The Retreat Is Done

 Yesterday was a lovely sunny day with a high of 4C. This morning it is cloudy and 0C. There is a layer of snow and ice on the deck at 6 am. Today is supposed to be damp with a high of 10C. We are under a rainfall warning from tonight until tomorrow night. 

Lifestyle

I arrived at the retreat a bit earlier yesterday morning. It was about half full which was nice. It allowed me to set up my Diamond sewing machine without a lot of people walking back and forth to the cutting and pressing stations which were behind me. 

My first project of the day was to make piping. I cut the bias strips, sewed them together, pressed, and then made daughter just over 3 meters of piping. No picture but I will get one for the record. The gentleman who was there was waiting for his lesson on how to make piping. I spent the next while helping him as he doesn't have the proper foot but we used his zipper foot with great success. His wife was thrilled that someone had spent time teaching him a new skill. He then worked on his quilt which the lady beside him had taught him a new skill. She walked him through each step. He was so excited to leave with 2 new skills under his belt. 

We had a good discussion about how to use sewing machine feet to our advantage. Not what a sales person wants to hear but they do agree that we need to figure out how to use them. I know my open toed quarter inch foot will sew at 1/4", 1/8" and 1/16th foot. My zipper foot not only put in zippers but can be used to narrow top stitching. I do agree that having a foot to help with stitch in the ditch is nice. People were amazed that I had to learn how to use presser feet to our advantage when teaching sewing on old machines that we could no longer get parts for. 

My main job of the day was to do embroidery on the shirt daughter sent me. I got all the flowers done but need a new embroidery foot for my machine. The old one broke as I was finishing the last stitches. 

I did finish the doll's quilt. I hand stitched the binding down while baby sitting my embroidery. I am happy with it but wish I had used a different fabric for the plain blue. There is too much blue. The dolls won't complain. 

I left the retreat at about 2:30 pm as I was done all my projects. I admired the coats and am hoping to start collecting fabrics for it as it will probably be offered in the fall. 

I will have to say that I enjoyed meeting people and having fun. I was tired mentally at the end of each day as I am not use to having people around me for hours and no where to go to have some down time. I will do it again in the fall if the dates work. 

Once home, I went and returned items to my friend and visited for a bit. Then it was off to family's for my birthday dinner. We had Moroccan stew, rice, and carrot cake. It was delicious. I was home early so I could decompress before going to bed. I truly needed that but appreciated having dinner and a visit with family. 

Today

I am out for physio early this morning and then home to have some very quiet time. I want to tidy up the sewing room before I set up my machines. I need to work on my to do list and do my balance sheet for March. I also need to tidy up my kitchen when cooking dinner. It is going to be a quiet day for me doing things I need to do. 

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

A Great Day Two

 Yesterday was cool and sunny with a high of 3C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 6C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 5C. We are to get snow or ice pellets tonight. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door by 8:30 am and at the retreat just before 9 am. Most of the people were there sewing with one lady starting at 7:30 am. She had sewn until 10 pm the night before. 

We started the morning off with a game. We had to fill squares with names if people did that -- had less than 3 UFOs, hand quilted, etc. There are only 3 of us who have less than 3 UFOs. Most others have many projects on the go. The 3 of us are a bit OCD and get agitated when we work on more than 2 different projects at a time. 

I finished up the doll's quilt and had some of the binding hand stitched down by noon. I will photograph it today as I will get it finished. I had a bit of down time at noon but not a lot. There were more people who stayed than on Friday. A few had brought lunch with them, others snacked on the pastries and cookies. 

After lunch I worked on the reusable bag. I sewed, pressed, and enjoyed making it. I had it done in good time. It was loved by a lot of ladies. 

One lady loved the piping on the handles as she had never seen that before. She was amazed that I made my own and miles of it for daughter. 

My last sew of the day was cutting strips of fabric on the bias for piping. The strips are sewn together ready to be made into piping today. 

I brought my Juki home and have the Diamond in the car. I also brought home things I didn't need. I want to be able to pack up easily today as it is the last day of the retreat. 

The retreat days have been set for the fall. It is the weekend of the craft bazaar I want to take part in. I have spent so much time getting prepping for this bazaar I don't want to miss it. I will take part in the spring retreat. 

Thoughts

    The lady who changed the tone of the building on Friday was in a much better mood yesterday. I talked to her a few times yesterday and we set the pressing station so it wasn't a safety hazard. She almost tripped on the iron cord and I had almost done that earlier. When asked what we were doing, I said we were correcting a safety issue. She smiled broadly at me. 

    I was asked what I couldn't do in sewing when I was working on the bag. I said laughingly, not having unfinished projects under foot. I then divulged that I had taught Home Ec at a high school and had to have a lot of ideas up my sleeve as I designed the program for that school. There are things I don't do. I don't like complicated quilt patterns that have a lot of small pieces. I don't free motion quilt as my brain isn't programmed for that. 

    I have enjoyed visiting with some of the ladies. We have shared ideas, products, and stories. Most of them I will see in the quilt store and any retreats I attend. One lady came from Scotland, another from BC, and a couple from Ontario. I am glad that I did this retreat and will do it again in the spring of 2025. 

    I have been worried about the owners of the quilt shop who are hosting this event. The lady has over extended her knee and is in a knee brace. She is waiting for a MRI and to see the sports doctor. Her husband has been on the go since Thursday when he set up the space for us. Both needed to be home resting and they need to set parameters of when you can arrive and when you leave. Having the space open from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm is not good as the owners and their staff are on their feet for too many hours. I know the ladies who are making coats want to get theirs to a point where they can finish them at home. But, we all need to think about those who are on their feet helping all day.

