March Along: Week 4 Summary

I did a little better this week. I was pretty much focused on the commission bag, searching for fabric and hardware, sketching, and testing. I also finally started making my kids' Easter Baskets. I made one, thought it was too small so made another, but then decided to keep the original size. I need to get fabric for the boys. Seems I don't tend to buy fabric that appeals to them. :)

Day 22 Fabric search
Day 23 Nada
Day 24 Fabric Search
Day 25 Cleaned up sewing space
Day 26 Made test Easter baskets (tutorial here), read quilting book (Simply Retro with Camille Roskelley: Fresh Quilts from Classic Blocks)

Day 27 Fabric search, bag sketch
Day 28 Zipper pocket test (sort of worked, but I need to keep tweaking it)

Day 29 Bag notes
Day 30 Bag notes 

Linking up at Scientific Quilter's March Along.

 

Mini Messenger bag: Take 2

A while back I made this little messenger bag for a friend using this tutorial at NoodleHead (minus the pin tucks). I liked the size of it, but wanted to make a few changes, like make the flap wider and longer.

 I had added pockets too, to the one I made for my friend but they went right to the seams and I thought they either need to be in the seam allowance all the way or farther away from it, so that was another thing to work out.

Another reason to make another was that my friend was asked by someone who liked her bag how much it would cost if I made another one for this friend. (I discovered while making the pattern again that it is a moot point, as the tutorial is for personal use only, so I can't even make one on commission.) In order to know for sure the cost, I wanted to start from scratch to get the cost of it from start to finish. Thread, needles, fabric, interfacing etc. Then time it to see how long it takes me from purchasing to last pressing.FYI, all said and done, it would be around $30 for materials (rounded up to the nearest dollar) and $40 for time (5 hours x CA minimum wage of $8p.h.)

 $70 for that little bitty bag seems a little crazy to me, but I passed along the info anyway. I also passed along the tutorial link, since it is a fairly simple bag to make. She may want to just make her own.

And having made it again, I still want the flap wider, I forgot to make it longer so that change still stands and the pockets seem to be ok, if a little small. I need to put it to use to see how they work.

I LOVE the fabrics (2 of which are from Bonnie &Camille's "Scrumptious" line), especially that stripe. I really want to go buy the rest of that bolt, but that is not an option.

I am going to enjoy this little bag, even with it's quirks.

A couple of projects

My son came home after school on Monday with the request that we get his teacher a birthday gift. Her birthday was that day so he was feeling urgency to get it done.

He wanted initially to go purchase something and I didn't really feel like wandering around the store looking for an appropriate gift. So since I knew she liked tea, (as in really really likes tea and makes it during class all the time) I thought I could whip together a mug rug and send that. I let my son pick out some charms to use. Then he left for scouts and I sewed it up. I didn't bind it, just quilted one side to the batting, sewed the 2 sides right sides together and turned them right side out. I quilted the other side in a couple of places to secure it. It is a little cockeyed because while I sewed the seams straight, I had cut the fabric crooked. :) Oh well.

 We ended up at the store anyway, to supplement the mug rug with some tea and a stirring spoon and my son bought her a chocolate bar with his allowance.
He picked a card from my stash and wrote her a note and I packaged it up in a cello bag with a topper that matched the card.
He was very pleased with it, although he nearly left without it the next morning, which would have been slightly annoying after the rush rush rush to get it done.
And she seemed to like it.


I have also been itching to get a case made for my tablet. It is hard to find cases for the Nexus 7, which is what I have. I perused tutorials for a few days and decided to just create my own using bits and parts of other people's tutes. It fit the tablet perfectly, just needs a couple of tweaks to make it just right. is I meant to make a long strap to close it that wold also hold it open and upright. But I totally forgot and just attached Velcro to the overlap. There is not enough Velcro and the overlap needs to be about an  inch bigger so it won't pop up. Also, there's pocket where I inserted cardboard to make it stiff for standing up and also for holding it like a book. Well that pocket is just about 1/8 inch too big and too close to the other pocket. It gets folded up when it is closed. You can kind of see where it gets pinched in the photo. Also, 2 of the elastics need to be a smidge shorter. They cover the power button and if it is turned the other way, it covers part of the screen that I need to be able to touch.

