On the golden section, or when artists get nerdy.

actual Golden Section

Did you know you can get all sorts of nerdy about art?  I mean using ugh, math and all.  I had a class in college that introduced me to the mathematically ideal ratio or the Golden section.  The Fibonacci sequence.  Apparently you can find it in music too, but that is not my forte, so I don't know the first thing about how that works.  I do know you can find it in art.  Leonardo Da Vinci was a big proponent, as was Albrecht Duhrer and you can find it in classical architecture too.  (like the pantheon and stuff..)  And I know there are more, but I'm too lazy to google it right now.

I had an art professor that was pretty enamored of it too, and thus introduced yours truly to the enigma of the golden section.  It was pretty hard to implement though when the only way I had of knowing the ratio was to draw out a fairly complicated geometric drawing.  (I am not describing it here, mostly because I don't know if I remember how to draw it.  It involved a ruler, a compass and a T square.)  A while ago (it was actually waaaaay too long ago to be blogging about it now, don't worry about it!)  I randomly found an obscure site that sold Fibonacci gages that would hold the ratio as you moved it, taking all of the hard work away.  And I had to have one.  I first bought a far too expensive and unexpectedly flimsy one.  After much disappointment I returned it and upon further research I stumbled across an etsy shop that also sold fibonacci gages.  They were smaller, but the owner very sweetly agreed to custom make me a larger one.  Not only did I have a vastly superior and sturdy tool, but it is gorgeous too!

even though its gorgeousness is masked by a grainy picture in poor light..

This is the origin of the 'rule of thirds'.  The rule of thirds is just easier to estimate and describe and thus encoporate.  But really it is just a dummed down version of the Golden Ratio.  Now I just need to incorporate it into my art more.  On purpose instead of accidentally. 

this is an accident.  a happy one of course.

Tutorial: cute, functional and temporary hem for growing kids.

This post was written at least a year ago... but I figured I should post it anyway.  It still applies.  This was inspired by "growth strips" sewn into petticoats and dresses in from what I am guessing to be around the late 1800's to early 1900's.  (I guess, but I did not look it up, feel free to correct me if you'd like).  Think Laura Ingalls Wilder in Little House on the Prairie or discontinued Victorian era Samantha (American Girl) doll's petticoats, just merged with modern jeans.

School will be starting again soon, and thus the mad rush to clothe your children for the school year.  I sort of hate shopping, so I want to get it all over with as much as possible.  Which means buying jeans that are too long for my children.  I've resorted in the past to simply rolling the hems up (since I knew they'd grow into it halfway through the year, if the knees held out until then).  But I thought of this and had to try it out instead.  It is actually deceptively simple.

Put co-ordinating thread in your machine and a heavy duty needle.  Measure from the bottom about 2" and fold (and pin).  Sew 1/2" away from the fold.  Repeat for as many tucks as you need.  Each tuck shortens the jeans by 1 inch.  Super simple!  Then when it needs to be let down, you just unpick them starting from the top.