Table Runner/Topper Ready to Finish

Yesterday was a crazy weather day. Snow, sunshine, snow and sunshine together, and wind. The last flurries fell at about 6 p.m. This morning it is -5C and the sun is shining. But, we will see snow flurries this afternoon. 

Lifestyle

The Spousal Unit and I spent some time working on the puzzle and got about 12 pieces put in. We did have to remove some pieces to get those 12 pieces in. Though there is between 15 and 20% left to finish, they are the hardest pieces to put in. 
I spent some time prepping for paperwork today and tomorrow. When done, it will be a month before I have to do more. Now, I can get back to doing other things like housework. 
Last evening we attended the play "Frozen" put on my the school grandson attends. He has a part in the ensemble and spoke 3 lines. It was well done and the students did a fabulous job of acting and singing. The school is very fortunate to have great drama teachers and the community has a theater group who helps them out. 

Sewing

Lesson 5 of digitizing the chicken was completed and I learned a lot. On the Mac, pattern changes have to be made prior to doing the fill in. On the PC, it can be done afterwards. On the Mac, the bigger the space, the more points you get to move or delete as the fill in is smaller than the space. On the PC, you only have to move a few of the points as it fills the space much better. 

I also beat the table runner/topper into submission. All the stitches in the border were removed and I hand basted near the stitching line and the edge. 

I finished up a spool of lime green thread basting. I also put the walking foot onto the sewing machine and am ready to get this completed to hand sewing the binding down. Not a lot but enough to keep me busy today.
I'm in the process of getting March's list up. Check to see what I'm doing in March. 

Knitting

I've been asked to test knit another sweater and hat in March. That is two projects I need to work on. 
I didn't knit last night as we got home late. Today I will have to try and get the mitts almost done. 

Today

Paper work takes the forefront, then sewing and knitting. We do have to go out and vote right after lunch so it will be a busy day. 
Until the next time.................................

Sew and Rip It Out

Yesterday's weather started off cloudy and then at 11 a.m. ice pellets began to fall. Between it and rain, we had a lovely coating of slush and ice on everything. The high was 2.5C. This morning we woke to 0C and snowing. It has since stopped and the clouds are lifting. A cloudy day with temperatures between 0 and -1C. 

Lifestyle

I did some housework and laundry yesterday. I was tired as my IBS has flared up again. It was a push day to get some housework done. 
While I was getting ready to check on the neighbor's son, the Spousal Unit salted the driveway and front area. He scraped the front area before dinner so the slush wouldn't freeze. 

Health

I'm not sure why my IBS has flared up again but I'm going back to basic eating and small portions. I will cut back to rice and chicken over the next 24 hours so my system can calm down. 

Sewing

I did lesson 4 of the chicken. The feet were filled in. 

I am enjoying the process and am learning a lot. Doing it several times helps me remember the process. Today's lesson is filling in the body. 
I also worked on the table runner/topper. I was not happy with the results so I ripped out the outer stitching. I'm still not happy so will be doing more. Then I will hand baste the topper prior to doing more stitching. No pictures as I left the room in a bit of a bad mood.

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as I was too tired. I am going to test a new pattern. I haven't done any of her patterns before. 

I am looking forward to knitting this pattern due to the ribbons on the raglan sleeves. Very cute. 

Today

More housework, sewing, and out this evening. Grandson's in a play at school and we are going to it. 
Until the next time....................................

Another Digitizing Lesson Done

Yesterday started out cloudy but the sun did shine. The high got to 7C. Today is cloudy and we wait for snow and rain. It was forecasted to start at 11 pm but now it's 11 a.m. Will it happen? Who knows.

Lifestyle

The laundry was folded yesterday. The rest of the routine was scrapped as we had to go out for a while. It wasn't expected but it had to happen. 

Sewing

I finished lesson 4 on Chatty Chicken. 

It was the PC's turn and I'm learning a lot. I am saving the videos as they are valuable for when I go back to do other pictures. I have learned so much about digitizing and may do a month of her lessons online. I find it takes about 30 minutes a day to do three different files on 2 computers. 
I finished sandwiching the table runner/topper and drew lines 1" apart down the center square. All the rows are stitched. I hate this part as I don't do free motion very well and doing straight lines on large pieces is boring. I wanted to do a bit of a pattern on the border but am only going to do one straight line. Then I can bind it and put it in the hand stitching pile for when I have to watch the machine embroider. Then onto the smaller runner. 
I have a pattern to test in March. It is a Regency era doll's dress. Shari Fuller of Thimbles and Acorns has asked the group to test it as she is updating it. 
If I have time, I would like to do this pattern also. 

