Resting is a LOT of work. It's going to be a long month and possibly longer. Maybe with lots of practice, I'll get better at it. For most of the weekend, I knit. On Monday, I read and rested. On Tuesday, a friend was here for the day and we talked, knit, sewed, and went for lunch. On Wednesday and Thursday, I worked in the studio and I have a finished dress to show - YES YES.
The procedure on my hip went well. Trying to work with the tension bandages did not. I am way too curvy for stretchy things to stay put. The bandage either rolled up, rolled down, came apart, or fell off so I eventually switched to shaper pantyhose, cut the feet off, and wore those... for the first six days... at which point I gave up because by then the swelling was back and my right thigh was already two inches bigger than my left.
When the radiologist looked at the ultrasound, he said, I know what you have - trochanteric bursa - which is the technical term for hip bursitis. Apparently right where my hip hit the stair nose is exactly where the bursa sack is. He says I've definitely injured it and possibly burst it and treatment ranges from cortisone shots to orthopedic surgery depending.
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The confusing part for me was that the trochanteric bursa is on the side of the hip but not where the actual hip joint is. It's separated by tissue and bone. Who knew. I kept saying it's not on my hip plus a key point of diagnosis is that it's too sore to sleep on. Apparently, I have a high pain threshold because that's my favourite side.
The activities to avoid are the activities I've been doing in order to heal the hematoma only that turned out not to be the whole problem. It sounds like it was hematoma plus bursitis so... I'm still resting... avoiding hills... avoiding stairs... and playing in the studio while I wait to see the surgeon and discover what is next.
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Joyce, my neighbour across the street, is ninety. She shares a house with her daughter who is in her early sixties. Living together makes it possible for both of them to have a house and they seem to do quite well. Joyce enjoys her garden, flowers, walks and puttering in the yard. She also likes baking. I received a basket of biscuits warm out of the oven that I immediately added butter and honey to and enjoyed thoroughly.
I've been taken very good care of with calls, emails, and visits from friends and family. THANK YOU so much for all the well wishes after last Friday's post and for the understanding around Chloe. Now when I think of her, I think of her happy with Shirley and it's great.
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The dress is Vogue 9112, which they describe as an asymmetrical, seam-detail dress. Marcy calls it the Cirque dress. This garment either took a year or a day depending on your perspective. I cut it out in May 2015 to take to the Design Outside the Lines Retreat and then didn't work on it until yesterday when I sewed it from start to finish. It's a very simple and fun design.
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The fabric I used is an ancient piece from the stash - a black eyelet with two scalloped edges. I cut the collar with the scallop along the top edge and then cut off the rest to use someday. Apparently, someday was now. That's not usually how it goes.
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Here's what the collar looked like. The straight edge is where the finished edge would be. A length of scallop was cut extending from each edge and then turned and stitched in place with a narrow zigzag. The excess fabric underneath is trimmed away.
I made a video to show what I mean. If you have any feedback on how I can make these videos even better, I'd appreciate hearing it. They're fun to make and hopefully helpful.
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AND... this is what the collar looks like on the dress. It's very soft but the tucks give it body and help it stand and hold a shape. This fabric was in stash forever and ever and ever because I just couldn't think of what to make it with it and then I saw this pattern made up in white eyelet. I can't remember where or if that fabric had a scalloped edge but I'm really glad to have finally used my fabric with this pattern.
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Typically when I cut off a selvage, it ends up in stash waiting for an opportunity. After I'd sewn on the collar, I was looking for a way to finish the armholes and auditioning different binding options when the thought occurred to use the scallop on the armhole... and then on the hem... which took virtually all there was... and turned out perfect. How fun!
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Although I cut the dress out in a larger size, I was able to adjust the side seams to fit. Above are my two dress forms. My upper body now fits the one on the left. My lower body is probably somewhere in between. Counting calories and watching what I'm eating has been a bit harder this last couple weeks but moving to the smaller dress form is certainly encouraging.
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I knit a capelet for a friend who is going through a rough time. I'm hoping to take it to her today... if it's dry from blocking. It's a red merino wool/silk combination yarn and has three repeats of the lace pattern around the lower edge but otherwise it's the same as the teal one I made in December. Quick, easy, attractive and a warm hug because my friend is always cold.
