indicated that a swayback tuck would also be in order.

Muslin I, tucked for a swayback

To test, I pinned out a swayback tuck in Muslin I to see how it affected fit. With the 1 inch swayback tuck, the wrinkles were gone and things looked in order. Looking back, I can now see a drag line of strain along the top edge of the bodice back, along the seam line, that I think indicates the swayback is pulling too much. But at the time I thought a new muslin would magically correct some of the wrinkles, since the pins would be gone.

Muslin II, pinned with swayback adjustment

This is Muslin II, which was cut with the swayback adjustment. As you can see, if I pin the back with the waist seams parallel, I end up with a wacky poof of excess of fabric in the lower back. The only way to eliminate this excess was to angle the back at an angle, leaving an angled "wedge" of not-overlapping fabric at the waist seam (see below). This wedge looks strangely familiar to the sway back tuck I took out of the pattern, leading me to think it needs added back.

Muslin II, pinned as though no swayback adjustment made

As you can see, if I allow the back pieces to overlap at an angle, I pull out some of that weird poofing. This makes me think the swayback was unnecessary. Only a Muslin II will tell.

Crepe Sewalong: Muslin I

2010-12-16T17:58:00.001-06:00

Crepe Dress Muslin I complete and ready for critique. It's not perfect, it's not abysmal, and my general consensus is that just like Palmber/Pletsch suggests, it is important to fit the back first. Notes on each area below. Comments welcome and encouraged.

Note: I made one change to the pattern before the fabric muslin by completing a 1 inch Full Bust Adjustment, which also meant redrafting the waist darts. I retained the waist dart's original size, which also gave me a 1 inch wide waist adjustment, adding some width around my middle.

Original Muslin I - No Changes (yet): A glaring issue with the back surfaced right away, so rather than critique the fit before my first round of necessary alterations to the back, I waited to critique the front, side, and back fit until after fixing the glaring issue. Read on for the "post-tuck" summary for further fit analysis.

Fabric Muslin Front - no changes (yet)

Notice how the shoulders are falling out and away (exposing my bra!), and leaving the neckline too wide? This is because the back is too big. See below for images of the too big back, the tucks, and the front neckline after the back excess is tucked out. Things improve. Remember, fit the back and you often also succeed in fitting the front!

Fabric Muslin Side - no changes (yet)

Fabric Muslin Back - no changes (yet)

The back obviously needs some work, so I choose to adjust the excess at the shoulder blades before worrying about the front fit. After all, fixing the back will change the shoulder fit, which will ultimately change the chest and front fit. Remember, fix the back first, make a new muslin, and then once the back is well fit, look to changes in the front.

Post-back tucks:

Back with Tucks (two different types of tucks)

I took two tuck styles. The diagonal tuck I describe below is on your left (my left too, since this is the back). The horizontal tuck I describe below is on your right (my right too!). My husband helped me pin out the excess on the back, and his instinct was to tuck out excess in a diagonal, as on the left. My instinct was to take a horizontal tuck out of the shoulder blade, as on the right. Both tucks are drafted to taper to nothing in the sleeve/arm area, much like a swayback adjustment. So, which type of tuck is better?

I should also note that the waist darts in the back are oddly placed on me. They are waaaaay too far toward the side seem. I should either eliminate them (the choice I am leaning towards), or move them under my shoulder blade, about 3 inches closer to center.

I also need a bit more length on the wrap, so I may just add about 2 inches to the edge where the wraps attache and true up the back angle. I will wait to release the darts and see what I need in added length.

Diagonal Tuck

This diagonal tuck actually retained the seam line of the back (it looks off, because the upper seam allowance above the tuck is folded in, while below the tuck the seam allowance is out. In reality, the stitching line matches perfectly.). I am not sure yet how this shape/angle of tuck affects the grain line of the pattern layout. However, it seems to be superior in wrangling in fabric around the armpit area.

Horizontal Tuck

The horizontal tuck is closer to a Palmer/Pletsch alteration style, and I think that might be because this type of tuck retains the grain line of the fabric better. However, the horizontal tuck does seem to leave odd bunching and excess both above the tuck near the armpit, and below the tuck along the back. I see a swayback adjustment in the future. My instinct in leaning toward the diagonal tuck on the other shoulder. What do you think?

Front with Tucks

This is a font image with the back excesses tucked out. (Also remember, the is the fabric muslin includes a 1 inch Full Bust adjustment). The front fit through the shoulders and chest was instantaneously corrected by decreasing the size of the back with the tucks. Both sets of darts are still to high, although the Full Bust Adjustment did lower the dart by about an inch and a half, making it much closer to my apex than before (you can see this clearly in the side views, below). The bust dart still needs lowered by about 1/2 inch. The waist darts are both too far center, and too long. There is a little bit of pulling in the center between the two darts and towards my fuller right side. I may need to let out the waist dart slightly to accommodate this.

