Long Covid - What Else Is New?

 Today I wish I was writing a happier or more constructive post. This isn’t it. 

I had a check in with my boss, who’s just back at work after THE VIRUS. Funnily enough, they’re not feeling right. I advised Berocca, pacing and lots of rest. Not overdoing it.

Anyhoo, I explained how the referral to neurology went awry for some reason, so I’m not where I should be on the waiting list. Also explained how my unreliable meat-sack now has cysts where I don’t want them. And my immune system is so shot to pieces I have a nasty fungal nail infection, with bonus gammy toe issue (goodbye £50 for private podiatry because 18 months after referral to the NHS podiatry for a different foot problem, I STILL don’t have an appointment). Then there’s the obvious cognitive problems after just a couple of hours of doing anything. And the fact I can’t stand up for more than 10 minutes (I am in an office job, but still). The clinical trial I am in - the only one I found that I qualify for - is lifestyle intervention and I feel much more fatigued on it. That could also be the medication for the fungal infection. 

I don’t know what to do. I keep taking my supplements and, to be honest, I’m going to start with low res exercise, even tho everyone has told me not to. At the current time, I just can’t see myself ever getting back to work full time as a nurse. I see myself losing my job and therefore my home in a matter of months. This fear and stress is ever-present and it is NOT doing me any good. 

While I can’t talk about it, this feeling of having my back to the wall did prompt me, following some counselling, to deal with my anger around how I got infected more constructively and, with my union’s assistance, I’m now looking into it. I cannot say more than that. I literally feel like it’s similar to Luke Skywalker being the Last Hope for the Galaxy. 

I am going to be constructive, speaking to friends about what else we can do to raise awareness of the situation Key Workers are in: Governments utterly failed us during the pandemic, putting many of us at unacceptable risk. Now they look like they’re ignoring us, hoping we go away and many are finding themselves facing the ableist attitude of “If you can’t keep up with everyone else, then out the door you go”. 

I’ll keep you as posted as I can about the things I can, but rest assured that the brain fog is back, plus the tachycardia and fatigue, as well as interrupted sleep never ends. 

Travel with Disability or Chronic Illness - addendum

 Doing the podcast today with Julie Taylor (you can find it on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, buzzsprout, Google - Living With Long Covid - Julie Taylor), I realised I had not added some pro tips in relation to things you can take with you that make a HUGE difference. 

1) A dark (think black) umbrella. Useful for rain and even more useful as an impromptu parasol as it gives you INSTANT shade. 

2) If you’re bothered by pressure changes on aircraft, get some specialist earplugs, from a brand like Earplanes - not sponsored. There’s a few different kinds and sizes. A quick search on Amazon or Google will bring some up. Trust me when I say they’re worth every penny. 

3) Deongestants also help with comfort, but ask a pharmacist. These can make the difference, especially if you caught a cold, between pain (and almost screaming due to the pressure changes) and bursting an eardrum (yes, it’s happened) or close to it

4) Good flight socks. I LOVE TRTL - again, not sponsored. 

5) a foot hammock. Really. Look these up on Amazon. You want one that’s going to stay flat. They hook over the tray table and can be adjusted, helping you relax on a flight. 

6) Noise cancelling headphones or earbuds. The earbuds take up less space and can be used on a flight. I’ve used both Flare and Loop. Again not sponsored, but I LOVE the latter for comfort. There’s usually some for sleep and noise cancelling, so think about what you like. 

Those are pretty much my pro tips for things to consider taking with you, but if you’re thinking medication, ALWAYS seek advice from your GP or pharmacist ESPECIALLY if you take regular medication. 

I’m planning a check list for things to remember to do before traveling, which will be announced here and also on my Ko-Fi me when it’s done. I also have a new Facebook page - Perfectly Imperfect - my new space for advocacy. 

Stays, Completed!

 I’m going to admit here that there were not a lot of pictures taken, as I got distracted while finishing up my stays. I also learned two things when they were done: 1) Lacing on your own with Long Covid is exhausting and 2) I probably should have made them a little shorter. Still, that’s for next time, when I make some overall changes and create a new pattern. I’m very glad I made the changes I did and as you can see in the photos, they worked REALLY well.

I have not been particularly well over the last couple of weeks, as a cold completely floored me and I also have a gammy toe. This is being seen to by professionals later this week. I’ve also got a few appointments, a podcast recording and so on. 