     I have 3 appointments this week and will be taking it easy in the afternoons. One of my goals is to tidy up the sewing room more and make my plans for April's projects. I am going to do what I can and rest when I need to. I need to settle down and get back to my old routine. 

Today

I am back to the retreat until 3 pm. I am making piping and doing some embroidery. I want to get a bunch of the embroidery done on the shirt sleeves. I am going to be ready to go at 3 pm as I am having my birthday dinner at family's. I will be home in good time as it is supposed to snow tonight. I need to rest as I have physio early tomorrow morning. 

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

Day One Of The Retreat Completed

 Yesterday's weather started out sunny and then turned to rain and then snow. The high got to 7C. This morning it is partly clear and -4C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 3C. 

Lifestyle

I went to the retreat yesterday. It was held in a building that looks like a barn. Very big and rustic inside. It was warm in there as they had the heat on. 

As I set up and I thought I was at the wrong retreat. There were 21 ladies making quilted jackets with an instructor. After a bit of looking, I realized that there were 5 of us doing our own thing. They had put two groups together as the venue is expensive and they need about 30 people attending. 

I got my stuff set up on an 8 foot table. The table beside me was empty which I thought was great. I got my sewing machine going, my little iron on and laid out the table runner. When I went to sew, my machine wasn't on. Nor was my iron or the retreat iron. The fun began as many others had the same issue. All the irons, and most people had irons, tripped the whole electrical system in the building. It was a good half hour of chaos with people waiting around for power. I was included. I put away my iron and waited. All was good again when it was only sewing machines and 2 irons being used. 

I got the table runner done faster than I had expected. It went together like a charm. Having it laid out on an empty table really helped me out. I had it done early in the afternoon and I had even visited people. It was bagged very quickly as the long arm quilter wanted it "now". She gets to choose the design and I want grey thread but feel it may have red thread for the quilting of the design. I will know in a couple of weeks as I gave her full control on this project. 

At noon, I stayed in the barn with a few other people and had my lunch. It was down time as I needed it. I wandered around and looked at the jackets being made. A lot of pieces in those. I did talk to the instructor for a few minutes. If it is offered I may take it though there is a lot of prep work. You have to cut out about 5 meters of fabrics into small rectangles for the project. 

I did visit with a young lady who was sitting off by herself making the jacket. We talked about starching fabric and we laughed as I had figured out how to do it from a video that we both watched and she was having some concerns. We got that sorted out. She also felt how starched vs non starched fabrics feel. I also visited with another lady who is making a quilt using the newest fabrics the quilting store brought in. It is going to be stunning. She had most of the center block done when I left. 

At noon, the last person arrived and set up her machine on the empty table. The tone of the building changed with her. She is a person who wants things to be perfect at the retreat. Her hobby is quilting and she is focused and on task 90% of the time. It seems like she has strict time lines. Her work is beautiful but she made people feel somewhat uncomfortable. I chose to ignore her most of the time. 

In the afternoon, I started on the doll's quilt. At 5 pm I was almost finished the first half of the quilting. I was panicking a bit as I had worked on two projects instead of one. I was over prepared. So I took some time to visit with others near me. I showed a gentleman how I made piping and will be giving him a piping ruler today. I will probably making a bit of piping tomorrow as I am thinking of taking my Diamond sewing machine. 

At 5 pm I cleaned up my spot, unplugged my machine, and put what I didn't need into a bag and brought it home. I was invited to join a group for dinner but declined. I needed to get home and apply heat to my sore body. The weather had made me ache like crazy. Also the old style brick floor was uneven and hard to walk on. A couple of others noticed that also. 

The drive home was crazy. Rain was falling when I left and it turned to snow as I got closer to home. The roads were bare and wet but we certainly did not need snow. It is the end of March. It snowed for a couple of hours but it didn't stick to the ground.

At home, I made dinner and sat with heat on my sore hips. I was exhausted from the pain. I went to bed early and cracked a couple of times while stretching. I can't wait for physio on Monday. 

Thoughts

    I took no pictures yesterday as my table runner was packed up shortly after it was done ready to go for long arm quilting. The doll's quilt was not ready to photograph. I don't do pictures of the retreat not knowing who wants to be in pictures and none of the coats were advanced enough to photograph. 

    I was surprised at how one person could change the tone of the retreat. She knew a few people who were there and you could see that people tread lightly with her. I am sure she is a nice person but you can tell she is a person who only makes quilts and is extremely focused on what she is making. She also commands perfection in everything. She was highly organized so I know she is out quilting at different venues most of the time. 

    I am the dark horse at this retreat. I was missed for a name tag and gift bag though I was counted for a space. They knew I was coming and I was greeted warmly. I am also the one in the group of people I visited who does projects to the end. They have lots of projects on the go and I like mine done one at a time. They don't mind UFO's and I dislike having them under foot. But, we did joke about me being OCD. It doesn't bother me as I know I am OCD/perfectionist.   

    One lady showed me her bear paw quilt block. It was gorgeous. She showed me the book that was her inspiration. It is Selena and the Bear Paw Quilt by Barbara Smucker. I was flooded with memories as I had this book when I taught school in Mennonite and Hutterite communities. We had done paper blocks and I remember how much fun it was. I left the book at my last school and wish I had brought it with me when I retired. 

