The Next Day

It took Howard about four hours to get frustrated with lying around in bed. Things will move slow. Neither of us is good at that. His record yesterday for minutes sitting in a chair was five and his exercise program so far is ten shuffles up and down the hall. Today, we're aiming for a shower. Everything feels so much better when you're clean.




Speaking of which - I planned to clean house this morning. Not. Instead, I've been sitting on my front porch looking at these gorgeous tiger lilies. They are from a plant my daughter gave me several years ago. Quite beautiful. Thanks sweetie.

Inside, this vase of roses with eucalyptus leaves was sent over by the church after Sunday service. So much better in my dining room than fading away at the front of the sanctuary with no one to enjoy them. The smell is gorgeous.

I knit about two inches on another toque yesterday. This morning, I'm off for coffee with a friend. After that, we'll see how the day goes. If it's good, I plan to go to knitting tonight. I could use a few laughs with the girls.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - everyone sleeping in their own bed

The Hospital Bag

Last week was long and exhausting. I took Howard to the hospital a week ago last Saturday at midnight, brought him home Thursday evening, and took him back this past Saturday morning. He had surgery that evening, recuperated Sunday, and is coming home this morning.

It'll be 6-12 weeks for recovery. He's not allowed to bend, twist, lift, or reach. He can only sit for 20-30 minutes, take increasingly longer walks, and lie down. It'll take ten days for the incision to heal and after that, we can evaluate what's possible. He's normally a very active person. You see our problem. Fun. NOT! The boys have suggested duct tape.

Howard had a severely herniated disk with an unusual presentation affecting the right not the left side of his body and wrapped around the nerve to the point of rubbing it raw. Since he already lives with chronic pain, he has a high pain threshold. It was most likely that rubbed raw point that did him in.

There is much to be thankful for. The first time we went to emerge, the admitting nurse had also had a herniated disk. He could empathize. The second time, the same nurse was on again and standing right behind him was the specialist. They admitted Howard right away and his case received priority. Yesterday, the specialist told us that it would have been three months for an office visit followed by a twenty-four month wait for scheduled surgery. I'm not sure either of us could have handled that stress. This is bad enough.




Thank God for knitting. It's good to have busy hands. I worked on the black sweater most of the time. I'm not sure if I like it although that could be because I'm too tired to think straight. Yesterday, I knit a child's toque. My intention was to knit an adult size one only I must have packed the wrong size of needles. Oh well. This works. It's cute.

Seven days sitting in the hospital gives you a LOT of time to think. The majority of the patients were much older than Howard and I. From them, I learned the importance of remaining flexible, being at a healthy body weight, and asking for help. I was very aware of those who were alone with no one to help them. I have no extended family to fill that role and being Howard's care giver was tiring enough. I can only imagine how difficult it is when you're tired, lonely, in pain, scared, and confused.

I also learned the importance of the hospital bag. You know how "they" say we should always wear pretty panties just in case we're in an accident. I'm thinking we need a few more pairs in a bag along with some soft t-shirts, flannel jammie pants, fresh socks, slippers, a toothbrush and other toiletries, a pen, paper, a ball of yarn, some needles, a toque pattern, and a deck of cards. Just in case. You never know.

It's an awareness. Will I exercise, lose weight, and pack a bag? Possibly. First I need some sleep and a little stitching time in my studio. The bra supplies came Friday. I hope to work on those soon. First, maybe the two t-shirts I was thinking about a week go.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - successful surgery

The Bra

The bra arrived and it fits. That's step one. Jessica says that it feels pointy. She's going to take some pictures this weekend to show what she's referring to however pointy most likely means that the bridge is too wide and/or the position of the cup crown needs to be shifted further toward center. That's easy enough to do if I know that everything else works. YES YES




For the green bra above, I used the Kwik Sew 2374 pattern which fit together wonderfully. For the next one, I'll compare these patterns pieces with an Elan pattern and note the bridge width and cup shape and see what I think before I draw another pattern. Right now, I'm just glad we have the correct size and are close to a great fit. The new supplies haven't arrived yet. Hopefully next week.

Howard was supposed to go in for the treatment early yesterday morning. He didn't. It was after 3:30 in the afternoon before they finally came for him. He said they got the spot exactly because they probed until he could feel it. When he got back to his bed, there was no pain. Everything was frozen and he was moving around way too easily for someone who was just in excruciating pain less than an hour ago. This morning, the freezing should be out and they'll evaluate. Lots of pain and they try something else. Some pain and they assess. No pain and he can go home and that may last forever, months, or weeks. Time will tell. I hope that it's either lots of pain or no pain so the next step is obvious.

Yesterday morning, the cement layer arrived. He thought it was going to be nice enough all day to - finally - finish the cement pad outside my studio. He acid washed it in the morning intending to come back in the afternoon to add the seal coat. At the hospital, it thoroughly poured in the afternoon. I'm not sure what happened weather wise at our house but he did seal it. I could smell the finish when I got home. I need to ask about whether the surface got wet and what that means. Right now, it appears that I can set out the furniture, sit down, and sip iced tea. I think the wicker set might stay in the garage a bit longer and Howard's lounge chair will go out there in the sun facing the hills so he can rest. Lucky guy.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - supportive friends

Sew Dreaming

This morning's in-box contained notification that McCall's Fall 2010 Collection is now available. Fall? My wish list of summer sewing is a mile high and I'm waiting for hot weather to motivate me. Apparently, it has arrived only the hospital is air conditioned. I see sunshine out the window but don't feel the heat. Go figure. Summer would arrive on the only few days that I'm inside and busy. Life is SO like that.

As you know, this was supposed to be the week of the outfit. Not. So far, I've read a novel and done a lot of knitting - up to the sleeve caps. Those, the neckband, four seams, and some buttons and I'll be finished. Nice bonus. While knitting, I am sew dreaming.




The shell from Simplicity 2938 is made with pleats and princess seams. I want to sew both it and the short sleeved top from Simplicity 2369 below for the top and as a test for the dresses. They both look comfortable for summer like the black and white skirt I just made. I wore it to the hospital yesterday and that bit of stretch in the denim was perfect. It was as comfortable as I'd imagined.




The day before I wore some jeans that I bought a few weeks ago. They fit surprisingly well. I'll show you pictures some time soon. Before I wore them, I measured a whole lot of things to transfer to my pattern. They didn't bag out in two hours of sitting like the ones I sewed however, by the end of the day, they were feeling too big. Before I buy/sew another pair, I'm going to compare notes on fabric content. I once bought a pair of jeans with a percentage of nylon in them and they didn't stretch out at all. I'll be a lot pickier about denim fabric content in the future.

I've been reading The Bra Maker's Manual. Actually, a better way to phrase it might be that I'm attempting to read it. The information is EXCELLENT; the writing is not. It's all I can do to not grab a red pen and start editing. If you have difficulty with fragmented and run on sentences, horrendous punctuation, failed attempts at humor, too much personal interjection, and the occasional lack of clarity, think twice. Delivered to my door, this book was just under $100.00. For a price like that, from a recognized expert, I expected professional editing although, as I said, the information is excellent. I have learned a lot... in small bits... with my red pen placed WAY across the room.

