The Socks Are Finished

Yesterday was dull, dreary, and somewhat wet. The high got to 11.9C and 13.5 mm of rain fell. It was the dullness and the wind that got to me. This morning it is -1C and we had a snow flurry during the night. It is suppose to get to a high of 1C today.

Lifestyle

I got the upstairs floors vacuumed in the morning but after that I wanted to hibernate due to the weather. It was hard to keep going unless I pushed myself. But I did push some and rested other times. 

My knee was much better yesterday as was my back. Vacuuming didn't bother it as much as it did a month ago. I did bend my knee a lot yesterday when sitting down. I do it until I feel the knee is lubricated and then stop. It seems to be helping along with the other exercises. There is less pain which is nice. And, the pain is not as severe as it was. 

Sewing

I pushed myself downstairs to layout the pyjama pants for grandson. It took some time but I got it done. I bought 3.3 meters of fabric and it takes 2.8 meters. The remaining fabric is for the hot water bottle cover lining. The remnants will be used to make doll pyjamas later on. 

The hot water bottle pattern was printed and is ready to tape together. I might just as well cut it out at the same time and have it as a project ready to sew. 

A lady at Pattern Review said to use Inkster (free program) to make and keep patterns as SVG files for the Cricut. I downloaded it, looked for videos and am confused as all get out. I'll be contacting her for videos, etc. to see if I can get my head around this program. 

This lady also told me about Wild Things Dolls by Wild Ginger. It looks amazing and I'm going to play with it later on. Maybe I can make some patterns for the Gotz dolls. She has made some lovely patterns, turned them into SVG files and cut them out on the Cricut. 

The new quilt shop is opening on Saturday. They are having an opening special of 15% off everything but sewing machines. I don't think I'm going as it will be busy and I'm not wanting to be in a large crowd at this time. 

Knitting

I tried the sweater on the doll and it fits to perfection. 

If I was to make it again to give to a child for their doll, I would go up a needle size using this yarn. It is finer than the yarn I usually use. 

I forged on and finished grandson's socks. They look the same and I'm thrilled with that. 

They are folded up ready to be wrapped. 

I am setting my knitting aside for a few days and am going to read a book. I'm not sure what I will knit next. 

Thoughts

    With my knee and hip feeling better, I am wanting to do more inside the house. It feels good to have the mobility without a lot of pain. Next up will be strengthening so I can do more for longer periods of time and to walk with a good gait. My gait is coming but I'm still not happy with it. 

    I am going to have to start setting up my planner so I can figure out what I want to do each month in the sewing room. I have so many ideas floating in my head that I'm starting to flounder and my mind is shutting down. I also need to finish cleaning the sewing room. As soon as Christmas sewing is done, I will be doing that. 

Today

I have to take grandson to school shortly. Then it's cleaning the bathroom, cutting out the pyjama pants and hot water bottle. I want to start reading a book tonight. I also need to keep exercising my knee and hip. 

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

New Programs To Think About

 Yesterday was a lovely warm day with a high of 11.9C. There was sunshine, clouds and some wind. This morning it was 9C and raining. It is to be wet with a high of 10C with it cooling off to 3C this afternoon.

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning, daughter-in-law came over and hung the Christmas lights on the garage and front doors. I was set to have no outdoor lights this year and this was a lovely surprise. It made me feel festive. 

I made a batch of sugar top ginger cookies for daughter-in-law and I was disappointed in the dough. It was drier than I've made in the past 5 years. Not sure what went wrong but they are edible. I'll be making a batch again this week to see if it was me measuring something incorrectly. I'm thinking it was the molasses.

I didn't do much else after cleaning up the kitchen as I spent a lot of time exercising my knee. The storm coming in made it sore. I did a lot of bending it up and down sitting on the couch. It moved some fluid and it is less sore today. I'm not holding my breath but will continue doing more exercises off and on today to see if it helps. I'm wanting to get it stretched out so I can start strengthening it.  

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday as my knee was sore and I was exercising it. But I did think a bit about what I need to sew in the next couple of weeks.  Once the pyjama pants are cut out, I can put the rest of the projects on the cutting table so I can sew them up. 

I also thought about cleaning more of the sewing room. Once I get a couple of gifts made, I will be focusing on doing some each day. A couple of ideas are floating in my mind for the design area to make it better. 

A lady on Pattern Review said she uses Inkscape to make her SVG files for Circut. It's free and you have your files on your computer. I'm downloading it to learn how to use it. She also said she uses Wild Things For Dolls to make her doll patterns. There is a 30 day free trial I will download later on to play with. I feel like I have a new door open so I can wander down a new learning path. 

Knitting

I wanted to nap but couldn't so I finished the doll's sweater yesterday afternoon. I'd do some stitching, exercise my knee, do some more and it was finally put together. 

It is going to fit the doll a bit tight as the yarn is finer (and more expensive) than the yarn I usually use for this designer's patterns. It is a cute sweater but I won't make it again. Once is enough for this pattern. 

I picked up grandson's socks and am ready to decrease each row on the toe of the first sock. I need to watch the video and get it done and then finish the 2nd sock's toe. 

Thoughts

    My knee was much better this morning. I did a lot of exercises yesterday using some I found on Instagram. Bending my knee about 10-15 times before getting up allows the knee to lubricate and not have me limping for a few minutes when I start to walk. I also did standing on my toes/heels a couple of times which was good. I will be trying more of the exercises today. 

