In continuation of Independence Day -given the time period of today’s archives- Slate published a revisionist account of our nation’s first heroic seamstress, Betsy Ross. Based on a social history recently published (Betsy Ross and the Making of America), Slate’s redux says Ross was “a hard-nosed, snuff-loving businesswoman” who was paid today’s equivalent of $2,000 to make the first flag. Who would turn down a contract like that? It’s a fun story to read, the book is a compelling social history of the era that I think I will read. Also included was a re-hash of Ross’s method of folding and cutting a sheet of paper to make a perfect five point star. Not being very good at following instructions, I tried it four times before I got a satisfactory result.

If you have time to kill after playing with your five point star, here’s some reading from this week’s entries from the archives.

July 2, through July 8, 2005
Fit and sizing entropy
Independence day?
Leather dies style 21206
Style 22692 Bundling & Bagging
How quickly we forget

July 2, through July 8, 2006
Anybody working today?
Process and Progress
H&M Is Taking Over the World
Hot working bras
Freudian slip
The devil wore Prada

July 2, through July 8, 2007
Batch, UPS and Modular (Batch pt.1)
Pop quiz #463
Library of Congress
Geek Holiday day 1
I am not evil

July 2, through July 8, 2008
Last Laugh
Problem pattern maker pt.2
How to manage bad press
Pop Quiz #474

July 2, through July 8, 2009
Kate Rawlinson: Cutter Extraordinaire
Sleepwear design contest
Blog Staycation