Friday Links
1. Happy Solstice! I didn’t realize it was yesterday because we’re going to the lake tonight to see the full moon. You can also see the full moonrise align with Stonehenge on a live stream at 2:30 today–here’s more info, including a new job title that I want:
“Stonehenge’s architectural connection to the Sun is well known, but its link with the moon is less well understood,” said Clive Ruggles, emeritus professor of archaeoastronomy at Leicester University. “The four Station Stones align with the moon’s extreme positions, and researchers have debated for years whether this was deliberate, and—if so—how this was achieved and what might have been its purpose.”
2. Speaking of ancient times, journalist Paul Salopek has been retracing the path Stone Age humans took out of Africa and to the rest of the world–24,000 miles, on foot. He’s been going since 2012?!
3. This feels appropriate today (buy your own here):
Thursday Poem
Another good one from Naomi Shihab Nye, author of one of my favorites.
Shoulders
by Naomi Shihab Nye
A man crosses the street in rain,
stepping gently, looking two times north and south,
because his son is asleep on his shoulder.
No car must splash him.
No car drive too near to his shadow.
This man carries the world’s most sensitive cargo
but he’s not marked.
Nowhere does his jacket say FRAGILE,
HANDLE WITH CARE.
His ear fills up with breathing.
He hears the hum of a boy’s dream
deep inside him.
We’re not going to be able
to live in this world
if we’re not willing to do what he’s doing
with one another.
The road will only be wide.
The rain will never stop falling.
Summer Project Planning: Magnum P.I. Style
I never watched Magnum P.I. in its original run from 1980-1988. I remember hearing about Tom Selleck but I had never experienced the vibe until about a month ago, when I found an Instagram account about the show’s costuming and then had to track down the DVDs. I don’t care about the plot or the characters (even though it’s a comfortingly low-stakes show), but the setting and the outfits! Friends, this is the way we need to dress for Bro Summer:
Bro Summer is showing off your pretty legs on the beach, but balancing those tiny shorts with a long sleeve polo and boat shoes (preppy!).
Bro Summer is an aloha shirt unbuttoned to your navel, but tucked in to chinos and belted.
And for me, Bro Summer is going to involve sewing at least one pair of tiny shorts, some camo pants, and probably a Hawaiian shirt.
(Long-time readers might recognize that botanical fabric on the left from my visit to Stonmountain in…2104. I think it’s time for it to fulfill its aloha shirt destiny.)
Tuesday Project Roundup: Khakis
Here’s the first pair of khakis I’ve owned since high school, and I MADE them!
When you don’t leave the house, it’s hard to get good modeled pictures, but these give you an idea. They are khaki! They have a high waist and a wide leg! They FIT!
It’s also hard to take a picture of your own butt, but this gives you an idea of the rear fit (excellent, verging on “wow I hope these stretch out soon”).
These are the Daughter Judy Brier Pants and I made my size at the hips and graded a size down to my size at the waist. In hindsight, I could have done a straight size for the hips because these are pretty high-waisted. But they are stretching out, as the pattern designer said they would in a twill weave.
Construction-wise, I didn’t have any issues; I think the DJ instructions are excellent, both for the actual assembly and for finishing details. I used a twill from the Eddie Bauer for Joann line and the triple-stitch feature on my machine, since I didn’t have matching topstitching thread on hand.
Now all I have to do is break these babies in. Hopefully my size will stay constant enough I can get these really worn, for that Authentic Prep Feel.
Happy Monday
It may be another Monday under capitalism, but at least we’re not naming daylily hybrids at Jung Seed. Because that person really seems to be going through it:
Friday Links
1. I am with this (female) writer in declaring it BRO SUMMER: “Going bro mode was supposed to be a temporary, gym-affliated experience and quickly became enjoyable. It was both shocking and thrilling. So I have decided that it is time for BRO SUMMER.” What can BRO SUMMER include, you ask? She supplies a list!
- jumping up and down when you’re happy
- eating whatever you want all the time
- cheeseballs in that giant plastic tub
- light beer
- always wearing comfortable shoes (with no socks)
There’s more, plus a delightful gym interaction showing the kindness of bros.
2. This dog knows about Bro Summer and also this guy is correct.
every j crew catalog in the 90s looked like this pic.twitter.com/8tWWCAffBl
— derek guy (@dieworkwear) June 10, 2024
3. That guy above is actually one of the only reasons I still have Twitter. I made it over to his blog and he gives a lot of the history of classic items, including the Cuban link chain. (I guess citation needed, but I couldn’t find any other info to contradict this.)
Cuban jewelry came to the US with the arrival of Cuban exiles. In 1959, shortly after Castro overthrew the Batista’s regime and established a new government, millions of Cubans from diverse social positions fled to the US, first by boat and later by plane. Many of these émigrés worked as jewelers in their home country. And so, naturally, they made a life in the United States—many of them while based in Florida and especially Miami—crafting and selling gold jewelry.
Anyway, he linked to a video on how the Cuban link is made and oh no, now I want to buy more jewelry.
Letters And Fabric
Well this is extremely my jam: A feature on letters made in weaving/embroidery/knitting/etc. from Letterform Archive. It even hits you with etymology right out of the gate!
The word “text” originated from the Latin word “textus,” which means “a weaving” or “a fabric.” In ancient times, textus referred specifically to the process of weaving fabric. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to include written or printed material, reflecting the idea of words being woven together to create a coherent written work.
Seriously, I love this kind of ephemera. Almost makes me want to try needlepoint again.
Summer Sweaters?
I was so pleased with my fuzzy winter vest that now I’m thinking about making a summer version–a little knitted shell with some texture.
Are these all knit on sock-size needles so will take me all summer? Yep. Do I want the cabled look but don’t actually want to do any cabling? Also yep. But sometimes the planning is the most fun.
Vest Taipei by MochiKnits, really cabled but really nice.
Lost Tank by Friday Knits, not cabled but the rib adds some interest (and is faster to knit).
Uri Tank by Daughter Judy Patterns (yes, she designs sewing and knitting patterns!)–I’d do this in a fuzzy yarn to get some texture and I think it would be very “fashion Muppet.”
Lined Loop Top by Other Loops, note the styling with the big loose pajama-y pants–a great WFH lewk.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Hiking Sun Shirt
“Merino sun hoodies” have been on my radar for a season or two, but the older I get the less able I am to wear wool on my torso. So I went stash-diving and found some Polartec Power Stretch mesh to try it out. (I think I had meant to make Doc a new sun shirt with it? Whoops.)
The LearnMYOG pattern guy is teasing a pattern for it but 1) I’m still mad about his instructions and 2) I already owned the BEAUTIFULLY drafted Jalie Marie-Claude, which I’d made before and had a hood option.
Initial verdict: I like it! It definitely works to keep the sun off the back of your neck and ears, and the crossover hood front even protects your throat. But I kind of wish I’d made the thumbhole cuffs on this version, too, to keep the sun off the backs of your hands. And while this fabric is definitely wicking, I wouldn’t say it’s cooling. I guess I’ll just have to buy more fabric and try out Polartec Delta, which is reportedly magic.
But, ok, we all know the REAL reason I like this: I can put my hood up and ask for a crappucino. It’s even the right color!