Minimal Monday: The Meta Version

Photo: Deep Pinterest

Readers, I'm letting Minimal Monday go. I tried it for a quarter (12 weeks) and I don't feel my insights on this subject are profound or frequent enough to merit weekly posts.

What will take its place? Likely project photos, snapshots of my wild and wonderful adopted state, or the occasional quote. And I don't see my obsession with capsule wardrobes waning anytime soon.

Stay tuned!

Weekends Scrolls & Reads

Treat yourself this weekend, peeps.

Discovered paperbag waist, which provides pattern ideas to DIY independent designers. Mixed feelings. Better than buying the fast fashion knockoffs for sure, but still....mixed feelings.

Speaking of patterns, I'm obsessed with this blouse.

And just in from the Ministry of Drool-Worthy Designs Short-Waisted Busty People Should Probably Avoid...CFPD's Cocoon Jacket and the Flaum cardigan.

Marcia Derse. 

Buen Finde!

Alberta Street Skirt

Pockets!!!!

Every so often, I shed my post-apocalyptic-Junior-League togs for date night.

I made Sew House Seven's Alberta Street Pencil Skirt with dates in mind (my office doesn't allow denim). The directions are incredibly clear and thorough. Based on the finished garment measurements I sewed a size 12. The pattern envelope suggests picking the size based on your body measurements, and tells you not to worry about the negative ease because of stretch fabric's girdling properties. But I chickened out. (The fabric is a deep indigo denim from Robert Kaufman.)

Before installing the waist facing I tried it on and marked the areas to take in. It measured 1/4" on each side: the difference between a 10 and a 12. D'oh! So now I have a size 10 skirt with size 12 pockets. Barely noticeable, but still....maybe follow directions.

Minimal Monday: Repair or Re-purpose

These sandals are less than a year old and the heel straps have started to separate from the insole. They turned out to be delicate shoes and I do not lead a delicate life. I've passed my clodhopper shoe-size onto my teenager, who steps on my heels at least once a week. (But hey, at least she's willing to be seen with me in public.)

In the interest of due diligence I'm taking them to the shoe maker to see whether they can be repaired, even though the location of the tear suggest that I'll just have to wear them as long as I dare. When I can  no longer trust the straps to stay on, I might lop them off completely and turn them into Worishofer-esque slides like the ones my elderly neighbors wore while they hosed off their sidewalks.

But I don't think I'll replace them with a different pair of sandals. I recently read How I Somehow Started Saving Money When I Spent More on Clothes. I'd amend the title to read "when I bought fewer, higher quality clothes."

These sandals were ~$100 on sale (Amour des Pieds typically retail for ~$200 per pair.) The very gently-used Saks ballet flats that cost me $15 are on their fifth summer and I wear them several times a week, 5-6 months of the year. They'd retail for around $125 new.

I don't expect that this small decision not to replace my sandals will put me into a new spending bracket, but it will be interesting to see whether I feel the need for another pair of shoes when the time comes.

Weekend Scrolls & Reads...

....the super-short, like almost not there, version.

Advice for all who mother, courtesy of my mom.

Tamarack II

My local fabric store had a spring cleaning sale, so I bought a not-on-sale vintage kantha quilt to make a jacket. It has some permanent stains here and there but I'm okay with that.

I "fussy-cut" around this random patch.

 It consists of several layers of different fabrics sewn together with long running stitches. It was all I could do not to photograph all every single seam.

They'll remain unfinished because I love the layers and because I'm not trying to win any prizes at the state fair. I might or might not install hooks and eyes. Bias tape is Moda fabrics' Grunge in the Dauphine colorway.

This will be a warm weather commuting/errand-running jacket. It's colorful enough to take the edge off of New Mexico's beige and dusty spring but not so colorful that it makes me nervous.

Minimal Monday: MMMay18

I'm participating in Me Made May for the first time, and for the first time in a long time, I find myself wishing that I had more clothing. I mean, who doesn't want to sit at the cool lunch table? 

A friend who is a veteran participant (IRL, not online) emailed me and very nicely did not say "the world's smallest violin is playing for you." Instead she said, "The idea is to figure out new ways to wear that piece to make you love it even more." 

Wise words. 

Weekend Scrolls & Reads

Jeweled minaudiere by the late Judith Lieber.
Photo: Neiman Marcus

This week I learned that Judith Lieber, designer of sculptural evening bags, died within hours of her husband. They were both in their late 90s.

As a Person in  Mostly Neutrals, I enjoyed Jonathan Wolfe's article, Why Do New Yorkers Wear Black?

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, a day of observation that commemorates the Battle of Puebla. (Way to kick butt, underequipped farmers!!) Here in NM we use it as as excuse to drink margaritas or Mexican sangria. Here's how I make the latter:

1 bottle dry red wine
1/2 c triple sec
1/2 c brandy
1 orange, sliced
1 lime, sliced
lots of frozen cherries

Mix well and drink responsibly!

Buen Finde!

Presto-Chango!

No but seriously Muffy. 

Happy Me-Made May, peeps!

It's a dress! Or is it.....

Readers, it's actually a skirt and top combo! My recent Jalie 2806 paired with view E of Jalie 2681, the eight-gored skirt, in the same calligraphic print. (Or Cali-graphic. Nothing but straight fire on this blog.)

 I'd still like to add an actual dress to my wardrobe, though.

In other news, the teen wore a t-shirt that I made! On her body, in public:

When your kid has a nicer phone than you do, with a better camera.
I'll catch up next month.