Side with Tucks

You can see how the bust dart is slightly higher than my apex here. It should be an easy fix. The front of the bodice is shorter than the back. I believe I need to add some length to the center front, tapering to nothing at the side seem. this is surely because I have a full waist, hence more fabric is needed to cover it. Easy fix. I am also a bit concerned about the armpit area, as it seems to pull and gape forward a bit. I expect redrafting that armpit curve by making it more shallow will work wonders.

Any other thoughts? Please share.

Crepe Sewalong: Tissue Fit I

2010-12-15T00:01:00.002-06:00

The Crepe Dress is progressing nicely. I have completed the first dreadful part, tracing and marking the pattern. Things always get better after this first step. Next, the tissue fit. You can see my progress here.

I am pretty impressed with the fit in the front. That dart is too high, but I am going to wait until after my Full Bust Adjustment to worry about it, as the FBA drops the dart position. I know I will need to bring that waist dart down a bit too, it is nearly overlapping my apex. However, I noticed I have other shirts in my closet with a high side bust dart, and part of me wonders if the drafting purposefully placed the darts this high, to somehow wrangle in the fabric and fit in the armpit/cap sleeve area. I hope watching other people's fitting and alterations in the Flickr group will help me figure this out.

As you can see, the center front does not totally reach my center front, but it is not abysmally far off ether. I am doing a small 1" Full Bust Adjustment, which is refreshing for me. I usually have to do more than 2 inches, sometimes up to four inches. This smaller bust adjustment means less weird contortions to the rest of the pattern, which should simplify fit later. Keep your fingers crossed on my behalf.

Thankfully, the center front looks pretty even all the way along my center front, which means I may not have too much of a wide waist issue to tweak. Again, I'll see after the full bust adjustment. The shoulder seems fine, the neckline width looks pretty good. I hesitate to be so optimistic, but this might be an easy fit!

Even the side seam is in the right position! It's not torquing too much toward the center front at the waist. Again, great sign.

The back looks pretty good. No high round back, since the deep V in the back wrap avoids my upper back. The only off putting thing is that the back dart is way over in my armpit. I am not sure that is the correct position. I may need to move it under my shoulder blade, or eliminate it all together to add a bit more length across the waist. The tissue is also gaping a bit in the shoulder blade area. I might just tuck that out of the pattern like one would for a sway back adjustment.

Next up, the fabric muslin fit. Onward and forward we go!

Crepe Sewalong: Fabric

2010-12-13T23:20:00.000-06:00

Look! It's yards and yards of quality cotton lawn, ready for my Crepe dress. It took two of us to fold this up the other day, and the entire length of our living space, into the dining room. I picked up about five yards of this pretty stuff at my favorite Boulder fabric shop, Elfriede's Fine Fabric, early this summer. It was originally designed for another project, vintage Mail Order 4875. However, if you remember, that project stalled badly when my expert tissue fit result in a WAY TOO BIG muslin. That dress went on a long-term hiatus, but the Crepe is similar and I think the fabric suits it, maybe event better, thanks to the full skirt, sash, and of course the sweetheart neckline.

Anyway, I think it will be perfect for the Crepe dress. the shell fabric is an all cotton lawn. The lining is a lightweight silk/cotton blend lining. I have black lightweight Palmer Pletsch interfacing that I will be using for the first time and is reported fabulous. And I plan to pick up a bit of silk organza to stay the neckline and armholes per the sewalong agenda. The colors are sophisticated but the floral is feminine and soft. The fabric is light and soft with a gentle drape, but such a high quality that it is sturdy and opaque. But I plan to fully underline it anyway, as Elfriede would say "for modesty."

This will be a lovely spring/summer frock. I have a good feeling about this dress.

* Yes, that's a lemon. For perspective.

Colette's Crepe Dress Sewalong

2010-12-12T11:39:00.005-06:00

I have ADHD of sewing (maybe more than sewing). I move from one project to another, rarely completing one. Thus, the Sencha blouse is on hold for a new project... the Crepe dress sew along. Yeah!

I am really optimistic about this dress. It wraps instead of button or zipper closures, which is brilliant for ease of fitting and simplicity of sewing. It has cute cap sleeves, that are not sewn in. The shape is flattering for all, and I even have the pattern and fabric already. Woohoo. See the examples from the Colette website for an idea of the project. I am already working on it!

Sewing optimism springs ever eternal.

Oh, the horrors of sewing with velvet.

2010-12-09T13:23:00.000-06:00

It's nearly Christmas. Even though I do not live a very glamorous life, and even though I do not have any swank parties on the calendar (yet?!), I still fill with a desire to put together my "going out" Christmas outfit each year in December. I envision myself draped in luxurious, supple fabrics like velvet, adorned with a little bit of sparkle. I can see myself at the fancy holiday parties of my dreams, sipping gingerbread-flavored cocktails while listening to ever-classy jazz versions of holiday tunes. I will eat tiny canapes of caviar, effortlessly avoiding any spills or dribbles on my holiday best. Surely there will be a small gift exchange and I will walk out with a trinket from a boutique, or a rare vintage treasure. And of course, part way through the evening, my debonair husband (dressed to the nines in his three piece gray suit) will tease me under the mistletoe for a Christmas kiss that simultaneously makes onlookers blush a bit and "oooohhhh" approvingly at our adorable relationship. And naturally my Christmas sparkle will garnish the whole event.