    Though it is grey and wet this morning, I'm in a better mood. I'm ready to start housework once again. I'm not sure if it was my knee or if I was depressed and missing the Spousal Unit. I do have these spells and it could have been one of them. 

Today

I'm off shortly to take grandson to school. I have to pay bills this morning, vacuum and hopefully wash some floors, lay out grandson's pyjama pants this afternoon, and then knit tonight. I'm hoping my energy stays with me today as I need to move forward with the house cleaning. 

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

Setting and Meeting A Goal

 Yesterday was a grey day with lots of wind. Annoying wind. The high got to 6.9C. This morning it was -1C and calm. We are to have sunshine and 8C. Rain is forecasted for tonight. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I decided to do the budget and when I pay my bills today, I will have met my goal for the month. I am excited that I could do it and still live comfortably. I have the same goal for next month. 

I spent time after dong the budget thinking about what I want to do in the future. Right now, I am not buying from my wants list, just from my needs list. My wants list can wait until later on. I am focusing on Christmas gifts for family. 

I did put a pair of walking poles on the needs list. I will be talking to my therapist about them. I will be using the cane until I get her go ahead to use the poles. I really want to get out and do more walking. I have noticed that people do use walking poles in our area but never thought I would use them. Thank you Carol for the idea. 

I made this shepherd's pie in the afternoon. I was disappointed the carrots were undercooked when I put the meat mixture into the 9 x 9" pan but they were done to perfection when I took it out of the oven. I had one portion for dinner and have 3 portions to freeze. 

The wind really set both Elliott's and my nerves on end. He had problems settling down until he went into the bedroom where it was quieter. I had to deal with it as I was trying to do things on the windy side of the house. We were both a tad cranky when we went to bed last night. 

Sewing

I got the flannel laundered for grandson's pyjama bottoms. It is fluffy and soft making it worth the extra money I paid for it. I looked at the selvage and it is by Northcott. 

I looked at what I need to buy for December. Some fabric for more towel toppers and the Kitchen Aid cover. Zippers for pillows. I have what I need for the hot water bottle cover in the stash. 

I fiddled around with Cricut Design Space to do the shoe pattern. I followed the video instructions starting with step 1 - taking a jpg of the pattern. The way the pattern is set up, you have a lot of words to deal with. I ended up cropping out what I didn't want when previewing the picture. It worked quite well. I'm ready to do the shoe uppers as one file and the soles as another. My goal is to slowly build up my projects as I will buy the Cricut when I meet my big goal. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night as my nerves were jangled. It was better to leave the needles alone than to make a major mistake. 

Thoughts

    I am happy that I am setting goals but am not feeling deprived (financially) or scatter brained about when to do things. I do have my times when I want to do nothing as I'm grieving and I do let that happen. Otherwise, I try to have a schedule that I follow. 

    With my knee feeling better, I am trying to become more active. I'm doing my exercises to help stretch the leg but I want to be able to go outside and walk. One of my goals this winter is to shovel snow off the driveway. I need to be more active outside on the nice days.

    I am enjoying making meals and will now turn to baking. I have buns, cookies and butter tarts to make in December. I also want to make a couple of desserts for myself. 

Today

I have to pay the bills and make cookie dough which will be put it into the fridge for 24 hours to enhance the flavours. Then I will vacuum the floors and clean the bathroom. I'd love to lay out the pyjama pants as they are my next project. I do hope to knit tonight. If time, I may visit my neighbour. 

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

Learning New Things

 Yesterday started out with lovely pink skies meaning it was going to rain. It was a mixture of sun and clouds during the day and the rain began around 6 pm. The high got to 7.9C. This morning it was 4C and we are to have a high of 3C with a bit of everything including snow. 

Lifestyle

After taking grandson to school, I had a bit of time before I went to physiotherapy. Physio was great as I rode the bike and did walking pulling 20 kg of weight. I even stood on the balance board and noticed an improvement. I'm putting more weight on the sore knee/leg now. The therapist did exercises to stretch my muscles more. There was no sharp pain but you could feel the muscles pulling. She ended that session with stretching my leg from the ankle to the waist. You could feel the muscles, etc. responding to the stretching. I also had heat and current. I walked out of there tired but feeling better. We have to get the leg limbered up before we can do strengthening. I go again in 2 weeks. 

I rested most of the day as I was tired. I did do heat on my back and leg to help keep it loosened up. I also walked around the house to keep limber. I did nap in the afternoon as I was really tired. 

In the evening, daughter-in-law, our friend, and I went to watch the musical "The Little Mermaid" put on by the students at grandson's school. It was a spectacular show with the cast all being very strong actors. Though Ariel is the main character, the students who played Flounder, Sebastian (the crab), Scuttle (the sea gull), and Ursula were equally as strong as the students who play Ariel and Prince Eric. Even the chef was great and had us laughing and clapping in his scene. It was a wonderful evening out and I look forward to doing it again next year. This is a tradition that we have done since 2018. We missed last year as there was a lot of covid around and we didn't want to be in a packed theatre.

Our friend brought me her cane to use. It is a great one with the feet on it for stability. It's easy to adjust and bright and fun.

