Uses for Binder Clips: Clothing Repairs

The uses of binder clips as stylish fashion accessories has been well documented. They can also be used for emergency repair. I understand a respected provincial tribunal member made good use of these three clips in two formal proceedings last week when a hem needed repair. [Update: I am reliably informed that was actually a seam repair, not a hem repair.]

I would name the presiding member that used this repair and the tribunal involved but a duty of confidentiality has been imposed on me. This also precludes me from naming the kind photographer who provided the image.

[Just to be clear, you know that those aren't my trousers, because mine are not that nice.]

Our new scarfs!

In front of the best Vietnamese restaurant in Ottawa

At lunch today, the exceptionally generous Kathy and Roy gave us fabulous Christmas presents from Lively Loops. I got a Ravenclaw Inspired Unisex Knitted Infinity Scarf and Manon got a John Snow Inspired Unisex Knitted Button Up Scarf.

You may notice that the shop owner of Lively Loops has the same last name as Roy. This is apparently not a coincidence. I suspect it's nice for Roy to have a niece who knits things inspired by George R.R. Martin characters.

You can get your own scarf or other inspired wearable items by clicking on Lively Loops and ordering.

Another Weekend, Another Festival

We took the opportunity of being in Montreal this weekend to take in another festival. A downtown Montreal festival has a very different vibe from a festival in rural Eastern Ontario.

Or maybe it's just a different vibe because of the differences you find between a fashion crowd and a folk crowd.

In any case, we enjoyed our visit to the Festival Mode & Design. In a small way it makes up for Slice still not showing the new season of Project Runway.

Missing the Point with Binder Clips?

Either binder clips are about to get really big or they're about to jump the shark.

Here are the signs:

• They now have their own fan blog;
• CBC radio is negotiating with several local bloggers for an interview on their uses (sticking point: use of aliases); and
• Mumsnet dissed my use of binder clips to hold up my sleeves.

Yes. It's true.

On April first, I noticed a spike in my traffic. This was odd because I hadn't posted for weeks. I thought maybe someone had picked up on a clever joke I blogged. Except I don't remember blogging any clever jokes other than the chia keyboard and it wasn't my idea.

It turns out the hits were coming from a discussion forum on Mumsnet (by parents for parents) that was started by someone calling herself Dumbledoresgirl who wrote:

I've just driven past a couple of young men, ok boys and one had his sleeves pushed up and I couldn't take my eyes off his naked forearms. But it isn't naked forearms per se otherwise men in t-shirts would be sexy, it is the pushed up sleeve business.

Why is this, do you think? (assuming you also find it sexy and it is not just me with some weird perversion)

This generated 142 comments: responses to the question, discussion of what makes a sexy forearm, how exactly the sleeve should be rolled, the importance of the shirt being tucked in, and other fine points. Other comments linked to photos with examples of rolled sleeves. Sexy examples and non-sexy examples.

And at 14:06:33 on 1-April-2010, on the fifth page of comments, FalafelAtYourFeet wrote:

this man has totally missed the point

and linked to Uses for Binder Clips - Holding Up Sleeves, which features this photo:

If you mouseover the picture you'll see it comes with excellent advice. I don't think I missed the point at all.

Uses for Binder Clips - Scarfs

Just the other day, someone I live with was expressing displeasure that her beautiful scarfs are tucked away out of sight. And now, Megan Butcher and Mae Callen have found a solution to this problem that makes excellent use of binder clips.

I understand that the real joy with this scarf display method comes when you shhhhk the scarfs back and forth in a satisfying manner.

Uses for Binder Clips - Holding Up Sleeves

The first thing I do when I put on a long-sleeved shirt is roll up the sleeves. This habit is so engrained that whenever I am wearing a suit I have to unroll my shirt sleeves before I put on the jacket.

I am good at rolling sleeves so they stay put. But some sleeves will fall down no matter what you do. Especially if you are doing something like washing dishes where you really don't want them to fall down.

Can you believe it was not until this weekend at the Bloggers' Brunch that I realized I could clip my sleeves in place?

I owe this discovery to XUP because she brought a selection of beautiful binder clips to the brunch and I wanted to wear mine.

Hard as it may be to believe, some of the bloggers there were not familiar with the "Uses for Binder Clips" series. Jo Stockton and I tried to explain about it but I got side-tracked when the phrase "king of the binder clip" was spoken. Side-tracked because a king must have a crown. I was anxious to get home and make one. But I stayed to the end because I was having fun.

Inappropriate? Uses for Binder Clips: Art

I have been meaning to blog about this since March. It has taken so long partly because I was so disturbed.

A bloke named Mada put up an Instructable for making Industrial Picture Frames. The frames relied on alligator clamps for keeping things together. Naturally, I asked if binder clips could substitute. The answers dismayed me.