The tree will be no match for my sparkle! That is my fantasy anyways.

So this year, I took a step to indulge the fantasy. I might not have a velvet party dress (yet). I might not have a blouse hand-beaded in Paris (yet). And I might not have any invitation to caviar-infused holiday events (yet). But perhaps I could have an ornate and luxurious headband as a start? A headband seemed like a good starting point. After all, I have problem hair, and since it often won't cooperate in looking glam-worthy, I figured perhaps I could cover it up with something both large and pretty. Thus, the giant, sparkling headband vision hatched.

I obtained the necessary sparkle via Etsy, and it exceeds expectations. I have the above gold star, a mere 4.5 inches in diameter. I also purchased the above silver star, a whopping 6 inches in diameter. It is my favorite. My plan was to cover a simple dime store headband in a nicer fabric, tack on the sparkle, and viola, head out into the holiday bustle to impress with my bling.

So I tried to sew an itty-bitty little rectangle of velvet fabric together, just enough to turn right side out and slip over a plastic headband, and the experience left me moaning "Oh the humanity!" That velvet slipped and slid. It creeped. It puckered. It went instantaneously wonky and unmanageable, after about an inch of sewing. Eventually, that darn velvet led me to throw the fabric to the floor in a mini-tantrum (note to self: fabric is not an effective material to throw during a tantrum, especially velvet. It just floated gracefully to the floor and laid there looking soft, as though it were mocking my frustration.)

So, my velvet fantasy are proving challenging. I am considering moving on to raw silk instead. It does not have the soft, supple look of velvet, but it still looks dressy and might be feasible to sew. Now I am just wondering if I need to interface a silk to give it enough body to hold up the applique. Oh, and did I mention I also have plans for a post-Christmas, vintage hat inspired headband, using the below millinery flower...? That baby is at least 6 inches across and several inches high, meant to be a statement piece. I can't wait.

A tiny part of me wants to keep the source of these lovely pieces a secret, for fear there are limited quantities of them in the world and somehow sharing the source will dry it up. But, tis the season for giving, so here you go. I found these and so many other LOVELY appliques and lace trims and millinery supplies at an online Etsy seller named MaryNotMartha. Here is a link to her store. Whatever you do, please don't buy her completely out of stock, save a little for me. But hey, if you DO buy something, mention I sent you there. Maybe she will reward me with a new applique and some tips about how to sew it to velvet.

Merry Blingin' Christmas to all, and to all a sparkly night!

Would you rather be a cinnamon roll or a doughnut?

2010-12-06T11:18:00.001-06:00

Yesterday my sister Ellen asked me "Would you rather be a cinnamon roll or a doughnut?"

What a good question! I said cinnamon roll, because I LOVE a good cinnamon roll. She said doughnut, and specifically she wants to be a Starbucks Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake Doughnut. I think it would be pretty sexy to be a chocolate cake doughnut. Those are some darn good doughnuts.

When I used to work at Starbucks years ago, it was the time when the Top Pot Doughnuts were just being rolled out in the stores. I admit, I ate more doughnuts than I should have during that time. Access breeds excess, I like to think. At the end of the night, we would package up the leftover pastries for donation. However, sometimes the Top Pot Doughnuts would happen to "break" and need eaten, so we would eat only the best parts off the doughnuts... the crunchy outsides, the prime frosted bits, or maybe just the inside ring around the doughnut hole. It was delicious. They are still my favorite treat at Starbucks.

When we went to New Jersey this November, Sam and I had to wait an hour for the train. So we got some donuts from the Dunkin' Donuts and had a picnic in the fall sunshine on the train platform. Sam LOVES the blueberry cake donut. We also tried pumpkin, gingerbread, and chocolate. The gingerbread and the chocolate were my favorites.

So which would you rather be, a cinnamon roll or a doughnut. No carrot sticks allow!

I'm stuffed with stuffing.

2010-12-03T12:02:00.000-06:00

Actually, I WAS stuffed with stuffing. I wish I was still stuffed with stuffing. The stuff(ing) is good. I ate the last of the stuffing for breakfast on Monday. If you think about it, Thanksgiving stuffing is actually a perfect breakfast. It has sausage, egg, and bread - three things you would normally find on a hearty breakfast plate. I also put gravy on it, which down in Texas can be considered a breakfast food.

Those folks at America's Test Kitchen know how to make food tastes it's best, and they are not afraid to use slightly unconventional tactics to make it happen. Take this stuffing for example. To impart maximum turkey flavor (without inflicting food poisoning from stuffing an actual fowl), they acted on the concept of baking the stuffing with turkey wings sitting up top. The drippings filter into the stuffing as it bakes, and the essence of gobble is infused into the dressing. It sort of seems like braising stuffing. Even if that statement is giving the technique a bit more credit than it is due, at the very least, the chef feels like a hard core Thanksgiving aficionado during the baking process.

