A Month of Contractors

 For the past three summers, we have avoided having contractors to the house. In addition, contractors were hard to get. So this spring, we decided it was time to get a couple of projects finished. You can try to schedule contactors but they still come when they come. Wet weather delayed some of the work. That said, we ended up with three contactors, all arriving in the same couple of weeks. 

Last year, we had to get the foundation fixed and the subsidence from that needed to be fixed. It looked like this before the landscaper.

Now it looks like this.

Last week, the temperatures decided to remind us that it is still summer (even if we aren't suppose to wear white shoes.) Temperatures were in the mid 30C range and the humidity was awful. My sewing room was like an oven, so I sewed from about 7:15 to 8:30 in the morning. I did manage to finish the shorts I was making my little guy for back to school.

I suspect they will not be needed for daywear in a couple more weeks, but they can become pajama pants next.

I joined a Fall Finish Along, and have been trying to do a few rows of a shawl I've been working on for 2 years now. However, I got caught by a shiny new thing.

It will become a toe up slipper sock if all goes well. I also have another sock on needles. Wonder if I can get all three done before the end of the month?

Meanwhile, I didn't play with my August Thread Lab from Aurifil, and now September has arrived.

The green spools are 40 wt. and the grey spools are 24 wt. The project for this month is applique and I don't know if I have suitable fabric for the projects. So, I might try something else. I have two purses promised so I need to get to those.

As summer continues a bit longer, I will add a flower picture from my patio to the bottom of this post.

Closer to Ready

I managed to get many things done last week.

I did a lot of baking, which is all gone now.  I filled two boxes and sent them off on Thursday, to points west. 

I made 12 bandanas for my granddogs. I forgot to take a picture before I mailed them but this is what they looked like while in process.

I hemmed them all on my serger, I might do a fancier job if I planned to sell them but the dogs don't care. I kept a couple for Doug. He modeled one for you.

I also finished a pair of mittens to go with the neck warmer from last week.

The hat is currently on the needles.

Over the last 10 weeks or so, a quilt ladies from the church have been in overdrive to produce some Advent banners for the church. It was a monumental project, 10 banners with two for each week of Advent and two for Christmas.

I still go to church virtually but my spy took this picture yesterday. The fabric came from multiple stashes. The other side of the church has the same banners in mirror image. My role in making them was largely putting on a couple of bindings. I think the quilters did an excellent job.

The weather has turned cold, and seems to be here to stay this time. It started to snow, late Thursday and by Saturday morning, we had this.

There is a bird feeder under there somewhere. Emme is disappointed that her friends, the birds, have been hiding.

I guess I need to make some cookies for us, this week. And finish that hat!

Hats!

Sandra, over at mmmquilts has a monthly link up DrEAMi (Drop Everything and Make It) where she asks to see our squirrels, the projects we just had to do.

After my mask manifesto last week, I decided I needed to make my grandson a new hat. He comes to play with us once a week, and Dad never remembers to bring a hat for him. The point of his visit is to play outside while socially distancing, something that is very difficult in his townhouse. So, he needs a hat. He has been wearing one of mine, but I thought I'd have the fun of making a new one just for him.

The fabric is from a line called Purely Canadian, Eh! Summer BBQ. Let's face it, nothing says summer in Canada like a bear cooking salmon on the grill, or a moose riding a paddle board.

Bear tried it on, but says it is too big for him. Funny, the grandson's hat used to fit better. 

This is the side with the moose playing in the water.  Yes, the hat is reversible. 

Fits him, much better than it does Bear. The best part is that he likes it. Now if we can just keep it on his head!

I actually made two hats (technically 4 because you put one hat inside the other to make them reversible), and one is on its way to Edmonton, to adorn the head of another little boy.

And because this is suppose to be about squirrels, Doug would like to know where the squirrels are.

Halloween

I was going to show you pictures of retreat, but that can wait.

Today, I have a little bag I made this morning.

I made a trick or treat bag for my little guy, from a fat quarter I was gifted.

I thought the fabric was not at all to my taste, but one of the clearings of the give away table at my quilt group turned up this , and it was handed to me because it had cats on it. The colours are kind of Christmas meets Halloween. Red and green, cream and orange, I found it a very odd combination.

So, this morning it became a small tote bag.

Here is a closeup of the fabric.

The bag took less than an hour to make and it even has fleece padded handles. All those bags I have made have taught me a few tricks.

It is just the right size for a three year old.

Roses For Leanna

This has been a week of finishes. I started this quilt in a class about 10 years ago. Put it away while I figured out what I needed to do to love it. Pulled it out this past spring, fixed the top to my liking, and then Leanna fell in love with it. Since Leanna needed a quilt, it is going to her, now that it is finished.

Of course, I have a very hard time finding a place to take a picture of a large quilt, that isn't covered in pet hair, but I tried.

It is a little lumpy but it stayed clean. It is 78" x 78", according to the lady who did the quilting.

It has lots of red roses. The border is tone on tone roses.

Krista did an awesome job on the quilting.

The back is red flannel so I asked her to use beige in the bobbin, too, to give the back some interest.

The corners are flat and square.

It is even labelled! Most of my quilts aren't. I expect she will enjoy it when the weather gets cooler.

And, because summer isn't quite over yet,  another pair of shorts for my little guy.