Researching Edwardian Shirt Sleeves

 Yesterday started out raining, cleared off with lots of sunshine, then clouded up and rained again at dinner time. The high got to 16C. This morning it is cloudy and 7C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 18C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I started off typing up the minutes from a meeting and sending them off via email. Next up was to do the balance sheet. I had set aside plenty of time to do it and was done in good time. No issues or mistakes. Everything went too well which is unusual for the balance sheet. 

Once the balance sheet was done, I put everything away, cleaned up the table and proceeded to clean the bathroom and kitchen. I was done my chores in good time. Actually I was done with time to kill so I took out garbage and recycling. 

Mid afternoon, I went over to see my friend. Her sister is visiting her for a week. We talked about a lot of things and really enjoyed our visit. I came home for a late dinner and was happy to have had a nice afternoon out. 

Sewing

I spent a couple of hours in the sewing room. I cut out the dress which I think is going to be cute. 

I spent some time researching sleeves for a shirt for the doll. I wanted to find out if they wore full sleeves in the 1900's. They did. I decided I am going to make a shirt with gigot (leg of mutton) sleeves on it. I am following along what was done on Sewing With Cinnamon. I am going to use this sleeve pattern which was designed to fit a couple of shirt patterns. 

I am thinking o fusing the muted print fabric for the shirt. I have navy striped fabric for another shirt with slim sleeves and a few other pieces being audited for two more tops. I am trying to add a bit more colour to the wardrobe. One fabric is pink striped. The other may be a cream coloured fabric with tiny red rose buds on it. 

I set up the stash file for 2026 and have filled in the fabrics I have cut out and will sew starting in January. At the moment it is a reference so I won't forget the amount of fabric I have cut for each item of clothing. 

I have decided to take a break from cutting out the doll clothes and figure out a quilt for son-in-law. It is a simple pattern where each block consists of a 12" square and 2 - 6" squares. This is the pattern I am going to use. 

It will be a simple quilt to make and so far I have decided on making as shown. It will be 48" wide by 72" long. I can decide if I will add a border when it is done. I may have to do a bit of adapting the pattern to get it cut out from the fabric I have. This is going to be a cutting challenge for sure.

Knitting

I knit on the socks yesterday afternoon and evening. I got the heel flap done, turned the heel, picked up the gusset stitches and started knitting the gusset. 

These socks are so easy to knit and I am enjoying the process. I think it is the simple pattern that keeps me knitting for longer periods of time. 

Thoughts

    The fog has rolled in which means we will have sunshine most of the day. I enjoy the bright sunny days of autumn. 

    The lawn was aerated yesterday. This is to help the fall and winter moisture soak into the soil and help the lawn recover from the drought. The last job is to apply lime which also will help the lawn recover from the drought. 

    I have done a lot of digging through the doll's fabric stash. I am surprised at how much I have used up over the last couple of years. Once the Edwardian wardrobe is done, I want to work on a few modern pieces which are winter oriented. It may be a ski jacket and pants, a pullover sweater, and leggings. The idea is developing as I have all the patterns to make this mini outdoor fun capsule. 

Today

I have my RSV shot this morning. I need to get a few groceries also. I want to do a bit of cleaning before I go. I am hoping I can play with the quilt this afternoon but it depends on how I react to the vaccine. If not, I will rest and knit. I am being flexible this afternoon. 

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

Figuring Out A Pattern Hack

 Yesterday started out cloudy, then was sunny, and finally turned cloudy. The high got to 17C. This morning it is raining and 14C. Today is supposed to have rain this morning and a mix of sun and clouds this afternoon. The high is to get to 17C. 

Lifestyle

We are having a thunderstorm this morning. The lightening is lighting up the skies and the rumbles are saying it is not that close. It won't last long. 

It was day 4 of sandwiches and we were done just after 9 am. We are done with sandwiches for a while. 

Once home, I made cooked some mirepoix, put it into the crock pot, added cooked meat, seasonings, and tomato sauce. It cooked all day and was delicious on rice for dinner. 

I also took out the garbage and recycling, cleaned the kitchen, and went to put gas in the car. By then it was almost noon. 

Sewing

I cut out the lining for the doll's coat. I thought I had about 1.5 meters of this nice lining. It isn't Bemburg lining but just as nice. I have 3 meters of it. 

