Playing With The Cricut

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with rain in the evening. The high got to 10C. This morning it is clear and 2C. Today is suppose to be sunny with a high of 13C.

Lifestyle

I got a phone call early from the doctor's office to be there just after 1 pm for my flu shot. It was short notice but I changed my plans for the day. The clinic was busy with people getting their flu shots. The doctor's son was taking our names and calling us in. The receptionist was ticking our names off in the main part and the doctor gave the flu shots and an RN (his daughter??) was monitoring people. We walked out through his wife's dental clinic and another son was working in there. Their children help them when they are home from university (he has 5 children). 

My reaction to the flu shot was mild. Sore arm and a bit tired but nothing that was bothersome. I usually crash from the shots so this was a bonus. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday (planned break) but decided to declutter a few tubs in the closet. I decided to do three tubs. The first one was lace trims. I dumped the full tub out on the coffee table.

The amount was unreal as I had collected a lot. Lace trims can be hard to find in our area. I was frantically buying lace trims when I saw it with no plan in mind.  I started out handling the lace trim in bags. I decided if I was keeping, donating, thinking about, and trashing. All the loose lace was bagged. I made my decision based on fibre content and width. When done, I had kept 50% or less of the lace. The rest was donated. Small bits were trashed as they were useless. 

I looked at the pile I am donating and knew that I would never use them in any projects I have planned now or in the future. 

Next up was the bin of elastic. I had bought some that was too wide for pyjama pants. Some was too wide for doll clothes. They were sorted and I kept about 50% of what I had. I know I will use it all. 

The last tub was the button tub. I didn't get rid of a lot of buttons. But I got them sorted and the ones I had in my knitting bag are down stairs. Some of the buttons may go the next round of decluttering. At the moment some may be used when I make bags. I did keep the Winnie the Pooh buttons as they are harder to find and I will use them on a project later on.

I was done by noon and I was mentally tired. I had made a lot of decisions in 2 hours. Will there be more space on the shelf in the closet? A bit but I will know the containers are not as full and have what I can use in them. I still have 5 (?) more containers to go through. Then it will be the floor space that will need to be done. 

Crafts

I decided to play with my Cricut yesterday afternoon. I had a great time relearning things. My goal was to cut out the following design onto vinyl. 

I had planned this last year and was short an ornament. I got one on Tuesday when shopping. I cut the two pieces of vinyl and proceeded to make the first ornament. 

Getting the large letter onto the ornament was difficult. I snipped the transfer tape and worked until I had it as smooth as I could get it. Applying the name was a breeze. 

There is a small triangle showing in the initial that I cannot figure out what went wrong. I won't redo it as it is not really noticeable until the light hits it. I was done for the day and it took 2 hours to cut the vinyl and finish one ornament. The ornament took the longest amount of time. But, it was fun to make something different for a change. I will get these finished and ship them to daughter.

Knitting

I knit on the socks last night and got 20 rounds done. The purple is slowly moving from the front to the back now which is fun to see happening. 

And the back.

These are enjoyable to knit and I am enjoying knitting them on alternate nights to the sweater. 

Thoughts

    I am glad that I was able to get my flu shot yesterday. As we say one down and one to go. I am waiting for the Covid vaccine next month. Then I will be set for the winter months. I am now wearing a mask when shopping. I also am using a lot more hand sanitizer. I don't want to be sick this winter so am being very careful when out and about. 

    I was happy to feel my stress threshold decrease as I purged/decluttered the tubs in the sewing room closet. As I handled each item, I knew if I would use it or if I could go. I feel better knowing that what is left will be used for projects. What I let go someone else can enjoy making items using them. I will do more every couple of days. There is still a lot to go through in that closet. My goal of having less and then nothing may be met. I am realizing that I was "hoarding" stuff and it is still weighing me down. 

    The lawn was mowed yesterday and they will be back in a couple of weeks to do the hedge. I will be talking to the owner about what we can do underneath the hedge so I have less weeding to do. 

Today

I have osteopathy this morning and then need to get a few items at the grocery store. Once home, I would like to make one piece of piping and maybe work on one more ornament. Tonight I will knit on the sweater. 

