Hello, friends!
What’s on your reading list this summer? This week I finally finished Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins (which is long, very well written, and extremely interesting if you’re a dance or Broadway fan) and turned my attention to the novel My Brilliant Friend, which is just as good as everyone says. I’m not quite finished with it yet (no spoilers, please!), but I’m already looking forward to the other books in the series.
Meanwhile, at the studio we’re busy preparing for a couple of photo shoots next week, and then Todd and I are taking a little trip which just happens to coincide with our wedding anniversary. I’ll tell you more about that soon.
Pinterest Picks
This silhouette is so similar to the one I wear all the time: the Liesl + Co Maritime Knit Top with the City Stroll Wrap Skirt. The skirt would be so perfect in classic heather gray wool suiting like this. I used one for my favorite version of the pattern, and if you get a good quality suiting you won’t even need to line it, which allows it to fit slimmer.
We have one of those ugly white vinyl refrigerators (it comes with our rental apartment) and I’ve always wanted to do something about it. This chalkboard paint idea has been around for a while and is very tempting, if only I didn’t need to return the refrigerator in its original condition when we leave someday.
Isn’t this pretty? Could be a fun summer hand-stitching project. I’d love to see this on the Roller Skate Dress!
I think it would be really easy to convert the Croquet Dress sewing pattern to a similar tie-back style of dress. This is so cute!
Summer, to me, means great salads using all the wonderful fresh produce at our local green markets. This one looks particularly interesting, mixing tomatoes and peaches.
Links
- Ever wonder how a real ballet tutu is made? The lovely Jenny sent me a link to this video from the Swedish National Ballet (which I hope to visit someday in the not-too-distant future!) which shows the 18-hour process of making of a tutu for–I believe–Balanchine’s Raymonda Variations. Someday I’m going to sew a tutu. It’s inevitable.
- Just when fashion starts to feel predictable and boring, Iris van Herpen manages to make it exciting again.
- Whatever your feelings about makeup, the story of Helena Rubenstein is an interesting history lesson about the topic.
- Ms. Oona always makes me laugh. Even when she’s talking about her favorite sewing supplies.
- I’ve been saying a lot of “No” lately, and that’s really hard because I love to take on new projects and do everything I can. But reading this article has helped me to feel comfortable with my decisions.
Have a great weekend, and don’t forget about the #searchalong, which starts at 4:00 (EDT) this afternoon! Watch for the list on our Instagram feed, and have fun!
Looking forward to the searchalong! My kid decided to stay home from camp today so it’ll be fun to do together.
@Liesl I’m curious what “my favorite version” is when referring to the City Stroll skirt pattern? I’d love to see some alternate versions of it!!
Rebecca, my favorite version is the one on the pattern cover, which was also the very first version of the pattern I sewed up. But if you’d like to see more versions of the skirt, be sure to check the photos lab in the shop where we’ve posted a bunch of photos from the Flickr group! http://oliverands.com/liesl-and-co-patterns/OLV-LC014CS-D.html#tab-photos
Why don’t you try using rolls of ‘chalkboard’ vinyl to cover your refrigerator? I’m fairly sure that it can be peeled off later without damaging the surface? I’ve used it to create a chalkboard wall in our kitchen.
That’s a good idea, Gladys! I may just have to try it. Thanks!
Oh, I can’t believe I forgot to comment on the Elena Ferrante! A pal called that book “the ultimate galentine” and while I can see what she means, that description didn’t prepare me for the book at all. After that I read “The Days of Abandonment” and it was a major wrist-slitter along the lines of de Beauvoir’s “A Woman Destroyed”. I mean that as a compliment, though it may not sound like one. My book club pal (we’re a club of two and just take turns) and I have read “Gilead”, “Nigerians in Space”, “1Q84” and “My Brilliant Friend” so far, with Ferrante and Olukotun being our favorites. I’m waiting for her to finish her other current reads and then we’re on to the next of the Neapolitan novels. My favorite of the bookshops that I visited in NY was Three Lives and Company, I think not too far from you. You probably know all about them but if you haven’t stopped in yet, I found them to have the best staff and best selection of stuff right out on the tables.