Pouches and snow

I wasn't moving too fast on Sunday.    I wanted to make few more curved top pouches so I got four more units quilted. With these four, I have made 72 over the last four weeks.  

Cut them to size

and now they are sewn together ready for a label once those arrive. Looks like the labels arrived in the states on Friday and are probably going thru customs right now.

I sewed the backs on these three smalls. They are now ready for stuffing.

I had another order arrive from Wawak and this time I remember to get some zipper stops. I needed those for the zipper I had put in that hoodies I altered.

I am designing a special tote bag and have the basic design figured out. Now I need to figure out a cutting list.

I snowed sometime in the very early hours. Here where I live, it was just sticking to the grass, cars, trash bins but not to the streets.

Then on my way to work fog was heavy. We have people that live all over NE Ohio and this morning they were saying the highways were bad because there was ice on the bridges. That meant there were lots of accidents. I don't have to go on a highway thank goodness! The daffodils looked pretty sad this morning.

Busy, busy, busy!

I took Friday off because I just have a lot to do. Thursday evening, I started getting my sister's 2024 Xmas present ready for mailing. Yes, 2024! I added a couple other things. One of those was a copy of our mom's recipe box. I had to clean off one of the tables in the garage. I spend 1 1/2 hours cleaning. Now I had a place to put this binding machine.

It binds the papers like this

I had a cross stitch piece to frame too. I will show you that once my sister receives her package. Packing up everything took me until Friday morning to get everything ready then make a boxy pouch to mail for someone else. A quick trip to the grocery store and both packages are now in the post office's hands

The rest of my Friday was spent sewing together pouches. 22 more done. I also had to paint and start to assemble my sign for Saturday's protest.

The daffodils are looking pretty!

Saturday morning, I had a hair appointment which with travel time took over two hours. I stopped at Hobby Lobby on the way back. I was looking for discounted frames. I found one I liked. I needed some paint brushes and found some marked down, got a couple of pails for Easter candy, and I needed more framing hardware.

I ran into a friend and we talked a bit. I had to hustle home to get something to eat then I headed out to the Hands Off Protest. There must have been a couple thousand people there! People driving up and down the street honking horns, chanting, blowing whistles, and bells! This is the first time I have ever participated in something like this. I was there for two hours. I was getting tired so I headed back to the car which was almost a half mile away. Next time I will wear hearing protection; it got loud! I used a pint extension pole so I could make my sign taller or shorter as needed. I could also rest the pole on the ground so I didn't have to hold the sign. I got this idea from my brother, but made it even better with using the extentable paint pole.

Once I got home I sat down to rest a bit. I think I fell asleep in my sewing chair. By the time I woke up it was around 5, so I got some dinner and started feeling a bit better. I decided to finish up the last eight pouches.

I keep plugging along on the pouches

I got 7 more pouches finished last night.  Remember, they are inside out.

I look every day to see where the labels are and they are making their way to Ohio. Once they hit the states, I ought to get them pretty quickly unless they get held up in customs.

More Pouches done

I was able to get the 10 pouches done last night except of course for the labels. Here they are inside out.

Only 37 more to sew together!

Better than nothing

I had a heck of a day at work. When I got home, I got a bite to eat and fell asleep in my sewing chair. I did manage to get the zipper installation started on the next 10 pouches.

Pouches, yardwork, and bicycle

My Saturday was a busy one. After a quick trip to the grocery store, my neighbor came over to help me cut down the ornamental grass. He has a nice hedge trimmer that cuts thru the tough grass quickly.

The ones in front and there was one other one that are now cut back.

Look at the mountain of debris! It took three tarp loads to get it all moved to the back of my lot and dumped in the woods.

While we were at it, we went over across the cul-de-sac and cut down Becky's. She texted me thanking for doing that. I let her know Eric helped too.

Before I finished leaf blowing the rest of the bits to the back, I was telling Eric I was going to go shopping for a new bike. I have had my current bike since 1993, but haven't ridden it in a number of years because it is just too hard to get on and off. Back in the 90's, there wasn't different sized frames and the seat on this bike came up to my waist. He said he would sell it on FB for me - I don't do FB. It is still in great shape and has been a good bike.

After three hours, that part of the yardwork was finished. I got cleaned up and headed over to a bike shop. The weather wasn't that great, so it was a good time to shop since the shop wasn't that busy. I was helped by a nice young woman, and she was bound and determine to find the right bike for me. I had her take me out back to try out the bike I finally thought I might want. I haven't been on a bike in years and was worried that I might fall off. It went well and after a few trips around the parking lot I was sold. Here are my new wheels!

While I waited for the shop to install the computer, lights, and handlebar bag I walked over to a nearby grocery store and picked up a few things that the store on the earlier trip did not have. By the time I got home it was after 5. I was at the bike shop 3 1/2 hours! I was tired so I unloaded the bike and started on quilting the last 5 pouch units. I finished those on Sunday morning so it was time to start sewing the pouches together. First I had to match up zippers.

I am sewing the pouches together in color groups so I can sew assembly line style. Friday, I decided I wanted to get labels made, so I had to leave a space unsewn on seam for the label once they arrive. Yes, I made more work for myself, but the labels are so cute! 

I got 21 pouches done except for the label. I left them inside out. The labels have already been shipped so lets see how long it takes to get them. I bought them from an etsy shop located overseas in eastern Europe.

I have 47 more to sew together.

I'm tired. LOL!! Thank goodness it rained so I didn't feel guilty about not going for a bike ride on Sunday.

The end in sight

Two more pouches are quilted. I thought the yellow bobbin thread was going to give me problems, but it didn't - yeah!

I only have five more pouch units to quilt and then I can start sewing them together!

It was nice outside when I got home so I took a walk around the yard. The daffodils are starting to bloom. The ones next to the house are a bit farther along since the brick absorbs the heat and creates a microclimate as the heat radiates from the brick.

You can see how much farther behind the ones in the center bed are compared to the other bed.

Then there are these two that were planted by the squirrels.

My main Lenten Rose bed is full of color.

I have a long list of things I would like to get done over the weekend. I texted my neighbor and asked if he could let me borrow his hedge clipper to cut down the rest of the ornamental grass. He said we could tag team that job on Saturday - sweet! It is supposed to rain the weekend so I will be spending lots of time in the sewing studio working on the pouches. Have a great weekend!