Boxering Success

I've managed to complete the 2 pairs of boxers made from my cardboard template.    The sewing is a bit rough, but they are wearable!

I used the smallest double fold binder to do the fly binding.  That worked like a dream.

I used the downturn feller to hem the legs.   The first pair was already sewn up, so I hemmed in the round.  The second pair, I decided to try hemming first then sewing.  Both methods have their merits,  I'll have to see whether they construction choice affects how they feel in wear.

Unusually, I had a bit of a problem with the hem on the first pair.  I had to unpick and re-sew, and I sewed by eye so they are a bit rubbish.

 On both pairs, I coverstitched around the waistband so that the join looked a little more "finished" on the inside.   I need to improve my positioningfor that. I also need to see if DH prefers the feel of the finished to the unfinished ones I made the other day.

This second pic is of my glorious fly binding, The pic is sideways, sorry - the dinosaurs should be the correct way up.

I hope that DH finds these comfortable. I particularly hope he likes the waistband  as I'm using the same fabric to make the waistband rather than using elastic.   I could switch to using elastic, but it's easier (and cheaper) to use the fabric I am working with anyway.

When he's had a chance to wear them, and has given me feedback on improvements, I'll make him some more (assuming he wants me to) .  I've got a very small amount of fabric left, and I might make some flypieces to use in a pair of otherwise plain boxers.  

I've also got a small stash of fabric set aside for knickers for him.

 

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Total crafty things this year: 31

Sewing based makes: 16;
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)

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

 

Best Laid Plans

I made a passable pair of boxers for DH, he's like the leg slightly longer.  Everything else he was happy with.

So, I used my projector, and I made a cardboard template for the body of the boxers,  for the fly pieces, and for the waistband.  Then I decided to make him a pair from some more of the cotton lycra from Textile9 Fabrics.  In fact, I decided to cut two pairs while I was at it.  After all, while I had the machines loaded with navy thread, and while I had the binder set up with this fabric, I might as well do two pairs.  This  which would use up more or less all of this particular piece of fabric.

 It went reasonably well.  I had a bit of a fluff hemming one pair, so I needed to unpick it.  It was getting late on Monday,  so I decided to leave it until I was fresh the next day.

The next day I had a phone call to say that my Uncle had had a heart attack while out on his bike, and they were abot to carry out an emwergency proceudre to try and save his life.   

Of course I went straight to the hospital.

All my time since then has been involved in supporting him (and keeping the relatives and friends updated)..  It's his story, not mine, so it's not appropriate for me to put any information on here.

The knickers are still waiting to be finished.

0 sleeps

Flockdown ended just before midnight last night.  During the day DH set up netting and mowed the grass,  ready for this morning.

We let the Girls out.  They streamed out in a long line, and ran for the grass.  Even the aged and stiff legged Norah and Gloria walked down the garden to get to the lush grass. 

It was lovely.

Before long, Poppy had got under the fence and into the kitchen.  And Fay kept flying over the netting to the bare area.  She just can't help herself. Stupid hen!

Bloody Update

Astrid, my blood soaked Leghorn, stayed in the nestbox in the orange Cube for ages  She laid an egg in there.  The walls are once more soaked with blood, from where she kept shaking her head.

She came out, and wasn't too happy about being trapped in the separated run.   She ate a little of the cabbage I'd put on the floor for her, and a bit of sunfolower seeds.   She hadn't bothered with the scrambled egg, which was a bit worrying,  so I put some of that on the floor for her, and fed the rest to the others.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle last night.   Elizabeth (hatch sister to Violet and Bot) had not managed to find a bed for the night.  I caught her, and popped her in the purple cube, which is where the majority sleep (and where she usually sleeps).

Astrid was hunkered down in the next box again, and I was a little worried about her.

This morning, the clocks changed. 

The clock on the openers on the Orange Cube (Astrid) and  the Green Cube (Norah, Katy and Fay) adjusted automatically, so they were let out at the new 7am, which was an hour earlier than they are used to.    The opener on the  purple cube, with the majority in,  did not change.  There was a lot of squabbling, as they Purplers could hear that some of the others were up and about.

I went out to check on Astrid at about 9am.  She was marching up and down,  eager to be let out of her confinement.    I didn't let her out, I came in and had breakfast.

After breakfast, I let everyone else out into the netted outside area, and then I released Astrid.  She looked much brighter.  She went outside with everyone else, and I had to stand and keep watch for a while.   Gloria was bullying her a bit,   waiting for Astrid to start eating some grass then walking up to her and forcing her to move.

I gave her a warning with a "Gloria!" growl, and she looked at me.   She knows her name, but she rarely hears it in that tone of voice. 

I went on to explaine to her, in the most menacing tone I could muster, that I loved her very much. But, as much I loved her,  so much that I spent half an hour every day hand feeding her lettuce and grain/seeds,  if she touched Astrid,  I would cull her. 

DH checked on them in passing when he went out to do stuff in the garden. 

I went out just now, and Astrid is looking OK.  11 of the 12 girls are out n the vey denuded patch of grass.  Norah is in the main run, as usual.  She hasn't been in the netted area for a long time (she does go "outside" in the fruitcage run though).

I'll go out again in an hour or so, just to see how they are, and to hang up some vegetables.   I keep the chicken veg in a fridge in the summerhouse.

Bloody mess

I went to let the girls out into their netted external area this morning.   Poppy crouched for me, which was unusual.  I had found a very thin shelled egg yesterday, soI 'm guessing it was hers.

I saw some blood on Astrid's (one of my Leghorn) comb, and I realised that she had been pecked, severely.

I bent down to take a look, and I saw that she had blood everywhere. 

Her neck feathers and her face were soaked in it .  Her earlobes were covered in it.  Her comb had blood apparently coming out of many places.

I picked her up and brought her in the house to try and deal with it.

I started with wet kitchen roll, trying to "sponge off" what I could.  I didn't know where to start.  I checked that her eyes were OK (they were). 

There was so much blood. 

I know that combs and wattles bleed profusely,  but usually they stop before too long. 

She was panicking, and I was concerned that she might have a heart attack.

Over the course of the next half hour, I managed to get a lot of blood off her neck and her face.  

Her comb was still bleeding, but I was struggling to find out which of the blood pools were just blood, and which were injuries.  She struggled so much, that it was hard to hold her and clear her up.

We have blood all over the glass door now, and all over the floor.