Howard is still in hospital. This is his fourth day of pain and pain killers. He's mostly resting. I'll be down there again this afternoon and evening. The current diagnosis is a herniated disc between the L4 and L5 vertebrae only the symptoms are presenting abnormally on the right instead of the left side of the body. As he says, of course. Sometime this morning, a nerve blocker and a cortisone shot will be injected. If that deals with the problem, it's a treatment. If the pain doesn't go away completely, it's a diagnostic test. They're talking about a possible MRI. Personally, I'm all for that. It'd be nice to have a complete picture of what's going on for him. Either way, we're looking at a slow and easy summer.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - knitting

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Personal Growth - Last week when I edited my son's report, it took four and a half hours and was a lot of fun. Not reading about battles but editing and organizing his text. The time flew. I love to write and I love good writing. One of my goals is to continue improving my skills. That's one of the reasons I write this blog.

I'm intrigued by the skills we gather as we go through life and how they mix and blend together to form new facets of our whole. I have many abilities in numerous areas. For instance, I can read, research, write, edit, publish, develop lessons plans, and teach on many subjects. That said, I'm the most successful if that subject is one I'm fascinated by like creativity or sewing or knitting. Creativity is my primary area of expertise. It's my language. It's what makes me excited and bubbling and enthused. I get it.

Reading while resisting editing The Bra Maker's Manual reminded me of skills acquired. It's realistic to note that I could have written it better or helped tremendously with the organization and editing. That makes me curious. God has brought these skills into my life for a purpose. I wonder what's going to happen with them next.

WHO Was I Trying to Kid?

As soon as I hit post on Friday, one of those what if thoughts crept into my head. What if you re-did the front half of the skirt? I'm just not the type - try as I might - to leave a known blemish on the front of my skirt IF it's fixable, especially on a skirt that I know is going to get a lot of wear. So I pulled out the leftover fabric and...




... there wasn't enough for a whole new front but there was the perfect remnant. I doubt there is anything else I could have made with this little bit of fabric that would have been a better choice than new center front panels that staggered the designs. Just to be sure, I pinned and checked and then checked again before cutting the pieces.

And then I checked again before sewing. Even though I removed and restitched the waistband, the three seams, and the double rows of top stitch on each seam, the "fix" took less than half an hour. And to think that I tried to avoid it. Little pain. Great gain. I like the skirt a LOT better now and I won't be forever apologizing or pointing out the obvious flaw every time I put it on - if only to myself. WHO was I trying to kid?

I intended to wear the skirt to church yesterday and debated working at warp speed Saturday to get a knit top sewn to go with. I pulled the fabric and picked a pattern but was so tired from picking Kyle up late and dropping him off early for work that I opted to sit in the curl up chair and knit, which turned out to be a good choice because...

... I spent midnight to 4:30 Saturday night and all day Sunday at the hospital with Howard. I got a lot of knitting done and may just finish this sweater while we try to figure out what's going on. The latest theory is a slipped disc. He's having a CT scan today. We'll know more then. He's in tremendous pain. I hope they have an answer soon - for him and for me. I have seen more than enough of hospitals over the last few years. Oh well. Nobody asked me. Guess where I'm spending my day?

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - excellent medical coverage

Low Productivity

At coffee yesterday, Francine made the most interesting comment. She said, you used to wear a lot of color. That made me think about how we evolve and why and in what directions. I still wear color only now I wear it in the form of jewelry and accessories paired with primarily black garments. At least 50% (if not more) of my clothing is black. How did that happen?

It's not that I don't like black - I do - a lot - so it's not an issue for me but it is a curious question. I think the reason is a combination of things. One was learning that black with color is a recognized clothing personality. I'm comfortable wearing a lot of black because it's part of my style.

Another reason was losing thirty pounds rather quickly without a lot of money to replace the garments I'd outgrown. I have very little clothing and wear what I have frequently, which ties into the third reason. Colorwise there's a real lack of choice. So many stores offer little to no variety in color. I'm not interested in orange, brown, beige, ivory or any of the fall shades or in pastels and I dislike the fussy, prissy and/or pregnant looking styles that have been around for the last few years. I like strong, vibrant, clear colors. Finding those combined with styles that fit and flatter me, details that interest me, and a price tag I can afford - almost impossible. Black is easy to buy.

I need more clothes - like yesterday. I'm trying to sew them which is probably why my lack of productivity has been bothering me lately. It's like I'm spinning my wheels getting nowhere, wasting time and opportunity. I don't like that feeling. I found it funny that on the news Wednesday night, they reported on the growing concern over Canada's low productivity rate. Apparently, I'm not alone - LOL.

I folded the jacket pattern back up and put it away. While I had lots of ideas for sewing a wonderfully creative look, I had no energy to even get started. That project - simple as it was - felt too big, too much. What I needed was something already fitted so I decided to make another version of the comfort waist skirt from a few months ago, this time with a back vent instead of a flounce.




Right after I started cutting out the fabric, this comment was posted. LOVE coincidences. Jodie K asked - I really like your skirt, what pattern is it? I have a basic straight skirt that is a TNT, but I'm looking for something different (and comfortable). The elastic waist sounds comfy.




The pattern is self drafted. It's based on the ready to wear skirt above from Reitman's. I changed a few things. Their version had narrow transparent elastic sewn into the seam allowance of the facing and no flounce at the back. I added the layered flounces and and a 1" elastic waistband. The flounce was based on McCall's 5523 which does not have an elastic waist.




This black and white stretch denim has been in my stash for YEARS. I wasn't willing to fuss with matching prints so I staggered the pieces hoping for a randomly nice dispersion. Wouldn't you know it but the only seam that didn't work out in a way that I like is center front. If I'd thought about it earlier, I could have cut a new panel and switched one of the pieces however, after all those rows of double top stitching, it isn't going to happen.

One thing that intrigues me about my return to fashion sewing is how much of my way of approaching art has come with me - in particular how much I would prefer to mix things up and how I approach of the process. No matter what I am working on - a garment or an art piece - quality workmanship is really important to me. Even so, I don't believe in making a lifetime commitment to the project. I never hand quilted a quilt and I'm not likely to bind every seam and match every print. My life is too short for that because it's not important to me. I've never been one for a lot of hand stitching and I'm more than happy with the clean, neat look of serged seam allowances. With prints, there are some things I can accept and some I can't.

Mismatched stripes and plaids drive me crazy. To me, straight lines need to line up. That comes from my early days of sewing fashions and traditional patchwork. However, my years as a textile artist led me to prefer a different mix of colors, textures, and patterns, one that I find far more interesting and that a lot of people might think is "off".

For the most part, floral patterns that don't match, don't bother me. I like the random flow that is created when the shape of the flowers is distorted and scattered by seam allowances. When using a floral fabric, I deliberately choose a pattern with multiple seam lines just to get that chopped and jagged look. That said, apparently floral motifs that are too close together and look like they're lining up in rows do bother me. The center front seam of this skirt bothers me but not enough to change that panel now or to trash the skirt. I tried it on. It is going to be REALLY comfortable to wear. For a summer skirt, it's okay. There's just the hem and the elastic waistband left to finish.

