Stitch Lab, Future Crafters, and the Dress

Lots to post in this post....

In my madness I decided a sewing class the Saturday after VBS was a good idea. 9am - 12:30. Amazingly I was conscious (barely). I noticed that I was fading at about 11am and it seemed so was the rest of the room so I didn't feel bad.
I took the How to Read a Patten class at Stitch Lab Austin. I had been sewing the longest in the group of ladies, which put an interesting dynamic on things. I've been asked what I learned at the class. I learned that I am not the only one saying "WHAT?!?!?!?!" when they read a pattern. I learned that it's OK to be the size a million because the pattern makers are crazy and do not match the off the rack sizes at all. They don't even have industry standards for patterns within a brand. It's up to the designer. If I were a designer all my patterns would be a size 0 and everyone else would have to fit around me. All those skinny little things that can wear nothing but a shoe string would be something like -1000. Us normal girls would be around a 0. I did enjoy the company and some of the things taught. I enjoyed making the little top for a baby doll to practice some of the techniques. I learned that I am a project learner. Those were the times in the class that I was excited and happy.
Being a teacher there were some things that I probably would have done differently, but they weren't a must. I think the terminology could have been used more often and in conjunction with the technique. I'm such a visual learner that I need to see it, hear it, do it - repeatedly. Now that it's 2 weeks later I look at the vocabulary list and think, "I don't think we covered that word". It could be me though. I am also such a math person and the instructor was not. I would see the math and hope she would mention it, but she didn't. When making size adjustments she would demonstrate, but not know how she got from point a to point b. I think I would enjoy a class on how to get from point a to point b when making size adjustments. Maybe next time.
So, knowing that I need to repeatedly practice something to make it stick I went right out to the store for a pattern. I went looking trough the patterns book for Simplicity because I generally like their stuff and found this darling little patten. I knew that A would love a dress like this and I went through the steps I learned in the class for picking a pattern based on skill level. It was a match - I hoped! 4th of July was coming up so I bought some patriotic fabric being careful to make sure I didn't have to deal with direction or anything like that. I did my darnedest to follow all the steps I learned in the class while I made the dress. I was almost done when I realized that I didn't like the steps in the order they had them in, so I gave up on the pattern.

Sportin' our new dress at the UFO Festival on the 4th of July

Had to add this picture because it's just fun!

I did go back later on to learn how to make the little rose for the dress. I didn't like it on the dress so I added it to the bow instead.

The dress was a success. A LOVED it. I had less frustrations with the pattern than I've had in the past. So in all the class was worth the time. I didn't even really mind bringing my own machine to class except somewhere in transit I lost the card that tells me the stitches on my machine. Found one on-line to use and have it tucked in a cool little spot, but that's another post for another day.
The next day I took Z and A back down to Stitch Lab for an amazing day. We went to the book release party for Make Stuff Together. The volunteers at Stitch Lab were fantastic and so patient with the kids (and their parents). Everyone was making stuff and playing. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters. It was AWESOME!!!

Z hand stitching his Gratitude Banner.

A stitching her Gratitude Banner.

Stitching bean bags.

Stitching bean bags.

Tossing bean bags.

Tossing bean bags.

Sno cone!!!

Organic plum sno cone - YUM!

Sewing on the buttons.

A's prayer flag for the kids at Dell Children's.

I think I have found a place that Z, A, and I can craft at in comfort. If the group of people who attended the book signing are any indicator, we are going to LOVE hanging out with the families who have already discovered this little jewel Austin has in Stitch Lab.