overdue update

I am trying to post content or at least positive updates. So first off I had a good sleep last night so that I can’t remember my dreams- this is a lovely stay cation from my mind 😉

I have taken all my jewels off my various pieces. There are not many of the brass filligree pieces left online so I might see if I can get a few of them as well.

And I am ready to tackle the difficult task of putting in a bit more support and frame up my Cleves hat (mutzger) for the old and new pearls.

And I decided to recreate a specific pattern of pearls for a belt (perlengurtel) and a specific pattern for the borstlappe.

I keep remembering specific sources I don’t have on my site yet, and I have spotted that all my images are now also categorised when they shouldn’t be. So I still have a bit of writing to do today.

Yesterday I was overwhelmed.

It was the fourth anniversary of the passing my Kitty Boo Bear and I had to have a big time out and then I was able to got bed at a time most people manage and had a very good sleep.

So today I’ll limit myself to adding in a few easy to add images and then see if I can draw that belt pattern and see if I can work out the borstlappe pattern.

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busy busy

While putting some more latex on Ahsoka and wetforming the knee cops I got a call to do a photoshoot today. Was able to put it off til tomorrow 🙂 It’s for the Herald article that I did a short interview for 🙂 So I’ve tidied up most of the issues with my frock, just need to whizz the chemise under a sewing machine. Or I can sew by hand for when I do eventually hand finish it. Hmmm…..

I’ve been watching Elementary today to do so and been able to do some back stretches again! Physio for my rib was pretty much to loosen all the muscles that tightened during all the flinching and flu while the break was healing.

I’ve obviously also been very wary of stretching and especially using props due to how I injured my rib in the first place. I’m a bit concerned about bone density as it has been treated before, and has everything to do with medication and disuease full stop.

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finally progress

Ahsoka has really been overly difficult. I know all the techniques I’m using well so why it has gone so badly I do not know. Well yes I do.

So it really is my health. Take tonight for example. I am not fit for doing anything right now. I need to go to bed. This time tonight is “wasted” because I can’t do anything productive. But I also have this horrible issue of insomnia.

I’m too tired to do anything but I am far too awake to sleep.

And I can’t even “reset” by going to bed later. Anything I do in this physical state has a higher cost that even my normal. So I really can’t stay up later a few nights. That is several hours extra use of my physical resources. And I can’t catch up on it except by rest.

That said. The B12 injection has been great. I may see if I can get another this week instead of fortnightly. Which I am allowed to do. I may see if next week helps, then do fortnightly for a couple of months then a maintenance monthly shot.

Oh the trick to these? bend arm at elbow and pretend to play a keyboard. Tricks the nerves. At least for long enough to let it settle 🙂

I have also passed the printing on to someone else. I know everything I need to do for it and I cannot get it done in time. I need to set the temp higher and make/buy a cover so that the heat is maintained. So thanks to the hobbyist community I save a good week of watchinbg my printer. I still don’t trust a machine that heats up as high as it does!

 

But further to progress: the montral are curing. Thank goodness. Still going to be a few days.

I have new tunic fabric. It’s very slippery so internal knickers have been cut as well.

I think I can use my scrap faux suede for the underbelt- the one that fits fairly closely.

The leatherwork I have done looks good and I have enough paints, sealer, and cleaner.

And there is a seam up the back of the greaves and darnit I’m going to cut right up the back regardless of the impossible continuous upper section. Why??????

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So that rib

Turns out it’s broken, healing but broken. Cartilage does not show up on xrays though and here is weirdness at the jon between bone and cartilage so I will ask for further investigation.

As for what can be done… nothing. Pain relief. But nothing.

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very sore indeed

I may have to face the fact that my infusions are wearing out and I need to get ahead of the pain rather than treat it as it happens. I can hardly walk at the moment due to weirdness. I think it’s a mix of nerve pinching and muscle wasting after that nasty nasty bug.

I’m wearing heavy boots, it’s true but that’s also to try and build up strength again. I tried going for a walk and got to the end of the street and wanted to go back home :/ And today it was just the length of the drive! I’ve been standing and doing things but actually walking- my legs feels half numb like I’ve been sitting on my knees for a while!

But my wrists are also really acting up (note- hand surgeon appointment next month) and I’m sore all over like with the flu. So that’s usually the start of a big flare. But I don’t want to take steroids. I may try upping my Leflunomide again. Right yes. It’ll take longer but will last longer.

 

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a recommendation- health

So for regular readers or those who simply land on my site or page can tell, I don’t do paywalls, nor sponsorship. I want to be free to promote things that have really made an impact 🙂 I don’t like putting bad feedback out there as it is so permanent and may still be around even when a manufacturer/seller does make changes.

Anyway. This post is brought to you because I am upright after figuring out how to arrange my pillows so I could breathe last night and that I am remaining upright thanks to a nasal spray that actually works- it’s a bit stingy as it has tea tree in it but well.. This is the first time I have painlessly reduced congestion from a cold ever.

