Goals and Plans for 2017

Goals and Plans for 2017

Again, I'm linking to Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow in the top 5 of 2016

These are in no way New Year's Resolutions.  Those are just too easy to break!

These are those goals and plans that relate to sewing.

Strangely,  though not so when I tell you more, my first goals concern weight and health.

• Many of my clothes have become too tight
• My bras were strangling me and I had to buy new ones (I do not have any plans to make bras)
• I saw a couple of RTW items that I liked but I was too big for the biggest size (regular range,  not plus sized range) or they are too short (one of the reasons I started making my own)
• I was becoming breathless far too easily
• I felt unwell
• I was sent for heart tests because of some enzyme and chest X-ray abnormalities and need to get a 24 hour monitor in January. There isn't a major problem. My heart rate is fast, probably because I am unfit. I have a minor ECG issue. I had heart surgery in 2000 to repair a congenital hole in the heart, found by chance after I'd had a couple of brief  transient ischaemic attacks which can be stroke precursors. I've been fine since.
• I have been getting no exercise since not playing golf,  that's since the end of September. I can only imagine increasing my fitness will benefit my heart!
• My knees hurt more than they did. They're having to carry more weight.
• I didn't like what I was seeing in the mirror.
• I had put on weight, but not as much I thought as would account for the way I was feeling and looking. I'm out of shape even more.

Today, I went back to Slimming World. I've been before and did well. David doesn't need to lose weight beyond the 2 or 3 pounds he's put on over Christmas but will be supportive. He doesn't see why people need to attend such things as Slimming World but I need that input. I was heavier this time than when I started last time. That time I lost 2 stones;  this time it needs to be nearer 3.

In addition, I will restart golf. I find that type of exercise more enjoyable than a gym.

Alison gave me a watch that measures steps etc and I've set some goals on that for daily activity. Even on a day to day basis, I'd become less active. Unfortunately, sewing is not a particularly active hobby. So far,  I've met my goals on daily activity,  but I did start easy!

Being slimmer will allow me to wear some clothes that I can't currently. Both those that I have that are currently too tight and those I might buy.

Blocks

I will sort out my blocks after I've got about half way with my weight loss. I have to do this. I will sew for where I am, though, as well as thinking about where I want to be. So I won't delay until I reach a weight goal - that was one of my previous u=issues with making trousers and I didn't ever finish.

Sewing Plans:

Last year,  I didn't actually complete a wearable garment for myself. That wasn't intentional. Sure, I was busy with wedding sewing for the first half of the year but found it difficult to get going afterwards. So in 2017 I will be sewing for me.  Not exclusively, as I do enjoy sewing for the family, but I'd like to get a few garments made for myself.

I have issues with RTW relating to fit (sure - quality too but I'm referring only to fit here). Some of the issues are related to my height (5’11”), some to my basic shape (pear), some to my ‘maturing’ body shape - more around the middle than I ever had and some because I'm overweight.

These are the items I find hardest to buy:

Trousers

RTW issues

• crotch length and depth too short;
• waist gaping as my waist is much smaller than my hips.
• My thighs are quite chunky,  too.
• I don't tend to have problems getting the legs long enough - and there are some specialist companies catering for tall women, should I need that.
• In addition, I don't like low rise. I prefer my waistband at my natural waist, or just below.

I intend 2017 to be the year of trousers.  I have consistently failed to get trousers to fit,  either RTW or me-made.  I attended a jeans making class; I can sew them,  but they don't fit. In class we drew up a pattern using Dennic Chunman Lo rather than say Aldrich  and it just didn't work. I wasn't the only one in this position. We tried to make changes but again the term ended before we had got far enough and I had no desire to continue.

My tutor  is going to help me get a decent trouser block. I believe she is thinking about draping though I'm not entirely sure.

