Weather Wimp

My jeans are tight. Not that slightly, they've just been washed, and they'll loosen up over the day kind of tight but the buy a bigger size kind. SO. NOT. HAPPENING. It's been years since I've been upset about my weight or needed to lose any and it's disappointing to be here again. I am not turning fifty feeling fat so I will be doing something about it. Definitely.

When the alarm went off yesterday morning, the wind was howling and the sign in our front yard was blown horizontal. I rolled over and went back to sleep and later in the day, when the sun was shining and the wind had calmed, I went for a walk.

I timed the walk to the acupuncturist's office and back - 20 minutes there, 25 minutes back - and planned to walk to my appointment this morning only it snowed last night and then the wind came up and the roads are quite icy and it's an up and down journey. I'm not willing to slide down a few hills and break my leg or arm so... plan B needed. I'm such a weather wimp.

It's my acupuncturist's fault that my jeans are tight - sort of - I need someone else to blame - LOL - besides me that is! Since November, I've been going once a week and my food sensitivities are significantly improved. Most of the reactions are gone which means I've been sneaking in more and more "illegal" foods. Most being the key word. Unfortunately waist weight is not one of them. My waist bloats with gluten and dairy especially and that affects my size which affects sewing. Luckily, if I avoid those foods, the waist weight disappears quite quickly because in December alone, I've put on 5" of waist weight and I didn't bother to measure my hips because it's not a number I need to know right now. I'm not sewing jeans - yet - and maybe not tops for a while either!

My TNT t-shirt pattern is New Look 6735. This is the pattern I've used most often in the most adaptations. Following the instructions, you ease the longer front into the shorter back at the side seam to allow for bust fullness. If it has been a while since I last sewed the pattern, I always seem to forget to test the easibility of the up and down stretch. In this case, there wasn't enough so I used gathers instead.

The fabric is an unknown knit bought from the bargain center on sale. It sews like a dream so I'm really glad I have a LOT of it. Because the stretch is predominately crosswise, the selvage is stable. I used it to finish the neckline and the casing at the back and rescued any usable bits that were left over for future projects. The double needle hem application left a ridge. I think I like it but I'm not sure. What do you think? It's easy enough to pick out and I was wondering about a lettuce edge instead. That look would go with the selvage edge.

The top looks better on Millicent than me since she's the size I used to be, the one the pattern was drafted for. I didn't realize that I'd put on so much waist weight until I finished the top, tried it on, and I won't be wearing it until later - when I look like Millicent again. Let's call seeing it on Millicent motivation.

The back was inspired by the Anthropologie jacket below only I wanted the upper back to have a smoother fit. To adapt the pattern, I cut across it at bra band level and added a seam allowance to the cut edges. The bottom section was...

... marked and cut evenly with a 1/2" flare added to each cut. The back hem was extended 1 1/2" and merged into the previous side seam. It worked. Another time, I might use the same divisions to form pleats instead of a flounce and extend the back even longer for more drama. It's a thought.

Above is the back view of the Lakshya Cardigan - $88.00 - that inspired my top although it's more gathered than my version. I think the front of this cardigan is unbelievably ugly. If you link through, you can decide for yourself and it doesn't really matter because the back was enough to get the creative juices flowing. My version cost less than five dollars. This is the first thing I've sewn this year which I find hard to believe considering yesterday was the ninth. Weird.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - stopping to go for a walk

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Personal Growth - I've learned that you can't have everything and do everything at the same time. - Oprah Winfrey

I'm a very good workaholic. It's incredibly difficult for me to switch between two activities and most especially between activities within the same studio which means that many good things get pushed aside in favour of work. That's how I burned out before and I want to be careful not to go there again especially as I'm struggling with those same feelings already and I've barely gotten started with the jewelry. Balance. Again. Always an issue.