Adapting to winter

[galadhir]

I've just subscribed to



which looks very gentle and possibly like something I might be able to keep up with even if it takes me more than the requisite month.

Speaking of snowflakes, it has been below freezing here for the past four days, and I have been contending with the fact that I have no pairs of winter trousers that do not require a tight belt to keep them up.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but this summer I discovered that I had a sliding hernia (where there's a hole in your diaphragm and sometimes your stomach gets pushed up to bulge through the hole, stomach acid and all.) One of the big culprits in this is being tightly cinched in around the waist. So I changed into wearing dresses and promptly forgot about the winter.

Winter arrives, I dig out my winter trousers and wear them for a while, only to find that I'm suffering from heartburn/fatigue and pain in the chest. It finally dawns on me last week that this is the result of going back to being strangled around the waist. So I dig out my one pair of dungarees, and then it gets really cold.

What to do? It's nearly Christmas and if I order another pair on line they might not arrive for a fortnight. Plus they're £60 a pair! And they're not even that warm.

Time to bring out the sewing machine! I cycled to the local fabric shop and examined their selection. Brushed cotton looked warm but almost certainly wouldn't be. I couldn't afford wool, and it would be scratchy anyway. The fleece was all primary colours, camouflage pattern or ladybird print.

Hm, it was time to adhere to the spirit of "When I am old, I will wear purple," and throw social convention out of the window. So I bought the ladybird print fleece and made myself an emergency pair of warm dungarees.



They came in very handy when my family and I went out to do the Wimpole Christmas Lights trail last night. With ski boots and a ski coat, I was perfectly warm and my legs were toasty out in the snow for three hours.

We had pizza and hot chocolate from a food van, then did half the walk, past the tree halos and fire garden. In the middle there were braziers set up and marshmallows for sale for toasting - I had a chocolate one :) Then through the lazers and the fields of shining white roses to the end of the trail, where there was a helter-skelter and a carousel.

It was a really lovely evening. The ladybird print dungarees received a mixed reception. One lady told me what a good idea it was to have come in my pajamas, but a chance-met friend was like "Ooh, I love your dungarees, where did you get them?" And I will take my friends' opinions over strangers any day :)

Comments

[ex_flameandsong751]

I like that pattern! It's got a very cottagecore vibe.

I'll be doing Snowflake Challenge myself. I empathize with health issues acting up in colder weather, my joints have not been happy with the snow we've gotten on this side of the Atlantic.

[galadhir]

Thank you! Yes, I made them extra large (not knowing how the pattern would turn out) so I could wear really big jumpers under them, and I've spent today taking them in a bit, but I will definitely use this pattern again. It's this one by Tilly and the Buttons :) It was uncomplicated even for this amateur.

[goodbyebird]

True story: I saw the picture before reading the post and went "oooh those are so cool!"

[galadhir]

Hee! Thank you :) I have to say, I love them. They're so soft and warm. I feel a little eccentric in them but I don't care because I'm so comfortable :)

[yarnofariadne]

The dungarees are adorable!

I've done Snowflake for a few years now and it's always a delightful time. Looking forward to seeing your entries for it!

[galadhir]

Thank you! :) I do feel a bit self conscious in them but I'm so comfortable that it's well worth it, and I'm sure I'll forget the self consciousness in no time.

Yay! I look forward to seeing yours too :)

[xancredible]

Always prioritise comfort over public opinion, honestly!!

[galadhir]

I quite agree! What else are clothes for other than to keep you comfortable?

[dragongirlg]

Those look SO comfy and I love the pattern!

Ouch on the hernia! Comfort and safety above all else!

[galadhir]

Thank you! They really are so soft and warm, and if I was going to wear fleece dungarees I thought I might as well push the boat out and go for the cute pattern as well :)

Thank you re the hernia. I've only just realized that I shouldn't have expected it to have healed itself over the summer, and that it will probably be with me permanently, so lifestyle changes may be required to manage it. Embracing a new style will be fun at least :)

[mistressofmuses]

The dungarees look so cute! I love the print! And even better that they kept you warm!

I've done Snowflake Challenge for the last couple of years, even though I typically never manage to do all of the days. It is very low-pressure, and it's always fun to have the burst of activity on the site!

[galadhir]

Thank you! I've often thought what a shame it was that they didn't make adult versions of the kids clothes that have dinosaurs and unicorns on them, so this was my attempt to create some. And yes, very comfortable and warm :)

It will be amazing to see what everyone else is doing on Snowflake Challenge. I was amazed by how many people had done it last year. I hadn't known there were that many people on Dreamwidth!

[mistressofmuses]

Hard same! Kids get so many fun patterns and designs, and adults are stuck with such bland options by comparison! And if it's comfortable and warm as well, that's excellent!

It's true - it definitely seems like one of the most active periods on DW. I always wish more people would stick around after, but some do! It can be a nice way to find some other people who are active.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> which looks very gentle and possibly like something I might be able to keep up with even if it takes me more than the requisite month. <<

Snowflake is wonderful, and yes, it's fine if you work through slowly. The prompts come every other day so that helps.