Turkey wings are inexpensive, and I promise you that at minimum it require little effort, and at best you will have stuffing that tastes DELICIOUS. And like I said, nothing makes you feel more like a die hard stuffing chef than taking extra steps to impart maximum turkey flavor. Also, nothing makes a more satisfying breakfast (except may a breakfast taco).

Bread Stuffing with Sausage, Dried Cherries, and Pecans
From Cooks Illustrated, November 2010

Two pounds of chicken wings can be substituted for the turkey wings. If using chicken wings, separate them into 2 sections (it’s not necessary to separate the tips) and poke each segment 4 or 5 times. Also, increase the amount of broth to 3 cups, reduce the amount of butter to 2 tablespoons, and cook the stuffing for only 60 minutes (the wings should register over 175 degrees at the end of cooking). Use the meat from the cooked wings to make salad or soup.

Ingredients
2 pounds hearty white sandwich bread (20 to 22 slices), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 16 cups)
3 pounds turkey wings , divided at joints (see photo) (see note)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , plus extra for baking dish
1 large onion , chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 celery ribs , chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons table salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 large eggs
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup pecan halves , toasted and chopped fine

Instructions
1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 250 degrees. Spread bread cubes in even layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until edges have dried but centers are slightly moist (cubes should yield to pressure), 45 to 60 minutes, stirring several times during baking. (Bread can be toasted up to 1 day in advance.) Transfer to large bowl and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.

2. Use tip of paring knife to poke 10 to 15 holes in each wing segment. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add wings in single layer and cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip wings and continue to cook until golden brown on second side, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer wings to medium bowl and set aside.

3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add sausage; cook, breaking sausage into ½-inch pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate, leaving rendered fat in skillet.

4. Heat butter with rendered fat in skillet over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Add thyme, sage, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup broth and bring to simmer, using wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Add vegetable mixture to bowl with dried bread and toss to combine.

5. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish with butter. In medium bowl, whisk eggs, remaining 1½ cups broth, remaining 1½ teaspoons salt, and any accumulated juices from wings until combined. Add egg/broth mixture, cherries, pecans, and sausage to bread mixture and gently toss to combine; transfer to greased baking dish. Arrange wings on top of stuffing, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and place baking dish on rimmed baking sheet.

6. Bake on lower-middle rack until thickest part of wings registers 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 60 to 75 minutes. Remove foil and transfer wings to dinner plate to reserve for another use. Using fork, gently fluff stuffing. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Sencha Blouse: Muslin #1 tweaks

2010-12-01T11:06:00.006-06:00

Since I last photographed my progress on the Sencha Blouse Muslin #1, I added the neck facings with a 1.5 inch seem, which pleasantly opened up the neckline a bit. This was an improvement. I also tucked down the sleeve self-facings, and was remarkably impressed by the drafting of the pattern. Everything folded into a beautiful little cap sleeves, and it was so easy!

However, the bodice felt long in the back (You can see a photo of the Muslin #1 back, front and sides here, with a highlight of the puddling along the lower shoulder blade area). It was like I needed a mid-back "swayback" adjustment, or perhaps to shorten the bodice length all together.

Also, the front just felt too big (see photo here). This was in part because the front tucks needed deepened and moved. It was also because there continued to be excess fabric up above my bust, in my upper bust "hollow". I had already taken one substantial tuck out of this area to remove excess fabric, in what I call my "sway chest" adjustment, but perhaps it needs more?

So I redrafted the front tucks, making them MUCH deeper (each one is about 2 inches deep now) and moving them closer to center front. I also adjusted their angle and shape. The original tucks were deeper at the waist and then narrowed to add room for the hips. I am thick the whole way down, so my tucks are nearly even columns now. I also took the whole bit up at the shoulders by about 3/4 an inch in the front and back.

The front with re-drafted tucks and shoulders taken up. Now it is a bit too tight.
Also, it's pulling to the right, enhancing an unfortunate lopsided effect. Doh.

The back with the shoulders take up. The take up seemed to correct the excess material in the back, however a high swayback adjustment would probably achieve the same results without constricting the armholes.

Unfortunately, the whole blouse is now a wee bit tight, both across the chest and under the arms. You can see the strain across bust, especially where the front is torching toward my slightly bustier side (gah! asymmetry!). So I need to do one of a few things. Either 1) let the shoulders back out, and consider taking a tuck above the bust and in the mid back to correct the excess, or 2) leave the shoulders as is, but lower the armhole by 3/4 inch and lower the bust darts too, as needed. I think I might start by letting the shoulder back out. Even with the shoulder back down, the tucks still may need shifted down to give some breathing and blousing room to the bust.

Here is a big question though. I am starting to doubt my choice to eliminate the side dart created in the full bust adjustment (if you remember, I moved the dart into the waist tucks). Perhaps I would have been better served to leave at least some side dart, for better bust fit. Then again, it will be an ordeal to start from scratch. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

I do remain pleased that the side seems appear to be falling as they should.
So often I see a curve in the seem line in the shape of a sideways "m" where the seems is pulling first across my bust, then straightening, then pulling forward again around my midsection. This seem seems to fall almost perfectly down.

