During the process of getting the drapes cut, sewn, and finished, I measured a lot (and did you notice how evenly they were hanging in yesterday’s pictures?). Fortunately, I’ve gotten pretty good at wielding my metal tape measure alone–which is why I had to grin when I saw this xkcd comic (click for big):
I would win that event for sure.
Karen
Posts by Karen Kaminski:
Tuesday Project Roundup: Public Service Announcement
“Please, if you or anyone you know is thinking about making lined drapes, don’t let them. There’s another way. Get professional help.”
I wish I had heard a PSA like that before I started this project–but at least they’re done now:
Drapery construction is not complicated, which was the source of my hubris initially, but it is just so. much. fabric. to wrangle and feed through the machine evenly. And of course I wanted to line them, so that doubled the fabric to wrangle.
But they are done (I know I said that already; I just can’t believe it) and it’s really nice to have them to close at night:
And with these finished, all the windows in the house are now covered. That only took 2.75 months!
What Homeowners Do
Homeowners get really, really excited about basement storage. But do you blame me? Look at this shelving unit! I was looking at the IKEA wood shelving units because they were cheap and because they had an option for a wine rack, but then my dad offered to make me something. The materials were the same price as IKEA, but I ended up with more storage and exponentially better quality. (I could use those shelves as bunk beds if I had to!)
And I even got a wine rack: Dad surprised me with one that holds twenty-five bottles and takes up exactly half of one shelf. I blame exposure to the J. Peterman catalog at a young age, but I’ve always wanted to be the person who has the right wine on hand (including champagne). Now I can be that person–thanks, Dad!
(Somebody else gets excited about basement storage, too.)
Friday Unrelated Information
1. I was invited to my first knitting group last night (my first in six years of knitting!) and the lovely ladies there taught me how to crochet. Look–a new skill in my crafty arsenal:
2. Here’s something to think about, especially for people who share things on the internet:
“Loneliness does not come from being alone, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important.” (Jung)
3. I’ve had “The Rainbow Connection” in my head for two days now. Would you like it in your head too? Watch it here.
Happy Birthday, Charlotte Bronte
Many happy returns to you, Charlotte. I’m glad you didn’t die of tuberculosis at boarding school, and I’m glad you gave Jane Eyre a happy(ish) ending, especially when you didn’t do so with Villette. (Although I understand why you didn’t, given the events that inspired that one.) I just wanted you to know that I’ve been reading Jane Eyre for about twenty years now, and that I think you (and your sisters) were pretty revolutionary. Happy birthday!
Meeting Face
There have been a slew of long meetings at work lately. They’ve actually been pretty enjoyable for long meetings, but I have to be careful with my face, as some pictures lately have made me come to the conclusion I have Chronic Bitchface (click for big):
As the image source says, “there is no known cure.” I just have to remember to keep some sort of smile pasted on during the meetings.
(Image found first via Kara’s Pinterest. Pinterest deserves its own post, I think; I have an account now too!)
Tuesday Project Roundup: Tunic Two
I am not complaining about the cold and wet weather this spring, because if I do, the weather wins. Instead, I am sewing more tunics to keep the skinny jeans in rotation until it’s warm enough for bare legs.
This is the final piece of the fancy fabric stash I got last summer, sewn up in the French pattern I made as a dress. As we all know, it’s not a hippy smock if the pattern is from France–and I think the print takes the look a little more towards worldly bohemian than drum circle.
What is the print, you ask?
Art Nouveau viking ships, of course–to remind us to be brave, to be fierce in the face of cold Aprils, and to seize whatever prey the heart longs for.
Sunday Night Conversations, II
During a brainstorming meeting at work last week, the subject of what we wanted people to say at our funerals came up. Telling this story to my friend over the weekend, I said, “I didn’t even think of an adjective; I just thought to myself, ‘I hope someone GOES to my funeral,’ ” and went on to tell him my latest irrational fear: outliving all my family and dying childless and friendless.
My friend, who is turning 50 in a couple of weeks, looked at me, raised an eyebrow, and said, “Well then, you may want to look into younger friends.”
Friday Unrelated Information
1. It’s my mom’s birthday today! What can you say about moms? They’re moms–they’re great. And my mom is in the top .05% of all moms (I’m pretty lucky). Happy birthday!
2. Since my mom told me she was looking forward to today’s space link, here is a thoughtful essay from the Bad Astronomy blog about the future of space exploration (marking, of course, the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s orbiting the earth).
3. Last night I found myself, as an agnostic, in the interesting position of picking out an Easter card for my deeply Christian grandmother that would satisfy her but not make me sound like too much of a hypocrite (any more than sending a card on a religious holiday does anyway). Fascinating times in the card aisle.
And We Have Mrs. Steinbeck To Thank For The Title
This morning’s Writer’s Almanac had a lot of good background about The Grapes of Wrath, which was published today in 1939. Originally Steinbeck was asked to do a piece for Life magazine, but when it wasn’t published he ended up writing a novel, finishing the first draft in 100 days.
A quote taken from the article:
I break myself every time I go out [in the fields] because the argument that one person’s effort can’t really do anything doesn’t seem to apply when you come on a bunch of starving children and you have a little money. I can’t rationalize it for myself anyway. So don’t get me a job for a slick. I want to put a tag of shame on the greedy bastards who are responsible for this.
I think you succeeded in doing that and more, John. Good job.