I've had it for almost 4 years and need to get a move on and try it out. Fabric will have to be bought for parts of it. I will do a search in the doll's fabric to see what I have so I will only have to buy some and not all. 

Knitting

I finally got the mitten out and had to start over again on the cream one. I went up 2 needle sizes. The first mitten is ready to decrease. I'll do the 2nd mitten before doing the thumbs. 

Today

I have to do lesson 5 of the chicken, housework, sewing and knitting. 
Until the next time..........................

Too Busy To Sew

The temperature rose to 8C yesterday but we didn't see the sun. Today, it is 0C and cloudy. It is suppose to get to 8C again today. The snow warning for tomorrow is gone and replaced with rain. 

Lifestyle

The Spousal Unit and went to Bedford to do some shopping. We were in, out and home before noon. In the afternoon, I went out to get new nose pads on my glasses, make eye appointments and get salt for the driveway. Once home, I had to go across and check on the neighbor's son to make sure he was okay. All was well. 

Sewing

I didn't touch a thing in the sewing room yesterday. By the time I was able to think about sewing, I had run out of time. Such is life. I'm doing mainly Christmas fabrics until the end of the month. 
I worked on lesson 4 of the Chatty Chicken. I had one thing to fix on the filmstrip. One cannot have a running stitch after a fill in. It has to happen before. 

On the other file, I remove all running stitches once I will them in. On the PC, the running stitches are not part of the design so no need to worry about them. 
A new film is coming out. It is Emma by Jane Austen. I looked at the trailer and one can use this pattern to create some of the dresses if one chooses to do so. 

There are others that can be used also but this one came to mind while I watched the video clip. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. I read instead as I was quite tired. I've had one good night's sleep in 10 days. 

Today

I need to do some housework today. Mainly floors and folding laundry. I hope to work on the table topper/runner, digitizing, and knitting. I have to be out for a bit this morning and then check on the young lad across the street this afternoon. 
Until the next time....................................

Christmas Fabric Sewing

Yesterday the sun shone and the high got to 8C. It was so nice out, we went outside without our coats on. Today it is cloudy but the high is to get to 7C. Then watch out as we have snow in the forecast. 

Lifestyle

Paperwork is done as far as I can go at the moment. I finished up at noon and was happy with what I got done. While I did paperwork, I also got 2 loads of laundry done. A great morning.

Sewing

I worked on loading the software onto the PC and then did lesson 1 and 2. It is so much easier to do on the PC. But, I am going to do the lessons on both the Mac and PC. There is plenty to learn on the Mac and the challenges are making me think. 
I also sewed for almost 2 hours. The table topper/runner is being sandwiched right now. Here is what it looks like before I started sandwiching it. 

The binding is also cut out and the left over fabrics will be used for a runner on the antique server. I am thinking of how to quilt these two pieces. The center fabric will be straight lines 1" apart. The border may be diagonal lines. I have decided to continue on these until the end of the month. If there is time, I will start daughter's tree skirt. 

Knitting

I photographed Mary Ann with the barn sweater on. 

I did no knitting last night as I have to find the mittens I knit before to see if I need to go up a needle size. 

Today

The Spousal Unit and I are heading in to shop and then at home I'd like to finish sandwiching the table topper/runner. I also need to do lesson 3 of digitizing on the PC and get lesson 4. I'm not sure if I will knit tonight. 
Until the next time...........................

Embroidery Software Difficulites

Yesterday was another beautiful day. The high got to 8C and the sun shone all day. This morning it was -2C when I got up and foggy. The sun is to shine and the high is to get to 9C. 

Lifestyle

I did more on the paper work yesterday but not as much as I had hoped to do. More today and I'm done til the end of the month. 
In the afternoon, I spent some time working on the puzzle with the Spousal Unit. Got one section done which was hard work. The next part is even harder. It will get done. Eventually. 

Health

I haven't slept well for quite a while. Awake during the night for a few hours and not napping during the day hoping to break the cycle. I finally had one good night's sleep last night. Hoping I'm breaking the cycle. 
Now that I'm almost done the paperwork, I am going to start working on the why, how, and what of loosing weight. I'm thinking of doing Weight Watchers digitally but will start without it. One thing I am going to do is track my losses making my own charms. I can get what I need at a craft store. I need the visual representation to keep me going. I saw the idea on a Facebook group and will give myself a charm for each 5 lbs lost. 