An eyelet dress needs an under-dress. I want to work on that today and - hopefully - wear the dress on Saturday night to a "welcome home" party for a friend. If the weather is nice, that is. Right now, it's threatening rain which is bad for sleeveless dresses and excellent for studio time.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - possible hip solutions, a finished dress
The procedure on my hip went well. Trying to work with the tension bandages did not. I am way too curvy for stretchy things to stay put. The bandage either rolled up, rolled down, came apart, or fell off so I eventually switched to shaper pantyhose, cut the feet off, and wore those... for the first six days... at which point I gave up because by then the swelling was back and my right thigh was already two inches bigger than my left.
When the radiologist looked at the ultrasound, he said, I know what you have - trochanteric bursa - which is the technical term for hip bursitis. Apparently right where my hip hit the stair nose is exactly where the bursa sack is. He says I've definitely injured it and possibly burst it and treatment ranges from cortisone shots to orthopedic surgery depending.
The confusing part for me was that the trochanteric bursa is on the side of the hip but not where the actual hip joint is. It's separated by tissue and bone. Who knew. I kept saying it's not on my hip plus a key point of diagnosis is that it's too sore to sleep on. Apparently, I have a high pain threshold because that's my favourite side.
The activities to avoid are the activities I've been doing in order to heal the hematoma only that turned out not to be the whole problem. It sounds like it was hematoma plus bursitis so... I'm still resting... avoiding hills... avoiding stairs... and playing in the studio while I wait to see the surgeon and discover what is next.
Joyce, my neighbour across the street, is ninety. She shares a house with her daughter who is in her early sixties. Living together makes it possible for both of them to have a house and they seem to do quite well. Joyce enjoys her garden, flowers, walks and puttering in the yard. She also likes baking. I received a basket of biscuits warm out of the oven that I immediately added butter and honey to and enjoyed thoroughly.
I've been taken very good care of with calls, emails, and visits from friends and family. THANK YOU so much for all the well wishes after last Friday's post and for the understanding around Chloe. Now when I think of her, I think of her happy with Shirley and it's great.
The dress is Vogue 9112, which they describe as an asymmetrical, seam-detail dress. Marcy calls it the Cirque dress. This garment either took a year or a day depending on your perspective. I cut it out in May 2015 to take to the Design Outside the Lines Retreat and then didn't work on it until yesterday when I sewed it from start to finish. It's a very simple and fun design.
The fabric I used is an ancient piece from the stash - a black eyelet with two scalloped edges. I cut the collar with the scallop along the top edge and then cut off the rest to use someday. Apparently, someday was now. That's not usually how it goes.
Here's what the collar looked like. The straight edge is where the finished edge would be. A length of scallop was cut extending from each edge and then turned and stitched in place with a narrow zigzag. The excess fabric underneath is trimmed away.
I made a video to show what I mean. If you have any feedback on how I can make these videos even better, I'd appreciate hearing it. They're fun to make and hopefully helpful.
AND... this is what the collar looks like on the dress. It's very soft but the tucks give it body and help it stand and hold a shape. This fabric was in stash forever and ever and ever because I just couldn't think of what to make it with it and then I saw this pattern made up in white eyelet. I can't remember where or if that fabric had a scalloped edge but I'm really glad to have finally used my fabric with this pattern.
Typically when I cut off a selvage, it ends up in stash waiting for an opportunity. After I'd sewn on the collar, I was looking for a way to finish the armholes and auditioning different binding options when the thought occurred to use the scallop on the armhole... and then on the hem... which took virtually all there was... and turned out perfect. How fun!
Although I cut the dress out in a larger size, I was able to adjust the side seams to fit. Above are my two dress forms. My upper body now fits the one on the left. My lower body is probably somewhere in between. Counting calories and watching what I'm eating has been a bit harder this last couple weeks but moving to the smaller dress form is certainly encouraging.
I knit a capelet for a friend who is going through a rough time. I'm hoping to take it to her today... if it's dry from blocking. It's a red merino wool/silk combination yarn and has three repeats of the lace pattern around the lower edge but otherwise it's the same as the teal one I made in December. Quick, easy, attractive and a warm hug because my friend is always cold.
An eyelet dress needs an under-dress. I want to work on that today and - hopefully - wear the dress on Saturday night to a "welcome home" party for a friend. If the weather is nice, that is. Right now, it's threatening rain which is bad for sleeveless dresses and excellent for studio time.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - possible hip solutions, a finished dress