Fresh Maked

A Little Luxury

2012-02-15T09:53:00.000-06:00

I love the softness of Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino! This yarn is so soft and wonderful to work with, I just love the feel. It is lightweight around my neck but yet so warm! The pattern is a free download from Ravelry called Anthro-Inspired Scarflet by Kim Seio. I added a simple knitted "rose" and large button. This is a fast knit and I love the interesting construction making the easy slip through closing. The Suri Merino is a great choice for this simple scarf but I am thinking silk or linen would make a stylish spring accessory.

Simple Gift Giving

2012-02-07T11:30:00.000-06:00

Hand made gifts are so special. I love spending the time to make something for someone, thinking of them the entire time I work on the project. I don't always allow myself time to make something very detailed so I look for easy projects that are still special. A special knitted wash cloth is the perfect last minute gift especially when handmade soap and some chocolates are included. I included some lotion and a soap dish to complete the gift.

The Reverse Bloom Knitted Washcloth, published in Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick,

is quick knitting but looks so special. The are a lot of wash cloth patterns available or sometimes I just start knitting making up the pattern as I go. A kitchen cloth paired with an embellished towel would be a great hostess gift. I used a worsted weight cotton to knit this simple gift. I need to make some more of these simple wash cloths to add to the gift stash for those last minute gifts.

Sweet Stack Towel

2012-01-30T08:56:00.000-06:00

I've been interested in applique lately and with all the holiday gatherings and subsequent hostess gifts, I took advantage of a golden opportunity. I think this towel turned out pretty cute. I just cut out the cups and started with the top cup and did a simple stitch around the edges. The pieces overlap slightly. You can get the artwork here to make your very own. I'm hoping to put together a machine embroidery download at some point (once we can get that figured out).

Crib Sheet

2012-01-27T08:54:00.000-06:00

I decided to try my hand at making a flannel crib sheet for my daughters’ new baby to go with the new crib. I used this tutorial with a few modifications. It is a 70 inch piece of 45" flannel with a 9" square cut out of each corner. The corner are stitched together to form the fitted sheet. I used my serger to finish around the edges to save myself the work of hemming; the edge will be under the mattress so no one will ever know.

The elastic is applied to each corner. I used a 12" piece at each corner rather than applying it to the entire length of the sheet. Pin the middle of the elastic to the corner seam and stretch it back each way as far as you can. Pin each end. Run a zigzag stitch through the elastic.

Be sure to use an elastic that will allow you to sew through it or all your work will be for not. Some elastic will lose its stretch if you zigzag through it but this elastic worked wonderfully.

Read the application instructions on the package to determine if it can be sewn through. If it says to insert it in a casing you will not have good results if you stitch through it. I used a zigzag stitch on my machine that makes three stitches up and back rather than a straight zigzag but that would work fine too.

Tea Towel and Pot Holder

2012-01-24T11:47:00.001-06:00

I found this cute kitchen print fat quarter at a great quilt shop Millie P’s, in Anoka, MN, that will be perfect for my daughter’s kitchen. The tea towel came from the same shop. I love one stop shopping! You may want to prewash both items to prevent uneven shrinkage. I began by cutting a 3 inch strip wider than the towel. Fold a hem on each side of the strip and press well.

Pin the strip to the towel measuring from the bottom to ensure that the strip it even. Turn under the ends.

Top stitch around the design. Hint. Sew the top and bottom in the same direction to keep fabric from twisting. After the top and bottom are attached sew each end.

The first pot holder was constructed from two 8 inch squares of the same fat quarter. The lining is batting with special thermal lining that works great for a light weight pot holder that will provide protection from hot kettle handles. You may want to add one layer of lightweight wool or cotton batting to make a thicker pad.

Sandwich the batting between the squares.

Pin well. Apply bias tape around the pot holder to finish the edges.

To finish the pot holder I put one round of quilting stitches approximately 1 inch from the edge. This simple project was low in cost, easy and quick to make, and a fun small gift for any hostess.

I made a second pot holder by trimming a 4 inch square with a bit of green quilting cotton that I had in my stash that matched quite well and stretched the kitchen fabric far enough to complete the set.

And we're back

2012-01-21T20:00:00.000-06:00

After a long blogging hiatus I have returned with reinforcements. My mom will be joining the blogging efforts here at Fresh Maked. She has been looking for a more consistent outlet for her creative talents and I have been looking for some help keeping things fresh around here. I'll let mom (Cheryl) share more about herself in her upcoming posts. I will tell you she is a published knitting designer and has OODLES of sewing experience under her belt.
I have been up to all things crafty, of course, but needed a break to readjust to life with two munchkins. I've got some new patterns and tutorials to share and some great new gluten free recipes. I'll leave you with a little eye candy and I promise you'll see some new posts in the coming days. We've got LOTS to share.

Lollipop Garden Cake

2011-04-29T07:56:00.000-05:00

We celebrated a second birthday last week (where did the time go?!) and I attempted a more elaborate cake than I ever have. The cake is from this recipe. It was delicious, but extremely difficult to frost as it is a VERY moist cake and basically disintegrates upon touching. In spite of the hang ups I ran into I think it turned out quite cute. I got my inspiration from a couple Martha Stewart creations.

GF Amish Antisocial Bread

2011-04-26T08:00:00.003-05:00

I've been dying for some cinnamon lately. Amish friendship bread is an all-time favorite and I've never attempted a gluten free version. There are recipes for GF starters and breads, but I didn't want to mush for 10 days. I think we nailed it on the first try with this one. I combined 4 or 5 recipes and it worked out pretty well. (I'm ashamed to tell you how much we ate... while we watched The Biggest Loser).

GF Amish Bread
Fake Starter
3/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Milk
3/4 C GF Flour (1/2 C Rice Flour, 1/4 C Corn Starch)
Bread
1 C Oil
1/2 C Sour Cream
3 Eggs
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 C White Rice Flour
1 C Sugar
1 1/2 t Baking Powder
2 t Cinnamon
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Baking Soda
1 t Xantham Gum
1 Small (3 oz) Box of Vanilla Pudding
Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture (1 C Sugar, 1 t Cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix the fake starter. Add oil, sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients (leaving aside sugar mixture). Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well. Grease two 9 x 5 loaf pans and sprinkle some sugar mixture to coat. Divide batter between 2 pans and sprinkle remaining sugar mixture. Bake for 45-55 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean).

Before & After

2011-04-24T20:38:00.001-05:00

She arrived a week earlier than scheduled and she's perfect. We're enjoying every moment with our new little treasure.

No baby, just baby things

2011-03-22T18:38:00.001-05:00

Baby continues to threaten an early appearance. We shall see... In the meantime, I've been doing some sewing (and lots of sitting). I put this set together for a friend who recently had a little girl. The bib is from this pattern. I used quilting cotton for both sides and put a thin layer of batting in the middle. The burp cloth is quilting cotton on one side and toweling on the other. The finished size of the burp cloth is about 8 x 20. I just put the right sides together and left a little opening for turning. I top stitched the edge to keep it together better. The quilting cottons are by Heather Bailey. I'm super happy with how this set turned out! Might need to do a set for our little munchkin.

Cranberry Cake with Butter Sauce

2011-03-05T11:18:00.000-06:00

My mother-in-law makes a wonderful cake around the holidays that is similar to this (but includes rum extract, which isn't my favorite). I've been dying to try it for a long time and finally gave it a go the other day. Honestly, the cake doesn't even matter that much if you're pouring the sauce on it. Put some coffee on. You're going to love this!

Cranberry Cake:
1 1/2 T butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg1/4 C water
1/4 C evaporated milk
1 C GF flour mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 t baking soda
1 t xantham gum1/2 t salt
1 1/4 C cranberries (fresh/frozen), chopped
1/2 C walnuts, chopped

Butter Sauce:
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
1/2 C evaporated milk
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and water. Mix in dry ingredients. Stir in cranberries and walnuts (I chopped both in the food processor). Pour mixture into greased 8 x 8 baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Heat butter, sugar and milk in a saucepan. Bring to boil, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm sauce over warm cake. Yum!
You may want to eat this in solitude so you don't feel as silly licking your plate clean... and running for a second slice!

