Fighting With The Dress

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 19C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 13C. Today is suppose to be mix of sun and cloud with a high of 20C. 

Lifestyle

I was late getting to the painting as I was doing some deep thinking and searching. But, I did get the walls sanded, wiped, and the cutting in done on two walls. The first wall had a lot of extra cutting in to be done as there was a window, plug in, and electric baseboard heater to deal with. 

The second wall had plug ins which was quicker to do. 

I did not realize how dark this room was until I started to paint. It faces north and was gloomy to paint. I am sure it will be brighter when I start to roll the paint on the walls. 

I finished the painting and clean up just before 12:30 and was tired. I had lunch and rested for an hour. It was good to get the job done without too much pain in my hip. 

Sewing

I went to the sewing room in the afternoon and worked on the Swedish dress. It was a case of almost giving up but I persisted. I think I need to do a bit of pattern drafting. 

I got the godets in the front and then did the ruffle. I fought sewing the princess seam and getting the godet in nicely. I was virtually an hour getting it to look okay. 

I am not looking forward to doing the other side at all. This has been a continuous fight since I started sewing it together. I won't sew the dress again but will do elements of it. The bodice and the ruffle yes but the skirt no until I get the godet piece redone to my liking. 

Knitting

I knit on the sock again last night. It is growing quickly and will soon be done. 

I have been waiting for the Rolling Yarn Shop's October calendar to come out so I can visit her for yarn to finish the Grinch socks. I need to finish them so I can be ready to start the next pair. 

Thoughts

    My deep thinking and searching was about what I have accomplished so far this year. I know one thing about myself. If I focus I succeed. If I don't, I wander off doing other things. I need to make plans to follow each day to get a lot accomplished. 

    I looked at my spreadsheet for sewing and saw the same theme there. On the months I was focused, I bought next to nothing and on the months I wasn't, I bought things I really didn't need; just things I wanted. It isn't because I can't afford them, they just become stash and need to be sewn at some point. The purchases I bought to finish projects were sewn immediately, others were put away to do projects this winter, and one was a stupid and impulsive purchase that I have to deal with. It reminds me of my old buying habits. 

    At the end of August, I had sewn 7.1 meters of fabric more than I had bought. I looked at the stash -- bins and shelving unit -- and didn't see a huge dent in what was on/in them. It was depressing. I also realized I had to make 2 bags for daughter to donate. I had to put aside other sewing to get those done. I am always happy to donate items as the money helps the club or some charity. Having to stop my sewing made me think off and on for part of August. I needed to stop buying fabric and sew up what I had. I needed to focus. 

    My first thing was to plan what I wanted to cut and sew for September. It all had to come out of the stash. It worked as I was focused on the stash. I got those items made and then cut out more. As of today I will have finished all but one of those items. I have sewn 16.3 meters more than I have bought. I am looking at the stash making plans for the next batch of items to cut out and sew. 

    Will I buy fabric between now and the end of December? Yes as I have two quilt backs and a bit of fabric for gifts to buy. Will I buy extra fabric? Maybe one or two pieces for a project that I will be making later on this year/early next year. Other than that, I will be focusing on the stash and trying to get it sewn down. 

    I think I will choose a word to live by next year. It will be "focus".

Today

I am going to roll paint on the two walls this morning. After lunch, I want to try and finish the doll's dress and tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

Working On The Swedish Dress

 Yesterday was a mix of sunshine, clouds, and showers. The high got to 19C. This morning it is cloudy and 9C. Today is suppose to be mainly sunny with a high of 19C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I started to do more prep in the spare bedroom. I removed the curtains and curtain rod and then set about washing 2 of the walls. They were dusty. I then filled the small holes in those walls. 

The last job was to scrub the floor with a scrub daddy and wiped the baseboards and wipe everything dry. It was dirty from the cat, dust from outside, and from moving dirt around when washing the floor. 

It was a hard job as the room is small and still has the furniture in it. The broom has been put away but the central vacuum hose is still out as I need it and can't get into the closet at the moment. 

When done, I sat and folded laundry. My hip said tired and I agreed. Once the laundry was put away, I then did some clean up in the kitchen before sitting on the heating pad until noon. I was pretty happy as I got more done than I had thought. 

