I'm listening to @re-dracula again now that it's all out, and Dr. Van Helsing has so many good quotes.

I have been asked to add it to Redbubble, so it is added, though it did not fit on a huge variety of things.

Oh hey, do you know what time it is? It is highly specific resource time!

Today we have the Royal School of Needlework Stitch Bank! There are HUNDREDS of stitch types in the RSN Stitch Bank.

And more added regularly, let’s look at a recent addition

I picked the first one in the 25 recently added Elizabethan stitches, the Elizabethan French Stitch

The stitch bank provides written and photo tutorials as well as a video option to learn to do it yourself. There are examples of the stitch in use, resources, references, everything but a needle and thread!

rsnstitchbank.org

I looked at some of the tutorials last night and holy shit I'm so impressed! They're SO thorough! Not only do they have written and video instructions, but there are photo and illustration options for each image AND a "flip view" button so that left handed people can see all the images in reverse!

Who needs kitschy kitchen shit???

I've uploaded the entire booklet for anyone who wants it. No charge, just have fun! Sorry about the terrifying corn man. There's nothing I can do about him.

Enterprise became Lily's Sugar and Cream, so any of their dishcloth yarns will work perfectly.

Quick Tip: The booklet says to use a 2mm hook unless specified. This is absolutely stupid. Your hands will fall off. Use a 3.5mm. You'll get the tight gauge, and the items will only be about an inch larger. By my estimation, it adds about 20-30 yards for any main color, which is a fair swap for being able to use your hands when you're done.

reblog if the first musical you listened to was not Hamilton

For those who have never seen Jeremy Brett's depiction of Sherlock Holmes, the entire collection of his Sherlock Holmes episodes / movies (from 1984-1994) is available to watch for free on Youtube.

I highly recommend watching these if you are a fan of the original Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes stories. These are (in my opinion) the most faithful retellings and they are very well-acted.

Fun stuff!!! I’ve been meaning to check this series out for ages!!!

T-shirt Designs!

I added some more t-shirt designs to my shop today! Most of these are from Archive.org and are out of copyright. I've cleaned them up and in some cases added stupid captions. Like Cobra Chicken. they're also available on mugs and notebooks as well!

Also I've made t-shirts of my classic Mini Machina as drawn by Gunkiss/Camilla Fortune! The tights I made are expensive, but they are super comfy and soft. If you're wanting that or anything that isn't a t-shirt I'd wait till later this month because there's a 20% off your order promo.

Right now tho, T-shirts are $15!!

I don't make a whole lot off these, but proceeds are currently going towards Sir Didymus Maximus, the maine coon,'s dental cleaning!

https://pinandink.threadless.com/

Dnd classes…. but as frogs!! 

ATTENTION!

FEUDALISM RESTARTING IN 10 SECONDS. CLASSES WILL BE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED

i got merchant

Also, here’s the assigner link for convenience

As a little celebration that Jeremy passed to the next round of the @hotvintagepoll, I made a little compilation of dashing gifs from the Granada Holmes series I couldn't hand in because they were taken after 1970. Watch out!

Thank you everyone who endured my endless reblogging of the poll! <3 Have a little treat! :) Feel free to add your own favourites! :)

Hey everyone what's your favorite mug look like?

cc: @petermorwood

Either Mrs Hudson is very good at laundry, or Holmes wears celluloid cuffs.

This habit wasn't restricted to fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes; guess where "off-the-cuff " originated?

Right there.

This surviving cuff shows a scribbled shopping memo (about buying more cuffs, which is appropriate)...

That's the sort of little memo Holmes would have been making, though doubtless about matters more important than shopping for shirts.

The modern meaning is "saying something impromptu or unrehearsed", and it derives from being able to make a speech, be it political, after-dinner, wedding or whatever, using only brief notes such as might be written on a cuff as prompt or aide-memoire.

Speaking Off The Cuff is seen as intelligent, witty, humorous - all complimentary words.

