Marvelous Pigs in Satin

My kind of Advent Calendar

Now this is my kind of Advent Calendar. Advent Calendar for Slackers. Posted over at Filth Wizardry. A very fun blog to visit, if you haven’t

Comments 3 Comments
Categories kids

My Quilting Guild is having an apron swap tonight. Naturally, I began sewing two days ago. The woman I am making for is an extra-large size so I decided that a smock apron would be best for her (plus I love smock aprons.)

I didn’t have a pattern for an apron, but I had a pattern for a shirt Simplicity 2962, which I figured I could modify. I tried to find a pic of the pattern to link to, –Apparently this pattern is no longer for sale. It is a simple round necked smock shirt. I made the front and the yoke front. Then I realized that I had to make the back yoke and part of the back (to finish the sleeve hole.)

I won’t detail all the backwards sewing (seam ripping) I had to do as I realized over and over that one more piece would have to be added.

I modified the pattern by making it open in the back with one button at the neck. Also, the back piece is much shorter because I ran out of fabric.

I hope she loves it.

I even overcame my laziness and put on ric-rac.

Now I wish I was keeping it for me. I guess that is my assurance that I did well.

I also FINALLY finished binding this table runner–which I started 3 years ago. It is already off to it’s new home. Someday I’ll finish a quilted project for myself.

Comments 1 Comment
Categories sewing

Fleece Mittens Pattern

5 Dec

Last week I discovered the the pattern I linked to for my Fleece Mittens Tutorial was no longer available online. Luckily, I have a hard copy of the two different patterns I referred to. I have turned it into a PDF file and here it is for you, incase you wish to make fleece mittens for your lovely childrens.

It isn’t the best pattern in the world. But if it snowed last night and you find yourself mittenless and your kids are begging to go outside with socks on their hands, this is infinitely better. (Because they need to play outside and socks just don’t hold off the wet cold for very long.)

PDF Pattern FOR DOWNLOAD

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories sewing, tutorials

In which I post too many pictures of my apple pie small quilt

1 Dec

because I finished it and I’m proud.

Comments 3 Comments
Categories quilting

"I like to eat pie" small quilt

27 Nov

My quilt group is doing a mini quilt exchange with a sewing group in Japan. (I know, awesome!) We are each supposed to make a small quilt that is something American and of ourselves.

Here is the sketch I made of what I want to do. I love pie and what is more American than Apple Pie?

The fabric I am using is a Moda charm pack called Astor Manor. It is very pretty reds, pinks, creams and browns. Less contrast than I usually choose for my quilting, but I think my partner will like it–and it made getting started a little easier, since I didn’t have to dither about fabric.

I found the idea for a pie applique here It’s been ruminatin’ round in my head for about 6 months and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get it out of my head and onto some fabric.

If you think I’m brilliant and want pie quilts for yourselves, I’ll go over my pattern with a dark pen and make it into a PDF file and then everyone can make a pie quilt. Because really, I can’t think of a reason not to have a pie quilt. Then you can eat pie, and put pie on your walls too. Then if you made a pie apron, you could wear pie. This just keeps getting better!

Speaking of eating pie, I found the most amazing site ever for printables. She is Lolly Chops. She has printable name tags that say “Hello my name is _____ and I like to eat pie.” Can you not think of many occasions when just such a name tag would be perfect? Even more amazing is her single serving of pie in a jar gift labels. And here at Our Best Bites is the directions. Man o man, I’m so excited for christmas!!

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Christmas, quilting

Apple Fritters

24 Nov

What is yummier than homemade doughnuts?

APPLE FRITTERS!

and they are easy to make too–even if you are not skilled at frying stuff in oil (like me)

First, the recipe:

What?

Never mind about the pizza and the fried chicken I made on those other days…

Yes, those are Lindt chocolate truffles hidden in my cupboard.

Obviously I’m going through a hormonal imbalance the last few days. Do you want the recipe or not??