Anyway… As predicted, I had measured too long on the stays, which is OK as I plan to use these on the next variant. I also found and ordered a narrower custom busk, which HAS added to the cost. I am still dithering over ordering the Red Threaded regency stays pattern and also self patterning up a more transitional set. I finally downloaded the Black Snail spencer pattern and am eyeing up my navy cotton sateen dodgy pillowcases as potential fabric stash. What? You make do with what you’ve got. I was planning on sending the whole king size duvet set, plus four pillowcases and the flat sheet to the charity shop anyway, so I might as well use it for costuming and wardrobe projects instead. With all the seam unpicking finally done, I will also be able to get on with my new dress project, which I think will take a bit of pattern adjustment and mock-up for the front at least. Plus I really have to deal with my shoulder issues. They’re NARROW. I also took some measurements over my regency stays and, as I couldn’t resist prancing around in it, my Regency P&P Lizzy Dress (coveted since 1995). I have even had both petticoats on to decide where to fix them up. 

I did put too many eyelets in I think, but on the plus side I suspect this means I might be able to do a variety of lacing styles, including spiral. The current plan is to cut long lengths of twill tape and convert it to fan lacing, to make it super easy to get in and out of. As a result, I re-laced the stays, using about half the eyelets and it’s now much easier to do myself, giving the same support. The Gravity Devices work very well, so I’m going to continue to use my original plan and secure them in place with at least one safety pin, as they could possibly fall out without something to hold them in place during activity. I learned THAT from the loss of both my Georgian/regency garters at the Fringe a few years ago. 

Anyway, without further ado, here’s the photo collection (which will be added to the usual gallery over on Pages). Enjoy, while I remind myself to take all my meds, supplements and neck another cup of coffee! The first pic is me properly dressed in all four layers - that petticoat really makes a difference when it comes to the bodice.

Travel With Chronic Illness or Disability

 A friend of mine with Long Covid recently went abroad on holiday and before she left, she and I had a chat about things she needed to consider before leaving. Julie runs her own podcast, so she and I are going to do an episode on this, because we both thought it might be helpful, but I did think it might be useful to jot down some notes, in case anyone wanted to look at them later. This advice is over and above any else, for example visas and the like. 

Being disabled or having a chronic illness does not mean you cannot travel. In fact, you’ll probably find that your GP recommends it, as getting away for a break does everyone good. That said, you will need to think about anything that sets off your conditions: For example, if you’re allergic to sunlight or heat/humidity triggers symptoms, you might need to think about where you’re going or at least how you’re going to manage it. 

Here follows some general advice about this - it’s broken down into separate sections: Before You Go, While You Are Travelling, While You Are There and After You’re Home. 

My first and most important point is that you absolutely MUST think about time to recover from your journey, both outward and return journeys. If you are working, I generally recommend starting and ending leave in the middle of the week, so that it’s not such a rude shock when you go back to work! You might also find that this is helpful in respect of slightly cheaper travel options too, but if you’ve got kids, this might not be possible. Also, especially if you have mobility issues, think about how accessible overall the place you’re going is. It’s no fun to discover your hotel has no elevator, for example, or a lot of stairs outside etc.

Before You Go

1) Book Special Assistance. Whether or not your condition is hidden or not, whether it’s intellectual or not, Assistance (walking or wheelchair) is exceptionally useful at the airport. Even if you do not use a wheelchair, remember that airports/stations are HUGE and it’s easy to get tired very quickly. You will be prioritised through passport control and security as well. Not having to stand in long lines is fantastic. A special note here is to organise this BEFORE you go: You might book your flight with one provider, but if they use partner airlines/companies, you will have to contact each company separately, for both outward and return journeys. Especially if you are changing planes. You can do this by sending one email with your flight(s)/train etc details to all the email addresses at once. The benefit of that is that each company should then know. The downside is one company might assume another is doing all the organising. I would recommend chasing each company up if you do not have proper confirmation of arrangements. NOTE: Special assistance usually requires you to arrive at the airport well ahead of time. Plan for this (and see my point about lounge access).

1a) If you have any dietary requirements, now is the time to speak to the airline. You may be able to access (but might have to pay for) pre-booked meals, which might be important if you have specific dietary requirements. Bear in mind your preferred meal might not be available on the flight. 

1b) Definitely think about where the loos are and leg room when you’re booking. It’s better to pay for a pre-assigned seat than get randomly assigned one that’s completely unsuitable. 

2) Contact the resort and/or any places of interest/theme parks etc before you go and ask them what arrangements are in place to support disabled or chronically ill people. Ask them what evidence they require. They will usually give you detailed information about the support they give. Some places may give discounted entry or free carer tickets, but this is likely to vary. In theme parks, on presentation of the correct evidence, you may find you get special access to rides and so on. They will normally give you instructions on what to do on arrival. Some theme parks also provide wheelchairs and other mobility aids for a deposit - check this out before arrival so you know what you might need to take and what you can leave behind. It’s also a good idea to check about general accessibility, eg how much is flat, what places are stair access and so on. 

