For those times when I'm longing to sew but don't have a suitable block of time (as is the case most days as a grad student), I have to find other ways to placate my urge. My Threads issues are worn through and I've read my pattern drafting books cover to cover; my computer's Sewing Inspirations folder is filled with subfolders marked "sleeves," "details," "necklines," and the like (it may be time to think of crafting a finding aid for these!); my shelves and drawers of fabric entice me again and again to play with various pieces, draping and pleating them.

I also dream up new projects. Currently I am taken with extended-sleeve blouses.

• Wouldn't this fabric make that lovely
  Poncho Blouse featured on Wearing History?
• What about the sophisticated

  Sencha Blouse (Colette Patterns) made up in this dyed coral?
• Or BurdaStyle's Alexander Blouse look lovely in this?

assiduity: diligence; persistent application of oneself

example: Really, the canine's assiduity was quite remarkable. No less than two hours had passed since little Bella had wandered off, leaving her sandwich crust upon her plate. Footsteps pattered by, doors opened and shut, laughter sounded from the other room, yet still he sat by the table, patient and alone, the constant grey shadow which haunted her every meal.

oneiric: related to or suggesting dreams

example: Now, walking down the hallway--past that porthole window, that door marked 103, 105, 107--she felt peculiarly oneiric...as if perhaps she had come down here before...or maybe dreamed? And suddenly the faded details of an old, old dream came back in startling similarity to the scene now before her. Her only comfort was that in her dream, that door's 7 had swung loose and hung upside down by its stem, so that it looked more like a subscript L. The door here was clearly marked 107. That is--she peered closer at the numbers.

No; it had come off, the 7 now represented only by the discolored smudge left by the missing numeral.

appurtenance: something that is subordinate, or added, to another more important thing

example: Some may have considered Nigel Witherington's appurtenance an impertinence, but he really felt his Critical Commentary on THE LAWS OF THE PLANETS elucidated that most renowned yet cryptic of astronomical tomes.

I have quite the stash of clothes awaiting alterations, either because they no longer fit me correctly or because I bought them specifically for the purpose of refashioning. Much to my storage capacity's chagrin, I tend to see a lot of potential in the dresses, blouses, and suits I encounter in secondhand stores and find it hard to resist plunking down three dollars on an all wool jacket that is only slightly too big or a dollar on a lovely rayon print dress that nevertheless sports ridiculous shoulder pads (alright; you can stop snickering).

My enthusiasm is fed by the alterations I see online. GrosgrainFabulous showcases Kathleen's beautifully clever refashions such as her Cherry Pop Refashion (which also happens to be a giveaway!)

Kristena of Thimbly Things has finished some cute alterations as well, such as her Plum Blouse or her Romantic Shirt.

Before I can commence in earnest, however, I've got to sew a cover for my buxom dressform and squeeze her into my own proportions--nothing a little carving and super-strong seams can't accomplish, I hope. But I am on my way, for last night I finished my first bodice sloper muslin and have only to drape and draft my skirt sloper next (which should be significantly easier!). That should be my next Thursday-night project.

Sunday's my day for baking, and this week I've made some rather delicious spinach and cheese calzones. It was simple but time-consuming, but then that's what I like about Sunday's slower pace. I made up a recipe for light whole wheat bread dough from one of my favorite bread cookbooks, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (Hertzberg and Francois) and then mixed a few things together for the filling:

~a couple handfuls of that wonderful convenience, frozen chopped spinach

~about 8 ounces of ricotta cheese (the rest of the container is going in next week's lasagna)

~one egg

~some onion (I keep chopped red onion in the freezer)

~2 cloves of garlic

I sauteed the onion and garlic before adding them to the spinach-ricotta-egg mixture, and then I stretched out roll-sized handfuls of dough into circles (more or less), filled them with about 1/2 cup filling, and then folded the edges together and crimped them with a fork. I brushed each with an egg wash before baking them for about half an hour at 450 degrees. They smell so good.

The rest of the bread dough is in the freezer--I hope that's okay! I'll probably use it to make pizza at some time or another, so it's not imperative that it rise anymore.

The only other thing I made today is a concentrate for chai. I used this recipe (minus the additional sugar) and quite like it.

Poor Anastasia has been sneezing all day. I think she's got a cat cold.

I am tired; drummer-boy upstairs decided to practice between 1 and 2 last night. Honestly...

Tonight I'm heading back to campus for an introductory meeting for amliss, the UNC art-and-museum-library-&-information-student-society. I'm eager to get involved in these groups (the other one being SCOSAA, the Student-Chapter-of-the-Society-of-American-Archivists) which will hopefully help me develop the habit of participating in professional organizations throughout my career. And career time is fast approaching.

One project I aspire to sew is the coat—actually sewing a tailored, winter-weight dress coat complete with pad-stitching, cheery lining, and bound buttonholes. That’s quite far down on my list of projects, certainly, but in the mean time, I have enjoyed perusing Gertie’s vlogs on constructing her vintage coat (pictured above) as well as Tany’s detailed post about sewing her gorgeous coat.