A Crafter's Life

Things to Do When You Have a Bad “Cold”

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

It’s cold outside in the Denver Metropolitan area (with snow on the ground) and I have a “cold”.

I’ve put the word “cold” in quotes as I do not know if it is just your standard old fashioned winter cold, or our friend Omicron the COVID variant. Omicron, Omicroon, Omicruel, Omicrap, Omiramadingdong. Yup I so over all this.

Perhaps it is a cold, perhaps it is the COVID variant, did not go get tested as did not feel up to it and I’ve been isolating. My partner John has not gotten sick. We are vaccinated for COVID and the flu, etc.

I’ve been stuck at home with lots of fun “cold” type of symptoms but no fever. Actually the symptoms are about the same as every winter cold I’ve had before. Except add in the paranoia of maybe I’ve finally caught COVID.

My nutrition over the past couple of days have come from water, tea (so much hot tea), chicken noodles soup (homemade by John!), chicken broth (when the soup was way too busy for me), toast, jello, ice cream, and hummus (don’t ask me why but hummus worked for me today as food).

Sounds like all of Denver has it (perhaps I exaggerate) but I wonder if you have to just walk around in full protective gear to avoid it now.

My Covid 19 Protection Suit - Darth Vader - Choke | Make a Meme

Back to isolating – I’ve been stuck inside past couple of days but made it out once for a dog walk. I maintained social distancing and refrained from running up and kissing anyone I ran in to on my walk.

With memes and TikToks, teens lighten the mood of 'corona break' – The Boiling Point

But here is what I’ve been up to while being stuck inside over the past couple days.

QUILTING

Working on a scrappy quilt on my old Bernina using the “log jam” free form log cabin block style piecing, with my Northcott Stonehenge fabric line scraps:

(oh warning; the photos in this post will likely be crappy, as I feel like crap..)

I’ll share a whole post on this project once I get some full blocks done. Right now I am just “chain piecing” and trying to build each block up to 6.5 inches by 6.5 inches (a random block size I selected based on the size of the ruler I want to trim them with).

TAKING ON THE JUKI

This is embarrassing, but I bought a used Juki sewing machine for making bags (using heavier fabrics), etc. in I think Spring 2021 (2021 is a blur now, I am just making up when things happened in 2021 at this point) and I could not get it to work right because I was confused on threading it, etc.

So I just abandoned it and made it a mysterious sewing machine object on the other side of my sewing table from my Bernina (or “my beloved” as I like to call it).

I let the Juki stare at me anytime I sat at the table sewing on the other machine.

Staring Cat | Meme Generator

I learned to ignore the Juki and pretend it was invisible, but while being stuck at home I decided to actual get out something called a MANUAL (that I had printed out months ago and placed on the Juki as decoration…or perhaps to keep it company) and read the MANUAL. I also watched a couple YouTube videos on threading the Juki, winding the bobbins, fixing bobbin tension, etc.

It was all very dry reading/watching and it seems way more complicated than my Bernina (which basically functions as an extra body part for me) but I got it working!

So I am going to make myself make my next bag on it. No more neglecting it for my beloved Bernina…at least this is what I am telling myself.

GRANNY SQUARE PARTY

Sat around and made granny squares, creating a kingdom of crochet on the sofa table where I was stationed somedays:

READING

Reading the book Billy Summers by Stephen King, which is so good so far…

And finally reading random magazines I bought during the early days of pandemic in 2020 when they finally opened back up our local Barnes & Nobles bookstore and I pick up whatever looked acceptable enough to read!

AND LOTS OF LOTS OF NAPPING WITH MIKE

My dog Mike is a professional napper and he guided me into proper positioning for many naps of the past couple of days. Here he is demonstrating his solo nap technique.

Alas I did not take photos of me nappy curled up with him.

So that has been my life past couple of days. I apologize for any crazy grammatical errors I made in this post as I am too sleepy now to proofread.

I’ll close this post with this awesome postcard I found which is a positive way to think about having a “cold”:

30 Funny sick memes ideas | funny, sick, funny sick memes

Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

52 thoughts on “Things to Do When You Have a Bad “Cold””

  1. Pingback: Things to Do When You Have a Bad “Cold” — tierneycreates – All About Writing and more

  2. I think “colds” drain a person more than anything much else, although I have no idea what covid does, other than what ones reads – plus not known anyone who actually has had it. My friends’ blended family member got Delta but apparently not much happened…and none of the rest of family isolating the 2 weeks succumbed to it.
    Oh, back to “colds” and yours in particular, yes the last postcard is the keeper….me who hasn’t had a cold for at least 2 winters (it’s summer now) or any other seasonal similarities; because I’ve not been roaming all that much.
    Hope you are soon chirper again and back in regular mode, whatever winter is for you….and yes in a way I’m envious of your “snow covered land” but maybe if I was in it, I wouldn’t like it much at all…

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  3. Get well soon! Being sick sucks. Good that you figured out the Juki, many more splendid bags to come!
    That suit actually does look a bit like what I wear in the lab when I work with the virus. It works. 😉

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  5. Wishing you a speedy recovery. I hope you don’t get bored whilst you isolate – yep, even crafting may get boring if you are forced to only do that! Enjoy napping and eating hummous and show and tell when you are back up and running properly. Take Care !

