Sunday 30 May 2021

Warm and Dry

A while ago I decided that on the next warm and dry day, I'd properly clean the coops.  Some of them, at least.

Today was the next Warm and Dry day.

When I was a little younger, I'd have been yup early, had all 4 coops disassembled, emptied, jetwashed, scrubbed and out drying before breakfast.  I'd then have my breakfast, and then go out and disinfect them,  and put them all back together again.    I'd then put everything away, have my shower, and be done by lunch.

Not so, today.

I got up very late (after a difficult night).  I had breakfast.    I decided to do only one coop,  the tattiest one which is in  the fruit cage. (Well, what was the fruit cage).   After I'd dismantled it and started jetwashing it, I decided to do the red GoUp  -  our emergency coop - as well. . That also resides in the fruit cage, now that we no longer have a garage, so it made sense to do it while I had the pressure washer over that side of the garden.

So, I took my time, and did both coops,  and all the gubbins associated with it.

Everything dried quickly in the sun, so I was able to get on with the the disinfectin of the coops as soon as I'd finished washing the bits,   and then disinfecting the bits as soon as I'd finished disinfecting the coops.  I managed to disinfect everything before the sprayer needed recharging, which was just as well.  

I plodded about putting stuff away, while waiting for the disinfectant to dry.  I'd found some topsoil in the shed, so I decided to make a fresh dustbath for the Girls in the run.  I had playsand and woodash, so it was quick and easy to do.  The sand was heavier than I expected thougg. Lifting it over the netting reminded me that I've been sub par all week. 

When I'd finished that, everything was dry enough to reassemble.  It didn't take long, and soon the coops were clean, fresh, and sporting fresh Aubiose,

I'm really pleased.    It was a lovely day to be messing about with water.  I missed having Miss Teen around to help, but actually it was just as quick on my own. 

 I'll do the other coops on another - not necessarily the next  - warm and dry day.


 

Friday 28 May 2021

pillow talk

I finally got up the energy and enthusiasm to try making stuff today.

I cut out some bits to make more knickers for DH.   I won't count those until they are actually finished. 

This evening, I decided to make a quick cover for  small (32cm) pillow I've been using to give me some leg  separation when lying on my side at night.  Its a  feather pillow, and the feathers have been a bit pokey and getting on my nerves.  I've been meaning to do it for...a long time. 

I dug out one of DHs worn out tee shirts for this purpose.  The ready made hem  was great for the envelope pocket, and the fabric is soft.    I'm happy to have been able to recycle something.

It only took a couple of minutes [it is a bit rough and ready]  and I found it a reassuring reminder of how far my sewing ability and confidence has grown.


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Total crafty things this year: 38

Sewing based makes: 
123) Inner pad for foot muff; make cover for foot muff;  trim down Superking Duvet to KS and recover edges;
456)Cushion cover for Miss T; Gift bags for Miss T and GDK;
7)Dressing Gown;
8-10)Cat Duvet, Duvet Cover and Pillowcase;
11) Cushion cover for living room;
12-15) Sleeveless tops (x4);
16) SBCC top
17) Overlocker chicken
18) Curtains for nest boxes (4, but counted as 1 make)~
19,20,21)Boxers for DH (test pairs for sizing - counted as 1,  and then 2 pairs)
Abandoned muslin for LoveNotions Willow Wrap Dress (not counted in total makes)
22)Apostrophe Patterns Joggers (jellyfiah and space)
23)Apostrophe Patterns Flared Joggers (black, with big red roses)
24)Boxes for DH (3 pairs using black cotton lycra with patterned fly)
25)Shorten the hems and sleeves on 4 of Mum's day dresses (count as 1 task)
26) repurposed  old tee shirt as cover for mini cushion


Learning activities:
1) Scanning pattern pieces; 2) Making movies; 3)Babylock demo day; 4)Gathering using my overlocker;   5) Euphy training (circles,using elastic in looper);6) Gail Yellen's binder course; 7) Inkscape 1; 8) casting on;  9)purling; 10)casting off

Non sewing based craft makes: 
A) Painted bisque butter dish and had it fired
B) Knitted Infinity scarf, first attempt (pinks)

Tuesday 18 May 2021

Uplifting

My Mum brought some day dresses with her, which she asked me to shorten. 

She was delighted with the first one, and asked me if I could do the sleeves as well.  The two sleeves had to be slightly different lengths (she has a rotator cuff injury which affects the position of one arm).

It took me a while to do the four.  There was a fair bit of unpicking (of my own work) involved, and I must have done each hem at least twice.

