Prepping For A Sewing Weekend

 Yesterday was cool and breezy with a high of 20.5C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 10C. Today is to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 23C. 

Lifestyle

I was over to check on family's cat and to empty the dehumidifier. The dehumidifier tank was full and the humidity was 80%. I was concerned so I was back over before dinner to check. The tank was almost full and the humidity was 40%. I will be checking it twice a day from now on. 

The cat was excited to see me as he loves treats. He waits for me to give them to him. He doesn't seem to mind being alone all day. 

I was to New Minas to get cat food. Then it was to get some cleaning supplies as I am short on scrubbers. I did wander the store looking as I had a bit of time to kill before going to the quilt shop. It was fun to wander around and see what is available in the kitchen part of the store. The stores were busy as was the highway. People are getting ready for the long weekend or traveling to their destinations. 

The lawns got mowed yesterday. They have recovered from the heat and were getting long. The rain that is suppose to come tomorrow will be welcomed as everything needs about another inch of rain. I did look at the garden and the bok choy may have bolted. I picked the blooms off and will give it a week before making a decision if I have to pull it. 

Sewing

I bought fabric as I am doing a tutorial on quilt as you go (QAYG). I picked out a fabric I have wanted to play with and a matching solid. 

I am doing 10" squares in the print with the solid as sashing and backing. I will need more solid and a print for the binding. This will go downstairs into either my sewing room or the family room. I will be learning as I do the tutorial. 

I did look at the strawberry print fabrics for the historical outfit I will be making in July. I am thinking about the top in a print and the skirt in a mixer. 

The green comes in a red also so I may use it though I love the green. I will make my decision once the pattern comes out. 

I spent the afternoon prepping fabrics so I can sew up a storm. I cut out the rest of Orange Blossom's outfit. Hat, dress, and shoes. 

Next up was to cut out piping for daughter from the remaining fat quarter. It is ready to make.

And then I cut out and made block 6 of the Ultimate Beginner's Quilt. I took my time so the directional prints were not upside down. It was up and down to look at the instructions. 

I just have 3 blocks left to go and then I will need to buy the sashing for it. This quilt will be going to the long arm quilter as it is bigger than I want to deal with on my machine. 

I keep telling myself that this is a scrappy type quilt as I am using up fabrics from a fat eighth, fabrics I found in a tub and 2 prints I bought. It is also a quilt that I am working on precision and accuracy. It will go into the family room to remind me that I can step outside my comfort zone when using prints. 

The next block is flying geese. It requires 4 fabrics which will be interesting. You make them so you reverse the colours on two blocks. I am looking forward to that. There is a lot of accurate sewing on this block.

Knitting

I knit about half of the gusset last night. Fifteen rows done, 16 left to do. 

I am hoping to have it done by early next week. I am looking forward to seeing the pair done so I can work on other items before I start the next pair of socks. These socks have been a delight to knit.

Today

I have to go over twice to empty the dehumidifier and visit the cat. I am hoping to mop the living and dining area and clean the front entry. I want to work on the hat this afternoon and knit on the socks tonight. A day at home which is usual for me on a long weekend. 

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

An Outfit Finished and An Outfit Started

 Yesterday morning was a mix of mist and downpours. About 1/2" of rain fell before lunch. The high got to 24.3C. This morning it is a mix of sun and clouds and 15C. Today we are to have a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 20C. 

Lifestyle

After going over to family's house to check on the cat and empty the dehumidifier, I was back to start cleaning the master bedroom. I wanted to scrub the windows but couldn't due to the rain which started as mist and turned to downpours. I did get the room cleaned though and the floors mopped. I also did 2 loads of laundry. They aren't folded yet but will be sooner rather than later. 

I got the compost bin in while it was misting. When I got back into the house, it was raining hard. I was lucky as it could have opened up on me while outside. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon sewing. I sewed snaps onto the top and one onto the palazzo pants. I am happy with the end result of this outfit. 

You can actually see the top under the jacket which is nice. 

And the outfit. 

From there, I started on the Orange Blossom outfit. I cut out the tie and did a white rolled hem. One end looks a bit rough but it will do. 

Next I cut out the hat lining.  

I decided to see if I had enough fabric for the dress and the outer fabric of the hat. I did.