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

Fabric Basket Sewn

 Yesterday was fairly sunny and cool with a high of 11C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 6C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 8C. We can expect frost tonight; our first this fall. 

Lifestyle

I was out to New Minas in the morning even though I was tired. I needed to get some items there. My first stop was Walmart. I needed to get some groceries, distilled water, a couple of cleaning items, and a few Christmas items. I also wanted to wander around some as I haven't done that for quite a while. 

I did look at the Christmas items to see if there was something for gifts. I picked up a mug with snowflakes on it for me. I didn't buy it as I didn't need it. I looked at them all but saw nothing for gifts. I wandered down the aisles looking and saw nothing. I did wander into the drapes and found the ones I have in my bedroom in the silver grey. I may buy them for the guest room if the blue ones don't work. 

Once done there, I headed to Home Depot to get the paint for the baseboards. I waited longer for someone to shake the can than it did to find the paint and paint brush. 

My last stop was at Michaels as I wanted to see if they had the black ornaments I bought last year. They did and they were buy one get one free. I got 2 as I wanted one for an experiment. I also picked up 2 picks of red berries, and dark green ribbon for Addy's hair. 

At home, I was pleased with how much I had focused on buying what I needed and not what I wanted. It was fun to wander around the stores looking. It is free to do that and I had no regrets leaving items I liked behind. 

I tried to nap after lunch but was unsuccessful. I knew that I would be struggling by 9 pm. I did better than expected and slept well all night. 

Sewing

I did go down to the sewing room. And I sewed without making a mistake. I made a fabric basket. I followed a YouTube video that I found here. 

I used fusible fleece on the outer fabric and SF101 pellon on the lining. I followed her instructions for size and process. Where she doesn't press, I pressed the seams open. The basket turned out really cute. 

I am going to put some shredded paper in mine and it will hold the 5 black ornaments I am going to make for daughter's Christmas tree this year. She can use it for other things or put gifts in it to give away. 

I can see why people make these baskets. They are quick to make with this one taking me less than 2 hours. I get up and move to press which is necessary for me. But, I can see cutting out several of them that will use the same colour thread and sewing them in assembly line. I know I will be making a few more this fall. 

There are scraps of fabric left over and I am hoping to make one mug rug from them. Bonus if I get 2. I can see these baskets selling at a craft bazaar with hot chocolate, tea, mug, and mug rugs in them. 

Knitting 

I knit on the doll's sweater last night, unknit as I forgot a buttonhole and reknit to where I was. 

I have finished 20 rows now. I didn't knit on the socks as I was too tired once I got the sweater to this stage. 

Thoughts

    I am still at a quandary about my sewing room. I am having a love/hate relationship with it. I know it has too much in it but I am struggling with letting it go. I want to sew it up but feel like I am moving at a snail's pace. Most of the fabric left I like. I want to sew it into things. I am seeing an increase in the yardage sewn but I look at what is left and wonder if I will ever get it all sewn. There is some guilt about having bought it over the years. But that is past me and I am trying so hard not to buy fabric unless I need it. I guess I need to focus on what I have accomplished this year. 

    It was great to be out and about yesterday morning. I had enough of staying at home fighting the cold. I did wear a mask at all times. I am also sanitizing my hands when I leave the stores as a preventative measure. I do not need to get sick this winter. Though the cold didn't materialize into a full blown one, it was enough to makes me realize how much I have enjoyed not being sick. 

    I have clutter in the dining room as I am trying to pack boxes to send to daughter. I have no idea what to buy them for Christmas this year and am struggling with it. I need to go shopping in the city to get some items. 

Today

I am going to scrub the spare bedroom floor and baseboards. If I have time, I will start painting the baseboards. I want to make the ornaments for daughter so I can put them into a box to ship. Tonight I will knit on the socks. I am staying home today to get some things done. 

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

New Projects Started

 Yesterday was wet, wet, wet. There were down pours and thunder and some wind. The temperature crept up all day and the high got to 17.5C in the evening. This morning it is cloudy and 10C. Today is suppose to be mainly cloudy with a high of 12C. 

