Progress report

I have been working as best I can with the limitation of having my right hand encased in plaster and my thumb sticking out at a weird angle. With some effort I have found that I can do hand-sewing, albeit very slowly compared with my normal speed. Using the machines is more successful and here you see me seaming scarves on the overlocking machine. However, when it came to turning the scarves right side out and finishing the fringed ends I needed my daughter's help - definitely a two-handed job.

It is school holidays just now so Mary has to bring her two daughters to work with her. Workload is such just now that I set them to work fringing the edges of some small wallhangings that I had embroidered the day before. Here you see Rachel and Lauren working in the "sweat shop". These need a lining hand-sewn in place, so at the speed I am working it may be a week or two before they are finished. When they are done they will head over to Iona Abbey.










On Wednesday I was up at the hospital and had the first plaster taken off and stitches out. The surgeon seemed happy with progress and it all looked OK. Then I had to get another lighter cast put on which will be in place for another month. This time I was given a choice of colour and decided on bright red.

Although I don't need a sling most of the time, there are times when I need to be careful and remind myself not to do things. I really didn't like the one I got at hospital - a white triangular bandage, uncomfortable and difficult to manage. So - I made myself a more practical one! I used a combination of Harris Tweed and polar fleece - fleece against the skin so no scratching from the tweed. I made it with a small pocket to hold my mobile phone and decorated it with one of the Celtic knotwork designs that I normally use on some of our narrow scarves. However - I don't expect this to become a best selling product!