It's been a L-O-N-G time
since I was able to do anything creative! In the last year plus or minus,
I've had three surgeries, and sewing fell by the wayside despite my best
intentions! After lots of physical therapy, not yet complete, I am getting
around and able to do things, albeit not at the speed or with the accuracy I
had previously. It just takes time, I am being continuously told.
I've been planning, scheming,
reading blogs and Instagram posts making all sorts of things in my mind and my
dreams even though those didn't produce any garments! LOL
Finally, I'm able to sew again,
but slowly and with a lot of “frog stitching." I'm quite
enamored of Alexandra Morgan's In House Pattern Designs! I have purchased
several patterns and done a few of her "work along" classes. IMO, she
has excellent tutorials and I'm on a waitlist for one of her upcoming courses.
Because of all that, my first
foray back into creating was a skirt block following her tutorial, which then
got adapted to a flared skirt pattern. She did have instructions to turn the
flared skirt into culottes which is my final goal, not yet started. As per
usual, my ADHD kicked in, and I was off to new ventures.
A granddaughter got married
towards the end of June, so much planning and time was spent arranging the
visit with family from the East Coast, West Coast, and everywhere in between.
We had most of a week together, and it was wonderful, if exhausting, to see
everyone. It's been a long time since we were together, and unfortunately my
oldest granddaughter couldn't make it due to Covid precautions and an almost
brand new Great Granddaughter.
That said, over the last several
years since retirement, I’ve lost about 50 pounds, with more to go. That’s the
good news. The bad news is with the advent of my seventies, the weight loss,
height loss due to new knees, (who knew you got shorter with knee
replacements?) and an aging body, nothing fits me, and all my TNT patterns have
been discarded. More good news is that it is making me better at fitting, and
between tutorials, classes, multiple fitting books, etc., I can more easily see
what needs to be done to make things fit my particular shape.
I have been looking for an
updated shell pattern to wear for work under a jacket for years to no avail. I
wore them all of the time in the nineteen eighties with my suits. All of a
sudden the proverbial lightbulb went off, and I realized In House Pattern
Designs Lila Pattern would work if I used the sleeve from View A with the body
from View B. I had purchased it a while back, and got out my scissors, paste,
tracing paper, and rulers, and put the PDF together. Alexandra has excellent
instructions as well as more information about the pattern than most!
First thing I realized due to the
pattern information, was this pattern was drafted for someone 5’8”, while I am
5’2 ½” now, and the size I used, 14W, is drafted for a C cup. Okay, I always
need to make alterations anyway, but that is good to know. I had many
alterations to complete, and did two muslin test garments, a wearable muslin,
and the fourth one is (I think) just right.
Here’s a picture of the wearable muslin
that still needed a bit of tweaking.
Lila Pattern wearable Muslin
Back to the drawing board, more adjustments, and another top in gingham. At this point, I believe this one
is as close to what I want as I can get it, so with this gingham garment, I’ve
re-traced the pattern off onto heavier drafting paper and it will be used for a
rainbow of shells to wear for tax season! Hooray. My first forays back into
sewing are working out well, thanks to Alexandra Morgan, and all the fitting
gurus I’ve followed over the years. Well, and a lot more patience with myself and my limitations.
If you’re looking for classic,
well drafted, Indy patterns, fitting instructions, or pattern drafting for your body's quirks give In House Patterns a look. I’m so pleased I
found them!
Onward and upward!
