I’m a prairie kid who loves research. I have a Master’s in economics with a focus on public programs, labour and education. Long before that, I did my undergrad in physics & English with a math minor.

Besides my resume, you’ll find this page full of sewing projects, the odd published poem, and stories about Canadian science.

A note about the blog title: in math and physics, the prefix eigen means one's own. It comes from the german, but mostly I always liked thinking about a particle's eigenvalues, and thought I might apply the same thought to my excursions.

60's kids dress (3 year old sewing project!)

60's kids dress (3 year old sewing project!)

Darn it, I wrote up notes on this project in media res, but they’re lost to the sands of Notepad. Anyway, here’s another 3-year-old-led sewing project! The pattern is Simplicity 6764, size 6 - a pattern from 1966. It doesn’t have front darts (thank goodness) but it does have back darts, which I released, converting to ease in the shoulder (it was a small dart) and simply not closing the dart in the back for more waist room.

The skirt is a dirndl skirt, so we just cut the biggest rectangles we could from what was left of my blue and pink floral - the very same fabric as I used for my first project for baby Fran. The bodice is a shiny synthetic stretch fabric received in a mystery pack from Fabcycle a year or two ago.

Having finally (?) learned my lesson about making my kids things in wovens (they don’t like em!), we made this in a knit, which obviated the need for a zipper, once I double checked the neck hole. One little problem: I eyeballed the neck binding while applying in the flat so it doesn't lie flat at back!

This left the issue of the sleeves, which I simply cut short enough for her when she tried it on, then didn’t hem. Which rocks.

As a final design touch, Fran requested a fancy cupcake button be added. And there we have her fabulous dress.

Pattern: Simplicity 6764
Size made: Size 6 (breast 24 inch, waist 22 inch, hip 26 inch). Darts released to give more waist space, sleeves shortened.
Fabric and notions: Mystery synthetic blue from Fabcycle, floral organic cotton spandex from someone’s stash sale

Swimsuit of compromises!

Swimsuit of compromises!

Making a dress w/ a three year old

Making a dress w/ a three year old