This has been the extent of my projects for the last couple weeks. Been holding down the couch due to some pre-term excitement. Hoping baby will cooperate and bake another couple weeks.

GF Recipe Roundup

2011-02-18T08:50:00.002-06:00

I've been baking as much as ever and haven't shared much (or photographed much for that matter). I thought I'd pass on some links and a few comments on some recipes I've been enjoying lately.

Focaccia Bread – I used white rice flour and cornstarch for this. I put 2 T of sugar in on round 2. This is great for paninis (another food I've been missing over the last few years)!
Fruit Filled Coffee Cake – I used cornstarch in place of the starches on this one, and used strawberry pie filling. I think this tastes like a cereal bar only better. I'd like to experiment with some other fillings, maybe even raisins and brown sugar?
One Bowl Chocolate Cake – I tried this recipe out a few weeks ago in hopes of finding a birthday cake for Eliza's party. I wanted a simple, delicious chocolate cake recipe to add to my collection as well. (I'm a big fan of crazy cake). This is an easy, delicious recipe. I just used white rice flour. You'll want to use a fairly thin frosting as this is a very moist cake. I'm wondering if putting it in the freezer for an hour would help with that. I put a vanilla butter cream frosting on it. Yum!
Baked Penne with Chicken – I doubled the chicken and cut the noodles in half on this one (and omitted the mushrooms). I just used a shredded Italian blend of cheeses in place of the provolone, and subbed rice flour of course. I love Martha's recipes and this has made it into the regular rotation.

I hope you're enjoying some delicious foods this winter. We've had a little relief from the arctic temperatures, but I'm still in comfort food mode. I'm sure I'll be ready to fire up the grill before too long, though. Spring will be here before we know it (and so will our baby girl)!

Log Cabin Potholders

2011-02-07T18:06:00.003-06:00

A crafting friend was having a birthday, so I decided she needed something handmade. I went round and round and finally settled on some potholders. I bought some insul-bright awhile back because I was feeling inspired by the potholders I saw popping up on blogs. I saw some really cute log cabin potholders on the Crafts Dept. blog (Martha Stewart).
These are really simple and came together super quickly. I've never done log cabin blocks before, but may be incorporating them into more projects. I think I would add an extra layer of batting to these if I make more.

Baby making

2011-02-02T08:51:00.003-06:00

I've had the machine fired up a lot lately with pink and white thread trying to get a few baby things done. I even managed to fire up the knitting needles and get a couple hats ready. I'll be heading to the hospital with multiple sizes this time as our little munchkin was a (shocking) mere 5 pounds 13 ounces. She drowned in everything I had for her. We haven't had any babies in our family under 8 pounds, so that was a giant surprise.

I decided to get a contour changing pad this time around. We don't need much, so I picked out a few convenient items to add to the baby gear. The pad covers are so expensive though, so I did a little hunting for a tutorial. This one was great and I'm really happy with how this came out. I'm hoping I have enough Anna Maria flannel to do another.

I also managed to crank out a couple bibs and will likely do a few more as these were super easy and turned out pretty cute. If you use this pattern beware that the hole you leave for turning is quite small. It works, but just barely. I had a bit of hand-cramping to get them turned.

I wanted to do a lacy homecoming hat in a worsted weight. I thought it would look pretty, but knit up fairly fast (I need to limit time with my needles due to some carpal tunnel troubles). I used this pattern and only worked 2 rows of seed stitch. They're not perfect, but I think they turned out very sweet. I used BSA Worsted Cotton in Shell.

I'm sure there will be more baby things before April arrives, but I should shift gears back to Eliza's quilt so we'll be ready to dress her bed when (and if) it arrives. The verdict is still out on upgrading her to a toddler bed, but it would make mom's c-section recovery a bit easier. I'll be forging ahead as energetically as I can muster to get some more crafting in before a hiatus come spring.

Oh Anna

2011-01-28T09:50:00.003-06:00

I had some Anna Maria flannel from last winter that I never really earmarked for anything in particular. I got the itch to sew something for Eliza one chilly day and pulled it out and dug in. I used Simplicity pattern 2668. I used contrast facings, and lined the entire thing. I added the contrast cuff and even lined the sleeves. This was the easiest, slickest way to do a sleeve and I'm so happy with it. (Sometime I'll just post about that). I ended up doing snap closures with non-functional buttons. I had a little trouble doing buttonholes on the flannel, so if anyone has any tips please share them. The feed dogs didn't like the flannel I think. I'm super happy with this jacket and I hope it still fits when it's warm enough to serve as outerwear (doesn't fit that well under a winter coat).

Shamefully Overdue

2011-01-26T13:21:00.004-06:00

I've been very delinquent on posting progress on the oodles and oodles of projects I've been working on. I'm gearing up to back the quilt I started last winter, have another quilt ready to be quilted, been wearing a new maternity skirt for weeks now, made some potholders for a friend, finished up a jacket for Eliza, whipped up a changing pad cover and made a couple bibs this week. I even knit a couple baby hats! Boy, my needles were getting pretty rusty. The crafting is never-ending around here of late. I've got some other projects up my sleeve as well, but those will have to stay quiet for a bit. I've been preparing for the arrival of baby girl #2. We're feeling fairly well-prepared at this point, but that may all derail any day now. We're expecting her the first week of April, but baby #1 came 10 days early, so I think all bets are off at this point. Half my projects are in with a sleeping toddler this afternoon and I have a walking foot to go fiddle with, so no pictures today. Oh, I also need to share some pictures of my loot from a recent shopping trip. I'm loving my new Anna Maria goodness. I'll be back soon with some proof of all I've been up to. I might even have a recipe or two to share!

Squash Rolls, Second Attempt

2010-12-23T21:32:00.006-06:00

I think I managed to improve on the original recipe this time around. These are a little lighter and a bit more sweet. I like them better without the sorghum as it is a bit too dominant a flavor for this particular roll. I also swapped out the water for milk. I'm not really sure why I didn't use milk the first time around. I'm pretty happy with these. The dough is harder to work with, but the rolls are delicious. These taste a bit like Hawaiian bread I think. Good pairing for spinach dip!

1 1/2 c. Rice Flour

1 c. Corn Starch

1 c. Potato Starch

1 T. Xantham Gum

1 1/2 t. Salt

1 t. Baking Powder

1/2 c. Squash

3/4 c. Sugar

3 T. Oil

3 Eggs

1 C. Milk

2 1/4 t. Yeast

Heat water to 105-115° and add yeast and sugar to proof about five minutes. Combine flours, starches, xantham gum and salt in small bowl. Mix eggs, oil, squash and yeast mixture. Slowly add in flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Using ice cream scoop or other large spoon, spoon rolls into greased cake/pie pan. Brush with melted butter if desired. Let rise for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake rolls for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Squash Rolls, First Attempt

2010-12-21T14:57:00.006-06:00

Well, I did a bit of looking around at some recipes and looking at the recipe I was starting with and did some figuring and made an attempt at some Squash Rolls. They turned out pretty good, but I think I'll make a couple adjustments with the next batch. Here's the recipe so far.

3/4 c. Water

2 1/4 t. Yeast

1/2 c. Sugar

1/2 c. Squash

3 T. Oil

3 Eggs

1 c. Sorghum Flour

1 c. Rice Flour

1/2 c. Corn Starch

3/4 c. Potato Starch

1 T. Xantham Gum

1 1/2 t. Salt

Heat water to 105-115° and add yeast and sugar to proof about five minutes. Combine flours, starches, xantham gum and salt in small bowl. Mix eggs, oil, squash and yeast mixture. Slowly add in flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Using ice cream scoop or other large spoon, spoon rolls onto greased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter if desired. Let rise for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake rolls for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

I would like to make these rolls without the sorghum flour as I think it interferes with the flavor too much. I also think I need to increase the amount of starch in order to make these a bit lighter. I may also add 1/4 cup of water next time to help with the denseness. I would love any insight from you more seasoned gluten free bakers out there on how to create a fluffier dinner roll. I'm also wondering if I can put these in a cake pan to make them more like pull-apart dinner rolls or will I lose all definition.