The flip side is the sort of speech that's just reciting, or actually reading from - and being unwilling or unable to deviate from - a pre-prepared script: dull, plodding, unimaginative, inflexible... Not many compliments there.

*****

There were also tiny pencils for wear on watch-chains, useful accessories for any gentlemen inclined to scribble. Some were part of the chain's T-bar. I don't know if this dapper gent is wearing one, but the next two photos show how he might have done.

The more usual practice seem to have been pencils as fobs (pendants), in the same way as seals, society crests, lucky coins, the watch's winding key etc.

Women wore them on a chatelaine, along with miniature scissors, sewing kits etc. and other useful household accessories.

Returning (eventually) to Mr Sherlock Holmes, here's another sort of cuff. Presently out of stock, but included for interest.

Dr. Mortimer (Hound of the Baskervilles, and yes, I know he's not technically a Doctor) also makes a note on his cuff, but when he does it, it feels like it emphasizes how forgetful/ absent-minded he can be.

What’s That Thing? Part 6

I loved this question and noticed that it’s really hard to find English writing on the subject, so this is a great opportunity to teach ^^! Anonymous asked: “I’ve recently seen things about transparent kimono’s and it’s making me kinda curious, but obviously with Google search it just comes up with awkward sales deals and such so I was hoping I could ask you! Is this actually a thing? Is it seasonal? Do they wear extra layers or is it just not very transparent?” I know exactly what you’re referring to. They’re called Hagoromo (羽衣) and are named after the feathered robes that gods wear to fly to heaven. They’ve been used on stage for a very long time, but have recently become popular for weddings as it gives the traditional bride look an extra air of elegance and, well, a bit of an ethereal quality. They’re always worn on top of a furisode, usually a plain kakeshita, as they are incredibly sheer and more of an accent piece than a “main” piece of clothing. Here’s an example of what a hagoromo looks like on a modern bride: Front:

Back:

Images courtesy of Watabe Weddings. Sometimes the hagoromo are just plain, but ones with flowers or patterns, like on the example above, are the most popular. They’re always worn like a hikizuri as the trailing section gives the illusion of a woman transformed into an ethereal being. Here’s another example in purple: Front:

Back:

Images courtesy of Watabe Weddings. Since weddings take place all year round, hagoromo tend to be all seasonal and are not usually tied to one specific time of the year. Often times they’ll feature non-classical flowers such as orchids (like in the image above). They make for truly memorable outfits that will have people talking for many years to come. Due to cost, hagoromo will likely only be used for weddings in the future, but I wouldn’t be surprised if slightly shorter versions start popping up for Seijinshiki.

Image courtesy of Makaranya. If you’re having problems finding hagoromo then try searching for “Ōgan Wasō” (オーガン和装), which literally means “Organza Japanese Style Clothing” as some sellers will list them under both names ^^

Want to learn something new in 2022??

Absolute beginner adult ballet series (fabulous beginning teacher)

40 piano lessons for beginners (some of the best explanations for piano I’ve ever seen)

Excellent basic crochet video series

Basic knitting (probably the best how to knit video out there)

Pre-Free Figure Skate Levels A-D guides and practice activities (each video builds up with exercises to the actual moves!)

How to draw character faces video (very funny, surprisingly instructive?)

Another drawing character faces video

Literally my favorite art pose hack

Tutorial of how to make a whole ass Stardew Valley esque farming game in Gamemaker Studios 2??

Introduction to flying small aircrafts

French/Dutch/Fishtail braiding

Playing the guitar for beginners (well paced and excellent instructor)

Playing the violin for beginners (really good practical tips mixed in)

Color theory in digital art (not of the children’s hospital variety)

Retake classes you hated but now there’s zero stakes:

Calculus 1 (full semester class)

Learn basic statistics (free textbook)

Introduction to college physics (free textbook)

Introduction to accounting (free textbook)

Learn a language:

Ancient Greek

Latin

Spanish

German

Japanese (grammar guide) (for dummies)

French

Russian (pretty good cyrillic guide!)