That said, for a project with no real pattern, the fact that I got that close to what I intended amazes me. I'm not so hot with math. :)

A Pinterest Recipe Review: Slow Cooker Chicken

Source: get-on-the-floor-0.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

First of all, let me say that the original link to this recipe seems to be bogus, but the details are in the pin itself so I went with it.  When I cooked it, It DID NOT look like the pin photo. In any way. At all. (The pin chicken obviously had been browned in some way, grilling or something. That does not happen in a slow cooker.)

See:

And it doesn't have a very descriptive name, so I added a word to it.

 My Review:
The flavor of the sauce is good, but the chicken did not really need to cook for as long as it did. My chicken was dry-ish. If it was bone-in or full chicken breasts, maybe it would need that long to cook.
That could have been because I just put frozen tenders in the slow cooker. I am going to make this again with fresh chicken and cook it less time.

I also may make a second batch of the sauce and simmer it to serve with the chicken. The sauce left in the slow cooker looked kind of gross. :) (See above photo)

My kids found it to be just okay. I want to try it again with the above mentioned tweaks.

The recipe/pin had no title, just the ingredients and basic instructions.
I fleshed it out a little but this is the recipe as given in the pin.

 Slow Cooker Sweet Chicken

1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light soy sauce

2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins

Whisk first 3 ingredients in a small bowl to combine.
Add 2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins (I use 2 -3 tenders per person I am serving) into the slow cooker.
Pour sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs.

 Serve with rice.

Feel free to pin this recipe from here to start a new pin with a link that works. :)

I served this with homemade Fried Rice that my friend DeLaine gave me the recipe for.



Delaine’s Fried Rice

2-4 cups precooked rice (leftovers work well) 
2-3 Eggs
Oil
Green onions, diced
¼ tsp garlic powder
Vegetables (diced carrots, peas, broccoli, pineapple etc.)
5 TBSP Soy Sauce divided
1 TBSP Oyster Sauce
1/8 - 1/4 tsp Asian Chili Sauce

Scramble 2-3 seasoned eggs.
Add 2 tbsp oil and sauté green onions, ¼ tsp garlic, carrots, peas, and broccoli and 1 tbsp soy sauce.

Add cooked rice, then make a funnel in the center of the rice and pour in 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce, about a tablespoon of oyster sauce and a little squirt of Asian Chili Sauce.  Cook at medium high heat stirring frequently until lightly browned.

*Amy's notes:
  I don't have a wok, which is highly recommended (apparently) for fried rice. To make enough for my family I have to do my batches in a large pot. Mine always ends up kind of steamed and the veggies overdone while I am trying to get the rice to brown up. I have made small batches for lunch that work fine in a frying pan. Also, taste the rice and add more of the sauces to taste. More rice = more sauce. (Ask me how I know. :P)


 

This and that

My son requested a wallet so I made this for him tonight.
I made one of these for myself a while back and forgot that I wanted it to be just a bit wider. It is a little awkward to get coins out without just dumping them. The zipper needs to be a little longer to work well. Not much, maybe 1/2 an inch.

 I also completed 2 more infinity scarves with some Little Black Dress from Basicgrey for Moda. These will be gifts for family and teachers.










 

Recipe Review: Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes

I follow a blog called Pleasant Home and towards the end of October she posted about a recipe she found for Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes (she got the recipe from http://cravingchronicles.com) . They are baked, not fried, so I was all for giving them a try. I had just enough pumpkin left over from making pie to make these yesterday.
Here is my review:
They are soft and fluffy and they taste great...but I did not care for the butter/cinnamon sugar coating. I found it to be greasy and soggy. I followed the directions, cooling them for about 2 minutes then coating them. I think I will try these again, with more of a streusel topping baked on and also, coating some after they completely cool and brushing the butter on rather than dipping them.  
I am the only one who did not fall head over heels for these. I like them but I need to tweak them just a bit. Everyone else LOVED them.
This is a keeper.

s

 
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
http://cravingchronicles.com/2010/10/11/baked-pumpkin-spice-donut-holes/

For Donuts

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves    

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
Directions

Preheat oven 350°F. Spray each cup in a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray or butter generously.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices (through cloves).
In separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined – do not over mix!
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (Using a 2-tablespoon scoop will ensure uniform size.) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For Coating

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Dip each muffin in melted butter, and then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.