I used it last night going from the car to the school and it does help. It's a nuisance when inside as I tried to figure out what to do with it in the the performance theatre. But, I will use it when outside for stability. I want to be able to give it back in the spring. 

Sewing

I did no sewing yesterday because I was to rest. I did look at Cricut machines and am thinking of getting one. I'll know more by tomorrow. 

I downloaded the Cricut app to see if I could take pdf patterns and making them into svg files. I followed this video and what a huge learning curve.

I started with a skirt and it must have taken me more than hour to get what I wanted. Hide, size, duplicate, flip, weld, attach and more left my head spinning. But I got it done after two tries. 

Next up I did a simple top and it went faster. I only had 2 pieces to do almost as many steps as the skirt. I really should have started with the top as it went faster. 

The only thing I don't like is that you can not take the svg files and put them on a thumb drive to use on another machine to see if you want to buy one. I had hoped to do that but can't.

Thoughts

    I am happy that my leg is getting better and need to have patience with the process. It was in worse shape than I had thought or hoped. I'll do more exercising at home in the next 2 weeks. I am looking forward to when I can start strengthening my leg. 

    I am looking forward to cooking a bit more this week. I'm going to make the Shepard's Pie and some cookies this weekend. I will move items around in the downstairs freezer so I can put food in it. I enjoy being able to go to the freezer and choose a meal for dinner. I also am enjoying cooking once again as I'm not worrying about having the time to do it. 

Today

I am doing the budget this morning and then will make the Shepard's Pie this afternoon. I have to launder the flannel for grandson's pyjama pants and see if I can clean the bathroom. I'm hoping to finish the sweater tonight but that may not happen if I'm tired.  

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

An Afternoon In Sackville

 Yesterday was another sunny day with a high of 0.3C. The wind did blow a bit in the afternoon. This morning it was -5C with a wind chill of -8C. There is a south wind and the high is to get to 9C with rain tonight. 

Lifestyle

I stopped thinking of about wrapping the gifts to ship across Canada and actually went downstairs and did the job. Having the cutting table clean was a bonus as I could use it if I needed to. I used mainly gift bags and when I was done, the box was overweight. 

After thinking about it, I took out picture frames that weren't gifts and I will send them in a prepaid box later on. The box was taped shut and put into the car. 

After lunch, I got my neighbour and we headed to Sackville so I could mail the parcel and we could do some shopping. We did  the grocery store and the Dollar store. I got some more gifts and a few kitchen items for myself. 

Once home, I rested as my knee was tired. I'm really surprised at how much I more I am doing but I still need to have more strength in my body. I'm thinking of something to help it out so I can start walking outside. 

Sewing

No sewing done yesterday as I needed to do other things. Next up is pyjama pants and they are on the table waiting for me to launder the fabric and start. 

I have so many items I want to sew next year that I am going to have to really plan what I want to make each year. I'm going to try new techniques, use up what I have and have some fun. 

Knitting

I finished knitting the body of the sweater. I need to try it on the doll and then block it before sewing in the sleeves. I'm hoping it will fit. It is quite cute. 

Thoughts

    Black Friday is upon us and I'm, once again, amazed at the sales everywhere in Canada. I am refraining from buying anything as I don't do my budget until tomorrow and I don't need to get anything from my want list this year.  

    I am noticing that I'm getting stronger and going harder on my sore knee. It gets tired and when that happens, my other knee hurts also from over compensation. I'm much better than I was in September. 

    I am, once again, writing a to do list of what I need to clean in the house. I'm trying to get it done in a timely fashion which seems to fly out the window. More focus and time management. 

Today

I have done a load of laundry and am getting ready to take grandson to school. I have physio this morning and want to tackle floors this afternoon. This evening I'm out with daughter-in-law and a friend to see the senior students put on The Little Mermaid. 

Another Pair Of Gloves

Yesterday was another lovely fall day with a high of 3.8C. This morning it was -6C with a wind chill of -9C. We are to have sunshine and a high of 0C. There will be a cold north wind today. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning, I did my grocery shopping and was home in good time. After the groceries were put away, I started chopping vegetables for the chicken soup. In went leeks, celery and onions after they sweat for a bit in the frying pan. Then carrots were added and left to simmer for an hour. The chicken was added and another hour or so of simmering before adjusting the seasonings. I have 5 meals of soup in the freezer. Next up is Shepard's Pie. I'll do that in a couple of days. Housework is next on the agenda. 

I got the table ready to wrap Christmas gifts. I can do part of them and then I need to do some serious thinking about the rest. I need to ship the box asap. 

I had dinner with son last night and we watched a bit of TV. He is doing so well since he has had surgery.

Sewing

I sewed a second pair of gloves yesterday. I used a back and forward stitch which was great for the gloves but not for the hems. Not a lot of stretch. But it sure holds the fabric in place around the thumb area. I did Fabric Check that area also. 

Addy wanted a grown up dress on when modelling the gloves. I found this in the historical outfit bin. I made it March 2020 just as the pandemic was entering our lives. 

I now need to buy more socks to try the lightening stitch when sewing the next gloves. I did change out the feed dogs and stitch plate to the wide opening and did a sample on the left over sock fabric. It a nice stitch for sewing the gloves. 

I looked at the dress and it is crying out for a stole. I may have to make one for this outfit out of 4" wide lace trim. I'm thinking on it along with shoes. We wait and see as the other Regency outfit needs completing first. One outfit at a time. 

