Beefcake Towel #1

Hey Domestigays!

If you are in the United States, I hope you enjoyed your three-day weekend and saluted past and present service people for all their sacrifices and courage.

Today I have some quick pictures for you!  Beefcake Towels!  I recently started to work out (for another big gay project) and stitched this towel up a few months ago for inspiration.  Since then, I caught the beefcake bug!  I’ve been stitchin’ beefcakes like they are going out of style. Thank goodness they are timeless bodies and poses.  Later, I’ll post about my next big gay project and more about gay body types.

(pssst! If you are in the knitting group I attend, this is the embroidery I was working on last time I was there!)

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Get this Beefcake pattern from Sublime Stitching here!

Related articles

• On Why I Need a Friend with a Disposable Income (domestigay.net)

Super Share Sunday : Nathan Vincent

Welcome to Super Share Sunday.  The other day I posted about the manly art of knitting, but what about the manly art of crochet?

I recently found an amazing male crochet artist.  Nathan Vincent crochets wonderful work that questions stereotypes and expectations of masculinity and femininity.  The exhibit is an entirely crocheted male’s locker room.  He meticulously (with very specific detail, like woodgrains) crocheted lockers, benches, urinals, and showers.  

I admire this particular exhibit’s meshing of the masculine and feminine.  Locker rooms express a very hard, testosterone-driven atmosphere—at least all the ones I’ve ever been in and the people I talk to have been in.  Vincent’s art, on the other hand, draws on the traditionally feminine position of fiberarts—in this case crochet—to craft a locker room that becomes, literally, softened.  Yet, I don’t think he feminizes the locker room in traditional ways.  We tend to get caught up in binaries—especially masculine and feminine.  This exhibit’s brilliance comes in deconstructing these binaries.  Crochet is not feminine and a male’s locker room is not masculine because of the way that Vincent engages both discourses of gender that subvert this dichotomy.

Check out the detail in those lock and that bench!

Yet, this project is not the only one of Vincent’s I loved.  I found myself spending hours looking and relooking at the work he has posted on his website.  Most of my dear readers know my impulse to embroider beefcakes, this guy crochets them… ON LACE!  And he is a bad-ass beefcake crocheter!

Again, the juxtaposition of the masculine and feminine (whatever that means) really inspires me and creates a very specific critique of the methods of representation.  The “hard” you-can-only-get-these-muscles-through-testosterone physique that traditionally epitomizes the male body gets undermined when crocheted on the delicate lace.  I’m really excited to see what this artist will do next!

If you are in the Bellevue area, be sure to check out the exhibit before June 26th.  Opps! I mean, if you are at Rawlins College this fall, be sure to check it out!  As has recently been happening to me, I have time warped us into 2011.  I blame the Myans.  If you are not, be sure to go over to the artist’s website and check out ALL of the really interesting stuff that he has crocheted and knitted (taxidermy, urinals, tool belts, lawn movers—just to entice you).  Also, check out this really smart interview he did with Dwell.

On Why I Need a Friend with a Disposable Income

Welcome back to Summer Domestigays!  So much has happened in the few months of my rap-act sabbatical.  We have a lot to catch up on in the coming weeks.  I promise we will catch up though.  M’kay? Kay. 

Today, however, I mourn that I do not have a friend with a highly disposable income.  If I did, I would have her or him order me this deliciousness:

Melanie from Beeswax and Lavender (a great Gertrude and Alice reference for the literature dorks out there),     sent it to me and my mouth immediately dropped!  The Manly Art of Knitting! Need I say more?  From what I’ve gathered, this (now) expensive and sixty-four page book/let by David Fougner.  The book was published in 1972 by Threshold press, which is a British publisher.  

Maybe I’ll try my domestigay hand a prostitution—I hear you could make a lot there to afford this book.

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 Also, you may have noticed I have a little obsession with Instagram.  Want to see what’s happening before anyone else?  Then follow me @domestigay!  

 

Crafty Girl

When I say, “Crafty Girl” what do you think?  I see a woman.  In a cape.  Brandishing a needle and thread.  Running to save the world from destruction.  “Crafty Girl” just sounds like the most bad-ass domestigay super-hero there is, right?  Well, that’s what D from Texas embroidered on a tote and tea towel for her crafty-girl friend for the holidays.  Check out how awesome these are!

And then, D also submitted this non-crafty girl memorabilia that has two too cute monkeys on it! 