3) Check the entry requirements of any country you are entering. This is especially important if you are on medication as many countries have strict restrictions on what you can take with you. Most will allow you to bring in what you need for your trip, but no more. Some countries will not allow some medications under any circumstances. Check first. The country’s embassy website is normally the first place to check, but if you cannot find the info you’re looking for, it is important to email them and ask. You don’t have to give a medical history, but if you’re on anything like sedative or opiate medication, you should do this. It’s better to be honest about your medication. I’ve generally found that the most contentious medications are things like antidepressants, painkillers (especially opiates) and things like benzodiazepines. It’s better to be safe and list everything when asking for advice. You should ask for this information to be treated confidentially.

3a) Medication usually has to be carried in or with its original packaging. If it comes in blister packs in cardboard, my pro tip is to take what you need for the journey + one or two days and keep it alongside the flattened box. If it comes in a tub, I’d strongly suggest speaking to a pharmacist, as they might be able to sort you out smaller tubs etc for travel. Figuring out I could flatten the cardboard boxes has saved me SO MUCH SPACE in hand luggage! 

4) Gather your evidence in advance. You will most likely find that you’ll need some kind of evidence for airlines, train companies, resorts and the like. You will definitely need this for taking medication to many countries. In my experience, although there is a charge for this, the best thing is to get a letter from your GP. On it, ask for your conditions and medications you take to be listed. Bear in mind that there is usually a time frame travel companies, resorts etc will accept, even if it’s just for conditions, so make sure you are aware of that. Some countries will ALSO require you to have a prescription with you, detailing the drugs, but your GP should be able to issue this (note: this isn’t normally the bit with what repeats you are on. It’s the full, two page thing you’d normally take to the pharmacy). I would always keep this safe and scan a copy of it. Yes, it’s likely to cost you, but this is part of the costs of being disabled. 

5) Get travel insurance and be honest when talking to the company. There’s lots out there and yes, it’s likely to cost you more. Depending on if you intend on travelling more than once in a year will determine whether or not a single or multiple trip policy is more cost effective or not. It is VERY important to be completely honest with the company as they are likely to refuse to pay out for something that happens that you’ve not told them about beforehand, barring accidents (and the accident would have to not be related to a pre-existing condition). I always go for the best cover possible. 

6) Considerations for while you are travelling include distance to the departure point - station/airport, time of departure and how long you will be waiting in the airport, as well as what facilities there are there. If you have a ridiculously early flight, rest is important, so staying the night in a hotel or similar IS something to think about, so you’ve got as much rest as possible. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the airport/station and don’t have lounge access as part of your ticket price, I would definitely recommend treating yourself, as there’s usually lots of perks, sometimes including showers, drinks etc. this will depend on whether or not there’s a pandemic on though! Be as rested and comfortable as you can.

7) Other things you want to think about are things like earplugs that help with pressurisation for flying, noise cancelling headphones, decent flight socks and if your GP recommends you take any medication to help prevent DVTs etc. if you are travelling economy, you might want to look into something called a “foot hammock”, which you can hook over a tray table and rest your feet on. 

8) Accommodation and Transfers: It is generally a good idea to ask ahead at the time of booking (and follow up) about rooms that suit your needs and any aids you might need. I’ve landed up in a quiet room which requires too much walking to and from. Not fun. Many hotels will also be able to provide some aids or properly accessible rooms. Sorting it out before you go saves headaches (and gives you some clout if things go wrong). I definitely recommend booking any possible transfers between stations/airports and hotels in advance. Check what instructions you need to follow to make sure transport shows up when it should! Another thing I have become a huge fan of is inclusive resorts or those where you can buy a meal plan of some kind. Again, if you’ve got dietary needs, contact the resort/hotel etc beforehand.

9) Mobility Aids - I am going to come right out and say this. Friends of mine who are wheelchair users have had a fairly awful time of it, whether it’s damage, loss or even airlines using their aids for other people. You can buy specialist cases to try and mitigate this, but they’re pricy. I’m lucky enough to be able to get away with a stick, so I carry a folding one. You can even buy folding crutches. I mind less about airlines taking my crutches from me when I board an aircraft to store - they’re pretty robust. I also tend to travel to places where I will be staying with friends, so the likelihood of my being able to access a “borrowed” rollator is much higher (it’s already in place for a forthcoming trip to Portland in the next year), although mine does actually fold right down and can go in one of my duffel bags. 

While You Are Travelling

1) Always put your medication in your hand luggage. All of it. Keep it with any paperwork (see above) you need. Another aspect of travelling on meds is that you usually have to have the medication in its normal container. My pro tip is to take only what you need and then flatten the packaging (if possible). This works fine if you’ve got blister packs, not so much with tubs. See above. Make a note of any time difference adjustments you will need to make. 

2) Keep well hydrated. Avoid fizzy drinks if you’re flying. 

3) have some sweets to hand. I like the hard kind and don’t leave home without ginger candy of some kind, but that’s because it’s good for flying and nausea. 

