Market Tote Finished

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 26C (humidex 28C). This morning it is foggy and 16C. Today is supposed to be sunny and 30C (humidex 35C). 

Lifestyle

I went to Sackville yesterday morning. My first stop was at Canadian Tire to get 2 more solar lights, solar batteries and snoop shop. I bought a loaf pan and lids for some glass containers I have. I looked at flatware and saw some I really liked. I need a new set as mine are starting to show signs of old age. 

I then went to the Superstore to mail the two parcels to daughter. I did a bit of grocery shopping and found everything I needed with only a few problems. Bigger store and different layout. It was almost noon when I got out of there. 

I didn't go to any other stores and came home. As I was driving to our street I noticed the lawn mowers were there. I had a brief conversation with them and they mowed the lawn at 4.5" high. It is really dry and I am thinking of watering some of it to see if it is dry or needs to be reseeded. 

After I put everything away, I put out the two new solar lights. I brought in the one that is not working and changed the battery in it. It works but it won't charge in the sun. The rest came on last night but it refuses to. I will work on it again this morning. I may need a better cleaning that I gave it. 

I sat down for a few minutes and dozed off as I was feeling exhausted. Not sure why though I was awake for a long time during the night. It also could be allergies as I am having quite the time with them this summer. 

Sewing

I finished the Market Tote yesterday afternoon. I was so happy to have it done as my shoulder was sore from wrangling it. under the machine. 

I started the Edwardian bicycle hat and have the outer part of the brim done. 

I have to do the lining next which won't take as long as there is no top stitching. Then the brim and assemble. 

Knitting 

None done

Thoughts

    I did enjoy my time in Sackville yesterday and wish I had done a bit more snoop shopping in other stores. I am glad I left when I did as the traffic was getting busy and it isn't fun driving in Sackville when there is a lot of traffic. The main road through the town is the old highway and connects to the main highway in a couple of areas. 

    The humidity is up this morning and will be higher all day. It is going to be warm and the humidex will make it feel hot outside. I am monitoring it carefully as I don't want to be outside if it's hot and humid. 

Today

I would like to weed for a bit this morning and then fix the solar light. I hope to clean the bathroom also. I will sew on the doll's hat this afternoon. I also have to make dinner for tonight. I don't know if I will knit. It depends on my shoulder. 

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

Market Tote Almost Finished

 Yesterday was another sunny day with a high of 28C (humidex 31C). This morning it is foggy and 11C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a chance of rain. It is supposed to get to 23C (humidex 28C).

Lifestyle

I was out the door yesterday morning with my gardening tools to start weeding the hedge. I set the timer for 20 minutes and went at it. I got what I had hoped to. I picked up everything and put it into the garage. I put the weeds and some branches I had pruned into the compost bin. 

After a brief rest, I cleaned the kitchen. It was due for a bit of a deep clean and some items put away. It wasn't a hard job but one that needed doing. 

I played with my Fitbit quite a bit and got the screen to show up once for 5 seconds. It is still pulsating when I try to reset it so am going to leave it for a couple of days and see if it will reset then. If not, I will probably order another one. I really like the Fitbit and wish it wouldn't have these issues. Not all do it just some and I seem to have one of them. 

Sewing

I worked on the tote yesterday and just have one handle left to sew on. 

I love the blue for the lining. 

I am ready to get the fabric for the contest bag. I have learned a few things making this one. 

    I will not use soft and stable as I figured out it is making my shoulder hurt wrangling it on the sewing machine. I will use fusible fleece instead. 

    Continue to interface the outside pocket instead of using fusible fleece.

    I need to interface the handles or use a wider strip and make them like I do my other bags. 

    I will not be quilting the bag. It is fine without it. 

    I can add a quilt block to the pocket. 

    The inside pocket will go down further by 1/2 to 3/4". 

I am not making this bag to win but to work on my skills. Winning isn't important, refining skills is. 

Knitting 

None done until after I finish the bags. 

Thoughts

    I was surprised at how thick the fog was this morning. The deck was wet like it had rained. The plants are enjoying it along with the cool nights we have been having. They love the daytime temperatures we have had since the heat wave has broken. We do need some rain as everything is very dry. 

