the stuff I like

I'm not blind to the fact that the styles in my small (but growing) collection of designer duds closely mirrors the sorts of things I like to sew: asymmetry more often than not, with unusual shapes, details, and/or textures. In short, the things worth investing time or money in because there simply aren't anything like them available through usual channels, and they're more interesting to wear and make.

Even simple things can be special through their quality or not-immediately-apparent construction. Take this deceptively simple top for example. It looks plain but it's cut on the bias which changes the drape and fit significantly.

But no matter how it manifests itself, unusual = more work. In addition to the draping aspect I'm giving myself more roadblocks: in addition to the full bust adjustment and other tweaks to make it fit absolutely perfectly, this my first project using silk charmeuse, aka "silk slime" for it's slippery, fluid qualities that make even cutting the pieces a challenge.

It keeps things interesting from an assembly viewpoint and gives me experience with another aspect of dressmaking, but I'm trying to resign myself to the fact that even after 20+ years of sewing, I may not have anything wearable by the end of this adventure.

on the current political climate

(Wow, two posts in one day! It's like I'm a blogger or something!)

I've been silent on the current U.S. election season because the debate has been better discussed elsewhere and I have little interest in creating yet another option for a flame war.

For what very little it may be worth, I don't think Obama is the Second Coming or that Romney is the devil incarnate. Maybe I'm cynical but what I see are 1) two politicians who are more interested in maintaining/getting power than in serving the electorate, who will say whatever it takes to get elected and 2) two parties equally beholden to corporate campaign money, and like Molly Ivins said, "ya gotta dance with them what brung ya".

However, I've recently become aware that several of my FB and RL friends are of a Republican ilk. Happily most seem to be of the fiscally conservative school, which I suppose is up for debate. Personally I have no problem with taxes or socialized health care because I'd rather live with an educated, healthy populace in a country with good roads, but I'm no economist, so I'll leave that debate to those more aware than I.

No, my grievance with the modern Republican party is that their economic policy invariably goes hand in hand with a particularly 1950s social conservatism that denies LBTQI people civil rights and women bodily autonomy. The fact that the rather venal leadership shamelessly caters to the worst excesses of Christian fundamentalism doesn't help either.

I'm an atheistic bisexual woman. What on earth could the Republican party offer me? Obama may be no saint (I'm particularly angered by his maintaining the expanded executive powers claimed by Bush II, the expansion of domestic secrecy, and the never-ending and unchecked drone attacks), but I'd rather vote for the guy who will ignore me over the one who will slap me in the face.

Shorter version: what this guy said. I can get behind a debate on economic priorities, but denying civil rights is untenable.

Feel free to comment, but know that if I see the tiniest flicker of flaming your comment will be summarily deleted - keep it nice.