Thanks for all the advice ladies. I’m going to work on my UFOs for 3 months. During this time I’ll figure out what I want to make. And which patterns to use. Probably start with a very easy pattern. And of course I had already purchased patterns that were my dress size not my correct size.

Thank you everyone. I joined Seamwork and made their Knox pattern. This was very easy. Now I’m making an easy simplicity top pattern. I’m using fabric from thrift stores I bought many years ago. Kind of like Scarlett in Gone with the Wind or Maria in the Sound of Music. The next thing I work on will probably include an invisible zipper. It’s really fun.

Great looking outfit! You look so happy in it. Looks like you are on your way to more cute clothes to hang in your closet. I sewed pretty much all my clothes from Jr. High school until I was about 50 yrs. old. Then I got hooked on quilting & never went back to clothes. Show us your next one soon!

Your outfit is amazing, and you look ready to tackle another!
My DD made her own form to fit. She put on a t shirt and had a friend assist wrapping the entire shirt in Duct Tape! Then carefully cut up the side to remove her new "form". She definitely thinks outside the box!

Okay a tip from a lazy sewist/quilter. I go look in the clearance section of RTW (ready-to-wear) stores, buy an item that fits me well, take it home and take it apart. Then I make a pattern from it (using freezer paper, which I prefer because I can iron the pattern pieces to my chosen fabric and cut it out, instead of pinning. See - I told you I was lazy! 😆 )
I once bought an Eddie Bauer blouse on clearance for $4 and have made probably 10-12 blouses with that as my pattern. Since it already fits me, I don't bother with making a muslin. And I can change small things such as the length of the sleeves, the hemline, the collar, etc.

My body is "non-standard" - and I finally came to the realization that things need to be modified/ altered. I kept buying pattern after patern thinking that might solve the problems.

Nope.

If you Are also "non-standard" - if you can find someone to help identify variances - that could be helpful.

I'm 65 & have been making my own clothes since I was in high school. I was a size zero back then & the smallest size I could find was a 6, so I had to alter all my clothes. I've never been able to buy a pattern & make it fit right, so I take apart a top, jeans, etc., that I like the fit & use freezer paper to make a pattern. I even make my own undies. I've ripped apart my husbands 40 year old jackets, with zip out linings, & made new. You name I've ripped it apart. The hard part these days is finding good apparel fabrics. Today's fabrics are nothing like they were 50 years ago, heck 20 years ago. Many fabrics today are not woven straight, the stretch is the opposite it was back then, etc. Today's fabrics also don't shrink the same direction they used to, so I over lock the edges & wash them first.

Happy sewing :).