Sewing

I worked on the Swedish dress yesterday. I actually fought with it. The front godets were being a pain. I set them aside, looked at the instructions again and did the back. It dawned on me not to sew up the princess seams as I have to insert the ruffle. So, I sat and unpicked the front and gave those pieces a good pressing. . 

I am ready to sew the front again. One thing I can say about the pattern is to mark the 1/4" line at the top of the godets. Read the pattern very carefully as what the pictures look like is different than the instructions when you sew the godets in. You think the seams are sewn up to the shoulder and they aren't. Lesson learned. It is going to be cute when done. 

Knitting

I worked on the socks last night and got the heel flap finished, the heel turned, and the gusset done. These socks knit up very fast. 

I am learning a lot about knitting heavier socks. I am not a huge fan of the pattern as it isn't as stretchy as the socks I make in lighter weight yarn but I am sure they will stay up really good. 

I adapted the heel flap some as the instructions don't tell you to slip the first stitch on each row or to knit into the back of the last stitch on the K1, Sl1 row. This is a personal preference for me. 

Thoughts

    I was in shock to hear that Dame Maggie Smith passed away the other day. I loved her acting and have watched two movies plus all of Downton Abbey. She will be missed by all. 

    My hip hurt less than anticipated. The muscles are sore as I gave them a work out. The only big pain came when I got myself into a corner in a bad position. I got out of it quite quickly. It is going to take a few days to get the muscles back into shape after the flare up. They are still being a bit rebellious at times. I know I need to alternate resting and working to allow them to recuperate. 

    I am slowly getting into Christmas mode. I have a few items to make and a bunch to buy. I am going to give more gift cards this year as I don't know what to give some family members. I am stumped!! Heck, I don't even know what I want for Christmas. I am quite happy with everything I have. 

Today

I have to sand the walls and wipe them down again. Then I can start painting those walls. Once done, I will stop for the day. I want to work on the doll's dress and knit tonight. I may even get a fabric basket cut out as a prototype. 

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

Changing Up My Afternoon Routine

 Yesterday was rainy with a high of 16C. This morning it is cloudy and 13C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun, clouds, and showers with a high of 18C. 

Lifestyle

While I waited for daughter-in-law to pick me up, I started cleaning the garage. It was moving items away from the wall and sweeping. As I was putting the dirt into the dust pan, daughter-in-law arrived. 

Our trip was mainly to get her hearing aid which had to have most of the electronics replaced. She was thrilled to have them on and hearing much better than she was with her old ones. Our next stop was to get a few groceries she needed. I got one Christmas gift. Lastly was on to get frosted window film for a bathroom window. We got home at noon. It was a nice trip out and I spent under $10.00. 

I sat on the heating pad while I ate lunch. My SI joint was a bit sore and I wanted to help it out. It was getting better and I was only too happy to sit on the heat. It is much better today and I did some exercises this morning. I could do them better than yesterday. 

Sewing

I did not sew yesterday as I chose to work on the memory journal. 

Crafting

It was time to put on a video about making an easy waterfall card and get a page done in the memory book. I had done the front of the card quite a while ago. 

I had to redo the waterfall part but no big problem as I used most of the old card stock in the card. The comic strip was ready to go. I had to make one extra card which took me a few minutes. I played with stencils and stamps. Here is a couple of samples I made. 

With that page done, I decided to do another page. This one was quicker as I was doing a belly band to hold some sheet music. I decided to use scraps for the back ground as I am getting short on paper. 

It goes great with the page in the book. 

The next page is being designed in my head right now. I need to have it in place so I can work on it next week. 

I am going to have to get more paper next week. I am getting low on it and need to buy more. I have this signature to finish and another one to do. 

Knitting

None done last night as I was tired and afraid I would make a mistake. 

Thoughts

    My body screamed it was tired after I got home. I did have some pain in my hip which was contributing to the tiredness. I was also tired as I haven't been able to do as much as I'd like to. It is what I call mental tiredness. I could feel some depression creeping in. I needed to deal with it quickly or I'd be in really bad shape. 

    Changing up my afternoon and doing crafts was a lot of fun. It really made me happy and I felt challenged doing the two pages and planning the next one. It forced me to look at pictures I have downloaded and start the creative juices flowing once again. I am going to try and craft two afternoons a week. 