Knitting

The mistake was corrected on the right side of the sweater by the designer (I had figured it out but let her correct it for the pattern). I now have the right side and the back completed and have started on the left side. I'll be done by Monday or so I hope. 

When done the sweater, I need to finish the socks and take a break for a few days. I may just read a book before I start another project. 

Thoughts

    I've been thinking about what I need and what I want. I make lists, throw them out, and make more lists. I'm going through an adjustment phase right now so don't want to get something I will regret buying later on. On my list is an Instant Pot and Robot floor cleaner as the big ticket items. Both will have to wait as I don't know if I need right them now. 

    I have enjoyed my cooking spree and have the fridge freezer full to the top. I need to clean the downstairs freezer and use it also. I'm happy to have meals that I can heat when I need them. I've been eating them up happily the past while. I now need to clean house before I do any more cooking or baking.

Today

 I was going to go shopping in the city but won't until next week when the weather is nicer. I will do housework this morning, launder the flannel for grandson's pyjama bottoms, wrap presents in the afternoon, and knit tonight. I may have to do something else to help pass the time as it seems like I may be bored today. 

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

First Pair of Doll Gloves

 Yesterday was sunny and cool with a high of 3.2C. Last night the stars were shining and this morning it is cloudy and 0C. We are to have a high 2C with a mixed bag -- sunshine, clouds, rain, and flurries. 

Lifestyle

I spent the morning in the kitchen. I decided to make a pot of chicken stock. I picked the meat off the carcass and had enough meat for dinner plus a chicken pie for the freezer. I added 3 legs and a thigh from the freezer along with the carcass to a pot of chicken broth and water. After boiling for 3 hours I was ready to separate the bones from the meat and strain the broth. I got almost 3 cups of meat for the soup. All was put into the fridge so I can complete it today. 

As I was cooking, I kept the kitchen clean and did a bit of extra clean up. When I was done, I was thrilled to have a clean kitchen. It was lunch time by the time I was done.

Laundry was also done and the bed was made with clean sheets in the afternoon. Elliott decided he wanted to sleep on the bed under a blanket until then.  

My knee is improving slowly. It still hurts if I over use it. I did that yesterday and had to let it rest for quite a while. I'm trying to do more each day to help it get stronger. 

Sewing

I got to sew for a bit in the afternoon. I made gloves to go with the Regency Era outfit. 

I spent a long time thinking about making these gloves and finally decided the first pair would be done using a 60/8 microtex needle and a straight stitch. I had no issues but am afraid of the seams separating at the base of the thumb. I have fray checked them good. I will be using a stretch stitch on the next pair. 

It took a long time to sew the gloves once I got to the curved part. A stitch or two, lift the foot, adjust, and a couple more stitches and repeat. Once trimmed, I turned them right side out and used my bamboo turner to smooth the hand part and to push the thumb part out. I am pleased with my first try at making doll gloves. 

Once done the gloves, I cleaned the Juki sewing machine using a bit of oil on the new swabs I bought. It was dirty but not too bad. Once it was done to my satisfaction, I turned my attention to the serger. It was full of lint and I spent a lot of time cleaning it out. I'm thrilled with the results and then adjusted the tension a bit. All that is left is the other sewing machine. 

Knitting

I did knit last night until I found a mistake in the pattern. I'm waiting for the designer to figure it out. I tried to knit it about 6 times and realized you need 20 stitches on the needle and I have 19. She needs to sort it out before I can proceed. 

Thoughts

    I'm avoiding wrapping presents like I do every year. I need to dedicate an afternoon to it. Maybe today after I sew. 

    I was tired yesterday but not weepy or depressed. I kept busy which was good. I know this will happen again and will deal with it as it comes. Part of the grieving process. 

    I am slowly getting more ideas for meals. I have to make a Shepards Pie and I'm going to tackle sausage rolls. I need to get some bigger containers for soup. I have 2 but need 2-4 more. 

    I'm going to order a tv for upstairs so I can watch shows on it instead of the iPad. I can stream from the iPad if I want to. I have ideas of how I will set it up. Hopefully my idea will work. 

Today

I am going to shop this morning, finish the chicken noodle soup, and make sure the kitchen is clean. I will try to clear off the table in the family room so I can wrap presents after I sew the next pair of doll gloves. I'm hoping to continue knitting on the sweater tonight. If not, I will knit on grandson's socks. 

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

A Period of Grieving

 Yesterday was sunny and cool. The high got to 0.8C. It rained during the night and the temperature was 3C this morning. The snow is gone and the roads are wet. The high will be 3C with sunshine and wind. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I made buns. The yeast is new but the dough was slow proofing. When I looked, I had bought traditional yeast not instant/fast rising yeast. It took a long time to proof but we got it done. 

While waiting for the buns to proof, I cleaned the kitchen and swept the floor. It needed doing. I love having a clean kitchen especially after cooking. 

After lunch, I headed out to pay the water bill and to give family their share of the buns, return a dish and give grandson some music to practice. I didn't stay long as daughter-in-law was sleeping. She is exhausted from doing it all and needed to recover from her exhaustion. I understand that all to well. 

I went to visit a neighbour on my way home. She had a knee replacement on Friday and is doing well. We laughed and had a good visit. Her husband was sleeping as he was exhausted from doing everything. She will have her other knee replacement in 6-8 months. 

