On sewing garments

I am NOT an enabler, although I hear someone else bought that grain elevator panel! I know --- we're preserving history. And that sounds like a perfect excuse to buy it. I am waiting for my panels to arrive, and then I need to make a quilt so it can return to Saskatchewan in a couple of months. 

Oh, those girls --- they are needy! It's not good that we have been home so much these last couple of years because now they think we are HERE for them always. And Murphy is especially "bad." I can be on a Zoom call, and she needs attention. The other day, she put her paws on my chair! And then she pushes the chair. Oh, Murphy --- I love you, but there's a time and place for loving -- and that's NOT on a Zoom call!!!

She has zero issues with being around stuff and plunked herself in the middle of my paperwork to be super close to me! What a girl! 

MOM -- I'm right here! 

And Lexi has taken to sitting on her mat in the hallway. That girl is a "leaner," for sure. She LOVES leaning against the wall, and since the sofa was blocked (a treat for the evening), she was sulking. 

MOM -- this rough mat feels great on my butt

I did something I hadn't done in a while. I cut out a garment! I'm using a paper pattern I recently purchased, and I diligently traced it out on my red dot pattern paper to preserve the original. I had washed the fabric the previous night, so I was ready to cut the garment out. 

Tracing a garment pattern

And here it is, all ready to be sewn together. I get to try out my new hemmer tool as well. That's actually for pressing the hem before you sew, as you want the hem to be even. I can't wait to try it. I still have a bit of marking to do before I get started. 

My garment is ready to sew

It's surprising because the more I chat with people, the more I learn about them, and I am finding that more people than I thought are sewing garments! Who knew? 

Plus, I hope to work on this later today or tomorrow. 

Another new toy to play with

While looking for that library book, I opened a cabinet and found a magazine with some fabric set aside to make a small project. I was sure I had done that, but I had no idea where the fabric was. Now I know why I was confused -- I have TWO copies of the magazine -- one that had the fabric in it and the other did not. The second one is in my giveaway pile for next week's retreat. YES --- a quilting retreat is thrown into my schedule, and it will be ugly, but I'll make it work! 

Two copies of the same magazine

Around dinner time, I heard some beeping out front, which meant snow clearing. What the heck are they doing, and is it going to involve more shoveling? There is a huge swath of snow in the front. Part of that is because the two neighbors to my left insist on clearing their driveways with one of those big scoops you cannot lift. 

Nope -- they are happy to push it into the street and then complain bitterly when their drives get plugged with snow from the plow. Well, people, if you used a regular scoop -- you could LIFT that snow onto your lawn. Granted, there is little space between their two driveways, but still. 

Anyone one of them called the city to complain, and they brought the cutest little bobcat to move the excess snow. 

The city is clearing the mess

And when they were done, it looked like this. At least the 10 feet of snow that extended into the street. They mostly removed from the two spots on the right, and that is precisely where those two neighbors dump their snow -- it was NOT because of the plow! Amazing how people can't recognize that they are part of the problem. You can't really see in this picture, but to the left of our driveway - there is a big pile of snow on the front section of the lawn. But there is little on our neighbor's side because he dumps it in the street instead of shoveling the snow there. 

Excess snow was removed last night

The snow got moved to the opposite side of the street. Now the big plow that comes by is supposed to do this, but maybe not quite that tidy, so I wonder how they are training those plow operators. At least the operator for our street is MUCH better than last year, and he was nasty! 

The excess is now across the street

The bottom line is we have a 20 CM snowstorm coming, and I'm in good shape. There will be snow in my driveway, but it won't be all this old snow that my neighbors shoveled into the street. Did you notice how clear my driveway is? We like to keep it clear of snow -- right to the edges and even into the street. It drives me crazy otherwise!!!

I thanked our neighbor for plowing the sidewalks with his snowblower that last time. It's not necessary, but it was much appreciated with that heavy wet snow. Let's hope this new 20 cm is fluffy and light! I want a fluffy and light shoveling experience this winter!

Here are the two batik pieces I received from Lindley General Store. You have to love all these labels they put on stuff. Well, if I want to order more -- it would be a snap! They included batiks because the three pieces of fabric I purchased were batiks. 

Two batik samples

Two more pieces of garment fabric went into the washer last night, sitting on the kitchen table. I plan to start cutting later today. Then this weekend will be a whirlwind of machine embroidery, sewing, and serging! I'll be going full blast with new tools and techniques, and it will be a sweatshop! I hope. 

Remember to check QUILTsocial to read more about the PFAFF powerquilter 1600. This is a great machine if you are in the market for a sit-down quilting machine. 

I finally contacted the lock company to get a replacement part for the handle on our front door. I'm tired of wrestling it open. Hopefully, they won't take long to get it to us. It's supposed to be covered by a lifetime warranty, and let's see what they say. I got all the terminology down pat except the name of the lever on the inside of the door. Latchbolts - thumb levers, spindles, you name it - I know those parts! 

I finished my audiobook last night. While it was good, I HATE That kind of ending. I guess it was OK, but the book itself is an interesting premise, to be sure. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.C. Schwab. I returned my overdue book and did NOT go in, as I did not want to be tempted to get anything! 

Well, it's time to get moving -- as usual, there are many things to accomplish, and everything takes much longer than planned. And I have two presentations today. 

Some people are struggling to follow the blog. People have moved to Follow-It and getting that sorted out. Someone reported that their Norton wouldn't bring it up. Why is that happening? I have zero control over that --, or if I have control, I know nothing about it. ACK!! If anyone knows anything, let me know. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!