    I have started to think about Christmas gifts for family. I am going to start on one in October which I think will be a fun one. This one will require me to buy some fabric for it. I am looking forward to putting it together. 

Today

I am going to start prepping the bedroom to paint. I will fold laundry while I rest my hip. I also need to tidy up the kitchen again. This afternoon I will sew on a doll's dress and I will knit tonight. I am staying at home today. 

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

Stretch, Crack, Repeat

 Yesterday was another day of sun and clouds with a high of 18C. This morning it is cloudy, damp, and 13C. Today it is suppose to rain this morning and shower this afternoon. The high is to get to 18C. 

Lifestyle

I was at it early freezing corn. I had it done and the cobs in the freezer mid morning. I then did a load of laundry which needs to be folded. 

I sat on the heating pad some during the morning as my SI joint was still sore. I got it to crack again in the late afternoon and then again this morning in bed. It is being stubborn this time and I can feel it. I will keep at it and will have to start yoga soon to help keep it in place. 

I was out in the afternoon to fertilize the vegetable boxes. There is another garlic or two coming up. Up to 7 or 8 now. I will be planting the white and elephant garlic in the next week or 2 and then covering it with burlap for the winter. 

I looked at the Spousal Unit's rose at the back of the shed. It is a good 6 feet tall and still blooming. I need to grab the pruning sheers and cut off the dead blooms. I can touch it until after we have a good frost. I will then trim it back good so it can go crazy next year. 

Sewing

I put the zipper in the dress yesterday. I cut it to 5" and it should have been 6" as it has a higher neckline. I am going to trim the neckline down on the pattern for the next time I want to make it. The dress is done and on the doll. I sprayed it with water (makes it heavier) and left it so it will stretch out before I hem it. No pictures of it yesterday. 

I cut out the doll's quilt. I thought 2 quilts but only one. 

I will be moving the darker blocks around so they go diagonally in a row in the middle. It will give it some definition. I have left over scraps to make a pillow and pillow case. 

I cut out all the binding for the two quilts and will use the left over fabric for the backing on the doll's quilt and the pillow case. By the time I am finished, there will be very few scraps left from the 4 meters of fabric I had bought last year. Hurrah to sewing it up. 

Knitting

I knit on the socks last night and am almost done the leg of the sock. 

Thoughts

    I am happy that my SI joint is settling down once again. It has certainly limited what I can do each day. I am stretching several times a day after applying heat which is helping. It is funny that I am having more problems with it than with my hip joint. 

    My hope is to start in the spare room tomorrow. I will start slow by wiping walls and patching the bad spots on the two walls I will paint first. I know that I will have issues if I do too much so am trying to build up once again to doing 2 hours at a time with rest days every couple of days. 

    I was going to give away all the items I had made for the room as I thought it wasn't what I wanted. I am just going to tone it down a bit and see if I like it more. It may be fine once the room is painted grey as I feel like the blues are clashing with the tan colour. I need to get white sheets and duvet cover for the bed. We wait and see if it looks better once the room is done. 

Today

I am heading out to New Minas with daughter-in-law this morning. I am just going for the ride as I need nothing. This afternoon I am going to do paper crafts for a break. Tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

A Busy Morning

 Yesterday was a lovely day with a mix of sun and cloud. The high got to 17C. This morning it is 13C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 19C. Rain is coming tonight. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door for physio early and it was "torture". My SI joint was not rotating properly hence all the pain. It was affecting the muscles also. In all it was one big painful mess. The therapist worked on it for 15 minutes and I could feel it. It was one of those no pain no gain procedures. Once done, she worked on flexibility of the SI joint which wasn't as painful. I was able to do the gym exercise without too much pain. The TENS machine and heat were greatly appreciated. 

After physio was over, my friend and I headed out to shop. We went to Coldbrook to get garlic and I bought a pair of expensive slippers I have wanted for 3 years. They will be my inside winter shoes as they are made of felt. My friend bought the slip-ons and I bought the shoes. Both have nice soles on them. I got the garlic and socks for son-in-law for Christmas. 

Next up was getting cat food for Elliott and then we stopped at the vegetable stand. Corn was on for $1.00/dozen as were carrots. I got a dozen corn and some potatoes. Total was $4.00. While we were there, the farm brought in another bin of carrots (still on 10 lbs for $1.00, a pallet of potatoes (must be going on sale) and some other vegetables. The place was busy with people buying up the wonderful vegetables. 

