I'm still here!

Hello everyone! It's been awhile, but I'm still here! These past few weeks have been very busy and exciting. So far, I am surviving the nursing program. It is hard, but it is also doable. It isn't nearly as hard as they made it sound at orientation and it is a lot easier now compared to the first week of classes. Everyone was so overwhelmed during the first week, but now we know more of what to expect. 

These are all my books for first semester. Now, you can see why I haven't been doing any sewing! These books have taken over my life! Just kidding, not quite. It's impossible to read all of them, but they are good resources to have, especially since some of them cover the same information. We have e-books too, which is a huge relief for my back!

Hopefully, I will be able to do a little sewing this semester. I have heard from other students and the professors that it is important to take time for yourself. I'm also participating in a Valentine's Day mug swap hosted by Sew Caroline and Rags to Stitches. I bought my partner's goodies today, and I'll be blogging about it on Valentine's Day!

I hope you're all staying warm! We're supposed to get 6-9 inches of snow tomorrow! It would be so great to have a day off of school. What's the weather like where you are?

~Elizabeth

A Scrap Map and An Idea

Last year, I came across this tutorial from See Kate Sew. It was a scrap map and I wanted to make it immediately. What seamstress doesn't have scraps? Who wouldn't want a map made out of fabric? It took awhile, but I finally finished it.

 

 

The project requires a printed map, scraps, heat and bond, an iron, a piece of muslin for the background, and sewing machine. You cut fabric scraps and heat and bond pieces big enough to cut the state out. You cut each state out, fuse them onto the muslin and then topstitch around each piece.

 

The topstitching was definitely the most difficult, especially around the smaller states. I used mostly cotton scraps. However, I used a piece of flannel for Minnesota because it's cold here. I used a piece of fleece for Alaska because it's really cold there.

 

All in all, it was a very fun project! Maybe I'll make another one someday. I have more than enough scraps!

 

 

 

Tonight I had the most wonderful idea after talking to my friend! She wants to start a knitting club at her college and that got me thinking...I could start a sewing club at my college!! People tell me all the time that the wish they knew how to sew. Sewing is my passion and I would love to share it with others! We could have "learn to sew" meetings.

I thought it would be great to incorporate community service projects. Hospitals always need blankets! I have made some dresses for "Little Dresses for Africa," so that could be an option. I'm excited just thinking about it!

Do you have any ideas for me? I think it would be a wonderful opportunity, but I would love to hear any suggestions!


~Elizabeth

A new start

My last post was in November 2011. Four months! It is a new year and I am back. This time I hope to be back for good. My blog has a new name...The College Seamstress. What do you think? I am a college student and a seamstress, so I thought it would fit perfectly.

College has been teaching me so many life lessons and not all of them have to do with academics. I thought I'd share some of those lessons with you for my "first" post on this "new" blog.

In no particular order, here they are:

1. Make time for things other than studying. Take time to de-stress! This is so important! My classes are hard, and it seems like I never have enough time in the day, but if I want to do something badly enough, it will happen. For example, last week I sewed a skirt. I have been making time to work out at the fitness center here at college. Both of those things help me when I am stressed.

2. Go on new adventures. I have the opportunity to go on a mission trip with a wonderful group of people over spring break, which starts tomorrow (YAY for spring break!!). We will be driving to the east coast. I have never been to that part of the U.S. before and I am excited to go new places.

3. Family is important. Since coming to college I have realized this more than ever. I talk to my family at least once a day, even if it's only for a few minutes. I didn't realize how close I was to my family until coming here.

4. Your roommate does not have to be your best friend, but communication is key! If I only learned one thing from living with a roommate, it is that communication is key. If you don't communicate with each other, neither of you will know what is going on. Things will go much smoother if you communicate.

5. Have fun! College is important. You should want to do well in your classes, but it doesn't mean you have to study 24-7. Take some time on the weekends to just hang out with friends and not think about classes.

There you have it. This is my start into what I hope will be a successful blogging year! I hope to post about some sewing projects soon after spring break!

~Elizabeth