[TW for Christian privilege, Colonialism]

There is, apparently, a Canadian status meme going around Facebook right now. Given the time of year it’s not unexpected. Valentine’s Day, Hallowe’en, Easter, Christmas and any other holiday celebrated by society’s dominant group usually inspires those with privilege to flaunt said privilege without care — often in ways that harm those falling outside the delegated norm.

For a certain portion of the population Christmas will be celebrated near the end of this month. Some of the people celebrating Christmas do so to honour the birth of Jesus Christ, son of God his father. Others celebrate Christmas because it’s the dominant holiday spoon–fed to society, it’s the accepted and expected. There’s no religious meaning, just Santa and presents and special time with loved ones.

It doesn’t really matter where one looks, there’s a guarantee most decorations will pretty much scream “It’s Christmas!” at the top of their non–existent lungs. Almost all charities collecting will be doing so to ensure children have toys Christmas morning, or families have the Christmas everyone deserves, or that people in countries Not Like Yours can have Christmas too.

Which is fantastic, I suppose, if you celebrate Christmas.

continue reading "Deconstructing the ‘I will say ‘Merry Christmas’ FB meme."

Set Fire to the Rain – Adele

I let it fall, my heart,
And as it fell you rose to claim it
It was dark and I was over
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me

My hands, they’re strong
But my knees were far too weak
To stand in your arms
Without falling to your feet

But there’s a side to you
That I never knew, never knew.
All the things you’d say
They were never true, never true,
And the games you play
You would always win, always win.

• But I set fire to the rain,
• Watched it pour as I touched your face,
• Well, it burned while I cried
• ‘Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!

When I lay with you
I could stay there
Close my eyes
Feel you here forever
You and me together
Nothing gets better

1. ‘Cause there’s a side to you
2. That I never knew, never knew,
3. All the things you’d say,
4. They were never true, never true,
5. And the games you play
6. You would always win, always win.

But I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
‘Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!

I set fire to the rain
And I threw us into the flames
Well, it felt something died
‘Cause I knew that there was the last time, the last time!

Sometimes I wake up by the door,
That heart you caught must be waiting for you
Even now when we’re already over
I can’t help myself from looking for you.

I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
‘Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name

I set fire to the rain,
And I threw us into the flames
Well, it felt something died
‘Cause I knew that there was the last time, the last time, oh, oh!

Let it burn
Let it burn
Let it burn

Test post courtesy of the very awesome Adele.

I’ve just ordered myself a new book. First book about fashion, design, costume, technique, etc. I’ve purchased in what seems way too long. It promises to be a truly wonderful addition to my library.

Madeleine Vionnet, by Betty Kirke, forward by Issey Miyake.

Description: Back in print at last, with a ravishing new cover, ‘Madeleine Vionnet’ is “not only the best book on Vionnet, but perhaps the best book ever on a fashion designer” (Out).

Madeleine Vionnet (1876 1975) was the greatest dressmaker in the world. Considered a genius for her innovations with the bias cut, the most difficult and desirable cut in clothing design, she has a fanatical following. Vionnet was a maverick, her results spectacular. She dressed the stars of the ’30s, invented new pattern-making techniques, and eschewed corsets for her models. Vionnet’s dresses are virtually un-copiable and highly coveted by vintage clothing collectors.

‘Madeleine Vionnet’ is the definitive study of this venerated artist. Illustrated with more than 400 photographs, line drawings, and watercolors, it also includes 38 original patterns for Vionnet dresses.

As the Art Deco Society of L.A.’s newsletter has said, anyone “interested in Art Deco or fashion must have this book.”

While I don’t consider Madeleine Vionnet the “greatest dressmaker in the world”, she is certainly near the top of my ‘favourites’ list, and she’s also one of the main designers that piqued my interest in Art Deco fashion. I was strictly a late (post 1865) Victorian era woman for many, many years.

Below the fold there are some of Vionnet’s designs, clicking the image will take you to their respective museum page. Be sure to check ‘Additional Views’ for more details.

continue reading "Vionnet."

(This post is not entirely my work. I have added much to what I recieved many years ago. If you know who or did write this, please let me know so credit can be given or the post can be removed.)

It’s been a while since an update but with good reason. The last few weeks have been spent cutting the strips for each tier to width, folding their edges over in order to iron them to the correct width, hand basting twenty-two strips to each tier then top-stitching each one. I’m not quite finished basting the strips to the bottom tier, but today I need to construct the bodice.

I’m not really looking forward to putting the bodice together. I’ve been waiting because I need to put the zip in as I construct it and the zip extends past the lower edge into the top couple inches of the first tier.

Hopefully I can insert a lapped zip. In order to do a lapped zip I have to leave the bodice in pieces until after the zip is in. Sort of. Kind of. Argh, I’m getting a headache just thinking about it.

Drafting a hem that is longer in the back then the front is slightly more complicated than one would originally think. That’s what the hubby let me know on Friday night at least.

The simple way to draft the hem is to mark the front, the back, then draw a straight line connecting the two as illustrated in the diagram to the right.

However, when done this way the angle of the hem starts centre front and doesn’t allow for a gentle curve. Which is exactly what is wanted/needed.

So, my hubby, brilliant at maths, pulled out equations he uses at work on occasion and calculated how to gently slope my hem for me.

It involved a fair bit of trigonometry (something I haven’t glanced at since grade eleven), plus some advanced trigonometry I’d never used.

When he explains it to me better than he did Friday, I’ll post up the steps for anyone that would like to draft a sloping hem of their very own.

Needless to say, every 4.75″ I’m marking my hem down a little further.

Thank goodness only the top tier has to be angled!

Unless there exist in this world such things as Scientific Calculator Theifs™, I have officially misplaced my scientific calculator. Somewhere in the condo it sits, but where that place is I do not know. I had it last night at around nine PM, but now I do not.

And I have searched every where. Not just places where I might have put it – every where.