We then had to stop at a shop where my friend got a big spool of elastic. She use to sew for that shop and it was the last item they found so they gave it to her. Then it was on to the quilt shop. 

I took the quilt in and laid it out knowing that the backing was going to be navy. Which width was the question of the year. It was the 60" wide. The long arm quilter came out and she loved the quilt. Measurements were taken, backing cut, and batting chosen. The quilting will be snowflakes which everyone agrees on. The thread colour is a greyed blue so it has a bit of a pop. 

Once done, we headed home. I had corn for lunch and then crashed for an hour on the couch. My pain was almost gone and I was exhausted. I haven't slept that good due to the pain and always notice that once I am pain free I need to have one good nap. This past week, it has been 2 good naps. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday and got the bias cut dress done to the back seam. It isn't perfect but I reminded myself it is a learning project. 

At this point, I didn't see the dress hugging the doll's body at all. It looks like a sack. I will finish the dress and add a belt of some sort to it. I am sure it will still look like a sack when done. I am certain it is the pattern I chose as it was boxy to begin with. I will try again with a top pattern I am going to get with my September coupon. 

I need to look at the video on how to finish the back. I will get it done and start on the next dress. 

I looked at the scraps of quilt fabric and have lots to make one quilt and possibly 2. I need to cut the binding for the quilt so I can start cutting out the doll's quilt(s).

Knitting

I did knit on the socks some last night. I  love how they are looking as I knit more on the leg. 

The yarn is so soft to knit it almost feels like soft bamboo but it is merino wool. I will be getting another kit for to knit later on. 

Thoughts

    We are not sure what caused the flare up but it came at the right time as I had physio shortly after it happened. I am grateful that the therapist is really good and could get it working properly in one session. I see her in 4 weeks for a tune up. 

    I was stunned when the long arm quilter called me an advanced quilter. I don't see myself as that. Many of my projects are simple compared to what others make. I was told it wasn't the complexity or simplicity of the pattern but how I prep the fabric, cut, sew, and press that makes me an advanced quilter. Though it will be a while before it goes on the long arm frame, the lady is excited to start work on it. 

    I am getting into the mood to buy Christmas presents. I need to as I have to ship across Canada in late October to mid November. I have a few places I need to go to; Ikea being one. 

Today

I am going to freeze corn this morning and then clean up the kitchen. I will need to do a load of laundry. This afternoon I will finish the bias cut dress and see if I can cut the binding for the next quilt. Tonight I will knit on the socks. 

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

A Simple Quilt Top Completed

 Yesterday was mainly sunny with a high of 18C. This morning it is cloudy and 12C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 19C.

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet yesterday and all went well. Balanced on the first try. 

Once done the balance sheet, I worked in the spare bedroom. I took out all of the pillows, knick knacks, and table coverings. I shook out the dust from each one and polished the furniture. I vacuumed the floor and moved furniture around. The room is ready for me to wipe the walls and patch. 

When done that room, I vacuumed the rest of upstairs. The floors are dirty and need a good mopping but all my sore hip could stand was the vacuuming. It was good to get that part done. 

I did grocery shopping getting a few things I need. When putting items into the fridge freezer, I noticed a layer of ice in the bottom of the freezer. I need to haul everything out of the fridge and defrost it AGAIN!! I will be doing that this weekend so it can be done before the repair person comes. I am starting to wonder if it is me or the fridge. 

Late in the afternoon, I put the garden hoses into the shed. My friend stopped in after walking her dog for a short visit. I grabbed a couple of fizzy drinks and we went to her place as her dog needed feeding. We had an enjoyable visit and we are heading out today to shop for an hour. 

Sewing

I worked on the quilt and got it finished. I did have to rip out some seams to fix them but I am very pleased with how it looks. 

It needs a good pressing before I take it up to the long arm quilter in late October. Right now I will fold it and put it away. 

It is a simple quilt but I like how it looks. I really don't care what others think because it was fun and easy to make. 

Knitting

I got the yarn wound for the work socks. The mini skein (red) is not the best as it is so small. 

I was so excited that I cast on the white yarn and proceeded to get the cuff completed plus several rows on the leg. 

The yarn is very soft and lovely to knit. As it is a heavier yarn, the socks grow in length very quickly. These are going to be a lot of fun to knit. 