Once home, I made a roasted chicken dinner. It was good. There is enough left over for lunch and dinner today. The left overs will be made into soup stock. If there is lots of meat, I will make another chicken pot pie. 

Sewing

I didn't sew yesterday as I was too busy doing other things. Project 5 is waiting for me. 

I am working on my list to finish up this year and then starting to think of next year. The list is getting longer but I can sew lots during the winter months. I need to organize the list next month so I can get an idea of what I want to sew when. 

Once I finish sewing for Christmas, I will be back to cleaning the sewing room. I'm, once again, focused on cleaning upstairs as it needs to be done. Mainly dusting and floors though I'm checking areas and dusting them. 

Knitting

I knit on the sweater body and am ready to divide the body into fronts and backs. The pattern going up one side is cute. I only read and knit the pattern and can finish the row and purl back without looking at it. 

Thoughts

    I had a tough evening. My mood dipped, my IBS flared up, and I had what I thought was a panic/anxiety attack when I went to bed. I worked through it all once I realized it was 2 months ago the Spousal Unit had passed and I was grieving. I spent the time thinking happy memories about him and it passed. 

    I have decided that I am going to make a list of recipes I want to cook. I need to continue including more choices in my diet. I have been thinking hard and now have shepard's pie, sausage rolls, and hamburger soup added to the list. I know I can freeze these to eat later on. 

Today

I am a bit tired from last night but am going to push forward making the chicken soup and tidying up the dining area of the house. If I have time, I will sew the doll's gloves though I should be wrapping presents. Tonight I will knit. While knitting I look for recipes I might want to make. 

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

And It Snowed

Yesterday started off lovely -- sunshine and very little wind. The high got to 6.7C. Mid afternoon, it became cloudy and it snowed. It then cleared off with the stars shining. It was -4C this morning and we are to have a high of 0C with sunshine, clouds, and flurries. There is to be winds until this afternoon.

Lifestyle

I was going out to visit with a friend yesterday so I got a load of laundry wash and dried. It needed to be done as it has been almost a week since I did clothes. 

I also took the Spousal Unit's iPad down to the sewing room and got YouTube to work using chrome cast. I had it set up earlier and it needed the iPad vs my iPhone to run YouTube which I did off the app. I'm happy that is done and will set up a space for it in the sewing room. 

I spent 2.5 hours at a craft bazaar and did well. I had put on my Back On Track knee brace to give it support and walked around with no issues. I did get tired as I haven't done this much walking for a long time. We sat for a bit and had lunch and finished looking. My friend then left me sitting while she went back to pick up a few gifts. We left and I came home happy but exhausted. I did get a few gifts. Maybe next year four of us can go for an enjoyable day out. 

When home, I checked my knee and it wasn't swollen. I did put the cold pack on it to make sure it wouldn't swell and later on a bit of heat. The part that hurt is where I hit it on the steering wheel column. Muscles ached from lack of use and I put heat on them. I will survive and I need to start walking longer distances to build more muscles. 

Sewing

While setting up the iPad, I admired how tidy the cutting table is and how messy the sewing machine table is. I need to think about how I will set it up to have what I need and the iPad on it. A total make over with a huge cleaning of everything. But not until the design table is cleaned up. That is next and could be done this week. 

I ordered sewing machine oil and cleaning swabs and they arrived yesterday. I will be cleaning both of my machines in the next couple of days. I need to review a video first. The oil is only used on the swabs except for a drop in the bobbin case. 

When at the bazaar I'm always looking for ideas. I saw these for sale. 

I found the pattern here a few weeks ago. I am making these for daughter's pets for next Christmas. These are made from minky (a nice fleece type fabric) and I'm going to make mine from cotton. Less bulky to ship. 

It was nice to be able to send daughter a picture of what I plan on making for the pets rather than having her guess at what my idea was. My job now is to find the appropriate fabric for the cuffs. A bit of looking is in order. 

Knitting

I finished the second sleeve and cast on  for the body of the sweater. I had to read the comment section as I knew the number of stitches in the pattern was wrong. I got 10 rows knit on the sweater body last night. 

I am trying to convince the other designer I test for to publish a sweater pattern that she showed on Instagram. Her's is a white background with green trees knit on the front. I love it and have the yarn for it in the stash. 

Thoughts

    I find I get annoyed at testers who make mistakes as they are in a hurry to publish patterns. I don't mind finding mistakes when knitting but I hate it when you get the pattern and the first comment in the group discussion is from the designer saying the number of stitches to cast on for one part is incorrect. Then to find another comment for the same thing on the 2nd item to be knit. This person is setting unrealistic goals on how many patterns she wants published by a certain date and is making silly mistakes when typing up her patterns.  

    I keep looking at my bedroom and the dark curtains are not correct for me. I will be putting them and the dark bedding into the spare room. I want my room to look somewhat like this. 

I will get the light grey curtains, white bedding, and navy/indigo pillows and blanket. I know the bed has navy sheets on it but I will get white ones for my bed. The curtains are great as the room is dark at night. The grey ones are the same brand so should work. If not, I will get black out blinds for those windows. 

Today

I am planning on making a batch of buns and do some cleaning in the kitchen. I want to sew project #5 - doll gloves but should wrap presents instead. We will see what wins. I will knit tonight. 

