23 November 2012

I Won! But So Can You!

Unbelievably, I won the 5 Bunka Book giveaway on Fashion Incubator! Attentive readers may notice that I just went to great efforts to off-load a batch of books on my birthday, so this could be seen as an exercise in re-cluttering. But I prefer to think about all the empty space on my shelves just waiting for new books!

The publisher, Laurence King, is generously offering a 35% discount on all titles on its website through the end of November, so all is not lost. You may even get free shipping, for sure in the UK and maybe everywhere else!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving (in the US) and a wonderful week everywhere!

16 November 2012

Fabulous Book Giveaway at Fashion Incubator!

Kathleen Fasanella at Fashion Incubator is hosting a giveaway, sponsored by Laurence King Publishing, in which ONE lucky winner will win FIVE great books: Tomoko Nakamichi's Pattern Magic, Pattern Magic 2 and Pattern Magic: Stretch Fabrics, and Hisako Sato's Drape Drape and Drape Drape 2. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment at Fashion Incubator, formatted in Haiku. So,

Post your entry now
At Fashion Incubator.
Maybe win these books!


Of course, I'm planning to win the books, so you needn't bother to enter, but do check out this exceptionally informative and interesting blog about apparel manufacturing. Among the many Fashion Incubator delights are the frequent garment construction puzzle posts, including one being worked out now on the blog. Kathleen Fasanella is the author of The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing, available through her website.

Meanwhile, on the home front, I finished my Vogue 8618 and wore it to work today. Not too shabby!

IMG 0646

12 November 2012

Stewed Weekend

This past weekend I made beef stew. More precisely, I made 2.5 beef stews. I bought one ton of stew meat at Costco (I was hungry) so decided I'd try three recipes. Stew 1 from a Paula Deen traditional recipe was ruined because all the liquid simmered away (due to crappy pot, not my fault at all), but I sliced the scorched parts off the meat and saved it.

Stew 2, also on Saturday (fortunately) was beef daube from Joy of Cooking, which I made because I remember Anthony Bourdain going on and on about daube in Kitchen Confidential. I made it in a good dutch oven and it turned out fine.

I set the rest of the meat to marinate overnight Saturday in preparation for making Stew 3 from an Ina Garten recipe Sunday. I also decalcified an old espresso maker, did laundry, dropped and shattered a plate full of leftover Stew 2 on the kitchen floor, cleaned the kitchen, got a couple of hours of yard work out of DS and a minute or two out of DH, read, and did the Saturday NYT crossword.

Sunday I had some nice espresso and made Stew 3, which was fine. A little sweet (as was also the case with Stew 2). More salt?

On the sewing front, I didn't do any. In fact, I guess I defied Karen's Apronalong by stewing all weekend without an apron. Sorry about that. But I almost sewed. I traced Vogue 8618 and cut it out of a nice, soft, double-sided knit (grey/cream) but can't count that as sewing because I didn't take a single stitch.
8618

So, all stewing no sewing.