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  6. Feel better, Tierney! I am with you-I am so over this *unnamed virus from unknown origin* I am done. That being said, your sick day projects are wonderful!! Mike has the right idea.

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  7. You have my sympathy. Colds are not nice. I have been vaccinated three times and still got Covid, it was short lived and I feel shattered by its ferocity. Monday afternoon was horrendous. I could not have readca manual!

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  9. The U.S. Embassy purchased Juki sewing machines for our Vocational School in Uganda several years ago. I love using them while there teaching. Was not even aware I could get one here!

    I came home from Africa last October with what I called a Jungle Virus, Now I believe it may have been the Omicron variant. Take care and keep eating that Chicken soup! The best remedy! I enjoy reading about all your adventures and crafts.

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    1. Oh Janet – yikes! Thanks for all your contribute to this world with your overseas work and sorry you got “the cooties” while serving others! Thanks for your comments and I love that the US Embassy purchased Jukis – they are allegedly excellent machines for industrial sewing and someday I will learn to love mine! I actually bought it used from a woman from the Ukraine who teaches sewing and lives in Denver, and did not think to ask her if she bought it in the US or overseas.

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  10. I have a Juki and it does not seem that hard to thread to me, BUT I have had the same problem in not being able to figure out how to thread other machines — including ones that I have owned and used for years! I had a Kenmore — went on to a Viking — was passing down the Kenmore to my older daughter, and could not remember how to thread it. Looked online and got the diagram and still couldn’t figure it out (and I did not have a cold at the time, either). Now that I am used to the Juki I have probably forgotten how to thread the VIking. 🙂 And those manuals are not much help, just little line drawings — I think I need full color photographs to understand what they are trying to tell me.

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    1. I think when I thread it like 20 more times without looking at YouTube or the manual it will become second nature. I can thread my Bernina (my sewing machine baby since 2006) with my eyes clothes and probably in my sleep. I appreciate you sharing your struggles as I was thinking – why can’t I get this? I’ve heard wonderful things about the Juki and I look forward to getting to know it. I agree full color photos would be so good!

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      1. Great! Yeah, the reaction I had was much different from the reactions described by the gal who gave me the shot. She said lots of people said they got headaches and aches and pains. Mine was just plain fatigue. I got plenty of sleep and still glad I got it.

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  13. Oh Tierney, so sorry to hear you have a ‘cold’. Hopefully it’s not Omiramadingdong and hopefully you’re starting to feel better 🙂 I’m glad you have John & Mike to take care of you ❤

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  14. The cold, the “Crom” whatever it may be, it seems like you have this under control. You got me salivating at the home made noodles for the home made chicken soup. I love that you are self caring and nurturing your body and soul. Miss you.

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  16. Way to conquer the Juki, Tierney! I would say that in itself has made your cold quite productive. It’s funny how the simple task of threading can be so vastly different from machine to machine. I’m set in my ways with my Singers, so it drives me crazy when I need to do some quick sewing at my parent’s house and go to use Mom’s White. I always need a refresher on how to thread the machine and a reminder on the reverse feature. Thank goodness you have Mike nearby to remind you to stop working and take a nap. Hope you are feeling better!

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    1. Thanks so much and I am feeling much better. Poor John has my “cold” now but he has a milder version. Mike is a napping professional. As far as the Juki…well..our relationship is not working out and I feel the same way about the Bernina that you do about the Singer and I will probably use Juki as a trade in someday for a newer Bernina (and of course keep my “beloved” too) 🙂

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      1. I hope each time you look at your Juki you’ll be able to envision that newer Bernina. I have 3 Singers. My great grandmother’s antique treadle, my grandmother’s 1940’s era stand model, and an aqua blue 1960’s portable. I love each one for different reasons and they each have serve a specific sewing use. You do such a variety of sewing, I know the same will be true for you when you have two Bernina’s to use. I hope John recovers quickly.

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  17. Feel better soon! You are really accomplishing a lot. even though you are not feeling well. Glad you got your Juki running and are making progress on a few of your projects! And also, glad you have a cuddly puppy to nap with – that always helps things 🙂

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  18. It’s horrible to feel under the weather especially when there is that added fear of the dreaded virus. I think we have all become paranoid and afraid to cough in public.
    Getting to know a machine takes time. I am sure the Juki is glad to have gotten some attention. She must be a bit jealous of you and your Beloved having fun across the table.

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  19. I almost hope it is Covid because you aren’t in the hospital and then you can stop worrying about getting it. We are all doomed eventually and I wish I was done with it. Take care and get well soon. 🤒

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  20. This post was so fun that I was giggling sitting here at the local Grange garage sale. I think you should consider an open Mike comedy act after you recover! Hope you are well very soon!!!!!

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