Projects Started and Completed

 Yesterday was cloudy and dull with rain showers off and on during the day.  It got to 19C. This morning it is cloudy (rained not long ago) and 14C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 23C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

I heard the door unlock yesterday morning while I was doing some research and looked to see daughter-in-law's car parked at the edge of the street. I grabbed my car keys knowing she needed my car for some reason. She grabbed them telling me her car had low or no brake fluid. She was off to work. 

I settled back to having breakfast and then made a batch of cookies for the community hall. I had cleaned up and was just about to have lunch when daughter-in-law arrived on her lunch break. She called the repair place as this is under extended warranty. They had order a tow truck under her extended warranty. I think she may have ordered a rental car. She was then off back to work. I had to wait for the tow truck.

The tow truck arrived and it was the same person who towed my car. We had a chuckle about that. While he loaded the car, I did some weeding at the front and a bit on the side of the house. I have to either dutch hoe or spray the weeds. They are hard to get out. These weeds are the result of my neighbour's weed yard. 

I did fold my laundry and it amazes me how much I avoid doing it. It took me 15 minutes to fold and put away and I felt great after I had done it. 

Sewing

I did get to sew yesterday afternoon. The first job was to cut out and make the skirt part of the short gown. It was a simple and quick sew. It has a drawstring at the waist giving the skirt a lot of pouf. 

Is this historically correct. Maybe. What I did read is that they did weave striped fabric. It took a long time to weave two lengths of fabric to have vertical stripes. To use less fabric, they wove a length of fabric and pleated the skirts along the selvage edge. They either folded the pleated edge over to form a channel which they added a drawstring or they sewed a waistband on. I do know from reading that they did weave stripes as they had a distinct way they wove one stripe. 

I put on the apron and my chunky monkey has a very 18th century look. 

The last item to make for this outfit is the jacket. 

I also cut out the rectangles for the last two jar cozies. I got one made and the more I make the faster I get. 

I do like them together in the tray. 

I am surprised at how much fabric is left. I do want to make two pot holders and there may be enough to make a hot pad or two. I am really enjoying this project as I am making items I wanted to make (toppers and cozies) and adding items that will be used. 

Knitting

I did quite a bit of knitting last night. The afghan is growing longer and heavier. The ball of yarn I attached the other day is about half gone. 

Thoughts

    I am really enjoying reading the thesis as I am now into the part that talks more about what the people had in their probate inventories in Fort Louisburg. What is interesting is that the Acadians did own and wear fashionable clothing. How many and often they were worn depended on where they lived. A lot of what was worn in other areas comes from what they have found at those sites -- fine pins, buttons, etc. 

    I have done some more research on my 3x great grandfather's children. He arrived at Fort Edward 20 years after the Great Deportation of the Acadians in that area. After being mustered out he and his wife moved to Parrsboro where he remained until he died. Many of his children moved back to the Windsor area where they lived and died. I was looking where one relation was born and quite by accident I found it. Quite a win for me.

    I have really enjoyed sewing items for daughter's living quarters in her horse trailer. I am feeling a bit sad that this project will soon be done. It has me looking at what I would like to do in my home that would be fun. I know I love blue and white but I am not quite into roses or flowers. I will have to look when I go up to the quilt shop. I do have white linen from Montevideo I may use but that remains to be seen. 

Today

I need to do a bit of deep cleaning in the kitchen. I found some grimy areas that I need to deal with. I also need to check on the flowers to see if they need watering. I want to sew this afternoon and I will be going out tonight for dinner at family's. I may get a few rows knit on the afghan tonight. 

Until the next time.......................................................

Jar Cozy Success

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 21C (humidex 26C). This morning it is cloudy and 13C. Today is supposed to have showers with a high of 21C.

Lifestyle

I focused on cleaning the kitchen yesterday and got it done. It wasn't a big job but it wasn't a small one. I also got a load of laundry done and ready to fold. 

I did do some research on the family tree. The rabbit hole was productive. I was searching the branch from my 3rd great grandfather who was at Fort Edward. I was looking at each of his children and their children as many lived and are buried here this area. As I stumbled across names and looked them up, I found that 3 grandchildren from two different brothers lived and died in what is known as the "Poor Farm". There were several of these places in the province that housed people who were deemed destitute, elderly, or harmlessly insane. From what I can find the people were labourers at the farm and they were poorly funded. One of the family members was also housed for a time at the Mount Hope Insane Hospital in Halifax. The census records certainly told me a story as it searching on the internet. Death certificates showed that all 3 are buried at the Poor Farm and their headstones are numbers not names. 