Next up was to decide on a dress pattern. I knew it had to be in the mid 1910's and had a few patterns to decide from. I was wanting to do some changes to it and add a different collar. 

The whole dress and collar search was very stressful. I couldn't find the pdf for the collar. I couldn't find the dress to go with the collar. Nothing was matching up and I ended up having an IBS attack. I had to sit down and relax as I knew I would be sick from all the stress. I started to think as I sat quietly. 

I wondered if I had the dress and collars I had tested for the designer. I did. I found the dress pattern and decided to make it again. I carefully scrolled through the collar pattern I had and lo and behold, it had all the pieces and instructions for 18 collars. So I had to do some back tracking and searching. Here is what I found out:

    *The numbers on the dress pattern has changed from when the collars were first designed. On the updated pattern it gives the names of the dresses the collars go with. I think that was a recommendation from the testers. 

    *The name of the collar pattern also changed from when I tested it to when we got the final pattern. This pattern has never been published. 

    *I have the 5 dress patterns that go with the collar patterns so I can do all the changes I want to when I start sewing next year. 

    *I looked at the designers pictures she has online and she. used a couple of the collar pieces on the dresses she made for sale. Looking at the pictures has given me some ideas for future wardrobes. 

I have laid the pattern pieces out on the fabric I want to use. 

I chose my collar which goes with the dress. 

The center piece will be cut out of the print and the rest of the collar will be cut out of the contrasting fabric. 

The fabric came from the doll's stash. I am digging my way through it. 

I am now researching sleeves for a shirtwaist I want to make. Another hack which is a common theme in this wardrobe. 

Knitting

I worked on the socks late in the afternoon and some in the evening. I have the leg done on sock #1. 

I love the pattern. It is easy to memorize and knits up quickly. I will do the heel flap and turn the heel and then start sock #2. 

I have decided to knit a pair of baby socks out of some left over yarn. These socks will go to my osteopathy therapist's baby. The wool is high end and soft for a baby. I hope to knit them on the plane. 

Thoughts

    I have an osteopathy appointment on Monday. The therapist texted me and allowed me to book an appointment before she put the word out to all her clients. I am so grateful that she allowed me to do that. 

    My Fitbit has arrived at its destination to be repaired or replaced. I am hoping it will be back here in the next week. I miss it as it pushes me to walk more than I do without it. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet and minutes from a meeting I attended last night. I want to clean off the table and clean the bathroom this morning. This afternoon I will try to get the dress cut out and look at the blouse I want to make for the doll. Tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

Prepping for 2026

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy with a high of 13C. This morning it is cloudy and 8C. Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with a high of 15C. We are to have showers during the night. 

Lifestyle

It was out the door to make sandwiches yesterday. That was day 3. I got to make the cucumber sandwiches and then cut and arrange the trays. We were done by 9 am. 

Once home, I sat and let my SI joint rest with heat on it. As I was tired it was acting up on me. But, I fought through it all. It was okay late in the afternoon. 

I played around with my packing/unpacking my backpack and suitcase. I am trying to get things organized so it will be easy to finish packing. I am making lists for the backpack in particular. The suitcase seems to be under control. 

I was up and down the stairs a couple of times in the morning and one trip I wondered if I would get up the stairs. I was so sore that I had to pull myself up. I wasn't happy. When I did the stairs later, I was fine. 

Sewing

I spent quite a bit of time pinning and cutting out the doll's skirt, coat, and hat. I was quite worried about having enough fabric for the coat but I got the hat cut out also. 

The hat is supposed to be made from a wool felt and only the brim is lined. I cut out enough of the crown to line the hat. It is easy to do. I am keeping the coat simple as the pockets are supposed to be the focal point. 

I also cut out the skirt and it was quick and easy. 

The left over skirt fabric has been put away for something else. I still have to print and cut out tops for this "growing" outfit. I also have to cut out a dress. 

Knitting

I wound two balls of yarn into cakes yesterday. I chose the "Peach Tea" colour way to make the next pair of socks. I also decided to knit socks that are plain with a lacy design up the outside of the socks. I got them cast on, the cuff knit and 8 rows of the pattern completed. 

The other colour way is the Nova Scotia plaid and I am looking forward to knitting them in 2026. 

I have been thinking about another sweater for the Edwardian doll's outfit. I have red and purple yarn in the stash I can use. I finally decided on this pattern. 