Lifestyle

I started the morning out doing the balance sheet. It balanced in a short time with only a couple of errors caused by me. It should have been a breeze as I haven't been in a store for a week. Other than a stupid mistake that I found quickly, it was done in good time. 

I also made a big pot of turkey soup base to freeze. I got 5 meals which I will add vegetables and noodles. 

They are in the freezer waiting for cooler weather to arrive which will be sooner rather than later. I do enjoy soup in the cold weather. I got the kitchen cleaned up. 

I also puttered around a bit tidying up. I put the hand sander away along with a tub. I checked to make sure I had everything in order and started to think about what I will be decluttering next. I will probably do my bedroom as I will paint it next. 

I listened to the thunderstorms roll in. They were far away with most being faint rumbles. Some were louder in the evening with the last one being the loudest. The lightening was bright, the boom fairly loud and it poured rain. That was at 11 pm. When that storm passed, all was quiet and I finally fell asleep. 

Sewing

I spent time pinning the pyjama pattern onto the flannel. I did stop and copy the yoke pieces so I could add a 1/4" seam to turn under. I cut them out and they are ready to sew. 

I moved on to sew the doll's skirt. I enjoyed making it as it always turns out so cute. This one made me happy. 

The pattern is from Oh Sew Kat and is free when you sign up for her newsletter. I have this pattern plus 3 more from her and love them all. Having sewn something simple has me wanting to sew more doll clothes. 

Daughter and I talked about the next quilt I will be making for them to donate to a dog club. The money it makes when auctioned off goes to a children's hospital. The panel has been chosen and I decided to learn how to make a migrating geese border for it. I will be practicing on a doll's quilt and maybe a panel I have in the stash. I have a good 6 months to practice before I have to do the quilt. I also have a lot of other items to sew up before then. 

Knitting

I was down to the sewing room before lunch and wound the yarn for the next pair of socks. The colour is called Nerds On Wheels. The lady who sells this yarn sells yarn from a trailer throughout the Maritimes. Her favourite colour is purple. The company who dyes the yarn is Nerds With Needles and is in Halifax. 

I also dug out the white yarn to start knitting the doll's sweater. I did start it before dinner. This sweater will be white. When I tested the pattern I remember doing it in 2 colours and trying to remember to change colours and do the pattern drove me crazy. The next time I made it, I used only 1 colour which was one thing I didn't have to worry about. Anyways, I got 10 rows knit on the sweater. 

In the evening I set up the socks to knit and got 10 rounds done on it. It is interesting to see how one side of the sock is purple and the other is black and white. 

And the other side.

If this continues down the leg, the black and white part will be the heel part of the sock. 

Thoughts

    We were put under a rain warning at 8:00 pm. The ground is saturated and with a second storm coming in (or was here), there was chances of flooding. I think we had a good inch of rain or more fall yesterday. We have mainly sunshine for the next week which will be nice. 

    Our street has been busy this morning. Two pick up trucks and 2 dump trucks, one which has a trailer attached to it. It seems as if they are going to pave the driveway for the new house at the end of the street.

    Yesterday I spent a bit of time looking at my sewing room. I have to make a big decision on the "stuff" in it. It was one of those days where I was close to getting rid of it all. I didn't get that far. I know I need to have less as I can't keep track of all that is in that room. It is still above my clutter threshold. I need to keep thinking about what I have, what I can let go of so I can keep that room better organized. 

Today

I am thinking of going to New Minas to get a few things that I need. I will not be going to the quilt shops as I have nothing I need. It is paint and food. I hope to sew this afternoon and will knit tonight. It all depends on how tired I am. 

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

The Next Projects Are Prepped

 Yesterday was sunny and windy with a high of 13C. This morning it is cloudy, wet, and 7C. Today is suppose to be wet with a high of 17C.

Lifestyle

I struggled doing things yesterday as my back and knees were sore (storm coming in). I did bake buns and they were big and light. The kitchen was cleaned up and all looks good. 