Blouses/shirts

RTW issues

• Sleeve and body length. Most of my blouses and shirts have sleeves that are too short. While I'm happy to wear some styles over a skirt or trousers, I want to be able to tuck my blouses in securely.
• Being tall, I sometimes find that bust darts are too high as there isn't enough length between shoulder and bust.
• I don't like shirts with pockets as the positioning of them is usually not flattering on me.
• More recently I have found that my bust is bigger because of weight gain I assume and a couple of the shirts I have pull a bit at the front,  not an issue I had previously. I am quite wide shouldered. I am having to do FBAs on virtually all patterns and now feel that some of the. RTW that fitted me previously could do with the same!

As yet, I haven't chosen what I might like to make.

Jackets

RTW issues similar to blouses and shirts.

Last term my class was on jacket tailoring. We made up a standard size jacket - 10 or 12 (UK). It would have fitted Helen widthwise but would have been too short in body and arms.  No chance of it fitting me! I didn't actually finish it as after we made the practice jacket, the idea was to make our own fitted jacket. We all ran out of time. I have made an initial fitting toile in calico and will make a few changes to the pattern and make up another toile,  this time in boiled wool. I'll give more details at a later stage.

I have also started the Morris blazer from Grainline.

I thought this would be easy but have found it rather more difficult than anticipated. It's a blazer without darts. I chose the correct size for my upper chest and shoulders and made a full bust adjustment, following the instructions on Grainline. Their instructions leave a side dart. I don't like that but don't see how to get rid of it sensibly. I made up a toile but chose a poor fabric - too thin and too stretchy.

After Christmas, I plan to finish this blazer, too. I have had to abandon the plans I had to use striped jersey as it is too thin. I may use a plain boiled wool.

SWAP (Sewing with a Plan)

The Stitchers Guild runs a kind of contest each year. I have never entered.  It involves producing a number of garments (11 this year)by sewing or knitting which work together, by end April. There are guidelines for these garments which are detailed elsewhere so I don't need to go into detail, particularly as I’m not sure which path I’ll take. There should be a combination of ‘bottoms’, ‘tops’, dresses and ‘overlayers’ some of which can be outerwear. They can include one made previously, one bought and although the official start date is Boxing Day,  you can start early. I tried to do one of the tops early (hacking from a RTW top) but ran out of time before Christmas.

Provided I manage the jackets, above, and the trouser block,  I hope to enter the SWAP.  I would put in 2 or 3 pairs of trousers,  plus or minus jeans, the two jackets mentioned above,  some tops and a cardigan. Even though my class next term is outerwear, I don't think I'll be trying any of that for this. If I decide to do this,  I may not finish it in the time available but would continue until I had completed it. I would include a couple of blouses/shirts and try to make a pair of close fitting trousers. Obviously, leggings would be easier and so faster, but I don't wear them.

I'm not yet absolutely committed to this so haven't made any detailed plan. You'll be the first to know if I go ahead! It could work for my reunion weekend.

Helen's wedding dress

I need to reassemble it! I took it apart to try to clean it, but unsuccessfully, and Helen is quite distressed that it has remained that way (disassembled more than the dirty part). So I'll put it together and get it back to her.

Helen's red silk dress

I should get that done relatively quickly as the toile only needed minor alteration. I'm likely to find the pockets most difficult. Interestingly, the pockets are actually gusseted and are like those in outerwear. We'll be looking at those next term. I don't see them as being very appropriate in a silk dress but Helen loves them. I have some photos of the dress but Ill wait until things are back to normal here (Just escaping for a few minutes)

Level 3 Sewing Class

Next term is outerwear and I think the third term is lingerie (can't quite remember offhand). I'm carrying on with the course.

40 year reunion

For our reunion 40 years after graduating from Glasgow University,  we will have a long weekend in a spa hotel in Scotland,  in November 2017. Some of my friends from uni don't intend to go,  which is sad, so I don't know how popular it will be. I plan to make a few garments for this long weekend, a travel wardrobe, maybe. Not sure what yet. I will include an evening dress,  though. Maybe.

I hope you all had a good Christmas break - and I wish you a Happy New Year 2017