I tested the sweater pattern for the designer and liked it. I am ready to knit it once again. 

Thoughts

    I cancelled my subscription to Sewing With Cinnamon and I may join again in January. I found that I wasn't enjoying the content as it seemed more of what they wanted to do vs sewing outfits. But, in the midst of everything, there is a bunch of lessons I didn't see and are very useful. What I need to do is sift through the monthly lessons and find what I like. I still love to sew and knit outfits vs sewing a couple of items and calling it done. Most of the subscribers enjoy the couple of items as they sell their outfits. 

    I inventoried my sock yarn yesterday. I have it written down in a book and a goal for knitting that yarn up in 2026. I have 2 batches of left over yarn that I want to knit socks from and need to buy some nice black yarn for them. Yes, I will curse knitting black yarn. Next I need to inventory the sock weight wool and acrylic  yarn that I don't knit socks out of. I need to make a plan on what I want to knit from it. I know that I will make the above sweater. After that I need to look at my patterns and put on my thinking cap. 

    I had a great sleep last night. I slept 8 hours straight which means I was exhausted. I am feeling much better this morning and hope I have another good night's sleep. 

Today

I am out for day 4 of making sandwiches. Once home I have a small list of things to do upstairs and gas up the car. I am making a stew for 2 to 3 meals. I want to cut out the lining for the doll's coat and maybe get the doll's dress printed and ready to cut out. Tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

Starting To Cut the Doll's Wardrobe

 Yesterday was cloudy and damp with a high of 11C. This morning it is cloudy and 9C. Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with some showers this morning. The high is supposed to  get to 14C.

Lifestyle

Yesterday was day 2 of sandwiches. I got to make the sandwiches which was different. I also helped daughter-in-law set up the hall for the celebration of life. I was sore when we left due to the extra activity we did. 

Once home, I got busy. I put the sheets into the laundry and while they washed, I swiffered the floor. It had some dust on it where Rosie the Robot can't get to. I also folded the laundry I did the day before and got it put away. 

About 2 pm, I decided to grab a padded envelope, the paperwork for the Fitbit and the Fitbit head and headed out to the UPS store in New Minas. I got there 15 minutes before closing and it is now on its way to be repaired. I did not stop to shop as New Minas was super busy. The main road was bumper to bumper with cars and the parking lots were full. Being Saturday, everyone was shopping. I headed home and the highway was also busy. 

My SI joint rebelled yesterday and I thought it was going to be a night of pain. I did stretch and got it to release. I sat on the heating pad and by bedtime the pain was gone. I know I alternated between movement and sitting yesterday which helped quite a bit. I am thinking about starting to walk most days to see if that will help. 

Daughter phoned me last night at 11 pm. Woke me up from a deep sleep. She wanted me to know that the dog quilt went for just under $1000.00. That shocked me. We had hoped it would raise about $650.00. The money goes to hospice. I do hope the person who won it gets many years of enjoyment from the quilt. 

They are now anxiously waiting for next year's quilt wondering about the design. Wait and see as I haven't designed it in my head yet. 

Sewing

I decided to pin the doll's skirt pattern on to the fabric. I pressed the fabric and got it pinned on before leaving for New Minas. 

I am going to cut it out and put it away for January. I will repeat for the coat and coat lining. This way I will be ready for sewing while keeping busy right now. 

Knitting

I took all the extra yarn that was on the couch and put it away. The left over yarn from the socks was put into the sell bag and the yarn I kept was put into its correct container. 

I sat and knit last night. I did a lot of counting as the shawl collar has you knit short rows with a wrap and turn at the end of the row. I got the coat finished to adding buttons. I am thinking of white ones.

Now to choose the yarn for the next pair of socks. I need to wind it and get started on them.

Thoughts

    I was tired yesterday and it would have been easy to sit on the couch all day. I pushed myself to do things and I am glad I did. It really helped me mentally and physically. The trip to New Minas was the spur of the moment decision which added some interest to the day. I knew it would be busy which is why I did not go shopping. 

    Our friend's house sold and the new people are busy cleaning and painting it prior to moving in. It has been very busy over there and I hope the new people will enjoy living on our street. 

    I made a list of the things that still need to go into my back pack (trip). Most of it I am still using at this time. A couple of clothing items can go in. The rest will be added the day of our trip. My next job is to go through my suitcase and make a list of what I still need to add to it. 

