Bags and More

The Juki 1541 hasn’t even arrived yet and I am already taking reservations for repair and alteration jobs. One of our volunteer firemen came to the plant sale on Saturday and asked if I could fix a boat cover for him. On the list of jobs this week is cleaning the sewing machine area of the old garage and making a space for the machine. I still don’t know when it will arrive, though, as the freight company hasn’t updated the tracking information.

I also want to make some bags. I’d like to make another stack of canvas grocery bags because I still get requests for them. And I have a stash of waxed canvas begging to be used. I bought this Spencer Ogg pattern last week:

Do I need a pattern for something like this? No, I could figure it out on my own, but I like to support fellow designers and there is something to be said for not having to reinvent the wheel.

I’m thinking ahead to the craft sale and to having items available that other people aren’t making.

I bought a Husky rolling tool crate last fall for hauling my serger supplies to class when I teach. Tera has something similar, and we both took ours to Sew Expo where they worked beautifully. The husband and I were watching a Den of Tools video a few weeks ago where the Tool Bear—he’s out of costume now—mentioned that these tool bags were getting harder to find. I went ahead and ordered the 16” tote that rides on top of the rolling bag:

Now I have additional storage, or a smaller tote to use when I don’t need the large one.

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I did not stay for the potluck and congregational business meeting after church yesterday. I was “peopled out” after the plant sale and needed some alone time. Rain was in the forecast, too, and I wanted to cut the grass before the rain moved in. I mowed the garden perimeter with the push mower and mulched the rest of the potatoes with grass clippings. I then worked on the yard around the house—on my John Deere tractor—which took a bit of maneuvering as my mowing route has been altered by the work the husband has been doing on the property. The stupid ground squirrels have done a lot of damage, too, making new holes and tunnels in the front yard. They won’t be around much longer because the husband is systematically demolishing all the ground squirrel condominiums out in the woods. They live in piles of logs and downed trees, and those are either getting cut up for firewood or burned if rotten.

The yard still needs some trim work but I ran out of juice. It will have to wait. As the husband reminded me, though, we’re not trying to be on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The woods, where he has been working, are looking great. Our neighbors across the road are having some clearing done on their property, too. We’ll be as ready as we can be for fire season.