I know it's been a long time since I've posted here. I kinda got tired of posting all my sewing projects here AND newvintage.wordpress.com AND doing reviews at patternreview.com, so LJ got dropped.

I've really struggled to try to find a way to lose or even maintain my weight while eating real food. Sure, I could go back to Medifast and probably drop it again, but Medifast is nothing but chemicals. Last week, Lisa recommended that I keep a food diary so that my endocrinologist and I could go over it. She always gets on my case for gaining weight and claims my numbers are good and my meds don't need adjusting. So far, it looks like the problem isn't my food. Even with some extras, like cobbler for dinner or a few glasses of wine, I'm staying right around 1500 calories. I've gone to various calorie formula websites and have been told that I should be consuming at least 2000 calories. I find this ridiculous. At 1500 calories per day, I'm gaining 3lbs per week. I'm seeing my endocrinologist on Tuesday and I plan to bring my food diary with me to show her. Every time we discuss my weight, I feel like she's accusing me of lying about what I eat. Now, at least, I can show her what I eat. It's nice to have something in black and white to prove myself. In my mind, this explains why I didn't lose weight on the Atkins diet, why I gained weight on Weight Watchers and why I just can't maintain the loose I had with Medifast. In different self-help books on hypothyroidism, the authors talk about how some doctors go on the numbers alone, rather than talking with the patient to determine the quality of life. The last time I saw the doctor, I complained about all the classic symptoms, fatigue, sleeping more, being cold, nails and hair breaking and the fast weight gain. She took one look at my numbers and said "your number looks good, you must have depression", because most of those symptoms can be depression, too. I've been clinically depressed in the past. I know what it feels like. I don't feel depressed. I feel like I did right before I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Its possible that my lab results are normal but what is "normal" isn't "normal" for me.

I fell in love with the pattern the minute I laid eyes on it. The scooped waist seam is an interesting detail I hadn’t seen before. The option of long sleeves is appealing, as I don’t have many long sleeved patterns. The princess seamed bodice is something I hadn’t tried on vintage patterns before. So many new details to try!

The first step was to grade up. The original pattern is sized to fit a 32 bust, 26 waist and 35 hip. After my first muslin was completed, it should that the waist needed to be lowered an inch. Those were the only alterations needed to the bodice. To the skirt, I took a 1in fold in length, then cut 4in off the finished hem length. I’m not quite as happy with the finished product as I was with the bodice before the skirt went on. The heavy skirt pulls the bodice down, so it doesn’t quite fit as nicely as without the skirt, but it’s still a pretty dress.

I have decided to sell off some of my vintage pattern collection. These patterns are all styles that I fell in love with, but for some reason or other, just don’t suit me. I LOVE suits, but just don’t wear them. I love great big collars, but they do nothing for a top-heavy figure. I’ve made a flickr set of my pattern for sale. They will be $5 each or 4 for $18 via paypal, shipping is free within the US. If you’re interested, leave me a comment.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12275674@N08/sets/72157617044503561/

So, here I am, back at a bigger size. I was beating myself up about it until I saw my endocronologist this week. She said that one of the medications I've been taken this year can cause clinical depression in some women. I feel a little better knowing it's more complicated than just me loving pie. Part of trying to feel better about myself is having clothes that I feel good in. Here is one of my new dresses that I love. It has a cute vintage feel, especially when worn with a white cardi and ballet flats, and I LOVE the color.

I have two more garments done for my SWAP. It's going much slower than I had hoped. Some garments just aren't working out. The linen was totally wrong for the fitted 50's tops. Once sewn up, they bagged out horribly. In to the trash they went. So, no blue top, blue skirt, cream top. I got some new blue cotton, but went with a modern blouse. It's New Look 6598. It looks great with jeans or trousers, but awful with the skirt. I can't decide if it's the hem length or the straight hem shape or what, but it's just not working as a SWAP garment. I originally bought enough to make a blouse and skirt, so there's enough leftover to make another blouse. But, that leaves me with only 2 bottom pieces
The skirt is the same basic half circle skirt pattern I used for the brown skirt.



I'm really struggling with my trouser pattern. I've done a lot of reading about trouser fitting, so I'm want to get it right. I've only made a couple pairs of trouser before, but wasn't careful about fit. I've made so many muslins and tried 3 different patterns. I'm almost ready to give up. BUT, just like with the blue cotton, if I give up on the trouser, I'm stuck with only 2 bottom pieces.

Here is the first complete outfit from my SWAP. I ended up changing the skirt for jeans as the only brown shoes I have have a heel that is not good for walking. I must get new shoes! The blouse is a 50's pattern and the skirt is modern circle skirt pattern.

My SWAP is not going as planned. I've already had to trash 2 tops and might be trashing another. The first top I trashed was the blue knit. The tester garment has become my favorite top, but it did not look nearly as flattering in a solid color. In the solid, the ruching just called attention to my belly. Not a good look. The second top I trashed was a bonus top. After cutting out my circle skirt and blouse, I had enough left over for a second blouse. I wasn't too concerned about testing, since by the measurements it should have fit and the reviewers at patternreview.com gave it glowing reviews. It fit perfectly when I tried it on without the sleeves. However, the sleeves and armhole were really funky. I could not raise my arms above waist level. Now, we're up to today. My blue linen washed up much softer than I was expecting. I was hoping it would be ok, but it's turning out to be a problem. Even though I used my tester as my pattern, it doesn't look anything like the tester. It drapes completely different. It looks pretty bad. I really should have used a stiff cotton. I'll put it aside for a while and take another look at it in a few days.

My goal is to start the actual work March 1. We’re coming up to the deadline and I think I’ll be ready to go. I did hit a couple snags, though.

1.The light blue linen I ordered was slightly off the blue in the flowers. However, after driving all over the county, I think it’s the closest I’m going to get.

2.I’ve decided I would never wear a solid brown top. This takes me down to 5 tops in my SWAP.

3. I can not find cream or ecru matte jersey or jersey with lycra. I’m really surprised, considering that it’s a basic color. I found it online, so I guess it will have to wait.

Other than those things, I’m ready to go. Everything will go in the wash today and I should be ready to start cutting on March 1.

I think I’ve found the blouse pattern for my solids. This is Butterick 7552, which I have used as the basis for a dress, but have never it made as a blouse. This pattern works with jeans as well as skirts. Wow, it's that Chinese print again. Thanks, Lisa! I would have been spending a ton of money on tester fabric if it wasn't for your generous gift.
( pictures )

In addition to the vintage patterns that will be a part of my SWAP, I would like to have a good knit top pattern. The first candidate is Simplicity 2977. This was my first time using matte jersey and I really like it. While it was labeled matte jersey, it's actually an interlock weave, which means it doesn't curl that cotton jersey does. Because it's poly/lycra, it's much thinner and has a nicer drape than cotton interlock. I am curious to see how it breathes in the middle of summer. If it doesn't cause major sweating, than it could be the ideal knit fabric. Another first for this project is my first SUCCESSFUL FBA on a princess seamed garment. I've been doing it on darted patterns forever, but always mess up princess seamed ones. When I originally tried this one, I LOVED it. However, looking at the pictures, I'm not so sure. I just hate that me chest looks enormous in this top. One of these days, I'll get up the courage to have surgery on them. Other than the huge boobage, it hugs my waist without clinging and the ruching camouflages my belly. Oh, and please excuse the lack and make-up and messy hair. Our house was the site of a sleepover with 3 boys and a girl, between the ages of 6 and 10.