I hauled out the central vacuum cleaner hose and vacuumed the floors. The dust and hair is gone and the floors look shinier once again. Vacuuming made my back and SI joint sore so I was careful to rest and apply heat. 

My target area was the living room. I spent a lot of time moving some furniture and dusting all I could. The knitting mess was dealt with. It was creeping out of its container to take up more space than necessary on the couch. I had small bags of left over yarn that I had tossed into my knitting bag. I put them into a bag I had and they are in the basement. I have them under the stairs where I can get at them easily to add more as time goes on. I will give them to a lady who uses them for her projects. By noon, the living room felt calm again with everything in its proper place. 

After lunch, I took the recycling out to the bins in the garage. The kitchen has one spot that is annoying me and I need to figure out how I am going to deal with it. It wasn't a job for yesterday as I am still thinking about it. I will figure out a solution in the next couple of days. 

I had dinner at family's last night. It was a delicious turkey dinner. We chatted away about their trip to New Brunswick and grandson did well at the University there. He may be going there again to play this winter. Daughter-in-law and her parents went to PEI to see Charolettetown. Before and after dinner we worked on a puzzle which tested our patience. I was home by 7:30 pm as I was tired and sore. 

Sewing

I made it down to the sewing room and started cutting out the next projects. I got three fat quarters cut for piping. 

I next cut the fabrics for a basket. I also cut the interfacing and fusible fleece. No pictures of it. The scraps were put on the shelf as I will use them for something and if not they will go to the quilter's group. 

I cut the doll's skirt and I have a lot of fabric left from it. I found lace for it and took the strip off it so I could iron it flat. 

And lastly, I laid out the pyjama pattern. It is ready to pin down. 

The left over piece will be used to trim other pyjamas. I didn't get them cut out as my back and knees were throbbing. I went upstairs to put heat on them. 

Knitting

I got the skein of yarn out to wind and will get it done today. I also need to find yarn to knit a doll's sweater to go with the skirt. 

Thoughts

    I am working my way through tidying up the house once again. I am realizing how I enjoy having the house tidy and everything in its place and having a place for everything. I realize that I am enjoying what I have and know that I can let go of more as time goes on. I am near my clutter threshold at this time as the sewing room and the craft area are being beyond it. I am slowly working on those areas to get it so I feel more calm when working in those areas. 

    I am still deciding which area I will paint next. I may start in my bedroom and get it done. I can sleep in the spare bedroom when I do it. Once it is done, I can slowly tackle the walls in the open space. At that point I will need to order blinds for the windows. 

     The wind has basically stopped blowing but will start again as the rain moves in. It is nice not having to listen to it blow against the house. I am not sure how much rain we will get but I do know that everything will be good and wet. I hope to plant the garlic on Friday and get it covered for winter. The 7 garlic plants in the garden are really growing as we have had enough rain, sunshine, and warmth this fall. 

Today

I am home all day as everything is closed due to it being Thanksgiving. I want to do the balance sheet, wrap some gifts to send to daughter, and do a bit more cleaning. This afternoon I want to cut out the pyjamas, sew something, and wind the yarn so I can knit tonight. I am hoping that I can do less today and let my back relax and stop hurting. 

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

Colonial Williamsburg Outfit Completed

 Yesterday started out sunny and windy and ended up rainy and windy. The high got to 16C. This morning it is clear and 7C. Today is suppose to be sunny with a high of 13C. Rain is to begin tonight. 

Lifestyle

I started the day off painting in the spare bedroom. I was able to get it done in about 2.5 hours which included cleaning up. I was sorer so was a bit slower doing things. But, the room is painted and ready for me to scrub clean. 

I did a lot more sitting yesterday with lots of heat on my SI joint. It cracked last night and I felt much better. It was slightly out of position from 2 days standing on the ladder and sitting on the floor. 

The wind has blown for 2 days now and is still blowing. The result of emptying your pool was evident in the neighbour's yard the day before the wind started blowing.

We had wind gusts up to 50 km/h and it started to bother both Elliott and I. Though the wind warning is gone, we are to have more wind with less velocity today. It is bringing in the rain from the Great Lakes. 