Thinking about productivity, about my lack of wardrobe, about summer pending, and about next week, I've decided to make next week the week of the outfit. Actually, I'm starting now. I'll finish the skirt and then make an upper garment to go with it and then a lower garment to go with that and then another upper garment. My goal is to focus on clean lines and easily constructed garments. That's not as easy as it sounds. I hate repeat garments. They typically bore me so I hope I can stick with it and get quite a few pieces finished, even a few not black ones.

Have a great weekend - Myrna

Grateful - using the black and white floral after so many years of looking at it. The piece was bought during the wishing years when I wanted to sew fashions but didn't have time.

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Personal Growth - My son worked until midnight last night. He works at McDonald's and is such a reliable worker that they often schedule him for opening and closing shifts. That means I'm either up early to take him to work or up late to pick him up from work because Howard is either in bed or at work. He leaves around 5:00.

All of our children have worked at a summer camp about 1 1/2 hours away. The way that the camp is structured, junior counsellors have to be picked up on Friday nights and dropped off on Sunday afternoons which means that every weekend, for the two months of summer, for most of the past eight years, I have driven back and forth to camp. I was really looking forward to NOT doing that this year. Apparently, instead I'll be doing a lot of late night and early morning sewing while waiting on my child in a different way.

I'm not sure how I feel about that. Part of me is rather grumpy and part of me is proud that my child is such a good worker, respected by his employer, and given lots of responsibilities. I believe that a key part of my parental role is to facilitate new experiences and opportunities to grow and learn, which include learning to work hard, build a solid reputation, and be responsible and reliable, and to manage money earned. Maybe next summer will be slow and easy with some sleeping in. LOL - we'll see.

Two Days, One Exam, And We're Done

What great thoughts on elastic. THANK YOU. It seems that more of you wear elastic waistbands than I thought. I had noticed that they are more prevalent in the stores right now, which works well for gathering ideas. The advice on getting a smoother look is much appreciated. Pouffy gathered doesn't work for me either. I've combined a zipper with an elastic waistband before and that worked wonderfully. Perhaps, I'll do more of this type of thing because while I would like the quickness and comfort of elastic, I don't want it in everything and when I do, I want it to look smooth and flattering.

I spent four and a half hours yesterday morning editing The Battle of Vimy Ridge & The Attack on Pearl Harbor. I thought Kyle was doing WWII but apparently it was one major battle from each war. Either way, the kids know that when they ask me to edit something, it's going to get edited but... that took forever plus another hour last night for pictures, final questions, and putting it all together. Today, it gets handed in. The last report of the year. Two days, one exam, and we're done for this school year. I am so ready to be done as in done, done. Next year is the last year of my youngest child's school years. It's almost as exciting as the first year of my oldest child's. We'll both be moving on to new things. I'm excited to see what this next year brings as I transition into that new way of being. It'll bring something; I'm just not sure yet.

When Howard got to work yesterday, he learned that the union had served 72 hour strike notice meaning the members could be out as early as Friday afternoon. That - of course - brought all spending to a screeching halt. The possible loss of income makes you think about your purchases differently. A good thing. Last night, he got an email saying that the union and the company are back in negotiations. We thought that might happen. It just isn't a good time for a strike for anyone so now we're waiting to hear more details. Hopefully it's all settled soon.




Between the report and that strike news, I was a little bit agitated yesterday. After tracing the jacket pattern, I went for coffee with a friend, finished reading a book, and then sat in the curl-up chair and knit. I've been working on this black cardigan for a REALLY LONG TIME and would like to get it finished or at least feel as if I'm making progress. The two fronts are done. I'll finish the back today, use a three needle cast-off to sew the shoulder seams, and debate whether I'll start on the sleeves or the neckband next. I like to put a sweater together in such a way that when I sew that last seam, I'm done instead of coming back to hide threads or finish a neckline. Most likely the neckband is next and then the sleeves...

... later, after coffee with Francine this morning. Her sister was here for a week from Quebec and left yesterday so I imagine she'll be talking with even more of a French accent with a few what does that mean words thrown in. That's always fun. One of the things I love about the Internet is the way we can learn about each other's cultures and "talk" between countries and continents. It's so amazing.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - end of the school year

Thinking About Elastic

At quarter to five this morning, a helicopter was making passes over our house, panning the neighbourhood for some reason although I have no idea why. Looking out the window, I didn't see a fire or an accident. Maybe the news will mention it later today. Whatever it was, it was noisy, made it hard to get back to sleep, and I woke up foggy headed, which really doesn't help with writing especially when you don't have anything to show for your yesterday.

I had a wonderful visit with Liz. She knits and crochets, makes jewelry and sews, has lots of ideas and is eager to learn more. What fun! She's my daughter's age and part of a generation that (unlike mine) seems to be more interested in made by hand again. Only she's realistic. At twenty-four, she has already figured out that a life in the arts is a life of uncertain income. She's getting her real estate license. LOL - real estate just happens to be another one of my passions - as in build or renovate - although only from the sidelines right now. I am so done with moving. We had a good visit. She'd like to come back. Works for me.

Afterward, I made a big pot of chicken soup and then went for coffee with a friend from out of town, the same one that I mentioned last week. She's back again helping out with her new granddaughter. It was a wonderful chat only no sewing happened. All I managed to do was look at the pattern and think about how to sew it without the front facings.

The facings will be necessary to stabilize the back neck but I want something softer and more flowing along the front edge. Ideas are brewing. I'm really Really REALLY hoping to get to them this morning except that the house could use some picking up and I've agreed to edit my son's report on WWII first. I'm convinced that these big reports due the last week of school are make busy work. Next Tuesday is his only exam this term and then he's done until September.

Every morning over coffee, I read a list of blogs. For the most part, I really enjoy them. Occasionally, I feel like everyone else is so incredibly productive while I'm get nothing done especially when the posting says I sewed two dresses this weekend or made five tops this month or something along those lines. I'm sure you know what I mean. You've probably been there, done that, read it too.

My lack of productivity seems extra ridiculous in that I'm on a sabbatical right now and have more time than usual. I'd say I get mired down in the details and yet, that's who I am. Following the curious question does take time and for the most part, it's worth it. Like with the bra. It took a few days and several tries and now I have a pattern that fits really well and can make multiples with ease. That works for me even if on those few days it felt more backward than forward. Thanks for the comments yesterday about sharing my process. They were encouraging.

All of my friends have distinctly different dress styles. It's fun to observe. One wears edgy, up to date, more trendy styles with a bit of glitz. She's the most fashion conscious so I asked her what she thought about elastic. Was it too old lady and dating or was it simply a practical tool? I've been thinking about elastic a lot lately.




I've been back to sewing fashions since last September. In that time, I've produced a lot of so so garments and a few favourites. One is this skirt with the flippy back. It's made from a lycra blend and has a wide elastic waistband. It's an easy sew and took a couple of hours to complete. A few similar skirts would broaden my summer (if it ever comes) wardrobe considerably and quickly. Do I want several skirts with elastic waists? Possibly.