I ended up using Septi-cleanse powder to try and staunch the bleeding.  She was very stressed (at being captive), so I put her out in the garden.

A bit later, I checked on her, and could see that she still had loads of fresh blood.  More powder.  Some purple spray.

She desperately wanted to get back in with the others, but I was  not happy about it.  In the end, I let her back in, and watched what was going on. 

While waiting, I wondered who had attacked her.   

Then I remembered Poppy crouching for me.   
Last night,  Astrid was in the orange cube with Poppy.  Could she have done it?

I opened up the Cube to see if there was any evidence.

It was like a scene out of Dexter.  There was blood spatter, everywhere.   Again, I know these scenes are not as bad as they look.  Usually its the hen shaking her head that causes the blood to spray everywhere.   But this really was everywhere. .

I started to try and scrub it clean.    Astrid came in the Cube , so I put it back together so she could sit in it.   She had gone back into the Run by the time I finished. 

Poppy appeared.  And then Poppy started harrassing Astrid.  

I ended up putting Astrid in the orange Cube,  with some food and water hooked on the wire accessible from the mezzanine,  and I blocked off the access to that part of the run.

Later I checked on the camera, and she was waiting by the mesh, wanting to come out into the main run.  I went and let her out   She went into one of the wooden nestboxes.

Our setup is a huge covered run, which has 2 cubes with separate runs attched on one side,  a fruit cage ( with a cube inside) attached to another side,  and access to an outside netted area from a 3rd side.   We can close off any of the sections at any time. 

Most of the other girls, including Poppy, were sitting in the fruit cage part of the run, so I shut the auto door so they couldn't get in to the main run.   There were three of four girls in the netted outside area, but they didn't seem too interested in Astrid, so I left that hatch open. 

Sunshine, the other leghorn,  went and stood by the door to the nestbox.  I don't know if she wanted to go in and lay,  or if she was concerned about Astrid.

Just in case, I waited until she went about her business before leaving. 

I'm so disappointed in Poppy.   I know she's a chicken, and chickens do what chickens do,  but it was spiteful and unnecessary.  And she knows it.  That's why she was crouching for me.  She wanted some reassurance that she was a good girl.

A little later, I went and checked on Astrid,  and saw that she had left the nestbox. She was in a corner, and one of the younger girls (Violet or Bot) was pecking at the blood on her neck.

I took some warm water out to the run to try and clean her off, but there was just so much blood, and all the hens were interested in what I was doing, and in the blood on Astrid.

Someone else couldn't resist a peck, and her comb started again. 

I was going to bring her back in the house, but I know she finds that stressful.  So, I ended up putting her back in the orange cube run,  with the entrance shut so no one else can get in.      She'll stay there until she's had time to recover properly.    

Ive put some scrambled egg on the mezzanine for her, as well as food and water.

I'll leave her for a while and then see what the situation is.   I may leave her there overnight, which will infuriate Poppy who sleeps in that Cube normally. 

6 more sleeps

6 more sleeps until Flockdown is over for the Girls.   They have no idea.  I can hardly wait!

The area we let them out into,  covered with approprately sized netting to comply with regulations, is such a mess.   We've had to restrict their time out,  and I'm spending a small fortune each week on fresh vegetables for them.  I'm getting another delivery today,  hopefully the last (for chicken veg).

When they do go out, they will have access to the "lawn",  the one area we aim to ckeep chicken free. Almost chicken free.   It's the area we use - used to use -  for the chicks, for a few weeks before they go to the allotment to live.  No chicks last year, and no chicks this year.   We don't have space to add any chicks to the flock here and, more importantly,  we don't want to have any more birds given the precariousness of the Covid situation. 

We will spend a few hours next  Wednesday fencing off the garden that we don't  want the girls to go in.  This is the veggie beds,  the area they have been using as their "outside area", and all the areas tha DH re-seeded at the beginning of March.  It also includes a small grassy patch which we are keeping as a backup for them, in case it takes a while for their previous "outside area" to recover. 

Gloria and Norah are still here, surprisingly.  I've been expecting Gloria to check out for a few days,  but she's carrying on.  She's still eating,  helped by a faily  private dining experience of half an iceberg lettuce and a load of sunflower seeds.      

I hope she and Norah both stay long enough to feel the lush new grass under their feet. 

 

Knitter Natter

Well, I finished my knitted infinity scarf!

it's got a few, erm,  holes. The knitting is a bit erratic (for example where I was meant ot be purling and I accidentally did some normal stitches),  and doesn't stand up to close scrutiny.  But,  it is the first item I've ever knitted, and I had to learn a whole load of techniques to do it.

I had the urge to knot becaise I accidentally won an Ebay auction for quite a few balls of  wool yarn.  The wool yarn was Sirdar Faroe, which feels lovely and was a plesanat pinky colour.  I'm not reall a pink person, but this was an acceptable variation.

So, I bought a pack of bamboo needles of various sizes from Amazon,  and had a go.   First, I had to learn how to cast on.     I did a few rows, and realised that I'd picked needles which were too small for the chunkiness of the wool. 

I abandoned this piece, on it's needles, and started again.  Later,  Shelby ate some of the wool yarn, like spaghetti, and DH had to pull it out of her throat.

My second attempt was quite acceptable really.  I quite liked it initially.   I realised after a few rows that I should have used  bigger needles.  I ordered some circular needles from Amazon, and transitioned.   I made a complete hash of the transition.

For my next attempt, I started with circular needles.   However, I just kept turning the kntting round when I got to the end of a row.   I thought that circular needles were just a way of holding a lot of stitches.  I used more than one ball of wool, so that was another thing I had to learn how to do.

I quite liked what I made, despite the flaws.

I wanted to learn how to purl,  and I found a good tutorial for an infinity scarf, knitted (properly) on circular needles.  I orered some larger circular needles, better quality, and tried again.

During the creation of my scarf I had to learn how to purl, and to mark my stitches.   The purling took a while for me to "master", I really struggled t get my head around it and I started again at least twice.   Now, of course, it seems very easy, and I can't see why it was such a challenge.

As expected, I had trouble maintaining the number of stitches.  I ended up with a lot more than I started with, despite dropping some along the way, which is because the wool was so fluffy and was multi stranded. 

I saw someone using a cat's head shaped marker.  I found a template on Thingiverse, and DH kindly 3D printed some for me.