Yes, I need to order yarn to finish the Christmas socks. I am going to order yarn to make me a pair also. I did look at the sock yarn I have, and I have 6 pairs of socks to make which is going to keep me busy as winter. 

Thoughts

    My hip was sore yesterday. I could feel tight muscles when I rubbed areas. I am sure physio is going to "love" me today. I will keep moving as it does help as does putting heat on the sore spots. This will pass and is annoying me a lot.

    While putting the hoses away, I noticed that a lot of the grass seed has sprouted and is about 3 - 4" long. The watering, heavy dews, and cooler weather has been perfect for it. I will have to let the person who mows my lawns know he can come and do the lawn. 

    I am ready to start painting again. I will pace myself so I don't get over tired. I have a feeling the spare room, which is smaller, will take me almost 2 weeks to paint. I know I will need days off to rest and do other things in the house. 

Today

I have physio at 7:30 am. When home, I will pick up my friend and we are going to New Minas. I have to get Elliott cat food, take the Scandinavian Winter quilt in to be long arm quilted, and then snoop shop for a bit. This afternoon, I want to sew on the bias dress for the dolls and I will knit tonight. 

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

A Quick And Easy Quilt

 Yesterday was another lovely sunny fall day with a high of 17C. This morning it 7C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 19C. 

Lifestyle

I had a flare up since last week. It was much better yesterday with some pain but nothing I couldn't handle. I alternated between resting and doing things. 

I started off the morning slowly with stripping the bed and getting the sheets into the washer. I then sat and folded clothes. I put them away and knew I could do more as time went on. The bed was made late in the afternoon and I had no issues with soreness.

I decided to make a pot of chicken soup for lunches.

What started out as soup ended up as chicken stew. I put 10 meals into the freezer. 

It wasn't too hard to make and I was able to pace myself with several breaks. By lunch time, the kitchen was cleaned up, the containers cooled, labeled and in the freezer. Next week, I want to make a pot of stew to freeze. 

I did sit with the heat on my piriformis muscle as it seemed to be the sorest of all. It helped a lot and I was able to keep moving after 45 minutes of heat. 

Sewing

I decided to work on the quilt as it would give me regular up and down from the machine to the ironing board. I puttered away the blocks and before I knew it, it was time to lay them out. Here it is ready to sew the blocks into rows. 

I cannot believe how easy this quilt is to make. I let go of trying to be perfect when trimming them to 16.5". I got an idea of where to trim each side and went for it. 

I did the sewing and the trimming assembly line which is unusual for me. This quilt asked to be done this way. Will I make it again? Absolutely. I would make it bigger also by having 5 blocks across and 5 down. That would make an 80 x 80" quilt. 

When laying out the quilt, I decided that the prints couldn't be together. It wasn't hard to get that accomplished. Actually, I got it on my first try. 

When done to this point, I went upstairs and put heat on my hip. Laying the quilt out on the floor caused some pain and I wanted to deal with it right away. 

Knitting

The yarn is out to wind for the next pair of socks. I didn't knit last night. I did miss it. 

Thoughts

    I realized that the flare up I had started last Wednesday. Just twinges of it. Osteopathy on Thursday was good but the muscles started to rebel. I should have rested but didn't. My fault foraging ahead to get vegetables into the freezer. I think my SI joint unseated on Sunday when I was pulling out the leeks. At least I got it seated again Sunday night and am feeling so much better today. 

    I enjoyed cooking freezer meals yesterday. Next up is beef stew and then I will do pork chops and chicken and rice. I do like having a variety of meals in the freezer and when done the above, I hope that I will have enough for a month. I also want to make soups for lunch as I need to use up the chicken broth in the freezer. With the weather cooling off, I can eat soup again.

Today

I am going to vacuum the upstairs this morning. I will go slowly taking a few breaks. I hope to go get some groceries before lunch. I will sew the quilt together this afternoon. I have to wind yarn and start knitting socks tonight. It is another day of getting my hip ready for physio tomorrow. 

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

The Garden Is Harvested

 Yesterday was a sunny day with a high of 18C. This morning it is foggy and 10C. Today is suppose to be sunny with a high of 19C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was out to dig the leeks. It was a job as they had huge root systems on them. I finally got the job done.

