Bend-the-Rules Sewing

Bend-the-Rules Sewing
Originally uploaded by susanstars

Bend-the-Rules Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew
by Amy Karol

As you might guess from the title, this is a sewing book with a decidedly relaxed attitude. Karol encourages readers to strike "a balance of following directions and doing your own thing," precisely the way I like to craft. Having a pattern or tutorial to start with makes things a lot easier, but I enjoy allowing myself the freedom to make changes along the way. This mindset is especially appropriate for sewing garments, as patterns are never the right size and shape out of the envelope (they'd have to make a katrillion versions of each one if they hoped to accomplish that). This book has some of the best basic sewing tips and hints of any I've seen. Karol is straight-forward and often uses her own experience to illustrate her points (eg: using a new needle, especially when working with particular fabrics, can make a huge difference in how well your machine sews). She also explains a lot of the jargon and phrases used in commercially produced patterns, something few contemporary sewing books seem to do. Karol also reiterates a really important but easy-to-forget point: it's actually a good thing that your handmade projects will not look machine-made. Take pride in the fact that you made it yourself!

Though this book mostly covers the basic stuff, I did learn something brand new: there are little tools that allow a person to make bias tape! I knew that one could theoretically make it, but I didn't know that these handy-dandy little devices existed. Now it seems perfectly possible that you could make professional-looking bias tape by hand.

There are a lot of terrific projects in this book. If we didn't already have a stock of cloth grocery bags, I'd probably make duplicates of the Simple Tote for that purpose. The Charming Handbag looks like a perfect current-project knitting bag (the Pleated Bag also looks good, especially this version by quiltingmick). I've been wanting to try quilting eventually but I've never run into a pattern that seemed first-time doable and that I liked stylistically. The Easy Lap Quilt seems to be the perfect answer! I don't know too many little ones (aside from those who I help at the 'brary, but I don't tend to give them gifts), but the Woodland Elf Hat is so mega cute!

I've been wishing to spend more time sewing lately, and this book just makes me want to hop to it immediately. I have a Halloween costume to make (just have to decide what to be - tomorrow is pattern-shopping day at Joann), so that should give me a good excuse to get down to Craftytown.

Angry Chicken - Amy Karol's crafty blog
Amy Karol dot com
Bend-the-Rules Sewing Flickr group

Paul

THe FUZZ
Originally uploaded by red_warrior

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have another project in the works! It's a road movie entitled Paul, which will follow the two British pals through the U.S. and will have a role-swap: as Pegg put it, “This time Simon’s the bitch!” Edgar Wright is not involved in this project, but I'm not going to hold that against it. There's not much about it out there yet - MTV Movies blog seems to have the only source info.

via Cinematical

Eco Creatures

IT'S A NINTENDO DS CAKE!
Originally uploaded by Rakka

Majesco has a new game coming out for the DS, entitled Eco Creatures: Save the Forest. The player will encourage forest creatures to help protect their beloved home and bring the environment back into balance in this real time strategy game due in 2008. It doesn't sound particularly awesome from the basic descriptions, but then neither do most Harvest Moon games, and I love those.

via Eco Geek

Goreyfest

Edward Gorey House
Originally uploaded by kirbyfest

I love autumn, when the leaves start to turn and the sound of practicing marching bands is carried on the newly crisp air. It's also when the Edward Gorey House holds its annual Goreyfest auction. My favorite item this year is the bat which was apparently handmade by Gorey himself. The items are all a bit pricey for my pocketbook, but it's fun to window shop.


via Pop Candy

bumble

bee on hyssop
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian

This guy was buzzing around the hyssop this evening when I got home from work.

giant scarlet runner beans

giant scarlet runner beans
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian

The scarlet runner beans I grew this year have really been successful. They're huge! The bean pods are about 8 inches on average. The plant has actually taken over the trellis and has somewhat limited the other beans from producing much. The scarlet blooms are really pretty, though. Click the photo to see more photos of these gigantor beans.

the Cybils are back!

The Cybils are back and they're looking for you! Specifically, they need volunteers to be panelists and to be judges. I was a panelist in the fiction picture book category last year and it was an awesome experience, one I'd highly recommend. To put your name in the hat for either panelist or judge, contact Kelly at kidslitinfo (at) gmail (dot) com.

Snow Important!