There were multiple instances of where I should be purling and I accidentally knitted,  or vice versa.  This usually happened when I was trying to knit without watching what I was doing.    I had been using an elastic band to markthe beginning (so I knew where to change from knit to purl), but  I  lost it on more than one occasion. I'm sure it also contributed to my stitch multiplication.

After quite a few balls of wool yarn.  I decided it was time to stop adding rows and to finish it. I learned how to cast off.  It was a bit hit and miss, but I did it.  I then went back to my other attempt, which were all still on their various needles,  and cast off those as well.

I couldn't possibly use the finished knitting if I was making a jumper but, as it's a scarf,  I can and will wear it.

I started this because I had bought too much wool yarn, and just to see if I could do it. 

Ironically, I've now bought another 15 balls of the same wool yarn in a different colourway,  so I can try and make it again. Just to see if I can do it better this time. 

I did try a quick square with some very delicate yarn, Sirdar Firefly (which I had also bought in a large quantity, to use on my bnew Embellisher).    It was a bit of a disaster,  I'm not ready to handle that sort of yarn.

I'm not adding knitting to my list of active hobbies, but I would like to see if I can make something with fewer mistakes this time.

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Total crafty things this year: 28

Sewing based makes: 16;
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)

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
Knitted Infinity scarf

 

Bye Bye Big Bird

Big Bird died.  She was 7 years old, and her death was not a surprise. It was a heart attack overnight.

When she was a couple of weeks old, she was enormous compared to the other chicks in the hatch.  She was big, and  the only  yellow chick. We were sure she was goung to be a boy.    She was a quiet bird, no trouble.

She's descended from the original birds that we hatched as table birds, but ended up keeping.  She has the "brick shaped bum" that meant she had to have help, from time to time,  keeping clean.

The flock is a literally a lot more dull without her lovely yellow plumage.

She was also the last visible link to some of the most wonderful hens we've ever owned, including our first kind roo, Roo.

I'm sad that she's gone, but not devastated.   I did not know she was going to die, but it wasn't a surprise.  

She was 7 years old, and she had a full, happy, free range life.  She died without a long painful illness, and without us having to make a decision to cull her.   

Curtains

Now that some of the girls are coming back in to lay, Nest Box wars have broken out again.

I kept meaing to make new curtains for the wooden next boxes, to make them more attractive.

I finally did it. I made four sets.

I had a great idea, to use my coverstitch and the binder attachment.  Unfortunately, the ristop fabric would not move (and I can't see a sliding foot for the coverstitch), so I havd to use the overlocker,

They aren't great, there is definiteely a red mite risk.

But they are doing the job

 

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Total crafty things this year: 25

Sewing based makes: 16;
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 boces (4, but counted as 1 make)

Learning activities: 7;  

Non sewing based craft makes: 1. 

 

SBCC

I decided to make a top using a petite (i'm short waisted, so 'petite' actually works for me at the top) pattern from Skinny Bitch Curvy Chick (SBCC)

This was one of the first two patterns that I stitched which actually fitted.  It may even have been the first.

I still have and still wear the top I made originally, and I wanted to make something other than the sleeveless top I've become so proficient at.

I picked a very stretchy fabric (just in case), and I whipped it up in no time. Even the sleeves!

I'm so happy.

 

 

 

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Total crafty things this year: 24

Sewing based makes: 15;
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

Learning activities: 7;  

Non sewing based craft makes: 1. 

 

Wool Spaghetti

Have you seen the original Lady and the Tramp?  There is a scene in it where the pair eat spaghetti from the same plate.

Shelby kitten decided to eat wool, in a very similar manner.

We thought she was playing with it,  but then we realised she was swallowing it.  DH grabbed her, and caught the end of the yarn before she swallowed it.  He pulled gently.  And carried on pulling  and pulling.

And we had a huge length of yarn retrieved from her stomach.

I now have to keep my knitting in a zipped bag.

Unexpected consequences

I went to check on the Girls, as usual, after they had gone to bed.  

I check to see if anyone has not managed to get into a coop,  and I take a look and see who is in each coop.   After months of a mostly comsistent arrangement,  last night saw an unexpected change.

For a long time now, the  Green cube, out in what was once our fruit cage,  has housed 5 hens.  Four of the ex allotmenteers - the ones in the second evacuation, namely  Nora (oldest hen),  Katy (one of the 3 next oldest),  Big Bird, and Ping,  and also Fay.  Fay was temporarily at the allotment when some Girls were stolen, so she kind of had a foot in both camps.     She is low in the pecking order, and a very small, nervy, girl.

I had been very happy that she seemed to have found a place in the ex allotmenteer group. I have a soft spot for her.

Last night, however, she wasn't in the green cube.  She was in the purple cube, which is where most of the other girls go overnight.  [Poppy, another of the 2 second-oldest,  sleeps in the orange cube, sometimes on her own but often with a party hen, or a hen which has been denied access to the "in" crowd].

I was really surprised.

It could be that she just didn't get in before the Green Door closed.

It made me wonder whether her link to the Greenies was a friendship with Ping (who died yesterday). 

I'm interested to see what happens tonight.

Goodbye to Ping, and to Bella the Cat

Ping, my silver grey dorking, died today.  She was only 4.  Her twin,  Pong,  was stolen a year ago (along with my Appenzeller and two silver duckwing leghorn).

She was OK yesterday, she was very vocal.  Today, she looked a little unwell.  I picked her up and she didn't resist, which is how I knew she was really not right.  

I gave her some drops,  and decided to put her in a crate in the kitchen so I could keep an eye on her.

She drank a little from a syringe, but she refused yoghurt and scrambled egg.   I've been haunted by Annie's death so, although I could see she wanted to be left alone,  I felt her abdomen to see if I could feel an egg.    I couldn't tell.

She got a bit worse, and I decided to risk putting her in the sink in a warm bath.  I realised that it might be the wrong thing to do, but if she was egg bound it would help; if she wasn't egg bound,  then she was dying anyway.

She didn't mind the bath.  She didn't grip my fingers when I put them under her feet though, and that's not a good thing.

She died peacefully shortly afterwards.

There is no sign of any respiratory stuff in the flock.   She had no mites or lice. 

It might be one of those things,  it might be coincidence.  It might be that she's eaten something that has poisoned her. (we never did find out what killed Jasmine all those years ago).   It might be stress.   Maybe she'd had an accident or been injured in a fight. 

She had some heft to her, so it wasn't a case of her being ill for a long time and hiding it.  .