Today

I have a few things to put away and a few other things to pick up. I want to prep to make piping if I have time. My goal today is to finish the doll's quilt and start the bag. I won't do any hand sewing until after the bag is done. I can sit quietly and hand sew at noon and in the afternoon. I will probably bring the Juki home and take up the Diamond tomorrow to make piping and to embroider on the shirt. It depends on where I am today with my projects. I will not be knitting tonight as I know I will be tired and sore. 

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

A Day Of Shopping

 Yesterday was a cool day with rain and a high of 4C. This morning it is partly cloudy and 0C. Today is supposed to have showers/flurries with a high of 5C. 

Lifestyle

I headed out to Dartmouth to pick up daughter-in-law as her car was in for detailing. The drive in was good; the roads were wet. The scenery was lovely as the trees were white with snow. When I got into Dartmouth, the traffic was heavy and I had a small panic attack. I also wasn't quite sure where I was going and was thankful for gps to get me there. Once I realized where I was, I was fine. 

We had a day of shopping for family and the community hall. Our first stop was at commercial store that sells to restaurants. I love looking at things in that store. High quality items. The last time I bought a paring knife that is the best one I have ever owned. We got what we needed for the community hall and was off to Halifax. 

The trip to Halifax was interesting. I know that route as you go over one of the bridges. No tolls now so it was easy peasy. We got the Wholesale Club which is a big warehouse that sells food in large quantities. We were buying supplies for the hall and for making sandwiches. We did a lot of walking and were tired when we got done. But, we got it all into the car and were off for lunch in Bayers Lake. 

Lunch was okay. I hadn't been to that restaurant chain in years and the menu had changed and the food was good. Not excellent. But we had the chance to rest our sore legs. Then it was off to Costco. 

Costco was very busy. We did the snack aisle and it was slow going. People were wandering everywhere and you had to wait to get by them. When we got the snacks, we headed to get my coffee and then to the next busy part -- food items. I had to be careful not to kill anyone as I followed daughter-in-law. I was putting the food items into the cart for her. We did well with me not running over anyone. We checked out and realized how exhausted we were. 

The drive home was good. Rain in Bayers Lake, dry in Sackville, a mix of snow/rain in Mount Uniacke and rain at home. We unloaded the items for the community hall and swept the floor. Then we unloaded family's items and I came home. 

After unloading my 3 items and putting them away, I loaded up the car for today. By the time I got that done, I felt like my SI joint was out so I sat and rested. If it was, it popped back in quietly as I was fine later on. Just very tired. 

I didn't do anything in the evening and was to bed in good time. I slept fairly well and am ready to go to the retreat after I take grandson to school. 

I hope that I can do a post tomorrow with pictures of what I made. I will be home by 5:30 and will have to make dinner after that. I know I won't be knitting tonight as I will be tired and will need down time. 

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

Almost Ready For The Sewing Retreat

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 9C. This morning it is snowing and 0C. Today is supposed to have flurries or showers with a high of 4C. 

Lifestyle

You read correctly. It snowed starting late last night. The ground is covered with snow. You can't see the lawns. The roads are bare which is great. Here is a web cam picture of what the road looks like not far from us. 

My Chef's Plate box arrived at 8 am yesterday morning. It was missed on Tuesday's delivery and left in the cooler at the depot. Everything was cold and in good condition. I made one of the recipes last night and was fine. I did freeze the rest of the meat as soon as I had inspected the meal bags. 

I had to do some research on selling at craft bazaars and if I have to claim what I make. As I do what they call a hobby and sew for enjoyment or recreation and sell items occasionally I am fine. If I was promoting what I made by advertising, had an Etsy or other shop, and had a side income (called side hustling) I would have to report the income plus the expenses. I am ready to do a couple of craft shows this fall. 

I was out in the afternoon to visit my friend, to pick up her wagon, extension, cord, and a small cutting mat for the retreat. We had a good discussion about sewing as a hobby and as a side hustle. She is the latter which we call a cottage industry. We know of several of them in our area. She also said that as long as you have to give a receipt, you have to claim it as income. 

Sewing

I was down in the sewing room and got everything packed but my sewing machine. I did cut out a small bag that I can make if I have time. It has no interfacing so it was quick and easy to do. 

I also swept the sewing room floor and did a bit of a clean up. The floor was full of dust, thread. and lint from all the sewing and cutting I do. It is nice to have it cleaned up once again. 

I have not thought about what I will sew in April. I need to see what I have for the craft bazaar and decide from there. I do want to make a dress for the dolls and would like to prep for a quilt. I did look at the stash and I have a lot of Christmas fabrics I need to sew up and no idea of what to make from them. 

Knitting

I finished the leg of the first sock last night. I did 30 rounds on it. I was amazed at how fast it went. 

I will cast on the 2nd sock and knit it to this stage so I can have both of the socks going at the same time. 

Thoughts

    We knew the snow was coming and knew we could get up to 20 cm or 9 inches. I don't think we did but we got more than enough for the end of March. Everyone is hoping this is it for this year. It has been a long winter for us. I just noticed that we had way more snow (18") than this on March 23, 2018. I'm not complaining about this snow storm. 

    I am ready for the sewing retreat and will load the car tonight. I am nervous but excited to go and enjoy myself. I am packing my lunch so I can eat alone for some down time. I am also coming home for dinner and the night. I need the time alone as I will be tired from all the noise and activity. 

    My hip didn't hurt very much yesterday. My knees throbbed due to the storm coming in. I will have the physiotherapist check the SI joint on Monday to make sure it is properly seated. She will have to check the usual muscles as they are tight from the SI joint being out. 

Today

I have to pick up a few items off the floor as Rosie will be vacuuming the whole house today. I have to get ready to drive into the city to pick up daughter-in-law. We are shopping while her car is being ceramic coated. Once home, I need to cook a meal and pack the car. If I have any energy left, I want to cast on and start sock #2. 

