Animals in utero: io9

Guerrilla handbell strikeforce: Improv Everywhere

Surfboards? Yes, surfboards!: Heather Ross

Thank goodness we can stitch directly from point A to point B–unlike how you must drive in Boston: Cartogrammar

Japanese design principles: Swissmiss

When I first started cooking with Alice Waters’ book, The Art of Simple Food, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I loved the book so much. But it started me making souffles and simple salads in a way I hadn’t done before.

Then a few weeks ago I baked Todd a bread pudding from this recipe and loved the experience. And it suddenly dawned on me what appealed so much about these recipes: they explain the process of baking and educate me about why the steps are done in a particular way. For example, the bread pudding recipe instructs, “It is important to create an emulsion quickly or else a chemical reaction that produces heat will occur. If you do not whisk immediately, this heat will cook the egg yolks and cause lumps in the custard.” Ah ha! So now I know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.

It occurred to me that I like recipes like this so much because they use the same philosophy I use when writing sewing patterns. I think it’s fun and useful to learn why things are done a particular way, and it makes me a better cook (or seamstress) when I understand the process rather than just following a set of instructions.

Quality, not luxury: W

Santas, Santas, Santas: On the Street, The New York Times

This should be hanging above everyone’s sewing machine: The Blue Gardenia

Today’s moment of cute; a baby hedgehog!: Pixdaus

Remember that wool-cashmere blend School Days Jacket? We had the chance to do some serious field testing on it yesterday.

It passed all our tests with flying colors. See disdressed for the full visual recap.

Several people have asked about the books we presented during last Saturday’s Crafternoon at the New York Public Library. Jessica Pigza, our wonderful sewing librarian who organized the event, has posted a summary with catalog links to many of the books on her blog. I hope you’ll have a chance to look at some of these materials–we enjoyed seeing the books and images that inspire each other and each managed to learn something new in the process.

This is a cover from the July 1928 issue of Amateur Golfer magazine. Who knew golfing could be so inspirational!

We love Spoonflower. If you’re not familiar with this innovative company, they can digitally print your designs onto a variety of fabrics like quilting cotton, sateen, and even a new linen/cotton canvas quality. Heather Ross made her skirt for our library appearance last week by printing onto Spoonflower’s sateen, and it looked fantastic! The fabric has a nice hand, the printing quality is very high, and the price is shockingly affordable for custom printing of such a high caliber.

Every week Spoonflower has a fabric contest, and this week’s contest required entrants to “create a sewing pattern and design for an article of children’s clothing that includes — in one yard — all the pieces, cut lines, seam allowances and short instructions printed directly on the fabric.” No easy task right? Well, they received seventeen entries!

I’m so impressed with this design by Sylvia Ion. The dress design itself, the print (love the lace!), and the accompanying illustration are all adorable, professional, and very clever. So you know who I’m voting for. What about you?