I went to two of the boxes to take apart the soil from the flower pots I had put away. In one were two little bean plants. 

In the box that had the garlic, there are 6 little garlic plants growing. I could only get these in one picture. 

I will be planting garlic in this box again it seems. 

I hauled the bag of leek tops to the garage so it can go out for pick up in 2 weeks. Once inside, I put the leeks into a sink of water so they could be washed. Daughter-in-law came over and we got them blanched and in bags to freeze. There were 3 bags for the freezer and enough for leek and potato soup for dinner. It was delicious and I have enough for lunch today. 

I was very sore last night and sat with enough heat on me to cook a roast. It did help and when I went to bed, I did some exercises and had 2 good cracks. My SI joint went back into place. It is still tender and stiff today but much less pain. 

Sewing

I was in the sewing room to cut out the Colonial Williamsburg dress. Here is a peek at the cut out pieces I took when I was leaving the sewing room. I have the thread for it. I just need to look for the lace. 

I also cut out the next quilt. The three pieces were cut into 17.5" squares. I then sub cut them at an angle 4" in from the top and bottom. The pieces are pinned together ready to sew. Here are the combinations I got. 

It is going to be a fast quilt to make as there are 12 blocks to work with. I am getting excited to start this quilt as I know it will be done before I know it. 

There is enough fabric left over to make a doll's quilt for sure and maybe 2. I need to cut it out to see. 

Knitting

The grinch socks are done to the toes. I now need to order yarn to finish them. 

I now need to wind yarn to make work socks for daughter. 

Thoughts

    Though I haven't painted in the past week, I certainly over did it doing other jobs. It was horrible yesterday and I knew I needed to put heat on my hip and do some exercises. Hopefully it will calm down so I can keep moving. It isn't the hip joint but the SI joint and the muscles. It actually felt like a flare up which I haven't had for quite some time. I will be pottering today and tomorrow so it can heal. No painting until Thursday though I can prep the room.

    With the garden now harvested, I can fertilize it and plant the garlic and call it a year. Though the deer did damage, it was a not a horrid year crop wise. I know what I will be planting next year and what I will be buying. I have to put chicken wire up to keep the deer from having free meals. 

    I did well yesterday and know that the Spousal Unit would be thrilled with what I have accomplished physically and mentally in the past 2 years. Hopefully I will keep moving forward and keep feeling peaceful. 

Today

I have to balance doing things with rest so my muscles can recover. I need to fold laundry, start cleaning the spare bedroom, and make a chicken casserole to freeze. I want to sew on the quilt and wind yarn to knit socks tonight. 

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

Keeping Busy

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 19C. This morning it is clear and 8C. Today is suppose to be a mix of sun, clouds, and showers with a high of 19C. Frost warning tonight, the first one this fall. 

Lifestyle

It was a busy morning in my house. I got the carrots done in good time. I did 6 bags for a total of 9 bags this winter. I had taken 3 lbs of family's carrots to freeze for myself. 

During the morning, I also did some cleaning. I worked on the pantry while doing the carrots. It got organized once again and I need to buy nothing for it. I did an inventory so I know what I have.

Once the carrots were done, I headed downstairs with them and tidied up the freezer. That was one big job. It is completely organized but no inventory was done. Two things are clear:

    I don't need to make chicken broth/chicken soup for a long time. 

    The only freezer meals I have are spaghetti. I need to cook once again. 

It felt good having everything cleaned and organized. I'm ready to do leeks today. 

Last evening, I went over to our friends to sit in their covered porch. They put the fire on in the stove and it was lovely in there. We had a piece of birthday cake and something to drink. Lots of conversation which made for an enjoyable evening. 

Sewing

I cut out the Swedish dress yesterday. It took about half of the fabric I bought for it. 

The rest of the fabric will be made into this top. 

I can see this pattern being used a lot when I have left over fabric.

I put away the fabric I had chosen for the Colonial Williamsburg outfit and chose this one instead. 

The pattern I am using is this one which was the featured pattern in Sewing With Cinnamon in July. 

The pattern is printed and ready for me to cut it out. I have it and a quilt to cut out. A bit later on, I will cut out 3 fabrics for piping.

Knitting

I did knit on the socks before going over to the neighbours. I have 14 rows left and the foot will be completed. 

