A slight delay in my "instructable"

OK, I promised an "instructable" on how to tailor a shirt without measuring. Yes, I know that the road to good intentions doesn't lead you anywhere (Michael W. Smith, among others, said that). So, sorry for the delay. I've had gigs (4 in July, and, looking forward, one a week from 7/27 - 8/30), some new music students (1 guitar and 2 piano!), and some slight health issues (slight, recurring dizziness; can rule out ear issues as of today, and I have an eye appointment later this week). Top that off with work and family, and I've been busy, to say the least.

But who isn't busy these days?

So, stop, take a deep breath, drink some calming tea, give your loved ones a big hug, and get enough sleep. We'll get to those shirts when we can.

Dressing Well

One of my band mates commented on my "fashion" at a recent show. Fashion is one of those horribly subjective things, and I'd say it's highly variable from region to region. I do not aim for trendy--my budget is usually much too low and I honestly don't care about fashion trends--but when I'm on stage (or presenting at a conference or meeting with people for my job) I usually dress much nicer than I do in my daily street clothes. My band mate's wife suggested that he go shopping with me. While flattered, I must point out that that's only part of the equation. I can dress well on a fairly low budget. I rarely buy clothes full price (the exception is shoes due to my funky feet). I have a lot of great looking shirts that I bought for $4 or $5. And I should also point out that the hosts of "queer eye for a straight guy" would probably have a thing or two to say about what I wear, but I'm not sure I care (see above).

Part of the secret is that I know what fits my body type--the general consensus between my wife and me (and my mom) is that I look best in straight-leg, flat front pants and fitted shirts. If you really want to look great, take an honest friend (or spouse) with you when you shop. I have to admit, my wife has saved me from a few fashion SNAFUs.

Another part of dressing well for me is that I know my way around a sewing machine. My mom made sure I could iron and sew a button on a shirt, my dad taught me how to hem dress pants, and my grandmother gave me an old garage sale sewing machine when I was a kid. Using that old machine, I sewed sleeping bags for my G.I. Joe soldiers so they wouldn't be cold during their overnight raids on the Cobra commandos. I sewed a new cape for Darth Vader when the plastic one broke because the rebels made fun of him (he looked like a big mechanical dork without the cape). Sewing wasn't "cool" in high school (I took wood shop instead of home ec), but when I got out on my own, I bought a $70 White sewing machine at J&W Vac & Sew in Fort Collins, CO and learned how to patch holes, fix ripped-out seams, sew fleece hats, make drawsting bags, and alter clothes for my outdoor habits. Now my wife and I have a fairly nice Pfaff that she found on eBay (though it needs a little work) and a Bernina overlock machine (serger) my mom gave us many years ago. So, that $5 thrift store shirt, while the fabric is great and the pattern is killer, may just be too baggy. Enter the serger--it makes taking in a shirt a snap! And it's useful for sewing other fabrics, too, especially fleece.

How do I do it, you ask? In the next post, I'll walk you through my method. It assumes that you know a little bit about sewing with a machine, but there are many resources out there to help you learn. What I like best is that this method doesn't require you to measure anything (a trick I picked up from woodworking/carpentry, and at the suggestion of my wife!).

So stay tuned! In the mean-time, enjoy "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore.

New Fly Art--Part 2

These are my Fly Tying Meets Modern Art series, which I might submit under a pseudonym my Father-in-Law dreamed up--Andy Warhook. I thought the oversized Copper Johns turned out the best. Hope Fuller Lodge Art Center likes them, too!

I didn't realize it until I was putting together this post, but these (in smaller sizes!) are my favorite go-to flies for fishing in the Jemez. I'll usually rig an elk hair caddis or parachute Adams to float with a copper John or prince bouncing along the bottom.

The Copper John (the original, something like the one in the upper right/yellow background, was designed by Colorado angler John Barr):

These are something like a Parachute Adams, but more colorful. I was thinking of another Father-in-Law-ism as the title for this one: Marilyn Mayfly. I came across some poly yarn that I think I'll use in the future for my real Parachute Adams flies.

Finally, the venerable Elk Hair Caddis, ostensibly designed/invented by Montana fly tier Al Troth.

 

I had a blast putting these together, and I hope you enjoy them, too! 

New Fly Art--Part 1

Last week I submitted Fishhooks in Disguise, a piece for the upcoming show at the Fuller Lodge Art Center in Los Alamos called "Trickster". Ken Nebel, the manager of the Art Center, suggested something around fly tying as that art is, in essence, all about tricking fish into biting a hook. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it's just amusing.

I made the mistake of framing the thing BEFORE taking the picture (I superglued the foam into the frame...), so it was REALLY hard to not have a bunch of glare on the glass. Lesson learned for next time.
Wish me luck getting in to the show!

Edit to add: I tied every fly in there except for the lures (obviously) and the Muddler Minnow (top row, right side), which was tied by my dad. Let me know if you're curious about the names of these.