pattern testing: Lou Box Top

i love testing patterns. It makes me feel like I'm part of the in crowd and like somebody out there in sewing world sees me. All my friends and family know i tear up the sewing machine like nonstop
(and most of them have benefited from the obsession), but out there, in #sewcialists land, do you know me??***

So when Beth picked me as a tester for her super clean super simple "the modern simple top i've been looking for" Lou Box Top, i was hella stoked. I've made a bunch of Scout Tees, but they always needed after-the-fact adjustments, and just didn't feel very feminine. (Beth hasn't released the pattern yet, but hang tight! It's a goodie!)

I chose some silk i bought at Stonemountain a couple years ago one day i played sewing hooky (ahh the days before 85 kids counted on me every day). Silk is a PAIN IN THE ASS

Even with starch. So much starch. I use this stuff in the huge bottle. (omg that link! who knew Mary Ellen was so prolific in her efforts to make ironing less odious?)

The wovens version includes a button tab back, just to be pretty. (I think this button was harvested from one of my mom's awesome 80s dresses. HOT.)
 
very swingy. I used french seams everywhere, and navy silk crepe binding. I forgot to clip my curves (even though the directions said to do it) and so the neck sticks up a little! DAMN.

Anyway, isn't it cute? can be made knit or woven, and so simple either way. I bet a simpler fabric would take about an hour top to bottom.

Til I take that on, I'll keep it classy in my silks.

What are you wearing? Are you famous about it?

luv
bex

*** welllll, the ladies at the fabric store saw a stack of my in-process undies yesterday, that was fun. :)

Patience

I took an epic "get away" walk today. I lost one of my favorite fingerless cashmere gloves, and I found my theme for the upcoming year: patience. 

It's not my strong suit...but my "show up; get a better butt" motivation from 3 years ago is probably due for retirement. It has served its purpose, happily. 

Cue GnR! Night night my loves. 

did you hear about f3rguson?

I teach boys of color. They are 0scar Grant, M1chael Brown, Trayvon M4rtin, you get the idea. They all wear hoodies and have swagger and they are mostly brilliant (i think most 12 year olds are brilliant, which is why my job is great).

So today we had a walkout - or anyway we participated in the #handsup nationwide walkout in solidarity with boys who've been killed by police aggression. But as deeply as I care about these kids and the madness that's happening in my country, I am not the most articulate speaker on the issues.

I don't want to tell children of color about racism. I don't want to pretend I know what they live. I don't know what the kids know about the killings, and I don't know if they're oversaturated or hungry to discuss it. In Oakland it seems to go both ways.

But still. It was a national event and I wanted to let the kids know I live in their world too. And that I'm angry and scared too. So I asked B00ts Riley. He happened to be in my classroom this morning. Because Oakland.

The kids wrote private notes to themselves about the value of participating in an action like that, or they made signs to hold for the on-campus photographers (their friends and teachers with smartphones). And then they prepared for a lab using electrolysis. And then they went to math class.

I never really know what to do in this job. But caring a hell of a lot goes pretty far.