4) Dress comfortably, especially shoes and carry a large enough scarf or shawl that covers your top half. They take up little space and are useful on long flights. Even relatively lightweight. A pashmina type works very well. 

5) Let your crew attendants know about any help you might need. They will be aware you’re on board. This will also prove useful at your destination, when you’re waiting for special assistance. If you find you are having any issues, especially with unsympathetic special assistance (oh yeah, that’s happened to me), the crew can be amazing. There is a reason I always buy something for flight attendants if I’m going on a long haul flight - it’s because one Irish airline were amazingly supportive after I was let down badly by Special Assistance at my destination one time. 

6) Be prepared; for delays, for boredom. My minimum in my hand luggage is always a wipe for my face, moisturiser, toothbrush and toothpaste, lip balm, comb and deodorant. Plus spare (under)pants and socks. I don’t travel without my iPad, phone and charger and the relevant travel plug etc. plus notepad and pen and medication, obvs. If you need things like a stick for mobility consider packing a folding one. Also consider weather - if it’s going to be outrageously hot or wet at your destination, be prepared. I definitely recommend a black or dark coloured umbrella (useful in rain, doubles as a parasol). 

While You Are There

1) Try and make a plan for what you want to do and definitely look into planned excursions, just be careful what they involve. I enjoy city tours on buses, as I don’t have to walk, get to see lots and if I do have the energy, can choose to get on and off some to go into museums etc. Going to a theme park? See my point in Before You Go. 

2) Don’t forget to rest. On one trip to Turkey, because my sleep was completely awry, I was usually up with the larks but then would have a good nap late morning and early evening, if I didn’t have any particular plans. I also, on medical advice, spent a lot more time reading and resting by the pool than I ever have before. 

3) Take into account any possible time difference. Check out advice on how to manage this online. Depending on the direction of travel will affect you on different legs. I live in the U.K. and if I’m travelling to the US etc, I’m usually fine on the outward leg and not so good on the return leg. If I’m adding hours, ie heading to Turkey etc, I’m usually not good on the outward leg, better on the return. That said, as I absolutely cannot be up after midnight anymore, this makes things more complicated. 

4) Don’t plan to do anything the first day. At least. Use this to recover from your journey. If you are planning on doing anything, make sure it’s relatively close to your accommodation. 

5) If you are unlucky enough to need some kind of medical support while away, be sure to call your insurance company first and ask for their assistance. Trust me when I say that it’s not like simply calling an ambulance or even showing up at any hospital overseas. I worked in Spain and having to make this point to my customers - they they needed to call their insurance line unless it was literally life or death (in which case, call an ambulance) or face excess costs. If you attend the wrong doctor or the wrong hospital, you might be left liable for full costs. It is always worth checking the small print on your policy before you leave. The policy will also detail what they will pay for direct and what you might have to pay for and claim back (or not).

Obviously, your return journey is the same as before, but I ALWAYS suggest a call or email to the airline etc about special assistance for the return leg. 

After You’re Home

1) Make sure you’ve allowed yourself enough time to recover. You’ll know yourself best and it’s a good idea to factor this into your annual leave, if you’re working. If a time difference is involved, a couple of days minimum is going to be needed. 

2) Rest, rest, rest and try and get your sleep back to normal as soon as possible. 

3) Hydrate

4) if you feel it’s warranted, say thanks to people who supported you. Honestly, people do like feedback. If something went wrong, provide feedback. Positive Feedback is actually useful to people’s employment files. Like I’ve said before, one Irish airline was so amazing I’ve used them ever since for long haul to specific places and I always email them if someone went above and beyond, as well as take a little something for the crew & attendants on each flight. 

5) Check what plans you have once home and adjust them as needed. Listen to your body. 

Unfortunate Downsides

There is no point in denying this: Friends of mine with disabilities etc have had a horrible time when travelling. For the most part it’s arranged special assistance that has not been in place where and when it needs to be. I have had a horrible time of it myself, being treated appallingly at Dulles in Washington on arrival after a long flight and refusal to provide me with the assistance I needed. I also know friends who have had mobility aids damaged. It is something that you need to keep in mind. Vastly unfair, but the world is not particularly accessible.  You can travel, but you need to put the energy into planning with military precision and also accepting, if you have a fluctuating condition, that you might have to change plans at short notice and that this might cause problems, such as if you have tickets and can’t change them. But go! 

Special mention to Aer Lingus, whose flight crew found me sobbing in arrivals after I was denied special assistance in Dulles on the grounds I could walk. They walked me through to baggage and post-arrival security and made a formal complaint about everyone who had been absolutely awful to an autistic person. This is why I tend to fly with them and always take something for the crew. These days, I can’t actually walk far, so it’s wheelchair assistance or I don’t go. 

I hope that’s been a long, but useful, blog post on travelling with a disability or chronic illness. It’s based on my own and others’ experiences. 

