Intimidated by learning to sew? These are the resources you need (with reader advice!)
Back in the day we had a great discussion about sewing anxiety from a reader who wanted to learn but didn’t know where to start. Our amazing readers stepped up to the plate to offer some great sewing advice on where to start and how to wrangle a needle and thread. (My favorite resource is Threadbanger on YouTube!) I pulled some of my favorite comments so that we can share in their collective sewing knowledge and start making clothes, totes, costumes, and whatever strikes your fabric fancy.
What are your favorite fashion blogs?
Lately I have been having a hard time with my wardrobe. I’m a former thrift store junkie, but I, unfortunately, don’t have the time to sift through the racks at the thrift store or even the local vintage shop. So I feel like I am a bit stuck in a fashion rut.
Are there any good fashion blogs you can suggest?
How to feel safe participating in online communities
Active participating in online communities certainly isn’t for everyone, and it’s definitely important to take care of yourself and do what’s comfortable for you. But I’m going to share my lil’ story, since I noticed a lot of “Long Time Reader, First Time Commenter” comments on that post about the reader survey. This may not be helpful for anybody, but I thought I’d put it out there in case somebody needed to hear it.
Data diarrhea: my epic post about reader survey results
Offbeat Home & Life has undergone a lot of changes in 2013, so it felt important to do a little mini-reader survey specific to this site. This post is going to be long, but for those of you who are into data and/or invested in the future of Offbeat Home & Life, it’s going to be fun. We’ve got stuff about Facebook, family-related content, and the kinds of posts y’all hate. Come along!
How do you get over your sewing anxiety?
I finally broke down last year and convinced my husband to get me a starter sewing machine for my birthday. I have made some things, pillows and an amazing Star Trek Fez for DragonCon this past August. But I find myself so intimidated by my sewing machine and the lingering ghost of my mother’s seamstress talents, that I can’t seem to get myself to try anything else. How do you get over sewing anxiety? And are there any good alternative/offbeat sewers and blogs out there that I can follow?
Stop hate-reading: save your soul with a browser-based URL blocker
You know you do it. You have those URLs that you save in your bookmarks for the websites you hate. You know you shouldn’t do it. You know your hate-reading actually supports the websites you loathe… but fuck. It’s so hard! Self-control, man. I don’t have it. Do you?
Where can one find positive vegetarian-themed networking websites?
I recently joined (and subsequently deleted my account from) a vegetarian networking website. What I got was more of an anti-meat-eater coalition. Now, don’t get me wrong: there were some very kind people there, but the general attitude was aggressive. What I really just want is a supportive network for vegetarians, with little-to-no negativity. Has anyone heard of something like that?
“Unfucking” your habitat together: 5 ways to get your partner to help clean house
I’ve lived with my spouse for four years. In that time, through several apartments and sets of roommates, I’ve learned that we are in fact Dirty People. Rather than keep each other motivated, the two of us tend to wallow in our own filth. This is how the blog Unfuck Your Habitat taught me the 5 ways to help get my cleaning-impaired husband to pitch in on the cleaning duties.