u/CoastalMae

I'm looking for a good encapsulating sports bra pattern. I'm a 30E or so, but I've never found pattern sizing instructions that actually work for me, so I kind of just have to start there and move in whatever direction is warranted.

I really like sports bras that have actual cup shapes built in, but want zero underwire in this, as it'll be for sleeping/lounging. I always thought I was pretty flat, so I don't want to be just compressing it all away, and I've had some tenderness lately, so I don't want to squish it.

Thanks!

I have a 20-year-old Babylock Imagine. It has begun to act up when stitching basic overlocks (haven't tried other stitch settings). Here's what we've noticed:

- the ability to catch the looper threads will intermittently engage and disengage with no visible change in machine operations. This leaves sections with only needle threads and no looper threads.

- it happens on both 3-thread and 4-thread overlocks

- sometimes it returns to normal stitching itself, further along the stitch, sometimes it doesn't

- to get it to start properly chaining again, we can apply a bit of tension to the chain/threads. Similarly, it frequently stops stitching correctly when turning outside corners (using the approved babylock method), on the way out of the corner.

- nothing comes unthreaded

We are reasonably mechanically inclined, but could use instructions and a starting place to look.

Can anyone help us understand what is going on?
Thanks.

I have been struggling with fitting pants patterns literally for years. I have a long rise. I was adding to the rise as much as I thought I needed to, but still getting smile lines under my butt. I recently figured out two things:

1. For pants with straight waistbands, the waistband is sitting with its center sitting at the center of my waist. Since I was measuring my rise from the center of my waist, that means half the waistband is not actually contributing to my rise - it's sitting above the center of my waist. That means I need to add more to the rise to make up the difference. I had been adding the whole waistband width to the calculation.

2. If I use a straight waistband, it can't be wider than my rib-to-high hip measurement of 1 3/4". Otherwise part of the waistband will be sitting on my ribs. Curved waistbands are fine, because they're smaller at the top, so the top will sit on the center of my waist.

Also that maybe I wasn't adding enough for my crotch curve length after all. Everyone told me to lower the crotch point, which seemed like a thing I had to do to the crotch point itself. I didn't understand how to do it, asking yielded no responses, and everything I could find online was very...artistic in it's total lack of actual process (just "if it looks like this, make it look like this instead"). But nope, I could add more to the rise above that point and it would basically do the same thing.

With that, I took a pattern that was supposed to be high rise that I'd already added 3/4" to in the back and 1/2" around the sides and front. I added 7.3 cm more to the rise all the way around, or just under 3 inches.

The result?
- zero smile lines or wedgies
- my pockets got VERY deep
- I might have added about 1/2" too much to the rise, but that's far less of a problem than 2 1/2" too little

But it worked!

I also had to remove almost 4" from the inseam length, down to a 26-27" inseam, after trying them on. So though the pants appear to mostly fit me when worn (still not perfect because of the 1/2" extra rise), the result when held up is a comically long-looking rise and stubby legs. It's a family trait.

I will note that I should have figured this out before. I have measured my crotch curve in the past and got wildly larger numbers than any pattern had so I wrote it off as something wrong with my measurement. But without the pieces above I'd still be getting it wrong.

Skirts are so much easier...

I have this pattern, which I bought solely for view B. The problem is that view B calls for pre-pleated nylon, and I'm allergic to nylon/polyester. Would a crinkle rayon work similarly enough? I don't really care if the skirt is less full.

Does anyone know anything about Georgette Patterns? I found them because of a jeans pattern (wanted high rise and fitted, also nonstretch ideally so I don't have to alter too drastically, but I have a higher waist-to-hip ratio), but I can't find a single review on Threadloop. Has anyone made anything from them, and how did it turn out?