I also made the first batch of wassail for the season. You can find the full recipe here. I halved the recipe to fit in my Slow Cooker. I discovered after making it that I did not unpack any of our mugs. So you get a picture of it in the slow cooker. :)

Wassail (half recipe)
In a large pot mix:
1 qt. Water
1 ½ cups plus 1/3 cup sugar (stir until dissolved)
5 cinnamon sticks

Bundle in cheesecloth:
1 large ginger root
5 whole allspice
12 whole cloves

Gently simmer these in mixture for 1 hour.

Add:
21 oz orange juice (about 2 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 gallon apple juice (8 cups)

Simmer at least one hour. Remove the cloth bundle before serving. Serve warm.

Digital kits by Crystal Wilkerson

What I did today

Today I made this:

It is part of a costume for a church Jubilee. I have one more plus 2 vests to make. And I have to say, although, with apologies to the author, that was one of the worst set of instructions I have had to follow for a while. If  I had not had someone helping me via email and phone I would have passed it right back to the gal in charge to have her finish them. I am dreading making the second one.
And not only was the pattern screwy, the fabric was slippery and frayed like mad. My table, machine and shirt were covered with "hair" from this thing.
But, it is a cute little hat (even though this version is for a boy) and I have plans to rewrite the pattern a bit and make a cutie little hat out of cotton for my cutie little girl.

Tasty Tuesday: Sadie's Better Brownies

I am a sucker for a good brownie and a sucker for a fun mystery novel as well. I found both when I read Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mystery by Josi S. Kilpack.

There are lots of wonderful sounding recipes in this book, (and you can get them all by going HERE , then by clicking where it says "Download recipes here"), but as I said, I am sucker for brownies, so I tried Sadie's Better Brownies first.

The flavor was good and chocolaty, but they are quite rich. I also needed to bake them longer. I just did the 35 minute as per the minimum time listed, but they were still very uncooked in places.
I liked that I didn't need cocoa for these. I buy my chocolate chips in bulk(ish) because I love to make cookies. Cocoa is harder to find in larger sizes. So when the recipe I had planned to make called for 1 1/3 cups of cocoa and I only had about 1/2 cup, I decided to move on.

On a scale of 1 -10, 10 being best, these are a 6. I need to make them again, baking them longer to see how they come out.

I hate to say it, but I still like boxed Betty Crocker better.

Go HERE to get the recipe. (I don't want to mess with any copyright stuff posting the actual recipe here.)

Oh yeah, the book was a fun, light read. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars on my Goodreads list. I'll probably read more of her books for fun.

Cute in theory

Tonight I have a church party where we are supposed to bring an ornament to swap. I found out about the swap on Sunday, and based on the way my crafting has gone this week, my ornament will NOT be handmade. Here is what I attempted today. I don't mind having this on my tree, but I would not give it to someone else. This is one of those projects that needed 3 or 4 iterations to get it right and I don't have time or *resources for 3 or 4 prototypes. :)
I found the basic idea here, but I didn't like the vertical style so I changed it.
This is the mess I ended up with.




Looks okay when the back and sides are hiding in the tree. :)


*resources being more keyboards to demolish!

Recipe test: Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pork Loin

I had a pork loin that I wanted to try something new with, so good old Google to the rescue. The recipe I found sounded really good and simple so we gave it a go last night. The flavor was delicious. All my kids loved it. The only thing I need to change was to cut the cooking time way down, since the outside became hard/tough. The inside was moist and delicious as was the sauce. We are for sure making this one again! There were some good suggestions in the reviews, so it is worthwhile checking them out if you plan to try this.

