2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, thank you all for the help,
@maddiemay I have looked at the links which were very good but I quickly got confused with all the different yarn
@Laura_Elsewhere, yes of course that is what I will have to do, make a swatch and hope I get the maths right

I have spends to declare . I have bought 5 pairs of nice good quality merino wool mix walking socks for presents for various friends. They are all boot socks, not knee length, so I am not sure if they count as ankle socks but I will go with that unless I am told otherwise so 5 coupons used which I think is very reasonable as I expect them to last a good while. They were on the expensive side for socks but I was working on the theory that quality will last plus there was an offer on so they were a bargain really
So 36•5 - 5 = 31•5 remaining
Take care everyone

Laura_Elsewhere

My Dad's 84-year-old teddy bear has now been cleaned and patched and re-faced, to be given to my Younger Niece, in her thirties, so he can give comfort to a third generation... Gran patched him in the 1940s with lisle-thread stocking material; I made his waistcoat and trousers in about 1981 or 82 when I was 12 or so, to hide the worst. But he needed multiple cleanings with barely-damp clean flannels, very careful drying in between, and a lot of patching...!

PollyWollyDoodle

Wow Laura that's brilliant - you should be working at the Toy Hospital!  How lovely that he's going to be loved buy another generation. I still have my teddy but unfortunately moths got to it 😢 

PipneyJane

He's gorgeous, @Laura_Elsewhere.

@Gem-gem that blanket looks lovely.

@MrsCD I love the scarf so much that I'm tempted to make one for myself.

Apologies everyone for being so quiet, recently.  Truth be told, I'm not well.  I have no resilience.  Remember I had that stomach ulcer bleed in May and a gastroscopy in June?  The ulcer was on a small (2cm) lump but all the biopsy results came back negative for everything except "chronic gastritis".  The CT Scan I had in August didn't show anything sinister, either.

Well, I saw the consultant last Friday.  He immediately ordered another gastroscopy (which I had on Monday), took several more biopsies and a load of blood tests.  The lump is larger (4cm now) and I'm actually more anaemic than I was while the ulcer was bleeding.  I have an MRI next Thursday, a follow up appointment on 12th January and he's pushing for surgical removal of the lump ASAP.  (I like him.  I'd never seen him before, but I'm impressed.)

Oh, and the "chronic gastritis"?  Well, that's news to me.  Yes.  I've had 40-odd years of irritable bowel syndrome, but my symptoms are triggered by greasy food and primarily consisted of cramps and gas build-up.  Nothing worked - except serious painkillers - until I discovered peppermint tea and peppermint oil capsules.  (I even ended up once in my own hospital's A&E, where they struggled to find a doctor to examine me who didn't know me.)

Anyway, to top all the above off, I managed to aggravate something in my neck/right shoulder in October, and haven't been able to knit.  Seriously, it flared up after a day in the office, when I was sitting on the couch at home and re-hemming the trousers of my new suit.  I'd only stitched a couple of inches when suddenly the entire deltoid muscle was on fire.  It's settled down now, but I have to be careful.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

Oh @PipneyJane, you poor thing! All of that pain and misery and on top of it oyu can't even knit to soothe yourself... 

Here's hoping Mr Capable Consultant lives up to his nickname! 

Cherryfudge

Crumbs Pip - you don't do things by halves. It sounds debilitating to say the least.  I hope they can fit you in soon. Meanwhile, have a {{hug}}.

@Laura_Elsewhere, what a lovely job you've done! Those little green eyes...!

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,
@PipneyJane big hugs hoping the consultant can do his thing soon. A colleague had something similar and it turned out he had an abscess on the outside of his gut tract so all they could see on the gastroscopy was a section that looked a bit inflamed. It did eventually get picked up on the mri and after the section was removed he made a full pain free recovery but it took a few years and numerous investigations to get to that point. Fingers and everything else crossed that you make a quick recovery.

@Laura_Elsewhere brilliant job on the teddy

Take care everyone

PollyWollyDoodle

Oh sorry to hear it @PipneyJane - sounds as if this chap is on the case, but how frustrating that you've been waiting all this time and not getting any better.  Hope the shoulder starts to ease up, at least. 

Gem-gem

@Laura_Elsewhere the teddy bear looks great.
 

@MrsCD love the colours of your scarf. What a lovely thoughtful gift for someone. 

@PipneyJane, you poor thing! Hope it won't be long before it is all sorted and you back on the mend. I like yourself have also a problem with my shoulder. I've been told not to swim and have been referred to physiotherapist and hopefully will get an MRI scan. Thankfully, I can still crochet. I feel for you. Sending you a hug. 

I had another colonoscopy on Tuesday, no more polyps found. Two more areas of diverticulitis - so I have four lots! It explains some of my symptoms. 

Brought home a couple of bras that were my Mum's - she has lost weight. I gave her one of my smaller ones. Swapsies! 

MrsCD

Laura the teddy is amazing! You've made a wonderful job of the mending, and I'm sure he'll be well loved for a good many more years.
Pip, I hope you are able to control the pain in various areas. At least the new doc seems to have things in hand. I'm sure you have exercises to do that might help your shoulder, but it's a right nuisance until it settles down. Hope it doesn't take too long. Take care of yourself.  
Pip/GemGem Thanks for the mention re the scarf. I made it as an experiment just to see how it would work.