Thanks

I have had a soft lump, slowly growing, on the underside of my jaw, for over 15 years. I first recognized it when it was pea-sized, and it itched every time I had an allergic reaction. I was diagnosed with chemical allergies at this time and imaging came back as either a reactive lymph node or maybe a lipoma. I saw an ENT, who said that if she removed it I could be paralyzed on half my face, and it should be left alone. I was proscribed nasal steroids to help combat the post-exertional malaise I would get whenever I was exposed to my allergens and my sinuses rebelled. The allergist had no clue what was going on because I kept having systemic inflammation and so he prescribed me long-term, half-dose antibiotics to reduce inflammation. I experienced non-clinical levels of thyroid issues. I experienced situational anxiety around the untreated lump and what seemed to be related symptoms. I saw another allergist, who told me that my nose structure was normal so there was nothing he could do, after the previous one dropped me as a patient because I sent an email with a photo and asked for a quick appointment because there was a sudden sinus lump. I became intolerant to eggs and dairy.

I moved around the start of covid. Within six months I had gained 10 lbs and kept them on no matter what I did, even though my weight had been consistently 10 lb lighter before then. I was feeling tired all the time. I saw new doctors. The new allergist switched me to long-term low dose antifungal to treat possible head and neck atopic dermatitis, and took me off the antibiotics. She also diagnosed asthma and put me on an inhaler. One night when I was experiencing a particular low point in relation to the growing lump in my neck, I called my doctor's office and left a voicemail for the doctor on call. That doctor has a special interest in hEDS, and said it sounded like I had EDS. She told me to see a physiotherapist to get assessed and then she could see me for EDS.

I saw her and she was great. Put me on Blexten and nalcrom, assessing that she also felt I had MCAS and definitely had TMJ. She referred me to another ENT. He saw me and refused to try to feel the lump in the only way it was possible to manually feel it, but he agreed to send me for an MRI. She also suspected ME/CFS, and referred me to an internist who specializes in that, fibro, and long covid. He diagnosed me with ME/CFS, putting me on LDN. The lump under my jaw kept growing. I ended up having to stop the antifungals due to upward-trending liver enzymes.

I was exercising regularly but my stomach constantly felt like someone was grabbing and squeezing it, especially while exercising. I was sleeping until 2 pm every day. Then I suddenly developed chronic diarrhea. Right before a sudden sickness that wasn't covid but kept me bed-bound for two weeks. It was like the worst flu ever. I took a month and a half to fully recover. But it was like the flu. The diarrhea continued for over a year. I removed various things from my diet trying to figure out what was causing it. Swapping to rice from oatmeal last August seemed to be a turning point. I not only stopped being so tired right after eating breakfast, but also suddenly lost the 10 pounds again and kept it off. I was now getting up at noon daily. Getting to sleep got very difficult. Staying asleep got very difficult. Waking up groggy every day.

I kept following up with doctors, doing stool tests and blood tests, trying to find the cause of the stomach issues, which were better but not resolved. I had a blood test come back saying that at one point I had had hepB and recovered; that the high immunity I have did not come from immunization. This made no sense to me because I engage in exactly zero risk factors for that, unless you count receiving dental treatment. I also had vaccination for it 18 years prior, and the vaccine is supposed to be good for 20 years. Doctors have tried sending me for blood tests to double-check the result, but the labs keep not doing the necessary tests to confirm whether I actually somehow had hepB. I also got another sub-clinical thyroid flag.

Seeing the internist more, I got put on ketotifen and pepcid. My stomach improved more. But even though my stomach being bad clearly makes me tired, my stomach being better does not make my fatigue better. So I learned about B1 and the Danes prescribing high doses for fatigue and it being helpful for many. Started that. Learned that lactose intolerance may be able to be overcome by consumption of lactose. Managed to successfully start eating cheeses with no ill effects, when I couldn't even eat lactose-free dairy before. I finally followed up with the ENT 4 years after having him order the MRI, after learning that the MRI waiting list here is only 4-8 months, so there was clearly a problem. Got the MRI and it only noted increased flesh under the one side of my jaw, so went for an ultrasound. Ultrasound suggested maybe a lipoma. ENT said he was willing to open it up, now 15+ years after it first appeared, to see if he could remove anything. Started seeing a dietician, who helped me to recover my gut bacteria after all the antibacterials and antifungals. The internist mentioned that MCAS is commonly recognized by most doctors as stemming from a mast cell tumor. ENT shut down any and all theories about what the lump might be, treating it as not a priority and definitely elective. Lump now the size of a small egg yolk. White blood cell count in perfectly normal range. Some weirdness in hormones/erratic periods, but could be early perimenopause.