Sugar Plum Snowflake
Originally uploaded by CaptPiper

It's time to get the word out for Robert's Snow: for Cancer's Cure, the annual fundraising endeavor which will be taking place in November and December in the form of online auctions. Don't miss your chance to see (and bid on!) one-of-a-kind snowflakes created by a who's-who of illustration (there will be more added! this list is not final), including LibrariAnne faves Graeme Base, Denise Fleming, Kevin Hawkes, Barbara Lehman, Grace Lin, Sean Qualls, Adam Rex, Mo Willems, and about a katrillion others. The original works of art created for this effort are always stunning and droolworthy, so save this link to your del.icio.us account now.

via 7-Imp

maintain your green greenly

Lawn
Originally uploaded by kanonn

When I bought my first house, I realized quickly that I was going to have to buy a lawnmower, and I reluctantly (and, as a new mortgage-payer, thriftily) shelled out what seemed like an inordinate amount for the almost bottom-of-the-line gas mower at Home Depot. It worked, mostly, with a few small hitches that I was able to solve (the bag flap doesn't seal like it should, but wedge a piece of paperboard in there and the mowed bits no longer fly up into your face while you're mowing) with the tiniest bit of creativity. The bag fills way faster than it should and it's loud and it's bad for the environment in more ways than one. Lately, we saw a bit on I Want That about an electric mowbot that mows the lawn by itself, and damn does it look cool. There are several of these on the market, though as they're new they aren't widely available yet. They're also massively expensive (more than 10 times what I paid for the gas mower), but hopefully they'll act like most gadgets and have a rapid price decline as they gain popularity.

via Gadget Lab

up the library steps

Check out the brand-new They Might Be Giants video for Shadow Government (from The Else).

Paper Towns

Ooh! Ooh! John Green reads an excerpt from the current draft of his forthcoming novel, Paper Towns.

The Horn Book

hardy boys
Originally uploaded by nancy.drew

The new issue of The Horn Book arrived in my mailbox today and wow! is it
ever a good one! I'm a Horn Book fangirl as it is (I Read Roger
daily) but this is truly a humdinger, with a theme of Girls and
Boys. Roger Sutton interviews Jon Scieszka and takes A Second Look at
Annie on My Mind. A whole slew of really kickass authors have written
short pieces. John Green writes about Hating the Hardy Boys, M.T. Anderson
about Coloring Dinosaurs, David Levithan has the poem Anne Tyler Rules,
Pete Hautman writes about Poker as Metaphor, Cecil Castellucci on My
Brother's Bookshelf, and Brian Selznick on Dolls and Monsters. Don't miss this extraordinarily awesome (and that's saying something) issue of The Horn Book!

Amy Butler's In Stitches

In Stitches Potholder in action
Originally uploaded by SewPixie

Amy Butler's In Stitches: More than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects is a brand-new sewing book with ideas for all kinds of projects. One thing that sets this book apart is that the patterns and instructions included are not aimed at the haven't-sewn-before crowd. So many books sell themselves with the idea that they don't require any sewing knowledge and that anyone can just dive right in - these are fine and it's always nice to have that kind of instant gratification, but it's refreshing to have ideas that require just a little more time and effort for those who already know the basics. You can tell that these projects, though they might take a bit more forethought, will result in products that are equal to that forethought--the quality and planning shine through.

The style of the projects in this book is also very appealing. Butler seems to be inspired by the 1970s in her color and fabric pattern choices, and since I was a young child during that decade, the palette and designs remind me of my mom sewing when I was a kid. It's a cozy, good kind of reminder since Butler's use of these elements is very tasteful and contemporary (there is no overabundance of bally-wally trim, etc.). The instructions are thorough and the diagrams (LOVE the diagrams) are detailed and abundant. Diagrams are ever so helpful to visual people like myself!

I haven't made any of the projects in this book yet, nor have I used the patterns (the copy I'm looking at is a library copy - if I want to use the patterns, I'll purchase a copy myself), but there are a number that I'd like to: the Floor Cushions look like perfect pet beds/crate beds, the Short Pleated Apron is a really nice apron pattern (though I don't use aprons much - might be a nice gift item), the Wide-Leg Lounge Pants look super-comfortable and yet retain a bit more put-together-ness than your average PJ pants, and the Document Duvet would be a terrific way to present a flat gift. The Sash with Beaded Trim wins my most-likely-to-be-actually-worn project, as I often wear indoor scarves at work and the beading gives it a bit more style than your basic piece-of-fabric scarf.