Gluten Free Graham Crackers

2010-12-19T15:33:00.006-06:00

I've thought about trying graham crackers for some time now. I put something on my holiday baking list that requires a graham cracker crust, so this gave me the push I needed. I did a quick search for recipes and found this one. I didn't have all the ingredients required, so I did some subbing. This wasn't as involved as I expected it to be even though I don't have a food processor (yet). I've been doing some rollout baked goods lately and it's really not so bad.

Here's my version of the recipe:

1/2 cup plus 2 T sorghum flour

2/3 cup plus 3 T fine white rice flour

1/3 cup minus 1 T corn starch

1 t cinnamon

3/4 t xantham gum

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

7 T butter

2 T brown sugar

2 T honey

6 T cold water
Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling

Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter (or food processor). Mix in sugar, honey and water. You may want to finish blending with your hands. Place dough in refrigerator for 15 mins. Preheat oven to 325°. Take dough out of refrigerator and roll out half (return other half to fridge for later) between two sheets of parchment. Remove top layer of parchment and cut into slices and pierce with fork. Dust with cinnamon and sugar if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Repeat for second half of dough. Enjoy!

These didn't turn out really crunchy/crispy like a store-bought graham. Maybe if I baked them longer they would crisp up a bit. They have a very whole-grain flavor and are quite delicious. My little one loves them.

On the docket later this week: Gluten Free Squash Rolls. This recipe will be entirely my own if I can figure it out. My husband's family has an old favorite family recipe for these that I would love to adapt. They are a sweet dinner roll with squash in them and they're wonderful. Here's hoping!

Sweet Little Bunny

2010-12-07T10:57:00.003-06:00

Well, the new Spud & Chloe patterns are up and my little peanut graces the cover of one of them. The Bunny Hat & Blankie, designed by the talented Susan B. Anderson, is such a fun little crochet piece. Maybe I'll have to give that hat a go for the new little peanut on the way. There are some great new patterns in the lineup. Love the Valentine Cardi! One of these days I'll get back to my needles, but for now the sewing machine is calling my name.
I've got some curtains in the works for our church nursery. I've got two completed projects that I need to photograph. We run out of light quickly in the arctic tundra this time of year, but someday soon I'll share my new plaid maternity skirt and the Folksy Flannel jacket I just finished for the munchkin.
Now I think I might mix up some more dough for caramel rolls. Yum!

GF Cinnamon Rolls

2010-11-30T08:22:00.010-06:00

Well, two words come to mind with these: wow and yum! This is such a fantastic recipe. I've been wanting cinnamon rolls so badly that I didn't modify anything to better ensure success. The only flours used in this are starches, but it works. We ate half the pan while they were warm and the other half was for breakfast. A little overindulgent I suppose, but they were that good.

I got a new book at the sewing expo a few weeks ago. I love it! I've got all kinds of projects picked out, but I managed to actually start and finish one last weekend. I made my mom the Full Contact Apron. I'll make sure to snap a few pictures next time I'm over there.

Snow, Cookies, Latte

2010-11-15T08:35:00.004-06:00

I think it sounds like a good combination. We got a giant dump of snow this weekend and with it came the urge to bake some wintery goodness. I haven't attempted gluten free roll-out cookies before this. We're really pretty happy with this recipe, even without frosting or icing or sprinkles. I adapted this recipe and think I'll give it another whirl with some added fancy-ness. Oh, and these go great with a caramel latte!
I hope you're enjoying your fall (or winter as the case may be).

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
Ingredients

2/3 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
1 cup rice flour
1 cup corn starch
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum

Directions

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg, vanilla & milk. Mix until combined.
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine rice flour, corn starch, unflavored gelatin, baking powder, salt & xanthan gum. Whisk to combine.
Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Stir until combined.
Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375° F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Divide the dough in half and chill the unused portion of the dough until needed.
Roll half the dough at a time, between 2 sheets of waxed paper, to 1/4" to 1/2" thick. Cut into desired shapes and place on prepared cookie sheets. (If the dough becomes sticky, return to the fridge to chill again.)
Bake in preheated oven for 7-8 minutes (for 2 1/2 inch cookies; less for smaller ones, more for larger ones) or until the edges are first and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

GF Cookie Bars

2010-10-28T08:20:00.004-05:00

I was dying for a little taste of chocolate yesterday and was elated to find a brand new bag of chocolate chips in my baking stuff. I've been enjoying the recipes on The Gluten Free Homemaker and thought I would give the pudding bars a try (I usually keep pudding on hand, an easy GF treat). I used vanilla pudding and also added a handful of coconut (I have a strange new appreciation for coconut). Mods: Subbed rice flour for sorghum, subbed corn starch for tapioca and potato starches.
My husband came home from work last night and dug right in. Then he came running and asked if they were "ok". (I will occasionally bake things to give to other people, using wheat flour). I figure this is a pretty great recipe if he gets nervous! I'll be making some more today so that we actually have some to take with us on our respective out of town journeys this weekend.

Slipping Away

2010-10-26T15:20:00.004-05:00

It sure seems like fall is slipping away fast and furiously. I've been in a crafting lull, but it seems to be picking up with the change in the weather. Something about chilly weather actually makes me want to sit at the sewing machine. (I'm sure it also helps that I'm out of the first trimester... we're due in April). I've got a flannel jacket underway for Eliza. It'll be a fun sweater stand-in for Sundays mostly. We tried on the winter gear today and I settled on just buying boots and mittens. I managed to squeak by with only $3 on the boots (found some Kamiks at the thrift store). Yay! If anyone knows where I can find decent mittens on the cheap...
We had a wild weekend of pitching in and passing around kids. Thursday was my dad's birthday, so I grabbed three extra girls to help make Penuche fudge and butterscotch blondies (and a Jello cake to take home). They made all kinds of cards for Grandpa and Mom too. The treats turned out great and we've got some budding designers in the family I think.

Friday was boys' movie night and Saturday we got the day off. I made a turkey (for the second time in my life) on Sunday and had all the family over for lunch. Four loads of dishes later, I'm beginning to recover. Phew! Well, back to my giant latte and maybe some organizing.

GF Jello Cake

2010-10-14T10:27:00.006-05:00

Well, I had a craving (yes, I mean that kind of craving) for Jello cake yesterday and decided to give it a go with a new gluten free yellow cake recipe. For the flour mix I used 1 1/2 cups rice flour and 3/4 cup corn starch. I think it turned out pretty good, but I might do more Jello next time (or actually include the strawberries. I'm lame and skimped out this time). I like really moist non-cake-like cake. You know, like the kind with lots of filling.
This was the first time I've made Jello cake and it seems like a great pairing for a gluten free cake. There's even a Betty Crocker mix available at most grocery stores now, so this could turn into a super easy fall-back recipe for us. Just need to keep some Cool Whip stocked in the freezer.
Oh, and yes, I did eat this at 10:00 this morning. I think I have a good enough excuse.

No Proof

2010-10-08T08:14:00.005-05:00

Well, I accomplished what I would consider a great culinary feat a couple weeks ago. However, I was apparently too delinquent in getting the pictures off the camera and they made a disappearing act (not really, my husband dumped them, he needs a clean card most of the time... shopping trip today). Anyway, you have to believe me, I made tiramisu. Gluten free tiramisu. The real feat was the gluten free ladyfingers. I beat egg yolks and then egg whites and mixed up the goodies and piped the cookies onto parchment and all. Now I need to head out and get some more ingredients so that I can make it again and retain the proof this time.
The tiramisu recipe wasn't quite sweet enough for my taste. I would sweeten the whipped cream a bit and add a little extra sugar to the cheese mixture. For the ladyfingers I subbed rice flour for sorghum and cornstarch for tapioca.
Well, I'll leave you with a picture from our little "field trip" last Friday. Eliza had her first ride on a "train" (wooden carts pulled by a lawn tractor) and loved it. She cried when it was over. Too cute.

