Multi Textured Vest from Fiberwood Studio - Done!

Wow!  

I have to say I really love the way this looks.  Thanks, Fiberwood Studio, I can’t remember being more pleased with a project.  I am truly thankful I expanded the back a bit and opted for a longer length, but since I haven’t blocked it yet, this might be one of those garments you could also block into any alterations you may need.  

The drape of the Feza Alp Natural is wonderful, the texture fascinating, and it makes the perfect backdrop for a stunning shawl pin.  Under a tank or tee on a warm day (as it’s pictured here) or over a shirt or turtleneck in cooler weather, this piece has exactly the versatile, season-less quality I anticipated.  Today I have it paired with an awesome total-bargain outlet mall find of white jeans, and I am strutting around the house insanely pleased with myself.

You may be wondering what that thing is on my left arm.  It’s my favorite health gadget, a BodyMedia FIT.  A friend describes it as “a pedometer on steroids,” for it is essentially a multitasking metabolic transponder.  It tracks my steps, heart rate, how many calories I burn, etc., every day.  Then, when I plug it into my computer and match it with the food I manually track on the BodyMedia website (and my iPhone), it tells me the simple truth about my caloric state: more calories eaten than burned (bad), or more calories burned than eaten (good).  Since I can’t lie to my metabolic system, (and I try not to lie to my food tracker), it keeps me accountable.  The folks at BodyMedia have not given me any free goodies or special favors for this endorsement.  This is a pure, “I love this product” opinion.

Why does it belongs here?  Here’s why:  I’m one of those people whose major passions--knitting, writing, reading--are all sedentary.  With a 50-year-old metabolism (not to mention a fondness for chocolate and cupcakes), I have to fight hard to even hold my weight steady.  I can’t boast of an impressive weight loss (only 8 lbs), but I am healthier, more active, and I haven’t gained any weight in the year I’ve worn it.  For a lady who spends a lot of her best hours sitting down, that’s a victory.  Just in case your lifestyle looks a bit--or a lot--like mine.