PS Forthcoming post about the finishing of my regency stays! 

New Way To Support

 Just a really quick note that you can support my adventures in crafting, my feline overlords or my advocacy for disabled people and others with Long Covid here:

Www.ko-fi.com/perfectlyimperfect7505

Stitching, going stitching…

 Hello again friends! Thought I’d drop by and let you know the progress of ye new regency medium stays. 

At the end of our last episode, I was discussing the trials and tribulations of setting in gussets. I am delighted to announce (if I have not already - my memory is not good, y’all. Long Covid) that the back gussets (probably too many) are in, will be cross lacing (as previously described, due to lack of home assistance) rather than spiral. They look very neat and there were minimal issues with them. 

I may have mentioned that I was sewing in boning channels - these are also now all complete, having used the excellent Korbond erasable fabric marker - I’ve been dabbing the stays with water this morning to remove said marked lines and they come off like MAGIC. I am VERY pleased with this item. Worth every penny.

I have also spent some time carefully stitching on binding to the bottom and top. Yes, this does mean I made a decision about straps and yes, they’re going to be entirely one inch cotton twill tape. I have hemmed one end of each strap, but I have yet to figure out how long they are going to be. The strap guards are set aside, ready to be stitched on after the final bones go into the boning channels and the last of the binding is sewn on. 

I am expecting the final bones to arrive any day and I’m currently thinking about whether or not to machine stitch the top and bottom binding on, to a degree? The top binding has partial drawstring at the front, so I don’t want to catch that in any machine stitching (or it will have been a waste of time putting it in), but there no reason I can’t machine stitch the back and sides to the point where the drawstring (or ribbon) is attached to the stays themselves. Machine stitching will also give a nice finish. I do not expect to be able to machine stitch the back/sides binding down, due to its proximity to boning and no, I can’t stitch the boning down before the bones go in, lest I affect the boning channels. Yes, I possibly should have cut a couple more millimetres ease next to the back edge boning channels to accommodate this, but it’s me and we all know I’m not that sensible. 

Another bit of work completed is the drafting and creation of the inner anti-gravity aids or “8o0by pads” if you will (intentional placement of numbers, that’s not a typo). They’re almost semicircle in shape, padded out and then hand quilted a little to help with stuffing distribution. I intend to place them inside the stands, at the bottom and towards the armsyces, using safety pins. I think they’re the right shape and I’m positive they’re the right size. This post is brought to you by the Joseph Joseph sieve of their nesting bowls and spoons thing, as it was the right size to draw round the edge of! Yikes! Previous experience of my first set of Mantua Maker and the wrap-around Daffodowndilly stays is that I absolutely do need something in there to prevent downwards slide and “pillows” are documented. If I lose weight, they’ll also be helpful in padding the cups out, hence why I want them to be easily positionable. 

As I may have mentioned, the busk pocket is slightly loose, but it’s all now a question of waiting for these final bones, getting them in, sewing down binding properly and then a test fit before sorting the straps. At that point, I feel I can do a bit more busk pocket finagling if it’s sliding about in an uncomfortable fashion. 

They are now so close to completion I feel I can thing about what to do next; as before, one of the petticoats has a lined bodice and it’s just too bulky under a dress. The rest of it is pretty good. I was chatting to a friend online and we thought about options. 

1) I can take of the whole bodice, having first basted the pleats together. I can then add a waistband to the back, which I can leave open at the sides for the tapes on the front to go through, cross over and then tie (keeping it up). I can then use more twill tape (I have a lot) as straps, securing them to the back and front skirt waistbands. 

2) I can take off one front layer of lining on each of the cross over flaps at the front and re-hem. I would be able to use the other layer on the new dress. 

3) I can cut down the bodice at the front, to have nothing covering the bust and it fastening under the twins. If this sounds risqué, it’s not: the dress this is planned for will have an underlining and if I decide to use it for evening wear, I’ll just line the front bodice panels of any dresses. 

Next project after this will be my new, front fastheing, drawstring regency dress and possibly fixing my useless chemisette, which is too wide for my narrow shoulders. I am reminded I have some pieces of fabric to wash and iron though, from the old projects. Oh joy.

As always, more photos are over on the album at The Costumeer Page on Facebook. You can also now support this, the furry overlords and my long Covid and disabled advocacy on ko-fi.com - you’ll find me at perfectlyimperfect7505. 

Laters.

Gussets and Eyelets and Busks, Oh My!

 I take it all back; the only thing in life/sewing I dislike more than setting in gussets is setting in eyelets. 