There's an In Stitches Flickr group for those who want to see others' projects or discuss in the forum.

the big bucks

My Site is worth
$1,180

How much is
your site worth?

via G Tuck

moustachio

Prologue: Everyone knows that Chester A. Arthur is the king of presidential facial hair.

It seems to me that one of the cool things about being a guy is the opportunity to play around with one's facial hair. (Yes, this is one of the things I love about Karl: his awesome creativity with his sideburns.) Some fellas take it beyond the everyday, though, and they are the participants in the World Beard and Moustache Championships. My personal faves include Heinz Christophel's freestyle full beard, Hans Gassner's freestyle full beard, and Karl-Heinz Hille's imperial moustache.


via Pop Candy

cooking

Kitchen Utensils - Unretouched
Originally uploaded by andyburnfield

Earlier this summer, the New York Times published an article with 101 ideas for simple meals (NYT requires a login). I'm all about simple, and though being a vegetarian and a semi-picky eater eliminates some of the possibilities, there are still a number of the ideas that sound appealing and surprisingly doable. A few:

2 Toss a cup of chopped mixed herbs with a few tablespoons of olive oil in a hot pan. Serve over angel-hair pasta, diluting the sauce if necessary with pasta cooking water.

7 Make pesto: put a couple of cups of basil leaves, a garlic clove, salt, pepper and olive oil as necessary in a blender (walnuts and Parmesan are optional). Serve over pasta (dilute with oil or water as necessary) or grilled fish or meat.

20 Cut eggplant into half-inch slices. Broil with lots of olive oil, turning once, until tender and browned. Top with crumbled goat or feta cheese and broil another 20 seconds.

21 While pasta cooks, combine a couple cups chopped tomatoes, a teaspoon or more minced garlic, olive oil and 20 to 30 basil leaves. Toss with pasta, salt, pepper and Parmesan.

27 Egg in a hole, glorified: Tear a hole in a piece of bread and fry in butter. Crack an egg into the hole. Deglaze pan with a little sherry vinegar mixed with water, and more butter; pour over egg.

30 Quesadilla: Use a combination of cheeses, like Fontina mixed with grated pecorino. Put on half of a large flour tortilla with pickled jalapenos, chopped onion, shallot or scallion, chopped tomatoes and grated radish. Fold tortilla over and brown on both sides in butter or oil, until cheese is melted.

33 Sauté 10 whole peeled garlic cloves in olive oil. Meanwhile, grate Pecorino, grind lots of black pepper, chop parsley and cook pasta. Toss all together, along with crushed dried chili flakes and salt.

35 Cold soba with dipping sauce: Cook soba noodles, then rinse in cold water until cool. Serve with a sauce of soy sauce and minced ginger diluted with mirin and/or dry sake.

38 Fried rice: Soften vegetables with oil in a skillet. Add cold takeout rice, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, peas and two beaten eggs. Toss until hot and cooked through. Season with soy sauce and sesame oil.

43 Migas, with egg: Sauté chopped stale bread with olive oil, mushrooms, onions and spinach. Stir in a couple of eggs.

45 Sauté shredded zucchini in olive oil, adding garlic and chopped herbs. Serve over pasta.

48 Not takeout: Stir-fry onions with cut-up broccoli. Add cubed tofu, chicken or shrimp, or sliced beef or pork, along with a tablespoon each minced garlic and ginger. When almost done, add half cup of water, two tablespoons soy sauce and plenty of black pepper. Heat through and serve over fresh Chinese noodles.

50 The Waldorf: Toast a handful of walnuts in a skillet. Chop an apple or pear; toss with greens, walnuts and a dressing made with olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and shallot. Top, if you like, with crumbled goat or blue cheese.

51 Put a stick of butter and a handful of pine nuts in a skillet. Cook over medium heat until both are brown. Toss with cooked pasta, grated Parmesan and black pepper.

53 Put a tablespoon of cream and a slice of tomato in each of several small ramekins. Top with an egg, then salt, pepper and grated Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees until the eggs set. Serve with toast.

56 Make a fast tomato sauce of olive oil, chopped tomatoes and garlic. Poach eggs in the sauce, then top with Parmesan.

64 Pasta with fresh tomatoes: Cook chopped fresh tomatoes in butter or oil with garlic until tender, while pasta cooks. Combine and serve with grated Parmesan.

