Feb. 23

It's only been a few days since my last post but it seems like a lot has happened! I have finished my first project in my sewing class and am really enjoying the second, which is a button down blouse. I am using a great plaid I've had in my stash for a couple years now. I am ahead of the rest of my class, so I wanted to make sure to take the time and match up the plaids correctly. Hopefully it turns out well! I've been sewing up a few things here at home too, but I'll leave that for another day. I took pictures today and some were fuzzy, so I may have to redo them. I'm so excited for it to be spring! I just want to wear all of my pretty things!

Here are some treasuries I was included in this week. I love them!

Feb. 19

Photo HERE

I went to a Josh Ritter concert yesterday evening at local venue Liberty Hall. It was amazing! I go to few enough concerts that I always want to show up at least an hour before the doors open, which proved good fortune for me this time around as I was only 5th in line to get it, so I got a comfy little spot right up front. As it usually happens, all of the folks next to me were super nice and fun to talk to; the evening passed with only a few loudish drunks in the corner, one hellish screaming woman in the balcony, and wasted fellow that wanted to be a bit too close to me and the girl next to me.

I also seem to be extremely lucky with opening acts... the last three or so concerts I've been do I have become a fan of the openers. This one was Scott Hutchison from Frightened Rabbit and he was really great and energetic. I'm listening to him right now actually. Josh was, of course, wonderful. He had such a goofy smile on his face the whole time you could really tell that he was having a blast. I'm really glad I went.

I tried to record as much as I could, but alas, the louder songs didn't fare well. I do have some of Scott Hutchisons act and a couple of Josh's, so feel free to download them HERE. I'm also working on getting some songs up on YouTube. Uploading is quite the slow process.

Here is a song of his called Lawrence, KS that he played for us... I mean, how could he not? As an FYI though, having a song named after your town makes it much more difficult to actually find information regarding a concert in your town. Just typing in "Josh Ritter Lawrence, KS" doesn't work. Also, I didn't record this by the way, just in case you thought I was awesome enough and the venue was quiet enough. It certainly wasn't. And I'm certainly not.

Feb. 14

Feb. 10

Photo Here.

My pattern drafting class is fascinating! The possibilities really are endless when it comes to altering patterns. So far we have mostly been working with little paper 1/4th scale cut outs of basic sloper pieces and just snipping and pivoting and moving things around to figure out how to make certain effects. I'm impressed, to say the least.

The sewing class is going well too, I've learned a few different (and better) techniques to things I thought I knew how to do already, so even though we've been going super slow on our skirts it's still been good.

The weather is going to get tons better this week as well which really make me happy. Other than the last month or so the winter has been really mild, but I still want it to be spring! I want to wear dresses and pretty shoes again!

I've also been making my own honey wheat bread for toast in the morning lately and I'm really happy with it. I still have to tweak how I do things so it will rise properly, but I'm confident that it is possible for me to make a good loaf of bread. If only I wasn't almost out of my yummy pear butter. Maybe this fall I can learn to make some myself.

Feb. 4

It appears I have survived the big snow storm. We could barely open our building's door and I had to dig my truck out with a dust pan (note to self: living in an apartment is no excuse to not have a snow shovel handy). As a result of all this weather I had not one, but two snow days! I'd have more if I took classes more than twice a week. I'm hoping this doesn't mean my classes will be behind the others for the rest of the semester.

I started a dress last week or so but for some reason I am not very excited to finish it. I think it might be the cuffs on the sleeves that don't even go around the arm of my machine. Next time it will be elastic for sure. We have finally cut out our skirts for my sewing class too. I certainly am looking forward to when that class picks up a bit. My pattern making class is pretty informative so far. We are learning about different ways to move and get rid of darts on slopers. I had no idea how mathematical it all was! Once you get the theory down it's all pretty straightforward though. There are just tons of things you can do with seaming.

In other news, my mom posted about me and my Etsy shop on her blog, Karen Stamps A Lot! Be sure to check her out!