Time to order more yarn for the toes and socks yarn for winter knitting. 

Thoughts

    It is 2 years ago since the Spousal Unit passed away. I still miss him every day but it isn't painful like it was. I am more at peace now and ready to do things without feeling guilty about doing them. I have learned to be more patient, think through things more carefully, and to enjoy the small things in life. 

    I was quite proud of myself to get the freezer organized and some old items tossed into the garbage. It is nice to look in it and see what I have. I am thinking I will get some baskets to put some of there meat and frozen vegetables into. Doing this job was long overdue as was the pantry. It is off my to-do list thought I will try to keep up on having an inventory of what I have or looking at it prior to going shopping. 

    It will be nice to get back to painting. I am going to do the spare bedroom next and will be cleaning it up ready to paint this week. This means putting things away, wiping down walls and doing any necessary patching. When the preliminary work is done, I will be happily painting. 

    I am back to thinking about cleaning up more of the house and letting go of more items. I am looking mainly at the sewing room and crafting supplies. There is a bit of letting go upstairs but not as much. The main mess is the painting supplies which I am going to corral into a tub. 

Today

I have to do some laundry, dig leeks and prep them to be blanched and frozen this afternoon. I want to do some pick up in the house as it has been neglected due to freezing carrots. I will not be sewing this afternoon but I plan on knitting tonight. If I have time, I will be winding the yarn for the next pair of socks. 

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

Bias Dress Cut Out

 Yesterday was mainly cloudy and cooler with a high of 19C. This morning it is mainly cloudy and 9C. Today is suppose to be cloudy and 20C. Fall is in the air. 

Lifestyle

My plans went out the window as I went to Kentville with daughter-in-law. She needed to have her hearing aids sent in to be repaired. 

On our way back in to New Minas to do a bit of shopping, we spotted a sign saying 10 lbs of carrots for $1.00 and a dozen corn for $4.00. We stopped and bought 20 lbs of carrots and 2 dozen corn. The interesting part of the carrots is you take a bag marked 10 lbs and fill it to the top. We got more than 10 lbs in each bag. The corn is bagged by the dozen and you just grab what you want.  

We then headed in to New Minas to do a bit of shopping. Daughter-in-law got her passport photo done and we snoop shopped at Giant Tiger. Nothing was bought but we had fun. It was home for lunch. 

I went over to family's in the late afternoon to deliver the carrots I had frozen, fresh peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. As a family we finished the garden discussion. I brought home about 3 lbs of carrots to freeze today.

The goal is for me to plant garlic, tomatoes, peppers, leeks, and cucumbers. We will buy carrots, beans, peas, and what ever else we want at the place we got carrots. What we can't eat immediately, we will freeze for winter. I can't grow vegetables as cheaply as that person can sell them. I know the farm must have contracts with the grocery stores and what he sells at his stand is above his contract. 

Sewing

I made the facings for the bias dress, laid out the pattern pieces and cut it out. 

I got out the fabric for the Swedish dress, pressed it and cut out the pattern. I started to lay it out and then hit a brick wall. No facings and cut 4 of the ruffles. I couldn't bring it up on the lap top in the sewing room as it was updating itself so I stopped for the day and went upstairs to read the pattern.

I have read the pattern twice. I need bias strips for the neck and sleeve facings. The ruffle is confusing as she says to cut 4 and only shows cutting 2. I need to really think how I am going to do this as it has become confusing to say the least. The goal is to cut it out and add it to the pile of items to sew. 

Knitting

No knitting last night as I was over tired from not sleeping well and being sore. 

Thoughts

    I was sore yesterday due to osteopathy. It is a given and I have to push through it. I know I will be in bed early. It gets better as things settle down. The same can/will happen with physio. 

    The plan to buy more and grow less has become obvious with the produce we bought so cheap yesterday. If his prices go up some, we will still buy. What I will grow will be items we can't get cheap. As time goes on, I will empty the bins we don't need and give them away to someone who wants them. 

    I have to do a freezer organization as mine is getting full. I will take an hour or two and get it done. I know I have some items to move upstairs and others to get rid of. I do know that I don't have to make chicken broth for a while as I have lots. I eat a lot of chicken soup in the winter. I have to update my inventory and do some meal planning. I think this whole thing is going to take one morning to complete so I can see what I have and what I want to cook. The same goes for the pantry. It needs to be organized and inventoried. 