GF Banana Nut Muffins

2010-09-10T10:03:00.003-05:00

I finally got ambitious yesterday and did some baking. It's been too long. I adapted a regular muffin recipe to fit our dietary needs and this is what we ended up with:
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon xantham gum
• Pinch of salt (more if you don't put butter on your muffin)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix butter and bananas. Add sugar, egg and vanilla and mix well. Sprinkle in baking soda and xantham gum. Add flour and corn starch and blend well. Stir in walnuts. Pour into lined or greased muffin tin (makes 12). Optional: Sprinkle tops with brown sugar. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy! We did!

I don't think you would know these are gluten free unless someone told you. We were all very happy with them. Even mama's little helper!

Monday Thursday

2010-09-02T12:44:00.003-05:00

I sat down with a friend awhile back and got a quick embroidery lesson to get me started on some adorable towels. This languished so long that the transfer wore off and I was winging it a little. This is a fun and addictive craft and I've already started on Tuesday. I think it's fairly obvious that I started with the word Monday, and I considered ripping it out and starting over, but decided it wasn't worth it. It'll just be part of the journey. What new craft pursuits are you enjoying?

Fresh Picked

2010-08-12T11:01:00.002-05:00

My cosmos have finally started to bloom and the columbine got a second wind. Hooray! It was all too lovely to just leave there, so I gathered up a few flowers from the garden and then filled in with some wildflowers and milkweed leaves I found in the yard. Not exactly traditional, but it makes me smile anyway. I'm waiting (not very patiently) for my hollyhocks to finally bloom. What are you growing?

Just like takeout

2010-08-12T09:44:00.002-05:00

I'm on a new recipe kick. Does anyone else do that? I'll have a new recipe for every night of the week once in awhile. Some make the cut, some don't. This recipe will be added to the regular (maybe weekly) rotation. I wish I had been brave enough to try and photograph it. The only sub I made was rice flour for white flour. It made the chicken stick to the pan a bit, but I didn't mind too much. Totally worth the extra effort. Yum and yum! Are you enjoying any new recipes? I think I'll give this a go today.

Quest for crust

2010-08-10T08:21:00.002-05:00

My husband discovered he had a wheat sensitivity a couple years ago and we've made the necessary adjustments. It was hard at first, but once you get in the swing it's not so bad. The thing I miss most, though, is pizza. Most gluten free mixes just aren't the same (and really aren't that good). I did a quick search for a new recipe to try and found this. We took it for a test drive last night and it was out of this world. I think pizza may make it back into the rotation (on a weekly basis)! The crust was actually chewy and not just a crumbly mess.
I just made a couple minor adjustments/substitutions: white rice flour for the brown, corn starch for the tapioca and white vinegar for cider. I also left out the herbs because we did a buffalo chicken pizza. I topped the crust with a little oil and about a 1/4 cup of hot sauce, then chicken, mozzarella, ranch dressing and parsley. Yum!

Plasticware dress up

2010-08-06T08:46:00.003-05:00

The last couple of parties I've hosted I decided to create my own little silverware holders. I had seen these from Martha and figured I could do the same with glass jars. I already had some artwork from some invitations, so I adjusted the colors this go 'round to match my tablecloth. These are great for summer. They're patriotic colors and perfect for BBQs and picnics. Just trim them to the size you need for your particular jar then use a glue stick to attach it. I left the bottom of the second sheet blank in case you need labels or have another use for the patterned paper. Click here to download. Have fun!

Phew! What a weekend!

2010-08-02T08:15:00.004-05:00

Well, we had a houseful for my in-laws 40th wedding anniversary this weekend. Five of the thirty-some were overnight guests. Eliza had a blast with her cousins who showered her with attention.

Eliza got to spend a little time with her great grandpa too.

I think her favorite part of the weekend was her new buddy, Po (or Doddy, as she refers to him).

My s-i-l was a lifesaver. She made all kinds of salads and lent me a bit of her calm and cool. So we had more food than we could possibly eat and a lovely cake made by a dear friend (I think we put a good dent in that).

I've got a few projects to share, but first things first. I've got a disaster in the fridge and then I think Netflix is calling my name. Hope your weekend was great!

The first of the produce

2010-07-27T11:12:00.003-05:00

My parents have started gathering the firstfruits of the garden. (They always over-plant, so I'm not sure when we'll actually start feeling motivated to have our own garden). We've been blanching beans, freezing zucchini and making pickles. Yum! Can't wait for those tomatoes to start turning red.

Fat quarter baby dress

2010-07-22T10:05:00.008-05:00

My mom handed me a generic white baby wrap top a few weeks ago. I knew just what to do with it. A friend just had her first girl, so it was destined to become a dress for her. This is the simplest of sewing projects.
Cut a fat quarter in half. I cut through the selvage, so I could use the finished edges (you can certainly finish the edges too). Sew the short, raw edges together. Press.

Press one long edge up about 3/8" and then turn over again to create a finished hem. Stitch.

Stitch two rows of gathering stitches along long, unfinished edge.

Open wrap top. Gather skirt and pin right sides of top and skirt together. Stitch.

You can attach buttons, ribbons, yo-yo's or a host of other fun doodads. Ta da! You just made a baby dress in less than an hour. There's still time to cook dinner!

Strawberry Muffins

2010-07-22T09:53:00.004-05:00

I was inspired by this post to bake some of these the other day. The cornmeal intrigued me so I checked the cabinets. I had all but the blueberries, so I subbed strawberries. Yum! They didn't last long. Oh, and of course I subbed the flour with a GF mix and added a teaspoon of xantham gum. I'll be making some blueberry ones soon (my sis is picking up a giant box for me).
I've been working away at my craft/guest room and it's coming together quite happily. I am hoping to share a pillow sham pattern soon. Now I need to go figure out how to do buttonholes on the new sewing machine.

Faux Fair Isle

2010-07-15T11:11:00.002-05:00

The new patterns are up at Blue Sky, which means I can share my latest design. This is the Faux Fair Isle Set (isn't the photo amazing?). The gals at Blue Sky asked me to create a new hat/mitten/scarf set out of Blue Sky Bulky last fall. I wanted it to be something simple that a beginner would have no trouble with and started experimenting with slip stitch patterns. This is what I came up with. It's a super easy (and totally gratifying) knit. I think the Azalea may be calling my name... what are you waiting for?

Overdue Post of Overdue Curtains

2010-07-14T09:24:00.004-05:00

We were long overdue for some curtains in the living room. We've got big west-facing windows that catch all kinds of sun during summer afternoons and evenings. (They're not catching any sun today, hence the dark pictures. It's a stormy morning here). I've been wanting to cover them with something dark enough to keep it cool in here. So... I broke down and combed through the fabrics at Walmart and actually found a combination I really loved. I used a cocoa-colored cotton duck and a coordinating ticking stripe. I also found some cute matching buttons in my great grandmother's button stash. They're far from perfect, but I'm super happy with them anyway. The color is perfect, and the improvised design suits our style.

How I did it: Cut ticking at 12" intervals. Seam discreetly to get pieces wide enough to match 55" wide cotton duck. Finish vertical edges of ticking. Press 5/8" seam at long edges of ticking. Press top edge of cotton duck at 5" and press edge in 5/8" to get a finished sleeve for curtain rod. Match top edge of ticking to top edge of duck and stitch (I put right sides together, but make sure you don't get it upside down). Push ticking aside and stitch down sleeve for rod on cotton duck. Top stitch bottom edge of ticking. Hem bottom of curtains. Sew buttons on.

