Is it Summer Yet?

 At the start of summer break, I planned to having a relaxing summer. I wanted to draw, practice flute, clean out my email inbox, walk daily, practice yoga daily, sew....So how's that going? I've gotten some art ready for stickers, but haven't actually drawn any new art. I practiced flute for about 15 minutes. I started the summer with shoulder pain so the flute, and yoga, had to be put on hold. I have been walking a lot--30 minutes daily, M-F and some on the weekend, as well as an almost daily 25 min walk with the dog after dinner (not fitness walking at all LOL). I have done a bit of sewing, which I'll go over. Also finished up a charity crocheted blanket and started a Christmas stocking. I have also had doctor's appointments, x-rays, ultrasound, physio, dentist, eye doctor...middle kid got her wisdom teeth out, both girls have jobs and need rides, youngest has the rink twice a week...it's been a lovely summer though not the relaxing, do nothing summer I thought it would be

One day, I got a phone call from an elderly man who's quite popular in our community FB group. I had previously repaired an old wool Mary Maxim jacket for him, and now he had a wool blanket he kept in the car that had a few holes. I said I'd take a look. 

Turns out, it's woven, not knitted, but this gave me a great opportunity to learn how to do mending using the weaving method! One of those things I thought I'd learn at some point. 

It wasn't too hard! He was very pleased with it. I also made sure to give it a good bath in wool wash. 

As well as making stickers on my Cricut, I made IG address decals for our trucks, and new dishwasher magnets. I was planning to make the silver one, white, but it was too transparent. The Tricolour one will be sent to my eldest. He expressed interest in having one, but didn't like our original one since when the Clean was upright, it was on the bottom. So I fixed that. 

I despartely needed new slippers. I loved the gold ones I had, with suede soles. I'm out of suede, so I got out the ToughTech I bought for swim shoes in the summer of 2019, as part of the cruise prep. 

I also wanted a new sleep mask. Currently, I use a dark coloured buff. It works fine but thought maybe something new would be nice. I wanted something with some shape, as commercial sleep masks gape along my nose. I had seen some really cool shaped ones on Amazon and thought maybe I could make something. I had a hard time finding a pattern, eventually landing on this one by a Korean YouTuber, for a contoured eye mask. She created it so it wouldn't rub on her eyelashes. It's supposed to bubble outwards, reminds me of fly eyes, LOL. However, my interfacing was too weak (she didn't specify in the video), and my fabric too wimpy, so I don't quite get that same effeect. Plus, I had trouble sewing the slippery fabric, then I trimmed the seams, turned right side out, and discovered I had sewn the elastic into the seam. Picked it out, re-stitched, turned right side out, and discovered that I must have snipped the elastic when I was snipping the seam allowance on the curves. So I had to rejoin the ends. Overlapping the ends has made the elastic just a smidge too small now, and I wake up with a blue line across my forehead. There is still some gaping around my nose, but it's not too bad. I think next time, I'll just make a flat one LOL.

One of the lettering tutorials I followed early in the summer. Going to make it into stickers.

There is a long story with this. The short version is I combined some different pieces I did into one, and made a background for my new laptop. The two mushrooms with faces, I drew them just by looking at reference photos! I'm so proud of them!

Megan bought a dirtbike, but has been cursed. Another attempt to go out and this happened. Sigh. Poor girl.

Finished this corner to corner crocheted blanket for the seniors. 

As I was getting near the end, I realized I wouldn't have enough of the green blend. So I created a plan to increase the pink (previously it had been one row) and decreased the green (it had been two rows). It's not quite the transition I was envisioning, but it's done. It weighed 600grams.

I made two versions of this dress very early in my sewing hobby--2007. I learned the hard way about full bust adjustments. Actually, I didn't learn it then, but this pattern showed why I needed a FBA. Check out New Look 6557 in the Labels section.

I found this pattern at a thrift shop and it seemed complete. It's similar to the above pattern, and Simplicity is the parent company. This one doesn't have the midriff band, and uses pleats in the bust instead of gathers. I thought I'd give it a try finally, but found it was missing all the bodice pieces except the front upper bodice. So I'm merging the two patterns.