Adorable, right?  I think we should start an entire day of “crafty-girl” stuff on domestigay, don’t you?  Crafty-girl Wednesdays, perhaps in which I can feature a cute craft or a girl craft like this!  It’s pretty bad-ass. Now, let’s hang out and eat bananas like these monkeys for the rest of the day!

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Are you stalkin’ me?  Good. I heard that the minute you know you are over is when people quit stalking you!  Go ahead, follow me on Twitter (@domestigay), on Facebook (facebook.com/domestigay), and on Instagram (domestigay).  I don’t mind!  In fact, submit stuff to me on these sites so I can keep domestigay goin’ with featured posts like this one!

Happy New Year…er… Happy New Day!

Well, hello there.  Where have you been?

Here?

You’ve been here, waiting for me to post?

Well, I haven’t been here posting.  I’ve been on adventures that have taken me from the mitten state (Michigan) to West Virginia to Texas and I’ve finally arrived back at Domestigay headquarters.  I’m so sorry, that you’ve been waiting for a post for me for so long.  To make it up, I have tons of great posts coming with free stuff for you for that special love day that’s coming up!  So, grab a latte and let’s catch up.

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I finished my first semester in graduate school! Yay!  But I couldn’t survive without stitching.  So, late one night in my office I procrastinated by stitching.  Looking around I realized there was nothing to stitch! *collective gasp* Using some ingenuity and creativity, I give you book-stitching (something I want to do for real now).

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Now, remember how I said only one person was getting an embroidered gift this year (cause that’s all I could reasonably do), well here it is!  My friend M is Russian and has two Russian tattoos (one says feminist in Russian, the other are nesting dolls).  So, now she an embroidered tote of her tattoos! (you can get the pattern from Sublime Stitching here)

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And that brings us to the great state of Texas!  J and I went to Texas.  For New Year’s Eve we went to a B-Movie Ball.  It was awful.  The party was not happening—that is, not until we showed up!  Check out our costumes.  Can you guess who we went as? (PS: Is that glitter on my pencil mustache or are you just gay to see me?)

I did some stitching on the plane to and from Texas (but it must remain a secret)!  I joined the stitching mile-high club!

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I am dedicated, now, to organizing my embroidery supplies, too!  I made this cotton/linen bag to tote all my embroidery supplies around with me (see photograph above about not having stitching nearby at office).

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Oh, geesh, look at the time.  I sure did talk about myself a lot!  I’m sorry, mom, I know it is not polite to talk about myself so much.  Now, moving on… give me someone else to talk about!  Please send your craft/art projects to domestigay@gmail.com or find me on Twitter (@domestigay) or on Facebook (facebook.com/domestigay) or on Instagram (domestigay).  I’m becoming an Instagram-addict.  It’s true! Tomorrow I am absolutely talkin’ about someone else—D from Texas (who was in West Virginia while I was in Texas!) sent in a stitched up tote she made for her friend for the holiday!  Stay tuned!

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Coming soon to domestigay: 

• Valentine’s you won’t be embarrassed to give (cause they’re gay)

• I resurrect underwear stitching

• More beefcakes! 

• Musing on jealousies—complete with stitching. 

• How I am organizing my floss

• AND SO MUCH MORE!  STAY TUNED (I promise to write this more)

Have Yourself a Domestigay Christmas

I hope that on this holiday, you and yours have a Merry Domestigay Christmas!  I am grateful to you for all of your continued support and readership.  Enjoy this virtual e-card made just for you!

Now, go eat lots of delicious food and enjoy the extra stitching time!

*As always, you can click on the image to make it bigger and more readable!*

THE DOMESTIGAY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE IS HERE!

The gifting season is here!  The holidays are drawing in upon us and you may be asking yourself what is the perfect gift for the domestigay on your list.  No fear! I am here to provide you with creative domestic, gay, and domestigay gift ideas for any budget!

If you decide you want to buy any of these gifts for the domestigay in your life, the link the title will take you to the appropriate website to purchase the item!  You can also click on the “guide” to make it bigger if you want to see the items in more detail.

