Shape Shifting

Friday, after my trip to Fabricland, I popped into my favourite dress shop and tried on some new to me styles. The store is called Susanne's. It's a chain. I don't know if they're all wonderful but mine is because of Karey. She's fabulous. She knows me by name and knows the styles I gravitate toward, greets me when I walk through the door and tells me about what's new, and gives HONEST advice.

I told her that I wanted to try on a few different for me styles and that I wouldn't be buying due to continued weight loss. She had no problem with that and we loaded up the dressing room with some tops and a skirt with bias cut, horizontal fringes all the way down in a black and grey print. VERY fun but perhaps a little too figure conforming for me - at least at that price. If it came on sale, I'd consider it especially if I've lost a few more pounds.

One of the tops was a black on white print in a peasant style with elastic gathers at the neckline and hem. There was lots of ease through the bust although the elastic helped to make it appear more fitted. The sleeves were the short puff style. I worry about feeling too "little girl" in a style like that however, the print was sophisticated enough that it didn't happen. A floral would have been a problem. The right fabric - print - color - can make a real difference.

Another top was a sleeveless, knit tank with raw edged ruffles at the neckline similar to Simplicity 2599. It was a dark, rich black which I really liked and which helped to make the ruffles approachable. In bubblegum pink - or something like that - I'd have again felt like a little girl playing dress-up. The shoulder straps were wide enough to hide a bra strap, something that is always important to me. To get the shoulder width and armhole opening correct, I chose a smaller size. It fit well through the shoulders although I was surprised to see those horizontal pulls across the bust line. Even with a bust dart and extra ease, it needed a full bust adjustment. Can't be done after the fact on RTW.

A third top was very similar to Simplicity 2892. It was made in a drapey print with pleats at the neckline and three quarter sleeves and basically hung from the shoulders. I expected to feel like a house in it, especially since it was two sizes too big, only the lightness of the fabric made it less tent like and more flattering. That was surprising and encouraging and helped me decide to sew this pattern next - view B - shown in yellow. And after that, maybe view C below with the waist band which would be similar to the peasant style top.




My measured snuggly upper bust is now 34.5 which means sewing a 12 instead of a 14 through the shoulders, neck, and armhole. I cut a size 10 at the front side seam and a size 14 at the back to move the underarm seam forward, a placement that works better for me since my back half is wider than my front half.




Even the 14 wasn't wide enough across the back for my hips. To adjust the pattern, I cut a line from the hem upward to the underarm and spread it the required amount. I've allowed for 2" ease across the back and across the front or 4" in total. That seems about right for a loosely fitted top. I hope. As you know, I'm more used to fitted garments.

I also drew a horizontal line from center fback to the side seam just above the hemline and lengthened center back by 1 1/2". This will allow extra fabric to pull up over my high hip when I belt the top. I'd rather use a belt than a matching tie. For some reason, that feels old lady to me.

My shape is shifting and each shift changes which alterations are needed. The armhole of a size 12 is shorter from underarm to shoulder point. When I tissue fit the pattern, it didn't appear that a petite adjustment was necessary through the armhole however...




... after measuring the flat pattern and tissue fitting, it did appear that I needed more room through the bust. I wasn't quite sure how to do this. I have - for most of my life excluding pregnancy and nursing - been a B cup with a slight foray into C cup sizing. I've done a few full bust adjustments for the C however, a D is foreign territory. If you have any advice on making full bust adjustments, I'm VERY open to hearing. I have questions, like is the amount of spread equal to the difference in bust measurements. For instance...

... I adjusted the pattern by 1/2" across as I needed another 1" in total so 1/2" per side seemed right but what happens with the down measurement? Should that have been 1/2" as well or 1" and what about the hemline? Do you straighten it or curve it? It seemed to me that the curve is necessary for the bust in the front similar to how it was necessary for the high hips in the back and the side seams need to remain consistent. What a curvy girl I'm getting to be - LOL.

The pattern is ready to cut out. I used the sleeve lining piece to draft a three quarter length sleeve instead of the puff. There are only five pieces - front, back, sleeve, and two facings. This is again an easy pattern and I am again stalling. I'm not sure why. I seem to be in sleep mode.

I spent Saturday with friends and at my son's basketball game and Sunday with my husband who returned in the middle of the night. I did some reading and knitting and not a stitch of sewing. I'm dragging my butt around. Hopefully this changes soon. I'm sure it's because I'm - LOL - starving to death... not literally... but from the perspective of interesting food tastes.




I am getting slightly better at cooking from scratch but am still not at all thrilled with it. I doubt this will ever be a hugely satisfying creative outlet for me especially without spicy. I REALLY miss spicy food and I miss eating out especially on occasions like yesterday. For lunch, I had rice cakes (which I have always hated) with mashed avocado, sliced tomatoes, turkey, and mango chutney. Just okay... not wonderful... definitely not Valentine's Day food. I hope yours was more interesting and included creamy milk chocolate... which I absolutely LOVE.

Kyle is about to head off to school. I'll have a shower and get dressed and then Howard and I are going out for coffee. He has some putting away and cleaning up left to do and some more time off before returning to work - time to be together. Later today, I'll have time to - and hopefully I'll feel like - cut out the pattern and get started.

Have a great day - Myrna

Grateful - Howard had a wonderful trip and arrived home safely. He has some great pictures of our sponsor children, one of whom is now leaving the program so we'll be getting another.

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Personal Growth - One of the men on the trip to Guatemala is a psychologist who I used to work for administering standardized, cognitive assessment tests which was a fascinating job (and is a fascinating subject) in itself. He commented on the trip blog that there wasn't much need for a psychologist in Guatemala. That started me thinking about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Many of the Guatemalan people are existing at the lowest level spending their time, money, and energy focused on shelter, food, warmth, and clothing. School and medical help are a luxury. Life is hard and yet they appear very happy. There is of course a balance point. It would be a huge over-generalization to say that all poor people are happy and that all rich people are unhappy. However, the happiness level in contrast to the possessions level is something that many people have commented on after visiting a third world country - that the less people have, the happier they appear to be. I can't relate except to say that when I get rid of stuff I feel emotionally lighter as well as physically lighter.

In contrast, there is a HUGE need for psychological help in first world countries which makes me wonder at which point on the hierarchy of needs does that happen? When do we have so much that we start to have issues around it? What can we do about the connection between materialism and unhappiness? Where does being busy come in to it and how does the thing that keeps us busy factor in? Too busy is a sad statement on many first world societies. Too busy with things that don't or shouldn't matter. Too busy for life? What is "life" to me? What is a good life? What is life lived (or not) to its best? It's a one shot deal. I would hate to waste my moment. I know that - as always - balance is key.