I spent the rest of the afternoon sewing the hat lining. I have the pattern but not the instructions. I got the pattern for free years ago. It is now listed in her shop. 

And the back side which shows all the seams. 

I have enough of the check fabric to make shoes for this outfit plus a fat quarter to make daughter piping for her shirts. All that will be left is small scraps of fabric. 

Knitting

I am thinking of making a quilt as you go quilt using sashing. I will do a page on how to make it as I learn the process. I will be buying the fabrics as I have nothing. I am hoping it will take 3 meters of fabric at the most. Something simple that I can throw on the back of the couch. It has to be blue. 

I worked on the sock last night and got the heel flap done, turned the heel and picked up the gusset stitches. 

If I keep knitting the way I have been, it should be finished by the end of next week. Hurrah.

Thoughts

    The neighbour got chickens and had them outside last night. Hopefully they will be contained in their yard this year. If they arrive here, I will be dealing with it. He knows the drill as well as I do. 

    It is hard to believe that June is coming to an end. I look at what was accomplished here in June and I am pleased that more was done than ever before. I will be home for July 1st (Canada Day) but am fine with that. It will be a quiet start to July which could be another busy month. 

Today

I need to go over shortly to check on the cat and empty the dehumidifier in the basement. Then it is off to New Minas to get cat food and get a few items I need. I would like to sew this afternoon and knit tonight. 

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

Hot and Humid

 Yesterday's weather was hot and muggy. The high got to 30.2C with a humidex of 35C. (86F/95F). This morning it is cloudy and 19C. Today is suppose to have showers, thundershowers, wind, and a high of 21C. 

Lifestyle

I was tired yesterday morning but I pushed ahead and cleaned the spare bedroom. My unwise choice was to scrub the window as it was dirty and had some black mould. I did get it clean but the heat and humidity made the room hot and me feel awful. I did clean the room - dusted, wiped, swept, and mopped. The sweeping and mopping extended to the hall, bathroom and kitchen. 

I took the cat litter mat outside and hosed it clean. As I was outside, I checked the plants and the cat had dug in two boxes. They didn't kill any plants but I had to smooth soil around the bok choy. I will have to thin carrots next week as there are two cool mornings. 

I did the recycling and took the two bags and compost bin to the curb early. Another unwise thing to do as I had to retrieve the bags from the ditch twice. Not a lot of fun in the heat and hot wind. 

As I had done the laundry while cleaning the spare bedroom, I made my bed late in the afternoon. I bought the sheets quite a while ago and they are still a bright white. I do love white sheets on a bed. 

We had power fluctuations in the afternoon. When I did a check, 1500 customers west of us were out of power. So close but on another grid. Luckily for them, it was back on in a couple of hours. I am assuming it was the wind that caused the problem. 

Sewing

I set about tracing and cutting out the top for the outfit. I even lined it. It is done to snaps and a bit of hand sewing at the hem. I used the idea from making the Renaissance top to machine stitch the hem and lining and turn it through a hole in the lining. Such a great idea. 

The top just fits into the pants and I would make it 1/4 - 3/8" longer the next time. Over all I am happy with the pattern I drafted. 

The yokes are slightly gathered to add a bit of fullness. It is the start of an idea to see if I can make it fuller. 

I am enjoying drafting patterns now that I am doing the course again and know the patterns will fit the dolls. 

I am ready to begin the Orange Blossom outfit next. The fabrics have been washed and pressed. I need to print out the patterns and start as soon as I finish the top. 

I am also going to start working on the blocks for the quilt I stopped last month. I want to get it ready for the sashing by mid July. I have 4 blocks left to make. 

Knitting

I did knit last night as the house was cool. I got 32 rounds done and the leg is done. I am now working on the heel flap. 

The pattern is called Let It Shine Socks and can be found for free on Ravelry. This is the second time I have knit this pattern and I will be knitting it again in the future. 

Thoughts

    Daughter sent me pictures of her Strawberry Shortcake miniatures and we went down memory lane talking about them. 

They are more than I had thought there were. 

They are inspiring me to make some outfits that have a Strawberry Shortcake theme. July's project for Sewing With Cinnamon is a historical dress and I am going to see if I can use strawberry fabrics for it. 

