Where to begin....

Hello sweet readers!  So much has happened since my last post from April it's hard to know where to begin.  I've been sick.  Very sick.  Mid-March I lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital via ambulance where I was diagnosed with the Strain A Flu with multiple viruses layered on top.  In my last post from April I really thought I was getting better..... but every day seemed to wake up to a new health problem eventually turning into bronchitis with probable pneumonia end of April. 

That was my first round of antibiotics and I was very grateful to feel well enough to attend my girl's Master's of Arts in Teaching graduation in May!!!   It seemed my strength was returning, though I'd lost so much weight the outfit I'd made for her graduation fell off of me, so instead wore my tried and true Ottobre ensemble.  But that was okay..... I was getting stronger......

..... strong enough to move to the city with my girl.  Just me and my girl.  Though the move actually took Three Men and a Truck.... and this truck was full!  No more woodland setting as we are in a lovely 3rd floor urban apartment with soaring ceilings and lots of natural light. 

Meanwhile I made Simplicity 2188 again out of a breezy crepe fabric from Hobby Lobby..... lengthened and curved the hem.  I did not think to size down and you see the top simply hangs on me here.  I've lost at least a full size all around.  Around this time I began losing my hair..... in clumps..... so much so that the glorious mane is gone.  I figured it was all the illness and stress taking its toll and the hair loss began to subside end of June.  I thought I was finally on the road to recovery and felt my strength continuing to return.  I was enjoying walks with my dog and daughter and be-still-my-heart.... our apartment is close enough to walk to the grocery store!!!  LOVE!!! 

The original Simplicity 2188 made in 2018 (below) can be found here .  Big difference in hair, no?.

End of July I woke up one Saturday morning and just knew something was wrong with crushing fatigue and labored breathing.  My daughter took me to our MD360..... a place to receive doctor care instead of being in an Emergency Room..... and was diagnosed with Bronchitis and pneumonia..... again.  Prescribed a 2nd round of antibiotics, in a different tier than the first and did not get better.  This time was able to see my primary care physician and my lungs were worse and I was now wheezing.  It was definitely pneumonia and not getting better.  She bumped me up to a higher tier of antibiotics at the highest strength, adding steroids on top of the mix.   I am finishing up those this week and can say I finally feel more like myself again..... and it feels GREAT!!!   It feels great to be able to breathe and get a good lungful of air again.... to not cough and hack all day/night...... it just feels great to feel better.  So much better that I felt like taking a few pictures this morning, taking advantage of some of the beautiful natural light pouring in from the sunroom to share with you my new dress.

Ever since I first made this sheath dress in 2018, I have loved it.  The flattering princess seams, neckline not too high, nor too low with an almost A-line 'skirt'..... this is the style that works best on my body shape. 

Ottobre 02/2015 no. 4 Sheath Dress

The original Ottobre sheath dress, below, along with its accompanying silk jacket made in 2018 can be read about here.  This is the outfit I wore to my daughter's graduation cermony. 

c. 2018

Purchased the quilting cotton fabric from Hobby Lobby last year specifically for this 'vision'.  The original dress is made of quilting cotton too and I like the structure cotton affords.  Both are lined with Bemberg lining..... soft as silk and gives the dress a beautiful shape when worn. But I felt the dress needed pockets and that's what I did here.... added pockets to the front princess seams in the skirt.

Proud of my pocket!!!  Love all the seamlines and decided to topstitch everything and everywhere.  Envisioning this dress with a denim jacket and think may add that to the queue.

Guess you can tell I did not iron it before wearing it this morning!!   Oh well.  Invisible zipper and can you believe after sewing the lining to the zip..... one of the last steps of construction..... I caught the lining in the zip as I was testing it out and tore a hole in the lining.  Got out the needle and thread and sewed the hole up as best I could.  So glad I am letting go of perfectionist tendencies as this didn't phase me at all.  It feel so nice to have a new dress to wear.

Before I go I wanted to also explain that when I first became ill in March..... not only this blog, and sewing in general..... but Instagram became overwhelming to me.  I deleted the app from my phone and stopped checking in.  It felt so odd..... missing the interaction with the sewing community there.... missing my sewing friends.... but felt I needed to concentrate on getting well.  I am sorry if it seemed I fell off the face of the earth.... in some ways it felt that way to me.  But I am doing so much better and 'life' is very good.  Melissa was hired as a 2nd grade teacher at the elementary school where she wanted to teach and this summer has been such a delight in helping her pull together her classroom.  She will be the BEST teacher.  See those pillows down there..... it was an honor to make those for her Reading Center for the kids to plop down on.  She chose the fabric and piping color and wanted the zippers nestled in the piping so nothing would scratch the kids.  Took me a little bit to figure that out.... but all-in-all a super easy, fun project.  She's got a fox rug ordered for this center area.

So as the old adage goes.... "the only thing constant in life is change" is quite true.  I am enjoying my new life and look forward to what the future holds.  Our apartment is close to a beautiful university complete with swans in the lake and a clock tower.  'Life' is good.

Happy Sewing All!!!  :)