Bread, Glorious Bread

2010-06-22T08:55:00.003-05:00

I've had a hankering for a Reuben sandwich lately and decided to do a bit of searching for a gluten free pumpernickel recipe. I stumbled upon a great one that I modified slightly (because I didn't have all the ingredients). I'm super happy with the results. I've already made this bread a couple times and plan to make it again soon. These directions are for a traditional mixer method. This should also work in a bread machine.

Gluten Free Pumpernickel Bread
1 1/2 C Milk
2 1/4 t Active Dry Yeast
3 T Molasses
3 T Sugar

1 C White Rice Flour
1 C GF Baking Mix
1 C Corn Starch
1 T Xantham Gum
1 T Caraway Seeds
1 1/2 t Salt
1 T Cocoa Powder

3 Eggs
3 T Vegetable Oil
3 T Vinegar
1 t Lemon Juice

Heat milk to 110°. Mix in yeast, sugar and molasses and let proof about 10 minutes (it should start to get foamy). Combine dry ingredients. Add remaining wet ingredients to yeast mixture. Combine wet and dry mixtures. Place mixture in greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Let rise up to an hour. Bake at 375° for 30-60 minutes. Enjoy!

Another dress?

2010-06-05T08:42:00.006-05:00

I'm on a clothes kick lately and have been looking for more ideas (not really what I need right now).

I saw this dress on Anthropologie

and this dress from Vogue.

Close enough? I think so. The real obstacle would be finding/choosing a fabric. Any suggestions (that won't break the bank)?

Finding inspiration

2010-06-05T08:23:00.003-05:00

I requested a Toast catalog recently and it arrived promptly a couple days ago. If you're not familiar with Toast, well, you need to migrate away from this post. Their catalogs are filled with lovely photography and printed on great paper. I love nice catalogs. I've been poring over the catalog and filling my head with way too many ideas. The thing that most captivated me and got my wheels turning was, oddly enough, padded hangers. Their version is particularly sweet. I've been hunting for a decent pattern online this morning, but might just try to pick up some hangers and wing it. I'm not sure if single bar hangers are readily available though (might need to raid my mom's hall closet). Anyone know of a decent pattern out there?

Two new dresses

2010-05-25T09:27:00.004-05:00

I've had sewing fever lately and managed to finish up a dress that's been sitting waaaay too long and start and finish another. It's been nice to have something nice to wear. I still have 15 baby pounds to shed (which is a feat considering the inordinate number of pounds I put on), so I'm scrambling for some summer things. I've been diving into my mom's stash which I've been housing since December. She recently got a gorgeous craft room face lift, so she'll be reclaiming what's rightfully hers. I gotta run... I want to have a last look at all that fabric!

The first party

2010-05-17T09:10:00.006-05:00

I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of my daughter's first birthday party. This was really fun to put together. We just kept it to family and did relatively simple food. I did cupcakes instead of a big fancy cake (they're chocolate and mini cheesecakes). I made a couple heart garlands with miscellaneous pink fabrics I had in my stash, and some pink grosgrain ribbon. I cut the hearts freehand and stitched them onto the ribbon in random order. I also made some big tissue paper flowers to hang from the ceiling. The birthday sign was a quick little craft project too. I grabbed the artwork from a favorite fabric designer and screened it back, then I added big letters and printed, cut and punched. The banner is also strung with grosgrain ribbon. The rest of the decorations came mostly from the Valentines Day clearance at Target.
On a related note... Where did the year go?!?!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-05-04T09:49:00.003-05:00

Well, I intended to share a recipe with you today, but alas, 'twas not to be. I purchased a great new GF baking mix recently and tried out the recipe on the box (with a couple mods), but my new box has blueberry muffins in place of the cookies. Ack! So I'll be doing some hunting. In the meantime, aren't they pretty?

A little hiatus (and some reinvented curtains)

2010-05-01T16:56:00.004-05:00

I've been up to a host of crafting projects in the last month, but have been much too busy (or sick) to post. I'll try to get caught up in the ensuing days/weeks. We had a first birthday and a bout of intestinal flu and I'm finally getting the house under control again.
I did a bit of surgery to a set of plain cream curtains from Ikea in an effort to "complete" the wee one's room. The curtains were 56 inches wide, so I cut a straight line (about 3 feet long) at 7 inches from the edge, then another 14 inches over for the remaining 3 cuts. I inserted a triangle of fabric to create a pleat and then added some ribbon and vintage buttons to finish them off. I'm super happy with how they turned out, kind of Land-of-Nod in my opinion. I've been wanting to get better pictures, but between nap time and dead batteries it's just not happening.
So what have you reinvented lately?

The great bread experiment

2010-03-29T09:08:00.005-05:00

Last week I picked up a few things to try out some gluten free recipes. We've been trying (some harder than others) to go gluten free for the past couple months. My husband has a wheat sensitivity, so we've been mostly wheat-free for a year or so, but finally decided to make the leap and try gluten free. I sort of gave up on baking for a little while, but have decided I'd like to take another crack at it. When we first cut out wheat I did a little baking with rice flour and wasn't very happy with it. Rice flour has a sort of sandy texture, so it really needs to mixed with some other things to have a pleasant texture. This is last week's bread. It's all gone now. I'll post a recipe soon, but I want to give it another go before I put anything up.

We have a quilt top!

2010-03-27T10:49:00.004-05:00

I managed to get the last of the quilt top put together yesterday and got a little direction on the next step from my mom. I'm thinking this pattern will work for the quilting. I'm going to attempt to machine quilt it. Gotta get practicing!

I stopped by Blue Sky yesterday to drop off some (top secret) projects, and they so graciously lent me this lovely book. My mom and I pored over it yesterday. It's filled with wonderful, vintage-looking quilts. Maybe quilting is for me after all.

I finished my first birthday garland and I think I'll attempt a second with the sewing machine. I'll share some pictures later. Busy, busy, busy. What have you been up to?

Farmers Market Coasters

2010-03-22T10:41:00.004-05:00

I've been sitting on these for several weeks waiting for my sister to get somewhat settled in her new home. I gave them to her the other day and got to see them in action even. They're super simple. I just cut 5-inch squares from some quilting cotton for the fronts and canvas for the backs. There is a slightly smaller piece of fleece in the center. I pressed one edge in a half inch and then turned the right sides together and stitched on the three remaining sides, turned right side out and top stitched all edges. They turned out pretty cute. Now I need to make some for myself!

Finally... and what an adorable couple

2010-03-10T10:00:00.003-06:00

I finally put a face on Ms. Ribbit and made her a boyfriend too! A friend of mine is due with her first baby at the end of the month and after an uninspired trip to the store I decided Ribbit would be a wonderful baby gift. Both of these whipped up super quick. I used fiber fill for the bodies (a tennis ball didn't seem very baby friendly). I finally figured out why my face was not turning out quite right. You need to use a double thickness of embroidery floss. They're not perfect, but I think they turned out pretty cute. My little one loves those long, silly arms and legs.

Next!

2010-03-05T10:57:00.004-06:00

Next up is a fabric garland for a first birthday party. I'm thinking I'll use this as a jumping off point. I'll probably trade the flowers for hearts and leave out the rectangular flags. I've got a stack of pink fabrics ready, so as soon as I finish a knitting project (or two) I'll be diving in. Can't wait! Looks so fun.

Family of Hats

2010-03-02T09:36:00.005-06:00

My mom and I embarked on a journey of hat knitting for some friends in Alaska. Here is our family of hats (which began a journey of their own yesterday). Dad got a striped hat in BSA Worsted and Mom got a hat in the same yarn from this pattern. We thought washable hats would be ultimately practical for the kids. Big Brother got an improvised earflap hat in S&C Outer. The Twins each got a Flap Happy. My mom lined all the kids hats with fleece and took on the knitting for Dad's hat and Big Brother's hat. I hope they'll keep some ears toasty!

Another name

2010-02-20T08:55:00.005-06:00

A friend of mine recently had a baby and I thought she needed her very own Your Name Here. I think it turned out pretty cute, but I'm hoping the next name I do is something like Joy or Sam.

Sweet heart or lima bean?