    My hip has improved a lot since the last flare up and the two huge cracks from last week. The muscles still are sore with certain movements. I was down into the steep sided ditch last night and went up and down with no problems. I was careful but I did it. 

    My IBS has flared up again. I am thinking it may be food but it is also was worrying about the results of my blood tests. The heat/humidity isn't helping it also as I keep overheating by being out in it do chores that need to be done. It will improve but it does leave me tired while I have it. 

Today

I have to go over and check on family's cat and empty their dehumidifiers. I do that first thing. Once home, I will be focusing on cleaning my bedroom. If it isn't raining, I will scrub the windows. I need to dust, sweep, and mop floors. I want to finish the doll's outfit and print the next patterns. If I have time, I will cut out block 6 of the quilt. I will be knitting tonight. 

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

An Excellent Check-Up

 Yesterday was misty, sunny, and there were a couple of light showers. The high got to 19.2C. This morning it is a mix of sun and cloud and 12C. Today there is suppose to be a chance of drizzle with a high of 26C (humidex 29C).

Lifestyle

I was out to see the doctor yesterday morning. I was a bit worried about my test results. I shouldn't have been. My blood pressure is good, A1C is 5.6, liver function is improving, and everything else is excellent. I am to loose the bit of weight I gained over the next couple of months. The only thing of concern is my SI joint not staying seated. But he feels it will come with physio and time. I may never have hip/knee replacements if all goes well. 

I was over to see family and we made a plan for the day. I was to have lunch at their place (yummy good) and then daughter-in-law and I would go to New Minas. 

Our trip to New Minas was fun. We did everything we needed to do and was home by 3:30 pm. I was tired at that time as I had been on the go a lot all day. My hip wasn't as sore as I had expected, just tired. I got everything put away and then had to go back over to family to deliver the chair that we both forgot was in the car. We had a good laugh over that. 

Sewing

I did not sew yesterday. I did buy fabric to make a doll's outfit. 

The outfit is going to be my rendition of Orange Blossom's outfit. Her's looked like this when she came out in the 1980's.

My fabric is pretty monochromatic. I need to add green and a bit of yellow to the mix. I am still planning and may get another fabric to add to the mix. My pattern is this. 

The hat will be a sunhat that I got for free years ago from Mamma Can Do It. 

Knitting

I got half of the leg knit last night. I am happy with that as it was 24 rounds. 

There is a bit of purple showing up in this sock which is interesting as it was yellow in the other sock. 

Today

The goal is to clean the spare room -- dust, sweep, and mop. I have laundry to do and recycling to take out. This afternoon I want to cut out and sew the top for the palazzo pants and jacket. Tonight I want to knit on the sock. It is a stay at home day for me. 

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

A Wet And Busy Day

 Yesterday was wet until about 11 am. We had about 3/4" of rain and it came down heavy at times. The high got to 22.1C (humidex 29C). The wind came out of the north at 3 pm and the humidity was gone. This morning it is 16C. Today we are to have showers and 21C. 

Lifestyle

I pushed myself to do things yesterday. I swept the living room floor and washed it. I swept the hall floor and washed it. I cleaned the dining room, swept the floor and washed it. It was done at a slow pace as I was really tired and not feeling well. I was dealing with a minor case of heat exhaustion.

During the rain storm, we had thunder and it kept rolling in closer and closer. I chose not to do laundry as I wasn't sure if we would loose power or not. The last clap of thunder was close and 57 homes behind us lost power for several hours. Elliott chose to exit to the basement at the last clap of thunder and sleep in the sewing room under 2 blankets. He emerged mid afternoon. 

I was out to the shed in the afternoon to take miniatures to the lady who put the lady bug rock in the hedge. She was delighted to get them. I did look at the tomato plants and took a picture of the beefsteak tomato. We will have one tomato for sure to put on hamburgers this summer. 

I also took pictures of the Hungarian peppers. They are growing and are full of buds. 

I will be sharing cucumbers with friends as they lost all theirs in the heat. Good thing I have over 20 plants which I need to thin down to 16. 

I ate well yesterday and didn't have a nap though it was tempting. I was in bed early as I couldn't keep my eyes open. The a/c was on to keep the house cool as it was warm and wet outside. Not a lot of humidity though which was nice. 