For my sins, I have been stitching away and then forgetting to take progress pictures. Since my last post, there have been a range of things going on. A hospital trip, a trip to the GP to pick up some paperwork. Phone calls to arrange appointments for the cat and myself. And some sewing, at which point I started forgetting to take photos. Not that anyone reads this…. 😜

I managed to set in the eyelets on the main body piece of the stays, which will have corresponding eyelets on the busk pocket. I have managed to go awry with these twice before, accidentally putting eyelets through all layers, so having to get happy with scissors and create new openings. Not this time; I PLANNED it. Unfortunately, this is where it went a bit wrong: I did NOT read the instructions properly. This resulted in having to cut out one of the eyelets and replace it, after some darning and patching. I maintain this gives them a “lived in” look. Anyway, I assumed that once I bound the bottom edge, it wasn’t going to show. I then planned to put the eyelets in the correct end of the busk pocket itself, before then stitching it down to the main body. This is exactly what I did, though not in that order. 

The boning channel measurements were correct and some of the bones are now sewn in. There’s a LOT of visible, water-erasable lines on the garments at the moment, but they were all correct. I also trimmed the back edge down (no photos) to give a gap. This is the point I remembered that boning will bring the stays in a bit, but I DID want quite a large gap for the lacing to allow for weight fluctuation and stretching of the fabric over time. 

I then decided to bind the bottom edge (seemed like a good idea) and rather than try out a binding foot, this I did by hand, so it is slip stitched (poorly) on both sides. There was a moment, right before I stitched down the underside of the seam nearest the eyelets, where I realised that I hadn’t put the busk pocket tie in place, but fortunately I realised in the Nick of time and got a bit of narrow twill tape in there and tied in a bow to hold it in place. I then finished stitching down the binding. 

Today I then braved eyelets (again), reading the instructions this time and I am glad to report that this pair look a great deal better. I then basted the pocket (after machine finishing the edges) onto the stays, before securing it with my usual, poor slip stitching. I even put the eyelets in the right end (my busk has one end slightly flared, so it needs to go at the bottom and the pocket open from the bottom for access, obvs. This is now stitched down. If anything, I have been slightly generous with the seam and I think I might go in and stitch it down in the hemline of the pocket, just to make it a smidge narrower, but I’ll wait to do that until I see if any moving around of the busk bothers me. (In other words, I can’t be bothered right now). I have also initially marked up the placement of the eyelets at the back edge, to be double checked on position and marked again with the water-erasable marker. I am not sure if I will get to that today, but I have checked my eyelet stash and so long as I don’t mess up (please cross everything), I have sufficient for the project. I am fairly certain that it’s a better idea to get them in before the remaining bones arrive.

Note: In respect of the eyelets and because I live alone, with no maid, sibling or partner to assist me, these are going to be cross, not spiral laced. This is not historically accurate, but a necessity when one has to DIY-lacing. It is what it is and I will not apologise for it. 

After that, it will be a case of binding the top and back edges and they’ll be done. I also need to remove all the channel lines on the thing. I don’t need them as a reminder of which side is up now the busk pocket it in. And, as I almost forgot, the gravity prevention measured (which I need to cut out, stitch, stuff and secure in place).

Finally, no, I still have not made up my mind entirely on what to do about the straps. There absolutely is still time to make these up and attach them to the garment, but I am definitely erring more on the side of twill tape only, with some drill fabric “sleeves” to lightly pad the straps out over the shoulder.  

I have to admit that I am pleased with this project. I’m pretty sure I used the right sizes and that these are going to fit well. I’m also glad that I have come up with fixes relating to the wrap-around ones. 

Anyhoo, it’s Friday. I don’t expect these will be finished until next week, as I’m waiting on the arrival of the remaining bones, but happy weekend to all. 

PS - no photos in this blog post, as the cloud hasn’t migrated them from phone to iPad yet, but I’ll post them over on my Facebook Page - The Costumeer.

The Trouble with Gussets

 Show me a historical costumer who likes doing gussets and I’ll outright accuse them of lying: I woke this morning, with sense of purpose in relation to the stays. After a sustaining breakfast of porridge (what, I’m Scottish?), I set to purpose with my nemeses. 

The first thing I did was ensure that my two layers were firmly basted to each other - around the top edges, the mid seam and also either in the middle of the gussets or around 5/8 to 1 inch from the fabric edges. Then I set to sandwiching the actual gussets between the layers. Trust me when I say this is NO FUN. 

Side note: with this pattern I have a curving seam horizontally across the pattern. It does help it fit nicely and comes from the Daffodowndilly pattern, on which these are mostly based. If you use this kind of pattern or have a horizontal mid seam, for the love of chocolate, please make sure you trim down the seam allowance pointing up towards the gussets openings. If you don’t, you risk playing about with scissors trying to trim said seam allowance as it pokes up between the gussets. Another suggestion is to tack the triangle bit of the gusset seam to the upturned and pressed horizontal seam to each other (before basting each side of the stays together), so that when you start sandwiching in gussets, everything stays flat. Obviously, this occurred because my gusset slits have to be cut as low as they are, otherwise it wouldn’t have been an issue.