I am pretty much over the cold. I haven't had a sore throat for 24 hours and my breathing at night has improved. I am less tired than I was meaning I don't want to nap in the afternoons. I can start going out again.

Sewing

I gathered my hand sewing tools and the outfit and sat in the family room to hand sew for the afternoon. I sewed on snaps first and then did all the hand sewing. By late afternoon the Colonial Williamsburg outfit was done. I got up and gave it a good press.

The jacket fits perfectly and I love the pleats in it. 

I am thinking about making the fichu to go around the neck but am not certain. If I do make it, it will be out of the green check. I am thinking about it at the moment. 

I have the fabrics on the cutting table to start cutting out the next 4-5 projects. I am ready to begin them. 

Knitting

I finished the work socks by weaving in all the ends. They are now folded ready to be wrapped and sent. 

I started to knit socks from the bamboo/silk blend and am having issues getting gauge. I am not sure what I am doing wrong so am setting the yarn aside and knitting a pair of wool socks first. I know what I want to do when I get a pair of socks knit for daughter-in-law. I need them so I have measurements for socks knit on larger needles. Yes, another pair of work socks but this pair will be in the bamboo and silk. 

Thoughts

    The cold I had didn't develop into a full blown cold but it sure lingered on as a minor pain in the butt. I isolated as I was contagious until yesterday. I am still monitoring myself until Tuesday as I don't want to give it to friends. 

    The wind really has blown a lot the past 2 days. It continues to come from the WSW and I wondered if it was from Hurricane Milton. We can feel the outer edge of hurricanes as they move into the Atlantic Ocean. The rain we had yesterday was not from Milton. The main part of the storm was in New Brunswick. 

    I am deciding which room to paint next. I will get paint to do the trim in the spare bedroom and then make my decision. All the areas left to paint are big surfaces or above kitchen cupboards. What ever I choose to paint will take hours to do each day. I think I need to have a few rest days before I tackle what ever space I decide to paint. 

Today

I have to make a batch of buns for dinner tonight. I also want to start cleaning up the house as it hasn't been touched for a few days. I may cut out projects this afternoon. I am out to family's for dinner tonight. If I get the yarn wound, I may start the purple socks tonight. 

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

Ready To Hand Sew

 Yesterday was sunny and windy. The high got to 13C. This morning it is mainly cloudy and 10C. Today is suppose to be showery with a high of 17C. We are under a wind warning until tomorrow morning. 

Lifestyle

I had to turn on the heat yesterday morning for an hour as the house was 17C. Once the sun came up, I opened the curtains and let the sun heat the house. It was nice all day. Heat is on again this morning. 

I tested for Covid and am negative. I test again tomorrow morning with hopes that I am not going to get it. My cold hasn't materialized into much of anything but I am still staying home so I don't give it to anyone else. I know I have been fighting a cold so am not taking any chances. 

I looked out the living room window and saw a bright double rainbow over the houses on the other side of the street. By the time I got my phone it was dull and in less than 5 minutes it was gone. 

I painted the last wall in the spare bedroom. I was almost 3 hours from start to finish (including clean up). 

It was a lot of work but I did get it done without the SI joint flaring up. It was sore but not unbearable. Second coat and I'll be ready to do the trim. I hope to get the semi gloss paint on Tuesday so I can start painting on Wednesday. 

As soon as I had cleaned up from painting, I was out to put away my bbq and turn the table on the deck upside down. I knew I had to be prepared for the winds early. Family is in New Brunswick until tonight. 

The power went off and on twice in the afternoon. I am assuming it was from the winds we were having. I am monitoring the fridge and so far so good. I see that a community 35 km from us lost power about the same time as we had our power go off and on. It could be related.

Sewing

I worked on the jacket yesterday. The lining was sewn in and the jacket turned. I was ever so careful handling the fabric and succeeded in getting it ready to hand sew. 

I have to hand sew the lining to the sleeves and then stitch down the cuffs. The jacket needs 3 snaps on the front and the skirt needs one on the waistband. 

