When the weather has a different plan

 This is my 1962nd blog post.  I was born in 1962.  Wow!  That's a lot of me sharing.  Some of it was probably pretty good, but I shudder to think about the rest of what might be out there.  Honestly, not that much has changed.  I'm still interested in the same stuff I was when I started, I've just practiced and gotten better at it.  

I have too many projects going on and therefore have finished nothing.  I have a machine quilted quilt, a hand quilted quilt, an afghan, an appliqué block and now a garment sewing project.  And, oddly, I feel that way in my life as well.  I have a lot going on.  But, it doesn't feel so much like a chore or a burden.  It's just life happening around me and me moving along with it and moving from project to project.  

I worked on the sweater some more last week.  I sewed on the buttons and that meant I could seal it up in a storage box with some cedar pieces to keep moths out of it, along with all the other wool garments that it's generally too hot to wear in TX.  Fortunately, the cedar is working and everything looked just like when I folded and stored it.  

I also shrunk the sweater some more.  Before I put it away, I tried it on again and buttoned it and it fit different buttoned and was still huge.  I dampened it and put it back in the dryer for a while and it came out much better.  The underarms still feel low, but I think that's more how it's made than the size.  I'm so glad I went off pattern the lower the shoulders and bring the underarms up a little.  Wish I'd done more.

How about an inspirational reminder of the Ruby McKim Flower Garden quilt?  I needed to do this to get me back on track with that project.  Twelve blocks made.  Thirteen to go.  The next block is Bleeding Hearts.  Everything cut, marked and ready to go.  I only got as far as the leaves, tho.

I got distracted by men's underwear and sewing with stretchy fabrics.  I saw a pair of men's boxer briefs that I liked but could not find anywhere online to buy, so I decided to try to make them.  I bought a pair of sweat pants at Goodwill for $2 and took them apart and I found a pattern for a basic pair of boxer briefs online that I could alter to add the features I wanted, like a fully functioning fly and a waistband with elastic and a belt tie.  There was enough fabric for two tries, so I cut the first one out and sewed the pieces together using several techniques on the seams until I found what worked best for me.  I got the basics assembled and tried them on and miraculously, they fit.  They look huge laid flat and Rob and I both predicted they'd be too big.  And, yesterday, I cut out the real pair and got started and after a lot more mistakes than I made on the practice pair, I got them mostly together.  Just the hems and waistband to go.  I guess we will see whether this is something I can wear.  Or maybe something I shouldn't wear.  

We're getting ready for tree trimmers soon and fence builders after that, so I had to get started moving stuff out of the way and cleaning up the cluttered places in the garden, like where I stored extra pots and fencing and stuff like that.  That was all under a tree that was killed by the February freeze and we're having it taken out.  It didn't recover.  Fortunately, the really big tree did mostly recover and they're just removing branches at the ends of the limbs from it.   While I was there, I saw this Cape Fuchsia in bloom. This was a half price plant that I brought home and put in some shade to recover, then put in some hot sun and it went mad with bloom. 

And, this is a TX red star hibiscus seedling that's blooming.  Mine bloomed and there's one around the corner that I shared that also bloomed.  I have a bunch more plants to give away this year.  

We went to Goodwill yesterday to drop off several boxes of stuff and of course that meant we had to go in.  We both scored some clothes and Rob scored this turntable that looks like a suitcase.  I don't think he was impressed but I liked it a lot.  

And, I scored this Fostoria Americana divided bowl for $3.  Linda gave us some of these pieces and I've added a couple that I've found like this, for really cheap.  Not the same kind of collector I used to be.  

Okay, that's it for me.  I spent a good bit of yesterday getting the company ready for tropical storm Nicholas and have been up this morning doing updates and I just saw another update from the NHC come through, so I need to get up and get on it.  Everybody have a great week!  Do something you enjoy.  

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I'll leave you with this thought.

Lane