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

A Day of Being Sore

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 8C. This morning it is mainly cloudy and 1C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with a high of 9C. We could have snow fall tonight. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday we left early to do some shopping in Bedford. We did Walmart to get groceries. It is slow going as daughter-in-law walks with one crutch. I push the buggy and help put in groceries. I also got some groceries that were on my list. 

After lunch on the go, I spent the next 2 hours watching and talking while daughter-in-law had osteopathy and physio. She is improving. Some of her osteopathy was due to walking with a crutch, other parts for her as she has put a lot of weight on her bad hip. She went right from osteopathy to physio and had her knee worked on. By the time that was done, she was exhausted. She looked like she wanted to curl up on the couch and sleep. 

I drove home. It is the first time I have driven the electric car. It is powerful and I will say I was nervous. But, it has features I really like. No, I am not getting an electric car. I will keep mine and curse it for being sluggish when the electric car does things effortlessly. 

Rosey the Robot had an issue yesterday. She got caught in some cords in the bedroom and couldn't move. I released her and she finished cleaning the house. She is supposed to do the bathroom today but I will have her do the whole house once again. I want to make sure she won't get tangled in those cords. 

I rested when I got home. I was really sore and my body was shutting down with the pain. I had to force myself to get up to move and doing the stairs was really hard work. I knew my SI joint was out. I had tried to get it in the past few nights but it wasn't budging. I really was ready for both osteopathy and physio yesterday. At midnight, I stretched in bed and the SI joint went back into place. It was a loud crack. Within minutes the pain was virtually gone and I slept for a full 5 hours after that. I am hoping that I will have less pain and that I won't have a torture session on Monday with my physiotherapist. 

My Chef's Plate box did not arrive yesterday. I did the chat thing and was told not to worry that it should arrive and if it didn't talk again after 8 pm. I did the chat thing again after 8 pm and they have refunded me my money. If the box arrives it is mine to keep. The person was excellent to deal with; professional and very quick to do the refund. 

Sewing

I didn't go down to the sewing room yesterday due to the pain I was having. 

Knitting

I did pick up the sock and knit 10 rounds on it last night. It was nice to do see the progress on it. 

Thoughts

    I am glad that I can be of help to daughter-in-law as she recovers from her knee injury. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I can do things for her when she gets tired. They have helped me so much that it is my turn to help them. 

    I know my SI joint went out due to vacuuming and mopping every day for a week. What surprised me was how hard it was to get it back into place. I hope that only having to vacuum and mop once every couple of weeks will help the SI joint remain in place. Though the pain wasn't as bad as when I put out both SI joints, it was enough to set me back getting some things done. 

    I found out yesterday that I can get the shingles vaccine free starting sometime in April. I have to register online to get it and go to the location I choose. The pharmacist I spoke to told me to wait and get it then rather than pay the $200.00+ for it now. I will have to pay for RSV in the fall as my benefit plan does not pay for vaccines. 

Today

My goal is to prep one more small project andpack what I need to take with me to the retreat. I want to clean the sewing room also. I have to take out garbage this afternoon and pick up a couple of things from a friend. I also need to go to get a spool of thread. I hope to knit tonight. A busy day for me. 

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

Prepping For The Retreat Is Finished

 Yesterday was sunny and then a mix of sun and clouds. It snowed at 7 pm. The high got to 3C. This morning it is cloudy with a light rain and 6C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 11C with it being 6C near us. I'm not sure what that means. 

Lifestyle

At 8 am Rosey the Robot scared the daylights out of me when she said she was going to vacuum. I thought she was to vacuum at 1 pm. I checked and I had forgot to change the time. I raced in to the bathroom and got the items off the floor so she could do her job. Because I changed her time, she did the floor again at 1 pm. Cleanest bathroom floor ever. 

I put the sheets from my bed into the washer and dryer. I cleaned the bathroom which needed doing. I folded laundry that I had done the day before. I made my bed later in the afternoon. 

My Chef's Plate box did not arrive and at 8 pm I talked to them. I wasn't notified that it was delayed (weather??). I have to say I was worried about the driver as he is such a nice person. The box is to arrive today and they know I will be looking at the ingredients carefully. I was prepared to cook a meal but had to heat up frozen lasagna for dinner last night. 

Sewing

I spent a lot of time in the sewing room prepping the bag for the retreat. I interfaced the back pieces and basted the heavier interfacing in place. I then cut the light fabric for the lining and the piping. 

The pieces were sewn together and then I made it into piping. I have enough cord to make one more hunk of piping. I then started to add the piping to the front and back. I hand basted the piping in place and then sewed the top part to it carefully. I use the piping foot on my Diamond hence why I did it at home. 

The back got done first and I really love it. Daughter called the piping fabric Saskatoons.

I did the front piece next and it looks good also. 

The handles and to closure tab also had piping added to them. I just photographed one handle. 

The last job was to cover the button using a scrap of the Saskatoon fabric. 

I was done and quite tired from doing all the prep. The bag was the most time consuming as I need both my sewing machines when I make them. I have it ready to sew with the Juki.

I have a few piles of items stacked to put into a bag to take to the retreat. I will start that today and focus on finishing it tomorrow. I have a spool of thread to buy for the bag. 

Knitting

I picked up the socks and knit 20 rounds last night. I was tired but I can knit them in my sleep. 

I checked my yarn stash and have enough yarn for 6 more pairs of socks plus another pair of the bamboo silk yarn to knit between now and Christmas. 

