Sewing the Quilt Top on Tuesday

Little Diamonds Quilt Top

Dancer and I are feeling a lot better, today.  He's still sneezing and I am still a bit congested, but, we are on the mend, I think.

I slept in, a bit, brought in the trash cans, checked on the plants in the garden, and went through this week's grocery ads in the morning. 

Then, in the afternoon, I sewed the quilt top.  Sewed the diamonds into rows and then, sewed the rows together.  There are six rows of five diamonds per row.  The next step is to buy a solid colored fabric for the borders and figure out a backing.  I think a solid blue or purple will help tie all the colors together, don't you?  The fabric store will have solid colored cotton on sale for $1.99/yard on Thursday.  I will go shopping for fabric on Thursday 

Dancer came to do his part and inspected the quilt top:

Dancer Inspects the Quilt Top

A Closer Look to see if the Corners Meet!

Later in the evening, I watched some TV and knitted.  I had bought some blue yarn (last year?) to make a sweater, started on the ribbing, and put it aside.  I took it out, today, and started knitting the sweater back. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Dancer and I are feeling better and he was well enough to carry out his inspection duties!
- An afternoon of sewing
- Invitations to Thanksgiving with family and friends
- The sewing machine worked well
- Time to knit and sew

Today's joyful activities were sewing and knitting.

Wednesday's To Do List:
- Water the back garden if it doesn't rain
- Tidy the kitchen
- Tidy the family room
- Start on holiday gifts crafting

How was your Tuesday?  Have you started on your holiday gifts, yet?

More Grocery Shopping on Monday

Both Dancer and I are feeling a little better, today.  He has been sleeping most of the day, but, he has meowed at me to ask for tuna and he even ate some of his dry food, as well.  I didn't call the vet because I felt he was getting better, but, I will call the vet if I feel it is needed.

I was very tempted to take it easy and spend the day sewing, today.  In fact, I ironed all the quilt blocks and unpicked and resewed the one quilt block that I had sewn upside down.  But, it was a warm sunny day and I wanted to run a couple of errands before the cold and rainy weather arrives, later this week!

I went to the gas station, first, as my gas tank was just below half and I like to have a full tank in case of emergencies.  Gas, at the cheapest station in my area, was $3.79/gallon, today; 6 cents cheaper than it was last week!  I filled up the tank (I already had just under half a tank of gas) and it cost $35.12.

Then, I went to my favorite dollar store to buy a few groceries:

11/18 Groceries

I bought:
2 bagged salad mixes @  $1 = $2.00
4 individual containers of yogurt @ $.50 = $2.00
Bananas @ $.49/lb = $.59
1 bag hot wings = $4.00
2 packages (1 lb. each) bacon @ $1.50 = $3.00
1 frozen pizza = $1.00
1 package desiccated coconut = $1.00

My total came to $13.56, according to the receipt (I rounded up the amounts I paid to the nearest dollar, above).

11/18 Receipt

November grocery budget = $75
Spent to date = $13.95 + $2 + $13.56 = $29.51
Balance left = $75 - $29.51 = $45.49


I hadn't planned to buy bacon, but, it was on sale for $1.50 (50% off the regular price because it was nearing its "sell by date" at the end of the month).  I will freeze them and they'll be fine for several more months after that.

I also hadn't planned to buy the frozen pizza (not a brand I am familiar with), but, I wanted to try it (it has a garlic bread crust and Alfredo sauce instead of tomato sauce) and it was only $.99!  I baked it for dinner and I thought it was quite good. 

After I came home and put away the groceries, I watered the front garden and took the trash cans out to the curb.

I had eaten a slice of bread with cheese in the morning for brunch and had eaten a banana before I watered the garden.  But, around 5:00 p.m., I was hungry and, instead of having my usual cup of tea, I ate a salad with some sliced grilled chicken breast added to it.  I was hoping that it would do for dinner, too, but, around 8:30 p.m., I got hungry, again, and that's when I baked the pizza and had a slice of it.  They do say "feed a cold" don't they?  LOL.  I wrapped up two slices of the pizza and froze them and put the rest of the pizza in the fridge for tomorrow. 

I watched news and knitted another hat in the evening.  Later, I video chatted with my daughter.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Both Dancer and I feeling a little better
- Bargains at the dollar store
- Gas for the car
- Water for the garden
- A warm, sunny day in which to run errands

Today's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for tomorrow include sewing the quilt top and watching some of the House hearings.

How was your Monday?  How is your November grocery budget coming along?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

Small Diamonds It Is!

Pile of Small Diamonds!

Both Dancer and I are feeling a bit under the weather, today!  He started sneezing, yesterday.  Then, this morning, I woke up feeling my sinuses were blocked. 

Poor Dancer spent practically the entire day, sleeping.  He didn't meow as usual, either, and I had to call him to eat his tuna - usually, he's in the kitchen, meowing at me, every time he hears me in the kitchen.   But, he did eat and he drank some water.  If he continues to be listless, tomorrow, I will call the vet and ask if I should bring him in for a check up.  

As for me, I took two Tylenol tablets after brunch (cereal and milk) and felt better.  I still feel a bit like I might be coming down with a cold/sinus infection, but, the headache and body aches went away.

Thank you, everyone, for giving me your opinion on yesterday's post about which quilt pattern you liked the best.  The popular opinion regarding the quilt blocks seems to be in favor of small diamonds!   Since I am planning to give this quilt as a gift, I think the small diamonds pattern is a good choice.

I spent the afternoon sewing the blocks together to make small diamonds.  Patsy Cline and Elton John kept me company while I sewed (and sang off-key!  LOL.)