Want to learn something new in 2023??

Cooking with flavor bootcamp (used what I learned in this a LOT this year)

Beekeeping 101

Learn Interior Design from the British Academy of Interior Design (free to audit course - just choose the free option when you register)

Video on learning to read music that actually helped me??

How to use and sew with a sewing machine

How to ride a bike (listen. some of us never learned, and that's okay.)

How to cornrow-braid hair (I have it on good authority that this video is a godsend for doing your baby niece's black hair)

Making mead at home (I actually did this last summer and it was SO good)

How to garden

Basics of snowboarding (proceed with caution)

How to draw for people who (think they) suck at art (I know this website looks like a 2003 monstrosity, but the tutorials are excellent)

Pixel art for beginners so you can make the next great indie game

Go (back) to school

Introduction to Astronomy (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Principals of Economics (high school course - free textbook w/ practice problems)

Introduction to philosophy (free college course)

Computer science basics (full-semester Harvard course free online)

Learn a language

Japanese for Dummies (link fix from 2022)

Ukrainian

Portuguese (Brazil)

American Sign Language (as somebody who works with Deaf people professionally, I also strongly advise you to read up on Deaf/HoH culture and history!)

Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified)

Quenya (LOTR fantasy elf language)

Want to learn something new in 2024??

Beginner-oriented video on how to sail

This guy has so many videos on baking different types of bread. SO very many.

Coding in Python - one of the most flexible and adaptable high-level programming languages out there - explained through projects making video games

Learn to swim! (for adult learners. I don’t care if you live in Kansas or Mali or wherever. LEARN TO SWIM.)

Learn how quantum mechanics works. Then read some more about it

[Learn about quantum mechanics again, but in a more advanced engineering/mathematics class. Then read more about the math and physics of it]

Poetry Handbook, by Mary Oliver

Something I learned this year: how to sew a quilt (Here’s a very easy beginning pattern that looks amazing and can be done with pre-cut fabric!)

How to hit the ball in softball

Tutorial video on what is under the hood of most (gas) cars + weird engine sounds and what they mean

Lecture series on architecture design through study of buildings

How (American income) taxes & tax law work (choose “audit course” at checkout for free class)

Pickleball for beginners (so you can finally join your neighbor/friend/distant cousin who is always insisting you join their team)

+ Para-Pickleball for beginners (for mobility aid users!)

School is so much more fun when there’s no tests:

American Law - Contracts

Shakespeare’s Life and Plays

Fairy Tales: Meanings, Messages, and Morals

Modern Poetry

World History [Part 1, Part 2]

Learn a language:

Arabic + Resource Guide compiled from Reddit (includes info on different dialects)

Chinese (Cantonese) (audio)

Urdu (frequently recommended course on Reddit) + Resource Guide

Yucatec Maya

Rebloging to remember

Evening Snow at Terashima Village, by Kawase Hasui, 1920

Other Hasui’s prints

From Sherlock Holmes: the Valley of Fear

(Something something queerness was considered a form of insanity in the Victorian era something something mostly I am just Moved by Holmes having a crisis of confidence and needing reassurance before he can go to sleep)

Text under cut:

HUGE quaker oats recall in the US, affecting dozens of different products

quaker oats is recalling dozens of types of quaker bars and cereals due to salmonella contamination with various best before dates in 2024 and all earlier dates. <- YIKES!!! this was not just one or two batches! this has been going on for a while!

check the FDA link to look for the whole list of products but it is long. this is a colossal recall.

this recall is so big that quaker oats has a website dedicated to it. check out the website to get reimbursed.

www.quakergranolarecall.com

check your pantry!

you may receive a phone call if you purchased these products from certain stores informing you of this recall. you may also receive an email. but you also may not. this is a big recall.