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pork Loin

This is a delicious slow cooker pork roast with a sweet and lightly spiced glaze. Serve this pork loin roast with mashed potatoes and your favorite side dish vegetables.
Cook Time: 9 hours
Total Time: 9 hours
Ingredients:
• 1 boneless pork loin roast, 4 to 6 pounds
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/3 cups brown sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation:
Wash pork roast, trim excess fat, pat dry, and rub with garlic halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then prick the roast all over with a fork or skewer.
In a cup or bowl, combine 1 cup of the brown sugar, the mustard, and vinegar. Rub all over the roast.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Pour off the excess juices.
combine the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar with cinnamon; Spread the mixture over the top of the roast. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 1 hour longer.
Serves 6 to 8.

Fat Free Brownies?

Last week sometime Fresh Cut Quilts blog had a post that shared a recipe for Fat Free Decadent Brownies. Too good to be true, right? Right. We made them this morning. While they are edible and in a pinch I might make them for a low-guilt answer to a chocolate craving, they were chewy in a bad way and the flavor was off just a bit. They weren't bad and certainly not the worst brownie recipe I've tried (and there have been many) but not hip-hip-hooray-you've-made-my-day good as I expect when I read the word "decadent". I will keep the recipe around to try again and play with it a bit to see what I can do with it.

Now you folks go get the recipe and give them a try and come back and tell me what you think.

Grace Machine Quilter is up and running.

A few months ago, a lady at church raised her hand during announcements and offered up a "quilt table" as she called it and it was free for the taking, but it had to be picked up that day. On Sunday. From a town about 50 miles away.

Well, as a new quilter a free quilting table sounded great! So I grabbed the lady after the meeting and begged for details. Turns out it was not so much a table as a bunch of wood pieces that you put your quilt on for quilting. (I was thinking a quilting frame now, which is still good.) So I grabbed my husband and asked him for an opinion and would he be willing to go get it on a Sunday? Sure, he says, just let me see if my Dad can come help. So I called the in-laws both to enlist Dad's help and pick the brain of my uber-quilter mother in law. She said it sounded more like a long arm quilting set-up and is not sure if it's something we have room for or a machine that will fit on it.

Fast forward to post-church, several phone calls between me, my mil, the lady from church and her sister who owns the table, and some Internet research. Finally, we decide yes we do want it, if we can't use it we could probably turn around and sell it for a decent profit ( if not gas money) so it's worth going out to get it.

It turned out to be an Original Grace Machine Quilter, which I have not been able to find on the Internet other than references to being replaced by the Little Gracie. These run about $400 - $600 and I am in shock that we got it free. More in shock that the lady was putting it out on the curb for trash pickup Monday morning if no one claimed it. I don't know what it cost her to buy it in the first place, but I'm sure it was an investment.

So, now that it was in our possession, and after deciding that having it in my loft with 4 kids is not the ideal place for it, we took it down to the in-laws house to set it up.

My father in law slowly put it together. The instructions are cryptic and sparse, so thank goodness he is an engineer. He finished it up this last week and Saturday I took the Wally quilt and the back down to give it a test run. We discovered it can hold any sewing machine which was good since we don't have $5-$7 grand laying around. Lucky for us my mil has her backup sewing machine.
It took us at least an hour, probably 2, just to figure out how to mount the quilt. Again, cryptic and also rather disorganized instructions. But we did it.

Quilting with it is harder than it looks. Move too slowly and your stitches pile up on each other, move too fast and they are enormous. :) But it's kind of fun. The only thing I don't like, is you only get 3 or 4 passes before you have to roll it. Which means unpinning the side tension things and then re-pinning them. Kind of time consuming. I can see why people charge so much for quilting. Especially custom quilting. With ours we would have to un-mount and turn the quilt several times for most custom things.

My mother in law and I are going to take turns practicing on it. That quilt is going to be interesting, to say the least.

Thanks church lady and her sister!

Opinions please?

I am getting ready to assemble the Cherry Sweet Road to Ireland quilt top. I have a dilemma. I don't really care for the long version of this quilt. I don't have enough blocks to make it the size I want, so I am left with these two options to put it together. One is to use the blocks the pattern calls for and make the longish one. Or I omit 8 blocks and make a smaller but more balanced looking (to me) quilt. I wanted this quilt to be bigger than crib size, but it may not end up that way unless I go crazy with borders.

Please note that the border fabrics are not true to size. The cherries are not really that big in relation to the blocks.

So what do you think. Long or short?