Today was the day for renewing my expired driver's license. Oops again. ;-) Luckily, here in Florida appointments can be made for these services (which are actually adhered to) so the process is relatively painless. I had gone another day before my license expired, but found out in that way that Life likes to remind us who exactly is Boss, that I needed a certified copy of my marriage license to prove my maiden vs. married name difference. Hah. How ironic. So, $50 for the certified marriage license from Virginia and $48 for the license renewal later, I'm legal again.
So anyway, I had an hour before I needed to head off to the DDL office and I forced the ambivalent mojo to just shut up while I made my pattern adjustments. I took pics along the way so I'd have something to show for this post besides a bunch of whining. (Oh, but whining feels SO good sometimes!)
I started off with the regular slash/spread FBA, as below:
And then filled in the spreads with tissue everywhere except the horizontal bust dart.
I then extended the dart with my Sharpie and drew a line upward into the area on the pattern that is to be gathered to the yoke. I really wouldn't have drawn the lines except for you guys. ;-)
Next, I cut on those Sharpie lines (leaving a pivot point in the corner) and closed the side dart, which opened up the dart you see below.
I filled in that dart, because it's not really going to be sewn as a dart — just as additional gathering in the existing gathering section of the yoke seam.
Here are the finished alterations. They're always easier to see on the dark floor.
Here's the altered sleeve too. It didn't have a hem allowance (odd?), so I added that too.
Maybe tonight I'll feel like cutting out the real fabric.
Oh, one more thing about the whole driver's license renewal thing. I moved to Florida almost 22 years ago. I went to get my Florida license shortly thereafter and had to take the written, eye, and road tests. So far, so good, right? Well, since then I've been able to renew twice by mail/internet. Today, I was fully expecting all three tests again. Why else have me come in to the office. Nope. I only had to read one line on the eye test. No written, no driving. That's just downright scary, isn't it? Twenty-two years later and Florida has NO IDEA if I can actually still drive. (I can.) But do you know what is even scarier? Trading a 22-year old license picture for what I look like now. Ugh. My last illusion is busted wide open. ;-)
I applaud your jacket without puffy sleeves. I just don't think puffy works on anyone who's beyond 21 or so - just too kid-like. Glad you're getting some sewing in there. I have to get my license changed, too, and am procrastinating. But since son #3 just moved back from Carolina (3 months ago already), he needs to go to DMV, too, so at least I'll have company. I'm happy that you're doing OK despite your terrible life changes falling on you all at once, Debbie. And especially happy that the chocolate medication hasn't changed your interview clothing size!
ReplyDeleteGlad your sewing a little again :) Thanks for showing your alterations. I'm still getting to grips with the FBA so its helpful to see it done on different patterns.
ReplyDeleteAshley x
Good to see the sewing mojo is stil around. Have to get our licenced renewed every 10 years, so that is not as scary, however when I went to change my name back to what I was born with, the paperwork I had to produce, much more than when I got married.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're sewing again -- which is more than I can say for myself ;)
ReplyDeleteI went through that DL thing in February. The appointment made it go very quickly.
Glad you still have a sense of humor, it will see you through a lot of crappy days!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for getting that sewing mojo back to work! Sorry about the DL picture - I am just dreading doing the same exact thing in TX. I've been here for several years with an out-of-state license - wonder if you can sew in jail?
ReplyDeleteAll of my drivers license and Sam's club photos look like I am really a moon pie with eyes-surely must be the lack of photography skills there as NO pictures look as bad as those well most anyway. Lol!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fba photos. Your illustrations are really good. mssewcrazy
22 years with the same license photo?! We have to change ours every 5 years in Manitoba, Canada.
ReplyDeleteI have a question about your sleeve alterations. I've never altered a sleeve (and my one fba adjustment was sort of a disaster, so I'm super new to all this). I mean, I sort of get the slashing a spreading, since I suppose that adds width (which I've probably needed to do on a few patterns), but what's with the horizontal overlap there? Is that something you need to do when spreading a sleeve?
Anywho, like others have said, I'm glad you've managed to get some sewing done. I find it relaxes me when I'm eyeball deep in thesis-related stress. I hope it helps you take your mind off things too. :)
Last time I had to go in to renew, I had to take a birth certificate, social security card, marriage certificate, because now in California they compare with the social security data base. I had a hyphenated name on the social and just the married name on the driver's license. I had to change the driver's license to match the social and prove that I deserved the hyphenated married name. Argh, what a PITA.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you posting again and vent away. Hopefully this phase will pass quickly and things will get better.
Just had to renew mine here in CT after 6 years. We can go to a AAA office instead of the DMV -- five minutes, no appt even! Glad to read that you're getting some sewing time!
ReplyDeleteWhere I live, we get a new picture every five years. It's less painful.
ReplyDeleteKeep sewing. It helps with the other "stuff" even if all you're doing is scraps and deliberate wadders. Nothing major required.
HUGS
How did you manage to go 22 years without changing your photo? Four years ago, I had to do the "8 year renewal" thing in Volusia county (Florida) and they redid the photo. I hated to see it go.
ReplyDeleteThen when I got married two years ago, I had to have another photo taken with the name change. I REALLY hate that one!
I still have two years left. I'd better do something with myself so I won't put a bag on my head for that photo!
Thanks for detailing his alteration. I need to do exactly the same alteration on the Ottobre Sweet Nelly jacket that I am working on. Although I knew in my mind what I needed to do it was great to see in pictures
ReplyDeleteHeather, the horizontal overlap just happens in order for the spread pattern to lay flat. It effectively lowers the sleeve cap a little, so you should redraw it higher as a final tweak to the pattern. I do that tweak when I'm cutting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing this process. These kinds of alterations fascinate me. Something about the simple math of moving ease and darts and stuff. Anyway, I moved to Florida 8 months ago and, though I had to go into the office, I didn't have to take any kind of test at all. Only paperwork.
ReplyDeleteSometimes everyone needs a good whine. Worse than someone your age not having drivers test is my Dad 84 who broke both sides of his pelvis in an accident he can't even remember that was his fault. He was in a wheel chair when he went to renew his license and they gave it to him no questions asked. Scary
ReplyDeleteHere in Ontario, once you pass your driving tests (graduated licensing), you don't have to take another road or written test till you're 80! We do have to get a new picture every 5 years though, and now you can't smile or wear glasses. My picture is now hideous!
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing the alterations!
Debbie,
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about this since I first saw you mention your bad news and I wanted to say - you do everything with class, even talking about your troubles. It's so easy to dwell on your unhappiness and when you have a blog audience it would be such an easy thing to do. But you do everything with a can-do attitude. No "feel sorry for me" just tell it like it is and move on - even have a laugh at yourself. I admire this soooo much. You will land on your feet quickly I am sure of that.
Grandma C
p.s. I know what the last poster meant about Ontario licensing. My dfil had two seizures a while back. They took his license away until he hadn't had a seizure for a year. When he went to get his license reinstated, he thought he would have to do a driving test. Nope, just the written one that we call your "beginners" about road signs etc. He's 88 and the worst driver ever even pre-seizure - it scares me a lot!!