Sewing

I drafted a top pattern to go with the palazzo pants. I had to watch the video to get it done. 

It is lined and will have a bit of gathering at the yoke. I didn't want a lot of gathering as it will be worn under a jacket. 

I took pictures of the Lady Lilly dress and hat. I did mirror pictures for it. 

I am happy with how the hat turned out and the flowers are glued on solidly. 

I finished the palazzo pants. I need to add one more snap to the back opening which I will do today. 

If I make them again, I will use a drapey fabric. The cotton is a bit too stiff for them. 

I added the hat and she is ready for an outing. 

Though it was early, I stopped for the day. I was too tired to play with the top pattern. 

Knitting

I showed daughter-in-law the work sock yarn and she wants a pair also. We will get the yarn in late August. With that in mind, I knit 16 rounds last night on the second sock. 

The design is on the opposite side of the front this time and I have to remember that while knitting. It will become easier as the leg gets longer. 

Thoughts

    It is amazing how fast everything is recovering after the rain. Plants that were drooping are now perked up. Flowers will need to be deadheaded but that is okay. They will produce more blooms. The grass is waking up and will be green once again. If we get more rain today, we will be in great shape for a couple of weeks.

    I have been keeping a list for cleaning the house. It is helping me keep on track as I want to do downstairs also. Though I didn't launder the sheets yesterday, I did the upstairs freezer inventory. Having the list is also helping me keep the clean areas cleaner. When I sweep the targeted area, I do floors in the cleaned areas. I also mop them. Win-win. 

    Meal planning is eluding me at the moment. With the heat, I didn't want to cook so ate poorly. I am trying to figure out a plan and will start working on it. I need to have ideas for hot days when I don't want to cook. Even barbecuing is hard as I have to cook in the hot afternoon sun. I need to stop making excuses for not having a plan. 

Today

I have a doctor's appointment this morning and then am heading to New Minas to shop. I hope to cut out the doll's top this afternoon and start sewing it. Tonight I will knit on socks. 

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

Progress Made on All Fronts

 Yesterday started out a bit sunny and then it grew dark and cloudy. It rained good in the afternoon. The high got to 24.1C. This morning it is cloudy and 21C (humidex 29C). Today we are to have showers and thundershowers with a high of 21C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet yesterday morning with only one mistake which was easy to find and correct. It is hard to believe that yesterday we were 75% of the way through the month. I am doing well with my spending again this month. 

I was then outside to give the vegetables a light watering. I picked weeds as I watered. When checking the tomatoes, I have a couple more grape tomatoes and a beefsteak tomato. Everything is growing rapidly, I notice it every morning when I go out to water. 

Inside, I swept the living room, hall, kitchen and bathroom floors. I also cleared off and washed the dining table. It was then time to leave for a craft sale. I felt like I had accomplished a lot in a couple of hours. 

Though it was dark and dull during the afternoon, I was excited to see the rain. Everything needed it. The first rain fall gave us about 1/8" rain before it stopped. It was great as it allowed the moisture to soak into the ground. It rained again in the evening and during the night. The downside at night was how humid it got. I did have a poor night's sleep as I didn't have the a/c on. 

I have ate well the past 3 days and have lost 2.1 lbs. I am pleased with that. I am tracking my food, eating healthy, and moving around the house as much as I can. I will continue with my plans so I can loose the weight I gained. 

Sewing

I decided it was time to trace out the palazzo pants I had designed, add the seam allowances, and make them. I had to stop and do some thinking but they are ready to have the waistband put on. 

I am very pleased with the fit as this is one of my chunkier dolls. Once the waistband is on, I only have the inside seam and hems left to sew and then add a fastener to the waist. The pattern is a success for my use. 

There is enough fabric left over to make a top. I will design it next. I want it to be sleeveless and will add a yoke to the front. I want to line it with white broadcloth. I need to watch some videos on how to draft the yoke. 

I ended my time in the sewing room by gluing flowers onto a hat for the Lady Lilly dress. It was quite the job with me holding the flowers in place while the glue set enough so the flowers didn't fall off. I did not use the tulle as it wasn't cooperating with me. I may have had more problems with the flowers if I used it. 

I love the flowers I bought. This hat can be worn with other outfits. 