Unfortunately, the bobbin thread got jammed up on the very last block and by the time I cleaned out the broken threads, it had started to get dark and I stopped sewing for the day.  Tomorrow, I plan to sew the blocks together to form the rows (provided the sewing machine cooperates!) 

In the evening, after dinner (leftover barbecue ribs and salad), I did the dishes/ran the dishwasher and started knitting another hat.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny, warm day

- Dancer ate and drank, although not as much as usual

- All of you participating in choosing the quilt block pattern

- My sewing machine

- An afternoon of sewing

Today's joyful activity was sewing my quilt blocks.

Plans for tomorrow will mostly depend on Dancer and how he is doing.  If he seems to be improving, then, I want to do a little grocery shopping and sewing.  If he's not showing signs of improvement, then, I need to call the vet and, maybe, take him in for a check up.  Keeping my fingers crossed that he'll be better in the morning.

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday and the week ahead?

Playing with Fabric on Saturday

I slept in on Saturday.  I woke up, once, around 7:30 a.m., when a friend texted me a photo of her new born baby granddaughter (the one for whom I made the baby girl quilt), and, I suppose I should have got up, then, but, I went back to sleep!

Once I was up and had my tea, I did a little paperwork, watched some TV, and finished knitting another hat. 

M came by in the early afternoon and he cut down the dead guava tree that was growing in the side yard, planted the cannas, the sage, and the variegated iris, and watered them.  Now, we keep our fingers crossed and hope they all grow!  I will water the garden, again, on Monday and, our forecast says it might rain on Wednesday!

It was a warm, sunny day, today, with a high of 82F.  Tomorrow is supposed to be hot, with a high of 90F!  Then, it will get cool with a high of only 56F on Wednesday!

In the evening, I played with some fabric, arranging and rearranging the scrap pieced blocks that I sewed earlier.  I am still trying to decide which is the best arrangement for the blocks.

Chevrons

Small Diamonds

Or, a big diamond?

Central Diamond

Slightly Off-Centered Diamond

Of course, I had help, as usual:

Helper Kitty

Which arrangement do you like best? 

Today, I am grateful for:
- A sunny, warm day
- M helping with the garden
- Dancer helping with the quilt!
- Time to play with fabric
- Fresh lemonade

Today's joyful activity was playing with fabric.

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?

More Knitting on Friday

Yes, I watched more of the House hearings, today, and, while I did, I knitted. 

Knitted Scarf

I finished knitting this scarf with the novelty yarn I bought, a couple of years ago.  At first, I cast on 7 stitches with US #9 knitting needles and the resulting scarf was too narrow for my liking.  Then, I cast on 12 stitches and this is the result.  It's fluffy on both sides and is more rounded than flat. 

Then, I knitted these two hats:

Knitted Hats

I cast on the same number of stitches, but the ribbed one tends to contract and appears narrower.  I started a third hat, but didn't get very far with that one.  These hats are to be donated to the cancer center; I will leave them in the chemo room for anyone who might like one.  I want to make a few more and take them with me when I go in December. 

In the afternoon, I went to the pharmacy to pick up two of my medication refills.  Then, I went to the adjoining dollar store and bought a bag of mixed salad ($1) and two small containers of yogurt ($.50 each).  I also bought a 2020 wall calendar, a pocket planner, and two pairs of rubber gloves, 

M came by in the evening to do the garden, but, it was getting dark, already, and we decided that he should come to do the garden tomorrow afternoon, instead.  He shared some canna lily rhizomes with me.  Apparently, someone else was getting rid of them!  Yay!  More free plants! 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Drama free medication refills at the pharmacy!
- M sharing more plants with me
- My yarn stash
- Being able to watch the hearings on TV
- A working heater

Today's joyful activity was knitting.

Saturday's To Do List:
- Hem two pairs of pants
- Garden with M
- Maybe go to the fabric store

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for the weekend?

Doctor's Appointment on Thursday

I woke up this morning to the news that there has been yet another school shooting, this time, in California.  How did someone who turned 16, today, get hold of a gun?

In the afternoon, I went to my doctor's appointment.  It was a routine follow-up appointment with the radiation oncologist.  Everything was fine, although my blood pressure was low.  The doctor checked me out and said it was OK.  I am to return in three months for another check up (I will have another three appointments with my other doctors in between).

I aired out the house and watered the back garden, after I came home.  Still need to water the indoor plants.  I've been watching news all evening.  At one point, the electricity went off, but, it came back on after just a few minutes.  Neighbor T called to check on me, afterwards, which was very sweet of her.

Today, I am grateful for:
- The doctor's appointment went well
- A safe drive there and back
- Fresh lemonade made with lemons from my garden
- An abundance of pineapple guavas
- Parking validation at the doctor's office

Plans for tomorrow include watching more House hearings and tending to the garden with M in the evening.

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday?

Knitting and Unpicking on Wednesday

New Scarf in the Making

Today, I woke up early to watch the televised House hearings.  I remember watching the last impeachment hearing too.  I decided to do some knitting while I watched the hearing and pulled out another unfinished project, a scarf that I had started a year or so ago.  I even finished the scarf, but, then, didn't like how it turned out (too narrow), so I unpicked the whole thing and started all over again !

In addition to watching TV, knitting, and unpicking, I did laundry and watered the front garden.  The radiation oncologist's office called and confirmed tomorrow's appointment, so, that's on the agenda for tomorrow.

Today, I was grateful for:
- Television
- Electricity
- Being able to knit
- Water for laundry and the garden
- Being able to video chat with my daughter

Today's joyful activity was knitting

How was your Wednesday?