    The weeds in the hedge are easy to pull. I didn't have any issues getting them out. I will keep working on it over time as I can't do it daily. My goal is every other day weather and temperature permitting. I just have to get at it early in the morning. My only problem weeding is having allergy attacks. Yesterday I had a good one and it is still bothering me this morning. A good rain will help knock the pollen out of the air. 

    I have been eating well and drinking more fluids. I have lost 2.5 lbs in 3 days. Most is from fluid retention but some is weight loss from being careful about what I eat and doing more movement. 

Today

I am heading out to mail the two boxes of gifts to daughter. I need to pick up a few groceries and do some snoop shopping.  I plan on buying 2 more solar lights plus a package of batteries for one I have at home. Once home, I would like to finish sewing the bag and then start on the Edwardian bicycle hat. I may try knitting tonight. 

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

The Sewing Room Is Cleaned

 Yesterday was another sunny day with a high of 25C. This morning it is clear and 11C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 28C (humidex 31C). 

Lifestyle

I was out early to make sandwiches and was home just after 9:30 am. 

Once home, I set about cleaning the last area of the sewing room. It was the area I dreaded. Not because I don't like doing it. It's because the sewing cabinet has a tendency to come apart when I least expect it. It was nice and didn't do it yesterday. I pulled it out from the wall quite a ways and wiped the baseboards and did the floor. It was dirty but not as bad as I had thought. I kept moving the cabinet around so I could vacuum and mop that area. Then it was on to cleaning the cabinet. It was dusty and messy. I spent quite a while cleaning the cabinet, the machines, and the items that sit out on the cabinet. I have a small container to go through and see what I will keep near the machines and what can go away. I gave the floor a final vacuum and mopped it. I was done. 

I used the two mats I had made on the cabinet to pretty it up. The pill bottle holds dull needles and bent pins. 

I gave the kitchen a tiny refresh and mopped the floor. It was dirty so I have the kitchen on the to do list for today. I also watered all the plants and I can see tiny buds on the pepper plants. I also folded all the laundry but somehow forgot to put it away. That annoyed me when I saw the basket on the couch last night. 

Sewing

I worked on the Market Tote yesterday afternoon. It was a lot of work and I realized it wasn't the steps I have to take, it is the soft and stable foam I used. I persevered and the main body of the bag is done. 

There are a lot of things I like about the pattern. I love the curve pocket. I interfaced it with regular interfacing rather than fusible fleece and I like that much better. I love how the body of the bag is 2.5" longer than the lining and you turn the top over so you have the outer fabric on the inside. I like how the soft and stable foam lets the bag stand up on its own but it is hard to work with when boxing the corners on this bag. 

I am on to making the lining next. It has a pocket on one side and it should be easy to sew compared to the outer bag. 

Knitting

I put the afghan to the side for now. It is too hot to knit and my shoulder is still sore. It is getting better so I am letting it rest. 

Thoughts

    I was quite sore yesterday and I am not sure why. I made myself to everything on my list and struggled through the pain. It was better last night and seems to be a bit better this morning. I am monitoring it and taking Tylenol when needed. 

    My Fitbit stopped working this morning. It is frustrating but upon doing a bit of research it is a problem with this model. I can feel it charging when I do the reset but it won't do a proper reset yet. I will keep working on it today as I know it just needs a reset/reboot. If I have to buy a new one, I will get an extended warranty plan to go with it. 

Today

I would like to go out and start weeding the hedge for 30 minutes this morning. Then it will be cleaning the kitchen as it needs more than a reset. I would like to work on the bag this afternoon and I will see if my shoulder will handle knitting tonight. I may start a small project instead of working on the afghan. 

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

A Lot Of Jobs Done

 Yesterday was a sunny but cooler day. The high got to 23C (humidex 25C). This morning it is partly cloudy and 13C. Today is supposed to be mainly sunny with a high of 25C (humidex 29).

