T-Shirts & Matching Underwear

One of my tasks yesterday was to sort and make pretty the bargain section at work. Yes... well... this is not the task best suited to a fabric collector such as myself with a huge fondness for bargains. BUT... there was only one piece I couldn't resist - a dark blue linen with bright embroidery along one edge. There's no picture because it's still at work. There wasn't time to have it measured and rung through. I'll do that today.

Two of the fabrics were on the floor for $42.00 per meter earlier this year and are now in the bargain section for $2.50. Both were wool. One was in shades of brown which is not my color grouping and therefore not tempting in the least. The other was a black/purple/turquoise comb0 that was quite pretty only I have something similar already. Either way, the section and the savings are amazing. I don't understand why people don't spend a lot more time looking there.




Last Friday, when I was at Sears, there was a t-shirt similar to Butterick 5497. Trying it on helped as the style is a bit of a change for me. So is this fabric. I could end up looking like a pink leopard - LOL. I worked on the t-shirt for a little while last night although not too long. By the time I felt like sewing, there wasn't much night left. It'll make more progress tomorrow when I'm not working.

In-between the top pieces is enough fabric to cover bra cups. Once I'm done cutting the bias trim for the neckline, there might even be enough fabric left for a panties. How hilarious if all my t-shirts end up with matching underwear. Too funny.

It was North American smocking on the black t-shirt that I showed you yesterday. It's a pattern called lattice with instructions on pages 141-142 of The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Colette Wolff. This book is FULL of ideas to explore. I should do more with it.




I'm reading Why We Get Fat And What We Can Do About It by Gary Taubes. I've read a few on-line reviews and the book is somewhat controversial because it opposes the primary opinion of the day that obesity is an eating disorder and that we gain weight by eating too much or exercising too little or both and that we can lose weight by eating less or exercising more or both. If you - like me - have ever been on a diet, followed the rules, and not lost weight, you'll know that's not true and you'll know that no-one believed you. Gary addresses that based on research that predates our current calories in/calories out theory. Below he quotes an earlier study...

Dozens of enzymes and multiple hormones had already been identified that influence fat accumulation, Astwood explained. Some work to liberate fat from the fat tissue; others to put it there. Ultimately, the amount of fat that would be stored in any single person or at any single location on the human body would be determined by the balance of these competing regulatory forces. "Now just suppose that any one of these ... regulatory process were to go awry," Astwood said. - chapter ten of Why We Get Fat And What To Do About It by Gary Taubes

That weight gain could be caused by a hormone imbalance and insulin issues is believable to me. Two of my children deal with insulin issues and I can see the validity of the findings based on what I know to be true in their lives as well as my own experiences with hormones. I'm only 60% through reading the book and just getting to the and what can we do about it part. His advice so far points away from the starchy and sugar laden carbs that have become so popular over the past fifty years - the same time frame over which our population has become increasingly obese - and toward eating more protein, good fats, and whole and natural foods. If you're interested in topics like this, it's a good read.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - that I've bought less fabric and spent less money at Fabricland since starting to work there - LOL