With my height proportions, it's not flattering to tuck a top in and with my hip width, it's not flattering to add details to the lower garment, which means that no one ever sees my waistband. Because my waist is considerably smaller than my hips and fluctuates as all waists do, it has been a struggle to sew skirts, pants, or jeans that fit nicely waist to hip and stay that way. It seems to me that elastic might be the solution. Not on every garment but on many. What do you think about elastic waistlines?

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - this is the last week of school

A Puppy & More About Bras

This is Chloe, my new grandbaby puppy. Isn't she the sweetest? My daughter and her husband picked her up last weekend. She's eight weeks old and a BIG job to train. Howard and I have never had a puppy. Our one and only dog arrived already potty trained and obedient. So much easier.




With the test bra, I was able to take out the lower cup and insert a new one. What a difference that extra width and depth made. I used black fabric so I could see what was going on. The ripples along the top are because the upper cup is too wide. You can just see a 1/4" tuck pinned near the bridge. I couldn't pin the elastic tightly because of the angle which is why the ripples are still there. As well, the lower edge of the bridge needs to be curved to eliminate the wrinkle that forms there. Other than that, it's good to go. YES YES.




I compared underwires and discovered that while Wonderbra calls the bra that I've been buying a 34D, the underwires match the 34DD sizing which is the equivalent of a 36D which was the size I sewed in the bra workshop. Interesting and another example of the a 40B is a 38C is a 36D is a 34DD sizing that I mentioned yesterday. I tried the test bra with both the 34D and the 34DD underwires, and the DDs worked best. I wouldn't have thought to do that except...




... the Elan 520 pattern instructions had this interesting paragraph on sizing. It says... Band too tight, but the cup seems to fit. Move up one size in the band and down one size in the cup. If the band is loose but the cup fits, do the opposite; down one band size, up one cup size. If the band fits but the cup doesn't, adjust the cup size up or down accordingly. If the circumference of the cup seems right, but there is too much fabric at the bust points, carefully pin out the excess and re-sew the seam. Underwires stand away from the chest at center front? You need more cup depth. Either go up to the next larger cup size or re-draw the cutting lines of the upper and lower cup pattern to add more depth to the bust point. Taper down to the original cutting line at the ends.




Working from my original attempt of the RTW bra, the band size was correct, the bridge needed narrowing, the cup size was deepened, and somehow - due to something in that Elan instruction paragraph which could use some major editing - I knew to compare the wires and determined to use the wider ones. Does that mean I'm really a 34DD? I'm not sure but it worked.

After adjusting the pattern, I started on a black and green printed bra. I can't finish it until I get more band elastic and strapping. My order from SewSassy will take at least three weeks. By then, I should know if Jessica's bra fits and can schedule a bra making session. They'd be easy to assembly line.




Meanwhile... my latest BMV club pattern purchases arrived yesterday. Included was Butterick 5498. This jacket - which looks more like a cardigan to me - is fabulous, especially the three quarter sleeve version. This will be my next project. Something quick and easy and moving on. Hopefully, I can start today.

This morning, Liz, one of the waitresses from my favourite breakfast restaurant, is coming over to meet Millicent (my dressform). Liz loves to sew and wants to see my studio and talk fabric. How fun. This evening at knitting, we're having a surprise bridal shower for one of the women who is getting married this summer. I need to make myself some "cake" to eat while everyone else is having strawberry torte - from one of my used to be favourite lunch places. Darn, I'd have loved some of that. I remember it fondly. Oh well.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - getting the bra pattern to fit AND finding someone to do the outside work. Two good things.

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Personal Growth - Between the yard work, house maintenance, holidays, special occasions, and continued personal interests, this time of year rivals Christmas. It feels like I'm spending way too much money - a feeling I hate. Every time I think about being firmer, staying on budget, or cutting back, something comes up that just has to be done. It's like being on a diet with visions of cake. I also know that if there's no cake, you can't eat it and that discipline is a really good idea especially heading toward retirement. It be better to learn now what I'll need to know which gives me about thirteen years to get it together only that doesn't seem long enough considering Howard and I have been together twenty-nine already. Hmm...

The Band, The Bridge & The Cup

Thanks for all the compliments on my daughter's bra. I'll mail it to her early this week and don't expect to hear how it fits until after next weekend at the earliest. Mail in Canada is notoriously slow.

There was a lot of interest in and questions around the bra both on the blog and on Stitcher's Guild. I totally understand the fascination because I used to think of a bra as a complex garment. That's why sewing one was on my learn list. To me, a bra was one of those many black notes kinds of projects like a complicated piece of music. In a way, it's true. Both take practice to "play" faster and smoother however, sewing a bra takes basic skills.

Debra asked - I wonder was it difficult to sew all those little and stretchy pieces together?

All the patterns I have sewn - which is a grand total of three - have fit together really well. The Kwik Sew pattern was the absolute best. Bra pieces are actually quite big and not too fiddly. The band fabric is stretchy but only when pulled hard. In your hand, it's very firm. The cup fabrics have only a slight stretch. Many t-shirt and dress fabrics are far more difficult to work with.

bobbikg wrote - I was fascinated to see you say that bras are easy to sew. "A perfect near beginner project." I would never have considered making a bra before but a bra that fits properly is such a rarity that I may have to reconsider.

When I say near beginner, I mean someone not afraid of the machine with a good understanding of basic stitches. For someone who wants to learn to sew, they're perfect because they are an underneath garment and therefore all the squiggles of your learning are basically hidden. In my daughter's case, I intend to hand her the fitted pattern so she can have all of the fun and none of the frustrating part. Someone else might consider having a friend or seamstress help fit them.

The technical aspects of sewing the bra are quite easy. You use a straight and a zigzag stitch, a 1/4" and an open toe presser foot. All the seams are sewn at 1/4" or at the edge of the elastic. The trims are zigzagged right sides together against the inner edge and then turned and topstitched in place from the right side. The seam allowances are cut narrower and hidden under the trim or the underwire channelling. Very few edges show. The process is ultra repetitive bra to bra. Once you learn it, you keep repeating and perfecting it.

Since straps are adjustable, there are only three areas of concern with a bra - the band, the bridge, and the cup. The band is the distance around. It's easily determined by measuring your upper bust snuggly. Mine measures 35" so I wear a 34" band which stays put and doesn't move. If you're constantly pulling your bra strap down in the back or at the sides, it's too big. The band is meant to provide the support of the bra.

The bridge is the distance between cups. It is wider if the breasts are spaced further apart and narrower if they are spaced closer together. This distance makes a bra sit more or less comfortably against the breasts. In RTW, it's non-negotiable. With sewing your own, it is easy to adjust from the test muslin by either pinning a tuck in the bridge or by slashing and adding distance. Mine is about 1/4" narrower than the pattern.

The cup is where the fitting issues come in. The cup is the volume of the breast - how wide and how deep it is. Two women can have breasts with the same volume but one will be wide and shallow and the other narrow and deep. That's why a 36A, 34B, 32C, and 30D all take the same size of underwire. I've found the cup the hardest part to figure out and of course - as with any garment - there is the fabric factor to contend with as well.