As the glue wasn't dry, I didn't put the hat on Kit properly. I will do pictures of it on her today. Overall, happy with what I accomplished. 

Knitting

I went to the craft sale to get yarn. I won't be buying again for several months so needed to get yarn for more socks. I bought this yarn for daughter-in-law's socks. It is dyed by a lady in the Halifax area and we love their yarn. I love the colorway "Nerds on Wheels". It is died for the seller whose colours are purple and her shop is in a work trailer. 

I also bought myself yarn for socks. This is from another artist in Halifax and she does some wonderful colour ways. I chose Fogo Island colour way which is after an island in Newfoundland. 

Two skeins were my limit until I saw this work sock yarn. I was over the moon as I love to knit daughter work socks. I chose the traditional colour way for the first pair. Bonus - a free pattern. All of the yarn is for Christmas presents. I will put mine into a gift bag to put under the tree from Elliott. 

I finished the first sock last night and love how it looks. 

I have cast on and started the second sock. 

When thinking, I finished my socks, knit a pair for grandson, and knit one sock since my last visit to the yarn shop on May 8. I did buy one skein to finish grandson's socks but didn't need it. I will knit a pair from it this winter. I am finding that the more I knit socks, the faster I can go as I don't need to review videos on certain parts. 

When these socks are done, I will finish knitting the doll's sweater and the two hats I have to make longer. Then back to sock knitting. 

Today

I have planned to wash bedding and clean the dining room. I will mop the living room floor when I do the dining room. I also want to do the freezer inventory. This afternoon I will finish the doll's pants and then do some pattern drafting. Tonight I will knit on the socks. It is a stay at home day for me. 

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

Three Tiny Tomatoes

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 24.1C. There is hardly any humidity and the breeze was cool. This morning it is a mix of sun and clouds and 12C. Today we are to have showers with periods of rain tonight. The high is to get to 20C (humidex 25C). 

Lifestyle

My first job was to water the plants. As I watered, I did some more weeding. Doing a bit each day is keeping the job easy. When I watered the tomatoes, I look for sprouts that need to be broken off. While looking I found 3 grape tomatoes on one plant. 

I didn't think there would be any at this time. The other plants are blooming like crazy so we will be having tomatoes if all goes well. 

When cleaning the hedge, grandson and I found a lady bug rock. We left it in the hedge wondering who had put it there (ie - which child in the area). I found out yesterday that our friend across the street painted it and put it there for us to find. I will be bringing it into the shed in the fall. I want to move it so it is on the house side of the hedge so it can be admired.

I thought that was such a cute idea and a great surprise when weeding the hedge. 

Once done the outside work, I cleaned the bathroom. I got a lot of fluff picked up, the bath tub cleaned of said fluff, and the other usual things I do when cleaning the bathroom. I finished up by washing the bathroom floor. It was time to rest as my muscles were sore from all the stretching I do when cleaning the tub. But, the room looks clean and tidy. Room 2 done. 

I was out to watch grandson play soccer in the late afternoon. It was a great game with lots of the team's parents there yelling (like me). When grandson got on the field, he played really well and almost made 2 goals. His team played well but they "tanked" out as did the other team. It was a tied game though grandson's team should have won. They were the stronger team. We all noticed that one of the boys playing on the other team was on the team that son coached a few years ago (Covid era). We didn't recognize any of the other players as most are on other teams. 

Sewing

I finished hand sewing the binding down on the pillow. I was putting the pillow form into it when I had to leave. It hasn't been worked enough to make it look smooth. 

The flap covering the zipper on the back worked perfectly. I was excited about that. 

I will be taking pillow #1 apart and doing it this way. One of July's projects. 

Knitting

The socks were knit on last night and I am ready to start the toe. 

I love this pattern and hope to use it on the front of a doll's sweater. 

Thoughts

    We need rain and the storm that was to arrive this morning is coming in slower than anticipated. It is going to be humid which is not going to be fun. It is also going to be windy. 

    I have been eating more carefully the past 2 days and my weight is being stubborn. It will come off as I am not snacking and am eating close to my points (a bit over). I am also trying to keep moving which is good for weight loss and my sore muscles. This happened when I started to loose weight last year. I ate carefully every day and didn't loose any weight for a week and then had a weight loss. 