I'm so very sorry that she's gone.  She wasn't the friendliest of girls but, recently, she'd started responding to her name.  She had such beautiful feathering, similar to our little cross breed Dorkings (Norman, Not Norman,  Siouxsie Sioux and Pogo).

I've been expecting several of the Oldies to go at any time, but I didn't expect to lose any of the middling hens. 

It's been a horrible weekend.    

One of Miss T's two cats was hit and killed by a speeding car yesterday.  I won't tell her about Ping,  not for a while anyway, as she's got enough to deal with right now.   This is the first time I've ever decided to keep something like this from her and it doesn't sit well.

 

 

 

Stubborn is OK

I half expected to find a dead hen on the mezzanine this morning.

More than half.

The Mezzanine was empty.  When I got into the Run,  I did a quick headcount, and all were there.   I looked carefully at each of the three flat combed girls.  They all looked fine and perky. 

I think it was Phyllis (the older of the three, and Mum or Aunt to the two youngsters) that was out on the ledge last night.    It was quite hard to tell in the dark.  

Stubborn

We have a mezzanine outside our original Cube, built on the inside of the cube run. It was originally built for our Exchequeur Leghorn hen, Lotti, who had a deformed foot. She sometimes had trouble forcing her way in at night, so we built the mezzanine so she could wait there until she could get in.

In the summer, some of the girls like to camp out on the mezzanine.  Its also used as a waiting area, when the nest box is busy.

Tonight, one of the flat combed chickens was out on the mezzanine after the auto doors had shut. It was 6.15, and I assumed she hadn't been able to get in to her usual cube.  Fleur, a cuckoo Marans who has tunrned into a thug, has started sleeping in with the majority, and she likes to block others access.  I'm often finding odd bods bunking with Poppy in  her Cube.  Poppy's cube is the one with the mezzanine outside

I opened the coop door, and shone a torch and made encouraging noises,  She ignored me.  There is limited access to the mezzanine, all I could do was to gently prod her from the side.   She turned round, saw the open door, and just turned back again. 

This is unusual.  Usually a "party hen" (a stop out) will go in to the coop as soon as the door is open. 

I took the back off the Cube,  leant in and through, and tried to get her to come in,  She looked at me, but would not budge.  I left her to it.

At 1am, the wind was howling and it was raining hard.  I was worried that she might be regretting her decision, so I went out with a torch to see if she would go in.

I expected her to rush in when the door was opened.   She didn't.  

We had a repeat of the attempts from earlier in the evening, and she did not want to know.

I've had to give up.

There is a clear plastic sheet over the mezzanine,  I made sure as much if it as possible was covered.

I hope she is OK.

Knickers!

Did I mention that I tried cotton lycra on the Gable Boxer Shorts?     I even managed some beautiful binding round the fly.

However, when DH tried them on, there was something very wrong.  It was probably my sewing, or interpretation of the instructions, but something was amiss.  I checked against the pattern, and I couldn't see what I'd done wrong.

 I decided to try anotherpattern.    Made by Jacks Mum had just relaunched as Waves and Wild,  they were now including Projector files,  their Superhero Boxer Shorts had no back seam, and all the relaunched patterns were only £2.   I bought the pattern.

I made up a pair, and they mostly fitted.    They certainly fitted where the Gables had not.    I think I should have made a size smaller (although DH was happy with the size,  he just wasn't too keen on the jersey waistband), DH wore them all afternoon, to see how they got on.  He didn't say anything, so I assume they were OK.

I'll do the smaller size next, with some elastic so we can see how they compare.  

I also made another top. Same old pattern.   I used the differential feed on my overlocker to gather the neckline.   t works so well,  it nev er ceases to surprise me. 

I used my narrowest binding to cover it, and it worked well.  I didn't have it lined up as well as I could, so I haven't taken a picture of the finished neckline.

I forgot to take it off differential feed, so I inadvertently sewed the shoulders on a slightly gathered setting, but it was OK.

I bound the sleeves, which was OK until I ran out of binding.  It's a bit of a botch at the back.

Lots of little niggles, but wearable under a jumper.

 

 

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Total crafty things this year: 23

Sewing based makes: 15;
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);
Overlocker chicken

Learning activities: 7;  

Non sewing based craft makes: 1. 

 

 

   

Sewcial chicken

We had a Babylock Zoom Sewcial last night, and Jane showed us how to make little stuffed chickens  on an overlocker.

I played around afterwards to add more detail (like wattles,  and moving the comb, and trying other optios with the tail) to see if I could make a hen representing Annie.    I'm nearly there.  I need to do another version, and then I need to stuff and add eyes.

 

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Total crafty things this year: 21
(Sewing based makes: 13;   learning activities: 7;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

Adieu Annie

Annie died today.

Annie was 5 years old, and was a solid, rugged girl.    She was a harem baby, half sister to Barbara who died about this time last year.   She was a lovely independant lady, very intelligent,  and I will miss her very much.  She was very vocal when she came from the allotment last year, and took a while to settle in to life in the garden.

I'm lucky that she left us with one daughter, Elizabeth, who is very much like her mum in looks and temperament.

She was "not right" yesterday. It looked like she might be coming back into lay and she had the demeanour of a hen brewing a softie.    I gave her some Nutridrops, and left her quietly in the coop.

Last night, she went into a different coop, the one with the Oldies,  which she never does normally.  I imagine the rough and tumble of the main coop, where she normally slept, was too much for her and   I imagine she wanted some peace and quiet.  

I checked on her first thing this morning, and I could see that she was slipping away. Her breathing was shallow, she was very still, and her head was down.         I couldn't tell if she was in any pain, but it was evident that she was dying.  This wasn't just a softie thing.  

A bit later, I asked DH to take a look with me.  We decided that it would be better if he culled her.  We couldn't tell if she was in pain,  but we at least if he culled her, it would be over for her.  I stoked her and talked to her, to tell her how much I loved her.  I told her that Elizabeth would carry on her looks and personality,   and that I hoped Barbara (her half sister) would be waiting for her.

I've been expecting a few deaths from the older girls - we have some at 9 and 10 years old - but Annie going was a bit of a shock.  She had some heft to her, so it wasn' a case of her being ill and wasting away, which is a relief in a way.      

It's done now. 

RIP Annie.

Making Movies

My lovely coverstitch machine, ousted byEuphy, has gone to a new home.

I put her up for sale locally, and also on specific/relevant group.   The seller contacted me via the group, and I was amazed to find that she was local - in the next town along.

