Bill Cunningham

I am pretty sure I am not the only person who harbored a secret dream to be photographed by Bill Cunningham on the streets of New York.

He was a disinterested society photographer, a link to a society long past, a failed milliner, and the man who cared about what imagination people used when they got dressed.

He wore the same uniform to work every day.

He was not impressed by fame or money.

It was a celebration of creativity and the energy of a city.

It was a labor of love.

I will miss the Cunningham All Stars.

I will miss following Louise Doktor.

A wonderful appreciation of Mr Cunningham, by Robin Givhans
Added, thanks to Vintage Traveler for this.

There is no more red carpet to care about now.

Rest his soul in peace.

New York Times 2016

Ernie Comics / Comic Book Plus

Going back to work at the Football Index, which means I'm not sewing as much.
And making some costumes, which means I am, just not for public consumption until August.

That was an hour I don't get back, turning that three foot, lycra lame tube. And the client didn't like it.

The client did like this. It was dyed from a hot pink. Terrible photo on purpose.

And for your entertainment, a wonderful FREE resource for old comics. 

Comic Book Plus

Ernie Comics

My secret is cookies, btw.

Full of loads of 'laffs' and great advertisments!

More Gussets

I do get into a weird tunnel vision now and then. 

I want to come up with a simple, flat, one or two piece woven shirt pattern that has cut on sleeves. And it would be helpful to add a gusset to deal with the usual pinchy gathering at the armpit.

It makes a weird level of sense.

I mean, it adds back in the curves you lose when you take out the separate sleeve.

Now all I need to do is actually finish this pattern draft up. But all I do is spend more time researching it.

Live in fear of an obssession.....

http://fabrickated.com/2015/10/05/embroidered-blouse-making-it-up/
gusset trouble

http://i2.wp.com/fabrickated.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IMG_9156.jpg

Sewing Bee gusset

Jeanius Continued, Sort Of. Not Really.

I make my own pants. Mostly because RTW aren't Ready for My Enormous Booty. I can get the fit in the hips and legs, and I can put an entire loaf of sandwich bread in the space between my back and the waistband. Even the Torrid jeans don't accomodate me.

Obviously Kim Kardashian has a custom pair of pants for her pumpkin.

I had a fail in pants making that made me so sad, I needed a quick shot of redemption. And my TNT is the 'yoke up' self drafted jeans pattern from last year.  I just made a version of this pants pattern this past January.

See? I didn't even bother to take more photos. I just cut them and sewed them and boom.

This time I wanted to luxe out in upholstery tapestry cotton. I have an expensive piece waiting for me to commit to the style, so I got a slightly less expensive yard.three at JoAnn's. Shiny on one side, matte on the other, I reversed it for the yoke and the pocket facing.

But instant gratification is not possible it seems.

Before we get there, let me show you a positive thing I did here.

I have trouble with the bulk of fabric at the point in the waist band where I'm trying to put in a buttonhole. I wanted to reduce bulk.

Thus this foldover at the waistband.

Pin on extended waistband to front 

Stitch and iron up

Fold over at fly edge (excess interfacing removed from folded section)

Add rest of waistband facing, stitch across all

Trim excess bulk from this top seam

This is the same process on the other side of the front

Turned out 

The other side. Not finished yet, but you can see the overlap of the folded part over the facing part

The exterior is going to be prettier than the interior because I am going to run out of gas when I get to the .....camel toe...(runs off weeping)

I had a huge extra flap of fabric in the front at the crotch point (an inch extra, providing a stunning camel toe effect I do NOT have photos of - look into my eyes, for it is burned into them). 

I was careful about cutting and handling, but I must have stretched out what is, frankly, a very unstable fabric. Very prone to snags, so ripping out three or four lines of stitching and topstitching was a slow process.

Scooped that offending flap/chunk, and added a side to side gusset to relieve the shrinkage from front to back (when something stretches one way, it usually shrinks the other) in the upper thigh. And now they are the pants I was hoping for. 

Except for the final photo, which I take a good look at as I am loading it up into Pattern Review, there is an enormous ripple on the left upper bum.

I give up. It's probably stretching out the back seam. I could trim it down, I probably will (nothing is ever done, just not being altered right now).

Le Sigh. Call the Waaaaahmbulance.

Features a small welted 'watch' pocket in the facing of the left pocket. No back pockets because I don't use back pockets. No belt loops because no belts here.