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

Reusable Grocery Bag Completed

Yesterday was warmer with sunshine and very little wind. The high got to 5.8C. This morning it is 2C and we could have sun, clouds, moisture and a high of 5C. 

Lifestyle

I decided that I would clean my bedroom yesterday. I was not sleeping well and it may be a combination of dust and light curtains. I grabbed the duster and got busy. The old curtains came off and they were dusty. I had an allergy attack. I used the duster and did a thorough job of cleaning around the window area and then started around the room. There was a layer of dust on everything. I sneezed, coughed, choked, and wondered where it came from. as I thought I had done this room not that long ago. I was wrong. It was late September when I last did a big clean in there. Too long when you. have allergies.  

I grabbed the new 100% blackout curtains I had bought in September and put them up. They are not floor length but they do the job for now. If I want to, I can put them in the spare room and put longer ones in my room. I'm still deciding. I was finished the room at nearly noon though the floor does need washing. I slept much better last night as the room was dark (no porch lights from the neighbour's shining in) and clean. 

Once the room was done, I had to go out to get my medications. When getting into the car, I hit my bad knee on the steering wheel column. I sat in the car in pain trying not to cry or be sick. It hurt for the rest of the day leaving me to put cold and hot on it to help ease the pain. 

I have decided that I am going to start making buns twice a week and a couple of pots of soup that I can put in the freezer. I am also going to make a few desserts and have one I would love to try - Flapjack Apple Crumble which I saw when watching Nadiya's British Food Adventure. I think these will be great for lunch and dinners in the winter. This should break my habit of only cooking a few dishes over and over and over. I need to have more variety in my diet. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday with my sore knee. I was just extra careful not to let it get stiff. 

I finished the bag and am pleased with it. I still think the light in the weaving is too bright but it makes you look at the weaving rather than the bag. The blues go with the blues in the other fabric quite well. 

The lining was easy to make and went in nicely. I hand sewed the opening and put the button. A good press and it was done. It's folded ready to be put in its ziplock bag. Project #4 is done and I can start the last of the projects I found on the table - the doll's gloves. 

I have 2 more projects on the table to sew. One is pyjama pants for grandson and the other is the hot water bottle cover for me. If all goes well, I may have them done by the end of the month. 

When the two above projects are completed, I will get back to cleaning the sewing room. What I have done is still neat and tidy. I clean up every night in preparation for the next day. But, there is still a lot to do in that room. While cleaning, I will do some sewing. Maybe not every day, but most days. 

Knitting

I was over zealous on knitting the first sleeve and did too many rows. I had to unknit about 8 rows and finished the sleeve. I went to photograph it and found it is near impossible to show the puffiness at the top of the sleeve. I started the 2nd sleeve and have the ribbing done. 

One more evening and it will be complete and I can start the body of the sweater. When done, I will finish the socks and I may start another project or I may just read a book. 

Thoughts

    I was upset that I hurt my knee yesterday and thought it would set me back. I don't think so as it feels better today. I need to be super careful not to hit it again as it sure did hurt. 

    I am happy with how much Christmas sewing I have done and once it is out of the way, I will be back cleaning the sewing room. I attached Chrome Cast to the TV in the room and was shocked at how dirty it was behind the book case it sits on. 

    I got chrome cast updated and on the TV but I can't figure out how to make it work. I need to try using the iPad rather than my phone. I'm thinking the Spousal Unit's iPad will be used down in the sewing room. I'll set it up so it will charge all the time in that room and be handy for me to handle. That means the sewing machine cabinet will need to be reorganized. 

    I am trying to figure out what I need for cooking/baking. I've been very careful not to have too many items but I need a few more. A couple of new knives would be great as one of the old ones is pretty much worn out and one needs sharpening. I am thinking of what else I need and need to do a rummage in one cupboard. I know I need spices and seasonings and a few other items. I also need to set aside a couple of mornings a week to cook. 

Today

I have one load of laundry to do and then I am going to Wolfville to the craft bazaar. I was asked yesterday but couldn't go due to cleaning the bedroom. I won't be sewing but I will knit tonight. 

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

A Day of Sewing

 Yesterday was cool but calm. The high got to 2.2C. This morning it is clear and -4C. It is suppose to be sunny with a high of 4C today. 

Lifestyle

I didn't do housework yesterday as I just didn't want to. There is dusting and sweeping to do which I will get at this morning. I also didn't do any decluttering in the sewing room though I am keeping the parts I've done tidied up.  

I went and bought son and I lunch and we had a wonderful lunch together. We talked about TV's, apps to buy to watch more shows, and how I could have a smaller TV upstairs. Thinking on it as I'd like to get it during the Black Friday sales. 

I am finding that I need to have the heat on up and down stairs at this time. If I have the downstairs off, the upstairs is too cool, especially the living room. Plus there is a draft which I don't like. I keep the downstairs set lower than upstairs just to have it balanced and I was actually too warm last night. 

Sewing

I headed down to the sewing room yesterday morning to finish designing the reusable grocery bag. When I got the centre piece sewn I had to cut almost an inch off the top to make it 20". Better to cut off excess than to pick and resew a wider piece in. 

I finished the bag before I had to get lunch and after lunch I did the straps, closure, and button. 

The weaving stands out a bit more than I had expected but it certainly is the star of the show. The button turned out with a lovely design in the middle. The black lines you see will iron off. 

