Author: Karen

So Bad

Karen

The fires in California are unimaginably bad–just like the floods in North Carolina or the hurricanes in Florida or whatever the next climate disaster will be in the next state. Hamilton Nolan’s newsletter yesterday spelled out the likely future and it’s bleak:

Either you allow a few people to get very rich and let them hire their own private protection and build their mansions on hills or on stilts or behind big walls, and buy themselves estates in New Zealand to escape to, and rockets to blast off in if necessary—or, or, you take the other path. You say, “all humans are together on this planet and we are all equal and we will face this collectively and we will take care of the most vulnerable first and we will demand the most sacrifice from those who have the most to give.” It is a stunning thing that the first choice has somehow become the default, the legal and most likely path for the world’s richest nation, and the second choice has become an object of mockery, something to be dismissed as utopian.

[…] There is the all-encompassing question of evolving our entire world to try to head off the progress of climate change, but we do not need to solve the entire crisis in every conversation. At this moment, it is enough to say, “we need to make some reasonable rules about how we are going to get everyone through the disasters, because we are all in this together.” This low bar, I promise, is too much to expect from the federal government that is set to come to power. We will watch them hand out oil drilling permits and pass bills to protect gas stoves and swagger around in big trucks and pose in campaign ads with guns and banners that say “Come and Take It” and go on hunting trips with lobbyists from the American Petroleum Institute. These are the villains. There they are. They will help your house burn down and send cops to crack your head if you get angry about it and then ask you to vote for them. They have a lifeboat. You can’t get on. They’re sure they will get away with it.

 

Imaginary Travel: Sentō

Karen

I saw an old World of Interiors article about Japanese bathhouse design and immediately clicked through. I wish it had even more pictures, but I did learn a new fact:

Though bathhouse styles vary from region to region, sentō can nevertheless be divided into two broad categories: Tokyo and Osaka style. The former are almost without exception extravagant places, always arranged with a washing area in front and baths behind. The relative uniformity of sentō design around the capital is a consequence of the catastrophic Great Kantō earthquake of 1923. In the aftermath, it was shrine carpenters who turned their talents to restoring the sentō: their architectural approach, complete with meditative murals of Mount Fuji and similar motifs, became the established regional style.

 

Sewing: Keeping Me Humble

Karen

This isn’t a full project roundup, just a reminder to myself of the dangers of sewing hubris because this backpack project has been such a struggle.

Did I think it would be that difficult? Nope, I’ve breezed through hiking packs and wool coats so I expected this to be the same, but wow the user error got me on this. I can’t even blame the instructions, because they were very thorough! They gave me many tips on sewing curves, which I ignored, because I’ve sewn curves before! They WARNED me to pay attention to the alignment marks, but did I? Not really!

You might be thinking, “What’s the problem, Karen? This looks fine!” but the picture isn’t showing that the back panel with the straps isn’t aligned with the body, yet the zipper lid IS, so that makes it all sit crooked. And the curves of the back pocket and the lid have puckers, despite me trying two or three times on each (but still not following the instructions!?!).

I have one more step to go to finish (bind the inside seam) and then I’m taking this on the road in a couple weeks, where hopefully the flaws will fade and I can see if it’s as useful as I planned. So I’ll get more pictures then, but I don’t post about the struggle much–honestly, it’s been a while since I HAD such a project struggle–so I just wanted to keep it real.

Green Things + Vitamin D

Karen

Well all the parties are over now, we got snow, it’s a long gray January…don’t forget to take your Vitamin D and find something green. We went to Red Butte on my birthday and the conservatory was as green as I expected–but there was also a brave magnolia outside trying to bud. Hold on, little guy! But thanks for being there.

Birthday Resolutions

Karen

The last birthday in our family’s winter cluster is mine, and I’m 45 today. That 5 in there is really pushing the idea that 50 is coming, but you know what? Let it come. I’m the strongest I’ve ever been, physically and emotionally, and I love getting older.

I already made sewing intentions, so my birthday ones for 2025 are pretty loose: Keep being a dilettante, find more ways to help people, scroll less/knit more … and until 2028 at least, don’t go looking at the devil’s butthole.

2025 Sewing Intentions

Karen

Daughter Judy Patterns put out their own spin on the traditional “Make 9” sewing community lists. Since I make a lot more than 9 things anyway, I liked this more thoughtful approach. Here are the prompts:

 

And here are my answers:

1. 2025 Color: I’m really into red–this image from J. Crew is a little more orange-red, which is a no-brainer, but a true red is speaking to me too.