Covid restrictions made it impossible for her to come and try the machine,  so I offered to do a quick video so she could see it working.  She asked if I could also show her how to thread the machine (in a video).  

So, I made a series of short (just a few minutes each) videos covering different aspects of the machine, using my phone and one of my handy gorilla stands with phone grip.   The videos covered General tour,  sewing with her,  sewing in the round,  threading the loopers, threading the needles,  sewing on woven.  A couple of them I had to record more than once because I had a mental block, or I fluffed up zooming in.

I had to get DH to take the video of me doing the thread changes, as I couldn't position the camera to see both the distance and the detail, and do the threading at the same time.

I quite enjoyed making them. Once I got into the swing of it, they went quite well,  I played them back to make sure they were coherent, and I was happy with them (for their intended purpose). 

The lady liked the videos, liked the machine, and was happy to buy.

She arrived yesterday evening to collect,  and we did it all responsibly distanced.   She was a lovely lady, and I hope she gets on all right with it.

I'm counting the whole process as a craft learning activity.

 

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Total crafty things this year: 20
(Sewing based makes: 12;   learning activities: 7;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

 

Knit Wit

I was trying to convince my older brother to try his hand at knitting.   

He was struggling for activities in Lockdown, and I suggested knitting would be worth trying. He didn't have to take it up as a permanent hobby.     He refused.

I can't knit.  Well, I can do the stitching bit, but I can't cast on, I can't cast off, and I can't do anything other than a basic knit stitch.  I also can't knit more than a few rows without accidentally increasing the stitches, and dropping the odd one here or there.      I haven't tried knitting since I was about 9 years old.

The other week I was looking at the mounting piles of wool that had been coming in (in anticipation of my Embellisher arriving), and I decided I should at least try and learn how to cast on. 

I ordered some bamboo knitting needles and, when they arrived,  I set about finding a video to learn from.   After much trial and error, I found a video that I could follow, and I learned the long tail method.  The person who made the video assured me that, if I was only going to learn one method, this should be it. 

Afterwards, I sat down, and knitted many, many rows using some gorgeous Sirdar Faroe wool. .  My hand ached a bit. the needles I'd used weere a bit small for the chunkiness of the wool.  I got a bit bored. 

Some time later, I decided to try again, using some Sirdar Firefly yarn.   That was a complete fail.  I couldn't even cast on with that.  I tried small needles.   it was a mess.

I picked up the Faroe wool and some bigger needles, and  ar down to see if I Could remember the casting on method.

I did!

I knitted to the end of the ball (there was only half a ball or so as I couldn't bribg myself to undo the knittting I'd done before)..   

I need longer needles.   I've ordered circular needles now to see if they help.

I'm aware that it's not up to much,  but it's probably more knitting than I've done in the rest of my life, and I'm proud of it.

I don't think I'll be taking up knitting as a hobby.   But I might try and watch a video on casting off.  And maybe doing a different stitch for variety.

I'm adding this  to my "learning activities" tally. 

 

Total crafty things this year: 19
(Sewing based makes: 12;   learning activities: 6;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

Always something to learn

I had an opportunity to join a Zoom workshop for my new covertsitch machine today, and I took it.

I'm already quite competent at using the machine,  and using several of the attachments.  It's a lovely machine,  very easy to use.  I strongly believe, howeverm, that there is always something to learn, or to be reminded about,  so I was very pleased to do the class.

And it was worth it.  

I learned the solution to the problem I'd been having with one of the binders (use 45mm strips, not the stated 42mm.  I'd already guessed that the strips needed to be wider,  and it was great that I now have a size to work to).  I also learned that the rake needed adjusting.

I learned how to coverstitch a circle (using the middle needle marker as a guide).

I learned how to move the needle, and move the threading, without having to unthrad and rethread. 

I learned about some new stretchy thread that's worth trying (Seraflex. And maybe Seraflock)

I was reminded about using other threads in the lower looper, and I learned about using shirring elastic in the looper.

 I learned that I could use the coverstitch to gather, so that's an option instead of my overlocker, next time Im doing a gathered neckline).

After the class I did some tests on gathering.  I switched to a chain stitch (so one needle and the looper), and I cut some fabric so I had several identically sized pieces.

I then did a gather using just the differential (top in pic); I then put shirring elastic into the looper, and tried that, with no differential feed; And then I did shirring elastic AND the differential (bottom in pic)

The difference was interesting.

I was thinking thse might be good for cuffs, as well as necklines.   I need to try and incorporate one or more of them in something. 

It was a well spent few hours, and I'm really grateful to Jane at Jane White Tuition for organising it.

 

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Total crafty things this year: 18
(Sewing based makes: 12;   learning activities: 5;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

 

 

 

Jibber Jabber

I had my jab on Friday.

I was very grateful to be called up for it.  Everything was well organised.

I had a bit of a reaction Friday night and Saturday,  and spent Saturday in bed.  Things were improved by Sunday,so I was up ad about but not doing much;   and much better by Monday.     I've reported the reactions via the Yellow Card online system,  in case they are linked to the medication I take.

I tried cleaning the bathroom on Monday, using a mop thing that is made by the same people (Air Craft)  that made the floor cleaner I use.  It's designed to clean walls and things, and it's a one head, adjustableangle, version of their floor mop,  specially designed for walls and...things.     I cleaned all the bathroom walls (it's all tiled),  the walk in shower (walls, floor, and ceiling).   I used the various brishes to lean the shower tray, the seat, the air vents.  It worked quite well, but I was not 100% fit when I started and I ended up with a problem in my hip or glutes. 

I'm not quite sure where the problem root is, or what I did. I couldn't sit down comfortably, I couldn't lay down comfortably.  I couldnt stand for too long. 

I managed to get an appointment with my Chiropracter on Tuesday,  and that helped a lot but hasn't fully fixed it yet.

DH and I went out for a short (3/4 mile) walk this afternoon, to see if that would help. It didn't particulaay feel the benefit tomorrow.  

I'm well behing with my daily fitness activities. . 

End result is I'm a little out of kilter.

I finally managed to finish two of the three tops this morning.  The third one I managed to need to unpick, and dug a hole by mistake (not in a temper,  it's think fabric and easily done).

The one with the cats the correct way round has a rubbish neckline, but lovely armhole piping.  It's still wearable, and I'm counting it as a win.    The one with upside down cats has a goodish neckline, and not great armholes.    It's definitely wearable, and I quite like seeing the cats looking up at me when I look down. 

