I wanna be like Carolyn when I grow up.....

Peace. I know everyone reading this is a follower/worshipper/reader of Diary of a Sewing Fanatic. If not, you should be. One of the things I have always wondered, but never asked is why does the author have this obsession with TNT patterns? I now know. It keeps you from making garments that you would not wear. I am in serious possession of many patterns that probably won’t look good on me. And because I primarily increase my wardrobe, these days, 80% of the time with my own made garments, chances are, I won’t know a particular look is not for me until I make up the pattern. Why not have TNTs? I work in the health care industry. So that means I NEVER have to wear suits unless I want to. Up until 8 years ago, (and my life is COMPLETELY different than it was 8 years ago) my jobs came with uniforms. My wardrobe consisted of: uniforms, church clothes, a going out outfit (I hardly ever go out like that) and recreational clothes. I chose when I started this job to NOT wear uniforms. I didn’t have to and I don’t. There are only 2 of us that don’t wear scrubs and the other person is a man. He wears a uniform of khakis and a dress shirt daily. I have had to really figure out what looks good on me and what I have the temperament to wear. Y’all have seen my shape from previous pictures. I’m a big girl with large breasts. But I have good legs (bad/fat knees), B.U.T. I’m righteous and don’t often show them off. What y’all may not realize is I’m short…. Regular clothes don’t automatically look good on me. I tend to look sloppy in my clothes if not done right. I want to do them right. My mother blessed me with her shape, for the most part; but not her ass. My behind is wide like hers but not protrusive. So I never have to make a sway back adjustment. In turn, my boobs are way bigger than hers and she is shorter than me. Luckily I can wear heels, she can’t. Artificial knees. Now I’m not telling you all my mother’s business for no reason. Mommie’s philosophy is to wear clothes as tight as you can stand them and to wear even tighter foundation garments to make you look smaller and smooth. I tried that. But I like to breathe; seems it’s not as important to her. I had Mommie watching Mad Men and she went on and on and on and on….. about how good “Joan” looked. She said that since we couldn’t hide our shapes we should display them. I don’t know how I feel about that. I still have bad memories of getting in trouble because my high school gym shorts were labeled ‘obscene’ by the administration. Mommie bought those shorts…. I’m just saying. All older people aren’t conservative like that. I am trying to figure out my figure. I used to be hour glassed, but now, not so much. I swear either my hips are receding and/or my waist is thickening. I think my waist is thickening. I don’t get that… or why. So I am drifting into a big, straight up and down with boobs. I don’t know how to dress that. More fabric on the bottom makes me look even bigger. Where are the What Not To Wear people when you need them? I have a bunch of belts to cinch my waist but it’s not doing what the claims say it should be doing. I have been following big girl fashion blogs and they are all over the place. These women are wearing short, tight, loose, all kinds of garments. Adele and Octavia Spencer come to mind. They don’t look uncomfortable like my mother would have me look (she buys me a tight suit for Christmas every year. Her suits are the only suits I own. One of the caveats of not celebrating Christmas anymore is I don’t have to accept these suits!) I have ventured out of my comfort zone and tried to make some very loose fitting caftan type garments. I don’t particularly care for the results. I favor pencil skirts, sometime a-line skirts. I like soft cardigans and Old Navy t-shirts. ***sigh*** but I’m not in my 20’s or even 30’s). I can’t keep wearing that to work. Or can I? I need some TNT’s. That is my new mission. Find some TNT patterns that work for my ever changing body and hold onto them for dear life. More to come…… Peace PS: Hey Carolyn! When are you gonna teach us how to shirr? Is that spelled right?