2. Vintage Pattern: If I can track down a copy of DKNY Vogue 2958, I think it would look great in a red coating.

3. Skill Enhancer: I want to get better at hand sewing for tailoring/any hand sewing at all. I really hate it (I even have a Bernina foot to sew buttons on by machine) but you can’t get a perfect collar/lapel roll on jackets or coats any other way. Daughter Judy has teased a blazer pattern this year so maybe that will be when I learn.

4. On Your “To Knit” List: I’m really going to make that Gap-inspired sweater this year. I just ordered yarn!

5. 3 Personal Style Words: I think Colorful is self explanatory. Layered gets ignored a lot when I need to just throw something on after the gym for Zoom, but I want to get back into the habit–because that’s what makes me feel Cool.

6. Batch Sew Basics: I need bras, both for the gym and for home. The Greenstyle and Cloth Habit patterns I have work and lord knows I have enough knit scraps to use.

7. Pinterest Pin You Can’t Stop Thinking About: This picture of curator Thelma Golden. The coolness! The confidence! The colors and prints!

8. 2025 Mantra: I have SO much fabric that’s special or one of a kind, which makes me want to hoard it rather than use it up. But isn’t it better to enjoy it in my closet rather than on the fabric shelf? And isn’t my hoarding of it just based in fear (“What if I mess it up and can’t get more?”) anyway? This hobby shouldn’t feed my anxiety!

9. Take Your Time Project: I’m still marinating on this one but I could really use that Waffle Patterns 3-in-1 Kikyo Jacket I posted about.

First Poem Of The Year

Karen

Happy 2025! In 2024, we almost got lost in the mountains and it was my turn for health issues; glad to see it gone.

 

To the New Year
by W.S. Merwin

With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning

so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possible

Tuesday Project Roundup: Arts & Crafts For Christmas

Karen

I kept it pretty low-key for handmade gifts this year–I’m finally learning that December is full of government clients wanting to wrap up projects, plus two birthdays and regular holiday insanity, so maybe I shouldn’t plan the ultra-ambitious projects for gifts.

But a little valet tray to hold a traditional gift of car wash tokens for my Sunday Night Conversations friend? That took an evening and it’s always fun to play with cardboard and glue. I know he loves intalgios so when I saw this new paper from Parvum Opus, I had to use it. (And now he wants to carry the paper in his store, success!)

 

For my dad, I wanted something to go with a vintage tiki mug I found him. This is a wild swerve away from plaid flannel; the Hawaiian print flannel (from Joann) might be a little much for an old cowboy, but the thing about handmade gifts for a parent is they have to use them, if only when you come to visit. And it’s warm.

And finally, I sewed a little pouch to hold a Stonemountain gift card for the friend I’m going to the East Bay next month. Of course, the leftover fabric I wanted to use wasn’t heavy enough on its own, so I quilted it with leftover batting and more stash fabric on the inside. I even had a matching zipper and tiny D-ring!

I rushed the seam binding on the inside since I was working on this the Sunday before Christmas, but it’s sturdy and I don’t think anyone’s going to turn it inside out and inspect it too closely.

A Happy Christmas Break

Karen

The first of the week was loaded with baking and the rest of it was all sewing–a fantastic mix.

Our gift to each other this year was an estate planning lawyer so we got matching fireproof document boxes to keep everything in–maybe not what you first think when you think of romantic gifts, but what is more loving and attractive than getting your shit together? Nothing, I say.

Friday Links

Karen

1. I’m taking a break next week to not post, drink too much coffee, and enjoy Dead Week:

Dead Week isn’t a week off for everyone, or at least the thing it is a week off from isn’t work. Rather, it is a week off from the forward-motion drive of the rest of the year. It is a time against ambition and against striving. Whatever we hoped to finish is either finished or it’s not going to happen this week, and all our successes and failures from the previous year are already tallied up. It’s too late for everything; Dead Week is the luxurious relief of giving up.

 

2. I’m prepping for Christmas dinner:

 

3. I’m bracing for January, with advice from Mike Monteiro:

Hope and optimism will come from helping those that need it. Hope and optimism will come from seeing that our actions, both big and small, can help others. Buy someone a fucking sandwich. Help someone pay their rent. Drive someone to the grocery store. And yes, put your body between their and those that would hurt them. Let people know you are here should they need you.

Help is not coming. You’re already here. I hope you’re ready. I’m optimistic you are.

 

4. And I’m celebrating the Solstice tomorrow! We made it; the sun is coming back. Thank you, sun.