making it work

I have to write this in a hurry because it's A SCHOOL NIGHT but I realize that after that last entry and at this point in gestation, not checking in is just inviting people to think that I'm dead.  So.  Hi.

The mild hypomania that characterized my initiation into sewing is nothing--I say nothing--compared to how it's been since I started making those little baby pinafores.  Joe is alternately amused and throwing around words like "obsessed," because frankly, once I figured out how to make a few of these easy sewing projects, it's been like, "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE BEEN PAYING FULL PRICE FOR THIS STUFF ALL THESE YEARS."  (I wear a lot of skirts.)  Here's a little of what I've been doing.

Above is the second skirt I made for myself.  It's just a regular elastic waist skirt, made based on this very good tutorial here.  The first skirt I made for myself actually turned out even better (it was with a lighter weight blue shirting fabric, so, you know, more flowy and such) but I dropped a forkful of Chipotle on it earlier this week so it's in the wash.

This was a flat front pleated skirt that I made based on this tutorial that turned out pretty well.  It's elastic in the back, so, you know, nice for the pregnant ladies.  Also, can I tell you how proud I was that I made a pleat?  And it was easy!  Again: I think I have been overpaying for simple skirts for the past two decades.

These pants I made for Cal based on this tutorial were kind of a fiasco.  I made my own pattern, so I think the inseam turned out a little bit small--also, even though I measured about a trillion times the waist was still too big for him.  They are flat front elastic-backed pants, but I sewed the elastic itself in so I can't cinch them up any more--next time I think I'll use that kind of button hole elastic like they do for all those Old Navy kid pants and leave a little more leeway for the crotch.

Every novice sewer needs to make a tote bag, right?  Also: no matter now many tote bags we have around this house, they always end up getting filled with detritus and then scattered to various corners of the earth, so what the hell, more tote bags for everyone.  Liberally adapted from this tutorial here, though I eschewed the outside pocket for two inside pockets and improvised a contrasting lining.

And then I bent my sewing needle, because apparently when you try to sew through, like, four layers of heavy fabric, you need to switch a thicker needle.  I know, duh.  I'M A DOCTOR, GUYS.  Also: can you tell I like chevron fabric?

The elephant bag was my failed attempt at making a flat-bottom bag that could stand up on its own (I love these canvas bags that we have from Lands End beyond all reason, but my own attempts at reproduction have been slouchy at best.  Then Cal decided he wanted to make a bag too, so we worked on that this evening.  I must be getting better at this, because it only took about two and a half hours, even with all the "help" I was getting.  He picked out the fabric himself (that is my diplomatic way of telling you that I did not pick that girl-ass fabric for him, he went for it himself--I just brightly told him that it looked "very Christmas-y") and the young master has already filled it with nerd accoutrement.

Next up I think I'll revisit the boy pants with hopes of improved outcome--I have this beautiful blue seersucker fabric that I think would look great on Mack for the three minutes that he'll be able to wear it before spilling something irrevocably staining on it.

So!  Craftiness!  It's fun or whatever!

I've felt basically normal after our scare on Wednesday morning.  A little woozy at work on Thursday morning but I took my blood pressure, and since it was basically normal I just drank some water, ate some crackers, and went about my business.  For what it's worth, I'm staying away from high-fat foods just in case my gallbag is to blame (again, there's nothing definitive to say that it was, but it's as good a guess as any), and so far, there have been no more surprises.  I have been a little...touchy, I guess...with people in my life (there are just a few) who imply that I overreacted or say stuff like OH YOU PREGNANT PEOPLE ALWAYS WORRY SO MUCH PROBABLY JUST HAD REFLUX I HAVE REFLUX TOO SOMETIMES AND ANYWAY YOU PROBABLY JUST ATE TOO MUCH because--well.

One of the very first lessons we were taught in medical school--one of the most important lessons, I suppose--was being able to distinguish a patient who is Sick from a patient who is Not Sick.  Meaning: the difference between a patient who just has a fever versus a patient who is septic.  A patient who is just bleeding versus a patient who is in shock.  A patient with abdominal pain versus a patient who has volvulus.  Even if you can't make the exact diagnosis right away, that's the key first step: distinguishing Sick from Not Sick.  I was Sick.  I say this as someone who hates going to the doctor, avoids the hospital (as a patient) at all costs, and as someone who has had two prior pregnancies and spent a total of two weeks hospitalized for periotonitis in medical school.  Maybe I wasn't Sick in a lasting way (and thank goodness for that--certainly I'm not looking for trouble), but if I saw a patient like me as a physician, I'm pretty sure I would say that I was Sick.  I have some perspective, and I like to think that I don't catastrophize. Certainly the episode was transient, but certainly it was real and it happened.  And also certainly I'm all sensitive about it because I try to live my life not complaining and being a good sport about things and trying not to be That Pregnant Lady that thinks every creak and pain is OMG THE BABY IS CROWNING.  But give me a little credit, people.  One should never voluntarily go to the ER unless they're fairly concerned that they might be having a medical emergency, but if they are, that's exactly what the ER is for.

Anyway!  If you want to follow along with some of the easy sewing projects I've been collecting, you can follow me on Pinterest--the sewing bulletin board is the only one I have going right now, but who knows, maybe I'll get obsessed with something else, such as, uh, collecting pictures of cats that I like.  Hope your weekend was as good as mine: that is to say fun, relaxing, and a little bit too short.  Have a good week, all.