just close your eyes

Thanks for your nice comments on my last post, guys! I can't believe you haven't forgotten about my in my long sabbatical. I know I always say this, but I think I will have more time to post this next semester! Hopefully. I'm taking three Apparel classes, though, so I guess we'll see. Advanced Pattern Development will be my hardest class by a mile: it's more draping than flat patterning, which my first pattern class was on. I've heard the professor just draws a design on the board and you have to figure out, in class, how to drape it with your chunk of muslin and box of pins. Eeek! I'm also taking Quality Analysis of Sewn Products, and I'm not totally sure what it will be like. My third Apparel class is Textile Evaluation, where we test fabrics for, say, tensile strength, or flexibility, or abrasion resistance.





dress & scarf / handmade | sweater / new york & co | petticoat / thrifted | boots / urban original



I live in this scarf, it's true! And these boots, for that matter. What's in your closet that you can't help putting on most days?

Bleak Midwinter

Oh hi!

It was a crazy semester. That's really the only reason I have for my absence here. I hardly slept, let alone made any clothes. I had never worked so hard on anything until I worked on my Line Development homework--learning to draw, design, and put together cohesive lines of clothing. Getting a portfolio together, learning photoshop... it all required a lot of time and effort and I seriously pushed myself to my limits. It was so, so worth it--worth skipping other classes to finish projects, worth pretty much letting go of my social life, worth all the consecutive nights stayed up before projects were due, sitting for 24 hours in one spot, working nonstop.

Because now that it's over, now that I'm home and can remember to eat normal meals, get a full nights sleep, and let go of the massive doses of caffeine, I can proudly look at my portfolio and know that it is a kind of quality I am proud to show potential employers, something I can bring to internship interviews. That I created something I'm proud of and loved doing it (for the most part) and know I'm still passionate about this--that's worth it, in the end.

Oh, and I achieved a 4.0 GPA for the first time! That was pretty gratifying, too.

I am sorry for any emails that went unanswered, attempts to contact me that were to no avail. I really let a lot of things go this fall. I'm playing catch-up, but if you tried to contact me and I didn't reply, do try again!



This is a dress I made spontaneously on New Year's Eve. It was the first garment I'd made in months! I was sick of everything in my closet, and I'd happened to throw two table cloths on top of each other while cleaning my sewing room. One was a thrift store find from the summer, and the other I had dyed several years ago with the intent of making something eventually. After staring at them a little while, I decided I needed a new dress to wear that night. So I copied a pattern from the dress I posted pictures of on my birthday, and got to work right then. Four hours later, I had myself a new dress and a couple hours left to make some desserts for our annual party.



It's really rather poorly thrown together on the inside--I didn't use seam finishes or anything--and the waist is a smidgen big on me. But it's fun and new and I'm okay if it doesn't last forever.





I also made my cowl: it was a little exercise in maintaining sanity during the semester. My friends and I went out, bought yarn and needles, and just sat and knit to unwind. It worked!

cowl & dress / handmade | jacket / gift | socks & gloves / target | boots / urban original



My New Year's Eve was lovely--food, music, friends, fun, and a bonfire, as usual! How was yours? What are your resolutions, if you made any? Hope your fall went well--tell me about it!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a blessed Christmas!

I'm finally home after the hardest semester ever, am spending time with my family, and recuperating. I hope everyone's holiday is wonderful and snowy and cozy!

20

It's my birthday today. :) I have an agenda of things to do, so I'll leave you with a few pictures of a dress I made right before I came to school!



My dad & I were target practicing, and it's always way more fun to do it in a dress. I love using his .44 magnum (the big silver one) because it's extremely accurate and has so much power, but it's kind of heavy for me. My arms start shaking by the last few shots! The .42 is easier. We also shot his .22, pictured below in the non-posed pictures, haha.







Oh, yeah, and the dress! I used some fabric I had on hand, just a nice cotton plainweave. I slightly altered my little red dress pattern to fit me better, made a full gathered skirt with inseam pockets, and had pretty details like the tabs at the waist, a handpicked zipper (which I put in twice... the first time, I put it in backwards. Remind me not to sew at 11 at night while watching tv!), lace hem tape and a handstitched hem. It's a super comfy casual dress!



Twenty isn't really a landmark birthday, but I'm a little excited to no longer be a teenager. Now I get to do big kid things, like look at a house to rent for next year (the showing is on Monday!) and polish up my resume to apply for waitressing jobs while I'm at school. And pay bills, and stuff like that. Ah, growing up.

Tonight I'm celebrating with friends in the cities: going out for cheap food and eating cake. A friend whose birthday was about a week ago is coming too, and we'll wear birthday tiaras all night long! It's nice to be with my favorite people--my closest friends and my brother.

Hope you're all having a beautiful weekend!

barefoot on a summer night

Can you believe how fast this summer went? There were so many things I had wanted to do, including completely revamping my wardrobe. But work just sucked the energy out of me, and I didn't get my act together! I still have a week and a half left of work, and then I'm leaving for school on the 6th. Classes start the 7th. Crazy but mad exciting. I can't wait to see everyone and dive into class and be in that environment again!



I did decide that I want to be at home next summer. I missed this place so much, and to not be able to go to campfires with friends, swim when I wanted, or drink afternoon coffee on the screen porch with my family ("Hot Beverage Club")... well, it kind of sucked. I really missed talking to my parents and hanging out with my brother! I see them rarely enough as it is during the year (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break are the only times I go home). So I'm going to try to work things out to work part time at a restaurant nearby after I study abroad (fingers crossed!).





Enough of my rambling! I took these photos last week in my favorite grassy field. Wearing bandannas has been my newest trend: they're now my favorite accessory! And these moccs have been my summer staple. My brother and I went moccasin shopping together to treat ourselves, and I couldn't love them more! So comfortable, versatile, and adorable!



shirt & skirt / handmade | belt / thrifted | moccasins / minnetonka