1. Sassy Gay Metal (fill-in-the-blank) Case from SweetHeartSinner Creations ($9.99)

I’ll admit I’m jonesing for one of these.  This is the all-around awesome domestic, gay, and domestigay gift.  It is a cigarette case. It’s an id holder. It’s a cash and credit card holder. It’s a business card holder. It’s a case to hold a domestigay’s embroidery scissors, a skein of floss, and some needles.  It is a domestigay embroidery-on-the-go dream. This really is the perfect gift for anyone because it is so versatile, like many gay men!  But wait, should you have a lesbian in your life, there are also tons of lesbian styles of this.  Just browse around SweetHeartSinner’s store.

2. “Homo Sweet Homo” XStitch from Subversive Cross Stitch (Basic Kit -$12.00 / Deluxe Kit $20.00 / Downloadable .pdf Pattern $5.00)

Do you have someone on your list that wants to learn cross stitch?  Then the deluxe kit from Subversive Cross Stitch is perfect!  It comes with easy instructions and everything one needs to complete the project.  You can even change the colors of the hearts on the cross stitch if you want.  Do you know someone who just needs the pattern?  You could buy them the .pdf of the pattern and let them make their own.  Or, you could download the pattern for yourself and make this quick project for a last-minute gift for the gay on your list. This was one of the first cross stitch projects I did!

3. Steve Petrow’s Complete Gay and Lesbian Manners: The Definitive Guide to LGBT Life ($12.21)

I recently purchased this book for a multitude of reasons and it has been invaluable.  Not only is it perfect for any gay or lesbian in your life, it is also perfect for a heterosexual. It covers everything you could ever want to know about GLBT manners.  Topics include: coming out, dating, sex etiquette, moving in together, popping the question and weddings, parenting, bullying & homophobia, entertaining, workplace issues, travel, and much more.  Also, if you are looking to make “get engaged” a New Year’s resolution for 2012, I suggest placing a loving bookmark on the page about popping the question and giving it to your future fiance for the holidays!

4. Beefcake Beach Embroidery by Sublime Stitching (iron-on transfer $5.00 / .pdf pattern $3.00)

It is no surprise to anyone that reads this blog regularly that I LOVE SUBLIME STITCHING.  This is perfect for the gay embroiderer on your list.  Who doesn’t want to embroider sexy beefcakes on their shirts, bags, towels, and gym rags?  This pattern is the one that I embroidered on my beefcake shirt!  And let’s not forget our lesbian embroiderers, they might like the Pin-Up Grrls I made, which also came from Sublime Stitching or these beach babes.  Again, this is a project you can do for the gays in your life, or you could purchase the pattern and kit to introduce embroidery to the domestigays in your life.  I also recommend this embroidery kit (where you can get the beefcakes and pin-ups included) if you want to give the gift of embroidery this holiday season.  This is how I first taught myself embroidery.

5. “I’m so gay I qualify as a housewife” Magnet by PicardCreative ($5.25)

I saw this and immediately thought it is the perfect magnet to grace any domestigay’s fridge, filing cabinet, or other metal space.  This quotation is also like a domestigay mantra, the gayer we get the closer to housewife status we get.  If this one doesn’t fit your fancy (or it is sold), look at the other equally funny and lovely magnets from PicardCreative.

6. Gay Accent Breath Spray from BlueQ ($4.99)

I adore BlueQ.  They have subversive vintage-inspired items that will make anyone with wit laugh.  I put this on the holiday list because if you are questioning if someone is gay or not this holiday season, then buy them something off this list and this breath spray.  They will like your gift no matter what, because they will soon be speaking with a “sizzle” in their s’s.  This item may be the ultimate stocking stuffer this holiday season.

7. “TOP GAY” Apron from LGBabyT ($20.00)

I will take one of these in black, please.  For the baking gay in your life (or just the top gay in your life), I present to you this amazing domestigay-approved apron with wordplay from the hit television show Top Chef (or arguably from one of the gayest not-gay films, Top Gun).  I recently wore an apron to cook Thanksgiving.  At $20.00 an apron, how can you pass up this great kitchen wear for the gay in your life?  I’m just curious though, what happens if one is a “bottom gay” or a “versatile gay”?  This will work perfect for barbeques, entertaining, baking, cooking, or just hanging out in the house.  If I had one of these, I’d totally wear it all the time, even when I wasn’t baking!

