September 2009

Rounding It All Out

September 30, 2009

Yesterday found me back at the sewing machine to finish up my Fall sewing for the kitchen. Once I put the mat in, and we started enjoying it, I realized that we needed just a few more pieces to continue those colors through the room.

Last week I had seen Heather’s version of Handmade Home’s Towel Mat for the kitchen, and I fell in love with it! We use a dish drying rack everyday, so I figured that this would be the perfect way to soak up all the extra water that it generates. I used the same fabric on the front of this piece as I did on the back and border of the floor mat.Those two pieces actually sit very close to one another, so they needed to complement each other well. I had enough fabric and toweling to make two identical pieces, so I went ahead and made a second to get a jump start on my holiday sewing. I know exactly who that is going to.

Millie’s pot holders (again from Handmade Home) were the last piece of Autumn sewing for the kitchen, and I adore these. I have never sewn pot holders, and I really didn’t think that this would be a project I would do. I have to say that these were so quick and easy, and I really love the result.

We tested them out yesterday on our Apple and Pear Breakfast Custard, and they worked perfectly.

Just a bit of Autumn color to spruce up the room our family gathers in so often.

Apple and Pear Breakfast Custard

1 cup of chunky applesauce
1 pear cubed
1 cup of milk (any kind you use)
1 Tbs of honey
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon on cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

In mixer, blend until smooth

Place in individual custard cups, and place in a water bath. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Refrigerate and enjoy!

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A Patchwork of Fun

September 29, 2009

As everything else in life, my crafting seems to move in phases. At this moment, I am deep in wool and home love. The wool for my family: mittens, socks, hats and comfy sweaters. The love of my home in sewing curtains, cushions, bedding and decor.

Yesterday was spent mainly in the sewing room, with the mama enjoying the fun that a random patchwork kitchen mat can bring, my oldest son working on his own Halloween 16 patch blanket, and my youngest learning to hand sew. It was a very full day of needles and thread.

For the kitchen mat, I used the pattern from the wonderful book Patchwork Style, and the only thing that I can say is that if the rest of the projects bring me as much joy as this one did, I may have found a new favorite.

This project was one that had a long journey through my mind and imagination. I had so much fun picking out the fabric scraps that would be used for the mat, and then spent many an hour on the design board trying to put together exactly what I wanted it to look like. Of course, this is a random patchwork design, so it came together without looking anything like I had planned, which was good because I adore it as is.

I needed some fall coloring in the house, and the chocolates and rose, greens and blues were just what I wanted.

This mat is a very easy project to complete, but it is wonderfully time consuming as well. I say wonderful because the way that this mat is constructed really allows you to enjoy the process as you are going along. Machine quilting each piece as you go, deciding where the next one will be placed, and watching your design and fabric take shape.

So now we have a lovely mat to greet us while we cook together in the kitchen, and my boys have a sweet place to put those newly warm toes of theirs.

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Vintage Weekend

September 28, 2009

You know those weekends where you decide that no matter what, you will get through the huge to-do list of projects that you have? You will coach your child’s soccer game, clean your house, finish what is on your sewing machine, and attend two birthday parities. That was supposed to be our weekend, but then the weather decided to be perfect, I mean really perfect, and all of those well laid plans went out the window.

We still coached soccer, and celebrated some beautiful birthdays, but besides that, we did not come indoors until late last night. By then the laundry and the dishes were piled high, my sewing machine was feeling resentment at my absence, and the house had gone from being a bit messy to totally unruly.

What can you do? When you know that these might be the last few days or weeks before the cold weather sets in, and a day outdoors requires six layers and lip balm, you have no choice but to waste the days away with long hikes and hours spent sitting in a sun-filled spot. This time of year is pure perfection, and I don’t intend to miss a minute of it.

One huge highlight of the weekend was attending the Quilt A Fair with Bernadette on Friday.

For those who have never attended a large quilting fair before, be warned, it gets crazy! Oh yeah, we all think of quilting as this wonderfully quiet art, with ladies using large embroidery hoops to applique a sweater, but truly, this is a group of people who will mow you down for a fat quarter of fabric and a 20% off coupon.

I consider Bernadette and I to be pretty mellow, but after a few hours in this fair with four young children, we both felt this strange desire to drink in the middle of the afternoon (we had to settle for a LOT of chocolate).

The fair was a feast for the senses. It was full of amazing fabrics and tremendous quilts, and I could have spent my children’s college fund all in one day.

The best part of the fair were the three beautiful booths filled with vintage sewing items. In all the time that I have been visiting fabric and quilt shows, I have actually never seen this kind of selection of vintage goods. Threads, needles, patterns, books, thimbles, buttons, etc. It was glorious.

Oh my poor babes, they were exhausted. They hung in their for us, managed to not wander away even once, and declared that they will never attend another show again.

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend!

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Happiness Is…..

September 25, 2009

Warm banana bread with milk chocolate chips

Fresh pesto from the garden harvest

My favorite apple butter, infusing the morning with the aroma of Autumn.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

8 Granny smith or other apples cored peeled and sliced
1 C. sweetened, dried cranberries
4 Tbls. Brown Sugar, Packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 C. water
Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on LOW for 6hrs. Use a potato masher or a hand-blender to mix or mash until the sauce is the desired texture

What brings you happiness today?

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Just a Little Something

September 24, 2009

When I began sewing and knitting for my family, one of the things that I loved most was the idea of something small having such a huge impact. A set of hand made curtains blowing in the kitchen, a sweater for a special occasion, a blanket to mark a family tradition.

Sewing for the home is something that is becoming a more constant part of my days, especially as we go into the colder weather where much more time is spent indoors, and a little cheer is always needed.

I have three small rugs on the machine right now. Two are from the book Patchwork Style, and the third I just finished up last night.

My bathroom is just blah. It is a great space, and we are lucky enough to have a wonderful bath tub, but it is really just a tad boring. When I saw the Towel Rug in Handmade Home , I knew exactly where I wanted that mat to go.

I had fun making this project, mainly because it rained towel bits all over my sewing room, and the kids just thought that it was hilarious that I cut up towels and sewed them to another towel, in order for us to have a bath mat. I suppose that I can see their point.

I cut the strips, and sewed them to the sheeting, before attaching to the bath mat. I was so close to having them all in a pretty straight line, right up until the second to last one went a little wonky on me. I sat in disappointment for a bit, considered just saying that was the strip my kids sewed on , and then felt entirely too guilty when they approached me with wide eyes saying how excited they were that this was for them.