Wednesday, July 14, 2010

I'm Back! In Black Taffeta!

This post has two purposes:


  1. To show you my new skirt - a black taffeta dirndl number; and
  2. To tell you about my scaphoid news. 
First, the skirt:



Like my gingham skirt, this was simple to make:

  • The skirt: one rectangle piece of fabric, 1.5m long and 75cm wide, gathered.
  • The waistband: one rectangle piece of fabric, that was 12cm wide and 80cm long (the formula is waist measurement + 2cm ease + 3cm seam allowances + 3.5 cm overlap for the button) (Now you know my waist measurement!).
  • One invisible zip, 10" long (I am 172cm tall so like a bit of a longer zip on high-waisted skirts).
  • One skirt hook and eye, and one button (I've been using hooks and eyes of late as my buttonholes have been looking a little messy. When I have full use of my right hand back, I'm going to start doing bound buttonholes). 
The taffeta was quite nice to work with, but it looks dreadfully wrinkled in the below photo:


Now, onto my other news. It comes with a story. On saturday night, I was sitting on my lounge room floor, patting Bessie, who was lying on the couch (I know, there are some reverse power dynamics in our relationship. I just love her to bits). I'd been patting her a while, and put my left hand onto the couch to hoist myself up. 

As I was getting up, I caught the middle finger of my broken right hand on the arm of the couch, and heard a big crack. Immediately pain shot down my wrist, in the scaphoid where it is broken. 

I immediately panicked and started to wail. I got a little hysterical, telling poor Michael 'it is broken again' over and over. He calmed me down, and I watched a bit of the Tour de France and went to bed.

Monday night I went to the orthopaedic surgeon in a bit of a flap. I had it x-rayed, steeling myself for the worst. But instead.....



Look closely in the above photo. Can you spot it? NO CAST!!!!!!!

I am now allowed to take my arm out of that smelly cast for short periods of time to get some flexibility back into it! It was like winning the lotto. I've got one month until I'm completely free, but its so close I can taste it.

I am one happy girl now. You'll see nothing but smiles from me!

15 comments:

  1. How wonderful for you, congratulations. I can imagine you are all smiles, keep on smiling! :-)

    Cute skirt, by the way, very nice.

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  2. Congratulations, this is excellent news! Skirt is great- are you using any patterns in particular? xxx

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  3. Thanks!

    Nope no pattern - would you like me to do a quick tutorial on how to make them? They are very easy to make, and I've got another one planned in the next week so would be easy to do a tutorial. Let me know what you think!

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  4. ... and what a stylish comeback it is! How was the taffeta to work with? I've never used it but for some reason in my head I picture it fraying a lot.

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  5. Thanks! The taffeta wasn't too bad - but you're right on the money regarding the fraying. It didn't play nicely at all. But it does stay put - no slippage, and was easy enough to iron. I did have to watch for 'puckering' on the seam lines, but I think this may have been due to it being a light taffeta. Maybe a heavier one would not have this issue?

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  6. Eh? So you broke it back into place?! Mazeltov in any case!

    Ooh and the skirt looks great!

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  7. The news about your cast and arm are wonderful! Sometimes you just have to sleep on it, right? The skirt is lovely and I love the high waist! It looks perfection with that top too!

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  8. YAY! no more cast! That's a crazy story! Love the taffeta skirt...I must try to make one of these skirts soon!

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  9. Yay! That's fantastic, congratulations on having your freedom back!
    Super cute and super versatile skirt, too!

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  10. So glad it's not broken again! That skirt is amazingly beautiful!

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  11. Lovely skirt - a great staple.

    I'm so gald to hear your sewing is on track and that your arm is too.

    xxoo Cherri

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  12. Oh i'm very glad you didn't break it again! Lovely skirt!

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  13. I am tickled pink for you Rachel - I hope your arm continues to heal well. Lovely skirt.

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  14. Hey Rachel, could you let me know your email address please?

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  15. Hey Nikki, its rachel.king@uqconnect.edu.au

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