I am entering a contest...

So I have been gone for a while. I guess this is what college does to you, makes you busy as hell but recently I stumbled across a web site called Your Style Rocks... which well rocks! The whole idea is that people enter design contests and then a winner is chosen and a pattern is made and produced free of charge via internet downloads! So I decided to enter this month's contest.

if you would like to see the other designs and vote click go here!

That old couch...

So I drove two hours to my grandparents house in Kansas to look at the couch. The good news is it will fit fine and it looks to be in decent condition. The other good news is that it has a small hole in it! I know you are thinking, "how is that GOOD news?" Well, the dorm designer takes any opportunity to get creative! I plan on taking floral remnants and creating oversize cushions to up-date our comfy couchette!

The Cozy Couch?

So we don't have much room in our dorm as already discussed, but making it feel like a home instead of a room is really important to me and Roomie. My roommate has put her faith in me to come up with a "style plan" so whenever I get board I work a little on it. I have been looking for furniture for the dorm. We are going with a kinda of boho/artsy vibe allowing us to pick up things from yard sales and call it decor. Unfortunately our budget (like most college students) is almost non existent. But to seemingly counteract that I come from a family that never gets rid of anything. So as I was looking for a couch or maybe some chairs I stumbled upon the philosophy of double dipping.

 I guess I never really considered that things having more than one purpose could save a ton of space. And the less space taken up by things the more space I have to put sewing supplies. After taking this philosophy to heart I decided no chairs. We need a sofa (a small one at that). Then I saw the coolest thing it was a love seat that would fit under one of our lofted beds but it also folded the down to make a makeshift bed. Unfortunately I was put off by the price ($65 at a garage sale). Luckily it sold later that day and as I was kicking myself for not buying it my mother came to the rescue.

 I was Informed that my grammy had a similar love-seat sleeper and I could probably have it if I wanted. I rejoiced at the idea of free stuff! So looks like we will be getting a orange love-seat sleeper! I will post pictures as soon as I get them!

Space Case

Alright so the first challenge will be space. Or lack of it. Here is a picture of my dorm room layout.

As you can see there is very little room, and I have so much stuff. Since this is just to survive freshman year before I apply for an on campus apartment I am only going to bring my sewing stuff (Ha, Ha). As anyone who sews you know that the word "only" doesn't even exist. Here is a list of only my sewing stuff.

• Sewing machine
• the stash (this actually needs subcategories)
• cloth
• interfacing
• ribbons
• other embellishments
• patches
• buttons
• yarn (i know not technically sewing but still...)
• items to be recycled
• plastic bags (this will be a post all on its own)
• scissors
• thread
• a cutting mat
• a rotary cutter
• pinking shears
• needles
• embroider floss
• other small tools
• ohhh yeah and my bias tape machine

Add this to the list of what I am already supposed to pack and well, it starts to add up.

The next challenge  is making it look like I am a regular college student, you know by day. I sew one of a kind garments by night... like the batman of crafting? Me looking normal = hiding all of my junk. But I still need to be able to access it. I will post along the way as well as post projects.

Even If you don't live in a dorm I think this applies to anyone living in a small place. That is perhaps shared with another person. Well we will see how this goes. My roommate is excited, I will probably have to make her some cute clothes in payment for her putting up with me.