A bra is a fitted. As with any close fitting garment, it needs to conform to the shape of the wearer. What works for one woman does not necessarily work for another. To get a good fitting bra, you need to be patient, make multiple muslins, and fine tune. It takes work however, it's both fun and worth it. Even if you can buy bras that fit you well, you can sew ones that are far more unique for considerably less money in many instances.




The bra I buy is the Wonderbra 7422 shown above. It's about $24.99 at WalMart. I've been wearing it for YEARS as in since my early twenties. It fits me fabulously even when I change sizes. I've been through a range of them. Unfortunately, it is only available in white and black. That's boring. I'm attempting to produce a similar pattern so I can vary the fabrics and use some that are more "naughty".

Peter from Male Pattern Boldness had an interesting quiz in Friday's posting, Are You Naughty or Nice? I had to go by the pictures since I'm not a movie or music buff but basically it went if like this, you're nice and if you like that, you're naughty. It appears that I'm a constrained naughty. There's a far more flamboyant and dramatic me waiting to make an entrance. I knew that but it's hard to change the patterns of a lifetime. Fun, flirty lingerie could be a great beginning.




Above is my first attempt to reproduce the RTW pattern. I sewed my daughter's first test bra out of a stretch taffeta. It was too big and looked pointed and duck-bill-like which is exactly how the same fabric looked on me even though the band size was correct. I had taken her bra apart and used the parts to make mine and learned that taffeta is not a soft enough, figure forming fabric for a bra. I also realized that until I get the bra muslin correct, I should be using a basic fabric much like broadcloth is used for making garment muslins. I wish I'd thought of that before I made her second test bra with the lace overlays. Oh well. Live and learn.




I adjusted for all those pins in the first trial run and made a second one from lingerie lycra with powernet for the band. Underneath the black covering, Millicent (my dressform) is wearing the 36C that I used to be. I'm now a 34D. Based on my earlier example, you can see that my distribution of breast volume has changed. I'm now narrower and deeper than I used to be which is why this test looks a bit saggy. It's not quite perfect on me either. I've measured and pinned some changes for the next muslin.




If you remember from Friday's posting, I had accidentally dyed one of my bras grey and took it apart to make a pattern. In the image above, I'm comparing the cup made from lingerie lycra to the one from the RTW bra. The lower cup section is too narrow. I did this while the bra was in progress. When it was finished, I tried it on over my RTW bra and carefully pinned the two together through the center to see how they compared. The same problem was obvious. The two parts of the upper cup are okay. The bridge has been adjusted fine. The band is the right size. The lower cup needs work. It's shallower and narrower than it should be.




The new cup will fit into the same band which means I don't need to keep sewing the band over and over. I'm going to remove the channelling and cup you see in the image above and insert the adjusted cup for the next test. Once it fits smoothly, I'll completely sew another sample - as soon as I order some more supplies, especially strapping. I've been basting the closure and strapping from the RTW bra to the test bras because I'm out of strapping and because I see no point to using new supplies for a test run.

bobbikg also asked - Your lace, tricot, and straps all match to perfection and you talked about making one for yourself in fuchsia, lime, or purple. Do you over dye the components to match and if so, what type of dye do you use?

Summerset has a blog called Hooks & Wires as well as an etsy shop. The blog has excellent tutorials on bra sewing and shows the kits she dyes using Washfast acid dyes. They're gorgeous. The site that I order fabric from says that you can dye the fabrics using Ritz dyes. At the last workshop I was at, one of the students brought a collection of bras she'd sewn some of which were dyed with Ritz dyes with great success. The colors were wonderful.




The pink and green printed fabrics above are t-shirt lycra. They can be used in double layers or layered over lingerie lycra for bra cups The dotted red on the right is an organza for an overlay. The plain pink and red are athletic wear and have a very similar feel to the powernet that is used for bands. I hope - but am not sure - they'll be okay for bands. I'll have to try it and see. What I liked about these fabrics was how well they co-ordinated because one of the difficulties with bra fabrics is getting all the fabrics, elastics, and trims in the same color. Summerset's blog and etsy shop show that it's possible to dye complete fabric kits or portions to go with other fabrics like these above.

I haven't dyed any lingerie fabrics yet however, I'm familiar with dying natural fibres and don't think synthetics will be that much more difficult. The fabrics that I used for my daughter's bra were a purchased dark green lace over black lingerie lycra combined with black powernet and trims. I imagine I'll use a lot of black with other colors as I prefer darker lingerie although once I have a white bra that fits me the way I want, I'll experiment with dying colors. If nothing else, I can dye them to match purchased prints.

I've ordered The Bra Maker's Manual from Bra Maker's Supply. It receives great reviews and is expensive. Lately, that seems to be the story of my information quest. As I learn more and more about a particular subject, the books and magazine articles are too simple and I need to search out more complex information. This is typically in text books or self published works which in turn are typically more expensive. I'm particularly looking forward to the info on fitting, on suitable fabrics, and on dyeing. I've found sewing the bras fun so I want to learn more.

SO... my conclusion. The construction techniques used to sew a bra are simple and repetitive. The supplies are relatively inexpensive especially when compared to the price of RTW bras in larger sizes. Two of the three parts are quite easy to figure out and the fitting requirements for the cup are minimal. It will take effort the same as to fit a blouse or pair of pants properly but it's not impossible and it's a lot of fun. My first bra fit well. The second one fit perfectly. I could have repeated that pattern over and over but I wanted something different which is why the third and fourth are a test of a developing pattern from a RTW bra. If I'd worked from a pattern, it would have been even easier. I may just do that for the next one - LOL.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - Howard has the day off and we're going out for breakfast together. We'll discuss what needs to be done and then a carpenter is coming to look at the odd jobs around our house that need finishing. This is good. Howard is too busy at work to do them and they've become a millstone.

Fine Tuning

Yesterday was a low sewing, high visiting day. After a long leisurely breakfast with one friend, I was barely back home when another knocked on the door. She was in town for the birth of her first grandbaby - a girl. How exciting. How aging. The new mother was in elementary school when their family moved in next door to ours. That's the way it goes but it does make you want to sign up for an exercise class, get a new hair-cut, or perk up your make-up - LOL - or... buy a baby gift. Too fun.

Luckily there wasn't too much left to sew on Jessica's bra. When done, I compared it to the pinned changes from the first trial run and it's going to be close - hopefully a good fit. I'll mail it to her next week.




The pattern is well drafted but I will make a change next time, some fine tuning. The strap is joined through a ring sewn to the front with a fold down tab which is quite short and tight to the bra cup. On the...




... RTW bra that I took apart, the tab extends a lot higher for a smoother look. It also illustrates how to divide the cup to create three parts. I'll try that too. I can't make anymore bras for Jessica until I find out if this one fits but after that, I can try all kinds of ideas and fabrics.




This morning is grey. It looks like rain again. I do hope we see sunshine soon. I have some banking to do this morning and a few errands to run including a stop at Fabricland and then I think I'll sew something for myself. I'm not sure what yet.

Have a great weekend - Myrna

Grateful - all the boxes for charity are stacked by the front door and will be picked up and taken away today. It's good to give and it's good to get that stuff out of my house.