I am not sure what I am going to do with the left over fabric. It is hard to work with as it frays. If I choose to sew it up, it will have to be something simple. Maybe a blanket with a deep hem on it. 

I have put out some of the fabric for the next projects. There are two doll's items (skirt and pyjamas), 3 pieces of piping, a basket, and hot pads for daughter. That should keep me busy for a couple of weeks as they are all simple projects to sew. 

Knitting

I finished the 2nd sock and just have to finish the inside.

They are very nice socks and should keep some feet warm this winter. 

Thoughts

    The wind came up quickly yesterday and is still blowing good this morning. Not sure where this has come from as the wind is from the SSW. There were gust up to 48 kph when we had the small power outages yesterday afternoon. They are calling for gusts up to 80 kph this morning. I am ready if the power goes out. 

    I am slowly starting to get my thoughts together to mail the first box out. I have got some of the items I want to put in it ready to go. Other items need to be wrapped carefully as they are breakable. I need to focus on getting some items sewn for the next box. And I need to go shopping for a few items. 

Today

I need to put the 2nd coat of paint on the wall. I want to do the hand sewing on the jacket and finish the socks tonight. I am home all day today due to the weather. 

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

Ready For The Lining

 Yesterday was sunny, then cloudy, and then rainy and at midnight clear. The high got to 13C. This morning it is mostly cloudy and 9C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 15C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to vote yesterday morning only to find out they don't open until noon. So home I went to do a few things. I folded laundry and put it away. 

I groomed Elliott as he was begging me to do it. He loves to be groomed. I enjoy it but I always get an allergic reaction to his dander. I did it yesterday and then used another tool to take the hair off one couch. I have it almost done. 

I was back out after lunch to vote. Turn out is slow as it is the first day and people can now vote on line. I had a lovely talk with the ladies who run the polling station and then came home. 

I am reading a book by Elizabeth Bunce. It is book 2 of the Myrtle series and is for 5-9 year olds but a group of doll lovers read her books and really enjoy them. I have found it hard to buy them here in Canada and was delighted to be able to borrow them online through the Halifax library. 

Sewing

I sewed both before lunch and in the afternoon. By the time I was done, I was stressed to the hilt. The morning session started off great. I sewed up the side seams on the lining and then worked on the sleeves. I got one sleeve pinned in ready to baste in place by lunch time. 

All was great and I was handling the fabric with a light hand. After lunch, I basted and sewed in the first sleeve and repeated with the second sleeve. All was still good. It went downhill from there. No matter what I did, I could not figure out the cuff. I read, I looked, and I missed a piece of information. The fabric started to fray as I was handling it a bit too much. 

I walked out of the sewing room and returned a bit later, read the instructions carefully and realized I had missed an important sentence. I fixed my mistake carefully and got the cuffs done. I sewed up the side seams and then turned under the cuffs and basted them in place. 

I pinned the front closed like it should be when done. 

I am realizing that using a homespun fabric is not the fabric to use when making this outfit for the first time. I got this far with only one major issue and am ready to insert the lining. 

I took a piece of fabric out of the doll's bin to make a simple skirt for the next round of sewing. There is about .75 meter so I will be cutting the skirt out carefully so I can make something else from the rest. The fabric is a light denim blue with white dots. I want to knit a sweater to go with it. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I was tired for part of the evening.

Thoughts

    It was cool yesterday and I really felt it for the first time. I put on the heat this morning to warm up the house as it was quite cool in here. Fall is here for sure. 

    I didn't test for Covid yesterday as my friend texted to say she was negative. I do it this morning. I do not want to get it so am taking every precaution to avoid it. My cold is lingering though it isn't getting worse. Just a runny nose (which could be allergies). 

    People have been posting beautiful pictures of the Northern Lights here in Nova Scotia. I looked last night and saw them but they were faint to the point of nonexistent. I think the show was over for the night. 

Today

I am hoping to paint the last wall in the spare bedroom this morning. This afternoon I will sew and I hope to knit tonight. In between I should do a bit of housework and laundry. Family will be over some time today to get the car and leave me their truck. They are going to New Brunswick and will be home tomorrow evening. 

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