Friday 14 August 2015

Without These Blogs...Where Would I Be?

So I'm currently sorting out all my university stuff this week so no sewing I'm afraid! Instead I thought I would share with you some of the blogs I read most, and why. Yes, this is the classic blog roll post.


The blog I have read most of has to be MPB. 'Male Pattern Boldness' claims to be the most popular men's sewing blog, and I can see why. Peter Lappin, a New Yorker living in Manhattan has roots in the Mood Sewing Network and I know that personally I joined Pattern Review just because he recommended it in a post. 






What I love about MPB is that Peter really knows his stuff. I read his blog as I love his pattern and colour choices ( it's nice to see some variety in menswear!) I love the fact that he is a dog person and I love that he is completely dedicated to his craft. If it doesn't fit him he will change it to make it so, instead of laying the project off to one side for a later date.

am a little bit jealous that he can just get a pattern out of a packet and only make a few alterations to make it fit, as being a woman it's not quite that easy! Having said that, he does make for his mum and his mysterious cousin, Cathy Lane. 

As a fellow seamsperson I would recommend MPB if you are a dedicated pattern sewer, like to make things by the book but doesn't take everything so seriously. My favourite video has to be the singalong in this video! 

http://malepatternboldness.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/message-from-michael.html

The blog that I love and didn't expect to is the Rock 'N' Roll Bride. 



I currently don't see myself getting married, so when I read a post on a hippy wedding on this site I was curious - don't all weddings have to be white and in a church? I scrolled down to read another post. The next one was about a gothic wedding and the next one featured a black wedding dress.

Kat Williams first started the blog back in 2007 and since then it has won many blogging awards, and it is the most recent to be voted 'Best Alternative Blog' at the Wedding Magazine Blog Awards. 

I am a firm believer that people aren't the same and weddings shouldn't be either. Rock 'N' Roll Bride illustrates this wonderfully and as a seamstress I like looking at all the outfits, not only the dresses but I have also seen some amazing suits on there.

As someone who wants to further my career in theatre production and design I find the locations and buildings are not only beautiful but seem to be more important to the special couple than unwedded folk like me realised. 

It has taken me completely by surprise but I have read nearly every post published since I discovered it. Get yourself over there and be prepared for your wedding boundaries to be rubbed out and redrawn somewhere beyond your imagination. Not to mention, it's a minefield of ideas if you want to get married yourself.

http://www.rocknrollbride.com


The blog that I see myself most in is The Pineneedle Collective.

Annika learned to sew much like I did. I discovered her blog a lot later than I started sewing, but clicking through her first posts made me realise that there are only a few reasons that people start to sew, the main three being that you see something in a shop and think you could do it yourself cheaper, that you want your clothes to be more personalised and more unique, or that you originally started just taking up trousers on your mum's old machine and it grew from there!

I think that her tutorials are quick and easy to follow, great for if you're just starting to sew or the clothes that you're making don't require a great understanding of garments and pattern cutting. This is where I started, tracing existing garments onto wonderous prints from the magical place that was the fabric shop. 

Unfortunately my love of mathematics and my interest in little bits of seethrough paper my grandma left me kicked in at this point. So I started studying patterns. Then I realised that many patterns needed altering to fit me so much it was wearing me out. I realised that by the time I had changed the pattern to fit I might as well draft my own from scratch. But that's another story for another post!

Annika is studying a bachelor's degree in science in Sydney. One of The Pineneedle Collective's key messages is to make science cool and to educate the fashion world a little more. All the models I have met in my time have been pretty dim and surely it's a lot sexier having wit and intelligence as well as the legs?

Her blog is a positive place perfect for the thrifter and the happy go lucky seamstress. The science contrasts wonderfully and I find it so fantastic that nerding out is now cool. She has published a mini magazine, is selling some of her own printed t shirts and has thousands of hits on her YouTube videos.

The Pineneedle Collective has just passed the three year blogging mark and is huge. I'm definitely keeping watch as I want to know what she does next! 

Annika and her blog can be found at http://www.pineneedlecollective.com

All images do not belong to me and I probably should have asked before taking them. Actually, I am going to ask now!

Are there any blogs that you love and wish to share? Tweet me @tartantonaay or send me a message on Facebook.

Toni

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