Moving On, Slowly

I started to write a blog post and then realised it sounded as if I felt sorry for myself and rather defeatist in attitude. That’s not at all how I feel so I’m trying to rewrite. I may not be able to publish if it still sounds awful. I’m really feeling quite positive.

As you may know, I've fractured the 5th metatarsal of my left foot. The footballer's injury. There was no major trauma, but I fell as a result of the fracture. (On my way into Camera Club last Tuesday) The fracture didn't require a cast or operative treatment thank goodness. I have to wear a moon boot for 6-8 weeks. I'll get used to it but I'm finding the boot fiddly to fasten and uncomfortable for the moment; there is still a lot of bruising, swelling and pain. I don't have a crutch or stick. I've worked out that I need to wear a higher heel than usual on the good foot to try and level up my hips. I’ve chosen to wear wide legged trousers to fit over the boot. I need more of them, so a pair has climbed up my to do list, so to speak. To do list - at least one pair wide legged pants; need to identify and fit suitable pattern. Any ideas?

I've had to cancel a lot of events, of course - golf games, my rewilding walks and my circuits classes, none of which are possible for some weeks at least and a couple of sewing bees, though these will be possible in the near future. Last Sunday, I was supposed to be in Pickering at the 40s festival with my photography club. I could have travelled there (coach) but I cancelled as I didn't feel I could walk around taking photos or watching the events, especially as the weather was atrocious. David went and said the event was fabulous and really well organised and that we should go next year. It’s usually very busy but the weather led to it being much quieter than usual. David also said we should dress up for the event as that improves the experience. He’ll go as a 40s photographer and I’ll go as his assistant. Naturally, I’ll have to research an appropriate costume. Actually, I’d prefer something that I could wear at other times too, so we’ll see. To do list - research suitable 40s outfits. Should I include a raincoat? I enjoyed looking through the Instagram tag photos.

I need to rest more than usual (I'm usually constantly on the go so this is no bad thing) to aid the healing. I've been reading more and watching more TV, though I still haven't managed to catch up with any of The Bodyguard or Killing Eve which I gather are well worth watching. I’ve been doing a bit of pattern and magazine culling. I thought I'd do a lot more sewing but that hasn't happened as yet. I'm finding the positions a bit uncomfortable and I need to have my foot up a bit.

There are positives here. As you may know, David has had his driving licence revoked on medical grounds for another few months still. I have been doing a lot more driving. Fortunately, I drive an automatic car so I'm still relatively mobile as long as the journey isn’t too long and there's not too much walking at the other end. It could have been the other foot - bye bye driving. It could have been a hip or worse. This is seen, clearly, as a fairly trivial injury (not by me though!). Being older, healing is likely to take a lot longer than those youngsters and footballers who get this injury.

I usually go to 2 sewing bees each week, in term time. As they involve different people, I like to keep projects separate though that doesn't always work out. I had missed some of both sewing bees even before the fracture because of other commitments - in fact I wasn't going back to the Wednesday bee until the 24th anyway and hopefully I'll get there then. I'm not going to try this Wednesday (not now playing golf) as there is quite a bit of walking while carrying things to get into the studio and I'm not ready for that. I'm hoping I'll feel able to go to the Thursday bee. There is less walking involved with that.

On return to Wednesday sewing bee in September, I decided to further modify the Cashmerette Concord pattern and make the tunic version with side slits and V neck. I also added more height to the sleeve cap. The top is nearly finished but I think the sleeves need adjustment at the armscye so I'm waiting until I see Rory in a couple of weeks. I found the V neck rather difficult. Overall, I'm fairly pleased with the top - it's wearable - and VERY glad I raised the V of the neck as even so it’s almost too low for comfort.  I could certainly improve things on my next version but it’s wearable. The V neckline is a little loose - I’ve finished it and overlocked the seam allowances together so I’m not going to redo it. There may be another solution. I’ve tried steaming. Perhaps insert some elastic? 

I haven't managed to stitch around the neckline to hold down the SAs as yet. Basted just now.
You can see it could do with being a bit tighter

Perhaps because of my changes to the pattern, I found the side vents very tricky to do and had to do them differently from the instructions to make them work. They look ok. 

Out of focus sorry. Shows top stitching (I don't have a coverstitch machine).
They're a bit spread apart in this quickly snatched phone photo.

Once I get the sleeves sorted, it’s going to be in my wardrobe and used.

This with a V neck

Bottom one but with a V neck

My last sewing post was about tissue fitting a shirt/blouse which I abandoned in favour of a standard toile. I modified the pattern following that. On Sunday past, I cut out the back and the front. That was all I could manage. I'm using fashion fabric - a blue grey chambray. I can't remember whether I adjusted the sleeves at all so I'll need to have a look at them next - fortunately they're 2 piece sleeves which give a lot of fitting opportunity. I haven't touched the collar yet.

I also have a shirt dress started a few weeks ago. At the time I had run out of suitable toile material (hard to believe if you see my fabric collection) and my sew-jo was particularly low. That's coming back a bit now. I'll finish the shirt first though.

We had the feedback from our entered digital images at Camera club last week. I received some nice comments on one of my images and positive criticism on both. Neither of us gained a ‘commended’. I’ve been getting some images prepared for a print competition (tonight). David is entering 2 black and white and two colour, the maximum allowed. I’m not entering any B&W. One image was suitable but the print, sadly, looked awful.  I totally lack experience in making good prints and have no experience of using some of the software that is considered mandatory these days. I had 4 that I thought would make reasonable choices for the colour option. David is kindly mounting them for me - I had the wrong idea about what mounting was as I thought it was like underlining where  you mount that on your fabric. The prints look so much better mounted. I guess it’s a bit like presentation of food - so important. I’m not expecting to get anywhere, though David might with his. I finally decided on a Mull seascape and a wall mosaic - the two I decided against were the colourful Mull houses and a single tulip. They can be used in the future. I’m a little anxious about going to club because of what happened last week but I’ll take my time and I should be fine. The club is in a pub and we’ll have something to eat there. I'm not going to show my photos yet as there may be something that says they shouldn't have been published previously

Next month, at a time when I will still have my moonboot on, I have a long weekend in the Lakes with my Bridge Club. I won’t be able to walk as much as we usually do on in our free time on these bridge playing events but there are lots of shops including essential coffee shops. I don’t think there are any fabric shops though we’ll no doubt call in at Linton Tweeds for lunch on the way there. The dress code is smart casual so hopefully I'll manage to get those wide legged trousers done. I have plenty of suitable tops. David doesn’t play bridge, but he will be able to explore during the day - normally I would have joined him, and we could have driven further afield, but there is also a bridge session in the afternoon so I’m likely to join in that.

I still have quite a few events in the next week that I will be going to, but I have cut down - really, I have. I hope that sewing will feel more comfortable in the next few days.