Infinity Scarf

Just a quick update as I have to head out to work in a bit.
The infinity scarf I made is up in the store and it looks good.

I call this the Edmonton Oiler's scarf as it is in their team colours. I still have two more to make.
I have also chosen my next store project and am happy with how I will do it. More on that later.
Until the next time....................

Doll Stash is Sorted and Stored

Wednesday was grey in the morning when I left for work and dark when I arrived home. It was exactly how I felt all day long. On Thursday and Friday there was sunshine and, though I am tired, I felt somewhat better.

Lifestyle

The guys arrived to work on the house and the living room looks like it has a disease. The walls have huge mud patches on them. The previous paint job was horrid as they didn't use a lintless roller and used cheap paint. The walls are ready to paint though they will be covered in plastic so the ceiling can be painted first.
The kitchen floor tiles are done. When I got home Wednesday, Chinese food was on the table, the stove, beverage fridge, and dishwasher in the dining room.

Yesterday, the stove was put back into place after I scrubbed the opening and the stove.

The other end of the kitchen is still a disaster and leaves me stressed out.

It will be nice to have the house done in two to three weeks. There is dust everywhere and I need to scrub the upstairs once again after the mudding is done. Hopefully mid February when I have three days off. Even the Spousal Unit is ready to have the house back.
Though we will get an evaluation done, we may not sell it right away and enjoy it. The only reason we'd sell is if we get more than we want and can get something that needs little to no renovations. At this point, I doubt if we will even rent the basement suite out and have our home to ourselves. I have a plan evolving in my head.

Sewing

I spent some time and finished sorting and organizing the doll's stash. It is now in the sewing room closet.

I have this much flannel and light weight fleece to make pyjamas and house coats for the dolls.

I'll spend some quality time sewing it up in the near future. I am hoping that I have enough lace to do this lot of pyjamas. The doll patterns are in one spot ready to be filed. It will be easy to do as I have the file folders.  Next on the list is to sort the garment fabric and my patterns.
I set up my cutting table and traced and cut out 2 pairs of pyjama bottoms for grandson. I started tracing the coat pattern for the store project. Though I only got 2 pieces traced, I can now do the rest of the pattern pieces over the next week. I do love having the cutting table set up.
By the time I finish tracing the coat pieces, I will have run out of what I use and will be looking at buying something new. I am thinking Swedish tracing paper from Amazon.


Time to review my goals:

• Cut out the second pair of doll jeans
• Work on my quilt block for the store
• Trace a coat pattern to cut out my February sewing  project/challenge to be hung in the store in mid March. Started and hopefully worked on this week. 
• Sort through the cottons and put together like projects for sewing
• Work on the lobster fabric items. I may focus on cutting out all the pieces and sew them up rather than do one item at a time. The bibs all have the vinyl ironed onto them and are ready to be cut out.
• Trace and cut out Grandson's pyjamas.

What I have done that is not on the list:

• Sorted the doll's stash and put it away.
• Put the doll clothes patterns together ready to file in their file folders.
• Made an infinity scarf using up .5 meter of fabric and .5 meter of lace in the stash. I had to buy .5 meter of fabric and 2 meters of lace (used .5 meter for the scarf and rest is in the doll's stash. Cost for 2 meters of lace was $.99).
• Piled up the doll's pyjama and house coat fabric ready to cut and sew. I may do a pair when I sew Grandson's pyjamas.

I sent 2 bags of trash out of the sewing room from the stash and sewing and put 3 meters of fabric in the box for the thrift shop. 

Knitting

I haven't knit a stitch since Wednesday morning. I have read and slept in the evenings.

Today

I work the early shift and I would love to trace at least one pattern piece when I get home.
Until the next time.............................

Sorting The Stash Begun

We have had some mild weather and there has been sunshine. This morning the temperature is 0C or 32F. The temperature is to hover between -3C and 3C. Not bad for the end of January.

Lifestyle

Yesterday was Dirty Day #1 for the kitchen and living room. Adam sanded the floor in preparation for the tile and there is grey dust (cement) on everything. I wiped up a lot of it but won't finish until the tile is down. Abe is mudding the living room and has the first coat on. Now comes the sanding.
The doors are on the new kitchen cabinets but the drawer and sink faces needed to be redone. They didn't match the other drawers. A lot of little things were done (thermostat screwed onto the wall for example) that I can't keep up with. Still a fair amount to do though.
The Spousal Unit had a visitor yesterday and will have one every Monday. I use to do reading with their daughter when in Ashcroft. She comes in every Monday now for help and Dad will visit while waiting for her. The Spousal Unit so enjoyed it and was in great form when I got home last night.

