Lemons

You know, they have that saying about what to do when life gives you lemons. Well, it's been a challenging year, and with my lemons I made a lemon skirt.
I fell head over heels for this pattern by Alexander Henry. It's a quilting weight cotton, so the skirt is fully lined in muslin to prevent any unsightly back-lighting issues. This gives it a very nice weight and feel. I don't have the pattern available at the moment (more on that in a sec) but I'm pretty sure it's a New Look pattern, and in the original version, this is a mini skirt. I added two inches of length to make it hit just at the knee, and I also graded the pattern up a bit since it only goes to an 18 and I need a 20. I like this pattern because it has real jeans-style pockets and a substantial waistband. The thing I don't like about this pattern is that the skirt is very triangular and doesn't flow nicely. I'm looking for a swingy kind of skirt with a waistband. Anyone have any ideas?I also made this apron a while back. It's a twin to Danielle's apron, but this one took half as long to make. This is another quilting-weight cotton. I couldn't resist the kitschy fruit print. That's me pitting 3 quarts of sweet cherries. My hands look bloody right now, but these are destined to become Brandied Cherries. Speaking of low tech, I'm pitting those cherries with a hairpin, just like my great-great-Aunt Irma.

The other thing I did with lemons? I took charge of my life and made a decision. I am headed back to school in the fall to pursue a Masters of Library and Information Science degree at that other Michigan university. This means that I'm moving.

It's been a long journey to this place, where I'm deliberately heading my life in a direction different from the one I thought it would take. I'm an intensely practical person, and the truth is that even if the economy were not the way it is, and symphonies weren't cutting their personnel and season to the bone and beyond, music performance jobs are incredibly difficult to come by. I hope I will always be playing and teaching and taking auditions, but I also need health insurance and some stability and one day (maybe) my own home.

I don't think that anyone likes to move, but I am finding this to be a bit heart wrenching. I have loved living here more that I thought I ever would, but it's time to do those favorite things one last time and open my heart to the new favorite things that are to come.

Though I don't "officially" move until next Saturday, I took possession of my new place on Thursday. I drove down with a car load of stuff (including a box with all my sewing patterns in it), and set about deciding whether or not this place would be mine, or just a place to live. There are good signs. Preserves in the pantry.
And a tree outside my window.