Bra Bits

Thanks for the compliments on The Frivolous Dress from Tuesday. Some of the scraps from that project were pretty large, large enough to be of use. They went into the lingerie supplies box as bra bits for lace overlays. Also in the box was this embroidered green lace left over from my Christmas skirt left over from my Mother of the Bride skirt.

I'm making the second test bra for my daughter and wanted to try working with lace overlays. The pattern says to cut the lace and the tricot separately and then hand or machine baste together. Halfway through those instructions, I had a thought - use spray basting. Next time, I'll spray baste the two fabrics together first and then cut out the pattern pieces. Either way, it works like wonderful and was easy to do.




Here's what the individual pieces look like. They're flat, well stuck together, and easy to work with without having to pull out any basting stitches later or avoid them in the seams. The spray isn't sticky, doesn't add bulk, won't gum up the needle, and washes out later. Since I have a case of it from textile art, it's great to find another use.




This lace comes with a very pretty scalloped edge. I used that along the top of the bra cups. This is the first time I've done an overlay or a lace edging so there are tricks to learn. The lace is almost identical side to side but slightly off at the center. The center is not quite as neat as I'd like. Practice perfects so I know I'll learn more next time although...




... even with the things I'd change, it's going to be a pretty bra. Here it is before straps and elastic. The channelling and under wires are next.




The pattern I'm using is KwikSew 2374. Of all the patterns I bought, this one received the best reviews for larger sizes. The pattern is well done. The pieces fit together smoothly and all the angles and curves match up well. I like it much better than the previous pattern I used plus this one looks more feminine and less training bra like. I thought it was a three part cup except that that looks like a seam but it isn't really line on the drawing is just a partial lace overlay. That was disappointing. I wanted a three part cup when I ordered this.




I sewed two bras for myself in the workshop I took last fall and a first test bra for my daughter a few weeks ago. This is my fourth bra. I'm starting to figure out the flow and if I keep adding some learning each time, my skills will continue to develop. Lingerie is fun to sew and a great use for fancy, even knit, scraps.

The size Jessica - my daughter - wears is harder to find and quite expensive. For what she pays for one bra, I'll be able to sew her at least eight or ten. Our agreement is that Mom will sew a set of bras and possibly matching panties and after that, she's on her own. I'll give her the fitted pattern and if she decides to sew, bras are a great starting point. They are quite easy to sew and because they're an underneath garment, you can develop your skills without anyone really noticing. A perfect near beginner project.

The bras that I can buy are considerably cheaper and fairly close in price to what I can sew one for except that they only come in white and black. I typically only wear dark lingerie except that the last time I changed sizes there was no black bra so I had to buy the white one until some black ones came in stock. Last week, I accidentally dyed it grey so I decided to take it apart and make a pattern. Below, I've pinned the bridge to tracing paper and marked around it. There are five parts to the bra as it has a three part cup.

Taking a RTW bra apart was good learning for construction details. I noticed that they used a longer stitch on the seams and a shorter one for top stitching, a dense zigzag stitch at the end of the channelling, and a tricot trim over the lace edges inside the cup. There's a layer of lace and a layer of tricot and the lace edge is cut on rather than sewn on later. I transferred some of these techniques to the bra I'm sewing now and will try more of them later on one for myself... in a different color... maybe fuchsia or lime or purple. Something dark but not black.

I'm out for breakfast this morning and then back to sew. I had planned to be painting the exterior doors and trim this month but it keeps raining. I heard yesterday that July and August will be hotter. I hope so. Until then, I guess I get to sew. YES YES !

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - learning

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Personal Growth - What you create doesn't have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don't let fear of failure discourage you. Don't let the voice of critics paralyze you -- whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside. - Dieter F. Uchldorf

After I posted the quote by Dieter Uchldorf yesterday, Katie sent a link to the complete talk - Happiness - Your Heritage - which is well worth reading. We can so easily deny or downplay our skills and our need to create. We can externally allow others too much power to direct our lives or internally berate and belittle ourselves. Comparisons can kill our joy. That's not God's plan. His plan is for so much more. It's me that gets in my own way. Sometimes, I need to just move aside and get on with getting on.

Creative Constipation Is NOT Good

At one time, both of these cabinets were completely full of 100% cotton, high quality, quilting fabric. Some pieces were twenty-five years old; most were newer. Over the years, the pretty prints have been replaced with the abstracts, batiks, and mottled solids I prefer to work with now... IF I make a piece. As a business, textile art is over with in my life. As an interest, it hasn't run it's course yet although I haven't made a piece in almost a year and don't anticipate making one any time soon.




Shifting the patterns from under the work island into the new cabinet started a deep cleansing of the studio. Things moved to new locations and new spaces opened up. It wasn't just another tidying it up session. It was a purge.

It was time. There were things here that didn't belong anymore for either physical or emotional reasons. I need space to think and to work. Clutter and chaos don't do it for me. I know they work for some people. For me, it stops the flow and creative constipation is NOT good.

We all work in different ways. What's important is to know and work in OUR way and not expect everyone else to be just like us. I remember getting a lecture from an instructor I'd hired for four days to give me private design lessons. For some reason, she seemed to take it personally that I tidied up at intervals throughout the day and especially each night. Luckily, it gives me the giggles to remember her going on about how there was no need to straighten the blanket on my curl up chair every night. She felt cleaning up was stifling me but I knew that wasn't so. I knew that when I start pushing things aside, dropping them on the floor, and especially shoving them out of the way with my foot, that I've reached clutter overload. For me, clutter free and calm with open spaces is the very best creative environment. In it, I can breathe.

The purge started with the pattern cabinet and quickly moved on to the fabric cabinets and the closet. In the fabric cabinets, all but four piles of cotton fabrics are gone. What's left are pieces that I really love and would use. In the closet, the basket of cross stitch flosses and fabrics is gone. I haven't done counted cross stitched in twenty years and it's so not my thing any more. All but one box of potential pieces are gone. That's enough to make the odd purse when I want to without the pressure of too much potential. All the scraps, interfaced, and fused bits of fabric are gone. They were breeding in the night and threatening a take over. All the left over chunks of batting and the I don't like these fabrics but I could use them for backings pieces are gone and the silk bits have found a new home. The list goes on and on. If it didn't want it right now for any reason, it was out. All that stuff is stacked in the guest room ready to be picked up by Big Brothers on Friday. YES YES !




In the picture above, you can see some fat quarters of hand dyed fabric in the baskets. There were two more boxes of half meter pieces that I gave to a friend yesterday. She's a weaver. They're perfect for that. They weren't perfect for what I do because I made a mistake. Keeping around a mistake puts a subliminal pressure on ourselves. It reminds us of failure. Moving it along in some useful way is freeing. It gives our mistake purpose. Here's what I mean.

Several years ago, I bought two bolts of prepared for dying fabric to prep for a workshop. The supply list called for a half meter piece of each of the ten steps of each color in a twenty-four step color wheel. Unfortunately, the fabric that I bought was not good quality. It was thick, didn't take dye well, and punctured when stitched. HOWEVER...