Lifestyle

After watering all the vegetables on the deck, I was outside to pull weeds as it was cool. I pulled all the weeds along the west side of the house. Some were good size and all but a few were dying from me spraying them. I threw the weeds onto the lawn. Then got a huge leaf bag and picked them up. I thought I would only have about 1/4 bag filled. As I put in leaves I kept thumping them down. In the end, I had almost 3/4 of a bag filled. I ungracefully got it into the compost bin. I then grabbed the watering can and watered the flowers. I found that there were three blooms left on the rose bush and picked them. One went into compost and 2 into the bud vase. 

My next job was to put the sheets into the washer and do the balance sheet. I had a bit of a panic when I thought I hadn't balanced it last time but I did. I did the few entries to close June and did my bit of stats. It was another low spend month. I put it away when done. 

I then headed down to the sewing room to clean up the doll area. I put all the dolls onto the chair and cleaned that area really well. I pulled out the cube so I could do underneath it. I moved the 7 drawer tower and cleaned up that area. Everything was wiped down and the floors vacuumed and mopped. I put it all back and admired what I had done. 

At this point, it was noon and my SI joint was sore. I had lunch and hoped it would feel better. It did stop hurting but it came back in the late afternoon. 

In the late afternoon, I did a good reset of the kitchen. I washed a few dishes, wiped the counters well, and took out the garbage and recycling. I then made the bed and folded laundry. At this point, I was really hurting. My stretching did not help so I laid on the bed to do a series of stretches. I did the two windshield wiper exercise first and I was stiff. I then laid on my left side and rotated my right hip. Then I did a long stretch and I felt my SI joint slide back into place. I did the windshield wiper exercises again and that a difference. I was able to do them with ease. 

Sewing

I spent the afternoon sewing on the Market Tote. I quilted the main fabric and quite liked it. It took a long time to do but I was happy to be working on it. I laid the pocket on to see what they looked like. 

I have to take the pockets off and turn them inside out and sew them together at the bottom. Once that is done, I will turn them right side out and place the pocket 2.25" up from the bottom of the bag and stitch it in place. I am close to being half done this bag. 

Knitting

None done last night. I am resting my shoulder as it has been sore. I will get back to the afghan in a few days. 

Thoughts

    It was really lovely to be outside pulling weeds. I was in the shade and the breeze was cool. I am also very happy to have that job done as it was bugging me. 

    The hot weather had me retain fluid and I lost 1.5 lbs of it yesterday. I was up 3 times during the night because of it. I know the fluid retention was affecting my joints. Hopefully I will get the rest of it off over the next couple of days.

    I opened the house up last night to cool it off. There was no breeze but the house is cooler this morning. I have the back door open and can feel the cool air moving around my legs. We have cooler nights this week. Only Thursday night will be warm but not unbearable. Thursday is supposed to get to 30C. I expect the humidity will be up a bit that day. 

Today

    I am out to make sandwiches this morning. Once home, I want to finish cleaning the sewing room. I also have to water plants. I will sew on the tote this afternoon and will see if I can knit tonight. I am hoping for a quiet day today. 

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

Progress On The Market Tote

 Yesterday was hot and sunny. The high got to 31C (humidex 35C). This morning it is sunny and 16C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 23C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to shop with daughter-in-law at Dartmouth. We went to Costco and I bought 2 items but enjoyed pushing the buggy and looking at everything while daughter-in-law shopped. We were hit with the heat when we left and I actually did a slow jog to the car so we could get everything into coolers before it got warm. Then it was off to Walmart. 

At Walmart I did a good grocery shopping for the next week. We did not snoop shop as we wanted to be out in 30 minutes. We did it. It was about 3-4C hotter than when we arrived in Dartmouth and I could feel it. We got the car loaded and headed for home. 

When we unloaded the car, I noticed the wind was no longer hot and humid. It had a bit of coolness to it. It was still hot out there and got hotter until 4 pm. But the relative humidity had dropped enough to take us out of feeling like being in a sauna. I got everything put away and sat down for a long drink to rehydrate. I also set the main fan in the doorway of my bedroom and put another fan where it had been. I am not sure if it helped blowing warm air out of the room helped or not. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday afternoon. I sewed the piping into the pocket and turned it right side out. It took a bit of time as I had to do a bit of sewing where the piping's stitching showed. 