Sewing

I did do a bit of reading on the thesis. It stated that the women dressed according to where they lived. At Fort Louisburg, they wore fashionable dresses and capes made of silk, cotton, and other expensive fabrics. They wore silk stockings and leather or fabric shoes. They did not wear a lot of wool for warmth as they wanted to show off their status. If they left the fort to visit family, they wore what was worn at those locations. It seems as if the women at the trading posts and in farming communities wore wool, linen, and fur for warmth and durability. They did have clothing that was fashionable to wear for church and special occasions. Dutch linen was in great demand in all locations that were studied in the thesis. A lot of this information comes from inventories upon death, from seals, and receipts. Acadians across the province were well to do but dressed according to their location, who they had contact with, and how they saw fashion in their locations. 

I did sew the cap for the Acadian outfit. It wasn't a hard sew and I did get it done in good time. Would a farming Acadian lady have had ribbons on her every day cap? Probably not unless it had flaps that needed to be tied up. On her cap that she wore visiting or to church under her hat, yes. 

The lace on the cap would only be on caps she wore when not working. Lace was expensive and was something worn to show off her status when not working in and outside the home. 

Once that was done, I cut out 2 jar cozies. They are to help protect the jars when travelling but they can be used if you use jars for glasses. The first cozy was the learning curve. I had a few struggles with it but adapted the pattern so it was what I wanted. 

The original pattern was 6" in height and I cut mine down to 5". The width stayed the same at 5.5". The cut outs for boxing the bottom were 1.5" high and I cut them back to 1.25". They remain 1" wide. The first cozy looks good with the adaptions and the second one needs the lining cut out. I showed the pattern as I would have cut it out on paper with the fold line marked. Once I had done that, I folded a piece of tracing pellon and cut out a full sized pattern. 

I cut the fabric into a larger rectangle and used fusible fleece. I did straight lines 1.5" apart to quilt it. When I placed the pattern on the fabric I was careful not have a cut line on the vertical stitching. 

When sewing the cozies, I did a lot of pressing as I wanted the seams flat as possible. I pressed them open. I did not trim them as they were flat as can be. Pressing them well seems to be an important step. 

I am happy with it as a jar protector and if it was going to be a cozy for a hot or cold drink I would make it 6" high. With the jar topper I like it better at the height I made it. 

Knitting

I picked up the afghan and knit 8 or 9 rows last night. I attached a new ball of yarn and am on a roll with it. 

The white at the top caught me by surprise but I am sure it will fade into the mix. 

Thoughts

    I had a fairly good day yesterday pacing myself with activity and resting after having some poor nights of sleep. I had another good sleep last night so will be able to do more today. 

    I am also a lot more relaxed as daughter is in a better place mentally with her situation. She has two new phrases to use to get things done that he thought he could force her into accepting a deal that is more in his favour than it should be. When she shows she is strong and has a great plan in place I relax and don't dwell on the situation and pace worrying about her. 

    Daughter-in-law dropped her car off here as it says low brake fluid. She has my car for the morning as she has to go to work. We are learning to laugh at her car even though it is frustrating. We also make some nasty comments about it also. Keeps us sane while it goes in for perpetual repairs. 

Today

I have to fold laundry and bake cookies this morning. I have to go to the post office this afternoon and want to finish the second jar cozy and cut out two more. I also want to knit tonight. 

Until the next time........................................................

A Day of Feeling Tired

 Yesterday was mainly wet and cool. The high got to 16C. This morning it is cloudy and 12C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 25C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches yesterday morning. We were a person short but we did well. Daughter-in-law had gone in early to get the fillings ready. When we arrived we got at it and were on track to being done in good time. Once done, we put the trays into the cooler until they were to be delivered later in the morning. 

Daughter-in-law and I loaded our cars with bottles and cans to be returned to the bottle depot. Once there, we unloaded with the help from an employee. We were both disgusted to find empty food and juice cans, plastic cups, and even food in the bags. We helped the employees by removing the trash for them. In all it was a good haul and the money goes towards things we need. 

