Well, a quick recap on September. Not much happening in the sewing world. I moved ahead and finished a pair of charcoal pants and a pair of black pants. Set the one quilt aside to work on another time when I'm more into quilting.
Work has been super busy which is good. We're working on getting approval to buy a new house. Not the easiest thing when you're both self employed in industries that have been decimated by the housing bust. Plus at 65, we just can't work as hard as we used to.
We're kind of looking in a nearby community for a "retirement home." That to me means hopefully within walking distance of services, hopefully very affordable, with a space for a garden and fruit trees, hopefully with at least peeks at the water, and with a nice room that can become my sewing studio. For Dale, it means hopefully peeks at the water, room for his boat to be at home and off the street, (which I would like to be behind the fence!) a nice big garage, and hopefully an art room so he can create also.
My brain is bubbling with lots of ideas of things I want to create. If I had the time, I expect I would be producing quite a lot of garments, new and old designs, in fabulous fabrics. As it is, I think about them, dream about them, and get a few items actually sewn.
So, now it's to work, and I'll try to be better about posting now that November is almost half over! :P}}
Monday, November 12, 2012
Thoughts on the Autumn of my Life & Fitting Older Bodies
I just want to say first, that September was kind of a wasted month in my sewing life. I worked on quilt pieces, which are going to take a long time to complete, and I fiddled with the pearl gray jacket for way too many hours hoping I could figure out a way to fit it correctly. AND, I remade the pearl gray trousers. I was reminded of why I don't do alterations and mending. Although the pants are wearable, I don't really like them any more, and the jacket, which probably had 150 hours in it, finally got tossed into the garbage.
The consensus is that I HAVE to buckle down and complete Don McCunn's drafting classes sooner rather than later. I need to draft a torso block for me, my husband, and my daughter with personally fit sleeves. Once I have a block that fits, I am hoping I won't have the odd problems here and there with diagonal lines and folds that I can't figure out but know relate to fit. Don's retiring the end of 2013, and although I figured I had forever to complete these and there was no rush, there is now a sense of urgency. I need someone with Don's experience to help me "read" the lines in our clothing to enable a perfect fit on less than perfectly proportioned bodies. :P}}
The really good news is that the wedding got called off, so I will hopefully have a long time before the quilt needs to be completed. I think it (the marriage) was never a really good idea, but a chance for an 18 year old to be on her own and away from her parent's rules. Unfortunately, switching from conservative parents to a demanding and inconsiderate, overbearing man that thinks he can command you to do whatever he wants, isn't any better, and is actually worse than conservative parents! Getting married to run away from something isn't ever a good choice IMO.
To the end of perfect fit clothing for us, I also purchased a new book, The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen. I received it yesterday and started reading in my lunch hour. I will be reading this through cover to cover I believe. She starts with basics and moves easily through what from first glance appears to be the very basics into complex adaptations of OTC patterns to help everyone achieve perfection in their garments. None of us have the standard "dress form" shape, so I believe between Don's class and this book, we should come out in fantastic shape.
As I have been contemplating fit and bodies and all of the appurtenant issues over the few months, I have come up with some interesting conclusions about my body and aging, and my life.
As a young to middle aged person, I took for granted that I was active, healthy, and could do anything and everything I wanted with minimal effort. I have always had a touch of OCD, and dove right in trying to be the best at whatever I was doing, with little regard for whether or not it was good for me, or healthy, or anything else.
As I've aged, wierd and mysterious (to me) things have happened that I never would have believed COULD happen to me. I've shrunk by about an inch. Due to multiple events and health problems, I am almost 80 pounds heavier than I have ever been in my life, and for various reasons can't seem to elminiate that excess.
Things have fallen from where they originally were placed, and I have bumps and bulges I wouldn't have thought possible. I have learned, that for me, "good enough" is not good enough! I want perfection, and although I've always strived for that in my life, I didn't know enough to know that perfect fit in clothing was achievable with enough knowledge, time and effort.
I just took out three paragraphs of what was TMI and not interesting to others, but a good introspection for me.
It is time to quit resting on my laurels and get moving towards my goals. I want to be healthy and active again, and have perfectly fitting garments that always make me look elegant and well put together. I will survive, and thrive!
More soon I hope!
The consensus is that I HAVE to buckle down and complete Don McCunn's drafting classes sooner rather than later. I need to draft a torso block for me, my husband, and my daughter with personally fit sleeves. Once I have a block that fits, I am hoping I won't have the odd problems here and there with diagonal lines and folds that I can't figure out but know relate to fit. Don's retiring the end of 2013, and although I figured I had forever to complete these and there was no rush, there is now a sense of urgency. I need someone with Don's experience to help me "read" the lines in our clothing to enable a perfect fit on less than perfectly proportioned bodies. :P}}
The really good news is that the wedding got called off, so I will hopefully have a long time before the quilt needs to be completed. I think it (the marriage) was never a really good idea, but a chance for an 18 year old to be on her own and away from her parent's rules. Unfortunately, switching from conservative parents to a demanding and inconsiderate, overbearing man that thinks he can command you to do whatever he wants, isn't any better, and is actually worse than conservative parents! Getting married to run away from something isn't ever a good choice IMO.
To the end of perfect fit clothing for us, I also purchased a new book, The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen. I received it yesterday and started reading in my lunch hour. I will be reading this through cover to cover I believe. She starts with basics and moves easily through what from first glance appears to be the very basics into complex adaptations of OTC patterns to help everyone achieve perfection in their garments. None of us have the standard "dress form" shape, so I believe between Don's class and this book, we should come out in fantastic shape.
As I have been contemplating fit and bodies and all of the appurtenant issues over the few months, I have come up with some interesting conclusions about my body and aging, and my life.
As a young to middle aged person, I took for granted that I was active, healthy, and could do anything and everything I wanted with minimal effort. I have always had a touch of OCD, and dove right in trying to be the best at whatever I was doing, with little regard for whether or not it was good for me, or healthy, or anything else.
As I've aged, wierd and mysterious (to me) things have happened that I never would have believed COULD happen to me. I've shrunk by about an inch. Due to multiple events and health problems, I am almost 80 pounds heavier than I have ever been in my life, and for various reasons can't seem to elminiate that excess.
Things have fallen from where they originally were placed, and I have bumps and bulges I wouldn't have thought possible. I have learned, that for me, "good enough" is not good enough! I want perfection, and although I've always strived for that in my life, I didn't know enough to know that perfect fit in clothing was achievable with enough knowledge, time and effort.
I just took out three paragraphs of what was TMI and not interesting to others, but a good introspection for me.
It is time to quit resting on my laurels and get moving towards my goals. I want to be healthy and active again, and have perfectly fitting garments that always make me look elegant and well put together. I will survive, and thrive!
More soon I hope!
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