I like making things: June 2020

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Yay me!

It is now almost 6 weeks since the surgery. The past couple of weeks have shown a lot of progress for which I am very grateful.

First thing, this week I managed to cycle forwards on the recumbent bike. After weeks of trying, I finally made it.

The PT are happy with me, they were going to dismiss me but we talked about it and decided to wait until I saw the Doc on the 6th July, so just one visit from them next week then one after the doc visit.

I am mostly walking unaided. I do take a stick with me if we go away from the house but in and around the house it is all unaided.

I can now get up from a chair just using my legs, no pushing up with my arms.

And the icing on the cake was this morning, whilst listening to oldies, I started to dance and was in time to the music! Nothing drastic but definitely both legs were in action.

Most of the swelling has gone but there is still some numbness but it is usual so nothing to worry about.

I am now glad I got it done but I am certainly not considering getting the other one done any time soon lol.

Monday, June 15, 2020

There may be hope for me yet!

Today I ordered some baby yarn to knit a little cardigan for my good friend and neighbour's soon expected great grandson. She raised her grandson so is very close to him. We have known him since he was quite young so we are close to him too.

We attended his wedding last year and now their son is due next month.

I found a nice pattern online for a baby hoodie and printed it up and now eagerly await the yarn so I can start.

It is so good to think of something other than my knee. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Sunday, June 14, 2020

26 days post surgery

Things are improving every day. It still hurts but most of the swelling has gone down. The scar is ugly but that too will improve with time.

The physio is getting harder but definitely helps. The knee bending machine is due to go back any day, just waiting on a call from them to say they are coming to get it.

We bought a recumbent bike, we had to assemble it. I say we but my husband actually put it all together, I sat nearby and read out the instructions and passed him the nuts and bolts, he did all the hard work. I can't do a full turn yet so I just go back and forth as far as I can. Hopefully soon I will be able to do a full rotation.

The tightness in and around the knee is easing but it has not gone away fully yet.

Friday and Saturday I felt a bit down, feel a bit better today.

I am now able to lie on both my left and right sides but it isn't comfortable enough to sleep so still sleeping on my back.

I know that I wouldn't want to go through this again but I can see that eventually I will be glad I did. Not quite there yet.

I am back to doing some chores, my husband is doing more than me still in the house plus the outside stuff. I am trying to do as much as I can to lighten his load. Each day I can do a little more.

Our dishwasher quit. What timing eh! I need to research before getting a new one because we need one that can cope with low water pressure and flow. I have taken on all the dishwashing duties and do most of the cooking now.

My husband has been an absolute trooper, I could not have gone through this without his help, love and support. I am truly blessed.

Glad you stopped by

I started this blog in 2011: Ever since my Mum taught me to knit at the age of about six or seven I have made things. Back then it was doll clothes. I was also inspired by Mrs Levitt an elderly lady who had a sewing room in a conservatory type room on the back of her house. I would sit and watch her in awe as she sewed.

When I was a child living in England the school system was such that you started at 5 years, did two years in Infant School, then four years in Primary School then five to seven years in Secondary School, depending on whether you chose to stay on after fifth form to get qualifications to go to University. I can't remember much of the Infant school other than making the standard square doily thingy from fabric that had holes in it so you could embroider patterns into it. A bit like the modern day cross stitch fabric but with bigger holes and spaces to make it easy for small hands to use. I also remember with great joy getting a toy sewing machine one Christmas which sewed only chain stitch but I did make doll clothes on it and that was before I started Primary school. I do have very vivid recollections of Primary school and having sewing and knitting lessons. In Primary school I knitted gloves and made a dress from scratch hand sewing it all.

Secondary school continued on with sewing by which time I had progressed to using full sized sewing machines and was making more intricate skirts and dresses. My parents bought me a proper sewing machine when I was thirteen. I used that same machine right up until I emigrated to Canada at age forty six years.

I have always had a fascination for sewing machines and knitting machines. I bought my first knitting machine at around age twenty one from an ad in a newspaper for twelve pounds. I had absolutely no idea what one was just that I wanted one. I trundled on the bus to the address in the advert and handed over my twelve pounds having absolutely no idea what I had really bought. Fortunately it came with a manual. It was an aged Knitmaster, very basic and I loved it. I wore it out. Next was a Brother push button one which I didn't keep because it was at a time in my life when things were difficult. Later on in my life, around forty, when things were better I bought a brand new Brother punchard machine with a ribber attachment. I loved it and made many things. Life took a different turn, I moved countries twice and along the way, regrettably I sold it.

Now, through the universe's blessing I now have another machine. It is a vintage one because they stopped making them early 90's but works perfectly and I love it. So I decided to make this blog to document my knitting progress and include sewing projects.

In 2013: we embarked on a new hobby, leather-work. My husband got started with it and it drew me in. It is something we can do together. We have a workshop so have plenty of room to work. We added another workbench for me to work on in 2013. We already had one but we were tripping over each other both trying to work at it. We only make things we want to make. It is strictly a hobby. We made some things for our good neighbours who help us out a lot. I am also working on Christmas presents. So this blog now incorporates the leather-work. Knitting and sewing will always be my first love though.

Fast forward to 2023 and now age almost 75 years. I have seven sewing machines, four knitting machines, several ribber attachments and a garter carriage for one of the machines. I am blessed beyond words, but I know that I have more than enough machines to keep me going in my lifetime so I don’t think I will be adding to my collection any time soon……….unless a nice embroidery machine manifests itself very cheaply.

I am a Brit living in the USA, sometimes I spell like a Brit and sometimes like an American. Sometimes I use slang and even make grammatical errors. I blog for the pleasure of it and to record my endeavours in the event that my memory fades, as I am sure it will with more age. I will be able to look back and remind myself of the things I have made along the way. So please forgive my mistakes when reading about my life making things here in the hinterlands and I hope you get as much enjoyment from my blog as I do from reading the blogs I follow.