68 Brush portobello caps with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil until tender. Briefly sweat chopped onions, then scramble eggs with them. Put eggs in mushrooms.

89 Pasta frittata: Turn cooked pasta and a little garlic into an oiled or buttered skillet. Brown, pressing to create a cake. Flip, then top with three or four beaten eggs and loads of Parmesan. Brown other side and serve.

97 So-called Fettuccine Alfredo: Heat several tablespoons of butter and about half a cup of cream in a large skillet just until the cream starts to simmer. Add slightly undercooked fresh pasta to the skillet, along with plenty of grated Parmesan. Cook over low heat, tossing, until pasta is tender and hot.

via Mental Floss

Crap!

Spam wall
Originally uploaded by freezelight

Like many other people, I got fooled! I received an invite to a new social networking service called Queckup - the invite was from a tech-savvy friend who usually only invites me to things I consider valuable, so I accepted. Little did I know that soon everyone in my address book would be spammed with messages that appear to be from me, inviting them to join this insidious so-called service. Now I'm making apologies and warning folks to beware - if you get an invite to join Queckup, just say no!

nyla-y goodness

Brodie enjoying a Nyla
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian

Brodie loves the Nylas!

a new purpose for the Blanket-O-Flame

Our Blanket-O-Flame built-in oven has never (since we've been its owners anyway, and, I suspect, for quite some time before) functioned properly. It has its own opinions about temperatures versus settings and lacks any sense of consistency whatsoever, making it nigh impossible to prepare anything in it. Since it's going to be some time before we're able to redo the kitchen and replace the oven, we'd sort of given up on ever making anything that required oven-type cooking.


Until...



Voila! It's a brand new Hamilton Beach countertop convection oven! Karl's mom and grandma generously gave it to us as an early anniversary present and it's awesome! We've made pizza and gingerbread so far, and are looking forward to many more treats.




So for now, the Blanket-O-Flame is going to have a new purpose, one which it can certainly meet.

Birthday Star

Birthday Star, originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

via Neatorama

walking into spiderwebs

spiderweb night
Originally uploaded by Poagao

There are some busy-ass spiders in Texas. Apparently a bunch of them banded together to create a giant web that spans 200 yards. I'm a fan of spiders, at least as opposed to the bugs that they eat, but shudder.

via the Freep

The Rocker

Rainn WIlson
Originally uploaded by Comeback_Kid

Rainn Wilson, of Six Feet Under and The Office, has a new movie coming called The Rocker. Wilson will play a heavy metal drummer who gets ditched by his band right before they hit it huge. Comedy will no doubt ensue. I'm always up for a rock'n'roll-focused movie, and Wilson is hilarious, so I'm optimistic at this point.

via Cinematical

Run, Fatboy, Run

Simon Pegg Approves
Originally uploaded by MarkyBon

Awhile ago I saw the preview for Simon Pegg's forthcoming Run, Fatboy, Run, which looks pretty funny. Now the poster has been released. It's nothing to scream about, but it's decent for a romantic comedy movie poster, I suppose. As much as I am a huge fan of Simon Pegg, I'm not convinced that this movie will be awesome, as Pegg's usual co-conspirators are not involved with this project. The trailer does look promising, though.

via Cinematical

whatever happened to Brodie Bruce

JASON LEE
Originally uploaded by skateeverything

Monika Bartyzel has a great post mourning the old Jason Lee, the skateboarder-turned-snarky-character-actor we all know and love from classics like Mallrats and even My Name is Earl, which isn't that far in the past but is miles away from what he's been doing very recently, namely portraying such family- and studio-money-hound-friendly characters as Underdog and Dave from Alvin and the Chipmunks. Not to say that Lee couldn't pull off an all-ages appropriate character, just that the particular ones he's chosen look to be really wretched. He's such a brilliant actor, I just wish he'd choose roles equal to that.

via Cinematical

Tim Gunn's Guide to What Not to Wear

Tim Gunn
Originally uploaded by zephyrbunny

Tim Gunn's new show, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, premieres this week on Bravo. It looks like it'll be pretty close to What Not to Wear, but with a host you like, and less meanness (my big problem with the US version is that the hosts are often laughing at the person they're theoretically helping, whereas the UK hosts might laugh with the guest but are never intentionally hurtful). You can check out a preview at Blogging Project Runway.

via BPR