Hi Everyone,
It’s been a minute :) I don’t want this to be like everyone’s middle school journal, where all five entries say “sorry for not writing,” but here we are. I’m a little overwhelmed with work and (finally) socializing, but hopefully things even out in the new year.
I’ve learned to make lace. Specifically tatting, which is made from a series of knots and loops (called picots). It’s not a particularly old style of lace, probably only around 200 years, compared to bobbin lace’s more extensive history. It’s also considered a kind of low-brow lace, historically made at home as a hobby or as a way to keep one’s hands busy, and not for market. Which is an extremely silly to say about lace in the first place, like it’s lace. Lace! I make it with the big training size thread, which can look a little clumsy. The proper size (80 if you want to do some googling) is as fine as hair. I don’t know that I’ll even work with it at that weight, as it becomes almost impossible to pick out mistakes and takes much longer to make anything at size. I also don’t really know what to do with the pieces I create as I don’t wear much jewelry.
I find that as soon as I get into a craft or learn about a historical period I assume that others have at least cursory knowledge of it. I now expect people to know what tatting is when I mention it to them, instead of it being yet another obscure craft that I have picked up. I think this also comes from assuming that I am very normal, which is probably not the case, or rather that I’m not that special and so my hobbies and interests aren’t so specialized. I think this also comes from going to high school surrounded by other Jewish lesbian weebs and never finding that specific of a community again.
I’m also now thinking about the BBC Edwardian Farm series. The people must know. It would have great market appeal to the contemporary American GBBO stress watcher.
One thing I really enjoy about tatting is the size. You work with either one or two shuttles, both maybe 2ish inches long, and that’s it. It’s easy to fit in your hand when sitting anywhere, or to put aside. My little loom, whom I’ve neglected since this spring, languishes under my bed, since set-up would require domineering the kitchen table and then take up precious floor space any time I put it down. Anyway, at the moment I have too many projects going to start another.
What I’m reading:
This 2017 Strange Horizon article on Star Trek’s Captain Kirk’s image over the years and how the popular image of a brash womanizer is unsupported in the canon of TOS, and what that says about us as viewers. It’s a fantastic piece and completely reinvigorated my interest in the series, although I’m a little afraid that it’s put me off some fanfic that leans into the mischaracterization. Although I do find that fanfic authors do a better job of avoiding the projection of toxic masculinity that Star Trek: AOS tried to convey. (The 2009 film franchise for you non-nerds).
Dead white man’s clothes and the international resale and our trash and rags being sent overseas to rot and pollute in Ghana.
What About the Rapists and Murderers? An abolitionist take down of the current failings and inaction of our current criminal justice system.
I bought a little physical copy of The Coming Insurrection at the feminist bookstore a couple weeks ago and I have not been able to get through it. I know you can find free pdfs online, but I thought my mind would stick better to the printed word. I’m really struggling to read theory now that I’m out of an academic setting. I also checked out a collection of essays (journal articles?) on Medieval women and their working conditions, which is a little dry, but much easier to get through (editing Gabriella: I read the first chapter and then gave up. Got some gay romances so maybe that will go better).
What I’m watching:
500 years of Haircuts A really fun, well researched and edited effort from a historical costumer.
Dune. I saw Dune and thought it was great fun. I read this good and extremely long newsletter on how the movie related to the extended Dune universe, which was nice because I’ve only read and only intend to read the first book. I’m tired as all hell of movie franchises, but I think it would be fun if they did Asimov’s Foundation series next. I’ve certainly read enough of those.
I watched the 2019 Linda Ronstadt documentary with my parents the other night and it felt like someone was playing a prank on me. As you all know, starting around junior year of college I began my descent from classic rock into folk revival and I had never heard of her?? And here’s this whole movie showing me how famous she was? And all the platinum records and Grammys and such? The Eagles were her backing band? I don’t know if this gap is cultural or the blame is entirely my own. Linda mostly did covers, which certainly impacted her financially, but I wonder, too, if it impacted her longevity. Maybe some oldheads will pop out and just tell me I’m ignorant or making them feel ancient or something. Anyway, she seems like an incredibly grounded and wise person, even as a young single woman in the 1960s LA folk scene, and now lives with her family in Arizona.
Capitalist Shilling /jk
I really like this blush. So much so that when I dropped it on the bathroom floor and it got too close to the cat litter I was pretty upset and went very quickly back to the Japanese drugstore kind of thing downtown where I had first bought it to find a replacement. I’m no expert, but I think the dark color would work on a wide range of skin tones, while the sheer nature of the cream formula allows you to build up layers without immediately looking shocking. Very nice for just adding a rosy flush or for going full egirl. It’s a great look. I love blush-heavy looks. Instead of lipstick and mascara, I think blush and mascara is a complete look, especially if you bring it up to and on to your eyes. This opinion may be influenced by pandemic masking.
Also I’ve really liked the heat tech liner high neck shirts from Uniqlo. They’re so warm, but are not sweaty or clingy. I’d buy a size down from whatever you normally wear, if you’re interested.
//gabriella
You'd never??? Heard???? Of Linda Ronstadt????????