Time to do some handwork that will grow into a quilt??? Hexies, embroidery??

This has been an extremely hot summer here in Illinois.......and I'm sure in other places as well....we have central h & a/c - and I thank God each day for that blessing.. If I did not have central, I certainly would be looking for window units to make my days comfortable...but for those who choose not to, here's a tip......wet a mans handkerchief in cold water, wring out, and tie around neck...a primitive, but effective way to cool your body temp.

Have you thought of installing a very efficient Japanese wall unit that is quiet and can be used both for heat and air. Friends of mine from Japan have one on their sun porch and it works well for them.

By now, I hope you have called the local home improvement center and have workers installing the unit of your choice. Did you wait to have your husband buy your sewing machine? Consider your comfort part of your quilting and creativity. As far as the basement being unpleasant and having creepy crawlies, I would stock up on Kilz, stark white paint and a few brushes and rollers and start moving stuff around to paint walls and ceiling white. Unless water is pouring into the basement, you could turn it into your studio.

Anyone who swelters and suffers because of the cost of electricity should compare the cost of medical care with what a change in temp would do for their well-being.

not only the heat but the humidity gets to me

I love sitting on the porch in the springtime and knitting or crocheting. I haven't gone outside to sew but will give that a try. Of course I would have to have a glass of merlot to make the experience happier.

New Mexico is hot, hot, hot. Only 2 days this month topped out below 100. On top of that it is monsoon season here. It's the time of year when we have some humidity. The rest of the year the humidity is below 20%, so the heat is less oppressive. My sewing room has refrigerated air--no evaporative cooler for us!!! Even with air conditioning, I use a small oscillating fan pointed at my sewing table. I am doing FMQ, but my gloves are hot!

It can help a bit if you move your sewing machine to the middle of the room and then set fans up at opposite ends of room. This way the air circulates. I also drape a beach towel on my sewing chair so that I don't feel 'sticky'. I know my humidity in no way matches the east coast, but we aren't used to any at all! so this sucks big time! Hang in there, winter is coming.....

I resemble that remark! I'm just about 1/2 hour north of you in Blacksburg.

My sewing room in our new-to-us-last-year home was previously a carport. The original owners enclosed it, so it's a terrific space for sewing... except that there's no real heat or air. For heat last winter, I ran a small kerosene heater, and was very comfortable. But these 95 degree/heat index 100+ temps are killing me!! and the rest of the house is cooled by two window units. I'm debating getting another one for the sewing room, but shudder to think of the power bill.

I've been getting up a little early before work and sewing then, or waiting until VERY late in the evening. Either way, I'm not getting a lot done. For my most recent customer quilt, I was under a (self-imposed) deadline, and was quilting from around 7pm until around 10:30pm. I was drenched with sweat before I finished each night.

DH is considering having central air installed... if he would hurry up and do it, I could use the existing window units we have and put them in the sewing room.

Today's temp is 115... Yes, we are melting...