Whittling the List: Expo Agony, Part 2

Ok, I sat down and looked at my ridiculous, overlapping list of classes to take.

Where to start?

Well, the first thing to look at: what do I *need* to learn?

Two classes jump out at me immediately...Diane Ericson's Fashion Illustration class (yeah, the double one) and Peggy Sager's Jeans class.

I can't draw worth a flip...I mean, even my stick figures are rather drunken looking. But I'm finding I'm frustrated in trying to communicate what I see in my head for costumes to someone who can't see the lovely thing that is in my head. I don't expect to leave the class able to illustrate for pattern covers, but it would be nice to at least catch the idea of what I see so that I can discuss costuming with the directors better. So, while that's not something I'd go for because I want it...I think it's something I need.

And...I've really never made jeans before. I used to be able to find jeans that fit *good enough* at the Lee outlets here and there, but since the days of the dropped waist and lycra fit, (and, as Kathleen Fasanella might add, The CAD camel toe), I've not been able to consistently locate jeans that I'm comfortable wearing. So I bought one of the Hot Patterns Jeans patterns and I'm actually considering beginning the process of developing my own personally-fit jeans pattern. So any wisdom Peggy could pass along pertaining to making and fitting blue jeans will be greatly appreciated and quite possibly more than a little useful.

So, that adds up to the equivalent of three classes.

Next in the class selection process, I went through the list and crossed off classes that I thought probably duplicated material I have had before. Not that it wouldn't hurt to hear it again...just that, well, I gotta cut something!

I took Cynthia's Tops Fitting class last year, which dealt heavily with back fitting (and was amazing and I want to see it again, but, well...), so I could probably eliminate the Backs Fitting Class. And I took Louise's Cutting Edge class last year, also...which may have new stuff this year, but from the class description it looks like it could repeat a bit. Then I looked at the three-part 'Bridge to Fabulous Sewing' series that Cynthia's doing. I'd really like to do that, but from the descriptions I think she will probably cover information that I've heard from her before in some form...and I still haven't got the specialty feet for my machine that some of her techniques specify. I'd like to hear what Peggy Sagers has to say in the 'Speedy Sewing' class...but, the truth is, I can be a sewing whirlwind when I put my mind to it, so I don't know how much new-to-me stuff she'd be presenting.

So, now my list looks like this:
Cynthia Guffey:
Backs First Fitting - Thur 9 AM
Off Grain, On Target - Thur 10:30 AM
Pants Tweaking - Thur 2:30 PM or Sat 3:30 PM
Lining Guides - Fri 9 AM
Solid Beginnings - Fri 10:30 AM
Skillful Stitching - Fri 2:30 PM
Sewing Workshop - Fri 6:30 this one counts as two and has a materials fee
Fearless Buttonholes - Sat 12:30 PM

Peggy Sagers:
Jeans for Everybody - Fri 1 PM
Speedy Sewing - Sat 2 PM

Diane Ericson:
Fashion Illustration - Thur 2:30 PM another double class with a fee
All in the Details - Fri 10:30 AM

Louise Cutting:
Cutting Edge - Thur 2:30 PM or Fri 4 PM
Across the Country - Fri 9 AM

Tammy O'Connell: Leather Logic - Thurs at 9 AM or Saturday at 2 PM.

So, I have three slots definitely filled...and 7 more classes to cull down some more.

Now, 'tis time to determine if I'm going to take 5 class package, or forfeit some shopping money to take the 9-class package.

Either way, something's going to get cut!