    I haven't painted this week and I am missing it. I can start on Monday in the spare bedroom. I am thinking about it all the time. 

Today

I have to freeze carrot this morning and do a bit of freezer sorting if I have time. This afternoon I want to cut out the next doll's dress. Tonight I want to knit on the socks. It is a stay at home and get things done day for me. 

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

Cushion Cover Completed

 Yesterday was cloudy with some sunshine and a high of 23C (humidex 25C). This morning it is cloudy and 15C. Today is suppose to be cloudy with a chance of showers and a high of 20C. 

Lifestyle

It was osteopathy yesterday morning and I had a good treatment on both hips. I was sore last night due to the treatment but that is expected. The left hip is a bit tight and the right hip had its usual tightness in the three usual spots. 

We talked that I have been coming for a year now and how much I have improved in that time. Though my gait is not perfect, I am not longer hobbling and almost dragging my right leg like I was. It has been a long road and I will have to continue therapy once a month to keep things aligned and relaxed. 

After osteopathy, I headed into shop in Sackville. My first job was to take in two old phones and SIM cards so they could be destroyed. I found out my iPhone is old and no longer supported by Apple. I am going to have to buy a new one and will be looking at which one I want. 

My next stop was to Dollarama. It was to look at the food section of the store. Price comparison time. I bought items that were cheaper than at the grocery store. 

The rice crackers and canned chicken are cheaper for sure. I have done my homework on the. The meat marinade is cheaper as it was 75 cents each and I pay 1.25 for another brand. I bought the onion soup mix and the Ben's Delights to do price comparisons at the grocery store I buy at. The pesto tortellini was a treat. I will have it with spaghetti sauce. My goal is to find out what I like to eat cheaper in other stores. Giant Tiger will be next. 

My last stop was for lunch and then I came home. The drive home was beautiful as the leaves are turning colour. If we have not bad storms, this fall could be one of brilliant colours. 

My last job of the day was to strip all the meat off a rotisserie chicken. I had some for dinner, some is in the fridge and the rest is in the freezer to use either in a chicken pie or in soup. I tossed the bones into the compost bin as I have enough chicken broth until Christmas. I eat a lot of soup when the weather turns cool. The pesto tortellini could go in the soup also. 

Sewing

As I don't do a lot of extra chores on osteopathy day, I spent the afternoon hand sewing the remaining binding down on the cushion cover. I got it done, starched lightly and it on the cushion form. 

It is perfect with the other half of the cushion cover as a wall hanging. 

I started to get the next doll's outfit ready to cut out. I pressed the fabric and then did the bias layout. 

The pattern pieces are printed once again so I can do the facing. I am looking forward to sewing this dress when I get my next batch of projects cut out. I have 2 more doll's dresses and a quilt to cut out. 

Knitting

I knit last night with heat on my hip. I got 13 rounds done on the 2nd sock. I need to order the yarn for the toes. 

I need to order the mini skein of red for the toes. I will also order some sock yarn to make other socks. While I wait, I will wind the yarn to make daughter's work socks. They take larger sized needles. 

Thoughts

    I am so grateful that I can do so much each day now that my hip is "better". There are days that I don't want to sit and do nothing and then there are days that I do. I am not having to sit or push through chores due to the pain in my hip when I got up to do things. It is nice to be able to do things. Will it get to be 100%? No but it still has a way to go before it hits the best it will be. 

    We are to have cooler weather starting today. I am looking forward to it as the heat and humidity have been worse on me than my hip. I slept poorly last night as it was warm until this morning. It was also more humid during the night. I have the house open already this morning to cool off naturally rather than having to have the a/c on. 

    I was sadden to hear that the "Red" Bridge in Kamloops burnt to the ground yesterday morning. It was built 88 years ago and an icon in the community. A beautiful bridge to look at and a beast to drive over as it was narrow for 2 cars to meet. It was the bridge we had to use when we moved to that area so we drove over it many time as did the Spousal Unit and his family. We used it on occasion after the by-pass was built. Someone tried to burn it down 2 nights before and both fires are deemed suspicious. 

Today

I have to finish freezing the carrots and deliver them to family. Once they are done, I want to start working on the items I want to sew for the next several weeks. I will have to wind yarn today and knit tonight. 

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