Thoughts

    My birthday is Sunday March 30. I will be at the retreat that day and will come home to have dinner at family's. Daughter-in-law makes our birthday dinners and we have to do hers. It has been a tradition since we moved here in 2017. 

    I was stunned at how much snow fell in a short period of time last night. The deck was white with about 1/2 -3/4" snow on it. The wind came in bringing warmer temperatures and rain. The snow is gone this morning. It is going to be cool with a couple of days of flurries. Not how March is supposed to end. At least in my books. 

    Rosey the Robot has certainly been forcing me to keep the house picked up. That is a plus. I know I will have to mop the floors as there are couple of marks that she can't get off. She doesn't have the spinning pads to do deep cleaning. If I decide to have another vacuum I would get the Narwal Freo X Ultra. At this time Rosey is doing the job I want her to do and I can do the mopping as necessary. I know I will have to vacuum with the Dyson to get into the places that Rosey can't get to. 

    I was surprised at how fast Chef's Plate responded to my inquiry about the delivery of my box. They have taken care of a few details so I will be notified if a box is delayed again. They know I will be looking at the ingredients in each bag to make sure they are fresh. 

Today

I am going to do a bit of housework before I go with daughter-in-law to her back to back appointments with physio and osteopathy. When we get home, I want to start packing for the retreat. I do need to cook a meal tonight. I also want to knit on the socks. 

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

Prepping For The Retreat, Vest Completed

 Yesterday was a day of snow flurries and cold wind. The high got to 6C at 10 am only to drop to -2C by 5 pm. This morning it is clear and -7C (windchill -10C). Today is supposed to be sunny with increasing clouds with a high of 3C. 

Lifestyle

I did the balance sheet yesterday and all is good. I made a list of expenses for the rest of the month and all I need is groceries and 2 spools of thread. 

I did a large load of laundry also. I am trying to keep up on it as I am out most of the week. I have another load to do today. 

Daughter sent me a birthday parcel from Amazon. When I stepped out to pick it up, I almost froze. The wind was brutal. She gave me chocolate and some Mary Ellen's starch. 

I started the robot vacuum around 10 am as I was going to work in the sewing room. It took almost 90 minutes to vacuum and mop the floors. It did a great job of vacuuming though I had to take the Dyson to one spot that was dirty that it couldn't reach. Mopping was okay but it didn't get 3 dirty spots. I took care of them in hopes that it will mop the floors without any issues. 

Sewing

I spent a lot of time prepping for the retreat. First I trimmed the half triangle blocks to 4.5" and got them put away with each row marked and pinned. 

Next I cut the backing and a new piece of batting for the table runner. Then I used most of the left over fabric and made binding. I cut it on the bias. 

It is now in its bag ready to be packed for the retreat. 

I turned my attention to the bag. I cut a piece of the green for a topper for the bag. I interfaced it and the panel for the front. I then put deco bond interfacing on those pieces so it would be stiff. I stitched them in place as this interfacing does not like to adhere to the fabric even though it is iron on. Play time came next and I am going to put piping between the two pieces. 

I am now ready to do the back part of the bag. It will have the green print on the top also. I then have to cut the handles, the lining, and make the piping. Once that is done, this project will be prepped for the retreat. 

Knitting

I finished the vest and I am pleased with it. 

I also worked on the socks and now have 11 rounds done on the first one. 

I bought this yarn in Sweden and it is from Denmark. It is merino wool and so soft to work with. 

These socks are for me. I have yarn I bought in Sweden to make daughter a pair. I have yarn I bought in the fall to knit into socks so will be busy for months knitting socks. 

Thoughts

    I was surprised at how clean my floors were when I ran the vacuum (her name is Rosey) yesterday. White fluff, some of my hair, and a bit of Elliott's fur. The Dyson has done a great job of picking up everything when I last used it. I know I will be using the Dyson when I need to move furniture and clean under it and when I do closets. The mopping pad wasn't that dirty either. I know I will have to mop by hand every couple of  weeks to get the stubborn spots off. I am pleased at how this vacuum worked after one use. Today it will clean the bathroom again. 

    Our weather is going to be somewhat brutal this week. Snow, colder temperatures, and probably winds from the north or west. It looks like March will have come in like a lion and will leave like a lion. We did have a few warm days this month which was nice. 

    Prepping for the retreat has been a lot of work. There will only be one cutting and one pressing station. I am not sure how much table space we get. I decided that I should be well prepared so I can work mainly from my sewing space. Also being prepared will allow me to sew with precision and accuracy. It will also allow me to enjoy each project without worrying having to take a lot of extra items with me. 

Today

I have to fold laundry and do another load of laundry. I am going to spend quite a bit of time in the sewing room prepping the bag. I will also start packing what I will be taking with me. Tonight I will be knitting on the socks. I also have to cook dinner as I have my Chef's Plate order arriving today. 

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

Table Runner Design Had Emerged

 Yesterday started out cloudy and damp but ended up sunny. The wind was cold and the high got to 10C. This morning it is cloudy and 2C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers this morning and flurries this afternoon. 

Lifestyle

I headed out to the garage first thing and backed the car outside. I stood and looked at the mess thinking I would be 2 mornings cleaning the space up. I started moving things around - bottle returns to the garage door, boxes into the middle, and items moved to make space to work. I organized items together (gardening, painting, etc.) and got them put where I wanted them. I swept areas and set them up again. Boxes were broken down and stored to be put out in 2 weeks. I just kept moving things, sweeping, and before I knew it, it was done. 