Once home, I had something to drink and decided to go to New Minas. The drive was wet but it was mainly showers. I only went to Walmart and got groceries and 1/8" wide elastic. When I left the store I was out of energy. It was time to go home. I was becoming a mental wreck. 

I did have a 30 minute nap when I got home and it helped some. I was able to think a bit clearer but I didn't do much. I was in bed a bit later but I slept fairly well. I will have to monitor myself today and go to bed early. 

It is more humid here than I had thought. I am emptying the dehumidifier every 2 to 3 days. That is about 2 gallons of water from it plus what ever the heat pump extracts when I run it on dehumidifier. 

Sewing

I didn't do any sewing yesterday. I did look at the jar cozy pattern and have formulated a plan on how to make them. I will cut out a larger rectangle to quilt and then cut out the cozy pattern once that is done. I have 4 to make so am deciding how I will go about making them. I may do one a day as I have other sewing to do also.

Knitting

None done last night as I was afraid I'd make a big mistake. 

Thoughts

    I did a bit more reading yesterday but it was hard for me to remember as I was tired. One thing I did write down was that chemises worn by Acadian women were plain with the sleeves rolled up. They did have extra fancy cuffs which showed below the cuffs of jackets and dresses. Were these attached to the sleeves of the shift or the sleeves of the jackets and dresses. The other thing I wrote down was that they wore both stayed and quilted without boning corsets. No whale bone for corsets has shown up at Acadian sites so one wonders what they used for boning -- maybe reeds which would have disappeared in the wet acidic soil. 

    Local strawberries are ripe so I will be looking to buy some. People are saying they are delicious. I bet they are. I find the strawberries here to be very flavourful. 

Today

I have some housework and laundry to do this morning. I also need to water some of the plants as they are protected from the rain. I hope to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. 

Until the next time...............................................................

Jar Covers Completed

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 32C). This morning it is cloudy and 12C. Today is supposed to have showers with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet yesterday and it took me hours to do. I couldn't find my mistakes. I'd get to a point where everything was balanced and then it wasn't. I found the first one and it looked better. Then found a second one and I was still out. I finally figured it out. All of it was my me not paying attention to what I was doing. I finished just after 12 noon. I was happy to put it away and get on with life.

I had a wonderful text yesterday from someone and we talked about 20 minutes. I was happy to get it. The other text I got was from daughter and it was interesting. Expected but kind of rattled everyone that it happened. I assume that one person is angry about it but has to live with what has happened. Daughter is fine and just has to do some paperwork to do and a lot of negotiations to do with any angry person. 

I was out to help daughter-in-law get the sandwich fillings ready for sandwiches today. The burn she got from spilling her tea is a combination of 1st and 2nd degree. It looks ugly but is starting to heal. We got the fillings done in good time and the area cleaned up. We are ready to make sandwiches today. 

Sewing

I didn't sew on the doll's cap yesterday as I didn't have the right size elastic. Instead I decided to make the bottle covers for daughter. I had so much fun sewing them. I was making something I wanted to try and not worrying about whether I could sell it or having it under foot when done. I got the remaining 3 made in good time. I'm kind of sad that they are done. 

The flowers on the one print are so pretty. 

I drew up a pattern for the bottle cozy. It was simple to do and I will make 4 of them. They will protect the jars when travelling. Once they are done, I will make pot holders and mug rugs from the left over fabric. 

Knitting

None done last night as I got home late from helping daughter-in-law. 

Thoughts

    I had another poor night's sleep. My Cpap mask wouldn't seal and was making a lot of noise. It took me a while to figure it out and then I had to find the new one and replace it. I was awake for a while earlier this morning though I thought I had fallen asleep. I will monitor my energy today and rest when necessary. 

    I did some more reading on the clothing the Acadians wore. I'm into the part of the thesis that talks about it in more depth. There seems to be a real difference in what they wore in each location giving them a distinct local flair. Some items that were not in fashion in Paris they continued to wear as they suited the climate in Nova Scotia. One was woolen capes that kept them warm in the cold wet winters. What was worn at Fort Louisburg had more of a French influence and was different to what their farming "cousins" in the Annapolis Valley or their trading "sisters" wore. 

Today

I have to help make sandwiches and then I need to figure out if I am going to go to New Minas to shop and mail a parcel to my friend. I may not do a bit of sewing and I will see if I will knit tonight. 

Until the next time.............................................