2010-02-20T08:51:00.002-06:00

I thought these zippered pouches on the Purlbee were too cute and decided to whip one up for a niece's birthday. If I did another one it would be bigger so the zipper wouldn't be on a curve (way too fussy). I think it will do for a 5 year old, but it looks a bit lima bean-y to me.

While they were sleeping

2010-02-10T16:02:00.004-06:00

Well, I'm waiting on the big news. My little sister is in labor as I type. This is baby number two, and baby number one (who isn't really a baby anymore) gets to spend the day/night with me. It was a bit more busy around here especially since my very own little one just started crawling. We managed to bake some cookies, head out on an errand and I made some pants for the new little guy while the other little ones slept. How is it that I'm quite possibly more productive when I'm busier?

Still Kickin'

2010-01-30T21:39:00.004-06:00

Well, I'm still up to all sorts of crafty goodness, but most of it is top secret. I managed to finish the diaper bag and took a couple of shots this afternoon. I've been carrying it around for a week, but didn't want to take the time to empty and press it for pictures. I'm planning some minor surgery to the lining and maybe you'll see some interior shots then. I'm really happy with the way this came out. I had been using a bag that is open on top and I'm so happy to be able to zip everything in now. I've also got an exterior zip pocket and an interior zip pocket (both salvaged from an old purse). The oil cloth on the bottom is nice because I can set the bag on the ground without worrying about it since that'll wipe pretty clean. Maybe I'll sit down and write up a pattern for it one of these days when life slows down... that never actually happens, does it?

New photos of an old project

2010-01-19T09:50:00.005-06:00

I made this sweet little shrug right after I found out I was having a girl. It finally fits (with some room) and we got some pics the other day when the light was cooperating. I used Blue Sky Worsted Cotton in Shell.
I got some assistance and direction on the diaper bag project and it is underway. I fired up two machines and got cracking on it so hopefully I'll be toting diapers in style sometime soon.

A little aside

2010-01-19T09:35:00.004-06:00

I wouldn't call these a full out distraction because they were super quick and easy to whip up. I used this tutorial with a couple mods (added a cuff to one pair and omitted the side seams on both). My little sister is due with her second boy next month and pants were on her list of "could use some". These might turn into a serious distraction because they were so fun to make. I think some of the flannel is destined for a girlie pair (or two, or three) of these.

What am I doing?

2010-01-12T10:34:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I got excited and overzealous and started slicing and dicing some fabric for a new diaper bag. I was all in and got some pieces measured and cut and then the mental block hit. What am I doing? I think I jumped in with less of a plan than I thought, so now I'm trying to make some decisions and debating with myself on whether I should just fire up the machine and see what happens. Maybe I'll wait until Friday (my mom has the day off, hehe). I have plans for the ideal diaper bag in the works though, so I'll share what I come up with (which might be nothing). I'm using some oilcloth from Anna Maria Horner and some natural-colored canvas. I need to do a bit of strap hunting and check my zipper stock. Is anyone else hitting mental blocks this week? I guess we're that far into winter now. Maybe I just need some cocoa...

Your Name Here

2010-01-06T21:19:00.007-06:00

Alas, the Coral Cutie never made it home. The loss did, however, motivate me to design something new (but it's top secret for now). It will teach me to guard hand knits with my life if I decide to risk bringing them out in public with me again.

I finally managed to get a pattern laid out and proofed and ready for download. It's called Your Name Here and there's a link in the sidebar. The banner got a little face lift too, thanks to my talented husband. Now I need to focus my attention on a couple knitting projects, one old and one new. The new project is destined for publication so my lips are sealed for the time being (sorry).
Ah, the quilt. *sigh* There's something about big projects sitting too long. It's like you have to work up extra steam to pick them back up, or maybe it's just that whole project monogamy thing. Then again, maybe it's just laziness. (I think the last option is the most likely in my case). The reason doesn't matter so much if I can just work up a little motivation, and squeeze in some sewing machine time. I don't have too far to go to finish the top and then I can try my hand at quilting. Fun, new adventures coming up!
Take a look at the new pattern and let me know if you think it needs any help. Have fun!

*ETA: The link for Your Name Here should be working now. Let me know if you're still having trouble and I'll try something else.

Letter to a Lost Sweater

2009-12-29T21:44:00.003-06:00

Dear Coral Cutie,

Please return home. I’m sure you’re out having a good time, but we miss you here. I’m sorry I left you behind somewhere on our shopping trip yesterday. I promise not to leave you behind ever again and will include you in the wardrobe as often as you’re clean. I bought you a shirt yesterday to wear with plumpy. You’ll be the star of the show.

We had some good times you and I. I crafted you before plumpy was born and lovingly tucked you away to await her arrival. I miss your smooth stitches and your sweet little buttons. You were on the cusp of a new era, the coveted wearing of a baby. I couldn’t be sorrier to have lost you. We didn’t even get to say goodbye.

Please come back,

Sylvia

Alphabet Soup

2009-12-28T08:25:00.004-06:00

Well, I managed to finish up the latest project last night. I'm working on a pdf of instructions and templates for this project. Anyone can make this. The only "special tool" needed is pinking shears (unless you consider an iron special). These are hand-stitched, so no sewing machine required. Hopefully I can get a pdf download ready in the next couple days (and some better photos). I'm just glad the walls aren't bare in the munchkin's room anymore!

A New Distraction

2009-12-23T09:54:00.003-06:00

I've been distracting myself with a new project the last couple days. It's a little hand-stitching project and I should have time to finish it this week (especially after the snow starts in). I'm excited about this one. It's a little something for the munchkin's room. Her walls are pretty bare right now, so this should brighten things up a bit. I'll post more pictures and instructions for this simple project soon. And then I really need to get back to the quilt.

We did it!

2009-12-21T10:51:00.003-06:00

Well, I did manage to figure out the crochet trim and added it to one of hats and called in reinforcements for the rest of the finishing. My mom graciously offered to cut and sew in the fleece and she ended up doing the crochet edging on the second hat too. Hey, that's what moms are for, right? Anyway, I think the hats turned out great and will keep some little ears very warm. I opted to just do tassels at the ends of the ties and the i-cord at the top of the hat. (Maybe I'll add pom poms to the next one... maybe). The funniest thing about these hats is the difference in gauge. I made both hats on the same size needle and they almost look like two different sizes. Oh well.

So Close...

2009-12-17T11:58:00.003-06:00

I've been plugging away at a pair of Flap Happy Hats for a set of twins and I'm so close... yet so far. I've reached the crochet trim point. I've been telling myself I need to work on the crochet skills for instances like this, but haven't sprung into action yet. I think I'll leave the pom poms off these and just add a few tassels. I've got the ties knit and ready to attach, it's just the crochet edging I'm hung up on. I was thinking the hats might be ok without? Anyone care to weigh in? Or give me a lesson?
These hats were really fun to make. I enjoyed working the textures and stripes together and they whipped up pretty fast on a size 7. I think the colorways turned out pretty fun too. (Boy: Moonlight, Ice Cream, Grass and Rootbeer; Girl: Popsicle, Ice Cream, Watermelon and Rootbeer). I'm planning to line these with fleece as the recipients live in Alaska.

New patterns are up!

2009-12-11T08:38:00.004-06:00

The new spring patterns from Blue Sky Alpacas are up (just in time for Christmas? Haha). My newest pattern is the Everyday Hoodie and I'm thinking a kal may be in order. It's a feminine, flattering hoodie in super squishy cotton (S&C Sweater would make a great substitute too). My little peanut had her modeling debut with this round of patterns as well. She got to model grandma's new pattern, the Cotton Baby Set. The blanket in this pattern is too cool and fairly simple. It has a quilt-like, textured pattern unlike any other blanket pattern I've seen. The little wrap sweater uses the new Multi Cotton. This is a super fun take on BSA cotton. My mom has another amazing pattern included in this round, the Greta Blouse. It's based on a vintage pattern and I think it's very unique and totally gorgeous. I really need to brush up my crochet (not that there's much to brush up).