I took the bottles in for a refund and came home. I spent the rest of the morning at neighbours having tea and visiting. Family was there also. It was a nice way to spend the morning after cleaning up the garage. 

The robot vacuum cleaner arrived after dinner. I got a Narwal Freo X Plus. I had a huge learning curve. I followed the directions and was chasing the robot so it would connect to the wifi through the app on my phone while it was mapping the house. After many hours I have figured out how to schedule it so it will clean the house. It is easy once you know how. I let it do a bit of cleaning and am amazed at how much dirt it picked up. I am going to have it clean the whole upstairs while I am in the sewing room. Then it will be set on its schedule starting tomorrow. 

Sewing

All the fabric I laundered was pressed and starched. One piece was heavily starched and will be pressed again. The other pieces were lightly starched. They are hanging up drying on hangers. 

I cut the squares I sewed together along the line I drew. I laid out the pieces until I got a design I liked. 

I will probably tweak it a bit more so the big flowers are a bit further apart. Other wise I am happy with the layout out. I have started to trim the squares to 4.5". I am getting closer to having it prepped for the retreat. 

Knitting

None done last night as I played with the robot vacuum. 

Thoughts

    I chose the Narwal Freo X Plus as it has good reviews from several different people. Daughter loves hers as it has done a great job on her floors for 6 weeks now. She has 2 dogs and a cat. I found the app a bit hard to figure out. I found out how to schedule by accident and had no idea what I had done. A google search this morning said to touch the name on the screen and voila it worked. No where in the instructions did it say to do that. One video on mapping failed to tell you that. A bit of playing around in the schedule section and I have it set up for times and days of the week. I do know that every couple of weeks I will have to vacuum the areas the robot can't get to. 

    The wind was cold yesterday. It was coming in from the west which is cold at this time of the year. It is supposed to come in from the north later today bringing in the storm going through New Brunswick. It is going to be cool this week. March came in like a lion and it seems like it wants to leave like a lion also. 

    I am slowly starting to get my energy back. I still want to nap after lunch which tells me I am not back at my normal levels. It is coming as I can do more each day. I am going try and not nap after lunch. I need to push through the day so I sleep better at night. I think napping is now interfering with my sleep. 

Today

I have to do the balance sheet first thing. I have to deal with all the cardboard from the vacuum and put the box it came in away. I want to trim the blocks for the table runner so I can put it into its bag. I hope to work on the vest tonight. 

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

Fabric For Project Purchased

 Yesterday was cloudy with rain in the evening. The high got to 14C. This morning it is cloudy and 5C. Today is suppose to be cloudy with showers or drizzle and the high is supposed to get to 9C. 

Lifestyle

I was out early to make sandwiches. I was the 2nd person there so we got things ready -- wiping counters, setting up the stations, and prepping fillings. We were done by 9 am. 

I went to New Minas before lunch. I was to the quilt store and Walmart. I was home by noon. I have to stay that traffic was light in New Minas. It wasn't lined up for several blocks as the only stop light in the town. I was in and out with no problems. 

My right hip was sore yesterday and it cracked last night. I really think the SI joint was out and is still out a bit. Or it may not be quite seated properly. The pain is back to the old pain in my knee and glutes. I am tired of the pain but will endure it until the SI joint is seated. Part of the soreness could be from the barometric pressure dropping but I think most of it was from me vacuuming and mopping daily. 

I got a lovely gift from an internet friend to remind me of Elliott. I was so surprised to open the box and see it. 

I have hung it up in the dining room window near where I sit. I can look at it every day and remember my companion. 

Sewing

My sewing consisted of the visit to the quilt shop. The first thing I looked for was fabric for the bag I am going to make. I hunted around quite a bit and finally came up with these for daughter to choose from. 

The pink on the left was bought for a shirt and the purple print on the right was not chosen. Everyone in the store was excited to see what fabrics daughter would choose. They love how I do it texting pictures to her. It works for us. 

The lovely eggplant and the light print will go great together on the straps. The green will be a border at the top of the bag front. I am looking forward to making this bag. 

I also bought the fabric for the table runner backing and binding. It is the line I wanted but the darker shade. 

The half square triangles look lovely on it. 

Knitting

I finished the one side seam last night. As I did more, I got better at it. I made a decision not to undo it start again. 

I hope to start the other side tonight. 

Thoughts

    It was great to be out yesterday getting the fabric. I enjoyed it a lot but know I won't be buying any more until I get all the projects done. I am thinking of using the left over bag fabric for another bag which I may put embroidery on it. A surprise for daughter. 

    I am the dark horse at the retreat I am going to. I am the unknown person. This has me a bit nervous but I have been assured that the people attending are really nice. I do hope to meet people so I can connect with them at other functions. 

    I have been watching videos on the robot cleaner I have coming. One thing I have learned that it does a good job of vacuuming but the mopping part is only for floors that are not really dirty. If floors get dirty, you need a robot cleaner that has spinning pads and will go back to the dock to clean those pads. They then go back and finish washing the dirty area. My floors do not get ultra dirty and if they do, I will mop them by hand. One thing they are not designed to do is to pick up spilled liquids. If this arrives today, I may not be able to set it up until tomorrow as it will arrive around 5 pm. 

    The one good thing about the weather today is the flurries/snow have disappeared from the forecast. Flurries not until Wednesday which I hope disappears from the radar. March does not need to go out like a lion. 

Today

I need to do some laundry and I want to start cleaning the garage. I know this job will take me several days as I need to do a real clean up after parking in there all winter. I want to prep the fabric I bought yesterday and, if I have enough time, cut out the pillow and pillow case for the doll's quilt. Tonight I would like to start sewing up the other side seam on the vest. 

