Sewing, Studying, Sports & Socializing

We've been busy around here this month! First, we hosted Aaron and his family last weekend for a local rock climbing competition. Andrea competed in her age group and also celebrated turning 9.

On top of that, Steve has been playing and coaching high school badminton a few times a week, Emily and Jessi have been completing final projects and studying for tests and exams, and I've been working on a sewing project.

I signed up for an intermediate-level sewing class at Wild Bobbin to sew a Shepherd Skirt at the start of the year (I edited my shopping ban to add Courses and Course Materials to the Approved List). Unfortunately the class was cancelled due to low registration, but since I had already purchased and cut my material, I went ahead and sewed the skirt following the pattern by myself. 

It's been a labour of love (and sometimes frustration) over several days and I'm not quite done yet; I still have to hem the bottom and move some buttons for a better fit. Some bumps I experienced along the way included tangled threads, a broken needle, uneven buttonholes (due to the button foot jamming), and repositioning the buttons multiple times. Sewing is definitely an art!

Finally, 8 correct buttonholes

A handy button trick

I don't typically wear skirts, but this one is super cute and gives me a farmhouse/homesteading vibe. Hopefully I'll end up wearing it a lot -- it was not cheap in cost or time! ;)

Building a Sauna:: Step 12: Finishing Touches

Once the sauna construction was complete, there were just a few finishing touches and accessories to add, to increase the beauty and functionality of the space. These included:

1) Trim and paint around the door frame to close a small gap and clean up the damage from construction.

2) Interior and exterior vent covers for proper air circulation in the sauna. I used my scroll saw and spare cedar panels to make the exterior covers, and purchased adjustable cedar covers for the interior.

3) Towels, cleaning brush, and storage to keep it all in. The storage unit also serves as a spot to put our phones and water bottles while we're in the sauna. Note: I purposely bought grey towels to match the grey controller, to tie it all together! 

4) Cute art using a quote I found early on in my sauna research. Emily designed it on Canva and we printed it at home.

5) Towel head wrap to keep my hair from drying out. I made my own pattern and sewed these out of the regular towels (so they match!).

6) Stainless steel water pot to make steam. Traditionally people use wooden buckets for sauna water, but they were all so large and expensive. I figured this small pot would work well enough for us.

7) Thermometer/Hygrometer hanging inside the sauna so we can keep track of the temperature and humidity while we're in there.

8) Wall Clock hanging outside but visible from inside the sauna, to track the length of our sauna session.

9) Small footstool for when I sit on the high bench. The height difference of 19" between the high bench and the low bench is perfect for Steve, but too high for me, so my dad and I made a 2.5"-high footstool with leftover cedar pieces. It suits me perfectly!

10) Exterior mat for those sweaty feet. We added this one later on after realizing that Steve was sweating all over the carpet!

I honestly enjoyed this step as much as the building process. There's something very satisfying about bringing it all together and making it feel totally complete.

In my final post, I'll recap the steps, show a cost breakdown, and talk about how our sauna experience has been so far after two months of use.

Step 1: Planning & Pricing

Step 2: Designing a Floor Plan

Step 3: Replacing the Ductwork

Step 4: Purchasing a Heater

Step 5: Purchasing a Door, Light Fixture & Vents

Step 6: Framing

Step 7: Wiring by an Electrician

Step 8: Installing Insulation & Foil Vapor Barrier

Step 9: Wood Strapping, Paneling & Door

Step 10: Final Connections by an Electrician

Step 11: Building Benches

Step 12: Finishing Touches

Recap & Thoughts