MMM Days 11 to 17 (Bored Yet?)

So here we are right in the middle of Me Made May.... are you bored yet?

11 May 2013 - nothing much to report.  I found myself dressed in old non-me-mades because it was Saturday and I was sewing at home.  But I am pleased to tell you that my jeans, t-shirt and shirt were all organic cotton, from Howies and Seasalt.

12 May 2013

 Happiness rating:   Very High
 Lisette Portfolio dress, oh how I love you and your pockets!  And by a stroke of serendipity the Artio shawlette picks up the lemon/lime flower in the print rather well.  To pin it in place, I dug out a handmade (not by me) brooch made from a shard of pottery found on a Scottish island beach :D

I wore this to the garden centre where I spent too much money on replenishing the herb garden (mostly lavender).  We now have a hard-digging "rough" gardener.  I wait for him to go home and then sneak out and plant things in the weeded areas.  Sadly,I have caught him trying to bury weeds instead of removing them, so FL got the job of having a man-to-man "quality control" talk with him, which turned into a practical demonstration of "how to dig".  I won't tell you how long it took FL to recover his breath.  Sigh.

13 May 2013

Happiness rating:    Increasingly happy as the day wore on (without creases!)

It's about time I wore my Chardon skirt!  I had to get up early to iron my South Riding blouse, but I think it was worth it.  I felt a bit like a 1940's pre-teen party-goer in this outfit.  Anne from the Famous Five?  (I always wanted to be George.) Someone in the Flickr group said it reminded her of Snow White - LOL.  Certainly the right era!  So I threw my cowboy boots on to toughen things up a bit.  Good news to report - this linen hardly creases at all - wowee!

Cardigan:  Betty Jean McNeil

14 May 2013

Happiness rating:  Bonus points for amusing others.

I have never worn this skirt before.  It is so RED and didn't seem to work with any of my tops.  But I had never tried it with my new violet and black Renfrew - success!  With toning tights, it is less glaringly bright (humour me) and I enjoy the shape.
Suspender straps take a lot of getting used to.  This is them crossed at the back, which hoists the hem upwards by a good inch if not two.  When I sit down... yeah.  Even higher.  But uncrossed they threaten to slip off the shoulder.  At this height, the waist is up on my rib cage which makes me look taller and slimmer, which is an illusion I rather like to cultivate ; )
However, this was not the ideal outfit for climbing on a chair to open the window in the hospital waiting room.  The NHS should employ me as a clown to entertain the aged and infirm:  if I'm not knitting a sock I'm performing aerial acrobatics in a short red skirt - woo hoo!

15 May 2013

Happiness Rating:  Medium to High

So it's cold again.  But I found my caravan curtain-print Renfrew - yay!  It was folded up neatly in the stash suitcase. (Why?) I am so glad it wasn't sent to landfill in a pile of threadbare towels!  Mad tights are becoming a theme this Me Made May.

 Cardigan:  Audrey in Unst

16 May 2013... and 17 May 2013 (spot the difference?)

Thursday

 Happiness rating:  Higher on Friday than Thursday

Who remembers this skirt then? It's my 1950's pattern Rockabilly Rose. It is very comfortable, crease-resistant and a "safe" colour for polite days at work, but because it is about 3 inches too big, it sits on my hip instead of my waist and is far too long.  If I hoist it up (first picture), you can see how it could look if I wasn't too lazy to fix it.  I have never tried wearing it with this cardigan or tops before.  Not bad, if a bit frumpy.

Worn with my Aestlight shawl and lime cashmere vintage cardi (a gift from a friend).

Friday

On Friday, I had to get up at 5.30am to travel to Edinburgh for a work meeting.  I needed to be comfortable, smart-casual and "appropriate".  So I revisited Thursday's outfit and exchanged the purple Renfrew for the red one.  Also seen:  farm-children print bag handmade by Cotton and Cloud before she became a famous knitting pattern designer, granny's not-jet beads, and alarmingly pink RTW coat, bought in a sale about 3 years ago (it could be 4) and saved for occasions when I think I need to look like a grown-up.
Because this outfit did what I wanted it to, it scored pretty high, even though this is not my ideal self-image.  Interesting.

A Pair of Sole Mates

My knitting has reached an interesting stage where I find myself with two single socks, His and Hers.

First to arrive in the singles club was Ms Chelsea Morning, who has been sitting waiting for her toes to be kitchenered for... um... two weeks?  She has been perched on a high stool sipping cocktails awaiting her sole-mate.  Her real name is Waffle Cream, but she thinks Chelsea sounds more sophisticated. After two weeks at the bar, she's just a tiny bit tipsy

She has all but given up hope of pairing up when suddenly...
 ... who should burst through the door but John Huston, Tarnished Hero, clutching the lonely hearts section of the listings magazine to his throbbing instep.