>> Brushed cotton looked warm but almost certainly wouldn't be. I couldn't afford wool, and it would be scratchy anyway. The fleece was all primary colours, camouflage pattern or ladybird print. <<

Flannel, which is usually cotton, is quite warm. It is sometimes used to line denim to make that warmer too.

Another option is layering. It's not the thickness or warmth of the fiber itself that matters as much as its ability to trap air, and layers do that just fine. Especially look for bottoms in something like parachute fabric and put that over a layer or two of something fluffier like cotton.

Fleece can be warm, but as you discovered is often mistaken for nightwear. And it turns me into a walking dustcatcher / lightning storm. 0_o

Re: Thoughts

[galadhir]

I'm definitely looking forward to having prompts for blogging, and also to seeing everyone else's responses. It does seem like it would be a great way to bring the whole community together.

There was some lovely flannel in the shop which I dithered over - a beautiful rusty, autumnal-red plaid. I think I will probably get some and make another set for use in slightly less cold weather than we've had recently.

Now that I have two sets, so I can put one in the wash while I'm wearing the other - and now that I've tried the pattern and know how it turns out - I've got a bit more time to think about things like whether to line them or not. Which I agree would be a good idea. The pattern recommends you line the bib anyway, so lining the trousers too would not be a lot more work :)

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I'm definitely looking forward to having prompts for blogging, and also to seeing everyone else's responses. It does seem like it would be a great way to bring the whole community together.<<

I've been doing Snowflake for years and it's really fun.

There are some other places that have blogging prompts, I listed some of them in my resources.

>>There was some lovely flannel in the shop which I dithered over - a beautiful rusty, autumnal-red plaid. I think I will probably get some and make another set for use in slightly less cold weather than we've had recently.<<

Go for it! That's a great choice. Do feel the flannel, though. Some are on the thin side while others are really heavy. That will give you an idea when to wear what. Flannels with autumn-winter colors like that one tend to be thicker than those with lighter spring-summer colors.

>> Now that I have two sets, so I can put one in the wash while I'm wearing the other - and now that I've tried the pattern and know how it turns out - I've got a bit more time to think about things like whether to line them or not. Which I agree would be a good idea. The pattern recommends you line the bib anyway, so lining the trousers too would not be a lot more work :)

Good plan.

Another thought for warmth: fabrics with texture hold air better than flat fabrics. Think like waffle-weave or cableknit.

If you're not allergic to wool, consider scavenging at a thrift store. There are usually sweaters or suits or something that can be reworked. Some places will even let you have damaged garments free or cheap for upcycling purposes. To avoid scratchiness, just line it with something softer or smoother, which is why skirts and jackets are often lined anyhow.

Re: Thoughts

[galadhir]

If you're not allergic to wool, consider scavenging at a thrift store. There are usually sweaters or suits or something that can be reworked.

Oh, good thought! If I could find men's trousers that were big enough around the waist to tuck a big jumper into them, I wouldn't need to convert them, I could just wear them with suspenders. That would be a lot less work! But I'm getting the flannel anyway because it's only £6 a metre, and I will definitely use it.

Re: Thoughts

[katuah]

I second the recommendation of flannel, and layering. If you are sewing a dungaree style (what we in the States call "bib overalls" or just "overalls"), you could do it in whatever fabric makes you happy, though, and it should still serve your purpose. I'm imagining flannel ones, and ones sewn out of that double-layered puffy stuff, and ones sewn from repurposed dress pants..

Re: Thoughts

[galadhir]

I went back to the shop to look at the flannel again today, and it's only £6 a metre, while lining material is £2 a metre, which means that I could get the flannel *and* a lining for the same price as the fleece, so I think that's my next project :)

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

Huh, dress pants dungarees would make an excellent piece of adaptive clothing. :D Good idea! Particularly since if there is a suit with sleeve damage or front damage -- the most common kinds -- then you could simply use the back of the coat to make the bib part of the dress dungarees.

I have an interest in adaptive clothing because I've written several characters who make it and/or need it. But I had not thought of this version, so thanks.

[malinaldarose]

I'm a huge fan of being warm and those are adorable. I've taken, lately, to going out in the winter in sweatpants -- at least for quick errands -- and who care what anyone else thinks?

I am planning on doing the Snowflake Challenge, also. I did it last year for the first time and enjoyed it.

[galadhir]

Thank you! I have to say that apart from the pajama comment everyone else has been really positive (although I've had some strange looks.) But I quite agree, comfort has to be the first priority, and sweatpants sound like a great idea :)

[virgosplaining]

I love those, they're so cute! I'm glad they kept you comfortable and warm, too :)

[galadhir]

Thank you! I didn't expect that they'd get as much positive reaction as they have been getting. I thought I would have to weather more scorn, but so far the pajama comment was the worst of it :)