    I am slowly trying to get a plan together for cleaning the house (up and down stairs). I also want to do the freezer inventory and meal planning so I can use up the food in the freezer and have meals that are healthy. I tend to eat poorly when it is hot and humid. I am hoping having a meal plan will help me eat healthier and not go to buy fast food. 

Today

I have to water the garden this morning as we don't get rain until tonight. Then I have to do the balance sheet and start on the freezer inventory. Daughter-in-law and I are going to the "rolling wool shop" so she can choose her yarn for her Christmas socks. I will buy another skein for another pair of socks for someone. I want to work on the doll's pants this afternoon and knit tonight. House work will be to sweep floors. 

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

Beautiful Red Roses

 Yesterday was cooler with lots of sunshine and a high of 26.9C.  This morning it is somewhat cloudy and 14C. The sky was a brilliant pink at 5:30 am which means rain is coming. Today is to be mainly cloudy and 23C. 

Lifestyle

My first job was to water the garden. When I took a container of water out for the rose bush, I was greeted with this sight. 

The blooms were tight buds on Wednesday. I loved this bud when I looked at all the flowers. 

Once I had watered the garden, I cleaned the kitchen. I moved a lot of chicken broth from the fridge freezer to the basement freezer and got both the fridge and freezers organized. After that it was clean, clean, clean. I ended the session washing the floor. 

After a short rest, I cleaned up the litter box area in the spare bedroom. It wasn't as bad as anticipated. I had it done rather quickly. My next job was to pick the roses and bring them into the house. I cut long stems so they would look nice in a bigger vase. 

I also cut the scapes from the garlic and put them in the fridge. My last job of the morning was to fold the laundry. I had done 2 loads and had part of a third load that I did when weeding the hedge. It was done before noon and put away a bit later on. It felt so good having done a lot of cleaning yesterday morning. 

I went back to eating properly yesterday. I tracked everything I ate as I have gained weight. I need to loose 5 - 7 lbs. That can be done with portion control and keeping busy. I did well yesterday so I know I can do it. My goal is to have it off mid August. 

My hip hurt less yesterday though the muscles rebelled when they got tired. I did rest to help them recover and sat on the magic bag last night. I am hoping that things will remain stable with the SI joint and I can do things with a lot less pain this summer. 

Sewing

I sewed the binding on to the cushion cover and got 75% of the binding hand sewn down. 

If the zipper flap works on this cushion cover, I will take the other one apart and redo it in July. Right now I have other items to work on when this is done. 

Knitting

I did knit on the sock last night and am just over half done the foot. 

I need to weigh the yarn tonight as I may have to buy another skein of yarn. I am hoping not as I want to buy other yarn to knit into socks. 

I have a lot of left over sock yarn and once I get the Christmas socks knit, I am going to knit sweaters for the Gotz dolls. All will be short sleeved and can be made from the small amounts of yarn.

Thoughts

    I have my fingers crossed that we get rain tomorrow. Everything is so dry. The lawn is going dormant and looks ugly. I have to make sure I water the vegetables and flowers daily. The one thing I am happy is that I don't have a lot of landscaping that requires a lot of daily care. My landscaping is minimalist which is great in this heat. 

    The vegetables are growing rapidly. I can't believe how much they grow daily. All the tomatoes have blooms on them. The peppers have buds which will open in the next week. The peas and beans seem to have doubled in size as has the bok choy and cucumbers. I will need to thin carrots late next week as they are growing rapidly. I pick at the weeds when I water so they are basically under control. We could have a lot of vegetables this year. The flowers are growing well though the heat did set them back a bit. I do dead head on a daily basis which keeps the plants blooming. 

    As I have the freezer organized, I need to do inventory and start meal planning. It will help me use up what I have in the freezer and to loose weight. I need to also track what I eat as I have some high point foods to use up. That means light lunches so I can have the high point foods for dinner. I will not be buying some of the items again. Lesson learned. 

Today

I have to water the garden and clean the bathroom this morning. If I have time, I will start cleaning the stairs and front entry. I want to finish the cushion cover. I am leaving at 3:15 pm to watch grandson play soccer in Wolfville. Hopefully I can knit a bit tonight. 

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