Gained about 7 lb before the surgery, from my standard weight, in two months. Started walking nearly daily after my partner had surgery, with no change to weight. Five days before the surgery, the lump started being irritated more again and my stomach started cramping up again and minor diarrhea returned. Stopped the LDN 3 days before the surgery as directed.

Woke up from the surgery VERY comfortably. My stomach stopped hurting that day. No BM that day, but was not drowsy at all for the rest of the day.

Didn't have a good sleep the first night, woke up sore and room was hot (not just to me). But was not fatigued the next day and got up around 10:30 am. Only stomach discomfort was around the time I needed to have a BM, which was normal. Had one short nap and woke up not groggy. Some minor lymph node tenderness opposite the excision, some tender arm skin (common when exposed to allergens in past), sore on back of neck/upper shoulders. Warmth radiating in my neck and up to my ear, so iced the incision three times. Slept very well that night.

Today I woke up early (9 am) but rested in bed to try to give myself extra rest to heal. No stomach discomfort. Still sore arms and back of neck, and lymph nodes, but decreasing. Incision pain dramatically decreased and no need to ice. Got tired in early afternoon, with grogginess, which I think is due to the chest congestion I've had since the surgery - I was allergic to a small amount of the inhaled anaesthetic. Used my inhaler, coughed a bunch, fatigue dropped a lot. Sinuses are better than they've been in months, despite the chest congestion. But I weighed myself and I weigh 6 lbs more than I did three days ago, the day before the surgery, so that's pretty rapid weight gain at a time when you'd think I'd be using extra energy and losing weight. Especially also taking walks the past two days. So why am I gaining weight? I've never weighed this much except when pregnant, which I am definitely not (tested immediately before surgery, no action for weeks due to partner's surgery).

Now I don't know what to do. I still suspect it was a mast cell tumour. If it was a lipoma, nothing should have changed except pressure on my neck. But things I have read about mast cell tumours indicate that if you're having systemic symptoms, then you likely need further cancer treatment beyond removal. Given the doctor's reluctance to believe it was anything, there's a good chance it wasn't sent for any kind of testing. If it was a mast cell tumour, symptoms improving makes sense. But the weight gain upon removal doesn't seem to. If the ENT didn't see a reason for testing it, how can I get a doctor to further test, or to send me to a specialist to ensure everything's better now? What next steps can I take? What can I expect? What can I do? I'm so used to being ignored, minimized, and pushed aside, and pissing people off by pushing back, that I don't know what are the proper steps.

Can anyone offer any similar experiences/advice?

My adult neutered male sleeps on me constantly. Almost every moment he can. But he almost never purrs for me. Doesn't matter how much attention I give him. 90% of the time he doesn't even seem to enjoy me petting him. He just sits there and doesn't acknowledge it.

Meanwhile he purrs loudly when my daughter gives him attention. Follows her around. I held him so his front paws were on her back while she was doing something else earlier, and he started purring very loudly, so it doesn't even have to be her giving him attention, just proximity to her. But he doesn't sit on her as much.

One thing he does with both of us is wait outside our bedroom doors when he hears us getting up, and meow outside both of our doors when he wants us up and we're trying to sleep.

He doesn't seem to think much either way of my partner.

Tell me something about cat behaviour that doesn't make me feel so much like a piece of furniture to the cat?