Next up I cut main fabric into the correct size and sewed the bottom piece to it. I am not sure why the bottom piece is cut from the pocket fabric but it is. 

I laid the pockets onto the body of the bag to see how it will look. 

I used a small scrap of the green fabric and a piece of the soft and stable interfacing to see if I like how it stitched without fabric on the back. It worked really well. 

I used the walking foot and a 3.8 stitch length. I am now going to quilt the bag body using soft and stable. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. My shoulder has been sore and I was tired.

Thoughts

    The heat warning was taken off at about 4 pm. It was still hot outside but the cloud of humidity was gone. I was up at 2 am and opened the windows to see if the house would cool off. It didn't but the house didn't get warmer. The problem was little to no breeze. There is supposed to be a north wind today which will help keep it cooler. 

    The tomato plants are loaded with tomatoes. The peppers are growing and will show signs of blooms soon. Two cucumber plants are growing vigorously and I have 5 more small ones that are doing well. I hope to transplant some of them into the empty container. With night temperatures dropping to the mid teens they should transplant fairly well. 

Today

I am debating if I will go outside and cut down the weeds along the side of the house. They are dying slowly but I want them gone. I also have to water all the containers. If I have time, I will do a bit of cleaning in the sewing room. I want to quilt the bag this afternoon. I am not sure what I will do tonight. It all depends on my shoulder. 

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

More Sewing Room Cleaning and Some Sewing

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds and hot. The high got to 32C (humidex 40C). This morning it is clear and 22C (humidex 27C). Today is supposed to be sunny until late this afternoon and then cloudy with a chance of rain. The high is to get to 32C (humidex 38C). 

Lifestyle

I was downstairs to clean the sewing room yesterday morning. I worked on the wall the book case is on and moved around to the area where the Diamond sewing machine is. I moved everything around and cleaned the baseboards and the floor. All the furniture and the sewing machine was wiped down. I put the case that holds the embroidery arm into the closet. I came to the conclusion that I should store items neatly in the closet rather than in corners in the room. 

After a brief rest as I was sore, I did the ironing board area. The wall was sprayed with cleaner and washed to get any spray starch residue off. The baseboards were wiped down really good. I also wiped down the ironing board. The floor was washed and it was dirty. It had spray starch residue on it. 

When that area was done I had another brief rest. Then it was on to clean was the cutting table. I gave the cutting mat a good cleaning and washed the table top and the legs. I moved it so I could vacuum the floor and then mopped it. While the floor dried, I took the garbage out. 

The room is feeling a lot calmer and quieter than it was. The clutter is gone from the areas I cleaned. It smells clean from the cleaner I used. I have the sewing machine cabinet, the doll's cube, and a 7 drawer tower left to clean. It will be done on Sunday. 

I watered the vegetables twice yesterday and they are doing well. I watered the flowers last night and they are showing signs of growth. When I went to water and trim the rose bush, the deer have eaten all the buds and old flowers. I was upset and mad about that. I will have to go out and cut the rose bush back so it will produce more buds. 

There was a hot wind yesterday when outside and it was horrible to be out in. The humidity was high but not as high as the day before. This is supposed to be the last day of this hot humid weather. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday afternoon. I cut out the pocket pieces for the Market Tote and interfaced them. I also cut out piping from a fat quarter of fairy frost. The pocket has the piping hand basted on to the top and the lining attached ready to sew. 

The left over piping will be used on the handles if all goes well. It looks lovely on both the pocket and bag fabric. 

Pocket fabric.

Bag body fabric.

Knitting

I did not knit last night. 

Thoughts

    Our heat wave is supposed to end tonight which will be nice. I am done with it. I have tried not to complain about it as I know people in Europe have had it hot for quite a while now. I don't know how they do it. The videos I watch show they don't have air conditioning. I know how hot we felt with 2 fans running during the heat wave in Montevideo. 

    I am very happy with the sewing room. There wasn't a lot extra stuff in the room but it was messy and cluttered feeling. Taking the time to organize items, get rid of what I didn't need, and putting items away made a huge difference in the room. I realized that this room is below my clutter threshold but wasn't below my stress threshold. I think that the stress is in having fabric that is stagnate or orphans. What to do with the scraps is causing me stress. I am mentally fighting whether to keep the fabric and sew it down or just let it go and have others enjoy it. 

