seersucker summer pants

So maybe not the best photo, but you get the gist. These are wide-legged, comfy pants with a side zipper (invisible zipper!) and butt darts. The pattern is from, yes, a Japanese craft magazine. I used the cotton seersucker I got at the outdoor sale at Fabric Deep-oh.



The pants turned out to be a bit too big, so I had to take in quite a bit from the front and back seams. They were still too loose, though, so then I ended up having to, um, safety pin a little tuck. No matter, because they are very comfortable. Super quick and easy to make, so I think more pairs are in my future!

send in the clowns

I've decided to join the circus! Just kidding, but if I ever DID join the circus, I wouldn't need a new wardrobe. So even though I am poking fun, I actually like this clown shirt. You can't really see the neckline very well. My photographer is out of town this week, so I had to rely on the self timer and a stack of books.

I was trying to make a shirt out of one of my new Japanese crafting books (I'm too lazy to go look for it. If anyone cares, just let me know, and I'll supply the ISBN and such). I made a muslin, and wouldn't you know, the sleeves were too tight! Same predicament as the Built by Wendy pattern with the raglan sleeves and elastic neckline! So, I just extended the pattern pieces a bit, and it worked! I used some nani iro double gauze from my stash and shirred away. The top is super comfy and not too billowy around the torso (one of the concerns with a gathered, tunic-y top). The elasticized clown sleeves are about to push me over the edge, though, so I am going to remove the shirring and narrow the sleeves a bit. Maybe that will make the top less clown-like? That's not really my goal, though, as I have nothing against clowns (nothing against the happy ones, anyway).

Pentel multipencil

Recently I was thinking that it'd be really great if I had a multipencil. That way I could have colored lead for marking and highlighting in addition to good ol' regular lead for writing. Well, dreams can come true! I just had to jet over to JetPens and voila! The Pentel Function 357 multipencil!



The cool thing about this multipencil is it accommodates three different lead sizes: .3mm, .5mm, and .7mm. I like writing with a sharp lead, so I use the .3mm slot for regular lead. For the other slots I have colored lead. Colored lead seems to be a little softer than regular pencil lead, so it's not as satisfying to write text with it, but who cares! It's fun!



Oh, I took the photo using the camerabag iPhone app. I'm kind of going crazy with all the camera apps. The Kittycamera (the Hello Kitty one) is truly wonderful.

battle of the multipens

I have Japanese pens coming out my ears, but I knew I wouldn't be able to resist buying a couple during my recent trip to Japan. In order to narrow down the selection and try to keep my head from exploding, I offered to bring some pens back for the Pen Addict, knowing he'd be up on the latest and greatest. He did not disappoint!

So what do we have here? Well, for a baseline, I included the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto, since I believe it can do no wrong. The other contenders are the Uni Style Fit and the Pentel Sliccies. Let's see how they did!

First up we have the 3-color Uni Style Fit in .38mm. Now, I am a big fan of Uni writing implements. Their Jetstream Sport ballpoint pens have completely changed my life and my opinion of ballpoint pens. Also, isn't the Style Fit purty? It looks kind of fancy without being pretentious. And, the cool thing is you can select gel ink, ballpoint ink, and pencil lead refills in various sizes. Sadly, the Style Fit was my least favorite of the multipens. Though it looks great, it just didn't feel particularly sturdy in my hand. The way the refills are inserted into the pen casing and the click mechanism seem too delicate. It does write smoothly, but I wouldn't be surprised if it broke easily. Another issue is you can't quickly tell which color corresponds with which clicker dealie (what are those called? Cartridge propulsion lever? Anyway ... )

And here's the 3-color Pentel Sliccies in .4mm. Now, it's been my experience that there are Pentel Slicci people and Pilot Hi-Tec-C people. I put myself in the latter camp. I have one Pentel Slicci pen, and I like it, but I don't adore it like I do the Hi-Tec-C pens. I think it has to do with the pen tips (more on that in a bit). However, I found myself really liking the Pentel Sliccies multipen. I had some initial problems with proper installation of the ink cartridges, but once I got that down the pen worked fine. The tips are very sturdy, so the pen feels much more substantial than the Uni Style Fit. It's also easier to identify the colors, but it's NOT as easy as the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto.

Hmm, Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto. I guess I didn't take a photo. For my review and a photo, go here. Basically, the refills are a breeze to insert, and it's actually fun to put them in. What's clever is the refill also acts as the clicker thing, so it's super easy to tell which color is available. The tips are super fine, but I love the way the ink flows, and the tips don't feel too dainty to me.

So here's a closeup of the tips. You can see how much sturdier the tips of the Sliccies are in comparison to the others (or maybe you can't tell. I guess you'll just have to trust me). So as usual, it all comes down to personal preference! Why not give them all a try? You can get the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto and the Pentel Sliccies at JetPens. The Uni Style Fit is not yet available in the US as far as I can tell, but I doubt JetPens is very far behind!

Ch ch ch chia

In my first experiment with chia gel, I made these molasses spice cookies using chia gel instead of oil. Chia gel is made from chia seeds, which are supposed to be a superfood, packed with antioxidants, low in fat, and, you know, just generally super awesome. Now, those of you who know me know I am all about baked goods, and I do not like "healthful" substitutions. If I'm going to have a sweet treat, I want it to be processed and refined and white.

So, I did not get chia seeds for trick baking. I was influenced to give them a try after reading about what an amazing endurance food they are in the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. This book talks about the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, who are incredible runners. I highly recommend this book, though I suppose it'd be more interesting if you are a runner and into the whole barefoot/natural running phenomenon (remember my toe spreaders?).

Anyway, chia gel can be used as a substitute for oil and butter and can be added to food as an extender or to pack in some extra nutrients. Years ago I had a pumpkin cake made with chia gel, and I don't remember it tasting weird or anything. I suspected that maybe cookies made with chia gel might be a little odd, and I was right. The recipe I used is for a chewy molasses spice cookie. Instead, I got a cakey, spongey cookie (I did add a tad more flour than was called for, though, because the dough seemed very soft). For those concerned with texture, this might be an issue, but you know, the flavor is there. I decided they would benefit from some icing, so there you go.

Read on for the recipe ...

Continue reading "Ch ch ch chia"