... that fabric served its purpose. With it I learned to dye a specific color, to dye gradations, to over-dye, triple dye, and create different looks. That was a major advance. Before that, I refused to dye fabric. Now, I can walk into the laundry room, pick up the powders, and dye almost anything I want. That's good and enough. But... the fabric pieces. Not. Even though they were taking up half a cabinet, because they were such poor quality, I only used them when absolutely necessary for a specific color. Getting them out of the studio was freeing. Giving them to Rosemarie gave them purpose. They are perfect for woven rugs and placemats. It felt wonderful. So did cleaning the closet.

I'd acquired so much fashion fabric that it was piling up all over the floor of the closet which irritated me so much I couldn't work. Every time I needed something, the closet became a bigger mess so last week, I picked up the piles and put them in the family room in an attempt to finish my dress. It was a temporary fix. On Monday, I started sorting, folding, moving and purging. Now everything is much fresher and cleaner.




I have a double wide closet. This pictures shows half. To the right of those upper boxes is one box width of empty space. That mostly empty shelf extends all the way to the other end. The fabrics in boxes on the floor might seem strange but this way, the yardage is nicely folded and contained and tipped in a direction where I can see what I have. My goal is to sew up at least four boxes worth of fabric so that everything is on the shelves.

While cleaning, I touched all of my fabric. A good refresher course. Although I only gave away four or five pieces, it was a surprise to see what I have. There are a LOT of knits which I've been buying on purpose however that was more than I thought I had. There are nine pieces of coating fabric. It appears I want to sew a coat. There are twelve pieces of denim. Seems I'll be making more jeans. There were also way too many fancy fabrics for my life style. I'll need to think through what to do with those however, overall, my fabric purchases are moving in a direction that is more in sync with how I live. This is good.

This cabinet over my desk used to hold books. I moved all of them to the "fabric" cabinet along with the art and artistic self help and coaching books that were previously on shelves in the family room. You can see those in the first picture. It's nice to have all my books in the same place. I plan to get jars for this cabinet and use them for assorted sewing notions - those ones that are hard to figure out what to do with like strips of fusi-knit for t-shirts or bits and pieces of lace for lingerie.

Cleaning always makes me think about what I buy and what I keep and how to use that information to make wiser decisions. This time around, I realized that I really don't want to stash up as much I have in the past. With textile art, it's important to have a palette of colors but even so, if I were to make a piece I'd want it to be more current. The same with any fabrics I saved for children's clothing. If I were to sew a small garment at this point in my life, I'd most likely want to shop for something new, fresh, and in style.

While there is usefulness left in these aged fabrics and salvaged scraps, for me it was not enough to warrant the amount of space they were taking up in my studio and the weight of emotional pressure they exerted. By giving them away, I have created room to move and open spaces that have exponentially increased the potential of what's left. I have sent creativity out into the world to be of use to others and I have received creativity back. Do you know what I mean?

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - a clean studio

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Personal Growth - The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty. - Dieter F. Uchtdorf,

I have no idea who Dieter Uchtdorf is. This quote was on another blog I read yesterday. How true. Clearing out the clutter, opening up the spaces, and welcoming flow are ways that I take unorganized matter into my hands and free myself to create beauty.

Edited 1:22 pm - Dieter F. Uchtdorf is President of the church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints.

The Frivolous Dress

Blogger was temporarily unavailable all of yesterday morning. It came back up in the afternoon only by then I was in the middle of cleaning and chores so today's post is Monday's promised one about the frivolous dress.




I finished it on Friday except for lining the hem. I couldn't decide whether to go longer or shorter so I asked a few friends for feedback and they all liked the see through bottom. Since I can be too conservative, I went with that and hemmed the lining at knee level using the scalloped edge of the lace from the godets.




The last time that I was in Nanaimo, I bought a purse at my favourite second hand store. It matched the dress perfectly which was wonderful since I hadn't used it yet and I had nothing else that went with the dress. The shoes are a dark grey edged in black. They were $9.00 on sale at the mall last weekend and have a wonderfully firm but flirty heel. In the picture, they look a bit heavier than I would have liked but I also didn't want to wobble around on stilettos. It's funny the things you see in a picture that you don't see in the mirror like two pictures down where Howard's pants look too long and yet he had them professionally hemmed. I guess I (we) need to take more pictures while getting dressed - LOL.



Our current couple picture is quite a bit different than the wedding one you saw on Friday. We're both older and fluffier but still very happy together. Marrying Howard was one of the best decisions I've ever made. We've grown up wonderfully well together.




This is one of my favourite dress styles. I doubt that will ever change and yet I found myself wondering if I looked old or frumpy or fat. It's those style ruts that we get into that make us feel that way. Even new things are not completely new. We've worn this before. I'm wondering how a person deals with that rut as they age. How do we make the same old same old fresh again? I imagine it's in the details and the process because I really enjoyed fitting and sewing something so completely frivolous. There won't be many opportunities to wear this dress again, perhaps a Christmas party. For thirty dollars and a week of fun, that's okay.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - a clean house

The Lace Layer

Thank you for all the birthday wishes. It was a wonderful day. I went for breakfast and journalled, stopped at the plant store for a tray to put under that pot I bought last week and some small perennials for the front garden, went to Fabricland for a zipper for the dress and a chat with the women there, had lunch with a friend, and sewed in-between phone calls. I didn't get a lot of sewing done - the lining. I'll start on the lace layer today. I imagine I'll have more time to sew and expect to make significant progress. Finished would be good.

Stash wrote: Glad you decided to mock up the skirt too. I have found a complete muslin before cutting into the good stuff is well worth it.




DEFINITELY - a muslin is so worth it. I was all set to do one of the skirt only yesterday morning, when I got dressed to go out for breakfast, I wore a Burda 8213 skirt that I made several months ago. I realized that I could use the pattern pieces from it for the length and proportions of the skirt. Comparing it to the Vogue pattern, it will work like wonderful. I'll see for sure today.

The lining was the test of the final measurements. Since I have a lot of this fabric, I decided I may as well use it because if the lining worked out, I was ahead and if it didn't, this would be just another muslin. Everything was fine except for angling the shoulder seam down a half inch at the neck which removed that half inch I'd added yesterday. Didn't I just say that everything keeps changing? Returning might be a better description. My measurement chart is back to the original center front and center back lengths with the longer slopes being the only adjustment. Right now, the lining looks like it's falling off my shoulder. Once the seam allowance around the armhole is gone, it'll sit better.

I only looked at these pictures this morning. They're candlelight soft. I thought the dress would show up great against the new pattern cabinet. Apparently, there was too much light from the window. This works. Now you can't see how desperately I need a shaper underneath. I've added slightly more ease to the lace layer so it'll skim over the lining and me.

The seams are serged and will be against the body with the finished side against the lace layer. I debated seams together or both facing the body and decided that both facing the body was the best approach for the least show through EXCEPT on the shoulder seams. They'll face each other for a smooth line around the neck with no possibility of a seam sticking out. The finished neckline will be 5/8" wider and lower. If the shoulders won't stay put, I'll use transparent elastic stitched to the seam allowance over the shoulder.