Sewing

I spent 90 minutes in the mess before going to work. It was almost too confusing to start so I put away the embroidery thread I had used on the quilt block. Then I handled some fabric for the guest room. It will be a bed runner and pillow cases. I also added some yellow flannel to make more pillow cases if there is enough. If not, it will go into the doll's fabric.  
Next I found the fabric for two infinity scarves. One for me, one for Daughter-in-Law (of which needs the second colour to go with it). There is fabric for another scarf which may end up being an infinity scarf though I am leaning towards a square. I could have an infinity scarf making day which just might happen on these next days off.
The doll's stuff got looked at next. I am sorting patterns into keep and donate. It will take me some time as I have the patterns in a couple of places and want to file them in their own filing system. I also started on the fabric that was near the ironing board. I got some done prior to leaving for work. A bit hit the trash, some to the thrift shop, and the rest is keep. There is a lot of flannel for pyjamas and I will have to buy the lace trim for them while it is on sale.
I walked out of the room feeling quite happy with what I had accomplished.

Knitting

The second sock is set up and two rows successfully knit. I'm not pushing it too hard as I don't want mistakes.

Today

I work until 6:15 and it leaves no time to do much in the evening. I am doing it 4 days (Sunday to Wednesday) this week and knew what I was taking on. I am also tired as our orders arrived and I am hustling to get it out on the floor. I will be doing that again today.
Until the next time.................................

Happy Moments

After a few days of warmer weather, it is cooling off again to be near the freezing mark. It was certainly nice to have the warm weather and sunshine. Yesterday we had a small snow flurry but it didn't amount to anything. Today it could be snow or rain.

Lifestyle

We are both starting to feel better. Though we cough, it isn't a sick cough. We will survive this part of what ever it was we had.
Who would get excited about having a slide out garbage can and slide out shelf under the kitchen sink? ME! It is in and I love it. I have to get the slide out towel bar and that area will be done. The cupboard doors are here but need to go and have the holes drilled in for the hinges. That will happen next week. The HDMI cords are in the walls so the TV can be hung with no wires showing. It has made me happy before the next mess starts. I will stress out again but am enjoying this happy time.

Sewing

The quilt block is done and at the store.

The left over fabric is also at the store in the share basket and I am happy to see this project done.
I found the tub of Halloween cottons and put them into the sewing room closet. I will be making a few items for them over the next two years and then will stop as they will have enough items to decorate with.
I am thinking about digging out the doll fabric tubs and sorting through them. My plan is to get rid of the fabric/notions that I won't use. Those tubs can be stored on the floor in the sewing room closet. I'd like to reclaim one of the tubs to put the finished doll clothes into. While focusing on the doll fabric, I would like to organize their patterns. It has been started but I need more file folders of a certain type to finish the job. BTW, they are calling for me to work on their SWAP.
Time to review my goals:

• Cut out the second pair of doll jeans
• Work on my quilt block for the store
• Trace a coat pattern to cut out my February sewing  project/challenge to be hung in the store in mid March
• Sort through the cottons and put together like projects for sewing
• Work on the lobster fabric items. I may focus on cutting out all the pieces and sew them up rather than do one item at a time. The bibs all have the vinyl ironed onto them and are ready to be cut out.
• Trace and cut out Grandson's pyjamas.

I am not adding another project yet as I want to trace patterns first and sort through the doll fabric and patterns. That is enough to work on.
I found a notebook that I can carry around with me. It is my everything notebook. I have put a project on a page and what I need to finish it up. That way, when I get out the fabric, I can look in the book and move forward. This way, I won't make senseless purchases.

Knitting

I am just about ready to start on the socks again.

Today

I am working and will probably not do much tonight. I am still lacking evening energy.
Until the next time..................................

Getting My Thoughts Together

We had a warm day yesterday with a high of 7.2C or 45F. The sun shone and it looked very nice outside. We have a few days of cloudy weather now but the temperatures will be warm.

Lifestyle

The house has been quiet. Our friends who are doing the renovations are ill with colds and the flu (like me). One was back to paint and get the plastic down on the living room floor. The son stopped in with mom on Wednesday and they looked around.  
The Spousal Unit has been removing the hardwood floor where the kitchen tile will go and he got it done. Adam has to do the last board prior to them taking up the subfloor on the other part of the kitchen.  We cleaned up the living room, I washed the floors and we laid plastic in preparation for work to begin in there. I did snap about the mess on Tuesday but it didn't help at all; I continued to feel stressed. I know it happens but I hate the mess.
On an upbeat note, the kitchen cabinet doors we need are done and will be ready to pick up on Monday. That is wonderful.

Sewing

I worked on the quilt block for an hour and finished the trees and the Great Lake/St. Lawrence River. I just need to do the lighthouse. I didn't add the parliament buildings which are in Ontario as there is a block dedicated to that building.

With Stitcher's Guild down, I have been looking at some of the topics on Pattern Review. I will be joining in some of their discussions and will probably continue after Stitcher's Guild comes back online.
As of yesterday, my sewing room became the tool shop for the renovations. There is enough room for me to get in to

• put some fabric away
  
• attend to the Wi-Fi if it goes down.