The three "B's" of Chili.

2010-11-23T15:21:00.001-06:00

The best thing about this chili is all the "B's" involved: beer, bacon, and brisket. And of course, then there is the butternut squash. Technically this is the fourth "B" of the recipe, but I leave it out of the bragging title, because for some reason thinking about squash in chili turns people off. While bacon, beer, and brisket perk the salvation glands, the thought of squash can dry them right back up. So I leave it out of the title, even though the squash is the shining star of this pot. It totally and completely takes the chili from good to AMAZING.

When you scan the ingredients list, your first thought might be that this chili is destine to be scaldingly spicy. After all, it has anchos, chili power, and chopped green chilis to give it heat. But the interesting thing is that the final product actually tastes more sweet and earthy, thanks to the addition of the squash. Plus, in a no-bean chili, the squash adds a hearty dose of bulk and fiber to keep things healthy and filling. And the flavors meld so nicely, making this a very comforting fall and winter dish.

The first time we made this, we started it after dinner. It was for an event the next day, and we did not realize we were in for four hours of braising. Needless to say, that night we had to set the alarm into the wee hours of the morning several times in order to add ingredients, stir, and finally remove from heat, all in our jammies with bleary eyes.

This time, we budgeted our time accordingly. We made the chili for a Fake Surprise Party, also known as Lauren's Surprise Party #1. We needed something to eat as we pretended to be at her real party. To prepare, Sam and I spent all day in various states of chili making, and I do hope the final project met her fake party expectations. It must have been alright, because her husband John ate my portion's leftovers straight from my bowl (he did use his own spoon).

I highly encourage adding this to the fall repertoire, especially if you live in a climate even slightly reminiscent of autumn. It would go so well with a crisp afternoon, golden leaves on the trees, and perhaps some college football on the tube. Eat up, there might be a game of tag football in the leaves afterwords (or perhaps a real Surprise Party #2, depending on if you are Lauren or not).

Texas Beef Brisket Chili
Bon Appétit* by Bruce Aidells* October 2008

A cold-weather favorite, this all-beef, no-bean chili gets added appeal from a seasonal ingredient: butternut squash. For best results, make the chili at least one day ahead so that the flavors have time to meld.

Ingredients
Chili:
* 6 large dried ancho chiles*
* 6 ounces bacon, diced
* 1 1/4 pounds onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
* 1 5-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, cut into 2 1/2- to 3-inch cubes
* Coarse kosher salt
* 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
* 1 1/2 10-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 3/4 cups)
* 1 12-ounce bottle Mexican beer
* 1 7-ounce can diced roasted green chiles
* 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
* 4 cups 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks seeded peeled butternut squash (from 3 1/2-pound squash)

Garnishes:
* Fresh cilantro leaves
* Chopped red onion
* Diced avocado
* Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* Warm corn and/or flour tortillas

Directions
Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large oven-proof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.

Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.

Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Garnishes: Set out garnishes in separate dishes. Rewarm chili over low heat. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

*Available at many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

Surprise! Happy Birthday Lauren.

2010-11-22T15:53:00.002-06:00

Surprise Party #1

SURPRISE! Happy Birthday Lauren. Today is your real birthday, but this weekend, it was your birthday x2. That is because this weekend we celebrated your birthday twice, with two surprise parties. Haha, I hope at least one was a big surprise.

It all started with Lauren's husband John. He wanted to do something nice for Lauren, to commemorate her 28th birthday. So he asked for his friends' assistance throwing a surprise party. We all agreed to brunch on Sunday, the day before her birthday. It would be a wonderful surprise. Plus, we know this great little place downtown doing $1 mimosas for brunch (in case you are wondering, that place is Insignia, and it's good). A nice morning buzz is always a crowd pleaser. So John sent out an Evite and plans were made.

Then came a hitch. Lauren's brother called. He had good news. He said he was getting married! But it was also bad news, because the impromptu wedding was the same weekend as the surprise party, and in Dallas. Of course Lauren wanted to go to Dallas for the weekend. But what about the surprise party?!? John had to think quick to save the plans and make it to Dallas for the wedding, so he told Lauren we were having a party for surprise party for her... on Saturday night.

Wait. What? A surprise part on Saturday night?

Yes. A surprise party on Saturday night. To maintain his original ruse, John arrange a second surprise party to foil the REAL surprise party on Sunday. Except of course Lauren knew about the Saturday surprise party. But she didn't know we knew she knew, even though we all knew she knew, because it was a fake surprise party that we planned only after she knew. So to keep things as they were supposed to be, we all continued to pretend Saturday's party was a surprise, event though everyone involved was faking.

Sound confusing? It was! And it was very silly and funny, except we couldn't laugh about it until Sunday morning after the second surprise. Basically it was like those of us on the inside were double agents, working one surprise party against the other. And yes, while it was confusing and didn't make sense to all of us, it made sense to John. So we obliged. After all, we do like Lauren, and John, and parties. So it wasn't a big loss to throw two parties. Plus, she flew to and from the wedding on Saturday, so it was the best of all worlds.

