Last resort

I'm thinking about making myself a bathing suit. There's some really ugly, how-do-you-expect-me-to-swim-and-get-a-decent-tan-in-this crap out there. All I've seen are crazy get-ups that would fly right off your body if you dove into a pool or wave, or Olympic swimmer-type costumes not meant for regular humans.



But this notion has cornered me into a realm of the sewing world not meant for the faint-hearted. Fabrics with two- and four-way stretch. The inevitable visit to Spandex House. The reality that making this thing myself instead of buying something off a rack probably heightens the possibility of it flying off my body at an inappropriate moment.



But the patterns I've come across give me hope. Older patterns are so much cooler than their modern counterparts.



Well, hello. And I can use the leftover fabric to make a matching jacket, headscarf, and sarong. Won't I look jaunty by the water. I'm just kidding. I'll probably just make a jacket. And a headscarf.



Did you know Brooke Shields and Diana Ross used to shill bathing suit patterns?

Neither did I! And look at Diana, she has a ruffle on her butt!

Mad hatter

***Warning: this post is going to be unbelievably yawn-inspiring for some of you. Read at your own risk!***

I went a little nuts making hats recently. This one was inspired by a bad, stupid sunburn I got from a beach trip a couple weeks ago. I won't be fooled again!





I used a pattern from this book (Thanks, Lotta) and some excellent 80s Marimekko fabric (Thanks, Frank) that's subtly speckled, as if the colors were spray painted on (so subtle I don't think you can even tell what the heck I'm talking about from these pics).

I also made more of Judy Danz's reversible chemo hats. Can you dig it. Here's one made from vintage Liberty fabric with some more of the Kaffe Fasset fabric on the flip side.





Here's a stripey blue one with some cool blue Kaffe Fasset fabric on the flip side.





This one has green flowers and navy blue on the flip. And how about that crazy fabric-and-knitwear designing, Buddha-and-batik loving Kaffe?



This one has some more of his fabric on one side, and some turquoise stuff on the inside. If you ask me, none of these Fasset prints should have gone out of print. I love them. But you know the crazy fabric business. Fabric lines zip by hither and thither and then poof! Gone!



Well, I did say I went a little nuts hat-wise. I started out making just one hat for a friend going through chemo, and then decided to make one for her daughter, too, so they could wear them together if they liked. I'll donate the others somewhere...the Beth Israel Cancer Center in Union Square probably.

And yes, I am a big fan of Pernod. This particular bottle of Pernod turned out to be a big fan of these hats, too, generously offering to model them. Thank you, bottle of Pernod.



I will never be sun burnt again. I will also probably bump into a few lampposts on the way to the beach and plow over some seagulls accidentally when I get there but I will not end up sun burnt.

A lively visit down South

News flash! New Orleans is a crazy city!



You can tell from this pic that I am a bit suspicious of this whole drinking-on-the-street thing and expect to be surrounded by cops any moment, the way I would be in NYC.

I went down to meet up with P, who was there for the annual convention Tales of the Cocktail, a week of events like seminars, parties, competitions, and general debauchery for people who are serious about cocktails. And guess what? There are a lot of people who are very serious about that very subject, and from what I could tell, they were all very happy to see each other.

Here are a couple OTHER things that caught my attention. I guess sometimes it's convenient to park one's crutches as one would one's bicycle?



And here's an outfit you could buy for your kid in the 40s for Mardi Gras; it came in the little box that's pictured with it, cost a buck fifty, and included this fly little dress and shrug, a mask, and tiara. Dang!



This and tons of other impressive costumes and parade paraphernalia are at the very much worth visiting permanent Mardi Gras exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum.

Incidentally, it's relatively cheap to fly to New Orleans from NYC, and you can get cushy accommodations for cheap — for obvious reasons, New Orleans wants and needs your tourism dollars. Don't hesitate to get your butt down there if you're at all inclined, ya hear?