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

Some Sewing and Knitting Done

 Yesterday was cloudy with a high of 14C. This morning it is cloudy and 4C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers with a high of 11C. 

Lifestyle

I was out early to make sandwiches which were done by 9 am. It was a small but efficient crew that worked on them. There is a cold going around that is keeping people home. 

Once done, I went grocery shopping. I walked around most of the store to get some exercise. Once home I rested as I was sore. Sometimes I think my SI joint is out and won't go in and other times I think the adductor or hip flexor is so tight it is affecting my SI joint and knee. I keep stretching and applying heat to help it, and it feel better and then it gets sore again. 

I made a new dinner to me. It was Cheesy Bacon Pasta. It was okay but if I make it again, I would use this recipe. I would decrease for 2 people. This recipe calls for salted water for the pasta which mine didn't and it had no onion which would add flavour. I do research recipes to see how they are done by other cooks and I like the one I found to replace this one. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday. I did the stitching on the squares so I will have half square triangles. They are ready to cut down the line I drew. I won't do that until I get to the retreat. I didn't take pictures of them as you can hardly see the stitching on the light side. 

I did spend some time looking for fabric for the backing of the table runner (half square triangles) and found some ideas. I also looked for fabric for the bag I want to make. I have a list for when I go shopping today. 

Knitting

I picked up the vest and started to sew the side seams together. I did some, undid it, and redid it. This is how much I got done in 90 minutes. I do not like to sew the seams when I have to deal with purl stitches on the right side. 

It looks okay but what a lot of work to get half the seam sewn together. I am going to persist and get this vest done so I can knit the socks I started 2 weeks ago. I am ready to knit socks once again. 

Thoughts

    I was hoping to start cleaning the garage this weekend but I may have to put it on hold. It may be too cold to do much of anything out there. I could take the bottles to the return depot so they are gone. After that, I need to have the garage door open and the car outside. Not happening if it snows like they say it could. 

    I have been watching videos on how to set up the robot vacuum cleaner. I want to set it up right away and start vacuuming the upstairs. I will try the vacuum and mop setting once I get the house mapped and have it vacuum for several days. One of the videos said it only uses water and no cleaners so I know I will be mopping the floors if they start to look streaky. I also know I will have to vacuum the areas it doesn't get to once a week. 

Today

I am out again this morning to make sandwiches and then I am heading out to get fabric so I can prep the rest of the projects for the retreat. I want to sew one item this afternoon (pillow for doll's quilt) and I will work on the vest tonight. 

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

An Afternoon Out

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 4C. This morning it is partly cloudy and -2C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 12C.

Lifestyle

It was a morning to get the laundry folded and put away. Not a lot but it needed doing. I also vacuumed the upstairs and tidied up a bit. It is nice having it clean and organized. 

I was out before lunch to pick up Elliott's ashes. The container is lovely. I got his paw prints, a sympathy card, and a certificate that he was cremated alone. I put the paper work into his file. His ashes will be buried with the Spousal Unit's later on. 

I sat on the stairs waiting for daughter-in-law to pick me up. I rolled my sore spots and had a loud crack. I think my SI joint is acting up again. I rolled again after I got home. I sat on the bullnose and really went at it. It took care of the sore spots. 

I was support for daughter-in-law when she went to physiotherapy. I sat and waited for her during her treatment. It was her initial intake assessment and she got dry needling done to help some muscles relax. She has exercises similar to what I do unconsciously each day. 

I had supper with family last night. Delicious curries with rice. We talked about her treatment and both grandson and son were interested but not in the dry needling. Like daughter-in-law and I they don't like needles. Grandson and I cleaned the kitchen and ran the dishwasher. I was happy to leave knowing the kitchen was clean.

We watched YouTube videos last night. The first one was how rice is planted in China. Very interesting to see how it is done using a machine. The second one was harvesting rice and how rice balls are made. The last one was about street food and how it is made. Though they showed quite a few food stands, we saw only 5 different foods made. I learned a lot and family drooled for the food. They have eaten it before when they travelled to Asia. 

I bought a robot vacuum cleaner. It is the same one I bought for daughter. I got it at the same price as I paid for hers. It will be here on Saturday. I decided to get one as I find vacuuming hard on my hips. It seems to irritate the SI joints. I know I will have to use the Dyson weekly to get the areas the robot won't get to. If I want a different one for upstairs, this one can do downstairs. 

Thoughts

    I see the physiotherapist in 2 weeks and I know she has some work to do on me. I still have soreness and it needs to be dealt with. I am able to do everything around the house so know it is mainly muscles that are acting up. I also think the SI joint is out a bit. I will work on that at home on a daily basis. I am also doing some exercises to help and I know which muscles are tight. 

    Our weather is going to be cool with some showers for the next week. I was hoping to do a few things outside but won't be able to. The sunny days will have temperatures just above freezing. Spring is coming slowly. 

Today

I am out this morning to make sandwiches. I also have to go grocery shopping after sandwiches are done. I am hoping that I can get downstairs to sew this afternoon and I'd like to work on the vest tonight. I do have to cook dinner tonight. It is going to be a pasta dish.

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

A Clean Upstairs

 Yesterday it rained constantly and the temperature dropped to 2C in the afternoon. This morning it is cloudy and 0C. Today is supposed to be clear and 12C. 

