An American in Leeds

I landed at Leeds Bradford airport two years ago today. My boss dropped me off at my temporary apartment, and I fell flat on my face for 16 hours straight. It's been a strange couple of years, I admit. Moving to any new place can be a wild ride, but moving to another country is a roller coaster of wackiness. Between learning to use the washing machine, learning to drink beer properly, deciphering British social rules, and figuring out what an aubergine is, I sometimes feel like I just got off a carnival ride and I'm going to puke. Just kidding about the puke bit. A little. Growing up, I didn't understand social cues. I treated other kids as my own personal experiment to learn how to behave properly. I ended up having a mental catalog of cues and their appropriate responses in order to get through everyday social interactions. That catalog has undergone heavy revision in the past two years. I worry a little about what's going to happen when I eventually move back to the ...

My fascinating friend J. Lo came to visit me. She knows everything (and I mean everything ) about Medieval church architecture and the people involved, but only tells you the really entertaining parts. She's like a textbook mixed with gossip rag. Because I let my friends push me around, J. Lo dragged me to York to see York Minster (which always makes me think of cheese), among other things. We also climbed to the top of the crossing tower: And saw part of the wall: Sewing alert: Crepe wrap dress at York Castle As always, the rest can be found here.

This weekend I completed the shell of my Fall 2010 Lady Grey: Taken during a brief break in the torrential downpours we're having today. Well, mostly completed. Because of the way the lining is attached, you don't put the collar on until later. This pattern seems to call for a lot more fabric than you actually need. The first time I made this coat, I bought the recommended amount of shell fabric, and ended up with a ton left over. (By the way, if anyone has any ideas on what to make with a couple yards of spring green tweed-like material, let me know.) This time, I cut back on the amount by about 1.5 yards because a) the fabric was stupid expensive (but was exactly what I wanted, so I sucked it up), and b) I didn't want a pile of leftover fabric. Then I panicked, thinking I wasn't going to have enough. I ended up still having about half a yard leftover. I didn't have enough to cut the belt in one piece; I'll have to sew two pieces together, which is really no bi...