Today

I am back out for day 3 of making sandwiches. Once home, I am going to do a bit of housework, start the list for my suitcase and putter around. I want to cut out the doll skirt pattern, pin the coat onto its fabrics, and wind yarn for socks. Tonight I will set up the socks and start knitting them. 

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

Taping and Cutting Out Patterns

Yesterday was mainly cloudy but not gloomy. The high got to 13C. This morning it is cloudy and 10C. Today is supposed to be mainly cloudy with a high of 14C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to make sandwiches first thing. I got to cut and arrange the sandwiches on the trays. I also made the cucumber sandwiches. I was home just after 9 am. 

Once home, I started laundry and made a pot of spicy fish chowder. I enjoyed making the soup and have made is quite a few times. It is thick and hearty for dinners the next two nights. This chowder is not cream based but tomato based. It is a nice change from cream based soups. 

I emailed Fitbit and they returned my message. They said I would have to go to a site to get the labels. I looked in my emails and found it buried in one of their replies. I had read them carefully but the email didn't show the slips I needed. I now have them saved on my computer and printed. I will ship my Fitbit out on Monday. Here is hoping it will be back before we leave on our trip. 

Sewing

The number one job was to cut the ribbon and put them into the casings of two gift bags. That was done in a hurry and they are now put away. The small jobs hanging over my head are now done.

I spent some time looking in the doll's fabric stash. I hauled out two more pieces of fabric to go with the Edwardian outfit. One is a piece I truly love and hid it away. It is time to use it. 

The other piece is lovely also. I have used it several times when making doll clothes. 

I then started to cut out pattern pieces and put them together. I started with the doll's coat. I cut the pieces to make the gathered sleeves first. I then started to cut out the pieces for the rest of the coat. I started to get into a bit of a mess and had to stop and think. I found all the pieces for the lining and cut them and put them in a pile. I then laid out the pieces for the gathered pockets and started to sift through the pattern pieces to get what I needed. It took quite a while to get it all figured out. I haven't tossed any pieces left as I might need them. 

Next up I cut out the Laura skirt. It was only a skirt pattern so it went fast. 

The cutting table is set up so I can start in January. 

I know I will be adding one more pattern to the table at the end of the month (blouse). I am deciding on a dress to add and when I choose the pattern, I will add it. 

Knitting

I struggled getting the stitches picked up on the sweater. It took me forever and I was exhausted when I got done. 

The hard part is trying to get the right number of stitches on each side placed the same way. I got it done and will start the knitting of the shawl collar and front band tonight. 

Thoughts

    I have been tired lately and part of it is boredom. I am not sewing which means I have time on my hands every afternoon. I may have to start pinning and cutting out the doll patterns to keep me busy. I am sitting and watching too much TV which is not healthy. I need to be active and doing things. 

    We are now into fall weather. The leaves have faded and many of the bright coloured ones are on the ground. We will continue to have a mixed bag of weather conditions -- cool and cloudy to warm and sunny. Nights will be cool but no frost is being predicted for the next week. 

Today

I am out to make sandwiches (day 2 of 4) this morning. Once home I will do some housework, fold laundry, put away some yarn, and make sure my messy spots are tidy. This afternoon I will print and tape a dress and start pinning the coat pattern onto the fabric. Tonight I will knit on the doll's sweater. 

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

And It Rained

 Yesterday was cool and wet with a high of 12C. This morning it is cloudy and 10C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers and a high of 13C. 

Lifestyle

I took daughter-in-law shopping yesterday morning. Our first stop was the sporting goods store where I returned a pair of runners and bought another pair. Daughter-in-law bought herself a pair of runners also. 

Our second stop was Walmart and we did our shopping. I bought celery and she bought carrots which we shared. I got a few other things also. Our last stop was at the liquor store. We did a bit of snooping in there for fun. We were home by noon. 

After lunch, I chopped celery and onions and grated carrots for mirepoix which I use in soups. I have a tub of it. I also keep the chunks of celery that I can't chop up as I put them into the pot when I cook a chicken carcass for broth. 

Sewing

I have started to print the patterns for the doll's outfit. I got the gathered pocket pieces done and the coat is now printing. I want to rough cut them and tape the pieces together and put them into a pile on top of the coat fabric. 