Granola

2009-12-10T09:58:00.004-06:00

I've been meaning to make granola for ages and the itch set in last night, so here we are. It's super easy and delicious. I will definitely be making it again. I modified this recipe. Here's my version:

6 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup almonds
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, honey, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add dried cranberries and mix until evenly distributed.

Playing with yarn

2009-12-09T12:14:00.003-06:00

She's already a yarn snob (and I've got some untangling to do). Can't let any Spud & Chloë go to waste!

Crafting Central

2009-12-07T07:02:00.003-06:00

Well, life happened again last week and the quilt (among other things) got neglected. I've had supplies for another fun project burning a hole in the bag in the closet as well. *sigh* Maybe this week. We had a minor family crisis this week (everyone is fine, we're just needing to shift some space), which made me the proud guardian of this beautiful machine (in addition to about 8 large plastic totes FULL of fabric). All the accoutrements accompanied the load, so my sparse craft room has been transformed into crafting central for the time being. Packing up fabric got my brain running full speed with ideas, so I hope I'll still be able to sleep at night. Anyone up for a crafting therapy day?

That time of year

2009-12-02T08:45:00.002-06:00

There's a chill in the air, which means the oven has been on a lot lately. This is a recipe that's been finding it's way into the rotation a little more frequently than it ought to (I can't resist). These have been a family favorite for years. I hope you enjoy them!

Snickerdoodles
1 C Butter
1 1/2 C Sugar
2 Eggs
2 3/4 C Flour
2 t Cream of Tartar
1 t Baking Soda
1/4 t Salt
2 T Sugar
2 t Cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°. Mix butter, sugar and eggs. Blend dry ingredients (except 2 T sugar and 2 t cinnamon). Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into balls and dip into cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.
Note: If you refrigerate the dough for about a half hour you'll get better results. The dough is thin and will spread too much if you leave it at room temperature. Also, the cookies will be VERY soft when you remove them from the oven. Leave them on the pan for a few minutes to firm up and finish cooking.

In the mail

2009-12-01T11:36:00.004-06:00

I received the funnest box in the mail the other day. I had a gift certificate for Purl and decided to splurge on some fabrics that I have no particular plans for... yet. Anna Maria Horner is my absolute favorite fabric designer. She recently came out with some gorgeous new flannels and a couple oilcloths that complement her latest line. I got 4 pieces of flannel and a yard of oilcloth. (I'm dying to get my hands on some of her new dobby dots too, but I didn't see those on purlsoho yet). I can't wait to dive into these gorgeous fabrics, but first things first. I'm finishing up my next pattern design this week and then it's back to the sewing machine.

And we're back

2009-11-30T11:49:00.003-06:00

Well, a week of family fun kinda took it out of me, but I did manage to get lots of crafting time in. We finished the dress, which was a much bigger undertaking than either of us thought. I did most of the stitching and my sister-in-law pressed like a champ and did lots and lots of trimming and pinning. She also stitched down the ribbon detail around the neckline (I was pretty spent at that point). The result is adorable I think, and a perfect fit to boot! My s-i-l will take some gorgeous pictures with all the right accessories I'm sure. And eventually this will get passed down to my little munchkin, which might be the most exciting part!

Old Friends and New Projects

2009-11-23T08:33:00.005-06:00

Now begins that whirlwind time of year. We managed to get a bed set up in the craft room so we can accommodate visitors and my sister-in-law and niece got to test it out this weekend. The boys are off doing what boys do this time of year, so the gals set out to do some shopping. My sister-in-law decided we needed to work on a sewing project of some sort and we ended up getting fabric and a pattern to make a Christmas dress for her daughter (4 years old). We slaved all afternoon yesterday and managed to complete most of the bodice. We chose a somewhat tedious pattern (imho), but it's turning out quite cute I think. They're headed back here today, but grandma will be along to wrangle the kids. Yay! I'm expecting to finish the dress before the day is out. Can't wait to get some pictures!

I did manage to get a little further on my quilt before the welcome interruptions arrived. I might be able to finish the top of the quilt before the week is out. I've got supplies for another project that I can't wait to get started on. Hope you're enjoying some interruptions this week!
P.S. I wore my new skirt yesterday. Such fun.

Raw Apple Cake

2009-11-18T17:46:00.003-06:00

I managed to bake something the other day and it's destined to be a family favorite, so I thought I'd share the recipe.

Raw Apple Cake
2 C Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 C Oil
2 C Flour
2 t Soda
1 t Cinnamon
1 t Salt
3/4 C Walnuts
5 C Chopped unpeeled apples

Mix sugar, eggs and oil (I used butter instead). Mix flour, soda, cinnamon and salt and add to above mixture. Fold in walnuts and unpeeled apples (I peeled mine). Bake in greased and floured 9 x 13-inch cake pan for 1 hour at 325°. Top with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 oz. Cream cheese
3/4 Stick butter
1 t Vanilla
1 3/4 C Powdered sugar

My mom has made this a few times and left off the frosting. It's delicious that way, but I'm a sucker for cream cheese so I had to give it a whirl. So get rid of those questionable apples you've been hanging onto for too long and enjoy!

One Skirt and Itty Bitty Fun

2009-11-17T11:13:00.005-06:00

Saturday I headed down to the not-so-local local yarn shop, Shepherd's Choice (I live in the boondocks, nothing is actually local). Susan made the shop part of her book tour, so I got to say hi and get my book signed and she got to meet Lizzie. Both my mom and sister made it out to the event too. We made sure to get a picture of all of us. My mom is on the left and my sister on the right (just looked at her post title, we must be related). I look like I'm trying to sing the lead in this picture. Not sure why I'm so much farther forward. I guess cuz my arms were full!

The little nugget enjoyed all the attention of course, but was wore out before the end and couldn't keep her eyes open in spite of all the activity around her.
If you're in the Twin Cities you really need to check out Kathy's shop. Her new location is really gorgeous and she's got a complete inventory of Blue Sky and Spud & Cholë. She also carries a line of hand made soaps, lotions and other wonderful items. I love the tea tree and lavender soap and hers is the only lip balm I buy now.

Sunday, I managed to get my skirt hemmed. It still needs a few finishing touches, but it's wearable. I love the kick pleats in back and the hot pink lining. Can't wait to wear it. Now I need to get back to the quilt and maybe some other fun sewing projects for the little one. I better stop typing and get myself to the store for some thread!

The mouse and the elephant should be friends

2009-11-13T18:28:00.005-06:00

Well, the Itty Bitty knitting is done (for now). I'm shipping off the last Cat & Mouse with the Lion & Elephant. It's such a relief to be done, but I'll be adding some reversibles to my personal knitting fairly soon. I'm hoping I can steal away some time tomorrow morning to devote to my skirt. I'm so close I can taste it! My afternoon will be occupied with a visit to the LYS to see none other than the illustrious designer whose patterns I've been working up over the past several weeks (I think I've been watching too much Sherlock Holmes on Netflix. I'm starting to talk like him).
The quilt has been on the backburner amidst all this, but I should have some time next week to pick it back up. The next knitting project on the agenda is a design I'm working on for Blue Sky Alpacas fall 2010 collection. Stay tuned for images of my latest pattern, which I hear they'll be posting on their site soon. I'm super excited about it and I think a knitalong may be in store in the foreseeable future.

One Elephant, No Skirt

2009-11-10T07:47:00.000-06:00

The Elephant & Lion Reversible is now complete and I'm doing up a second Cat & Mouse. I didn't end up finishing the skirt and decided to give the knitting projects priority for the week. (Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in a bit of time to finish seams and hem in time for Sunday). I did manage to get the skirt fitted though, with the help of my mom. Thanks Mom! I think Mr. Elephant turned out almost as cute as Mr. Lion, but it's hard to compete with that dreadlock-like mane. Well, I'd better get back to it. I'm having company today and have quite a few things to set to rights. I hope your projects are coming together too!

