R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum Review!

I have a pretty exciting post today! I was given the chance to review the Riccar R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum! I feel like an early birthday and Christmas gift came to me. I know some of you might say, "why a vacuum cleaner as a gift??". I used to think that way too, but trust me, having a great and reliable household equipment makes our day to day lives so much easier.

After I opened the box and set everything up, I had to wait for the vacuum to fully charge.

Normally I have such a hard time waiting for something like this, because I am so excited and I just want to start using it right away. I decided to run some errands and read the owner's manual (which I usually don't like to do) like a responsible adult. haha. Speaking of the manual, it had a detailed diagram, and was very easy to understand even for someone like myself where English is a second language. From the product video and manual I learned a few things about the R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum. Here are some key factors:

1. 2 HEPA filters - It features Two HEPA media filters that work together to keep particles like common household allergens out of the air. Some of my family members have seasonal allergies. I love anything that helps to keep our indoor air healthier.

2. Smart Sensor Dust Detection - Infrared dust sensor automatically adjusts suction power to the dust level of dirt and debris

3. Variable Suction - There are 5 settings including Auto. AUTO setting increases/decreases power based on the mess it encounters (What?! That is incredible!).

4. Longer Run Time - Up to 40 minutes* (Runtime depends on cleaning surface, power level, charge level and age of battery). An infrared dust sensor detects dust levels and automatically adjusts suction to clean with the perfect level of power, which also optimizes battery life.

5. Charging stand with tool storage – This is one of my favorite features. The R65 charges when you set it in the stand, so it’s always ready to go. 4 tools can be used on the R65 wand or directly on the vacuum. They lock into place on the charging stand. Always ready and organized. The 4 tools that came in the box are:

2-in-1 dusting brush and upholstery tool

12-inch crevice tool that extends to 16.75 inches

Soft-surface dusting brush for soft or delicate surfaces

Rotating dusting brush

There are accessories that are sold separately for specific needs like removing pet hair, cleaning hard floors and a spare battery with dual-battery charging base. I might buy the extra battery later on to keep them handy when I do a super cleaning day for my entire house.

After a few hours, The vacuum was fully charged and ready to go. To start off, I vacuumed the main floor living room which has carpet and a rug, also some of the carpeted stairs. To vacuum the stairs, I disassembled the vacuum body, metal wand and vacuum nozzle. Then attached the nozzle directly to the Vacuum body. The fact that I didn't have to carry a heavy vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs is such a plus! I was so surprised to see how much dust accumulated in the dust cup from such a small area, especially since I vacuumed only a couple days ago. This proves to me that the R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum is easy to use, powerful, and a great versatile vacuum.

Thanksgiving is behind us, but we still have some holiday gatherings coming up. I know I can rely on my R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum to do the job!

Tamarack Jacket + Liberty of London + Baby Lock Sashiko

In 2020, I made a Tamarack Jacket with already quilted fabric. It turned out nice and I loved the result, but I always had a desire to revisit the pattern.

This time I really wanted to piece the top and quilt it myself and then make it into a jacket. After 4 years (4 years!? I was thinking it was only a couple years. Isn't it crazy how time flies?), I discovered that Grainline Studio offers a Hood, collar & patch pockets pattern for Tamarack jackets. I was so excited about this and HAD to make a quilted jacket before this year ends. After going back and forth on design ideas, I decided to use my precious Liberty of London fabrics. I bought them here and there and added them to my collection for a "special project". Recently I am in the mindset of "saving the fabrics for a special occasion is nice, but I should just use them and enjoy them while I can". At first I thought about making the jacket 100% with Liberty, but decided to use gray fabric with it. I used Ocean Wave quilt blocks and started cutting and piecing the fabrics.

So far so good...

As I was piecing the fabrics, I was thinking about how the front, back, hood, and sleeves were going to look. I wanted the quilt design of the front panels to match up and the design on back and hood to be centered. I was less worried about the sleeves, because you don't see them side by side much. I recommend laying down the pattern often to see if you are headed in the right direction while you are piecing.

Then, the most scary part...cutting. I spent so many hours piecing the fabrics and I really didn't want to mess this up. There are other people who posted videos of how they made their quilted coats, but I decided to cut the top first, then, lay them out on the layer of backing and batting to cut. I recommend you cut more extra edges for the batting and backing, because as you quilt it, the top will shift. I thought I had enough, but in some areas, I was running out of the backing a bit.

Then quilting. You could do this with your regular sewing machine, but I really wanted a hand quilted look. I started quilting with my Baby Lock Sashiko, and it was so much fun to see how my pieced top became a "quilt".

After all the pieces are quilted, I assembled them as instructed in the pattern. I haven't added snap buttons yet, but I started wearing it right away. I simply couldn't wait!

I love the shape of the hood and how it drapes down in the back.

I love everything about this jacket and how it fits me. Oh! Just as a reference, I shortened my jacket by a couple inches to create better balance/silhouette for my body type. I am glad I did!

There were several people who thought I hand quilted my jacket and I told them that I did it with a special machine. I’ve had my Sashiko Machine for almost two years, but everytime I used it, I can't help but stare at the mechanism of this clever machine. This new jacket of mine is a collaboration of Tamarack Jacket, Liberty of London, and Baby Lock Sashiko. All my favorite things in one. I will treasure it for years to come!