playing with muslins

During all my Christmas sewing, there were times that I just had to be creative.  I sit at my sewing machine sewing something that I have done before many times and my mind goes off in interesting directions.  

I am still have problems with my shoulders almost two years later from when I injured them.  The problems come from when I do not stretch and strengthen the muscles around them consistently.  I am working on consistent but there are times when I am not.  I get to work and change from my bicycle clothes to my work clothes and I cannot quite zip myself up.  There is not enough stretch in my shoulders.  Yes, I like my A-line dresses but I also really like my sheath dresses.

I decided to take my t-shirt dress, so named by the young lady at Acme Ice Cream and Rocket Donuts, and modify it.  It goes over my head with ease and no zipper.  I added darts.  I changed the neck.  I made the sleeved three quarter length but Koda Bear approved.  He likes to put his hand on skin under clothes when he is tired or insecure.  These work.

The end product was very close to what I wanted.  The back neck gaped a bit.  I also prefer my sleeves not Koda Bear approved.  Just a bit tighter.  I also want the dress a bit longer for work.

But since I used fabric that was very wearable for the muslin, I had a new dress to wear.  In Christmas colors.  

Of course, I still have a bit of Christmas sewing to finish.  I had to stop because we were traveling.  But I think I am going to put a few more dresses together between projects for myself.  They take much less time then driving someplace to shop, shop, and drive home.  And much more meditative.