knitxcore.: Time-Machine Tuesday: The Illustrated Hassle-free Make Your Own Clothes Book.

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Time-Machine Tuesday: The Illustrated Hassle-free Make Your Own Clothes Book.

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One morning, I woke up with an incredible feeling of emptiness. Something was missing from my life; something was missing from my wardrobe.  I have the fits of insanity if I wake up before 10AM. My thoughts are kinda muddy or slushy or something.

If I actually find a way to function, it usually involves sleep walking to the computer and writing down a bunch of those in-between sleep and awake ideas, just so I don't lose them.

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This particular morning, I had been fixated on caftans/dashikis. Maybe I watched the musical Hair before I fell asleep. Maybe I really liked the ones that were dismissed by Michael Kors on Project Runway as "the Brady's go to an Autumn Harvest festival". Either way the thought permeated my existence. I searched for patterns and books that seemed authentic (read: vintage) because I obviously couldn't exist without a super bohemian ethnic print top.

dashiki party
(pictures from RogueRetro on Etsy)

Remember that I'm still half-asleep.

I eventually came across this book, The Illustrated Hassle-free Make your Own Clothes Book, and that became my new obsession. I thought it would be a really useful and fun read (and it is). It makes sewing simple garments really accessible and smart. I adore it.

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Even if I never actually make my dream dashiki, I'm still super glad I found this book!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

i own this book too! but i haven't looked at it in a while, i'm going to go flip through it again!

Jenny Holiday & Aaron said...

Ohh man..this book toootally reminds me of this book my mom had when I was little. I have noo idea why I hated it so much. Maybe due to the crudely drawn naked people throughout the book demonstrating everything from composting to natural (at home) childbirth...haha...there may or may not have been a day where I ripped it up and tossed it around the house.

yep...

I know you'd host a kick ass dashiki/mumu /bongo party!

xo Jenny

Sian said...

oh! that book looks great! i love the cover. please make something from it!!

Grateful4Crochet said...

OK, this is one of the weirdest coincidences ever, but on Thursday I posted you the map cards you won in my competition aaaaages ago, but I also made you a book, and the cover is made of material from a dashiki I choppped up!!! Now I feel terrible for chopping it up, as I could have just sent the whole thing unchopped to you!!!!
Worst day ever!!!
Also, in case you wonder just why I had a dashiki floating around, my sister used to be an actor in a travelling theatre group, and had the best dress ups ever, I scored that when she was throwing them all out!!

Lisa said...

That looks like a super cool book! ^_^

I have strange half-asleep ideas too ... I end up waking up and having to decipher notes I've left myself on my phone! ~_^

LittleCanoe said...

These are awesome! I'd love to see you make one. I adore the picture on the cover of that book. Ahh, simpler times.

Cassy said...

I just want you to know I nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award. If you choose to accept this, there are details about putting it on your blog here: http://knitthehellout.com/2012/06/06/versatility/ If not, just accept it as a compliment. Have a great day!

Cassy said...

I just want you to know I nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award. If you choose to accept this, there are details about putting it on your blog here: http://knitthehellout.com/2012/06/06/versatility/ If not, just accept it as a compliment. Have a great day!

Rae - Say It Aint So said...

amazing! i need you see you in a dashiki SOON.

the Thrifty Gypsies said...

such a neat book! you should totally start making all of your clothes and refuse to buy anything from a store ever again!

p.mcg said...

.......that book is the most amazing thing published, ever.