As for this HP, it is a thing of beauty, but I wonder if it wouldn’t be difficult to keep clean and match to outfits.

I remember going to the Chanel exhibit at the Metropolitan museum the last time I went to NY (05?) but the price of the book was eeeeek.

Jane, OMG, it’s too much. First the books, than the law thing and now sewing. If you ever run for office, you have my vote (not that I can vote in the US but whatever!)

MoJo, AGES ago, I’d found the Amazon Drygoods ad at the back of some magazine or other but didn’t have a credit card back then (Thank God! I have slightly more self-control now). And I don’t know how to draft patterns: my grandmother and aunt, the master seamstresses, both live in Canada and my mother wasn’t into sewing much. I just use patterns.

I only found out about Ottobre on the sewing blogs but I use burda. I’m addicted to their opensource/fan site too, burdastyle but haven’t done any of the free patterns. They just introduced a pattern for kids this week.

I guess all you guys must know about patternreview, then?

Anne, will check out your shops but added your blog to GReader and yon mentioned two things that I think all sewers/crafters can relate to : clutter (form that OC prob re: fabric and patterns and trims and buttons and, and…you get the picture) and no having a dedicated sewing/craft room. Le sigh.

Silk charmeuse…on the BIAS?!?!?!?! I’ve sewn two difficult fabrics (IMO) so far and both for my mother: some sort of taffeta I had to use strips of paper or the stitches skipped and embroidered cotton voile with that see-through madness.

I hope to set up a sewing blog in addition to my “serious” blog…that I’ve been neglecting for months now. I think it sort of helps you keep sewing to see others do stuff…just like I needed online friends to share the romance novels with! (Is it a bad sign that I keep picking up solitary hobbies?)

Edited to add: did search on your seller name. Very cute. I like the idea of putting adjustable straps on the jumper. That makes a lot of sense.

One of my favorite coffee table sewing books is the Madeleine Vionnet book.

Swoon.

when I conquer my fear of the silk charmeuse

It’s not that bad. You have to have the right needles (blunt) and using a serger helps (I don’t have one), especially if you’re cutting on the bias.

Edited to add that sometimes I think the Japanese have a better handle on western clothing (historical and otherwise) than western clothing historians.

Jane – go to eBay and search IvyLane Boutique (possibly add custom on the end) and take a gander. I’m Honeybkids, the rest are my sewing group. You’ll see quite a few familiar patterns (although mine are originals not from Ottobre or Farbenmix. The original series of farbenmix patterns were illustrated by one of the women in my sewing group.

NOw back to prototype #2 :)

I am in the process of ordering a bunch of Japanese pattern books from this etsy seller and I buy these European patterns: Ottobre Design and Farbenmix.

do all you guys sew?

I do, when I have time. I made my wedding dress and it won a prize at the state fair. A lot of my college credits (you know, the ones I didn’t really need for anything whatsoever) were fashion merchandising, garment and costume construction. I still have (and use) the same metal (in plastic carrying case) Brother sewing machine I got for Christmas when I was 15 (25 years ago) and it was old THEN and had been refurbished.

My first love, before sewing, though, is counted cross stitch and hand embroidery (which I hand-embroidered my wedding dress, too).

If any of the crafty ladies haven’t found this blog yet, you’re missing out: http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/

and if you’re into homewares: http://decor8blog.com

Jane, Anne and Mojo, do all you guys sew? Because last summer, my life changed again (after 99 and discovering the internet, 01 and discovering the online romance community): I stumbled across my first sewing/craft blog and ever since, my mojo is back.

Anne, I definitely second Jane’s rec of Etsy. I lurve Etsy so bad. If I didn’t live in the 3rd world, I would soooo have an Etsy shop. Then again, maybe it’s a good thing I can’t have Paypal…Anywayyy, is that Amy Butler fabric?

I do have a eBookwise too! And as MoJo says, the pocket isn’t the most convenient thing I’ve handled. But Maybe Anne, you could try, knits? To get that “fits like a glove” angle? Though, can you quilt knits? I did buy some fabric book sleeves at Home Depot, my last trip to Fl. Put them on my dictionaries. I’ll try to find the brand name for you.

Uh…this was originally a tech post, right? ‘Cause I can’t shut up about sewing, let me tell you! So, to steer this back (slightly) on subject, have you guys seen all those computerized pattern softwares for home sewing? I guess the industry has been using that for a while but to do it at home, blows my mind!!! (reminder: I live in a severely low-tech environment)

Ugh! Boss alert, got to go [pretend to] work…

In order to SELL fabric covers, however, I think they would have to offer more craftmanship-’ maybe quilting and/or padding (for appearance and protection) and a fancy-schmancy closure (frog, loop with fancy button, etc.). Plus I would suggest that the covers be custom fit to each eReader.

Oh very much so. This was just a 15min prototype and is missing all the bells and whistles, pockets and closures etc.

Of course, I just gave everyone a great idea now, so I’ve probably shot myself in the foot ROFL