W24, Day 4: Alterations

Today I stayed indoors most of the day because we had tree trimmers over to cut down a large tree in our backyard.  As I anxiously listened for the booms and crashes of branches falling, I couldn't help imagining my beloved little garden being smashed to bits.  To keep my mind on something else, I decided to tackle some of the alterations that I've been intending to do forever.  I have a dress that I've owned for two years and never worn because the straps needed to be shortened.  I'd always planned to have a tailor fix it, but never gotten around to taking it in to a shop.  I also had a couple of shirts that needed to be taken in on the sides--a good sign in terms of weight loss.

There is something mentally transformative about altering clothing, as if it is not just the shirt that is gaining curves, but the understanding that my body too is gaining a new shape.  Obviously the body changes are going on all the time in this slow crawl that is weight loss, but you get so used to seeing yourself in the mirror every day that you lose sight of all that has really happened to your body.  I suppose it's like aging, the changes happen so minutely that you don't realize until one day you look and see that you have aged.  The recognition happens in a flash.  Except with losing weight, the reaction is a surprised, but pleasant visage.

I love the way the dress came out and I'm going to wear it to a party tonight, which made me feel really positive about my body.  The shirts are now much more form-fitted, so I can wear them again without them looking baggy.  The seams are not smooth and polished inside (I don't have a serger), but since I'm probably the only one who'll be looking at my shirt seams, I felt pretty peachy about it.  If only it were as easy to alter my body as it is to sew a shirt seam...I guess that's called plastic surgery!

By the way, this is just about the most awesome pincushion I have ever seen.  I so want one!  You might be wondering, which one: the cupcake or the pincushion?  Yes.  :)