Fabric Purchased for Fun Projects

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and light clouds. The high got to 27C (humidex 34C). This morning it is foggy and 16C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a probability of showers this afternoon and tonight. The high is to get to 30C (humidex 35C). 

Lifestyle

I was tired yesterday and struggled to do much. I did get the basics done and called it enough. I did talk to another person who was also struggling and they had a business to run. 

I did get all the plants watered and most are doing well. They are still getting their roots established from being transplanted. Overall, I am happy with how they are doing.

The lawn got mowed yesterday at noon. The person who does it is busy as can be. He has a lot of places to do and is probably working 6 days a week to keep up. The lawn looks great now that it is cut and the bare patches are slowly growing in. Maybe by fall they will be filled in and I will only have a few areas to reseed. 

Sewing

I did go out to the quilt shop nearest me. I wanted to get fabric so I can work on little things for daughter. It wasn't busy there so I wandered around looking. In the end I picked up two solids to go with the prints. 

I started out sewing the neckerchief for the doll's outfit. I did well until trying to do the two ends that have a sharper angle to them. No matter what I did (tiredness) I couldn't do it the way the pattern said. I finally did it my way. It isn't perfect but it is done. I put it around the doll's neck like a fichu. 

I decided to sew a jar cover out of the new fabrics. I made one using the plaid and the green fabric. I enjoyed making it. 

The reverse side. 

I am going to cut out three more; one like the one I made and 2 out of the flowers with the pinkish solid. I want to make a couple of pot holders and maybe some jar cozies for them so they are protected when travelling. My goal is to sew up all the fabric I bought. 

I did buy the fabric for the short gown's jacket. It isn't going to be historically correct as there was nothing in the store I could use. I will photograph it when I start the project. I still have the linen hat to make. 

Knitting

None done last night as I didn't have the brain power to work on it. 

Thoughts

    The lady I spoke to about the emergency alert wondered why they did it for our area rather than only for the area she lived in. The details are skimpy so one wonders if she was walking or driving a vehicle. The main information on the case was for the people of the community to be alert and report any sightings. Not a lot we could do as we are 50 km from that community. 

    I did a bit of research on my paternal grandmother. I am not able to find her death certificate but was told by my aunt that she died in childbirth. I assume this is correct as she was 11.5 years old when it happened. There is something on the headstone that looks like "infant" but I could be wrong. The other thing I realized when researching her is that she used her mother's maiden name on the birth certificates of her first 3 children. She was married to my paternal grandfather at that time. 

Today

I am going to do the balance sheet this morning and make a batch of spaghetti sauce for dinner and to freeze. This afternoon I will sew the doll's hat and one more jar cover. I won't knit tonight as I have to help daughter-in-law prep for sandwiches and do the clean up. She can't get her burn wet at this time. 

Until the next time.........................................................

A Doll's Shift Is Completed

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 30C). This morning it is mainly clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 29C). 

Lifestyle

The morning started out with a text from daughter-in-law. Son had gone for blood works and told her that the emergency was empty. She promptly spilled boiling hot tea on her hand and ended up in emergency to have it treated. 

I was out in good time to water all the plants. I checked on the Spousal Unit's rose bush and it has 2 buds on it. 

All the plants are doing well. They are enjoying the cool mornings and the warm days. The tomatoes have buds on them also and are getting greener and stronger. 

Next I cleaned the living room. I dusted and did some tidying up which is easy. That room does not have a lot of stuff in it. I dusted the furniture and mopped the floor. The floor was grimy and had quite a bit of pollen on it. It is now clean. 

I had to run downstairs and empty the dehumidifier when I realized it wasn't running. It was full due to the high humidity we are having. When I have to replace it, I will get one that will drain into the floor drain so I won't have to worry about it. That may or may not happen as this one is working like a charm. 

I went to the superstore garden center and returned some empty plant pots. They give you points for doing that. They ship them to their supplier who recycles them and makes them into new pots. I have 5 more to take when I go grocery shopping. From there I went to Dollarama and snoop shopped for 30 minutes. I got a few items for daughter. 

I still need to buy her a couple of more things and then I will do my magic and ship them to her. It is fun to do something like this. 

Sewing

I had a blast yesterday sewing a jar topper. I followed this video for size and idea. I did not cut an opening for the elastic but left turning hole and the first row of stitching open to insert the elastic. It worked perfectly. 

