Sewing

August 3, 2008

In the old days of my long-lost youth - every woman who called herself a woman - sewed.
It was a required course in high school. Like cooking.
It was a merit badge in Girl Scouts.
It was a 4-H Project. A 4-H Fashion Show.
I made my prom dresses.
I made my graduation dress.
I made a wardrobe set for college (1960) and wore it until the zipper would no longer close. I was in my 30s.

Wool wears like iron.
Bodies change.

I remember decades back - they changed the sizing on the patterns.
I always made a size 12/14 after that.
Took it in if necessary.
Let it out if necessary.
Narrowed the seams. Added extra to the waist. I always, always had a problem waist.
Except the year I was anorexic when I weighed 118 lbs and looked like I crawled out of a German camp.
When I saw a photo of myself, well, I haven't been thin since. (Reverse eating disorder).
I also have a metabolism that is artificial, no thyroid (removed) and my liver turns everything into sugar way more than it should. (Junuvia? Can I try that?)

I made a lot of bell-sleeved dresses for work in the 60s - cheap muslin cotton,
Zipper in back, dress in an instant, add a string of pearls, nylons and low heels, off you went. I was on a very tight budget - student loan, car loan and supporting my first husband.

Actually, I made both my wedding dresses. (1964 and 1975) And my second wedding cake.

I made my maternity dresses.

I got a Bernina (arm and a legpricewise - all metal) sewing machine and made all the baby clothing for my first-born (1975)
and reused it for the second. (1981)

I made their clothing until they rebelled and demanded jeans. Tough skins. Sears.

I made them camo clothing. Halloween costumes.

I made Star Trek costumes for conventions. (70s and 80s) I won prizes. I was told I "ought to be in pictures" (Gene Roddenberry - yes - that Gene Roddenberry).

I made dresses and gowns for attending Romantic Times conferences and for Fabio adventures. (90s)

Well - I tried making things toward the end of my son's illness and nothing fit!
I tried a dress for meeting Fabio - tossed it!

The patterns had changed again and I hadn't noticed.

I wear a 14/16 (stretch) or 16W/18W (non-stretch) in purchased clothing.
I have a gut that wants to stay around. Spare tires that could mount on a bycycle.

I am walking on the treadmill, watching what I eat (even if I go off course I KNOW I did it)
veggies, protein, diet food, etc.

No more wild days of Starbuck's - just once in a while.

No ice cream (it's all out of the house now).
No peanut butter.
No choc chips -- well - almost all gone.
No cheese - or very little and looking at fat-free.

Beef is occasionally. Chicken, diet meals, eggs and fish predominate.
Olive oil, non-stick pans and Canola oil, Splenda, no Equal (aspertame)
and on it goes.

So ----

I am to be a bridesmaid in September and I went shopping for a pattern. They come multi-sized to a package now.
They are expensive. No more 99 cents.

No more know your size.

Try FINDING the dimensions on the package!

There are "new sizing" patterns - because we all have fatter waists.

Let's face it. With my waddling gut, I should be buying maternity clothes! No Kidding! That bad (when I turn sideways.)
It is an inherited condition. OK - I am walking 3/4 of a mile on the treadmill - and moving to 1.0 this week.
My brother said it took 5 miles a day for him to drop. Oh Lord!
OK - I need to do sit-ups. If I can. A titanium abdomen sort-of defeats that.

But I have a wedding and here it is racing at me with the speed of light.

I got a pattern - size 16 to 24. All in in one package,

I thought - size 18 would work. Looks about right. Straighten the curves. Drape the belly.

The paper pattern tells me size 24 works - Maybe! WHAT?
I will add extra fabric (one trick is to make the seams thinner).
Perhaps have a damned Mu-Mu when I am done.
Oh well. I am making a "scrap" dress first. If it is too tight - I will make the final dress larger and visa versa - the final dress will be smaller if it shows that way.

The Bernina is up and running.

I will wear both dresses eventually!

Maybe I will go chase Fabio down again. If I can close the zipper.

(If the zipper sticks, he could always rip it off me. Or so my fans say. Actually, he's never played with my zipper. Nor I with his.)

Oh dear, must be time to read another romance novel.

Meanwhile - I just spent 4 hours cutting out the over and uderskirts and bodice and created a long sleeve from a 3/4 one. I dropped the "sash". I will see about adding that later. When I see what fits. I think it's supposed to hid where the fabric is bunched at the empire waist. I think I want a black sash on the blue/purple print. Or dark purple. I don't have that fabric at the moment. Or maybe I'll make a sah from the under dress fabric (purple crepe). Whatever.

Onward and forward.