I put a zipper in the lining temporarily so I could try it on. The hem is just below the knee for now. Once I have the lace layer complete, I'll be able to see how much show through there is. If it's fine, I'll add a lace hem to the lining. If more coverage is needed, I'll add the same flared bottom as the upper layer. And, if pouff is needed, I'll create a crinoline look. It all depends on the look of the lace layer, which is what I'm doing today.




By Monday, I should have the finished dress to show you and - hopefully - some all dressed up with heels and make-up pictures from wearing it Sunday night for our 29th anniversary. Did I mention what an amazing man I'm married to?

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - Cement. The weather cleared up enough yesterday to pour the patio just outside my studio. It looks wonderful. It's drying and will be acid washed and sealed late next week. By next weekend, we should be able to use it. YES YES.

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Personal Growth - I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Letting go is quite possibly the most difficult task a parent faces. We want to keep our babies bubble wrapped and safe and yet all kinds of damage occurs when parents try to control and direct their adult children's lives. Ask me how I know.

I view parenting as the process of teaching my children how to be independent, self supporting adults. That means teaching them the things that an adult needs to know including things like cooking, doing laundry, cleaning, how to manage their money, and decision making skills. We learn by making mistakes. Making them in a safe environment is helpful to a child's development.

My youngest son has type 1 diabetes which adds an extra dimension to everything. The teen years plus hormones plus diabetes is not a good mix. We've had a rough two years and some rougher news this week. His average blood measurement was up... again... however, in order to drive, he needs doctors forms filled out and government approval. This is perhaps a good thing. He'll need to make changes to get that.

I'm a take charge personality. I like to fix and organize things and I can't always. With my adult children, it's none of my business and with my youngest son, it's not in his (or my) best interests plus have you ever tried to control a teenager? Can't be done. I've had to find a way to feel calm and in control without taking over and directing. Instead of telling him what to do, I've asked him to make his plan, put it in action, document how it's working, and present it to the appropriate people for feedback rather than arrive at appointments uninformed to gather varying and contradictory opinions. He knows what to do. He has to want to do it bad enough. Isn't that so true of all of us? Wishing and wanting?

I've needed to let go in my own life, of the direction I thought I was going in to nothing to a glimmer of the future. I've been in the vacuum of the unknown for a long time. Two years ago, when life changed suddenly, I had no idea which was was up. Instead of forcing it, I decided to focus the next three years on getting my sons through high school and on helping my youngest son with diabetes. In essence, I decided to focus on my family not my career.

It's hard to believe that I'm two thirds of the way through that decision. It's been a difficult and positive choice. Yesterday, I thought about the year ahead and concluded that I want to continue working on all aspects of wealth - physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, and relational - which really means I want to work on balance. What a gift to have the time and space to re-center myself, to focus on what's most important, and to create a plan for the future. I'm learning to live out of control and actually enjoy it. Who would have thought.

The Real Thing

Your husband knows you pretty well - or you've grown more alike than you thought possible - when he says you'll need to paint this. The dresser, which will from now on be referred to as the pattern cabinet, is together and in place. It's taller, wider, and whiter than the dresser that was there before but...




... it holds patterns just perfectly. Only four rows across, not five like the other cabinet I was looking at. That's okay. This one is more attractive and sturdy and not see through so it's perfect. I'm going to put dividers between the rows so the patterns don't move around. I want them to stay in categories. This is just a start. I'll put the rest of them in later today.




The muslin is finished. I'm pretty sure of my measurements and ready to start on the real thing. I'll add the Vogue skirt shape to the bottom of the PMB drafted pattern and copy the neckline shapes from the New Look and Simplicity patterns.

You can see a tuck pinned across the upper back in the image below. Everything else was fine. I'll test that adjustment on the lining... most likely. I haven't decided whether I need to sew a muslin of the skirt and godets. Of course, if I'm debating it, that's as good as thinking yes, I need to. Part of me is saying no and part of me is saying yes and a big part of me knows that an hour spent on a muslin will guarantee results and lessen frustration. I'm all for more success and less frustration so it sounds a lot like I'll be making another muslin of the full pattern. I'm going to use shoulder princess lines in the back and armscye ones in the front. I think that will be the most flattering.




The differences in measurements was interesting - a half inch longer on both center front and center back and much longer shoulder slopes (the distance from the shoulder point diagonally to center front or back) that now allow the shoulder seams to lay smoothly. They're not pulling in tight against the shoulder and that's helping THAT WRINKLE somewhat as well. The armhole shape and shoulder widths remained the same. I made a lot of muslins and it was good learning.... until next time. Things are always changing - LOL.

Thanks Carol for your encouragement to stick with it. I don't think I could do it any other way. I get curious and then consumed by the question. I have to answer it and then play with it and see if it changes some more. Shanon, I'm pretty sure I understand what you are talking about. I'll look forward to seeing it on your blog. My armhole is the other way - shorter. It makes for some frustration with seam lines that end at the armhole. I agree Sue that fitting is both frustrating and interesting. Figuring it out from the top down does seem to make the most sense. My next question will be the hip line and then I'll revisit the crotch curve because I desperately need some more pants... and tops... and dresses... and a jacket... and... and... and...

Today is my birthday. I'm 48. I haven't decided if I'll stop telling my age at 50 or at 60 - one or the other. My age doesn't bother me. I'm proud of all the learning and growing up I've done over the years, especially the last few. Turning forty was fabulous. I hear fifty is even better. However, I do realize that at some point people stop seeing you and start seeing the age with their preconceived idea of what that age looks and acts like. I want to live fully not be typecast by what others may or may not have done so when my age becomes a liability, I'll stop talking about it.

I really, Really, REALLY believe in celebration, especially celebration of ourselves. Too many times we have hopes and expectations that someone else will do something for us and then we're disappointed if they don't. Of course, I have wishes but I don't let that be the full and total sum of my celebration. I plan my own day as well.

When I was seventeen, I went to work for a company that as part of our union contract, we got our birthday off. Since then, I have made a point of celebrating my birthday with something unusual, different, or just for me. As you know, this year I'm making a frivolous dress. How wonderful that I can start on the real thing today. I'm looking forward to it... right after I go out for breakfast and do some journal writing and some thinking about and planning for the next year.

It's wonderful to approach this day mostly calm. I can't say totally calm as there are a few things still up in the air that are beyond my control. However, I am, for the most part, at peace with the significant changes that occurred two years ago. It's rather amazing to lose a job, especially one that you love and are good at, because of someone else's agenda. If you've ever been through that, you understand. It had never happened to me before and was abrupt and devastating both emotionally and financially. It brought about the closure of my business and the beginning of change and that change has been good for me. It's wonderful to be able to see and say that and to know that I am exactly where I need to be.

I'm thrilled to be creating with fashions. I'm enjoying the learning and the challenge. I'm still excited about my idea for the fall so it looks like I'll have a major project to work on. I'm not quite ready to talk about it yet but I do believe it will be wonderful. This next year will be a finishing year. Next June, my youngest son will complete high school and all my children will be adults. My role will change considerably. So will my options. I'm not sure where they will lead me but right now, right here, I'm going to enjoy fully this creative space that I'm in and the increasing balance that is happening in my life. It's good.

Happy Birthday - Myrna

Grateful - a day to celebrate me, another year