Today

I have to water the vegetables this morning. I will close the blinds also. I am out with daughter-in-law to grocery shop in the city. I am not sure of our schedule so don't know if I will sew today. I do hope to knit tonight. 

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

Cleaning The Sewing Room and Prepping Projects

 Yesterday was sunny and hot. The high got to 32C (humidex 40C). This morning it is clear and 18C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 31C (humidex 40C). 

Lifestyle

I made sure everything was tidy upstairs and then I headed downstairs to clean. I hit the sewing room hard. The first job was to clean the corner beside the closet. Everything was taken out and I scrubbed and wiped the floor and baseboards. Then I made some quick decisions. The sewing machine box and a box of large pieces of batting was put into the closet. I put the foam mats into the maintenance/storage room. I put what was left into that corner and what a difference it made. 

My next job was to clean the fabric shelf, move it and clean the floor and baseboards in that area. I folded fabric, stacked it neatly, and moved the shelf, the plastic drawer unit, and the table the pressing supplies are on. I scrubbed the floor and baseboards and I will admit it was dirty in that area. I got everything put back into its right place and vacuumed a bit more floor. By this time, the cutting table was pretty much cleared off and it was lunch time. 

I had home smoked Montreal meat for lunch. It was delicious on a bun with mustard, mayo, lettuce, and dill pickles. I also had some Grandma salad with it. Family had done the meat and did an awesome job of curing and smoking it. I have enough for lunch today and maybe tomorrow. 

I closed the blinds in the basement yesterday afternoon and it does help keep the basement cooler. I also ran the heat pump on dehumidifier also. The humidity outside was high and I could hear the little dehumidifier run all day. I will be emptying its tank this morning. 

Sewing

My idea and plan yesterday was to prep some projects for sewing. I had printed off the Edwardian bicycle hat and the skirt pattern for the Gotz dolls. I took some time to cut them out along with the pocket for the Market tote. 

I cut the bicycle hat out first. I knew what fabric I was going to use for it. When it came time to cut the trim piece I chose the stripe fabric I used for the Acadian skirt. Project 1 was ready.

The next item was the skirt for the Gotz dolls. I wanted it to be dark blue so hauled out the scraps left over from the quilt I had made. I had enough fabric to cut it out. Project 2 was ready.

I decided to make another blouse for the Gotz dolls. I got the pink print I used on the quilt out and laid it out. I had to piece bias strips together to make the tie for the neck. Project 3 was ready. 

Project 4 is the Market tote. I have the pocket fabric on the table and the pattern laid on ready to start cutting it out. I stopped for the day as I had to come upstairs and see what I needed to do. I will cut out the pockets and then decide if I need to buy another 6.5" of the pocket fabric or if I have enough of the body fabric to make what I need from it. 

My little scrap container is getting full but I did take fabric from it yesterday for the doll clothes. What is left in it at the end of December will go into the trash. I do hope to use more of it in small projects I plan on making. 

Knitting

I knit another 8 rows on the afghan last night and it is growing rapidly. 

I will measure it when the ball of yarn is done. 

Thoughts

    Thank you Marianne for the kind comment on the items I got for daughter. I found it difficult as I do not sew a lot of green and pink household items. But it came together rather well as the dishes were an accidental find. The outfit you made for your grand daughter is so cute. You did an amazing job even with all the alterations you had to do. I hate it when they call a lining an interfacing. My brain does not like that either. 

    The heat came in faster than we had expected. I watered the plants in the morning and then again last night. I have cucumber seeds coming up and don't want them to cook in the sun. They seem to be doing okay considering how hot it was. I have been watering the rose bush each evening as I don't want it to suffer from the heat. I have to cut the roses off this morning as they are finished blooming due to the heat. It will be brutal again today but we will survive it. 

Today

I have to do a load of laundry this morning. I want to go back to cleaning the sewing room as I am motivated to get it cleaned up. I hope to cut out the market bag today and may start sewing the piping for it. I hope to knit tonight. I do have to water all the plants today. 

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