Mar 13, 2008. 3:45 PMdscrimshawsays: Perhaps binder clips could substitute for the clamps... Mar 15, 2008. 2:11 PMbbqpopesays: Yeah, but no..... binder clips are already associated with art. I have seen too many shows hung with them. I think the clips he uses are cool because they are not art related. Mar 14, 2008. 10:37 AMmadasays: Sure would - I actually tried that at first but liked the looks of the clamps better.

Could it be that binder clips are no longer stylish? I wondered.

Fortunately, my faith was recently restored when I had the opportunity to take a tour of the new apartment of the always-in-style Megan Butcher. Megan's apartment has nothing out of place and she had a set of decorative binder clips displayed in plain view.

A Proper Pirate and Parrot

If you want to catch the attention of the ladies on Hallowe'en, nothing is better than a pirate costume. Here you see me demonstrating this in my new pirate captain costume. How do you know yo no soy marinaro, soy capitan? It's the epaulette on one shoulder and the parrot on the other.

I made the epaulette from two blue and gold curtain rod tassles from the Dollar-It glued to foam core board.

The parrot is Carlos, one of the puppet members of Astronaut Love Triangle. He didn't mind being sewn to an old blazer and having the name on his hat covered with a skull.

A hole in the jacket underneath him allowed him to talk freely. He said quite a bit more than "aawwk, pieces of eight, pieces of eight" and got asked to dance more than I did.

p.s. For a Halloween Party treat, check out my most famous post ever, Tasty Dessert: Toxic Waste.

Uses for Binder Clips - Cutening up a Party Dress

One of Manon's Halloween costumes wasn't quite right. "What does this need?" She asked me.

This question is always a no-brainer. "A shorter hemline," I said. And this time she agreed. How do you quickly shorten a silver party dress? Binder clips of course.

And if you have any clips left over, you can straighten out your lapels.

Dubious Uses for Binder Clips: Boot Storage

Unclutterer posted a reader suggestion this week for people who need to store lots of boots: Use binder clips to suspend up to 5 pairs from a hanger. The reader, Lisa, recommends putting fabric between the teeth of the clip and the boots to prevent indentations.

I love hanging things and I love using binder clips, but I cannot support this binder clip use. As the clever commenters point out:

• Even with fabric, the clips will probably permanently indent leather.
• The point of being an "unclutterer" is to not have so much stuff that you need to hang 5 pairs of boots from a hanger.

Storage is not a big issue for my 2 pairs of boots, but I can tell you that I'd make a huge mess if I started storing them in a clothes cupboard without putting them in plastic bags first. And if they're in plastic bags, no need for binder clips.

I suspect these people hanging their boots in the closet don't live in winter geography. I'd wonder why they have boots at all, but they make it clear that it is not about necessity.

Wikihow has some better ideas for boot and shoe storage.

A Suit to Dye For

Zander likes to wear suits to formal occasions, but they have to be suits that he can tie-dye. This is his latest.

The linen jacket and cotton pants and shirt were all purchased at Value Village.

I understand it's important to use natural fibers like linen and cotton when you're tie-dyeing rather than your polyesters and nylons.

Zander's suit gives me a wistful feeling for a pair of bell-bottom Levis I had in grade nine. They started out brown, but after bundling them with elastics and soaking them in a bucket of diluted bleach, they turned red, orange and brown.

This was 1974, so they were long past being fashionable, but I still really liked them.

Sad to say, I don't think there is any photographic record of them. In contrast to Zander's suit, which I suspect was photographed many times on Saturday night.

A Tie-Dye Instructable

The Stolen Angels Launch Party

Those of you who weren't able to make it will be happy to know that the Kathy Cook's reading on Sunday and her launch party tonight for Stolen Angels were both well-attended successes.

The reading had a nice feel to it. After Kathy read, she was interviewed by someone who knew how to do a good interview and then the audience asked good questions. It was like a really good university class without an exam or paper requirement, and much, much less costly.

Tonight in the Market, the launch party was all about schmoozing with journalists, politicians, writers and activists. There was also the weird part when all these very young women in slinky dresses showed up. They had helium ballons and gift bags and only seemed to be interested in speaking with the women at the Launch.

I believe they had started with their own private gathering in another part of the Foundation, then moved out to promote one or more local women's clothing shops, and later left for other fashionable Market venues.

I don't think they deliberately chose to start at the event where Kathy Cook was selling and signing her book about girls who were kidnapped into sexual slavery.