He has no time for pseudonyms or idle chitchat.
He walks right up to her, beer in hand:  "Hey Girl,"  he breathes in a husky voice,"You look mighty warm-hearted and squeezable.  Would you like to to rub your toes on my rippling twisted stitches?"
 

 "Oh my!"  gasps Chelsea, swooning into her Butterscotch Milk Punch.
"A Guardian reader!  I bet you're a feminist too!"

"Uh huh," leers John,  "I won't ever expect you to shave your legs or paint your nails!"
"But...will you do your own washing?"  she asks, breathless with anticipation.
"You better believe it, babes!"  he chuckles.
"And darning?"
"I like nothing better!"
"My Hero!"  she squeals, tumbling into his woolly embrace.

 And may they live happily ever after....

Hospital Update: Shifting Focus

Today, the Haematology department was in chaos. The waiting rooms were both full.  There were patients in the corridors.  I counted only 3 doctors and they didn't seem to be making any headway with the backlog of patients. BUT... this worked out well for FL, because instead of seeing a grumpy stressed doctor for 5 minutes at the most, he was diverted to the Macmillan cancer support nurse, G, who gave him / us a good 20 minutes of one-to-one attention.

When G drew me aside and asked me if FL would be happy to see him instead of a doctor, I have to admit my heart sank and I assumed the worst.  I thought we were going to be told his treatment was over and... yeah.  And I do still wonder if there was an underlying element of preparation in this appointment.  A shift of focus from purely clinical chemical intervention to a consideration of the palliative options?

Because FL's numbers continue to worsen. Although this month's increase is much smaller than last time, it is still going in the wrong direction.  G was keen to hear about how FL was feeling, and because it was G-The-Compassionate and not the doctor, FL told him exactly how it has been:  the all-consuming fatigue, chronic constipation, loss of feeling in his feet, and the general sense that he is gradually becoming less well.

And G listened and asked questions and listened some more, and then offered FL a host of new possibilities to think about.  Would he like to attend a fatigue management course at the local hospice?  How about an appointment for a free foot and leg massage?  A free podiatry appointment?  How about G talking to the doctor and asking to vary his dose of steroids so that he has less of a crash on a Friday / Saturday / Sunday?

And the answer to all of these suggestions was: "Yes, please, why not?"
Because FL is ready to try anything to improve his quality of life, knowing as he does that when they DO stop his current treatment, there isn't another drug left on the menu, so he needs to get himself in the best possible place mentally as well as physically, just in case this is the top of the slippery slope.

The Numbers:
Last month:
FL's Freelite score had gone up to 93 (from 35.7 the previous month and a "steady" 30 something for the several months previous to that).  We were previously warned that if the magic number hit 100, he would be taken off the chemo regime.

His kidney function was also showing a gradual deterioration, with creatinine measuring 131, compared to 126 the previous month, 122 before that... all the way back to 97 in November.
His blood was showing elevated calcium levels.

This month's update: 
Freelite score up again to 96
Kidney function "no worse than" last time.
Less calcium in blood (this is good)
Liver function "suggests he had a glass of wine last night, but definitely not 16 pints of beer"
Indications of an allergic response to something - could be hay fever?

Summary:
Another blood sample sent off to Birmingham for the Freelite test.

Another appointment next month.
Keep taking the tablets.
And actually - this is all manageable.
We are fine.

Weekend Makings

It was all very well having a holiday last Monday, but being back at work just felt so hard.
Not helped by FL greeting my tales of work woes with: "You should threaten to resign!".  Oh yeah, that would help - you actually think anyone would care?!  Ahem.

So  I curled up with my comfort knitting, and finally finished the first section of my Kex Blanket - hooray!  I got out all my balls of Scottish Aran Tweed to assess the available yardage and determine colours for the next section.  It took a whole evening to pick up the stitches, but now I am making good progress.
 
I have been itching to sew.  That's been the root of my weekday evening discontent - even though it is still light at 8pm, after doing my dog-duties it just feels too late to drag out the sewing machine and get going on a new project.  Tsk.  Pull yourself together, Roo!

So this weekend I made a start on not one but TWO skirts using fabric from the depths of the stash  - yay!

 

Unfortunately, it is so long since I planned to sew this Betsey Johnson skirt out of blue herringbone linen, I have long since scavenged the special red bandana print bias binding I bought for this project, (using it for my Tribute to Jane shorts) and have had to pause while I find something similar for the hem facing. 