After inserting the elastic, I closed the row of stitching and topped stitched around the outer edge. I am now ready to buy a bit of fabric and make the ones for daughter. 

I spent a lot of time working on the doll's shift/chemise. I had a few struggles but nothing I couldn't work through. Most were my issues. I got it finished and on the doll. 

I really love this pattern. I put on the "jump" (stay without boning) and put the lacing in the front. I read that working women wore it this way so they could loosen them when necessary. 

I have two more items to sew from the linen and then I can cut out and sew the skirt. 

Knitting

I knit last night and when I went to fix my little ball of yarn I had 5 stitches slip off the needles. I spent the next while unknitting and picking up stitches. I was not a happy camper. In the end, I did get 4 rows knit on the afghan. 

Tonight I will be adding on a new ball of yarn. So far I have knit 214 grams of yarn. 

Thoughts

    I had a fair night's sleep. The emergency alert went off at 3:45 am waking me from a sound sleep. A 79 year old woman was missing. It went off again just over an hour later stating she was found. I did not sleep well after that so am feeling tired. I know I will loose energy sometime this afternoon. 

    I had no issues with my heart rate yesterday. It was back in its normal range all day. I am pushing myself to be more active during the day which does help keep it at a normal level for me. I am still monitoring it carefully especially first thing in the morning. 

Today

I am going to clean the bathroom and then head out to get a piece of fabric and thread for the jar toppers. I want to sew more on the Acadian outfit this afternoon. I know it will be slow sewing as I will run out of energy. I hope to knit tonight. I also have to make myself something for dinner for tonight and tomorrow night. 

Until the next time.................................................................

Sewing Linen Doll Cloths

 Yesterday was sunny and warm with a high of 27C. This morning it is clear and 12C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 29C.

Lifestyle

I spent the day being very busy. It was to see if my heart rate would be in the normal level or if it was going to be slow. It was normal all day. 

My first job was to launder the sheets. I got them done and the bed made later in the afternoon. While they were on, I was out the door to plant the flowers. I did 3 tubs of them at the shed. 

The third tub was done and I put in a solar light that daughter had given me Christmas 2024 and I forgot to put it out last year. 

I turned the tub around so the solar panel was in the full sun and it was really nice to look at last night. Some of the little lights twinkle on and off. 

Once the outside chores were done, I decided to clean the front entry way. It was the floor at the top of the stairs, the stairs, entry floor, and the stairs down to the basement. I will have to say they were dirty. It was nice to have that job done. 

While prepping for dinner, I got a text and had to go over and pick up liquids from my friend's place. They are all stored in the garage along with 2 plants. Daughter-in-law and I will sort through them when she has time. 

I checked my cucumber pots and I now have 4 plants. They will be going out next week. They need to have some growth on them before I transplant them. Once they are planted, I am done for this year. 

Sewing

I had a good afternoon sewing. I made a very simple half apron for the Acadian outfit. Though simple, it had us make mitred corners like I did when I made a bunch of napkins. Love that method. 

I started sewing the chemise and I almost didn't work on it. I had to make a button hole and then cut out the neck facing. It took me 3 tries to get the right size buttonhole. When done, I cut out the facing and carefully sewed it onto the chemise neck. I clipped and turned it, pressed it well and top stitched it in place. Done. 

Next I played with the sleeves. I have the gathering stitches in and the bottom of the sleeves ready to hem. I did not put lace on them as they would not have been practical for a working person. As the raw edges of the hems are not finished, I am thinking of doing either a zig zag or a cross stitch on them so they don't fray. With all of that done, I called it a day. 

I am happy with what I got done yesterday afternoon. 

Knitting

I knit 5 rows on the afghan last night. I am not sure why I was so slow knitting. But it was progress. 

Thoughts

    My heart rate has been good this morning. I have not allowed myself to fully relax at the computer which is what I had done when it dropped below 50 beats. I am still monitoring it carefully. 

    I was on the hunt for a pattern for fabric jar covers. The one I was going to use wasn't exactly what I wanted. I did find another one and with a few small adaptions I can make one I like better. I also want to make jar cozies and found a video on how to make my own pattern. I will be doing a mock up of both from the left over Altoona bag fabric. 

Today

I am going to water the plants first and then clean the living room. If I have time, I will go out for a bit but may not if it is humid. This afternoon I will sew on the chemise. Tonight I will knit. 

Until the next time...........................................................