Tuesday 16 October 2018

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.


8 comments:

  1. You do not sound as if you feel sorry for yourself at all! Looks like you have great plans to keep yourself entertained, I hope you can find a way to sew more comfortably. Best wishes for a quick recovery!

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    1. Thank you. I'm glad. We just got back from Camera club and I could feel quite intimidated by the fabulous work of some of the other members (in comparison to my own that is)but I'm just enjoying it. We have a small group activity over the next 6 months to which we all contribute and I'm looking forward to that. I'm sore tonight; the bruising is still developing but I hope to be sewing in a few days. No gardening though except maybe deadheading roses.

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  2. Take your time and you will heal, maybe you will find some other actvities you enjoy you never imaged? (adult colouring books, watercolour, beading/jewellery, origami, crochet etc) sometimes when I feel unwell I like to re-read old childhood books for a nice dose of nostalgia and escapism.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Time is the key! Your ideas are sound. I have some knitting to do. I love reading. Other than crochet, which I haven't done, those other things have been on my radar at one time or another.
      I'm having problems commenting on your blog - I've resorted to liking in bloglovin on a few occasions as that was all I could do. Maybe I've time now to work out why!

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  3. More frustrated perhaps??? You are doing the right thing doing what you can do, and postponing the rest. In a few months this will be behind you. Just move and do as much as you can to keep motivated - othewise it will be hard to start up again when the boot is off!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Your words are wise. I agree absolutely with your last sentence as I've experienced that in different circumstances. I do feel pretty motivated but have to choose a sensible direction!

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  4. Not feeling sorry for yourself at all. I had bunion surgery 8/22 - after 6 weeks in wheelchair I have a walking cast aka moon boot. I'm slowly trying to transition into shoes. While I had the cast on I wore the japanese gardening pants that I'd made on a whim. I also had 2 pair of cotton oneseams (L. Cuttings) that would go over the cast. The moon boot - I just tuck the pants inside. It is my right foot so no driving and so far no sewing. However, I'm going to try to sew later today or tomorrow.
    Marcia

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I'm glad you're progressing and hope you manage the transition to ordinary shoes without to much problem. Yes, I'm fortunate that it's my left foot so I can still drive short distances - longer ones wouldn't be comfortable. Good luck with the sewing when you try. I'm going to try to go to sewing bee today for a little while as it's the last before the mid term break.

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