I tried on the second version of the New Look dress that I made in 2007. I could zip it up this time, but after much searching, I found the original picture (which I didn't seem to blog!).

My bust is definitely bigger now! This was 6 months after the reduction, and a month after recovering from giardia.

This is the first test of the new mash up. It's just the top portion. It felt a little bare and revealing in the V neck. So I altered the pattern pieces a bit more.

On the last few inches of sewing the lining to the bodice and I run out of bobbin thread. I start winding a new one, get halfway full, and suddenly the machine starts slipping. My other machine is getting looked at because it started making a noise! Ack. For the last year, every time I ran out of a bobbin, I tended to just grab whatever was somewhat close and already filled Now I'm down to a few bobbins, and they're those colours. Argh.

And that's pretty much it for now!

Yarn In: 150gr

Yarn Out:  600gr + 20gr = 620gr

Difference:  470gr more OUT than in

Costs: $15.22/213 days = $0.07

The Empire Strikes Back (Part 3)

I measured myself, measured the triangle, stared at the first two dresses...and drew a new curve on my pattern piece. The printed piece here is actually for another bodice in the pattern set, but they all have the same bottom curve. Wow, when they say patterns are made for B cup chests.....now, I could have gone smaller, and done the 'squish them in' look, but I wanted some definition and support.

And here it is! I'm really happy with it! I do see that the skirt pulls up in the middle of the bodice seam and the ribbon (not sewn down) emphasizes this as it's straight across. I really wanted to use the ribbon. A little history now. This fabric is the same fabric as the very first dress, but in a different colour. I had bought about 1.5m and sliced it down the length, then stitched the ends together, and made a really long ring sling. I liked the length, but it was a little slippery. Later on, I took one of the pieces and using this ribbon, made a bathing suit wrap for the cruise. However, once wet, it was cold and icky (it's a 'washable rayon'). And it looked odd. So, the two pieces sat around just waiting. I bought some FOE (fold over elastic) in turquoise, thinking I might make a shirt like I've done before, or a dress. But Meg got it and cut it into a couple pieces. I probably could have used it across the back instead of making an 'invisible casing'. I thought I might use the ribbon for the straps, but after reading the sundress tutorial, and seeing how it improved the fit and look of the test dresses, I assumed it would work for this one too. I won't wear the ribbon again, unless I sew it into the seams and tie it behind me (maybe if I lose some weight).

I did lower the top of the bodice, as per Lucy's instructions, and I think it could go lower, although then it'd have to be lower in the middle too, and I don't know how low I could go and still be modest. I think, with the well fitting cups, that I could probably go quite a bit lower. I guess not every dress has to be suitable for a family reunion, LOL. I just didn't want to give any old men a heart attack. However, the bodice does make me look rather large. But, then again, I guess I actually am!

I do need to do some finishing to the seam allowances, and hem the beige roses dress. I spent yesterday tidying up my sewing room though, and I'm sort of 'sewn out' for the time being. It really bothers my neck. And while I would LOVE to make a few more summer dresses (I love wearing a dress as it's more forgiving of my weight increase and I have been really desperate for clothes this summer), really, how much more summer is there?

Fitting?

A few years ago, I made New Look 6557 to wear on a cruise. I had some fitting issues then and I've been wanting to re-work it (please look at my links). I cut a larger size based on the differences between the sizes and that I needed one size bigger than the largest size. It's still not fitting like the picture on the package. Instead of the cross over pieces laying flat on my chest wall, they pull out (I've stitched it together) so it's like a V-neck. I'm going to re-shape the pieces so there's a bit more coverage, but I still don't know what to do where it overlaps. Should they be closer together? Further apart? Further apart and then the overlap needs to get tucked under a girl. I thought of cutting it a bit larger and gathering it to fit between the same notches on the body. I don't need to extend the side seams, I need more? in the middle.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Edit to add: I solved the fit issues of this top and the original dress by giving them to my mom. They fit her beautifully. Now I HAVE to sew again for myself! LOL.

Sew....What's New?