The good news is that two parties in honor of Lauren's birthday meant many good things. First, it mean three carafes full of mimosas on Sunday morning, followed by a two hour midday nap. Second, it meant Virginia Green's Chocolate Cake from the Liberty Bar on Saturday night. Third, it meant making the Three B's Chili for a crowd at my place, as part of Fake Surprise Party, otherwise know as Surprise Party #1. I will post the recipe for the chili tomorrow, because it is so good it deserves it's own post aside from a birthday shout out.

So, in summary, Happy Birthday Lauren! Watch out, we just may be showing up on your lawn tonight to yell surprise again, when you AND John least expect it. Or maybe we won't. You just never know, do you?

Surprise Party #2

Lamb ragu, and an almond tart for YOU!

2010-11-11T14:52:00.001-06:00

Enough sewing already. Sometimes a girl's gotta eat. And sometimes when she eat,s she cooks a three-course meal for her friends from her new Mario Batali cookbook. And if she and the rest of the eaters are lucky, they end their eating with a big piece of dessert. This dessert is a Crostata alle Mandorle, also known as an almond tart. It combines almond, apricot jam and chocolate, and that is why it is good.

I asked my friend Lauren as we ate the tart if she thought it might count as healthy, since it is packed full of almonds, and (raw) almonds are one of those high fiber, high protein super foods. She responded "No, and you wanna know how I know that?...Because this tastes GOOD." She is right. Things that tastes good like this tart are probably never as healthy as your mid-morning snack of 6 raw almonds. That would just be too good to be true.

It was fun to make, because 1) I got to knead the tart dough, which is such a luxury. I am used to dough that should be touched as little as possible to prevent toughness, which always gives me anxiety (Think "Ahhhh! did I overwork the dough, have I ruined the dessert?!? Gahhh!!!). And 2) because I got to beat egg whites with sugar until glossy stiff peaks. It was beautiful, a wonderful texture, and tasted good. I don't get to beat egg whites often.

The recipe involves using both a food processor AND the stand mixer, so it is a bit heavy on counter space and dishes, but other than that I found it very simple. I sliced it very warm, and it did not hold together as firmly as I imagine a tart should, but after cooling it seemed to have a more solid body. The jam is a bit acidic, which balances some of the sweet, and little bits of chocolate throughout add a nice, satisfying cocoa fix that we all look for in a desert, without being too rich. I fully expect to add this to the dessert files to be made again, preferably after a hearty lamb ragu.

Almond Tart: Crostata alle Mandorle
from Mario Batali's

Ingredients
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground toasted almonds, plus 2 cups
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, plus 3 egg whites, plus 1 egg beaten
Salt
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and set aside.

Toss together the flour, 1/2 cup almonds, and sugar. Cut the butter into the dry mixture until it is the consistency of fine bread crumbs. Add 1 egg and a pinch of salt and mix well, kneading slightly. Form the pastry into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Line the tart pan with the dough, letting it hang over by 1-inch. Trim the edges, reserving the scraps and rolling them into a ball. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line the tart pan with waxed paper and load the inside with beans. Bake in the oven until the dough has firmed but is still pale about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Beat the egg whites until they are thick and glossy. Spread the apricot jam in an even layer inside the tart crust. Fold the remaining almonds and the chocolate into the whipped egg whites and spread this mixture over the apricot jam. Bake 30 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.

This is the ultimate juxtaposition. Four pounds of broccoli being washed for dinner, while I beat in a cup of sugar into egg whites. At least we ate a semi-balanced meal.

Sencha Blouse: Muslin #1

2010-11-08T23:31:00.001-06:00

Yeah. Moderate success. Hope springs eternal. I CAN and I WILL have a successful Sencha blouse fitted and sewn in fashion fabric one of these days soon. And once I get the pattern right, I plan to sew up about eight of these babies and wear them every day, for every occasion. I will be comfortable and look classy AND have a do-it-yourself practicality.

However, because I love to self-torture, and because I have some perfectionist instincts, I have circled and noted all areas for concern and further modification above. Individual photos with some notes are also below for your viewing pleasure. And if you scroll to the bottom, I have found many examples of successful Senchas to provide further inspiration.

I know that the fabric pattern makes it a bit harder to see the design lines, but I think I can see the drag lines and areas of concern just fine. Perhaps a floral wasn't the correct pattern to sew a muslin with, but who cares? The truth is that the fabric came from two thrifted pillowcases, and I like them. I wish the fit would have been perfect here so I could wear the darn thing. I am going to sew the full process despite the fit errors in hope.

Further alterations that may be in order include:

small 1/2 inch forward shoulder adjustment
1/2 tuck "sway chest/hollow chest" across front
1 inch sway back in upper back
move center darts closer to center by a few inches, further away from the outside dart
redraft darts, taking them in deeper near the hips to eliminate excess

Front:
A lower neckline will be more flattering for sure. And I think unpicking the darts and re-clipping will allow me the flexibility to take them in as much as they need, plus allow me to place them at the most flattering place.