This is the inside edge of the front pockets.   I need another 3 metres of binding for the hem,  I think red with white polka dots will do nicely!
I am making the blue skirt with red topstitching... in blue with red topstitching.  How original!

I was inspired by another Me-Made-May participant to revive this project.  VeryKerryBerry popped up in the Flickr group wearing a gorgeous linen wrap skirt which she made from a 1970's pattern.  "Ooh!  I could do that!" I thought.  And so I am, sort of - but mine has ties rather than buttons at the waist.  And I suspect that mine will be more of an apron than a skirt, because my linen is a bit too thin for decency.

This month's Country Living magazine has a similar vibe going on.  I might need a headscarf :D


But having run out of binding, I have set this skirt aside for today and made a start on my watermelon linen Chardon.  No pictures of that yet - you'll have to come back another day!

MMM days 5 to 10

You already saw what I wore on 5 May - my mad pink trousers came out to play again, while I was sewing a couple of Renfrews.

I'm sorry to be lazy, but if you want to know more about an individual garment, just search my blog - I have a dog to walk and a blanket to knit!

6 May 2013  True Roo the Car Mechanic
Happiness Rating:  A comfortable High

Is this a sickle I see before me?

Temperature: An astonishing 15C and climbing
Sources of Happiness:  This is the Real Me.  If I didn't have to work where I do, I would dress like this all the time.  Bright buttons!  Comfy shoes!  Leggings!  Purple!  Beads!  Yup.  This is True Roo.
Me-made:  Darling Ranges dress in organic cotton / bamboo mix fabric, Audrey in Unst cardigan in locally-spun yarn, Mad Budgie socks.  Not me-made but handmade bead necklace from Silly Old Suitcase.


It was a Bank Holiday and for once I actually took the day off (I usually go to work and add the day to my summer holidays).
After helping FL change the wheel on his car (in the sense that he sat on a picnic chair and called out instructions while I manipulated jacks and wheel-nut-undoing-devices - hark at me, I HAZ SKILLZ!) we went out for lunch at Touched by Scotland.

We had to wait for a table, so I had a look round the craft shop and the newly-located, much-shrunken Wool Shed.  I hope they manage to keep going - they have such lovely yarns, but it does feel a bit squashed.  I don't know where their stock is hiding.  No, I didn't buy anything, but was sorely tempted by Grampian Alpacas DK.  Mmmm - soft!

7 May 2013  Actually Rather Nice
Happiness Rating:  Quite High

Temperature: Variable between the foggy coast (11C) and sunny inland (15C)
Sources of Happiness:  Red buttons!  "Oh look, this dress fits me much better than I remembered - it's actually rather nice!"  Comfortable boots.  But really - should I be wearing ankle boots with a summer-weight dress?  I had a shoe crisis about this. Tsk.
Me-made:  Darling Ranges dress with adjusted bust darts (see original post), Japanese pattern black jacket, red Percy shawl (in self-defence against coastal fog-chill).

8 May 2013  Rosacea in Red
Happiness Rating: Medium?

Temperature: 9C  (yeah, that's the end of double-figure temperatures I reckon!)
Sources of Happiness (or otherwise):  I'm feeling a bit meh about this combination, despite expecting it to be a "staple" outfit when I made the red top.  It's just a bit... boring?  I think the top looks best tucked in, but that exposes the gap between the waistband and the next button.  I need to add a snap fastener under there.  And I am tired of the black jacket already.  It is my cardigan-substitute, but it's not as warm or comforting as something woolly.  Which is why I wore my Ishbel shawl on top.  There's not much energy here.  It could do with some accessorising - red beads?  Interesting earrings?  Wilder shoes?  Or am I just pissed off that my rosacea is flaring up?  I can't actually blame my clothes for that : (
Me-Made:  Printed jersey Kelly skirt; red Renfrew top; black Japanese pattern cotton jacket;  Ishbel bfl shawl.

9 May 2013  Boyle's Law
Happiness Rating:  High... until I saw the photo

There are blue stockings and there are bluestockings...

Temperature:  7C
Sources of Happiness (or otherwise):  These separates were always intended to be worn together.  The violet and black lace-print Renfrew was made with this skirt in mind, and I do think they work well together, and with the black jacket.  The crazy tights were inevitable.  But when I looked at the pictures, I was disappointed - it's all a bit "straight up and down".  I don't look fat and I don't look thin, but I look dangerously middle-aged and not quite female.  Even with my tidier haircut, I feel myself drifting into Susan Boyle-before-her-makeover territory.  Is this inevitable?  Do all women start to look like men in drag at a certain age?
My granny's not-jet beads lifted it a bit, but...
Me-Made:  Ginger skirt in UV-lilac cord;  violet and black lace print Renfrew;  Black cotton japanese pattern jacket (yawn!); shetland lace triangle shawl.