Definitely a win. 

 

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Total crafty things this year: 17
(Sewing based makes: 12;   learning activities: 4;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

Pig of a day

DH collected half a pig from our friend Shirley today,   whilst I took Izzy to the Vet and then went off for my Covid jab.

When I got back we had a late breakfast, and then set to work on the porker.     My hips and back are really aching now, I've been standing for hours.

This time DH wanted to make some back bacon and to try making chorizo.  We've got some belly joints, some schnitzel,  the tenderloin, deiced pork, minced pork,  I'm rendering the fat for lard,  and we have a mountain of pork for sausages.   Last time we made so many sausages that we were able to have sausages pretty much every week;  we may be in the same situation this time. 

I *should* have kept some shoulder chunks for use  the pressure cooker,  but I didn't think of it until it was too late.  Maybe I'll remember next time.  Probably not.

F U N E X?

S, V F X!

At last! It's been a very long time since we last had an egg from the girls, so I was really excited to see two of them (Ping and Astrid) trying out the nest box this morning.

The Old Wives say that the hens should come back into lay around Valentine's day.   They are about right then - for 1 out of my 15 girls anyway.

I'm not sure who laid it.    It's probably Ping, the Dorking, as it's not really a pure white egg.  But i'm recollecting that my Leghorns didn't lay china white eggs,  so they must have something else mixed in with their heritage.

But here it is, in all its glory.

 I'm not ready to cancel my weekly egg order just yet though.  

Stuck in a bind

Some things just aren't meant to be.

Following on from my binding adventure,  I cut another tee shirt.  I went to the sewing roo to sew the shoulder, and I realised that I had cut it upside down.

Luckily, I had plenty of the fabric, so I cut a third one.   I decided to try the slightly bigger binder on the neckline.  The bigger one required 2mm strips and makes a 12mm binding (the one I had used before was 36mm/10mm).    I cut a huuuugely long strip of fabric, and my problems began.

The edges curled terribly, and I couldn't get them to stay open in the binder.  I ended up using most of the strip trying to sew a test piece.   I did another strip.  I tested this on my upside down garment, and it went on quite well.   I decided to do it on my 3rd garment, and it was a disaster.  

I unpicked it,  cut more,  went out and bought starch and tried starching the fabric,  it was rubbish.  I'm sure that 42mm isn't wide enough.

I went back to my smaller binder.  I cut a strip of the corresponding size, I changed to 2 needles (remembering my learning from the other day) and it went on really well.    I modified my joining technique, and it was  mess.    I decided to try binding the armholes.  That went well, I adjusted my technique again, and that was dreadful.  I'm hoping that it won't show up as I don't really go around with my arms up, and I still intend on wearing the top.  I think I may have figured out where I'm going wrong on that.

I googked for help on the binding, but couldn't find the answer I needed.  Most people use bands (where the a circular band is made and applied),  and that's what I've always done until now.  Although a lot of people advcocate making neck binding in the flat (leaving one shoulder seam open), none of them really show how you close the seam withte binding in.  Gail Yellen does have a video on th etopic, but she doesn't use her overlocker to do it.

I had some binding left over, so I decided to bind the armholes of the upside down garment.   I did a beautiful job on the first one.  Shame it turned out that I'd bound the side instead of the armhole

I unpicked it, and decided I'd sew up the garment anyway (as I can practice my latest 'technique' for joining bindings on the neck) and I'll just hem the armholes.

I've got to hem all three of them, and I'd like to get that done today so that I can get on with my next project.   I had a fab selection of 92% COtton/8% Lycra delivered from Textile9, and I'm going to try that bloody boxer shorts pattern again.

 

 

What a bind

I made another sleeveless tee shirt today, and today I was determined to  use my binder to apply the neck binding.

So, I cut out my fabric, and I gathered the neckline using my overlocker.  

It was beautiful. 

I could have cried.  

(In case I ever forget this,  I used the overlocker, not the knife,  from the top of the shoulder, down a few inches. Then, I changed the differential to 2, and carried on to the same point on the other shoulder.   I switched back to N, and carried on to the top of the shoulder.  This also had the benefit of stablilising the rest of the neckline a bit.

Next, I wanted to tackle the neckbinding, so first I watched a really helpful video by Gail Yellen.  She just happens to use a Babylock, so her video was perfect.

 

Beautiful Binding

I set up Euphy.  Feeding the binding into the binder was a little tricky as  the binding I was using was a bit curly at the edges - this  caused problems later.  

I did as Gail suggested,  and then I took a deep breath and added my tee shirt. Off I went, slowly and carefully, starting at the back to any teething issues would be hidden by my hair. 

 And it worked!

 

 

Oops

 

Well, it worked except for the bit where the fabric had curled before going into the binder accessory, I hadn't noticed, and didn't notice until I'd finished.   Sadly it's on the front of the garment, so it's pretty disastrous.

I also should have used 2 needles, not 3, which I realised perfectly well before I started but I carried on anyway.  This only caused minor issues. 

Despite the issue I had, I'm really pleased with that part of the process.

 

Of course I made a pigs ear when I overlocked the second shoulder together.  I lined up the binding, but I lined it up so itwas correct from the inside and it wasn't correct when turned out.   I'll try harder next time.

Finally, I used the down turn feller  to hem the armholes, and that did a good job.  I migh ttry binding the armholes next time, as I need the practice, but that will mean I need to be even more careful when it comes to overlocking the seams. 

I've still got to hem the bottom, and I'll do that later.

Luckily I have enough fabric for a second one.  Maybe tomorrow. 

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Total crafty things this year: 15
(Sewing based makes: 10;   learning activities: 4;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

  

 

Gutting

It's been 3 weeks (21 days)  now that I have been having my post-biome analysis gut health smoothies.

I'm acclimatised - mostly - to the taste.  Usually I put half a banana in.  If I've go fresh bananas i put half of one in a smoothie and the other half in the freezer.  That way, I don't end up with a load of overripe bananas, and I have a freezer bag of half bananas for when I don't have fresh. 

A while ago I found some tiny  tubs of some berry puree (tayberry I think) at the back of a freezer drawer.  The water had frozen into a separate layer on top of the puree, so I hoiked that out and added the very concentrated puree to my smoothie.  It was lip puckering.     I had several tubs, so what I've been doing is defrosting a tub , and then using a third of a tub.  I guess I'm having 3 days puree, then a few days of banana, then back to puree.  It's been in the freezer for years, so I'm really happy to have found it useful.