I looked at the sewing stuff in the basement and thought about ditching it all into a box and sending it to the thrift shop. That lasted one whole day. It felt good but not good enough to follow through. But, it has made me realize that I need to have less than what I do have. What I keep has to be well organized and sewn up with very few purchases made during the year. I am fine with that.
The other thing I would like to do is keep track of what I am making/going to make and what I need to purchase in a book. I would like to see if it keeps me on track. I can't say I won't buy anything as I do know I need craft weight interfacing for reusable shopping bags, thread, buttons, and trim. What I want to do is write a list of what I need, how much, and buy only that. I will keep you posted.

Knitting

I haven't done any since I took the second sock of the needles. I am missing my table light so I can see the stitches. Or maybe I have been sick enough, I just can't knit at night. That could be the problem also.

Today

I am off work. I see the dietician and do the things as I start 5 days tomorrow.
Until the next time...................................

Wardrobe Thoughts

Yesterday was a bit but still cold. This morning is warmer again with it being -12C or 10F at 6 a.m. this morning. It is suppose to be warmer to day with a chance of flurries.

Lifestyle

I got the notion's order done and then we set about cleaning up areas of the store. It is looking good and I know we will be doing more clean up.
I coughed a lot yesterday and last night I felt like a slug. I sat on the couch with the hot water bottle against by back and a blanket over me. I am feeling a bit better this morning but my voice is raspy.

Sewing

I gathered up the left over fabric from the quilt block and have it ready to go to the store for others to use. I am happy to have it leave the house. Less to store even it if isn't a lot. I am working on having less in my stash.
Myrna wrote the following:
In Anuschka Rees' book - The Curated Closet - she talks about minimalism as a style and says it's all about that little bit of extra intention and making conscious choices. It's about being thoughtful and selective and figuring out what's right for you and your life specifically instead of blindly following trends or the advice of others. Minimalism is not a numbers game. The goal is not to build a wardrobe that is as small as possible but one that is as functional and personalized as possible.
I read those words several times and realize that what we want in our lives is going to be right for us. We love our house to have exactly what we want in it and we are not following trends or the advice of others. It is true for what I want in my wardrobe.
I have been thinking of my wardrobe and here is what I have come up with.

• I like my clothes to have clean lines. I do not like dramatic or creative clothing. I feel uncomfortable in them. I like clothes that are casual and have simple lines.
  
•  I like natural fabrics and tend to migrate to them. Of the synthetic fabrics, I will look at Ponte and a few others that breathe.
  
• My favourite neutral colours are black and navy (denim is included). My other colours include fuchsia, hot pink, blues, blue reds and purples. I will wear pale pink, blue, and, on occasion, pale green.
  
•  I wear a lot of plain vs. print fabrics. I will wear plaids and a few prints if they catch my eye.
  
• I love having my clothes work together: jeans, vests, tops, and pants that I can mix and match. With that, I feel I can have 11 to 15 pieces that will make a wonderful wardrobe.

I will be sorting through my patterns again to pull out what I want for my wardrobe. They will be organized so I can sew them up as I loose weight. Using light therapy has helped so much that I can think of things again.
Today
I work and will probably rest when I get home. I want to get over this cold ASAP.
Until the next time.............................

Rearing Its Ugly Head

It is a full 4C or 8F warmer this morning. It is -18C or 0F with a wind chill of -26C. Monday is suppose to be -1C or 31F. We will snoopy dance when it arrive.

Lifestyle

My cold decided to rear its ugly head up in my chest this morning. Not what I wanted! I am cold and want to have hot drinks. My eyes are running, I'm coughing, and I feel like yuck.
The guys didn't show up for work today so I expect they are both having a recovery day. Being sick sucks.
The Spousal Unit had his IV immune booster therapy and got to look out a window for 4 hours. Though boring, it is helping him a lot.

Sewing

Grandson is getting pyjamas for his birthday and I bought the flannel before January 1. I found a lovely grey knit fabric and a pattern for the top yesterday. Now to make them. I have ideas running through my head about setting up a spare kitchen table in the suite's kitchen and using it as a cutting table.


Reviewing my goal for the next bit:

• Cut out the second pair of doll jeans
• Work on my quilt block for the store
• Trace a coat pattern to cut out my February sewing  project/challenge to be hung in the store in mid March
• Sort through the cottons and put together like projects for sewing
• Work on the lobster fabric items. I may focus on cutting out all the pieces and sew them up rather than do one item at a time.
• Trace and cut out Grandson's pyjamas.

One project done, one project added.

Knitting

Nothing done in that department as I felt tired due to the cold. I read a book instead.

Today

I work and hope to finish the notion's order. I will rest tonight in hopes that my cold gets better.
Until the next time..................................