The top stitching is in a colour called linen. It was the closest colour that blended into the fabric colour but it still stands out some to be seen. 

I put a small scrap of fabric into the trash and .4 meter back on the shelf. The lining will take .5 meter of fabric. It is on the cutting table ready to be cut and made. 

I did find the hot water bottle pattern in the embroidery classes I took. It isn't lined but I will line mine. I hunted in the doll's flannel stash and found this to make it out of. 

The lining will be navy flannel. I will probably use a light weight batting behind the outer fabric and cross hatch it. I have everything for it in the stash and will make it when the Christmas sewing is done. 

Knitting

I started the new sweater pattern last night. The sweater sleeve was fun to knit the ribbing but I had to really talk my way through the increases for the puffy sleeves. I got it on the third try and am only 4-5 rows from having the first sleeve done. 

The yarn is expensive and I have 55 grams of it for the sweater. It is very soft to knit even though it has a tiny strand of shiny thread in it. I would have loved to knit the sweater in a plain colour, I don't have any in the stash and I'm not buying yarn for testing at this time. It will have the Edwardian vibe I want. 

The socks, once again, have been set aside but they can be finished quickly when this sweater is done. 

Thoughts

    Though my knee is sore from the arthritis, it is much better. The ham string muscle has stretched to about 90% and I can do the exercises so much easier now. I do walk much better but I have a limp which I hate. I think that is because everything still needs to get stronger around the knee. 

    When I saw son yesterday, he is doing more for himself. He said the physiotherapist he sees at the hospital was amazed at his progress in 6 days as the surgery was complex. He is still careful with his shoulder but he is up and around a lot more than he was. I am quite proud of him for where has gotten to. I am on text call which is nice for all of us. I still enjoy going over to help him when he needs it. 

    I am starting to think about changes in the living room. The chair the Spousal Unit sat in will go to the dump as Elliott has destroyed it. I will get something less cumbersome. I also want to change out the table lamps as they are cumbersome also. I want something that is more simple in design and that I can have a usb port or two in the base. I will need to start snoop shopping for them. 

Today

I am going to do some housework and then get my prescription. I don't need anything else from the grocery store so it will be a quick trip. I want to finish the bag this afternoon and will knit tonight. 

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

A Day of Visiting

Yesterday the weather was cold; the 13C at midnight went down to 5.4C for the official high of the day. It dropped again in the late afternoon, the wind came up and we had snow flurries all evening. Not a lot but enough to say it snowed. This morning, it is 0C with a windchill of -5C. The high will get to 1C, the wind will blow, and we may see the sun shine. Windchill -8C. Brrrrr..........

Lifestyle

Before heading out to see son, I did some housework. The kitchen was cleaned which always makes me happy. I folded the last load of laundry which was small. 

When home from helping son, I went to visit our neighbour. She had gotten home shortly before I arrived. She delivered chemo caps in Halifax and was to Cole Harbour to get a spool holder for her quilting machine. She looked around a fabric store that I would like to visit. 

My knee is better but I am thinking of getting a brace for it. One that I can adjust to fit my fat knee. I will wear it until I get the muscles strengthened around the knee and I can walk some distance without it getting tired. I continue to stretch the ham string muscle as it is still not stretched out properly. It is coming along and is much better than it was when I first started. Even my back is better. 

Sewing

I did no sewing yesterday. I was too busy visiting with my neighbour. We had great discussions on fabrics, batting, and classes we would like to take. I enjoyed every minute of those discussions. She showed me some lovely fabric she bought from her brother as they are wanting to open a quilt shop in their small community. Her bother does long arm quilting as a side job. My neighbour often goes over to use his machine to quilt her big projects as she finds it hard to do them on her small quilting machine. 

I did think about the Regency Doll outfit at dinner. I have been all over the internet looking for ideas on how to finish this outfit. I should have been looking at the pattern I used to make the dress and overlay. 

There is the stole pattern I wanted. I will be tracing it when I start working on completing this outfit. I still will need to make pantaloons (not era correct) and gloves to finish this Full Dress outfit. (There is a glove pattern included also.) One thing I did read was the dresses were made in different colours not just white. From the pictures I saw, they were plain fabrics not prints. The little jackets could be a different colour from the dress. 

Knitting

I finished the foot on sock #2 and started on the toe. I'm about 1/3 done the toe (maybe further along than that). They will be done later on. 

The next pattern has been delivered and I will start it tonight. It is cute and has a bit of an Edwardian feel to it. 

Thoughts

    I didn't do any decluttering or cleaning in the sewing room yesterday. I'm okay with that as I can do it when I have the time. It doesn't need to be done in a hurry. I find leaving an area I'm working on and thinking about it allows me to formulate a better plan on what to do with the excess stuff. 

    My neighbour gave me her box of buttons for me to pick out what I want for the dolls. I will be having fun going through it when I have time. The people size buttons will be returned as she wants them. 

    I have decided I am going to learn how to long arm quilt so I can do smaller quilts on it. I will then have someone do the larger ones for me. I will continue to do straight line quilting on my machine as I love to do it. I won't learn how until spring as I don't want to commit to a date when we have our snowy weather. 

Today

I have my head wrapped around the bag design so I'm going to spend as much time as possible working on it. I have to go help son make his lunch and then will be home to work on the bag to prepare to sew it together. Tonight I will start the doll's sweater. 