You have to make sure that the seam allowance (1/4 in) is the same on each of the main body edges AND the gussets. Too much and the gussets will be too small (and look wonky). With the fabric edges of the main body, get them wrong and you could end up not securing all layers with stitching. This will result in lots of tears, swearing and redoing. While pinning all this together, you have to go slowly, using lots of pins and essentially do this 3D if you’ve got curved edges to your gussets, to make sure that sandwich hem is approx 1/4 in all the way round. Thankfully, I left just enough space with the basting to be able to check this fairly well. But you have to both pin and think in 3D terms, which is quite difficult, while ensuring the seams are mostly the same, so it won’t wonk up when sewing. You also need to make sure all the edges are properly folded in, so you can’t see any raw edges. 

Now an experienced sewer would tell you to do something entirely sensible at this point, which would be to take a different colour of basting thread, carefully baste all these layers together and then remove most, if not all, of your original SEAM basting (note: not the gussets piece basting, unless it’s hidden by the overlapping edges of the main body piece. I am not that sewer and I tend to get impatient. This is even knowing that by not doing that, I risk (and succeeded with) leaving little bits of visible tacking when I then go to remove the basting. I would also encourage everyone to please tack down the bottom triangle bit of the gussets with thread the same colour as your fabric, so that if you struggle to get it out later, it’s not really going to show. 

Another side note: Sandwiching in the gussets invariably will not go well, resulting in lots of repeated pinning until the gussets are all in sort of the right place, matching at each side, if that makes any sense. If you don’t finagle them properly, you risk the cups being different sizes, hence the attention to detail required when matching all the seams. Also, if you cut your gussets correctly, you will have a bit of surplus fabric extending over the top of the main body part. This it totally fine and you can trim it down afterwards - just make sure that the excess matches on each side of the stays. 

Anyway, at this point I decided I was absolutely not going to stress myself out hand-sewing the gussets in place, as originally planned, mainly because it would lead to even more swearing, tears, blood everywhere and so on (any hand sewing on a project and there’s a lot of spitting - as the enzyme in your spit breaks down blood, reducing permanent staining. Top tip). So, off to the sewing machine I went. 

For the most part, this has gone fairly well, with most of the seams being pretty good. I had to rip out the start of one, when the underside layer decided to wrinkle up and also discovered the same once I was done (but I hand-sewed the correction to that, with blood, swearing and tears). I then overcast the bottoms of the gussets (poorly) and set to pulling out the basting stitches. It’s at this point I have regrets over the colour of the basting thread, but I reassure myself that nobody is going to see them unless I want them to and it will all probably come out with time or a magnifying glass, patience and a set of tweezers. Another tip of mine here is to consider sewing each side of each gusset from top to bottom, rather than trying to constantly turn the fabric. This saves time, promotes accuracy and then you probably should do a few rows of reinforcing stitching across the bottom of each gusset. 

Note: I was correct in that I still absolutely hate hand sewing through multiple layers of fabric, trying to keep seams together.

So - thoughts: Would it have been simpler to stitch in single gusset layers to each side then sandwich together with the boning channels and at the sides of the gussets? Probably, but doing it in one halved the time I spent and I managed to do OK, with minimal correcting. I would definitely say that it is easier to treat each fabric layer individually, but my previous experience has resulted in a degree of wonkiness when then matching up the gussets and stitching those layers together. That said, that stitching is only ever two layers of fabric.

Award to my sewing machine for taking 6 layers of some random drill fabric and stitching it all together. 

I have now pinned the side backs to one layer of the thing and while I am tempted to keep on at this today, I also know that I shouldn’t do these kinds of tasks for more than a couple of hours at a time. Plus, I need to eat my lunch, which I forgot as long Covid left me without appetite stimulus. 

I am still stuck on what to do about the straps, but I think I have the idea of how to do it in my head and in regards to attaching them and the twill. 

The next part of this will be stitching on each side back and then marking (and sewing) all the boning channels. I checked the back seam ones and realised that the ones I bought are a tiny bit too long, so I’ve just bought four, slightly smaller ones and am now waiting for them. Unfortunately, the seller is on annual leave this week so I won’t have them sent out till next Friday, but as I still need to do quite a bit of work on the rest, I’m not overly concerned about this, as I’ve lots more I can work on. The bones are also not wasted: I’m sure I can use them for another project (I might even be able to use them on this one, but that depends on overall comfort and placing). 

Have a great week, everyone. Here are some photos, posted, by chance of the internet gods, in no particular order. I tried, honest.

Regency Stays Project - continued

 Over on my Facebook page (The Costumeer), you’ll find a post about the ongoing progress of the stays. I WAS going to copy and paste (essentially) into this blog, but then I couldn’t be bothered. Oops. 