8. Men-Up Calendar by Rion Sabean ($15.00)

I already bought one three of these.  I got one for me, one for my boyfriend (which he got at Thanksgiving), and one for a friend.  Rion Sabean took men and “typical” men activities and photographed them in pin-up girl poses.  You must get this for the gay guy or straight woman in your life for 2012.  It is a perfect holiday gift since one week after the holidays, a new year means a new calendar!  I’m in love with this calendar and already have mine hung up to January.  And guess what, too!  These come signed by the photographer.  So not only are they amazing calendars, but they are also autographed on the cover.  I’ve already explained to Mr. Sabean on Twitter that he should watch out for my 2012 campaign to be a model in the 2013 calendar.  His response, “You never know it could happen.”  My response, “Let’s change that could to will.”

9. Swish and Gay Haiku by Joel Derfner ($12.29 / $11.99 for Kindle)

I read Gay Haiku back when I first started dating my boyfriend.  He had it on his shelf, recommended it to me, and then, one day while he was out doing his big gay theatre thing, I read it.  It is hysterical.  Anyone who has a love of gay culture, poetry, and haiku will love this book.  It is perfect for the reading gay on your list.  Unfortunately, it is only available “new” on Kindle, but you can get it used from $1.92.

Derfner’s second book, Swish, is subtitled, “My Quest to Become the Gayest Person Ever and What Ended Up Happening Instead.” I’m currently reading this a little each night before bed.  This is put on the list for the domestigay knitters in your life.  The first chapter, “On Knitting” is a lovely look at knitting and how it came to provide insight for Derfner into the tense relationships gay men sometimes have with their mothers.  So far so good.  A must read for all domestigays.  Should I start a domestigay reading list?  If so, this is toward the top.

10. A Thank You Note to Your Domestigay by You (Free)

Holidays are a time of goodwill, gratitude, and love.  Sometimes the best gifts are the most simple ones. That’s why I’m ending the 2011 Domestigay Gift Guide with a handwritten note thanking the domestigay in your life for being who s/he is and being a part of your life.  Queer people need to be told that they are appreciated and loved—often more than their straight counterparts.  With families disowning gay people, tons of homophobia in the world, bullying directed at homosexuals, and all the ways the lgbt community is ostracized in the world, just telling a queer person that you love him/er, are grateful s/he is in your life can be more powerful than any of the other gifts on this list.  And, since times are tough, it is also the cheapest, most meaningful, and best gift any domestigay could ask for.

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Well, that’s it folks.  Now, I must ask you, what are YOU getting the domestigays in your life this holiday season?

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Knitting Soap on a Rope

Hey, there!  Remember when I told you I went to the Midwest Men’s Knitting Retreat?  Well, one of the great things about this retreat was all of the wonderful knitting goodies everyone got in their bag.  From my local yarn shop, I got a kit for a knitted soap bag.  I wanted to knit it up to see if it would be practical for a small Christmas gift.  I think it is.  I realize in saying this some people will miss the “surprise” of it, but I don’t think many people actually read this blog—so it is a risk.

Anyway, I knitted what I consider to be the best gift one could ever give a prisoner.  It is even better than soap on a rope!  It is soap, in a knitted bag, closed with a crocheted rope, made to be held ever so tightly to keep you from dropping your soap.  Some people may want to drop their soap.  I say go for it.  One can still “drop” one’s soap if that’s what one desires.  So, check out today’s knitted domestigay project!

OH! Did you know that MOvember is over tomorrow?  You can still donate by going to http://mobro.co/jvanfosson!  To help get you in the MO-spirit, enjoy this video about public prostate exams.

Related articles

• The Midwest Men’s Knitting Retreat, Or My Big Gay Summer Camp (domestigay.net)

Embroidered iPhone!

Hey, there.  Guess what I did.  I embroidered my iPhone!

 

I have been enviously looking at blogs where people have embroidered their iPhone for weeks now.  In fact, I was thinking of the idea before I even saw it on any blog, and then it appeared on a lot of craft blogs.  After a quick search on Google, I found a cheap website to order from.  I ordered a couple (because they were so cheap).  After a week of hearing nothing other than PayPal releasing my money to a Chinese company, I thought I’d get in contact with them.  Using a type of instant messaging service, I spoke with a customer sales representative who had very broken English (which made me thankful for the instant messaging because I could diagram the sentences in my head when they were really bad—dork!).  This representative said that the products I ordered were, “on order behind.”  This means backordered.  They did not know when/if the product would be received, ever, so then they refunded my money.