Sewing

Worked on digitizing using the software on the Mac. What a job as I can't do what is asked for on it. I'm downloading the software onto the PC in the sewing room and will work on it down there. I will do each lesson on both computers as I want to see how they are similar and different. I will stitch out the results and hang them in the sewing room. 

I started to fill in the string thing at the top of the comb. When on the Mac, I fill it in and then have to remove the running stitch which is the outline. I will have to do it for each part I traced. 

After that learning curve, I cut out a table topper/runner for the dining table. Fabric used - Christmas fabric. My measurements were off so I need to cut 2" of the sides of the table runner. That fabric can be used for the buffet's table runner. Now to look in the stash for backing for the larger table runner. I probably have it on the shelf. Both of these will have batting in them. Need to use up the batting on the top shelf of the stash. Pictures once I'm further on in the process. 

Knitting

I finally photographed the little scarf but not on the doll.

I started the mittens and have 12 rows knit. I need to try them on the doll to see if I need to go up a needle size. 

Today

This morning will be laundry and paperwork. This afternoon is sewing and getting the software download finished. This evening will be knitting. We will be home all day as I'm thinking I will be out tomorrow to shop. 
Until the next time...........................

Paper Work, Piping, and Projects Finished

Though yesterday's high only got to 2C, the sunshine was gorgeous. This morning it is -5C and the high is to get to 5C. And, it is going to be another sunny day. 

Lifestyle

The first day of paperwork is done. Not as bad as I thought it would be. Two more days and I'm finished. 
I heard from a school buddy last night. We haven't talked in many years as we both moved from the area. We were both teachers. What was sad was she was living in Kamloops when we were. It would have been nice to connect with her when we lived there. We will continue to email each other. 

Sewing

I joined a group to learn how to digitize embroidery. My software is the the ultra level (had to go that way to upgrade) and I'm having issues getting the first lesson done. I'm going to be asking for help. 
I made piping for daughter yesterday. The two pieces of fabric yielded 7 meters of piping. 

I still have two more lots of piping cut out and ready to go. But, I won't have enough cording to make it all. 
While sewing the piping, I watched a hoarder's show. The person collected dolls (1000 of them), fabric, thread, and other crafting items. What was amazing was everything was organized into plastic tubs and the dolls were in their original boxes. She literally had filled the house except for the kitchen and bathroom. I didn't get to finish watching it but it certainly reminded me that I need to keep working on sewing down my stash. 
On that note, I did sew 2.6 meters of fabric in the past week. Sewing small amounts of fabric doesn't eat up the stash but every bit counts. Total sewn this year is 18.55 meters. 

Knitting

I finished the doll's sweater last night. I call it the barn sweater as I had to cast off in a cream colored wool. 

I didn't set up the mitts last night but read instead. 

Today

Laundry, paperwork, sewing and knitting. I get to start Christmas sewing today so will be hauling out the fabrics to make a start. I will be measuring for a table topper and a runner for the antique server. I have to draw a circle to make daughter's tree skirt. I will be doing a lot of rolled hemming on it. I do have the luxury of Christmas sewing until March 1 as I have finished all the projects I wanted to make. I'll probably alternate between it and a few other small projects. 
Until the next time.................................

Another Project Done

Yesterday was another cool sunny day. The high got to -5C and it cooled off to -11C last night. A bit warmer this morning at -9C. We are now to warm up for several days. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday I did laundry, vacuumed all the floors and washed some. The kitchen got cleaned up. In the late afternoon, I made a Greek salad for grandson's birthday dinner. A busy day upstairs. 

Sewing

I spent a bit of time before lunch cleaning up the sewing room. The cutting table was cleaned up and a bunch of fabric put away. Only embroidery thread to put away now that a project is done. I started the project while cleaning up. 
In the afternoon, the embroidery project was completed while I cut fabric into bias strips for piping. The piping is for daughter and I decided to start by laundering the pink and peach fabrics. 

The embroidery project went well while I was cutting and I only had to sit with it at the end as several of the colors only stitch out for a minute each. After the embroidery was done, I finished up the wall hanging and pinned the binding in place for hand sewing. 

Now to locate the red heart buttons. All the fabric is used up and the scraps are in the garbage bin. 

Knitting

I lost at yarn chicken on the doll's sweater I am knitting. Nine inches left when I was ready to cast off. As the yarn has cream in it, I will get out some cream yarn for casting off. The sweater is cute and perfect for casual wear. And, all the yarn is gone which makes me happy. 

Today

It is the first of 2 or 3 days of paper work in the morning and sewing piping and a doll's portable closet in the afternoon. I will start with the darkest fabric, then the closet and then the peach fabric. Tonight I want to finish the doll's sweater so I can photograph it on Sunday. 
Until the next time...............................

Thinking About March

It is -17C this morning. Cold. With the wind it is -23C. Yesterday was cold also. The high was -10C. The sun shone which was nice but the wind went through you like a knife. I'm ready for a few days of sunshine and warm weather. 

Lifestyle

We headed down the valley to Coldbrook mid morning. The objective was to get apples and we did well. Nice ones this time. We also started to pick up a few items for the boot bag we are donating to the youth barrel racing in October. 
We stopped at New Minas on the way home to get a few items and it was an easy in easy out situation. That does not happen often in that town. We were home at about 2 p.m. and I rested. Tired from lack of sleep the night before. 
I picked up grandson from school and delivered him home. I do enjoy that as we chat in the car about his day at school. 

Sewing

I did nothing in the sewing room yesterday. Tiredness and not much time kept me out of there. I would have made a big mess if I was in there. 
I did update February's to-do list with pictures and done dates. I am ready to do a bit of piping before starting the Christmas sewing and after I will divide my time between piping and a quick unplanned project or two. I will have 4 days of free sewing. I am thinking of a bag for the library and finishing up a UFO. 
I'm facing March with only a couple of ideas. I need to handle fabric to get inspiration. The ideas I have are Halloween wall hanging, shirt for the Spousal Unit, and a St. Paddy's Day wall hanging with no saying. Even Christmas is eluding me as I haven't touched the Christmas fabrics in over a month. 

Knitting

 I put away some yarn, got out needles for a doll's sweater and the mittens. I cast on the sweater using up the yarn left over from the messy bun hat and cowl I made for daughter-in-law. It is turning out cute and a pain to photograph. I am ready to knit the first sleeve tonight. 

Today

I am doing some housework, vacuuming and laundry. I will get the sewing room cleaned up and ready for piping. I have to make grandson a salad for his birthday dinner tonight. More knitting when we get home. 

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

Test Coat and Tam Done

We continue to see it all in the weather. Yesterday morning was 6C but it snowed during the night and then rained hard. The snow was frozen even though it was warm. As the day progressed, the temperature slowly fell and this morning it is -11C. Sun is going to shine and by Sunday we will see warmer temperatures. 

Lifestyle

The Spousal Unit salted the icy driveway and went out a couple of hours later and scraped it clean. It is nice to have it clean and dry. 
I spent the morning cleaning the entry way. I scrubbed two sets of stairs (up and down) plus the landing. It was dirty and full of salt stains from our boots. I did it all by hand so I could scrub said salt stains. Looks and smells clean. 

Sewing

I spent a good 3 hours in the sewing room finishing up the doll's coat. Hemming by hand and tacking down the lining. I also put on the snaps and buttons. Once done, I did the tam. It was finicky, especially when hand sewing down the band. But it went together nicely. 

I estimated it took about 15 hours to make this coat and tam. I did a lot of hand basting to make sure it fit perfectly and not slip when sewing. The coat hem is overcast by the sewing machine and hand sewn in place. The sleeves are the same. The hem of the lining is double folded and stitched down. I can see why some doll clothes are pricy to buy.

Knitting

I finished the doll's scarf last night and it was too dark to do good photos. I'm hoping I have enough yarn to knit mittens to go with it. It's for the doll's coat. 
I will be putting yarn away today and getting the needles for the mitts and a doll's sweater I want to knit. I will probably do the mitts first. 

Today

I will do some housework this morning and clean the sewing room this afternoon. I want to have the cleaning done before I start piping for one or two days. Sunday I start Christmas sewing so need to be prepared for that. 
Until the next time..............................

Still Sewing and Knitting

We've had interesting weather here. Yesterday got to 5C. Saturday started out at -21C. Today it is -11C and sunny. There are clouds coming in with snow or rain tonight and tomorrow. We still have snow on the ground which is fine.

Lifestyle

I was going to head to the city on Saturday but it was too cold. Instead, the Spousal Unit and I went on Sunday. Left to be at Costco for 10 a.m. opening. In and out and then to Walmart which was the same. Home by noon. In the afternoon we went to the library. 
Yesterday we had supper at families and it was delicious. We also had a good time laughing and joking. 

Sewing

I've been working on the doll's coat slowly. I did the overcast stitch on the hem of the coat as I'm not wanting to use the serger. I started cutting out the lining and made the collar. Lots of hand basting to get it looking good. 

The pattern is well drafted and can be worn over a dress. I am thinking that a cute scarf and mitts (cream colored) will be perfect for this coat. 
I am hoping that I will be done this coat by Friday as I will be starting Christmas sewing after that. I'd like to be done on Thursday. 

Knitting

I finished the dog's sweater and realized that the collar was put on wrong. I carefully removed it and put it on correctly. 

I will not be making this sweater again. I'm not pleased with it other than the pattern is nice. 
I am now knitting a child's hat to use up some of the worsted weight stash. It is quite cute and I may make it again in a smaller size in the same color. I'm waiting for a test pattern so am doing fun knitting while waiting. 

Today

We are home so I will do some housework and then sew on the doll's coat. The hat will be tonight's project though I won't get it finished. Or I'll be surprised if I do. 
Until the next time................................

Test Coat Pattern Begun

Yesterday was a bit of everything. Snow, wind, sun, and cold. This morning is colder; -21C at 6 a.m. It is going to warm up starting today. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday I did some cleaning up and washed some floors. I also did 3 loads of laundry. In the afternoon, I picked up grandson from school and took him home. Not an overly busy day but work got done. I was happy with what was done. 

Sewing

I am working on the test pattern. I laid out the pattern, cut it out and started sewing. I started with the two piece sleeves and they went together perfectly. Using a scrap of wool, I tested an overcast stitch for seams that needed to be finished. I did it on the sleeves. Trim was added to add a bit of color to the drab olive. 

Next I worked on the body of the coat. The back was sewn together and the shoulder seams were sewn. After that I pinned in the sleeves with about 20 pins in each and sewed them in. I just need to steam the sleeve caps to have the seams lay correctly. 
Nellie decided to model it as is. It looks like a sack as the side seams haven't been sewn. 

Knitting

I knit on the dog's sweater last night. I have 4-6 rows left before I can cast off both the upper and under parts. Having them both on the same needle has been great as I can see how much more I had to knit on the upper part of the sweater. 

Today

The goal is to start cleaning the living room, shop for some groceries and sew on the doll's coat. Tonight I hope to finish the two pieces of the dog's sweater and start on the collar. 
Until the next time..........................

A Piping Kind of Day

Yesterday was a day of wondering---what is the weather going to do. The warning was for lots of snow and we got very little. More like flurries. Some big fluffy flakes and at other times almost rain. It did snow a bit during the night and is cool at -10C this morning. Cool all day today with colder tonight (-19C they say). 

Lifestyle

I worked in the kitchen yesterday morning. I got the counters scrubbed and a drawer wiped out. It was dirtier than I liked. I also got the dining area ready so I can wash a bunch of floors. 
As there was no school yesterday due to the snow warning, the boys across the street were out most of the day playing in the snow. It is always fun to watch them. 

Sewing

We delivered the cloth bag yesterday afternoon and the lady cried when she saw it. She absolutely loved it and wants to order another one. 
The time spent in the sewing room was to make piping for daughter. I got two lengths done for her. 
The first piece was the left over mustard colored fabric I used for the pocket of the last reading pillow. I got 3 meters out of it. 

The second piece is from the Halloween tub and I used half of the fabric, leaving enough for another project. I got 4 meters of piping from it. 

I had some pieces of fabric left over from piping on a boot bag. I cut it down to 1" in width and made 1/2" bias tape out of it. I basted it to hold it firmly in place. 

It gives the drab wool a bit of life. I have more of the fabric to make a small ruffle for the hat. I can make more of the bias tape if I choose to put it on the sleeves. I'm thinking that may happen. 

Knitting

I got to where I need to be on the underpart of the dog's sweater. But, the top part is too short. I unknit it carefully and am ready to move forward on it. I have about 3" to knit before I start the shoulder decreases. 

Today

More housework this morning along with laundry. This afternoon I want to cut out the test pattern and start sewing it. I know it will take time as I plan on hand sewing a lot of it prior to sewing. Tonight will be more knitting. 
Until the next time..............................

A Cloth Bag Is Done

Yesterday was a day of clouds and sunshine. No snow at all, which was nice. Today we are to get more snow starting soon. 

Lifestyle

We headed out shortly after breakfast to shovel our driveway. The Spousal Unit started shoveling and I swept the car off. I then headed down the driveway to clear the berm off. We were surprised with help from our lovely neighbors. The job was done fast.
With no school, the boys came out for snowball fights and then played in the ditch for a while. They also played on the snowbanks. They were the only children out playing yesterday. 

Sewing

I spent a long day in the sewing room making a bag. The pieces were cut out and the embroidery was done. I wanted to use up as much fabric as possible so I added pockets to the inside. 

The grey fabric is cat whiskers. The blue/green is the pockets which close with plastic snaps. 
The outside is plain with the cat face fabric the focus. I added black rick rack to the seam and a white cat face button to the handles. 

It will be delivered this afternoon. 
I am looking at more embroidery designs. I want to get one design to embroider out and put on a painter's canvas. I'm also trying to get the tweet series finished as I want to start stitching them out also. I am back to enjoying machine embroidery and creating projects for them. 

Knitting

I cast on the under part of the dog's sweater and got 10" knit. I will make sure it is correct and then start decreasing for the shoulders. The left over yarn will be knit up and I am thinking of a blanket for daughter's cat. Same pattern. Christmas gift. 

Today

Housework is on the list today and then I will sew piping. I have to go out and deliver the bag later this afternoon. Knitting tonight. 
Until the next time...........................

Another Design Stitched Out

Yesterday's weather was one that was grey. By 4 p.m. it started to snow and it has been snowing ever since. I would guess we have between 5-6" of snow on the ground and it is still snowing. Temperature hovered around 0C all day.

Lifestyle

I did some housework in the morning. The bedroom and bathroom plus the sheets. The floors were vacuumed. We headed out to put a parcel in the mail and get a few groceries. The store was busy as people were shopping for the storm. 
Later in the afternoon I helped daughter-in-law get their two vehicles home. I picked up grandson from school on my way to their place. We had a lovely chat on the way home about Spirit Week at school. 
At home, we watched the snow fall until dark. 

Sewing

I started to cut out the lining for the bag and put one piece on to embroider. It is a hummingbird in memory of her lady's mom. This bag is sold. 

I bought the pattern yesterday morning on a whim and wondered how it would stitch out. It took 32 minutes and is a beautifully digitized pattern. While it stitched out, I cut out the rest of the bag. 
I bought two other patterns that I am fooling around with. I can see one on a bag which I'm looking forward to stitching out. Not this month though as I have my wall hanging to make. 
I fooled around with a couple of designs from another designer trying to get the colors worked out for tea towels for our kitchen. 

The idea is there but not sure if I like the browns. I'm still thinking on it. 

I'd change the light blue to a medium blue and the green to a wheat color. I am at the point of buying a set of tea towels and matching the threads to them. The second one I can see in a hoop on the wall. A lot of ideas floating around in my head. 

Knitting

I finished the back of the dog's sweater last evening. I'm quite in love with it. 

Next is the under part which gets sewn together at the shoulders (decreased part). Finally a neckband. 

Today

It's a home day for us. Snow needs to shoveled and I need to sew on the bag. It has to be delivered tomorrow afternoon. I will cast on the next part of the dog's sweater. 
Until the time.......................................

A 3 Hour Shopping Day; Travel Included

Yesterday we had mainly snow flurries during the day with a bit of rain about 4 p.m. The high was 2.5C. This morning it is 0C and cloudy. Snow is be here later this afternoon and overnight. They are forecasting up to 15 cm of snow by morning. 

Lifestyle

As it wasn't snowing a lot, I headed into Bedford to shop. I got new wiper blades for the car. I also went to Fabricville to take advantage of their big sale and then to the grocery store. Home by 11:30 a.m. The roads were good on the way in and I had about 15 km of road that was okay in one lane and snowy in the passing lane. 
The power was out for about 30 minutes around 3 p.m. so we headed over to son's to deliver his muslin for banners. The power came on as we were leaving. 

Sewing

I did shop yesterday and got a few items for me. New lace trim was in so I got 3 pieces of it. Buttons for the wall hanging and for the reusable bags I make. Two pillow forms. All 50% off. I did buy a piece of light weight wool and faux ultra suede for doll's coats. Both were 75% off. I'm ready to test two doll coats when the designer is ready to post them. I'm hoping there will be enough to make a jacket of each piece. The wool is a sort of brownish mossy green. I need to buy a piece of cotton for the trim to give it a bit of color. This fabric will be gone before May.  
I did go down to the sewing room for a few hours yesterday afternoon. I put the buttons on daughter-in-law's wall hanging. 

I had an issue with my wall hanging so I picked out all the embroidery stitches and the fabric is ready to starch and start over again. 
Lastly I glued velcro to grandson's pouch for his diabetic supplies. A zipper broke and can't be fixed. I have it clipped in place while it dries. Today I'll know if it worked. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. I read instead. I was tired and not feeling well. I'm still fighting the cold. 

Today

I plan on doing some housework and then sew on the bag I need to deliver on the 13th. I hope I can knit tonight. If not, I'll read. 
Until the next time................................

February's Wall Hanging Started and Finished

Yesterday we had a cool but mainly sunny day. The high got to -5C. The temperature dropped to -12 during the night and then rose to -4C this morning. We are to have snow and rain today with a high of 3C. 

Lifestyle

We carved the turkey I cooked. The meat has been frozen and the bones cooked for soup. I need to get vegetables and noodles to finish it up. 

Sewing

I spent quite a bit of time in the sewing room making a new wall hanging for Valentine's day. I had designed the pattern last month and tweaked it so it would be what I wanted. The thread came from the embroidery thread stash. The goal this year is to use up as much thread in the stash as possible. I can see that becoming an issues as time goes on but I am working around it. I can buy white and black thread when the time comes. 

The brown tweed thread for the monkey is old. I bought it at least 12 years ago. It is perfect for this project and others that I plan on making using sock monkeys. 
I have to say that I am enjoying using the embroidery machine once a month. I hand stitch down bindings on other projects while the machine stitches out the design. 

Knitting

I have the dog sweater ready to start decreasing for the shoulders to the neckline. One ball of yarn is almost used up. It looks like I will have one ball of yarn left over. 

Today

I am watching the weather as I had thought of going into the city to shop. If I don't, I will be doing some housework and starting a reusable grocery bag. 
Until the next time...............................

Test Pattern Completed

Yesterday was cool with lots of flurries. The skies cleared towards evening and the temperature dropped. This morning it was -12C and the sun is shining. 

Lifestyle

With the wind came debris. We had a garbage can in our yard which the owner came and got. Our next door neighbor tossed their live Christmas tree into the yard about 3 weeks ago and it came to reside in our yard. The Spousal Unit returned it. A shingle from someone's house was in our yard also. The neighbour across the street had quite a few shingles standing up on his roof. The Spousal Unit walked over to tell them. Our damage was minimal. The plastic extension for one down pipe was in the ditch. Retrieved and put into the garage. 

Sewing

I spent quite a bit of time in the sewing room working on the test pattern. I did a lot of basting on the bodice. It paid off. The collar laid flat without being tacked down. I did tack it down in the end to keep it stable. 
The skirt was easy to make. I kept the pattern on the fabric and basted the curved lines for the bias tape. I ripped off the pattern. I will print it again if I choose to sew it in another fabric. People were concerned about hemming the circle skirt. I serged it and hemmed it easily. 

I hate tying bows. I think this was the hardest part of the pattern. 

There was to be buttonholes in the back but I sewed on buttons and put snaps underneath. 

If I make the dress again, I would use a plaid fabric with a plain collar, no trim or bows. 

Knitting

I unknit 4 rows of the dog sweater and then did the second set of button holes. I have more knitting to do before the third set of button holes. I did quite a bit of knitting last night after two nights of not knitting. 

Today

I need to launder some fabric, set up the next wall hanging and prep to make a bag that someone ordered. I hope to knit tonight. I'm fighting a cold so am tired at night. I'm hoping to win this round. 
Until the next time.................................

Another Day Another Storm

Yesterday was the full meal deal with weather. We had snow on Thursday and overnight, there was a good amount of freezing rain fell. The temperature rose, it rained and then the wind came howling in. It snowed a bit during the night. We went from 8C last evening to -6C this morning. 

Lifestyle

Thursday I drove to Dartmouth and home in snowy conditions. I was tired when we got home. The Spousal Unit's appointment went well. He has Basal Cell Carcinoma and will be seeing a plastic surgeon to have them removed. The dermatologist will be seeing him twice or three times a year to monitor his condition. 
Yesterday I was a kid in a candy shop. After doing some housework I headed out to shovel the ice/snow off the deck. It thrilled me to hear the sheets hit the ground and shatter. The noise was louder than I thought. I headed around to the front of the house to help clear the driveway.

We had about 1/3 of the job one when our friend came over to help. We shoveled the snow off the driveway and it would slide down the slope into the ditch where it would break up. More noise. When done, the Spousal Unit put a good coating of salt on the driveway. 

I cooked a turkey yesterday and we will freeze most of the meat for future meals. I will cook the carcass into soup. Nothing will go to waste. 

Sewing

I did get the next pattern cut out the other day. I started sewing it yesterday. The bodice is sewn together with the collar basted on. The bodice lining is sewn and ready to be attached to the bodice. It is a lovely pattern to work on. I tried it on Kit and the fit is excellent. Pictures to come when I have the skirt attached.

Knitting

I haven't knit in two nights. I've been too tired to even look at it. I've read and watched movies. 

Today

The turkey will be packaged up for the freezer and then I can focus on sewing. I would love to get the dress done or almost done today. Tonight I would like to knit if I'm not too tired. 
Until the next time.........................

Starting Another Test Pattern

Though the sun shone and the high got to 2C, the wind made you feel cold to the bone. It wasn't a smell the fresh air kind of day. Today the temperature is being crazy. -9C at 6 a.m. We are to get snow during the day and freezing rain overnight and Friday. Power outages are being predicted in some areas due to this storm. 

Lifestyle

The bathroom got its major cleaning yesterday. It took me about 2 hours to do the job but everything was taken apart and put back together. The floor was washed on my hands and knees. 
Last night we had dinner with family to celebrate son's birthday. It was a great time. 

Sewing

I spent a long time piecing a pattern together. The circle skirt consisted of 6 pieces and was quite confusing. I was able to cut out the pattern and it is ready to sew. I'm sure it will go together quite easily as the rating is confident beginner. I'd like to have it done by Friday afternoon. 

Knitting

The shawl got photographed on Nellie. 

It needs a pin of some sort to hold it together. 

I will make this scarf again and would like to try it in a finer yarn.
I also worked on the dog sweater. I'm one row short of doing the first button hole. 

There is a mistake in the pattern (I knit where I should have purled) but I'm not ripping it back. The dog will never notice and it is in a spot no one will notice. 

Today

We are off to Dartmouth for the Spousal Unit's appointment with the dermatologist. We will be home early as we are not stopping to shop. Left over cold pizza in the car on the way home. Depending on how we feel, I may rest. If not, I will start sewing the doll's dress. 
Until the next time.................................

A Day Out and About

Yesterday's weather was lovely. There was a lot of sunshine, little wind, and the high was 4C. This morning it is 1C and it is suppose to be sunny with clouds and flurries thrown in for good measure. 

Lifestyle

It was our day out and about yesterday. We started with doctor's appointments and ended up at the library. We got apples, visited the books store, did a bit of grocery shopping, had lunch out, and did the fabric store between the two. It was a great day which we both enjoyed. 
The library was excited to receive their pillow and I don't have to do the next one until mid March. 

Health

The Spousal Unit's visit to the doctor was fine. Short and sweet with test results being great. My blood pressure was in the good range (hurrah); first time in 2 years. My thyroid results showed it to be hyper. I got a medication decrease for the next 3 months. Not sleeping well at night and being hot are two signs of my thyroid being over active. 
I have been working on my Why for weight loss. I was told that "Being healthy" was a great why. But it isn't specific enough to meet. Even adding to it is vague. So I thought about more specific goals to meet.

• Keep my A1C (blood sugar test) below 6.0%. Above is moving towards Type 2 diabetes. 
• Stop taking blood pressure medication (this has worked before)
• See if my thyroid medication will stabilize to a regulated dosage and not be up and down like a yo-yo.

I am now working on the How (do I do this) part. I'm trying to come up with specific obtainable statements I can live by. It is hard as I want to be able to live with these statements for a long time. 

Sewing

I had a great time at the fabric store yesterday. I looked all over for fabrics as they changed the store around. It was like being in a new shop. While looking for fabric for a bag I've sold and wall hangings I want to make, I found the fabric I used for daughter-in-law's towel and a piece for the dolls. But, as I wandered up and down the aisles, I pulled fabric for daughter. Here is what she bought. 

I had the best time as I hadn't done this for months. I also go her the cording for more piping. 

Knitting

The doll's shawl is done and I will do pictures today. I think it can also be a scarf which is great. I love dual purpose items. 

I also started a sweater for daughter's dog. It is going to be quite cute and the pattern is easy to follow. I wrote it out in my knitting book so I can look at it while knitting. 

The color is washed out in the lights as it is darker and richer then shown. You can just see the pattern as I've only done 1 repeat. 

Today

We are home today so the bathroom gets scrubbed down, washer and dryer wiped along with two loads of laundry done. The afternoon will be spent sewing a doll's dress (test pattern) and tonight we are out for son's birthday dinner. A busy home day. 

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