So it’s Fess.

I may have used it it little differently because I found the spray actually did the thing it’s supposed to and with nasal passages so full that you can’t breath that’s impressive.

So I sprayed, cleared into a tissue, and repeated because I was so congested.

Anyway, my nose was not happy the first time I used this as the tea tree oil is very astringent. but it does have moisturising agents so it didn’t last for long. It also did sting my tonsils- yes it really does clear congestion that much! But wow.

Okay so it’s so good I need to be careful to not over use it 😉

Oh and it leaves a pleasant taste. And everything also smells slightly minty. And that is indeed a wonder while leaking germs!

 

For those curious about the pillows- I have a habit of rolling on to my back at night- usually not good but actually the only way to breathe while the virus is super active. So I used a feather pillow to make supports for my head and my normal pillow for my upper back and shoulders to keep my head raised. A tiny bit cheaper than those electric head options though man.. they seem like the perfect future bed option.

 

So I am going to attempt to have a day of gentle sewing catch up 🙂

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the steroid shot has worked

While I wouldn’t say it’s a cure it has helped decrease local swelling to the point I can genuinely test what is going on.

http://www.fprmed.com/Pages/Trauma/Costochondral_Seperation.html

Go down two more ribs and that’s where mine is. I finally was able to do a very gentle test of the hook manoevre and I did at least find the natural edge of the cartilage curve 🙂 And it moves with breathing.

I can even sit upright for a while now :0 Breathing is weird as the muscles that attach to that rib feel stretched and so also feel like they are cramping. So I don’t want to move it all too much.

 

Also that amount of inflammation set of a mini relapse of my RA, and also ummm… inflammation in the abdomen. But I think that has settled as well.

 

Still a long road to recovery. And there is a lot of mixed information out there about treatment.

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whoops, fell into a research rabbit warren

In order to figure out history of the gown I wound up with dozens of reference notes about the production of garments and how there are multiple copies and why.

I still haven’t found the specific references I want (all secondary atm) but enough to feel confident in several statements made.

But there are some conflicting descriptions of materials, I have my suspicions about why so will also have to discuss those.

So yeah. I can now start the day and do things.

 

But I also will have my abs juice ready to go today and the latex work of yesterday will hopefully pay off today. Unless it didn’t adhere in what case I get to strip the base back and redo it. IsoPro does work but it is a PITA to time correctly. The latex needs to be clean and dry for the next layer of latex. But with a very damp climate there is a fine layer of moisture on anything outdoors- or in a room without insulation.

 

What else… Oh yes. I need to bleach my sateen panels for my 1870s gored stays. I worked out what I need vs the original pattern styles so will also see if I can make one in red sateen finally. I have tried to do this in the past and somehow wound up with stays too short.

What I need from stays is less about squish as it is about reducing stress on ribs. My current pain is a very good reminder! My ribs are very long, there is barely two fingerwidths distance at the side of my waist between ribs and pelvis. So this means if I want a wasp waist I either deal with ribs being heavily squished or I make it nip in only at that narrow point. Or I can avoid too much restriction and taper the stays to the waist then flare out over the hip.

This last one is what I find gives a shape that is both acceptable to a modern eye as well as historic. If I nip in only at the waisy it tends to make everything else seem disproportionate rather than drawing the line in.

So today will be spent cutting fabric and bleaching to have a summer and winter variation. There may even be enough silk satin left over, though that feels a bit extravagant!

 

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why one must use all resources!

After removing all the dye from my Sunburst silk I had another look at the information available. I wanted to see what the silk would do as UV light worked on the last remaining colour remover molecules. before even thinking about dyeing it.

I can’t dye the skirt, it has already been fused to a cotton backing 🙂

And then promptly lost the exact quote I wanted. And just found it again. Anyway. There will be a references guide added to my site soon as a page, because I think it needs a little more formality than a blog post 🙂

I noticed also an historic homestead has started folloiwn on instagram so feel a tinybit of pressure to you know, include content they might be interested in!

And I have gone and cracked the cartilage in my ribcage. I am used to being able to sort of.. slip it- painful- but this was a little extra pressure on one point and so now it needs to repair. Luckily it is quite a sharp continuous pain- no I don’t like pain but as a warning, as a limitor it’s fine 🙂

And there is a steampunk event tomorrow. I really wanted to wear Mina, but I would have to spend all day on the bodice… hmm… but I cn’t really do any kind of corsetry until my rib heals. So no. I’ll wear something else 🙂

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fatigue

I struggle to explain how I can tell I have fatigue versus being tired.

It does physically feel like pressure. But I think that veers a bit close to what is said is experienced in high anxiety.

It’s not the same.

This is more like standing chest high in water and trying to breathe. It’s not pressure on the chest, but the feeling of being pushed in all directions, and no matter how deeply you breathe it feels like air is being pushed out. And sometimes that does actually happen.

Much like in water limbs feel strangely supported and heavy at the same time.

 

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