Lifestyle

With it raining fairly hard, it was a great day to continue cleaning the house. My first job was to defrost the fridge. After a google search, I got the basket so I could put towels in to catch the water. I boiled water and put it in the freezer. I got the ice off after a couple of hours and then put more boiling water in to finish defrosting. By mid afternoon, I was finished and had the fridge cleaned and put back into its spot. 

While the fridge was defrosting, I cleaned the dining room. I did not clean the heat pump head or the windows. But, I did get rid of junk off the table, clean it good, vacuum the floors and mop them. I took out some garbage and stood back to look at the upstairs. It was officially cleaned. Now to keep it up. 

I ran outside to pick up the flyers at the end of the driveway. It was cold and wet out there. There was plenty of water running in the ditch. I didn't stay out very long as I was getting cold and wet. I didn't put on a jacket just a light sweater. 

I was tired from not sleeping well on Monday night. I was also sore. I sat on the hot pad and napped after lunch. My energy level was low. I am happy I pushed through the house and am hoping that my muscles will stop aching now that I can take it easier for the rest of the week. 

I didn't sew or knit yesterday. 

Thoughts

    It rained for about 18 hours yesterday. It ranged from light to heavy rainfall. Very little wind which was nice. What air movement we had came from the northeast blowing the storm down on us. It was moving more across New Brunswick and was pushed down onto us. Hence why the colder temperatures. 

    I am amazed at how much cat hair is still floating around the house after it has been cleaned. Elliott was a big shedder and it is going to take time to get the hair gone. I do miss him a lot and called out to him twice yesterday. As the days go by, I am sure he will be the last cat I have. 

    I was shocked to hear that Donna Jordon from Jordon Fabrics passed away. I enjoyed watching her videos on quilting. She was always inspiring and talked about her process openly. She will be missed in the quilting world and I know I will be watching some of her videos again for inspiration. Some of the tricks I use today I learned from her. 

Today

I have to fold laundry and do a bit of vacuuming and mopping. I would like to do a few things in the sewing room today I am going with daughter-in-law to her physio appointment this afternoon and hopefully work on the vest tonight. I have to take recycling down to the road also. It is going to be another day at home as I will be busy the next two days. 

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

One Project Prepped, One Almost Prepped

 Though yesterday was cloudy, we did see the sun during the day. The high got to 20C. This morning it is raining and 12C. Today is supposed to be wet with the temperature dropping to 9C. 

Lifestyle

I had one busy day yesterday. I started out washing the living room windows. The three of them took me almost an hour to clean and the top outside part is not done. I can reach them. I cleaned, vacuumed, scrubbed, and polished them. 

Next up came moving furniture, dusting, vacuuming, and mopping. It took what felt like forever to get the room clean. I will say it was dirty and I went over it with a fine tooth comb. I am pleased with the room and how much I did. I even emptied my knitting bag and shook all the dirt out of it. The small balls of yarn was put into a bag for the yard sale, and a ball of yarn and knitting needles put away. 

I made a new to me dinner last night from Chef's Plate. It was pork and egg rice bowl. It wasn't overly spicy but it wasn't bland. I did enjoy it. One thing I got a chuckle out of was how the one egg I needed was packed. 

Well done Chef's Plate. 

I was over to family's after dinner. Son suggested that daughter-in-law sit in the hot tub and to see if I would help her. We had no issues at all and we enjoyed our time in the hot water. It helped all my sore tight muscles relax and I do feel better today. Hopefully it helped her sore muscles. I know it won't help her knee but it probably gave it some relief. 

Sewing

I spent time in the sewing room prepping my projects for the retreat. The doll's quilt had the last squares and border piece cut from the fabric I had to wash and starch. I also cut the binding, backing, and batting for the quilt. 

Next up, I drew lines on the squares for the table runner. It didn't take as long as I had thought it would. I just kept drawing until they were done.

I also cut out the batting and looked for a piece of fabric for the backing. I found a light grey and will see if I have enough for it. 

I had a good day prepping so I can just sew while I am there. 

Knitting

None done last night as I got home at almost 8 pm. 

Thoughts

    I was sore yesterday with the storm coming in. I had to push myself to do things due to the pain but am glad I did. The hot tub really did help and I did a lot of stretching in bed last night. I was awake a lot last night so I did the exercises I could in bed and they did help. 

    I have been watching some videos on people renovating chateaus in France. One is doing over the top as they will be a bed and breakfast. Not my style but interesting how they do things. Another is renovating but they are doing it so they can live in it as a family. It will be nice as it is simplistic and calm. The third one is of a couple who bought a chateau from a couple I watched renovate the main floor before selling it. The new couple had quite the winter in the chateau. It was cold as the windows and doors are old. They didn't want the heavy curtains that covered the windows and doors so paid that price. Their heat pump froze up and they lived in a room where they heated with a fireplace. The heat pump needs what we call an igloo. It is a protective cover that keeps the outside part from freezing up if it is in an exposed to the winds etc area. It will be interesting to see how this couple renovates the chateau as they are talking about putting in new windows and doors. 

    I had to go and put the outdoor furniture cover back into the neighbour's yard. If it comes back into my yard again, I am going to put it into the trash. I'm done with moving it back to their yard and having them ignore it. The ditch will be done the same way. Into the trash except for one pot which I will see if it is my neighbour's. If not, I will keep it for flowers. 

    Our weather is going to cool off again as this storm moves over us. Not surprising at this time of the year. I am glad I enjoyed the warm days we had and will hunker down once again while it is cool/cold. 

Today

I have to defrost the fridge as the freezer part has a lot of ice in it. While it is defrosting, I will clean the dining room. This afternoon I would like to sew something. I hope I am awake enough tonight to start sewing the side seams up on the vest. 

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