Back:
Not too shabby. It might be pulling a tiny bit at the center back waist, and I do see some fabric puddling in the swayback area. I can fix those.

Right side:
I want to limit some of the excess swinging forward between the darts. It is very maternity-ish. And even though I have a round "maternity-ish" stomach shape, I do not feel the need to dress it as such.

Left side:
Side seem:
I am pleased it seems to be falling evenly along my true side center, see how it matches up with my pants seem? No crazy pulling to the back or front is a good thing.

There are a number of finished Sencha's haunting the blog world that I have been looking at for inspiration and fit guidance. I am especially looking for fuller busted gals as examples. If their Sencha's all wrinkle in the same place mine does, than it must be a normal wrinkle, right?

The origina l pattern images from Colette patterns
Quality Time's finished blouse
The Naked Seamstress - finished blouse and her FBA instructions
Backstitch Pattern Review (This gal seems to rock the darted neckline in busy polka dots look, including a full bust. I like it!)
Salty's finished blouse (From the few photos I have seen, she has some bust to contend with too...)
A deco version with finishing details from Pacific Rain (not a big bust, but a FABULOUS finishing treatment I would like to emulate once I get the fit right.)
Gertie made no less than two versions - one with green dots, and a polka dot with a peter pan collar (Even though she is not big busted, her still count for inspiration.)

Sencha Blouse: "Sway Chest" Adjustment question

2010-11-05T21:53:00.001-05:00

To fill in the space or not to fill in the space, that is the question... or rather... To trim off the excess wedge or not to trim off the excess wedge, maybe THAT is the question. Bad Shakespeare puns aside, I do question how to finish my "hollow chest" adjustment, or what I am thinking of as my "sway chest" adjustment. I haven't really found an answer online or in my books.

That there above is a two inch tuck taken along my upper bust line, exactly where my breast curve stops and my chest begins. This is where the tissue wanted to be folded, so this is where I folded it. It indeed took me a bit of pondering and staring to figure out to fold this at all. During my fitting, I originally thought the center waist was not big enough, because the center front seam was sweeping out toward my side. As I played with the tissue, I realized the center front was swinging out because the upper chest was too long. If I tucked out some inches from the upper chest, it pulled the center waist into the correct position. Viola. Solution found. Almost...

Now I just need to figure out how to finish off this adjustment to keep things on grain.

This is my first sway chest attempt, although I have high, high hopes for it. You see, I have come to realize that I am indeed short in the upper chest. Too often in ready to wear, especially in blazers and jackets, my shoulder and neckline try to "stand up" off of my shoulders when I sit or relax. Lapels are always gaping away from my upper chest. Even in my fitted t-shirts, I get wrinkles and "puddles" of fabric over my bust. It's because my clothing is too long up there!!! I never thought much of it, but now I am starting to understand that I am wearing clothing that has been graded in length, not just width, to match my size. And I don't need extra length in my upper chest and shoulder area. I am short there.

Hence comes in the question. The "sway chest" tuck left an inverted curve in the center front chest area. So, do I fill it in? Or do I trim off the little wedge the is poking over the majority of the center front line. Both options are demonstrated below.

The "Trim off" Method:

See that extra wedge of pattern? I could trim that off to true the center front on a consistent grain line. But this will diminish the overall width at the center front a little bit.

The "Fill in" Method:
See that triangle gap in the pattern? I could fill that in to true the center front on a consistent grain line. This will add some width to the center front.

Being fairly new to sewing, I am a bit concerned what all these alterations are doing to the potential grain lines in my fabric. Heaven knows I don't want things stretching all wonky along the bias because I shifted the lines. But hey, trial and error is a great way to learn!

Sencha Blouse: Tissue Fitting #2

2010-11-04T19:02:00.001-05:00

Progress is happening, and it feels good. I really want to sew my Sencha muslin up this up this weekend (or sooner, if I work really, really quickly!). Any thoughts as I work through this fitting?

Front Alterations:

2 inch full bust adjustment
large side dart transferred to two waist darts/tucks
armhole lowered 5/8 inch
2 inch "hollow chest" tuck across high bust, tapering to nothing in armhole

Back Alterations:

5/8 inch high round back
1 inch wide waist
back tuck currently unpinned (I plan to add more width to this area, as I would like a back tuck)

Things are looking in the right direction. I need to make a few more adjustments and sew this puppy into fabric for another look at the fit. Good thing it looks so quick and easy to mock up.

p.s. Sometimes I really cannot believe I post these photos of myself on the Internet. Look at those droopy sweatpants, and that belly being pointed out ON PURPOSE! But then again, my sincere hope is that someday these will be documentation for another women with fit ills to see that yes, there are rotund people like her in the world, and yes, she too has the potential to fit and flatter her body. After all, there are many lovely bloggers out there currently offering me glimpses here and there of there own fit trial and error, even though I have yet to find my "doppelganger" sewist, I am hopeful. So please, judge not my appearance in these photos and instead look at them as instructional, education tools.

