I'm still here and a pattern review

I've been a very bad blogger lately. I've been sewing but have been too lazy to post anything. Sorry to have worried any of my internet sewing buds. With my health issure, it was insensitive of me not to post something.

If you're wondering about the big smile it's because one week ago tomorrow marks one year since my lumpectomy for breast cancer. I am officially a survivor! It's been an interesting year but I remember like it was yesterday being told about the cancer. I think I took it as well as I could at the time but little did I know that the surgery was the easy part. I wouldn't wish radiation therapy on my worst enemy. I was not prepared to the side effects. Gaining 25lbs, losing some of my fingernails, some memory loss and all kinds of joint pain and muscle weakness that no one warned me about. Most recently I've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Seems the radiation zapped my thyroid! Tomorrow I go for the second time to have the fluid drained off of my breast. Seems the cavity that was left after the lumpectomy continues to fill up with fluid as well as causing some lymphedema in my right hand and arm. So what do I have to smile about...I'm still here...that's what! I've still been sewing and of late have become addicted to scrapbooking. So I spend my free time between the two. Below is a review of my latest project.

McCalls 5630

Pattern Description:

Misses' blouses: Close-fitting blouse with front band collar band with or without collar, sleeve and cuff variations and shaped hem

Pattern Sizing:

8-22. I cut a size 18 through the neck and armholes and a 22 at the side seams which I pin-fit to my taste

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

This a Palmer/Pletsch pattern and as with all their their patterns, the instructions are excellent and offer tips to guarantee success

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

What I like about the pattern is the classic fit of this side seam and front and back darts for additional fit opportunities. I liked the classic styling and the shaped hem along with the collar and stand. What I disliked about his pattern is that the marking for the front darts could easily discourage an inexperienced sewer. They are absolutely crazy. It took a while for me to wrap my mind around how they were to actually be marked and sewing. All the dart sizes seemed to overlap and intersect in a very haphazard way. Add that to the markings for the FBA, and lenghtening and shortening lines and it was absolutely crazy. If you should venture to sew this pattern I would suggest trying to mark your size with some kind of colored marker first.

Fabric Used:

Polyester Crepe

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

Where do I begin? I made about an 1 1/4" FBA, a 1" WBA (wide back adustment), shortened the back armhole length, changed the shape of the front armhole and removed about 1" from the sleeve cap.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I'm sure I'll sew it again now that I've made all the adustments I need. About recommending it to others...the jury is still out.

Another faux wrap dress and scrapbook pages

Pattern Description:
Close fitting dress w/wrap front, front and back pleats, self-ties, A-line skirt and sleeve variations
Pattern Sizing:
8-24
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
No but only because I used the bodice from Butterick 5001
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Although I didn't use them, I did look over the instructions and they looked very easy
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I don't normally like wrap dresses because with a larger bust, they tend to show much more cleavage than I'm comfortable with. I know I love the faux wrap bodice of Butterick 5001 so I just attached the skirt part of 5454 and translated the idea for view C but with the sleeve of view B
Fabric Used:
The fabric is a matte jersey panel from an area Walmart. I wished I'd taken a picture of the panels before I cut. I used three panels. The border was on the bottom of each panel and the pattern pieces did not have to be cut sideways.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I added 5" to the length of the dress to make it just below my knee. Although the photos don't show it, it very much looks like a wrap dress because the skirt front does acutally wrap but the waist is attached to the mock wrap bodice. I had to add a seam to the center back of the skirt to have enough fabric to make it work.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I think I'll make a muslin of the top to try to alter it as to comfortable with the wrap to. The bottom needs no adjusting at all.

This is what I came up with for my scrapbook pages for the week: