Happy Halloween

 

Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up being sunny. The
high got to 13C but it felt a bit warmer than that. This morning it is 11C and we are to have rain and wind with a high of 16C.

Lifestyle 

We were out in the garage to clean it early yesterday morning. We swept, vacuumed, sorted, put away and by 10:30 we were ready to set up for Halloween. We got started and left it looking like this.

This can be changed in a minute and there is more that can be added by family. We both rested until lunch time as we had done a lot of work in the garage. 

After lunch I made buns and they turned out perfect. I used new yeast and it made the world of difference. They are for dinner tonight. That took up the better part of the afternoon. I need to start making buns once a week to go with soup. 

Sewing

I didn't look in the sewing room yesterday as I was too busy with other things. 

Knitting

In my spare time I knit. The messy bun hat is done and ready to go in the last box to go to daughter.

I have 4 full balls and a bit from the 2 balls I used left over. I will be making daughter socks and the dolls something in January. 

I knit on the doll's sweater last night and have divided it up and am knitting on the right back. 

There is a mistake in the pattern and I reported it. Someone said it isn't a mistake and I will let the designer decide. She has it correct on the next cable row. This pattern is quite nice and I'm sure the little girl's boy doll will enjoy wearing it once it is done. I'm hoping to have it done by this coming weekend. 

Today

Laundry needs to be folded, kitchen tidied up, some decorating done for Halloween and, hopefully, children coming to trick or treat.

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

Tired But Busy

 Yesterday started off cloudy. The clouds started to clear and we had lots of sunshine in the afternoon. The high got to 12.9C. This morning it was 3C and we are to have a high of 13C. There is to be sunshine again today. 

Lifestyle

I got the shopping done and home in good time. I even had to take a detour home as our exit was closed due to road construction. I took the long way home. It was a lovely drive.

After the groceries were put away, laundry was put on and the floors vacuumed. I did a bit of tidying up but not a lot. 

After lunch, I rested before we went out to get our flu shots. We arrived early and were out in less than 10 minutes from the time we lined up. In actual fact, we were out 8 minutes before the flu clinic was suppose to start. 

I was tired yesterday due to not sleeping well. I was fussing about us staying at home too much, only going to certain stores that we know are safe, and not doing a road trip this fall. I don't know if I was over reacting, having a bit of an anxiety attack, or what. We are still not certain if we should venture out more.

There were 26 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. What was disturbing was 9 of the cases are in children aged 11 and under. 

Sewing

I didn't sew a stitch yesterday as I was tired and worried I would make a mistake. I have decided to interface the outer bag with interfacing I get for clothing and the lining with the craft interfacing. 

I have made my list of items to sew for November. It isn't much because I may have to sew other items that pop up on the radar. If not, I can sew what I want from the stash. 

Knitting

I didn't knit on the hat yesterday. I focused on the sweater and got it back to almost where I was when I rolled the yarn into a ball. I made the button holes larger and put the markers in the for the button band right away. I'm happy with it this time around. 

Today

We are going to clean the garage this morning, do some decorating this afternoon, and knit tonight. We are getting ready for Halloween tomorrow night. I will also be making buns for our dinner of leek and potato soup tomorrow night. 

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

An Electronics Bag In The Making

 Yesterday was another grey and cool day. The high got to 10C and there was no rain. Today it was 8C when we got up and we are to see sunshine and 13C. 

Lifestyle

I did get the kitchen tidied up and the dining table cleared off. A load of laundry was done and the bed was made with clean sheets.

Elliott amused us last night by holding onto his position on the couch with one claw. He was pretty smug that he could do that. 

There were 31 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. They are scattered throughout the province. 

Sewing

I spent some time in the sewing room working on a reusable grocery bag for son-in-law. It is going to be his electronics bag in which he puts his tablet, charger, cords, etc. into for work and travel. 

All of the fabrics are from the stash and the fabrics chosen for the bag are batiks. I think I bought the bear, the piece on top of it and a yellow brown at a small quilting shop on our way to Alberta. I think I bought them for place mats that never ever got made. The green dot and copper colored fabric are left over from the quilt. 

After mulling it around and finally deciding the bears and the green dots would be the outside of the bag I started to cut fabrics. The handles got made first followed by the piping from the fabric I liked the least amount. It is perfect for piping.

Once done, I started on the outer bag. This is the layout idea. 

The green is less than shown and will be the bottom part of the bag. There is piping and then the bears. Once I got that part done, I stopped for the day. I have to think about the interfacing. After a lot of thinking, I'm going to do a lighter interfacing on the outer bag and the heavy interfacing on the lining. 

I did get a picture of the Halloween table cloth. 

It is a poly cotton that I got dirt cheap in the Bargain Center at Fabricland. It is perfect for the job. 

I am happy with the rolled hem but want to play with it a bit more. I think I need to have 1 spool of heavier thread to make it more dense. I know I used a denser thread in one looper when doing scarves for daughter. 

Knitting

I am doing well with the hat but am going to ravel the sweater as I need to make the button holes larger. I can't find them easily so a child won't be able find them at all. I will start again tonight. 

Today

I have to go grocery shopping this morning, do some housework, laundry and try to get more done on the electronics bag. Knitting tonight. 

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

A Wet And Windy Day

 Yesterday was a dull day of wind and rain. There was almost an inch of rain fall and the high got to 9.7C. There was also plenty of wind. This morning it was 9C, cloudy and windy. There is a 60% chance of showers today which is an improvement over yesterday. 

Lifestyle

We were out to get our hair cut and back home. The weather seemed to suck the energy out of us leaving us feeling very blah. It was hard to get the energy to do things. We sat and felt blah until lunch time. 

There were 26 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. The numbers go up and down every day. 

Sewing

I went down to the sewing room yesterday afternoon and put a few things away and swept the floor. It made me feel better to have that done. 

While talking about how we set up giving candy out, I thought about making a table cloth for the card table we use. I found 1.5 meters of Halloween fabric in the stash. After squaring it up, I set up the serger to do a rolled hem. Done in no time flat. We laughed about how fast this small project went. No picture as the lighting was wrong. But I will get one today. 

Knitting

I knit on the hat and have a couple of inches left to go before doing the decrease rows. The test pattern had over 10 rows knit on it last night. I really had to push at knitting as my mind wasn't into it. But once I started, it got easier to do. 

Today

 Laundry, cleaning the kitchen, looking for fabric for a reusable grocery bag, and more knitting. I will take some pictures today. We have nothing exciting to do today so will be staying home. 

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

The Quilt is Done

Yesterday was sunny and quite windy. The high got to 12.9C. This morning, it is 7C and raining. We are to have rain until tomorrow afternoon. We are to see a high of 9C. 

Lifestyle

With the house being so warm on Tuesday night, the Spousal Unit and I were very tired and cranky. Heat was turned off for the whole day and we went to our corners to do things to try and stay awake. 

The garlic was planted after lunch. I separated the bulbs and we got 39 cloves to plant. The Spousal Unit planted them and they are being watered right now by the storm. They will be covered with burlap on Friday. 

The bathroom was scrubbed yesterday and I'm glad that job is done for now. I also did some cleaning in the kitchen with the aim of scrubbing it tomorrow. 

The incoming storm had my leg sore and buzzing last night. As we are in the storm now, most of the pain has gone. I will be monitoring the pain for a few days and doing stretching exercises if necessary. 

There were 7 new cases of the virus and 1 death reported yesterday. The death is the 100th in the province. 

Sewing

While in my corner, I finished sewing down the binding on the quilt. It was good to get the job done. 

I put it on the guest bed (queen size) and it is a big quilt. 

We call it an adult lap quilt that you can really wrap yourself into. It is now wrapped and heading west to its owner. I'm happy with the quilt as the colors go well together, 3.3 meters of the fabric came from the stash, and it's square.

The left over fabric from this quilt is minimal. The coppery color inner border will be used in another project and the backing can line a reusable grocery bag that I want to make. 

Knitting

I did 9 rows of knitting on the test pattern and none on the hat. 

Today

We are out to get our hair cut this morning and this afternoon we are home. I want to sweep the sewing room floor and figure out the reusable grocery bag I need to make. Knitting tonight. 

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

Sewing The Binding Down

Yesterday was dull and cold. The high got to 9C and you could feel the cold when you stepped outside. This morning, the sun is trying to shine and it is 6C. We are to see a high of 15C. 

Lifestyle

The leeks were done yesterday and we got 6 cups to put into the freezer. With the 2 cups already in the freezer, we have enough for 2 big pots of potato leek soup. The only thing left to do is plant the garlic. 

The Spousal Unit tried to clean up more of the dreaded hedge but it was too cold to do much. He gave up and came in to keep warm. I don't blame him for doing that. 

There were 57 new cases and 1 death reported over the past 3 days. Staying at home is the best thing to do but it has its challenges. We are basically back to doing essential shopping and trying to keep ourselves safe. 

Sewing

I set up the family room to hand sew the binding down on the quilt. I was able to get over 50% done in one sitting. The Spousal Unit and I watched TV while I hand sewed. 

The brown backing is fitting in okay with the total look of the quilt. I was a bit worried when I bought it but didn't want a light colored backing with a puppy snuggling underneath it. 

I did a bit of thinking while looking at Pinterest. I want to try making placemats that are more monochromatic for our house. Everything I make has high contrast and I would like to try a more subtle color combination. That will come later on and is in my 2022 list of things to make. I have also been looking at making a Irish Chain quilt which will have a higher contrast for it. It may end up being daughter's quilt pattern. 

Knitting

I knit a few rounds on the hat before working on the test pattern. I finished the 2nd sleeve and cast on the body stitches and did the first row of ribbing. 

Today

The goal is to clean the bathroom and plant garlic this morning. I'm hoping to finish sewing the binding down on the quilt and get it wrapped to ship tomorrow. Another day at home keeping busy.

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

Ready To Hand Sew Binding

 Yesterday was cool with sunshine and lots of wind. The high got to 12.8C. This morning it is 6C and the high will 12C. We are to have some sunshine and wind. 

Lifestyle

The Spousal Unit pulled all the leeks yesterday as the goal is to freeze them today. We will probably have enough for 1 to 2 pots of potato leek soup this winter. 

Elliott had a surge of energy yesterday afternoon. He raced around the house with his tail fluffed up making growling/barking sounds. He ended up on the couch ready to pick a fight with the blanket. 

He did settle down once he had used up all the excess energy he had. He had another small one this morning in the bathtub. He needs to go for a walk on the deck but it was too cold for him yesterday. Out the door, a quick look around, and back inside.

Sewing

I spent about 4.5 hours on the quilt yesterday. The quilting was completed, the excess cut off and the binding made and put on. I'm ready to hand sew it in place. 

The brown dot is the backing. I feel I have 3 afternoons of hand sewing the binding down and it will be done. 

So far this month, I have sewn 6.65 meters of fabric. The quilt used the most fabric --  5.45 meters of fabric. Four meters of that came from the stash. 

Knitting

I knit on the hat late yesterday afternoon and am happy with the progress.

You can actually see the pattern along with the richness of the color. 

I cast on and have nearly half of the 2nd sleeve knit on the test pattern. 

Today

The leeks will be frozen this morning and I will start hand sewing the binding down this afternoon. Knitting tonight. 

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

More Done On Projects

 Yesterday was another lovely fall day with a high of 17C. There was rain late in the afternoon and most of the evening. At midnight, the fog was thick enough you couldn't see much past the house beside us. This morning it is windy and 7C. We are to have a high of 10C which is abnormal for us. 

Lifestyle

I vacuumed the whole upstairs yesterday and I can honestly say there is very little Elliott hair floating around. It has been a lot of work getting to this stage. I can now start dusting the furniture to see if we've made real progress. 

The Spousal Unit picked up more of the clippings off the dreaded hedge. Next year I want to put down a tarp and empty it into the lawn and leaf bags. See if that makes tidying up easier. I hate the thorns as they get in deep and fester. I have scars from picking them out which can take several days.

Sewing

I spent almost 2 hours quilting and my back was sore. But, I'm over half done and that makes me smile. 

I have decided to practice free motion quilting next year. I want to connect with this but have been so busy I haven't had the time (or energy) to do it. While cleaning up the sewing room, one job will be to do a bunch of the sandwiches from left over fabric I know I will find in the stash. I plan on using up a bunch of the small spools of thread I have had for quite a while. Using it up will make me happy as some of the colors I haven't used for a long time.

I looked at my "To Do" book and I can use it for another year. In this book I put down a lot of ideas of what I want to sew during the year. Those ideas may or may not be made depending on what happens. I do a list for each month and put that up on the Monthly To Do list. The book has a lot of crazy information in it -- thread colors for embroidery, genealogy information, notes from watching videos, wardrobe ideas. By using the book for 2 years in a row, I can go back to look at ideas from the previous year and sew some ideas I didn't get to. 

Knitting

I got more done on the hat. Knitting it using the magic loop is easier than doing it on double pointed needles. This hat has a rustic look to it which is nice for a change. 

It is going to be a warm hat as it is wool and a bit denser than the other hats I knit. 

I also started the test pattern and got the first sleeve knit. It is an easy knit once the base row is set up. 

As you can see, I am keeping track of the rows as I have to do a cable row. 

I lightened up the picture so you can see the open cable. What is nice is the increase row is done on the same row as the cable stitch is done. What I won't like is sewing in the sleeves. 

On this sweater I have chosen to knit into the back of the knit stitches on the ribbing. I am also knitting into the back of the first and last stitch on each row to see if it makes a difference. 

Today

We are going to pull leeks so I can do them tomorrow. I will work on the quilt and knit. 

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

A Busy Day

Yesterday was warm with a high of 23.4C. There was a humidex of 26C. There was a shower of rain mid afternoon. This morning it was 14C and the high is to get to 17C. There are showers in the forecast for today.

Lifestyle

We headed out to Coldbrook to get apples yesterday and were happy to see Ambrosia apples. We then headed out to get yarn for projects. When we arrived home, we had a great visit with our son. A perfect morning for us. 

We were out in the late afternoon and there was a drive thru flu clinic at the fire station. It was busy with 20 vehicles waiting to go in. There is another one on Wednesday at another location and I've booked us in with our doctor for Friday. 

There were 23 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. 

Sewing

I started quilting and have just over half of the vertical seams done. I go down one side of a seam and up the other side. I did some stitch in the ditch on the side border. 

Knitting

I got the yarn for the hat and the test pattern sweater (doll). I set up the hat last night as it is easy and I was tired. By bedtime I was 2 rows short of finishing the ribbing. 

I am happy with the way the two strands is knitting up and the colors are great. This is the first time I've done the hat using a circular needle and magic loop. I'm loving it.

Today

I have laundry, housework, quilting and knitting to do today. As it is going to be showery, I won't be gathering up the trimmings from the dreaded hedge. Hopefully tomorrow I can do it in the afternoon. In knitting, I need to set up the test pattern for the doll's sweater and start knitting the sleeves. I'm doing the hat and test pattern at the same time which is a stretch for me. I'm a one pattern at a time person. 

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

Cat Sweater Done and Modeled

Yesterday was warmer with a high of 18C. The sun shone and it was lovely outside. This morning it is 13C and we are to have a high of 21C. Not unusual for Nova Scotia. 

Lifestyle

I headed out to shop a bit later yesterday morning as I had prescriptions to pick up. The store wasn't busy which was nice. I was home mid morning, got everything put away, and did very little. I had a thinking session on the dreaded hedge. 

The Spousal Unit went out to rake the dreaded hedge clippings up and came in frustrated. He had a real mess going on. I went out and cleaned up a bag full on my hand and knees. If you don't rake it, it is easier to pick up. Raking it has the branches bounce all over the place. I have 3 or 4 afternoons of picking to do. 

I had to go over to our neighbors to find my spool of green thread. Found it in a container as it had rolled off her table. Before coming home, I helped her and her son put up screen on their patio. Three people made it go up easier as they are put on with velcro. They have 5 more panels to put up. 

There were 19 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. The outbreak at the hospital has increased by 1 to 4. Many precautions are in place to help contain it. Let's hope no one else gets the virus in there. 

Sewing

 The quilt is sandwiched and ready for straight line quilting. It took me almost 2 hours to get it done. I learned a lot. I had to unpin part of the quilt as I learned that you do the length on one side before doing the width. 

I looked at a panel and am going to make a very simple bag out of it for son-in-law. I will have to buy some fabric and make it in record time. I have enough interfacing for it. 

Knitting

 The cat sweater is done and I put it on Elliott to model. He is too fat for it. 

He actually laid on the couch until I pulled the back end up over his rump. He then got down for treats.

He laid down on the floor with it on pleaded with me to take it off. 

And when done, he thought he should have all the treats in the container for being such a good boy.

I don't think so Elliott. 

I did a sample of the yarn for daughter's hat. I am happy with the gauge and feel of the knitted piece. Now I can buy the yarn and start. 

I have a pattern to test and will be knitting it and the hat at the same time. Not my favorite thing to do but I need to get both done. I need to buy yarn for it. 

Today

We are heading out for apples and to get the yarn I need. I want to quilt for an hour and pick up trimmings from the dreaded hedge for an hour. Knitting tonight. 

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

The Quilt Top Is Completed

Though yesterday was sunny and felt warmer, the high got to 10.6C. There was very little wind which was nice. This morning it is 7C and we are to have a high of 15C. Another nice day.

Lifestyle

Once again, I vacuumed the floors, stairs and a bit of the basement floor. I am seeing less cat hair in the air, on the appliances, etc. Starting soon, I will be vacuuming twice a week as I think I have the worst of the cat hair gone. Then it will be hauling the hose down the stairs and doing the basement.

The Spousal Unit trimmed the hedge and has a bit of tidying up to do in a couple of spots. Then it will be raking up the branches and getting them into leaf and garden bags. He is happy that job is almost done. 

We were both tired yesterday. Part of it is not sleeping well at night. I am going to put the quilt on the bed as we may be waking up as we are cold. I know that was the case last night. Though a summer weight quilt, it is more than adequate for us in the winter as it goes over a blanket. 

There were 6 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. That is the same as we've had mid September. 

Sewing

The top of the quilt is done. I am pleased with the end result. 

I took the quilt over to our neighbor to buy batting from her. It measures 50 x 70" so a perfect size for a human to snuggle a puppy under. 

Knitting

The cat sweater under went some deconstruction yesterday. I undid the belly seam by 2/3rds the length. I knit the ribbing on the back flat, made button loops and added buttons to close it. I will be redoing the button loops as they are too big. I then proceeded to pick up the stitches for the leg opening. A bit stressful but I succeeded. I knit one row and did 1 row of ribbing before stopping for the night. No pictures are it has needles flopping around and I worry they will fall out. 

Today

We may go for apples today. I have to clean off the cutting table and start sandwiching the quilt. Tonight I hope to finish the cat's sweater. 

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

More Work On The Projects

Yesterday was cool. The high got to 11.4C and the wind made it feel cooler. The sun did shine. This morning it is 7C and the high is to get to 13C. We had a rain shower during the night as the deck is wet this morning.

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning was spent wrapping Christmas presents to be sent out to daughter. I got the box filled and even pushed in some fabric for her to make a shirt out of. I still have one more box of gifts to go. A lot of thinking went on while wrapping those gifts.

The Spousal Unit trimmed the bush by the front porch. It grew about 2 feet this summer. He started trimming the dreaded hedge and I have to go out and rake the thorny bits. Not looking forward to that job.

There were 12 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. There is a small outbreak in one of the hospitals and some schools are closed due to the number of cases in them. Flu shots will be available next week. 

Sewing

I spent a lot of time working on the dog's quilt. I made 4 patches and sewed them together for the 2nd side, attached it to the quilt and put on the top border. I was mentally tired when I got to this stage.

It is almost ready to be sandwiched which is exciting. Hopefully today I can take it to get the batting. 

I did a lot of thinking while wrapping presents. I need to spread Christmas gifts over the year. Making quilts in September and October is too late for me. So I need to start thinking about starting in January. I have some ideas of what I will be sewing for gifts this year. 

Knitting

I got the sweater on Lily and photographed. 

I quite like this pattern as it is easy to knit and uses up left over yarn. I did find the red sweater with the black beads on it. I am hoping to knit the cardigan to go with it from yarn in the stash. 

I look forward to finishing this project. I wasn't happy with the first cardigan and frogged it into another project.

I got the cat sweater done to the leg openings.

I can not see getting this on a cat with the underside completely sewn up from the neck to the decreases. I am going to open it up and crochet button loops so it can be closed after putting on the cat. I woke up during the night with the idea. I get to add another day of knitting on to this project. 

Today

I need to do some housework, get the parcel posted, work on the quilt and unsew the sweater to fix it the way I want it to be. 

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

Progress On The Quilt

Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up sunny. The high got to 15C. This morning it is 7C and we are to have a high of 11C. It is suppose to be sunny and cloudy with a chance of a shower. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I folded laundry and got it all put away. Once it was done, I vacuumed floors and noticed less cat hair on the ones I'm doing every other day. I also re-washed the living room floor as it looked dirty. It was and now looks much better. 

The Spousal Unit mowed the lawn yesterday. It amazes us that we mow the lawn mid to late October here. It looks great and had grown quite a bit since grandson had mowed it on Thanksgiving weekend. 

There were 72 new cases reported over 3 days. There are 208 active cases in the province. 

