A Penny for your Pinafore
So, here it is Women's History Month and . . . well, you should have expected something from me. We all know I have a fond affection for Gloria Steinem, as I've read her works, listened to her speeches, and one of my first academic publications was a summation of her. As my friend T and I say, a lot of our dress and style invokes her. Though, I've still got a Bohemian streak or two.
Seriously, Women's History Month or not . . . Women's Lib and the progression of Women's Rights has always been a central spot of my life, writing, and work. Even in 2014 women are devalued, underpaid, and pared off in ways that men are not. We are treated in ways that men would never be. I, with a PhD and articles and books, am still asked to hold fucking coats. Ions ago, while working as a Girl Friday for a brick company, the president never asked me to get his afternoon soda. Why? He was terrified, after one encounter with me, that I'd shake that up if he dared ask an educated woman (I had my masters and he knew I was off to NYC that fall). Yet, by and large women are still asked to get coffee, hold coats, and asked to divide their time and talents in inferior manners. In the United States, alone, women still make 77 cents to the dollar of men. 77 fucking cents.
Okay, before I go too deep . . . I'll keep my politics to small bursts here. Infiltrated with hand sewn love.
Kitschykoo launched her latest dress pattern, and I salivated night and day for it. Of course, with my love for GS, I had a vision. This one to be precise:
Okay, so the type writer is my computer and I spend most of my day there . . . my way, next to my desk, is littered with ideas and papers like here. I make no apologies.
So, I got this beautiful viscose retro knit from Mood (last I checked they were out), and I let it sit on my shelf. Why? I needed some body angst to subside (which it still lingers), and I needed some post smoking bloat to drop the fuck off. Some did. So . . . I remeasured for the pattern.
Kitschy uses high waist and chest, so with my 37 and 34 and size eight sleeves I cut away. I sewed the front, the back, and then put it together like a refrew . . . hemed it. I have a serger, so it was all serger baby. Oh, don't forget the elastic on the shoulders to keep them in shape.
Though, the center front and back are cut on a five with a grade to a six at the chest (imagine that), the side panels are a six, and I doubled the hem at 5/8ths. My fabric is a slinky, silky ball of love and with all of those mods it was still a bit large. So . . . I took a deep breath and shrunk it. And . . . like those thurlows that still fit it fucking worked.
Shrinking: I don't recommend it unless you are certain, have vodka, and are sure. Though, every sewist worth her salt will tell you she's done it at least once with success and at least twice with absolute failure.
So, without further ado my face a blur with a kitchy dress. Heads up, Mr. Fairytale has ordered me to get a tripod this month. Why? He's tired of trying to take pictures, and he really, really hates to. And, he told me no way in hell for May Me Made this year. Love I tell ya.
Mr. Fairytale tries . . .and by the way, welcome to the building's hallway. It was bone chilling cold all day and night so the hallway it was.
All day I wore it with a blazer, on that I has been too snug and unable to button for (ahem) a few years. At night, as it got colder, I changed the blazer for my Purple Meets Fuchsia Cardi. See Ravelry for that one.
So yea, this dress is a win. Wore it for a Year of Turkey talk, as well I write about that stuff, and I wore to a women's event. Would be wearing it now but A) Gotham froze over again and B) I'm flying to Ecuador in a few hours.
Gifs are fun. Always a win. Google Auto Awesome made my day.
What an angle, blurring my face with a horrible angle . . . So on that that note go buy the pattern. It's a beginner's delight, and for non beginners it's a whole lot of instant gratification of about two hours from cut to finish. Seriously. This is one I'll keep around for when I need a pick me up and a quick de-stress at night.
So that my dears is my Gloria Steinem dress. Yup. Suits her and me well, and I have the photo above of her in my office . . . on my bulletin board of notes and due dates.
And because I know you want to know . . . isn't that some shit when I leave for campus in the mornings to have that left behind? Traitors I tell ya.
On that note, I'm off to Ecuador for a week with those ten students I mentioned a few posts back. So, the odds are 75 no to 25 yes that I'll post next week. I have to have a data plan for work chaos, but I doubt I'll do much beyond that or reading a book at night. So . . .
My new renfrew and plantain (holy shit I love that pattern and it's free . . . I didn't make a single adjustment) will come in handy. And Instagrammers: I hemmed that shirt after-all.
And I'll blog the Minoru Jacket with it's Paris map lining fabric with pics from Ecuador. I made it for this trip (with Ecofriendly twill), and it's been too cold to wear it . . . and I'm dying to sport it about! So until next time, I'm off to do eco work in the global south and enlighten these kids with my experience and expertise on these matters (for real). After all, a chapter in my first book discusses Ecuador, tourism, consumption, and such.
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