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

Day 4 - The Design Area; Part 1

Technically, doing the yarn stash was day 3 so day 4 is cleaning up the design table area. 

This area is in a nook in the sewing room. It's the space left over when the closet was installed. It has our antique corner desk and a table in it. The Juki box is stored in there for binders to be stored on but it's not exactly what I had in mind. That may all change when I clean out under the stairs. 

The area I looked at today is where the table is. As it is flat it is the parking spot for paper, patterns, books, and much more. If it didn't fit on the cutting table, it got put on the table. 

The peg board needs to be dealt with. I need to hang the wall hanging somewhere in the sewing room if I decide to keep it. The buttons and patterns need to be put away. The pattern you can barely see reminds me I need to make daughter a vest from fabric she gave me 7-8 years ago. The rulers are kept there for drafting and the containers below need to be reorganized. Not a lot to do but it needs to be done. 

The table is a disaster. The boxes are for Christmas presents. I need to move them into the Christmas gift tub so I will remember to use them. The rest needs to be unloaded onto the cutting table and dealt with. How much do I need to keep and what can I unload. Yes, there is a bit of hoarding going on. I'd love to have just two baskets on the table that holds extras like glue sticks, pencils, erasers, etc. I use for designing. A notebook and pads of graph and tracing paper can go with the binders on the Juki box. They will be close at hand when I go to do designing and drafting.

I bought three courses from Pixie Faire. The first one was couture sewing and I have 15 pages left to finish the course. I'm going to work on it next year and complete it. It is in the binder with Design Academy. I don't have drawings or pictures in that course as I have them all on the computer. I want to revisit this course as I'm into making complete outfits for the dolls rather than a single item.  

The binder I did work on was the Pattern Academy. I thought it was a total disaster but it was very well organized into sections and those sections were in the correct order. I put the pages into page protectors and need one more package to have it done. It was a lot of work but I'm happy as to where I am and will finish it when I get a package each of page protectors and dividers. 

The garbage has been dealt with and the binders are on the Juki box. I really need something higher for them to sit on as I have to get up to get them. But they are neat and ready to be used for referencing. 

The other part of the design area has a corner desk in it. I keep a lap top computer on it so I can read patterns. I will transfer the Pixie Fair course folder onto it. I keep file folders, envelopes and a few other things I don't use often but still need. On the top are some precious items I like. They need to be dusted and then I will show a picture of that part of the design area. 

The goal is to have a neat space where I can sit and work at when I'm doing an outfit for the dolls. I can look up ideas in the design course and tweak pattern using the drafting course. And I can make reference to couture sewing techniques when making some of the outfits I have planned. 

I won't be working on the table today as I'm out and when I get home I need to start working on another Christmas gift. I need to get it started so I can sew some on it each day. That way I can work both on it and more decluttering. 

Towel Toppers Completed

 Yesterday was a cloudy day with a high of 4C until late afternoon when it started to rain. By 9 pm, the wind was blowing, it was raining, and the temperature was rising. At midnight it was 13.1C. This morning the wind was blowing and it was 4C. The temperature is to drop to around 2C and we could have some snow flurries. 

Lifestyle

I put a cold pack on my knee 3 times yesterday and it did help keep the swelling down and it was less painful. To balance out the cold, I had the hot water bottle on my back to keep warm. I felt chilly when having the cold pack on me. 

I was out in the morning to be with son for almost 2 hours. We visited and he told me about a game he was watching on TV and which he plays. I picked up grandson from school last night and took him home. I got an update on son -- 6 weeks in the sling and physio is to start next week. 

It was a very quiet day for me as I needed to rest my knee more. It wasn't boring and I didn't have any issues with it. It was what I needed and I rested it for a change. Pushing myself to do things hasn't been the wisest thing to do especially on days the weather is affecting it. 

Sewing

I finished sewing the buttons on daughter-in-law's towel toppers. Another gift done - hurrah. 

I looked at the bag fabric and thought I should iron it and didn't. I went to work cleaning up the binders in the design area. I need to get more page protectors to finish the job.  

Knitting

I ran out of yarn on the doll's sweater. It is annoying when you have enough yarn according to the directions and you don't. I have to now find or order another ball of it. 

I also knit on grandson's socks. I have 14 rounds left to go on the 2nd sock's foot and then I can start doing the toes. 

I am going to get everything together to start a sweater for one of my dolls. I can knit it when I am at family's as I will finish the socks at home. 

Thoughts

    The sewing room declutter/clean up is coming along slowly.  It really isn't bothering me as I can see progress even it is only something small being done. Keeping the cutting table has made me feel happy. It keeps me moving forward. 

    I am keeping a list of projects I want to sew next year. I will divide it into sections -- quilting, dolls clothes, and sewing. I may add a section called gifts. When I start the planner for 2023, I will transfer the ideas to it. Right now it is a running list that I add to it when I think of ideas. And ideas are popping into my head fast and furious. 

    I looked at the plaid flannel I have on the stash shelf and I may have enough for 2 pillows out of each piece. They will be fun to make and nice to have in the family room. 

Today

I have to do a bit of housework before I head out to be with son for a few hours. When I get home, I will either work on the reusable grocery bag or clean up the design table. The bag may win as I need to get it done. Tonight I will knit on grandson's socks. 

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