Link: Previous posting with more info on Stolen Angels: The Kidnapped Girls of Uganda

Uses for Binder Clips - Pocket Replacer

Tiana of Strangers in the Background writes:

Attached you will find a photo of a coworker of mine (face obscured because he fears the internet). His wife lays out his clothes for him and he was upset to arrive at work with no front pocket for his pen. I helped him work something out for the day as seen in the photo.

Giving Thanks with Sally

Sally in her shirt from Jody and $8 autumn pants

Sally hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving supper for a whole bunch of us on Monday.

One of the things she was grateful for was the blouse that Jody gave her because it saved her from trying to figure out what to wear. Someone commented that Jody seemed to often help Sally with clothing.

Jody thinks the hat is acrylic, not Phentex

"Jody's my fashion consultant," said Sally, "and here she is now!"

We all admired Jody's handmade hat and layered look.

More panorama fun:

You are what you wear

feelings6
Originally uploaded by Frauenfelder.

Today I came across this timely reminder about why I might want to do some clothes shopping soon.
[Via BoingBoing]

Round-up

Deodorant and Gender

Yesterday morning, I noticed that the label on my Lady Speed Stick was a sticker. It peeled off easily. I could put on my own label, I thought. Then this morning, Zoom came up with that same exact idea and I realized that I'd better do it fast before the idea loses momentum.

I'm happy with my re-branding, but it is at times like this that I wish I blogged under an alias. I'm sure that if I had a less inhibited alter-ego, I could have come up with something far more masculine for my sweat-control.

Uses for Binder Clips

Our genius friend Megan has identified another fine and appropriate use for a binder clip - adornment. You'll see that she went with a single basic black clip fastened to a collar. Of course, an array of clips in bold colours could make an even more striking fashion statement.

(Do you see why I say she's a genius? It's that juxtaposition thing - the binder clip is the paradigm of a functional object that people don't notice and she has used it so that it's only function is to be noticed. Sheer brilliance.)

Read the TV Guide First

Here is a screenshot that partially demonstrates how reading the listings can keep you from even turning on the TV.

Blogs that Matter

Going back to Zoom, you should read her post from today, The real reason I support the crack kit program.

Uses for Plastic Containers - Guest Slipper Holder

Zoom is a genius.^* Not only did she solve the problem of what to put in my art-protecting-plastic-container, she solved my problem of where to keep the guest slippers.

I didn't even realize I had the guest slipper problem until she brought it up, but I do. The guest slippers wind up in out of the way places or under dirty boots because I never wear them. Then someone comes by who doesn't have my amazing tolerance for cold floors and I'm scrambling around to find a pair.

But no more. Now they'll be right there in their special spot. Guests won't even have to ask for them because they'll be right there in plain view.

_____________________________________

^* Zoom is also a gifted artist. Check out her My Precious Moments.

Uses for Binder Clips - Super Models

Did you know that:

"Gisele Caroline Nonnenmacher Bündchen (born July 20, 1980) is a Brazilian supermodel who is arguably regarded as the most famous and the hightest-paid model in the world."

I didn't. But that is what Wikipedia is saying today, and when I check the "talk" page, the big controversy is about how many magazine covers she has been on, not the "arguably regarded" bit.

Plus when I googled "top super model" the first site I got says: Top Supermodel of the World: Gisele Bundchen.

I guess I am really out of it. When I think about it, it makes sense that Claudia Schiffer is no longer the top super model, but I sort of assumed that whoever is the top super model, I'd recognize her name.

Judy K was kind enough to send me the above pages from a magazine that show Ms. Bündchen "making it work" with a binder clip.

In conducting my research for this posting, I came across this picture that shows the super model in a dress that is probably easy to make and could perhaps also use binder clips.

Willy's Cat Castle

Willy's Cat Castle Click on photo for Annotations

When I built the Cat Castle for Willy, I had to strive for a certain style. You see, before living with Kathy and Mike, he lived with the Prime Minister. Not for long, but Kathy spent a good half hour chatting with Mrs. Harper before leaving with Willy. I suspect Mrs. Harper needed that long to be convinced that Kathy would be a good human companion for the kitten. And no, I'm not making this up. [Description of event where Kathy met Willy]

Ingredients:

• a discarded speaker cabinet,
• excess carpet scraps,
• sisal rope,
• a stick,
• cord from a discarded window blind, and
• a stuffed bunny rabbit given away at the Great Glebe Garage Sale.

Inefficient Uses for Binder Clips - Clothing

More than 500 binder clips; Photo by stochasticgirl.

I recently came across a photo of this dress made of binder clips created by Psycho Girlfriend.

Designers Kasey McMahon and Vanessa Bonet are clearly top-knotch hipster indie girls and I admire their work, but I feel it is necessary to point out that binder clips aren't the appropriate technology for every job.

If you want to make a mesh dress, those red nets on the clementine boxes would be much easier to work with.