But they are done now, she's happy. I'm happy. 

I'm counting it as 1 crafty thing. It's been ages since I've added anything.

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Total crafty things this year: 37

Sewing based makes: 24;
Inner pad for foot muff; make cover for foot muff;  trim down Superking Duvet to KS and recover edges;
Cushion cover for Miss T; Gift bags for Miss T and GDK;
Dressing Gown;
Cat Duvet, Duvet Cover and Pillowcase;
Cushion cover for living room;
Sleeveless tops (x4);
SBCC top
Overlocker chicken
Curtains for nest boxes (4, but counted as 1 make)~
Boxers for DH (test pairs for sizing - counted as 1,  and then 2 pairs)
Abandoned muslin for LoveNotions Willow Wrap Dress (not counted in total makes)
Apostrophe Patterns Joggers (jellyfiah and space)
Apostrophe Patterns Flared Joggers (black, with big red roses)
Boxes for DH (3 pairs using black cotton lycra with patterned fly)
Shorten the hems and sleeves on 4 of Mum's day dresses (count as 1 task)


Learning activities: 10;
Scanning pattern pieces; Making movies; Babylock demo day; Gathering using my overlocker;    Euphy training (circles,using elastic in looper) Gail Yellen's binder course;
Inkscape 1; casting on;  purling; casting off

Non sewing based craft makes: 2
Painted bisque butter dish and had it fired
Knitted Infinity scarf, first attempt (pinks)

Wednesday 12 May 2021

Drizzle

It's been a challenging six or so weeks.

My Elderley Relative (ER) was in hospital for 5 and a half weeks, most of which was him recovering to a point where certain procedures could be carried out.     My days were spent on the phone with him, or the hosptal, or doing the update email, or answering questions and calls from friends and relatives,  or visiting his house and sorting stuff out, paying bills etc (he's Extreme Old School - no DDs, nothing).   He had a gas leak, and I had to get that sorted. 

My cousin is a Gas Safe plumber, and he came and confirmed there was a leak and attempted to find it.  He couldn't,  so he turned the gas off, and arranged for him and my brother (who is a Handyman) came out for the day to close down parts of the system and find and fix the leak.    

They found it. It was the valve on the boiler.   The boiler was almost as old as me,  and it wasn't possible to get a new valve for it.  We had to get a new boiler.   After discussions, my cousin recommended a condenser boiler, which   - long story short - meant that it had to be located in the kitchen.   So cousin ordered everything, and arranged to come back a couple of days later to start fitting.

Life isn't simple.  When they started to look at plumbing the new boiler in, they found that the toilet had been put in on top of the bathroom carpet.  They had to remove the toilet, to take the carpet up, to take the floorboards up to get to the pipework.  Meanwhile, the landing carpet disintegrated as soon as they lifted it.

They did a proper job including removing the old pipework and water tank,  and it took days.  They bought new flooring, which we decided to extend over the landing (I'm never going to live that down. I didn't realise just how uch work it was going to be ).  They also fitted new taps to the bath and a shower riser, and put ni a bath panel wioth the same flooring on it.

They were amazing.  

I'd kept ER apprised of the situation all the way along.  He was fully compis mentis by the time this started, he was just physically unwell.

ER had several procedures. More were needed, but some of them could be done on an outpatient basis.  On the day when he was scheduled for one procedure, the hospital mentioned discharing him that day.  He phoned me, and I said that he couldn't come home,  the house was't habitable and wouldn't be ready for another 1 to 2 days.    Luckily, they had decided not to release him anyway, he needed one further procedure.

We were then against the clock, and the boys worked non stop to try and get it all done.

.........

When my Dad went into hospital, everything went on hold as I had to support my Dad with phone calls, and support my Mum.    It took up a susprising a mount of time.  I don't begrudge it at all,   it's just a fact.

My Dad, who was only meant to be in hospital for a couple of days, ended up in there for nearly 4 weeks.    At the beginning, before the problems became serious,  we had agreed that my parents would come and stay with my ER to support him (and so we could support them).     As time went on, and my Dad got worse, this looked like it was not going to be possible. 

Eventually, it became clear that  being in hospital was causing part of the problem, and we were desperately trying to get my Dad released.    The Bank Hiliday was looming asd we could see that the hospital were going to keep him in until afterwards, and we weren't sure he woudl cope. My Mum had to battle to get him released before the bank holiday.

He had a couple of days at home, and then  they decided that they would, after all, come and stay with ER.   It's partly because we haven't seen them for 16 months (they live in a different part of the UK), and they were getting concerened that  if we left it much longer, it would be too late.