The jar containing the kefir grains is out on the worktop, so it's very productive.  I strain off the kefir infused milk each day, and put the strained stuff in the a lidded jar in the fridge for drinking the following day.  I top the grains up with fresh goats milk, and put it back on the worktop.   I have to strain it off every day, otherwise its overfermented.

Chuckling Goat was having a flash sale on biome tests and, as I want to have anothe rone when my 90 days programme is over,  I bought one ready. It's fairly short dates, which is probably why they are having a flash sale,  but it is still good for more than a month after I need it.      

Once the 90 days is up and I've sent in my next biome sample, I'll most likely continue with the gut health smoothie (minus the Monkey Tail Mushroom powder, which is 90 days only) while I wait for the results to come back.    I signed up for an auto delivery of the prebiotic powder as it was significantly cheaper per bag this way, and I'll be needed a few bags still.

I tried to get DH interested in doing  biome test, but he declined.

Maybe he'll be interested when we've seen the results of my next test.  I think I'm seeing some improvement in my rosacea,  but it varies so much from day to day that its hard to be sure.

 

 

Jacket Required

The Girls have been on Flockdown for.. I don't know how long.    They are doing quite well.  

DH put up yet another netted area, to give the first one a rest.  The grass is already showing the stress of 15 pairs of feet, and 15 bored beaks.

None of the girls have come back in to lay yet, which has surprsed me.  I thought the two leghorns would have started laying by now.   It may be that they are laying , and the eggs are being eaten.  I look for evidence, but haven't found any.    Traditionally it's Valentines day that marks the time they should be coming in to lay, so we'll see what happens.

We're very lucky that there is a "local" place that delivers eggs, so we've had 18 eggs a week delivered for some time now.     

The forecast for tonight is -4 degrees.    Tome to roll out the extreme temperature jacket!.

I bought the Jacket many years ago, as soon as Omlet started selling them. Back then we had only 1 Cube, so I only bought one jacket.  It's sat in MyShed since the day it was delivered.    We didn't think about it last time we had a cold snap.

This time, I decided to try using it.

We have 3 Cubes.  One has 7, or 8, or 9 occupants in, and so does not need insulating;  One has 5 occupants and that was the one I was initially considering jacketing,  and one has 1 or 2 or 3 occupants, depending on who has been allowed in the first one.

I wanted to do the 5 hen cube, because the 5 girls all squash in the nestbox. I have no idea why, but I think it's because the Cube is more exposed.      But if we have a Cube with ony 1,2 or 3 girls, surely that needs it more?

In the end, I did the Cube with the fewest occupants.

I'm not at all sure about it.  It covers all the ventilation (apart from the vents at the front), and that's not usually a good idea.  Still, cold is cold,  so I'll leave it on tonigjht and take it off tomorrow if the temperature is going to increase. 

The auto close failed.   It failed because I'd put the jacket on, and it was blocking the door pull thing.    

The pic is before I realised what was going on.  

 

 

Gathering pace

Last night I decided that today I would make a sleeveless top.   

I had my sleeveless top pattern out as I was trying scanning and importing into Inkscape for manipulation, and projecting.  I had mixed results,  but I did learn a lot from an online intro done by one of the members of the Projectors for Sewing Facebook group.     I will be able to do a lot of manipulation of bought PDF patterns, and I'm looking forward to doing that.

Anyway, as I had my template out, I thought I might as well make a top.    I cleared the cutting table, got some fabric from my stash, and cut out the simple back and front.

This particular pattern of mine has a gathered neckline instead of bust darts.   I decided to try gathering using my overlocker.    I watched a video, just to make sure I knew what I was supposed to be doing, and had a go on a test piece.  I used a lomg stitch,  overlocked for a few centimetres, then changed the differential to 2.  This should mean it gathers, say, 5cm of fabric into 2.5 cm.

It worked like a dream.    I didnt gather enough - that is, I started too late and ended too early roud my neckline -  which has affected the way the item hangs,  but the gathering was gorgeous. 

I will definitely be  trying this method again next time I make this pattern.

I finished the item on my coverstitch machine.    I used the large Single Down Turn Feller to do a triple stitch hem.    The  Downturn Feller lets me hem without having to iron first.

I didn't need it to be triple stitched,  but I already had 3 needles in, and I thought I might as well.

For the armholes, I used the tiny Single Downturn Feller and simply hemmed them rather than adding a binding,   This worked really well. 

Finally, I put a neckband on.   I was going to use the binder attachment, but this requires one shoulder to be open, it can't be sewn in the round.  In case I stuffed up,  I decided to do it my usual way, with a band cut to the right size and sewn into a loop.  This way, if something went wrong, i would know what was caused by the gathering and what was caused by the neckband.

That would have been OK, if I had actually done what I intended,   Instead, I cut the length and forgot about sewing it into a loop.  So I was attaching it to a closed loop, and of course I completely stuffwd up the final join.  And then I made a complete pigs ear of coverstitching.  It was the worst of all worlds!    

Serves me right for being cocky.   

It's not bad (apart from the neckband), but it would be improved if I had gathered more.    I might make another version tomorrow.  I might even try the binder attachment.

In other news, some really Useful Drawers arrived today and I've installed them in the small bedroom (where the A0 table is) and they are now full of wool.    My embellisher wasn't in my Dealer's delivery today sadly,  but she has sent me the additional feet I ordered.     I hope they come soon, while i'm in a "making things" frame of mind.

Total crafty things this year: 13
(Sewing based makes: 9;   learning activities: 3;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

Spinning a yarn

I started mildly shopping for remnants of interesting wool. Yarn, I mean.   My Embellisher will enable me to thread yarn,  and I wanted to get some interesting colours and textures.

It turned out to be a bit of a rabbit hole.

A deep rabbit hole,

I've already received a couple of small bundles.     Now, I'm actively looking for specific wools, sorry, yarns.  I wish I could knit,  some of them are amazing, not at all what I remeber from my childhood.

 I've had to start a spreadheet to keep track of my Facebook Marketplace purchases!  Partly so I can make sure I keep track of what's still to arrive,  but mainly to avod be buying two lots of the same thing accidentally.

I've had to make myself start saving some of the things I'm inerested in and then leaving it ab hour or so and coming back to it.

I have no idea whether any of this is going to work in the Embellisher, so I am trying not to look any more.  It's almost as bad as buying fabric.