Due to Meg growing faster than Lucy, Lucy is having a dress shortage issue. I like Meg wearing dresses right now because she can go diaperless but still look dressed. Until she does sumersaults on the front lawn. Anyway, she is much more successful with the potty if she has nothing on......not even underwear! So, I let Lucy choose some fabric for a new summer dress. The one she chose had been bought to make a sling to sell/donate/give away, but no one has wanted one yet :(

This is the same pattern I've used for all the other dresses, but sleeveless. I had to go buy 7/8" single fold bias tape. We went to Wal-Mart first, and they had only a couple selections in single-fold, and none were the right colour AND the right size. So I went to FabricLand, but didn't take my package. Somehow, I changed 7/8" into 5/8" but all they had was 1/2" (most actually had no size given) and I knew 5/8" was close to 1/2".....ended up getting a burgandy colour like the really thin outline details, and the great gals at about.com sewing forum helped me figure out what to do. Lucy wanted really narrow shoulders, but I didn't want to change it too much for the first time. It ended up perfect, even though I was just guessing at how much more to trim back the armhole. I like the bias tape, although the selection is crappy, so I bought a gizmo to make my own!

It's a stretch cotton so I actually made a size smaller than her Christmas dress. I think.

I recently wore my rayon flowered dress that I made for the cruise last October. I'm a little self-conscious in it. The pattern gave 4" of ease for the top, but being the shape it is, I knew that was not a good idea! As it ended up, the back was too big and I had to modify after it was done. I don't mind the front view (taken last October):

but the view I see worries me:See how much bigger I am on my right side? I was before the reduction too, but now that I'm smaller, being unequal seems more obvious. I don't like how the fabric gapes away from me. It's like the left cup's right edge (where it goes under the other side) should be snugger under the bust, and the right cup, especially, should be bigger. Bigger cups, smaller bodice?This is what other people see, I think, LOL. I'd like it to cover more and fit my boob better. When I wear that pink 'Infinity Dress' made with knit interlock, it molds to my bust. Am I being overly self conscious? I'm pretty short, so I think others are looking down my top, seeing what I see, LOL! (OMG, what's that extra roll beneath my bust?!)

Getting Old

It's been a kick ass week. Sometimes I do the kicking, sometimes I get the kicking. To prove that I was being sarcastic about being the only one who could still fit in my dress from Ted and Nancy's wedding....here you go. It might be buttoned up, but I can't make fast moves, LOL. And those wrinkles on the back are not just fabric, there's some soft and squishy flesh filling out the wrinkles!
And ain't that a pretty sight (NOT!). My bust is in the wrong spot or something, and the post-4-pregnancies belly....So, while I CAN button it up, I can't do anything but breathe shallow and hold my arms still :)
You know what's funny? When I edited the picture, on the bookcase behind me, I could clearly see Dr. Phils' Weight Loss Solution book, LOL!
And you want to know the REALLY funny thing? I was getting ready for bed, and as I moved the dress off my bed....I put a BIG Oreo cookie smudge on it! LOL. Perhaps if I laid off the Oreos...

And this is the "EASY!!" dress I've been working on. The front's not too bad, as long as I stand up straight and don't lean forward, but the bodice straps are too long and instead of it tieing with the satin ribbon behind my neck, it's actually catching the fabric in the bow. But here's the money shot! LOL. After struggling all week, worrying about some issues that were fine, and being shocked with other issues that weren't fine, I got the zipper in. Even after the reduction, my back is still too narrow for my size! I've got to take out at least 3 inches of the back. I have to re-do the zipper anyway, so I don't feel too bad.

I used to wonder where my extra 20lbs are. Yeah, my boobs had at least two pounds, LOL, and my belly has another ....10lbs....but look at that back padding! Yah know, it would be totally fine with me if gravity would affect THAT and slide it down to my butt to make it more porportional! LOL.

I've pretty much come to terms with my weight/shape/size. I eat mostly healthy, I'm pretty active, and the meds help my cholesterol and blood pressure, LOL. It would take much more work than I'm comfortable with to get back to where I was 18lbs ago. I know the statistic is 5 lbs per kid....I just put it on BEFORE I had the kids ;)

Bones are for the dog; meat is for the man!