So then, I followed a link from a blog that swore quick shipping by both the American writer and many of the commenters.  I ordered it, and in one short week, I received a package from Korea.  Inside was my shiny new cross stitch iPhone case.  I’ve had this case since September and have been anxiously wanting to stitch it.  I could not figure out what to put on it.  A whale perhaps?  “Domestigay,” maybe?  One of the included patterns of Superman?  The traditional, “Jason,” you know to make sure everyone knew who I was.  No.  Then last week, Boyfriend and I went to the bookstore and I got to page through two books I’ve been dying to get my hands on—Push Stitchery and Hoopla.  I was so inspired I decided I needed to have embroidery in my daily life.  I decided I’d tackle on the iPhone case.  Even though my canvas is for cross stitch, I used an embroidery stitch to design the cover.  The herringbone stitch is one of my favorites. So, without plotting I just took off stitching.  I started with a light grey, then moved onto a darker grey and a d

arker grey, ending the row early.  At the end, I thought the stitched sides needed to be (mildly) connected, so I embroidered Xs (aka large and spaced out cross stitches) down the center.  I am quite happy with the results.  For my next techno stitch, I want to get this MacBook case and embroider it!  Where will the madness stop!?

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There are only THREE days left of MOvember!  Have you donated yet?  There is still time! Go to http://mobro.co/jvanfosson to help me change the face of men’s health!  So far, I’ve raised $135.00!  I’d love to make it an even $200!  Thank you to all of you who have already donated. Every contribution helps—no matter how big or how small.  In fact, if everyone who viewed my YouTube video donated just one dollar (less than a cup of coffee), I would have raised over $400.00 for prostate and testicular cancer!

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The Midwest Men’s Knitting Retreat, Or My Big Gay Summer Camp

A few weeks ago I went to the Midwest Men’s Knitting Retreat.

It all started with the first snowfall for this winter in Kalamazoo.  We went to a local yarn store, Stitching Memories, in Kalamazoo for homemade lasagne, drinks, shopping, fellowship, and, of course, knitting.  While not everyone was here, we kicked off the weekend with a knitted bang.  We talked about untold stories of the ER and what to do for fun in rural West Virginia.  Needless to say these stories carried over throughout the weekend.

I hosted a fellow knitter Thursday night.  On Friday morning he invited me to take a little road trip with him to Howell, Michigan to see his friend from The Spinning Loft.  This was a great trip, but a problem arose.  I-now-need-to-learn-to-spin.  I became fascinated with this process.  After some good chinese food, we drove to Circle Pines in Delton, Michigan for a weekend of knitting.

Circle Pines is a community-based retreat facility.  We helped set the table, clean up, and do dishes for every meal.  The food was all organic and local.  It was amazing.  At times during the weekend, I wondered if I was there for the food or for the knitting.

Even though this was a knitting retreat, I did a lot of embroidery on this trip.  Although I cannot share with you, loyal reader, because it is a Christmas gift.

After meeting everyone on Friday, we took a field trip! That’s right.  We went to Circle R Ranch and met some lovely alpacas.  There were baby alpacas, too.  I looked around at the other men and it was quite hysterical.  All of their eyes glazed over and popped out of their heads.  In each of their eyes, you could see sweaters, scarfs, and socks as a stream of drool fell to the ground.

I want an alpaca, too.

We also took a trip to Briar Rose, a hand-painted yarn supplier.  I wanted to buy everything there, but I think my needles and talents are too inferior to the beautiful yarn Briar Rose makes.

Finally we returned to the camp and settled in for a night of knitting and fun.  This retreat really was like gay summer camp.  There were really fun guys and the only thing you had to do was arts and crafts.  You did not have to go to the lake.  You did not have to go on nature walks.  It was arts and crafts time all the time.

I’m so glad that I went and can’t wait for next year.  I am really looking forward to hanging out with these men again.  If I was not a poor graduate student, I would certainly go to the “big one” in New York—where it all began.   But I’m okay looking forward to next November.

I met some great men that I consider near and dear friends now.  I’m amazed at their knitting and thankful for their fellowship.  I had a blast learning about their histories and knitting-lives.  I loved getting to know these (mostly gay) men of different generations and tastes that have helped me to gain an appreciation of the gay men that have come before me.  It truly was a magical weekend.  As the weekend came to a close and we said good-bye until next time. It really did feel like gay summer camp—the part where you hold back tears and realize that the magical weekend is ending but the magic continues…