Sencha Blouse: Tissue Fitting #1

2010-11-03T23:32:00.002-05:00

The bad news. I am on a long term hiatus with the Lady Grey Coat. It's just too advance for my fit skills right now, and no sense wiling away precious sewing time, energy, and patience on a project I am not ready for. The good news. I am moving on to another Colette pattern, one that is more my skill level.

I look at the Colette Patterns website at least once a week. I have added every pattern that might feasibly fit and flatter to my Amazon wish list. And this summer, because I just happened to be near a local fabric shop in Austin that carries that pattern, I FINALLY made one of the patterns my own. I purchased the Sencha blouse (and would have also purchased the Ceylon dress too, but they don't carry it).

And to make the decision to tackle a new pattern even sweeter, my dear husband did something he HATES to do, and helped me with the first round of tissue fitting. I diligently traced the pattern knowing it will be decimated in the fitting process, and then taped and pined as designed. Here are the results. I am not surprised that the blouse is too small and will require both full bust and wide waist additions.

First step is a high round back, wide waist on the back, major full bust adjustment, and probably some wide waist adjustments involving transferring the FBA dart too. I also think I might need to lower that arm hole a bit, it feels snug. Wish me luck on this Colette vision. I have high hopes it will be a step in the right direction!

The perfect blue room.

2010-10-27T17:58:00.000-05:00

Our friend Reid lives in the cutest little house in Austin. It is THE BEST place to stay when we visit, for a few reasons. 1) Reid and his fiance Cameron are great hosts. They even put tiny shampoos and conditioners and toothpaste in the bathroom for their guests. 2) Reid's dog Lola is an English bulldog and perhaps one of the cutest, calmest, most lovely little dogs I have even been around. I would make the drive to Austin just to pet her. And 3) Reid's guest room is this tiny oasis that makes me want to move in, or put the room on a flatbed trailer to take back to San Antonio to be my master bedroom.

The walls are this deep, peacock blue. And Cameron has decorated the space absolutely perfectly, so that it reminds me of an Anthropologie catalog, only tempered appropriately for the real world (in the catalogs they are always doing crazy things, like putting the bed in the middle of a drained swimming pool at a mansion in the french alps, then lighting 10,000 candles on the floor... nobody could actually sleep like that!). The bed at Reid's place has a big, deep brown leather headboard. An antique dresses sits under a scalloped and etched wall mirror, with a vase of pink and yellow flowers and stacks of books adorning the top. The walls have two pieces of distinctive and one-of-a-kind art, including the above picture of a vase of blooming buds. When I wake up there in the morning and open my bleary eyes to the world, I feel so content to stretch out in the sheets and just enjoy the space for a few minutes before getting up. It is nice to be greeted by an aesthetic that makes opening my eyes first thing in the morning a treat.

And the bed is so very comfortable. But most of all, the little room is beautiful. Soothing. Rich. Vibrant. Calm. I hope someday to emulate its best feature in a room of my own, in a home of my own, to make a place for sweet dreams all my own.

Lady Grey Phase "Ghaaaaah": The fit problems.

2010-10-20T13:18:00.002-05:00

"Gaaaaaah!"

That is what I have been saying all week (alongside some light expletives and some self deprecating and unfair internal chastising). This tissue fitting is a wreck. A hot mess of a wreck, I tell you. The bust is now too big, the lapel gapes hugely from my shoulders, and the entire fit is wonky and messy. I am not sure where to go with this. Back to the beginning, I fear.

So, after round one of the pattern alterations, I had the back fit pretty good. It might need a bit more room added in the seams or with a broad back adjustment to allow ease of moment, but all in all it was and remains pretty decent.

The front, however, needed more full bust room. I originally gave it an inch and a half FBA on either side, but my knockers wanted more (they always want more, they are such demanding knockers!). So I diligently traced a new front side and front center, with the first round alterations intact. Then I performed a second full bust adjustment using the same method, adding another 1.5 inches to the full bust.

Then I put it on. It is crazy huge. "Gaaaaaah!"

(I was trying to make a concerned face for theatrical effect, and it turned out like this... ha!)

With a bit of frustrated assessment, I see that it's as though my pattern demands the width, but not the fullness or length, of a second FBA. This second adjustment pulled the princess seam to my center front, and that is good. It also gave me fullness for a whole other boob to sit on top of my already ample bosom, and that is bad. And it added inches of length above my bust, toward my shoulder. This is one of the biggest problems because now there is an extra six inches or so of length that the two adjustments added to the front center piece. It is unwieldy.

In looking at these adjustments, it is as though I am short chested... is there such a thing? In the same way that a short-waisted person must tuck out length in the torso, I feel I need to tuck out length along the high bust. Otherwise the shoulders want to press up off my upper shoulder and around my neck, and my upper chest fabric gapes and flops open. I repeat, "Gaaaaaah!"

Oh man, I am SO discouraged. Given my feeling of failure (and the fact that I am out of tracing paper to redraw and start from scratch until my order arrives) I am going to set this project aside for a bit. Just until my tracing paper arrives. In the meantime, I will try a simpler Colette pattern. I have the Sencha blouse and it looks easy enough.