Links I'm loving, Micropublishing and Tesla!

The first one, which you may have already heard of, it The Oatmeal's fund raiser for The Tesla Science Museum. It's a chance to be a part of history, and to help build a museum to remember Nikola Tesla, and his contributions to science. There has been a lot raised, but it's not just about buying the land. What goes over the amount raised for the land will help pay for getting the museum built.

The other one, you may not know about. Micropublishing! You know I'm a big supporter of micropublishing for Kindle, but I also like real books and "zines" that are micropublished. Micropublishing is independent authors, illustrators and very small publishing co-ops creating books, zines and chapbooks. These are all on a small scale and done more for love than money.

Growing up in a hippie household, my mom had lots of 8-32 page "chapbooks". These were laid out and Xeroxed, then folded in half and stapled, or sometimes they were just sheets of papers with a staple in the top corner. Some were political manifestos, others were collections of recipes or instructions on doing things. They were poetry collections and short stories. We have blogs and the internet for that now, but there is something wonderful about having paper versions to give people.

DIY publishing, full of creativity and ideas. It's a part of our culture that defies the mainstream to provide information, interests and thoughts. It's punk, it's hippie, it's all sorts of things.

These days, those self-published booklets are frequently called "zines", and the co-ops or people who distribute many types of them are called "distros". Distros get submissions from authors, and provide a central place to get zines on lots of subjects. Zines are generally printed on 8.5x11 inch paper that's folded in half and stapled in the middle. Some are copied from handwritten pages, or created using traditional methods to make a master and copy that. They are usually printed in black and white. Some of them have hand stamped or printed covers. The books made by the micro-publishers can be stitched, stapled or perfect-bound (paperback glue binding)

The biggest has split into 2 independent distros, it's the second that's my other "link I love".
Microcosm Distribution
They sell patches, buttons, stickers and teeshirts that are created in house, as well as a fantastic selection of zines and books.

I've ordered from the original company a few times, and trust them. So when the new company started, I had no hesitation about ordering from them. For DIY types, check out the DIY section. You can order superpacks which are collections on a theme. There is also a section for people who love to cook that includes some great vegan recipe collections.

It's punk, it's indie as heck, and it's a lot of fun. My whole family enjoys our zine collection. It's not for everyone. Some people will object to the politics or language.

I don't use explicit language very often, but it's not because I object to it. We have the Fix Sh*t Up sticker on a lot of things around the house, and  I'm beyond thrilled they are doing a sewing version of it.

Check them out, look around, if there is a specific DIY or cooking zine you want to know more about, ask me, I might have it and can tell you if it's a favorite or not. They are having a 50% off sale on a lot of things to promote the new distro.

Book Review- Sweat Shop Paris: Lessons from a Sewing Cafe

In what's described as the heart of Paris, there is a place called Sweat Shop. It's a cafe couture, you go and rent a sewing machine, or take a class, have a sweet, and sew and socialize.

This book isn't about high couture sewing techniques, making slopers, darts and seam techniques. It's more indie, more personal. It's about designing unique and artistic clothes for yourself.

It really thrills my hippie D.I.Y. soul.

The introduction talks about where the idea came from, some history of the area the shop is in, and photos of neighboring shops with descriptions that will make you wish you were in Paris.

The index has a rating system for how difficult the projects are, and the ratings are accurate, but there is nothing in this book that my 16 year old daughter couldn't do. In the case of the hardest projects which have 3 triangles beside them, there are new techniques to try, but they are all explained well enough that she could make them.

The projects have instructions for drafting patterns and are all photographed and explained so that as long as you know how to use a sewing machine, you can learn the techniques, start with the simpler projects and work your way up to things like the sewn then painted Todti's Jacket. There is knitting, embellishment, sewing, shirring, bead weaving on a cardboard loom, and lots of other fun techniques in this book.

My daughter and I went over this one together, because I was curious to see what would excite her. She liked Sandrine's Flapper Trousers which are lace embellished overalls. I liked the 80s feel to Todti's Jacket and the idea of using it as a canvas. I loved the Plaid Blanket Cape because it reminds me a lot of the drama of my mother's capes, and the easy fit of the Tulip Dress for spring, she preferred The Martena floppy hat, and the Banana Bag which is a very wearable belt bag that doesn't at all look like those awful pouches from the past. We both loved the Quick-Knit Fishnet Sweater for a comfortable look.

A lot of the projects in the book can be made using thrift store and garage sale finds or things that might already be in your closet unworn.

The end of the book is full of recipes so you can really give yourself the feel of Sweat Shop at home with treats like Sissy's Chocolate Cake, made without flour and so pretty with a lace like dusting of powdered sugar. For a more spicy treat for people who don't like chocolate as well, Nordic Cardamon Bread.

Make a treat, brew some coffee, invite some friends and their sewing machines over.

You can get this book from the publisher, Andrews McMeel Publishing
My reviews are always my personal and honest opinion. You can read more about my review policy here.