 

 

 

Cushioning

DH decided to put a brighter bulb in the floor lamp.   Afterwards, it was horrible.  It was slow to warm up, cast a funny colour, and was reflected in the middle of the TV screen so it interfered with my viewing.   

He open to trying a new bulb, but I wanted to try something different.  It occurred to me that an old fashioned standard lamp might work.     I started to scour FB marketplace, Gumtree and Ebay to find something suitable.

I didn't find anything.  Either they weren't what I wanted, or were too expensive, or were too far away (we're in Lockdown, so I needed something localish).

My searches meant that my Facebok ads were all about lamps.   A lady who makes handmade shades popped up on my feed,  and they looked lovely - but not what I wanted.   It did make me do an impulse search of Standard Lamp Shades and one of the first ones I saw was  perfect.

I showed the picture to DH, and he said he might be able to adapt the current lamp so it could take that sort of shade.  I ordered the shade, and it arrived the next day,

I burst out laughing when I saw the shade, because I realised why it had appealed to me so much.   Stacked in my stash,  I have several metres of upholstery fabric, in two colourways, with the same design!

I decided I'd make a matching cushion.  

Originally I was going ot use the same fabric, but use the different colourways on each side   I changed my mind when I retrieved it from my stash as I found some other fabric that was waiting patiently to be used.

 

I was going to put piping round the side, but parked that when I decided to do a zip at the bottom.   It's been a while since I've done a zip, and I had to use a tutorial to work out how to get it in place properly if it wasn't going the whole length of the bottom (This was the tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M3XWdjDry0_.  ) I realised I was going to have to use my sewing machine (instead of my overlocker and its zipper foot), so I parked the piping.  I regret that a bit. 

The resulting cushion is fine, I'm happy with it. Of course I could have done it better, and maybe I will next time.  

 I will probably make a second one,  but I don't have any more cushion inners and they aren't really an "essential" purchase.

I placed the cushion straight for the photo, but normally it is angled so it is standing on one of the corners.    It occurred to me that maybe I should try changing the orientation of the fabric on my next one, so that the images are the right way up when the cushion is on its corner.

I'm definitely overthinking this now!

 

 Total crafty things this year: 11
(Sewing based makes: 8;   learning activities: 2;  Non sewing based craft makes: 1. )

Blankie

As well as accidentally cleaning the ovens, I did lots of other Domestics.  I moved all the furniture in the living room to do a proper vacuum and floor wash.  Moving one of the side tables, I found a box underneath.  In the box was a heated blanket. It belonged to Miss T.

Well, it didn't really belong to her,  but she claimed it as hers, we referred to it as her blanket,  and she used it every time she was here.   The thought of it made me smile and, paradoxically, the urge to cry welled up inside me.  

Instead,  I took a picture of it and WhatsApped her.  I said I'd been cleaning and found it, and that I missed her. She messaged straight back, twice.

I miss you too

followed a few seconds later by

And the blanket.

 

I do love her!
 

Accidental Oven Cleaning

Yes, really.

The kitchen was a mess.  Nothing unusual in that, except it was a bit of a grubby mess.   I woke up with a headache,    but still got up and did Day 2 of our latest 21 day challenge.  Then, after I had showered and we'd had breakfast,  I had a second cup of coffee.

Since last summer, I've been drinking cold coffee.  Ice cold.    It started with a bargain from Lakeland, a Kitchen Aid Cold Brew coffee maker.   We'd been having cold brewed for a while, and I'd been using my Severin frother to do the milk.  

Last summer, when it was hot,  I tried making coffee with foamed cold milk.  The Severin does a bang up job of foaming cold milk,  and it was quite pleasant.     I carried on like that all Summer.  

In the Autumn, I tried hot coffee, and I couldn't drink it.   It just tasted....wrong.  So, I've only had cold coffee since then.    

I was running out of coffee. I wanted to make sure I had some for tomorrow, so I drained the remaining coffee out of the pot, washed it, and DH made some fresh (it won't be ready to drink until tomorrow).   I had my usual coffee,  but there was enough left for a second cup.  It seemed silly saving it for tomorrow, which is why I had a second cup.  

Anyway.   DH unloaded the dishwasher, and put a couple of bits in.   I wanted to try and get things straight, so I started my usual "points" game,  and started clearing and cleaning as I went.    I put a couple of things in the dishwasher,  and I thought "I could put the oven racks in".   I'd noted the other day that they needed clraning.    So I went to our main oven, and got out the racks and put them in.  

They take up a lot of space.  I thought to myself, I might as well put in the racks from the other oven then. 

Then I thought "If I take out these few items from the top basket, I can get side brackets in.   So I did.  And I put the dishwasher on.

The glass door of Number 2 oven was really greasy.   I thought about putting some Oven Mate on it.  Then I looked in the oven, and thought "No, if I do that, I'll have to clean the whole thing".  But then I realised that I'd be putting clean metalware back in, and I'd probably regret not doing it.  So,  I did it. 

And of course I then had to do #1 oven as well.  Then I had to clean the splatters off the floor becaise of the kittens.  I'd put newspaper down, but I'd managed to splatter the floor.   Then I realised I'd better wash the floor.

Which meant I had to vacuum. 

Which meant I had to clear the floor.  And as I was washing,  I needed take the mats out and beat them.

And as I was doing it,  I'd better pull out the printer unit from under the kitchen table and vacuum and wash under there.  And then move the butchers block thing.  And then clean the stools.

As I was replacing things, I had an accident.  As soon as I realised that I was in serious trouble, I shouted for my  husband.    We have a Varier Move stool which has a gas lift, I'd been putting it back under the table and had been trying to put the bag of waste textiles on it.  Somehow I managed to operate the lift, and my wrist became trapped against the metalwork of the electric desk.  Because the stool was underneath the desk, I couldn't get the purchase on it to force it down.  My writst was getting more and more squashed and, because there was a metal bar running across the underneath of the desk, I was concerned that my wrist was going to break.

DH came in to see why I was shouting. At first, he thought I was joking, but then he saw that I really was stuck and worked out how to free me.  He tried but failed to suppress his laughter at my predicament.  

I'm just trying to finish the cleaning now.    I've still got to finish cleaning the ovens - I've got to get the gunk off and wash them out.    About now, I'm slightly regretting starting,  but I will be glad I've done it, when it's done.

I normally only have one (very large) coffee a day, and today I had two.   I suspect the extra caffeein is what put a rocket up my b*m.