Neuroscientist + Curious Mind + Passionate Maker
I’m forever on the hunt for relaxed pants, and unfortunately I do sometimes have to leave my house in something other than joggers. My lower pelvis and right leg like to get cranky and swell from time to time, so restrictive clothing just isn’t something I’m willing to force myself into. Comfort over fashion, always!... Continue Reading →
This blog post is chockablock with information. Here is what you will find inside: I put the Winslet’s Tracy Tank through five muslin test versions to get the fit right, and uncovered a pattern with sizing inconsistencies, missing binding measurements, confusing ease allowances, and a few details that made me wonder if the company is... Continue Reading →
The mileage I put my workout clothes through is unreal. Sweat, dirt, more sweat, lots of movement, frequent washings—and yet they still hold up. But it’s time to add to my closet. I wanted to branch out with new styles that weren’t just plain leggings hacked into biker shorts. Back in July, I started exploring... Continue Reading →
Ryan has desperately needed new jeans for several years now—not because his jeans didn't fit or were too old, but because even after prewashing the fabric, they still shrank significantly lengthwise over time. Annoyingly, his jeans ended up several inches too short and looked ridiculous. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough fabric leftover to add panels... Continue Reading →
It's been nearly three years since I talked about adding a front dart to Ryan's basic trouser block. At the time, it was a completely improvised solution—something I pieced together from studying bespoke trousers in James Bond films and trusting my instincts about what needed fixing. Since then, I've deepened my understanding of how fabric can... Continue Reading →
Hiking and smiling at 11,000 ft. Now that I’m able to get back into hiking more regularly, I figured it was a good time to try out the sun protection shirt trend. Years ago, I used to wear long sleeves like the Patagonia Self-Guided button-down to avoid sun exposure, but I’d usually overheat in it.... Continue Reading →
Content Warning: This post contains medical content and images related to surgery, including visible blood and clots from my dad’s lungs at the end of the post. Please proceed with care if you’re sensitive to that kind of content. After my disappointing experience with the LilypaDesign Mysa pattern, I needed a new bralette pattern that... Continue Reading →
Silk pillowcases and sleep bonnets have definitely saved both my hair and Ryan’s. He’s a pretty aggressive sleeper—most mornings his hair used to look like a bird’s nest, sticking straight up in all directions. Since we switched to silk pillowcases, he usually wakes up with bedhead that’s way more manageable, often not even needing a... Continue Reading →
Hey look, I can see my bra! One unexpected consequence of surviving my bilateral pulmonary embolisms is that I now have absolutely zero tolerance for uncomfortable bras. For the first three months, while I was also dealing with pleurisy, I didn’t wear bras at all. Since then, for the past year, the only thing I’ve... Continue Reading →
This image was generated with AI For years, I’ve kept this blog going simply because I love sharing what I create and write about. I’ve kept it ad-free (because I loathe ads) and accessible to everyone. But the truth is, running this blog comes with real, ongoing costs — and those are starting to pile up in... Continue Reading →
After getting hooked on making my own trail gear in 2023—thanks to my successful day pack builds—I knew I wanted to keep making my own gear. This time, I wanted to make a lumbar pack that could comfortably carry 2 liters of water, some snacks, and still sit nicely on the hips. Fitting the Hipbelt... Continue Reading →
By now, you may have heard about using a separate fitting waistband to simplify pant adjustments. I cover fitting waistbands in Chapter 4 of my eBook. https://youtu.be/iqK71g05jyc?feature=shared Recently, I came across a similar concept applied to bra fitting (HERE and HERE). That got me thinking—why not apply the same idea to hipbelts for the lumbar... Continue Reading →