A little distraction

2009-11-06T10:29:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm moving along on the elephant (he can't hear or see yet, or touch for that matter, but getting close). I took a little time away from knitting the last couple days to finally start putting together a skirt I cut out a couple weeks ago. I bought the fabric for it last winter I think and never got around to making anything. It's a super dark brown wool-blend with little pink dots. I decided to go with a simple straight skirt (with 2 kick pleats in back) and picked up some hot pink lining to spice it up a bit. The pattern is Simplicity 2475. I'm to the point of fitting now, which means calling in some reinforcements (my mom). Hopefully I'll have a picture of a completed skirt to show in the next day or two. Hopefully...

One Lion. Check.

2009-11-04T10:58:00.000-06:00

The Lion came together nicely yesterday. I'm moving on the elephant today, but the knitting will be interrupted by a doctor appointment this afternoon. The little plumper has a sixth month checkup (a few weeks late, go figure). I'm dying to know what she weighs... she feels like a bag of bricks lately. How does that happen so fast? Anyway, she enjoyed the lion. I'm sure he tastes about as good as the rest of her toys. I think he turned out super cute. Hope I have enough yarn left to do one of my own. Although, these toys would be great stash busters.

The State of the Quilt (and some other stuff)

2009-11-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

The quilt is moving right along (in spite of the fact I haven't worked on it in days). I'm still filling in a few gaps due to a poor counting job on my part. I'm happy with how it is shaping up though. I'm taking a bit of a break from it to finish up a couple more Itty Bitty projects. The Cat & Mouse are traveling with Susan on her book tour right now. I've got lots of pieces to stitch together today, but I think we may have a lion before the day is through.

Where did the week go?

2009-10-29T17:22:00.000-05:00

I can't believe tomorrow is Friday already. I've been knitting feverishly all week (well, except for today). I finished a secret project for S&C. Ok, I tested another new pattern, and you're all going to love it! It's another one by the fantastic Susan B. Anderson. I also managed to squeeze in a bit more Itty Bitty knitting and finished the first of 3 projects. It's the Cat & Mouse Reversible. I'm so happy with how this turned out and think I'll be making a few reversibles of my own. Did anyone else miss the week passing? I was not consulted in the swiftness of it going by.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

2009-10-25T16:04:00.000-05:00

I tried a new recipe recently and I think it will find its way into the regular rotation. I left the caramel off the top because a) I forgot to pick some up and b) they seemed plenty decadent without it. I hope you're enjoying fall too!

Making Progress

2009-10-23T07:32:00.000-05:00

The quilt is coming together and I'm really excited about the way it's looking. I snuck in another hour of work on it yesterday.

You can see here how I'm creating squares from the strips. I actually managed to get all my squares cut yesterday. I've got some horizontal stitching left to do yet and then it's on to the tedious part, sewing the strips together. I say tedious, because I need to match up seams, which I haven't had to do yet. I'll have more pictures soon!
I've been spending most of my time working on a secret knitting project. I'll be sure to take pictures, so you can see it all when the pattern is released.

Let the stitching begin!

2009-10-19T08:36:00.000-05:00

My current knitting deadlines are both at super tight gauges, which necessitates frequent breaks. On Saturday I decide to start a new project on one of these breaks. I headed to my mom's to cut my quilt fabric into strips. The quilt will be made up of 3" squares, so I cut 3.5" strips. The strips will be sewn together and then cut again to 3.5". That will save me a heap of work in the end. I'm glad I've got my mom to guide me along a bit. It's like having private lessons I imagine.
I'm approaching the finish line on the Cat and Mouse reversible toy. You can see Mr. Mouse peeking out of my knitting bag here. I'm SO happy with how he turned out. I'm changing my tune on the amount of work these toys require. The patterns are VERY well written and the results are better than I imagined. I can't wait to make some of these for the wee one.

Itty Bitty Stitches

2009-10-15T07:25:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon an opportunity to knit some samples for the Itty Bitty Toys publisher and I jumped in to the project yesterday. The patterns I'll be working on are both reversibles and they're too cute! If you haven't seen this book I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy. This may be Susan's best book yet.
It took me most of the morning to get gauge. These are itty bitty stitches, but it looks gorgeous so far. I went down from the recommended size 4 to a size 1 needle (maybe I'll knit socks after this).
I'll be knitting 2 samples of the Reversible Cat & Mouse and one sample of the Reversible Lion & Elephant.

I have plans of my own to knit the Sisters for the wee one. I think BSA Cotton or Spud & Chloë Sweater would be a good option for these toys if you don't have access to O-Wool. I had a hard time tracking down all the colors I needed and ended up ordering from 2 stores.
I'd better get back to my tiny stitching. Hopefully I'll have some progress to share soon.

Sweet Success

2009-10-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

My husband ended up getting a big freelance project, so my trifling light fixture wasn't really on the radar. I read through the directions and decided I'd give it a go this morning. It actually works! Now I best get in the shower...

Friday's Finds

2009-10-12T16:24:00.001-05:00

Friday was a full day flitting to and fro. My mom and I started out at the craft store, then off to the LYS, a quick peek at some occasional shops and finally to the quilt shop. I got some sweet 30's prints to use in a quilt for the little one. My mom is letting me raid her stash to fill in the rest. I'm planning to do a simple quilt made up of 3" squares, big enough to fit a toddler bed. I'd like to try out machine quilting for the first time too, but we'll have to see if my less-than-sturdy machine is up to it.
The other treasure is a vintage needle book I stumbled upon at an antique shop. It was too cute to pass up.
Now I'm off to carefully choose some items to spend my Purl gift certificate on (my husband is the best)! Any suggestions?

Overkill

2009-10-08T14:47:00.000-05:00

I love overkill. It provides me with home grown produce every fall. My dad has a tendency to plant far more tomatoes (and other things for that matter) than he and my mom will ever eat or use. Twenty five plants is conservative for him. I think next year I will pretend to plant tomatoes, and pretend they were victims of blight and save myself a load of work (rubs hands together mischievously). Anyway, yesterday brought me into the kitchen to blanch some tomatoes my dad gave me the other night. If you've never done this before, let me tell you, it's the easiest way to prepare veggies for the freezer (besides just throwing them in).

Simply boil some water, drop in your tomatoes and wait for the skins to split (usually a couple minutes).

Then remove them and place them in cool water.

When the tomatoes have cooled enough to handle, peel the skins off and chop if desired. Place in freezer bags or containers and store in the freezer until you're ready to make chili! Bring on the cooler weather!

Today's Project

2009-10-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

I needed some relatively instant gratification on the home improvement front, so I picked up some new drawer pulls for the upstairs bathroom. Talk about an easy update! I'm trying to keep things simple for now since there are projects everywhere I look.

Before

After

I had an audience for the project. She doesn't seem too impressed.

Next up: one light fixture. I'm calling in reinforcements for this one (aka my husband). I picked up an inexpensive, but less-offensive fixture yesterday. Slowly but surely...
The rest of the afternoon will be eaten up with knitting. Deadlines are such a great motivator. What are you up to?

New Adventures

2009-10-05T09:57:00.001-05:00

All sorts of new adventures have begun for me in the last year. My husband and I had our first baby in April, bought our first home in August, and our latest adventure begins with me quitting my job of 4 years, in recent weeks. This is where you enter the adventure. Welcome to Fresh Maked! I’m taking the plunge into the blog world (probably a day late and a dollar short, but I’m fine with that). I’m quickly filling my notebook with fun projects to share, so stay tuned. I’ll have some sweet home projects as I whip our own place into shape, there will be plenty of knitting, and probably some pretty little sewn garments too. I’m heading off to the quilt shop with my mom on Friday and I’ll (hopefully) have some little treasures to share then. In the meantime, I’m testing a pattern for Spud & Chloë (and can’t get enough of Sweater), I’ve a face to re-attempt on Miss Ribbit (poor thing, my embroidery won’t do her justice), and a skirt calling to be cut from a piece a fabric I’ve had in my possession much too long.