I bought ribbon for the last two bags I made. That is on the list to do right away so I can put the bags into a tub to sell next year. 

Knitting

I did a lot of knitting yesterday. I got both sleeves done. I even wove the ends in on the sleeves. 

I read both the pattern and the knit along instructions carefully and started to pick up the stitches on the right front. 

I am taking my time as I find picking up stitches this way challenging. There are not many rows to knit though there are some stitches to pay attention to when making the shawl collar. I am happy that I decided to make this sweater using both the pattern and the knit along. 

Thoughts

    We had a good rain yesterday. It was nice and soft in the morning with a good hard rain last night. We really needed it and I, for one, wasn't complaining. The ground was bone dry at least 6" down. The downside of having the rain was how gloomy it was all day. 

    I am still waiting for the paperwork to return my Fitbit. I sent them an email asking when it will be sent as I am missing having it. The company was fast to start with but have slowed down since our Thanksgiving weekend. 

    I am still playing around with packing. I put things into the suitcase, take them out, rearrange, and drive myself crazy. I think I am trying to be over prepared. Yesterday I was fiddling with my backpack trying to get things organized so I can get at items during the long flights. I know I will be putting my back pack under the seat. 

    It was this day in 1897 that a fire broke out in Windsor. But due to gale force winds, most of the town burnt to the ground. Help came from Halifax, New Brunswick, and Boston. Within a year 150 new structures were built and Windsor was fully function as a town. I do know from visiting museums in the town some of the houses were not touched by the fire. The owners of one house helped build houses in the town. 

Today

I am gone first thing to make sandwiches. I am not sure what time I will get home as I think we have to make two batches today. I would like to do some laundry, work on getting the ribbon into the bags, and start rough cutting and taping doll patterns together. I will knit on the doll's sweater tonight. 

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

A Busy Day

 Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up sunny. The high got to 17C. This morning it is cloudy and 9C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with a chance of showers and 14C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to physio at 8 am. After a quick assessment, the therapist released the sacrum which was a bit tight. Then she worked on both SI joints. They were also tight. I did the gym exercise and had the electrical and heat therapy. I go back the first week of November for another session. I was much better than the last time and hope I will be a bit better next time. 

Once home, I did a few things. I prepped meat for a stew, cleaned up the kitchen, and wandered outside to see how the hedge was coming along. The guys were putting down the cedar mulch as the edging was done.  

I left for my flu shot after lunch and arrived at the doctor's a good 10 minutes early. There was a small line up and I was in and done in 10 minutes. The doctor's 2 sons were helping him and they make an efficient team. 

Back home, I was outside to clean the shed. I picked up the empty plastic bags and box and took them to the garage to be recycled. I swept the floor of the shed, tidied up a bit and am happy with my clean shed. I also picked up the empty bags from the mulch and put them into the garbage can the guys had for them. I went back out later to lock the shed and admire the hedge. It looks great. No phone so no pictures. 

I had a short nap as the combination of physio and flu shot knocked me out. I was okay with that as I had expected it to happen. I am always tired after physio as my therapist works we hard. Add the flu shot and I knew I would need a nap. 

Sewing

Nothing done as I didn't have time to print the patterns. 

Knitting

I finished week 1 of the knit along I had found quite a while ago and started on week 2. Week 2 was a bit of a challenge for me as I wasn't doing the bottom of the sweater the same as the instructions said. I was adding a wide white knit border above the bottom rows of garter stitch (knit the rows). It was in keeping with the picture I had found. My calculations were spot on and I finished the body of the sweater. 

Week 3 is the sleeves and I need to knit plain until I hit the cuffs and then knit them in white. That will be easy to do. I need to get a size larger needle to knit the sleeves. Like most people, my gauge is tighter when I knit in the round. 

Thoughts

    I was surprised at how many people were on the list to get the flu shot. Pages of them. The doctor would be busy until 5 pm. He gets to repeat this in 2 weeks when he gives the Covid vaccine. 

    I got my blood collection appointment done online this morning and as of now I am done with booking appointments. I don't have to keep putting them on the list every day. Now they go on the day I have to get them, which is every week from now until Nov. 14. 

Today

I am heading out the shop at New Minas and hope to be home in good time. I want to print pattern pieces, do some laundry, and clean up a bit more upstairs. I hope to knit tonight. 

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