Getting Started

Here I am, with my brand-new blog (first ever) and not quite sure how to start.

Why did I set up a blog?

OK, that's pretty easy. Since retiring two years ago and finishing our house renovation (inside and out) this summer, I'm starting to get around to doing some of the things on my pre-retirement list - the list I posted on the fridge when I was making my final decision about whether or not the time had come to give my notice at work. I was really worried that I wouldn't have enough to do. Ha, ha, ha, ha. It's amazing how I manage to fill my days without any effort.

Anyway... One of the things at the top of my list is to start sewing again. Now that we've more or less finished the renovation and putting everything back in place, I have the time. I have lots of patterns, Burda and other magazines, etc. and a fair amount of fabric. I'm sewing for myself and my two daughters (17 and 22) and this seemed like a good way to get myself organized.

So far, I've made the following things:

1. Long, black wrap-around skirt for my daughter (pattern made from an existing skirt of hers)
2. 3 tops for myself from Knitwit #3300 - short-sleeved, drop sleeve knit shirt
3. Collarless blouse and 8-gore, elastic-waist skirt from the KwikSew patterns included with "Easy Sewing the Kwik Sew Way." I was a little disappointed in the fit of the blouse. I made it before I studied up on FBA and the fit through the shoulders is terrible. I realize now that I should have made it in a medium or even small and done the FBA. When I have the energy, I think I'll take it apart of see if I can fix it (otherwise, it'll be a wadder).

I'm working hard at losing weight and getting into shape (9.5 kilos lost since 12 August) and initially didn't plan on making anything new for myself at this point. Then my husband said that it didn't matter if I would only wear something for a few months before it was too big. He's tired of me wearing shlumpy, worn-out clothes and even helped me to pick out fabric that he liked.

I have to admit that I haven't been able to bring myself to make up any of the fabric we bought together - it's just too pretty. But, I have a fair amount of jersey in my stash, and decided that I'd start making myself some tops, a few at a time, every 5 kilos or so, as I lose weight. That way, I'll have some new things that fit reasonably well, every month or so. I have 2 skirts that just started to fit (purchased last summer just a little bit too small) and 4 more that will fit me in another 5 kilos or so.

I don't want to invest too much time in fitting and altering patterns for clothes that I'll only wear for a short time, and simple, knit tops seem to be the best way to go.

In any case, my daughters have enough requests to keep me busy during the winter.