There has been a bit of a gap in production, so to speak: It was a sister’s 40th birthday, so I ventured out to see her. For the first time in over two years, I was in a pub. Admittedly, only for about 45 minutes, but I get to factor in travel time on buses and the like and it still knocked me sideways. There was a family dinner, but I didn’t feel up to six siblings, two partners and three small children for a couple of hours. I did my duty and did see the brother I see very little of, which was very nice. 

I have also been dealing with the many boxes of family papers and photographs that I have had to give houseroom to for nine years, which has been a source of such extreme irritation that I could rant for days. Let it be known that we know what’s what, the youngest sister is now taking it all over and most of it is now out of my home. If I have to move, that’s four less boxes to worry about storing. 

Being part of a medical trial and on a distinctly low amount  of calories for a few days until my GP put a stop to it, as well as nasty reactions to ingredients in the trial has NOT helped. 

Then my former roommate and dear friend arrived from Australia, armed with gifts of a culinary variety. As I am still in the trial, albeit on more calories a day, these have been carefully stashed away. She’s now off to Europe, armed with most of my stash of travel goodies, plus some guide and phrase books (I am a useful friend) and a new dress (as the Star Wars green dress is really too big for me but fits her perfectly. I will be ordering more fabric and making another). That, plus a rescan of part of my body at the hospital and I’ve been somewhat exhausted, even with napping, but that’s Long Covid for you.

On with the stays! 

I have been pondering construction of these. As I’m essentially MacGyvering two patterns and fiddling, it’s taking some thought. So, I decided to think this over as I did a fair amount of basting. Historically, basting has not been something I do. That said, when it comes to fiddly small pieces and slightly sloping hems, plus knowledge that I probably would have saved myself a lot of trouble if I HAD bothered to do it in the recent past… well yes, I decided basting is the way forwards. I also have had previous experience of stays projects before and lack of basting DID prove to be a mistake. I can learn, see, look Mum, I’m basting! So far, I already picked up one seam before even basting, that I had pinned incorrectly. 

The issue for me is that 1) I have not decided what I want to do about the straps and whether or not these will be entirely or partly cotton twill tape. It’s easier if I don’t, as then I can bind the entire top and then firmly stitch them to the main part of the stays. On the other hand, if I make the straps at least partly in fabric, there will be a greater degree of comfort across the shoulder: Being the victim of a large set of twins has shown me this. While MOST of the support will come from the main part of the stays, I.e. across my chest, some of the hoiking (for want of a better word) and support will come from the straps and I don’t want them to dig in. A fix for this would be to make some kind of “sleeve” to go over the straps at the shoulder, which would be adjustable. I also bet women of the period came up with novel ways to address this. The good news on my overall strap design is that there ARE two extant examples around the period of a similar design to what I’ve come up with. 

2) By far the biggest issue is the way I’m handling the bust gussets, which is to sandwich them between the two layers of drill and sew them down in one. This means, with seam allowance, going through SIX layers of drill. This would mean that all layers would then be treated as one at that point. Obviously, i can then stitch the sides/backs fairly easily as individual layers, but this would then create a small issue at the back seam, as I wouldn’t be able to sew them together and then turn them right side out: with the gussets already in place, it’s not going to work. I CAN turn under the correct seam allowance at the back and top stitch it down. 

The alternative is to stitch all the panels together, except for the gussets, stitch the layers together at the back seams ONLY, turn it right side out (as it’s going to be bound across the top and bottom anyway) and THEN sandwich in the gussets as before. I am also reminded that, as far as I’m concerned, I haven’t quite decided on if the back panels need trimmed back any further to take into account flexibility on weight change. 

I’m also reminded, especially if I am planning on further trimming the back pieces, that I can also bind those edges if I have to AND top stitching isn’t the end of the world. 

If I was doing a lining, this wouldn’t matter, as I could simply treat all the layers as one, but most extant examples of these kind of stays are only two layers and I don’t have the right fabric to line it with to be honest. Plus, I also can’t be bothered. I don’t want to fell down my seams or cover them with a lining - I still have the separate busk pocket to figure out, which is STILL going on last (I’ve learned from many eyelet mistakes, so I have. 

Anyway, I’ve still got some seam un-ripping to do, bits and pieces to salvage from ye olde wrap-over set and the final eight steel bones arrived today. I’ve also researched what I need to do to aid gravity 😂 on the inside. After that, if I can, I might dig out the sewing machine (what? I’m not sewing ALL of this by hand…) and sew together the seams that need doing, with some HEAVY ironing tomorrow.

So that’s where I am, this fine Saturday. If you care to see photographs (as I am sure we all know I am utterly useless at inserting them in these blog posts), they’re over on The Costumeer. I have not, however, taken any of the basted pieces as I deem that a bit boring. 

Until next time, dear friends.