Marvelous Apple Fritters

1 cup whole wheat flour (see, they’re healthy)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder (shake the can before measuring)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
2 eggs
1 cup milk (don’t do 2 cups of milk by accident: then you have to double the whole recipe…ahem.)

4 cups peeled, chopped apples–I used some sweet-tart jonathans that had been sitting on my counter for over a month and were a bit..okay alot… soft and wrinkly but not rotten. They turned out perfect. Chop them up pretty small.

1 cup powdered sugar for dusting, licking, inhaling and rubbing your face in

1: in a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. Beat together eggs and milk in a separate bowl. Stir milk into flour mixture with a fork until smooth. Add apples

2: Heat 2 quarts vegetable oil in a deep heavy bottom pan to 375 degrees F.

Get a long handled scoop like this one:

not like this one

unless you like having boiling hot oil splattered all over your tender flesh. Then by all means, use the little scoop.

3. Drop batter in by dollops, not bigger than 1/4 cup. Fry a few at a time, turning, until golden brown.

4. Drain on paper towels. Put the powdered sugar in a brown paper bag. Drop in the fritters and shake to coat.

Then you stuff!

P.S. because I made a double batch, there were more than 2 adults and 5 children could eat–even though we had them for Sunday Supper with no other supporting food except milk. The fritters left over were pretty good at breakfast the next morning, however 24 hours later the few still remaining were yuck-o-la. So make sure you eat them up quick!

Comments 2 Comments
Categories food

It was all in my head…

2 Nov

I thought through at least 4 posts this month. Then I saw my blog and realized they weren’t there. Apparently the posts never made it from my brain to the computer.

Oh I remember why…the new blogger post editor won’t load correctly on my computer and I couldn’t figure out how to change back to the old editor. Now I’ve found what settings to change and I’m using the old editor and trying not to feel like everyone else has it better. Maybe they all think the new editor sucks too.

Here are a few of the things I imagined posting in the last month:

Finished Project!!!

I have wanted to make a bag like this one forever! It is done and I love it! I used this tutorial on Craftster here. It is pretty small though. You can get a more useful size (and easier to read) pattern from Mamma Byrd Tiny Tote Pattern

Happy First Birthday Cutie Pie!

Went camping in Osage Hills State Park (Bartlesville, Oklahoma) to celebrate having the DH home at last!!!
Hip Hip Hooray! He’s been gone 12 of the last 18 months and the kids and I are SO HAPPY to have him home.

p.s. Aunt Jeanie, I know I should have told you we were going to be so close to you, but we were going in the complete opposite direction until we changed plans very last minute because of rain.– Sorry 😦

Recipe: Spinach Feta Cheese Quiche:

**This is a recipe I have modified. The original came from “Making Great Cheese at Home” by Barbara Ciletti

Crust:

3/4 c lard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water microwaved for 60 seconds so it is really hot

Mix until water is absorbed.

Add: 3 cups flour Blend until crumbly

add 1/3 cup milk and mix until smooth.
Roll out dough and line a springform pan with crust dough.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Filling:

Fry alot of bacon–like a good handful–8 strips? drain on paper towel. crumble up and put in a bowl with

5 Large Eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 cups or so chopped fresh spinach (the spinach in your fridge that you have to use today or it will be slimy kind)
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic, mashed
3/4 cup feta cheese (or do like me and put in the whole yummy package)
1/4 cup cream cheese cubed. (Next time I might try creaming it with a mixer first and then adding everything else to it.)
sprinkle a little black pepper over it
3 oz olive oil
1/2 cup pitted black olives

Pour the filling into the crust.
Bake 40 plus minutes until top center is slightly firm and doesn’t jiggle when you pull the pan out of the oven.

Magicked 4 Halloween Costumes together in less that 2 hours thanks to DH for driving 80 miles to get fake fur for the werewolf and then dashing off again to the dollar store for a few other things (like the whole witch’s costume–totally worth every penny of $1.25plus tax.)