Sewing

I was able to get quite a bit of sewing done on the quilt yesterday. I cut out the inner border and carefully sewed it on to keep the quilt square. The rust color makes the squares pop. 

 I then added the first side outer border. As this is a make it up as you go quilt, I had a couple of issues that was stupid thinking on my part. Once I had it figured out, I pinned and sewed the border on. 

I now need to sew up the side outer border and attach it. Then on to the top and bottom borders and it will be ready to quilt. Overall, I am happy with this quilt even if it is bigger than I had thought it would be. 

Knitting

I knit on the cat's sweater and have the body ready to decrease over the back. I didn't take a picture as it looks the same but longer. 

I sewed the buttons on the doll's sweater and Lily will be modeling it today. 

Some how the lighting turned the light grey a bit yellowish in the picture. I like this pattern to knit up the left over yarn from socks. The Gotz dolls will have a collection of these sweaters of which I will need to knit cardigans to go over them.

I looked into the tub with the sock weight yarn in it. I have enough yarn for 3 pairs of socks and plenty of yarn to knit sweaters and a dress for the dolls. There is some red sock yarn (wool) that I want to knit up with black beads. If a cardigan, the beads will go down the fronts. If the above sweater I will do 3 rows of beads down the center front. I need to weigh the yarn to see which one I will make. I'm hoping the cardigan.

Today

The goal is to wrap presents and get the box ready to post. I want to sew the 4 patches together for the 2nd border and get it onto the quilt. Tonight I will knit on the cat's sweater in hopes it will be ready to do the leg holes. 

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

Test Pattern Dress Done

 Yesterday was a grey day that ended up giving us over 1/2" of rain. Some of the showers were heavy. The wind blew and it was a very blustery day. The high got to 18.6C. This morning it is 12C and we are to have a high of 14C with a small chance of showers. 

Lifestyle

I decided to do no housework yesterday morning. Instead I went down the genealogy hole. It was interesting as my focus was on my favorite uncle. He married into the family. He was an orphan though his parent were alive in Birmingham. Many of his siblings were sent to Canada by a home and lived with families in New Brunswick. Did they ever see each other? I wondered as they came over on 2 different boats with 3 children from the family each time. They lived in the same area of New Brunswick and I have a feeling they might have from a few vague comments my uncle made. My uncle remained in the orphanage, trained as a baker, was in South Africa during the war, and came to Canada as a young man. I know he came to be with his sister in New Brunswick and worked in a logging camp with some of my uncles. What I didn't know was he lived about 20 miles from us in 1932 and was a baker in that community. A lot learned while reviewing his branch of the family tree. 

Sewing

I had 2 good hours in the sewing room. I made 4 buttonholes and was extremely pleased with them. I sewed 12 button on the front of the dress and the 4 on the back. A ribbon at the neck line and it was done.

Though people love it, I thought it was a bit bland. It is growing on me this morning as it took me longer to like the soft colors I chose. 

Though I snipped the neckline well, the collar wants to stand out. I will be tacking the two back points down to the dress. One more outfit from the 1930-1940's for when I dress the dolls in that era. 

Now it is back to the quilt. 

Knitting

I knit on the cat's sweater and am getting close to finishing the body.

The light colored yarn is waste yarn and will be removed to knit the arm holes. I'm looking forward to this part as it is both exciting and scary. 

I am ready to look and make decisions on the yarn cube. I have bought 10 balls of yarn this month. Four balls are for socks for daughter. One is for a messy bun hat and the rest are for the dolls. I still need to buy yarn for another hat for daughter.

I do keep the yarn sorted by weight but some of those containers are so full the yarn is being shoved into them. I need to go through the tubs and put together what yarn will be for dolls (mine and the little girl I sew and knit for), hats, socks, and then ??. I know I have enough yarn now to knit 6 pairs of socks. I want to knit some hats using this pattern. I have a lot of this weight yarn for hats and this will be a perfect pattern along with the messy bun hat pattern I love to knit. 

The goal of yarn cube is to have a few balls of 3 or 4 different weights in the tubs so I can knit on doll clothes, socks and a few hats. I want to expand my knitting to a couple of throws so will need a tub for that yarn.

The goal is to have less yarn than I have but enough to keep me busy in the evenings. 

Today

I am going to do some housework, sew on the quilt, and knit on the cat sweater. 