There's a lot more to this story, but the end result is that they arrived and settled in to his house, just as the boys were finishing up.  ER was discharged the following night, and we collected him.

.........

They've formed a Bubble, so it's all within the Covid restrictions.    This means that they are near us now, so my brother(s) and I can keep a check on the 3 of them.

It's working really well, and we are trying to support my Mum so it doesn't all fall on her.  We've cooked for them,  my cousin's wife has cooked for them twice,  my sister in law has cooked for them,  I've done lots of shopping,  we've had covid--safe visits each day.

My ER certainly wouldn't have been OK on his own.

My Aunt (my cousin's Mum) died after having the same procedures,  it was the anniversary of her death the week ER was taken ill.   He's been out for a few days, and he's looking better each day.   Now, today, for the first time, I've been able to exhale.

Monday 3 May 2021

Waffle waffle

Its funny how I like the same thing for breakfast every day. Egg on toast, with the eggs being poached for probably 13 days out of 14 and scrambled for the other 

This morning we had no bread.  We always make our own, we just didn't yesterday.  I thought we had "emergency crumpets" (not home made, Warburtons] in the freezer, but it turns out we didn't.

So I made up some savoury waffle batter and we had waffles.   Its been over a year since I last made them,  and I made the rookie error of putting too much batter in the iron. They  were lovely with eggs.

I made too much  batter, so I popped the extra in the fridge. Maybe to have later with some lemon curd.

For dinner, I fancied curry pie.  I had previously frozen some leftover  butter pork in portion sizes  with this in mind.

DH does the pies in our house.  He whips up a batch of shortcrust pastry, and uses a two pie piemaker.  Such a fab gadget! 

He suggested having waffles instead.  So we did!

I made a passable chickpea curry to accompany the butter pork curry [two pie filling sized portions isnt enough without pie] and we ended up cooking all the remaining batter.  We didn't need to, but it was rather delicious. 

We will definitely repeat this. 



Knickers again

I decided to make another pair of keks for DH, this time using the correct seam allowance on the fly pieces and not using swimwear.

As I was going to be binding them, all of them with the same black cotton lycra, and setting up the binder takes a few minutes,  I realised it would be a good idea to make several sets of flys (flies?) in one go.    It worked well, and the binding looked like a kite tail when it was done.  I had 8 pieces (for 4 sets) one after the other.

I made up a pair,  and then another pair.  overlocked some of the scraps togethr to make a waistband in matching fabric, as I don't think the plain cotton lycra has enough zing to do the job. 

I wanted DH to try them before I did anymore,  so I cleared up everything and put all the Knicker stuff in a "project bag" (a very strong bag,  made from recycled plastic, which I bought from Rex London.  I actually bought several (cough) of their bags in various designs and seizes, but that's another story) behind the sofa.  

DH very much approved, which surprised me a little.   He's going to make me an acrylic template for cutting the fly pieces.  I've been using a card template I made, but I have accidentally shaved it with the rotary cutter a few times. so it's less useful at the moment. 

I didn't take a picture of both pairs, but here's one  I used rainbow thread on the looper of the coverstitch, and you can just see a hint of it on the inside hemline.


I'm hoping he makes the template soon as I'd like to get a few more pairs made.

I might even try making some knickers for myself.  I've added it to my extremely long list of "to Make" items.

 

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Total crafty things this year: 36

Sewing based makes: 24;
Inner pad for foot muff; make cover for foot muff;  trim down Superking Duvet to KS and recover edges;
Cushion cover for Miss T; Gift bags for Miss T and GDK;
Dressing Gown;
Cat Duvet, Duvet Cover and Pillowcase;
Cushion cover for living room;
Sleeveless tops (x4);
SBCC top
Overlocker chicken
Curtains for nest boxes (4, but counted as 1 make)~
Boxers for DH (test pairs for sizing - counted as 1,  and then 2 pairs)
Abandoned muslin for LoveNotions Willow Wrap Dress (not counted in total makes)
Apostrophe Patterns Joggers (jellyfiah and space)
Apostrophe Patterns Flared Joggers (black, with big red roses)
Boxes for DH (3 pairs using black cotton lycra with patterned fly)


Learning activities: 10;
Scanning pattern pieces; Making movies; Babylock demo day; Gathering using my overlocker;    Euphy training (circles,using elastic in looper) Gail Yellen's binder course;
Inkscape 1; casting on;  purling; casting off

Non sewing based craft makes: 2
Painted bisque butter dish and had it fired
Knitted Infinity scarf, first attempt (pinks)

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