10 May 2013 Tilda Roolz
Happiness Rating:  Medium, revised to High

It was the wind, I swear!

Temperature:  6C with winter coat on in the morning and then suddenly "hot" in the afternoon
Sources of Happiness (or otherwise):  This morning I had a bit of a meltdown.  I could not face wearing that black jacket again and I was feeling rebellious towards frumpy skirt-age.  So I returned to an old favourite combination, seen in at least two previous self-stitched challenge rounds.  But you know what?  There's a reason why I wore it then, and that I ought to wear it now:  the proportions work.  A short cardi with wide trousers makes my legs look longer, and me taller.  I am 5 foot 3.  Yes, really.  In this outfit I am Tilda Swinton and I am ten feet tall.  THIS sort of androgyny roolz. I am also wearing my bird-cage necklace which never fails to make me smile, though it definitely lacks any handmade credentials. My feet were too hot in the afternoon.
Me-Made:  Betsey Johnson 1970's trousers; Sencha in Liberty tana lawn; Audrey-in-Unst cardigan.  A friend knitted the shawl (Christine!)


How am I feeling right now?
I just went back and gave each of my outfits to date a score out of ten.  I won't tell you the results yet, but it's not what I expected.
Sometimes I over-think.
Sometimes I just wish I had fewer, but better, clothes.
A self-designed uniform?
A different job.
TGIF

Yes, Hero, I'm coming!

FO x 2: A Pair of Renfrews

Remember my Desert Island patterns interview over at ScruffyBadgertime?
This weekend I lived the dream!
OK, so I didn't find myself stranded somewhere exotic... but I definitely tried to shut out the world and devote myself to sewing!

 And what better pattern to choose than the Renfrew?
 Not just once...
 But twice!

Part of my plan for Me Made May is to replace the unethical shop-bought items in my wardrobe with me-made staples.  Long-sleeved t shirts are items I can't seem to live without.  They go under cardis all year round and sometimes, when the sun shines (gasp!), they get out on their own.

There's not much more to be said on the subject of the Renfrew pattern.  It is a simple long-sleeved top with the perfect scooped neck (in View A - the one I always make!).  After this weekend's adventures, I realised I now have 7 of these.  One for every day of the week - woo hoo!

Stats:
Pattern:  Sewaholic Renfrew, size 2 in view A, without sleeve or hem bands.
Fabric:  Red cotton jersey from Croft Mill, leftover from a previous project, probably about £6 for the metre used.
And:  Organic cotton jersey from Truro Fabrics in a lovely deep aubergine / midnight blue, £9.99 for a metre.
Other:  Scraps of bias binding used to stabilise the shoulders on the inside:  lilac gingham on the purple one and red and white polka dots on the red : )

Process:
I cut them out and I sewed them up!
The only issue I had was that my aubergine fabric was slightly warped, requiring extra care in laying out the pattern.  As a result, I lost about an inch off the length of the sleeves, squeezing them into the space left after cutting the back and front pieces.  Looking at these pictures, they seem fine - phew!

Verdict?

There is no doubt I will wear these until they fall apart.
They are bread-and-butter garments, in colours that work well with many other items in my wardrobe.
Plain.  Simple.  Mission accomplished.

Worn with:  Lisette Portfolio pants,  Simplicity 2245

A Me-Made Weekend Garden Tour

FL:  Are you going into town like that?
Me:  Mmm hmm...
FL:  Ha!  You're brave!

May 4th 2013
Happiness rating: Sky-high
Temperature: 9C
Sources of Happiness:  That would be the PINK!  And that even though the shirt is not me-made it is organic denim (Howies) found second-hand on ebay for peanuts.  And the shoes are Eco-Sneaks, made entirely from repurposed materials - high five, ethical peeps!
Me-made:  Pink cord Betsey Johnson pattern trousers, Butterick 3289
and my Dotty Socks.

And then there was gardening... NOT in my best pink trousers!
Pretty much everything has died over the winter... except the weeds.
I need help and I am willing to pay for it.  Hard digging is beyond me.

Sink-based gardening is much more manageable!
These are at the side of the house.

 Mama Duck has moved house.
I think she may have taken the kids down to the pond to meet daddy.

 Everything looks better when the sun shines!

The farmer has been in spraying the fields.  I disapprove of chemical weedkillers, but it's not up to me.
I don't usually show this view.  The ricketty fence encloses my herb garden.  That gravelled area on the right belongs to the neighbours, 3 sets of them.  So my weedy garden is basically right beside their front doors.  Oops!

And this is MY front garden! ; )