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

17 Buttons To Sew On

Yesterday started out sunny and by the afternoon is was cloudy. The high got to 16C. This morning it was 16C, windy and cloudy. We are to have showers, wind, and a high of 18C. 

Lifestyle

I headed out yesterday morning to shop and was home by 11:30 a.m. I moved quickly and got most everything though a few items were not available. I can get them locally tomorrow when I pick up the Spousal Unit's prescription. 

Sewing

I went into Fabricville to pick up a few items needed. I bought buttons for doll clothes. With the store closing at the end of November, I will have to travel further to get items I need. 

I spent 2 hours on the test pattern and am ready for button holes and sewing on 17 buttons. 

I had some issues with the facing not wanting to line up but it worked out in the end. It is a cute dress but I think my version is bland. I needed either a pink or a blue fabric for the contrast. 

I have been thinking about the sewing room a lot and need to buy some items for it. I want to be more organized. I have chosen to look at the doll's area first. 

It needs the least amount of upgrading. The cube is perfect for the dolls as I keep their clothes and shoes in the black containers. The open parts irritate me though as some items need to be hidden to keep the look clean and organized. I have decided to put a drawer insert in the right cube to hold the Diamond sewing machine feet, bobbins, and the cording bateaus for making piping. One the left hand side, I will put in either a drawer or a door insert to put the hair accessory basket and books into. The middle 2 cubes will hold the knick knacks. I feel that once this is done, I will be very happy with the look. There will be less clutter out in the open. 

Knitting

I bought another skein of yarn for a hat and 3 balls of yarn for socks. I'm now set for daughter's socks for 2022.

I knit a lot on the cat's coat and have finished the increases. When they were done, I knit stitches onto waste yarn for the leg holes. I'm keen on learning how we will remove the waste yarn to knit the little cuffs to finish the leg holes. I am now knitting in the pattern until the body measures about 11" from the leash hole. I didn't take pictures last night. I did try it on Elliott and he is one chunky cat. I would say it would barely fit him. Hopefully it will fit daughter's cat as he is a leaner cat. If not, the new puppy will be wearing it. 

Today

As it is Sunday, I will be doing minimal housework. I need to fold laundry, make a good dinner, sew and knit. 

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

Progress At All Levels

Yesterday was another sunny fall day. The high got to 16.4C. This morning it is 8C and we are to have sunshine and 17C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday I focused on the living room area. All the furniture was moved, the floor vacuumed and washed. I need to wash part of the floor again as it is still dirty. I also vacuumed the stairs down to the front door and washed them. Elliott's blanket and towels were laundered and put back on the couch. 

The Spousal Unit got the lawn mower out and mowed for 45 minutes. It is working perfectly. Hurrah!! I'm sure he will be mowing once or twice more before the lawn slows down for winter. 

We were out to watch grandson play soccer yesterday afternoon. Grandson played well. I took some pictures of the trees as they are quite colorful. 

One of my favorite is looking across the valley at the wind turbines. 

There were 18 new cases of the virus reported yesterday. 

Sewing

I had a busy 2 hours in the sewing room. The test pattern advanced with seams serged, Hong Kong finish done on the back and neck facing, collar made and attached and the sleeves ready to be inserted. I cut my time so close to leave for grandson's soccer game I got no pictures taken. 

This designer will have 3 more patterns to test in the next while. There is the Pilgrim's boy outfit (I'll pass on it), a winter cape and the 2nd Little Women's dress. This dress is one I will definitely test and I have ideas swirling in my head about it. If I can find some trim I will make the cape. I have to check at Fabricville this coming week.

Knitting

I found a pattern for a coat for the cat. The pattern is here and is free. What was exciting was to find a video on how to make it. Marly Bird does an excellent job of explaining the pattern and her tricks on how to do the increases. 

I cast on the 2nd size and knit up the ribbing. I added the leash hole and then started on the pattern and increases. The pattern calls for 3 colors but I am knitting it in one color. Less for me to worry about. I got 6 of the 17 rows of the pattern done and two increase repeats. I keep track of the rows I've knit and am keeping track of the increases.

Though this pattern is an intermediate level, Marly Bird does a great job of walking you through the pattern giving you tips on using stitch markers at the increases. She is a master knitter in my mind.

I have to say that I am more comfortable knitting than crocheting. I dug into this pattern easily and comfortably. 

Today

I have to grocery shop, try and do some more housework, work on the doll's dress, and knit more on the cat's sweater. 

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