I know, I know, it seems like I never post anymore! If only I had time to sew and write in my blog! I'm afraid this fall I have quite a bit more life than time. I'm a full-time student, and thought this semester would be relatively easy.
NOT SO.
The drawing classes I thought would be fun? Holy cow! It's more brain work than math! The geology that I thought would be fun? What the heck are these rocks, anyway? Somebody just TELL ME ALREADY!
And that computer 110 class I thought I could do in my sleep? Well, I can -- except there's so daggone much of it to do! Talk about busy work!
Fortunately, my American Writer's class is going well. I have found that yes, I actually can WRITE in my sleep! That is, when I do get to sleep!
There are a couple more classes thrown in there, plus tutoring 3 students, plus running kids to tennis matches and community theater -- even just getting the laundry and grocery shopping done is a challenge.
I think I need to take a nap just talking about it.
Amazingly, I am heading downstairs to the sewing room right now to make some purse organizers for a fund-raiser (Design Club at school). Of course, daughter #3 has to have a Halloween costume altered --
In the meantime, here's a great video about aprons, one of my sewing loves:
Hopefully I'll be back with a tutorial soon on a quick Christmas gift for your college kid.
xoxoxox
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Giveaway!
Not mine -- but Miss Mustard Seed (see the link in my sidebar) is having a giveaway -- and it's Lisa Leonard jewelry! I've loved Lisa's jewelry for a long time. Head on over and get in on the giveaway action!
xoxoxoxox
xoxoxoxox
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A Bit of a Departure
I don't normally do this -- but I make pizza every Friday night, and it's had rave reviews for years.
So I did a YouTube tutorial for it. You can find it here -- Pizza Video
And here's the recipe:
FRIDAY NIGHT PIZZA
4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons minced dried onion
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon minced dried garlic
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon (or one package) yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (warm to the touch, but not hot)
1/4 cup olive oil
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
String cheese
The toppings of your choice
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, food processor, or big bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the olive oil to the warm water in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
Using your dough hook, turn the mixer on the lowest speed and slowly add the liquid. When using a food processor, do the same but pulse it until the liquid is well-worked into the flour and pulls together into a firm dough. If doing this by hand, add liquid in slowly as you mix with a spoon.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
Let rise for 30-45 minutes.
When dough is risen (between half and doubled in size), cut into two equal pieces. Set one piece aside.
Take the other piece and shape into a flat circle. Use your fingers to make indentations all around the edges to flatten the edges; it should look like a flying saucer. Then take your rolling pin and roll it out to a circle about 2 inches larger than your pizza pan.
Now take your olive oil and sprinkle it over the dough. Cover it using a paintbrush or your hands. Lay the pizza pan on top of the dough, slide your hand under it, and flip it over. Arrange the dough now so it covers the pan.
Place string cheese around the edges of the pan, laying them end-to-end. Take the edge of the crust and fold over to enclose the cheese. This can also be done with a little "hill" of shredded mozzarella that you put around the edge of the pan. Just enclose it within the crust the same way.
Now just add sauce, spread it around, put your toppings on, and cover with shredded mozzarella.
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Check it after about 17-18 minutes to make sure it isn't going to burn.
After removing it from the oven, let the pizza set for 5 minutes, then cut. Serves 8-10.
The dough can also be frozen and used later. Just let it come to room temperature and rise a little before you roll it out.
Bon Appetit!
xoxoxoxox
So I did a YouTube tutorial for it. You can find it here -- Pizza Video
And here's the recipe:
FRIDAY NIGHT PIZZA
4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons minced dried onion
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon minced dried garlic
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon (or one package) yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (warm to the touch, but not hot)
1/4 cup olive oil
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
String cheese
The toppings of your choice
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, food processor, or big bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the olive oil to the warm water in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
Using your dough hook, turn the mixer on the lowest speed and slowly add the liquid. When using a food processor, do the same but pulse it until the liquid is well-worked into the flour and pulls together into a firm dough. If doing this by hand, add liquid in slowly as you mix with a spoon.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
Let rise for 30-45 minutes.
When dough is risen (between half and doubled in size), cut into two equal pieces. Set one piece aside.
Take the other piece and shape into a flat circle. Use your fingers to make indentations all around the edges to flatten the edges; it should look like a flying saucer. Then take your rolling pin and roll it out to a circle about 2 inches larger than your pizza pan.
Now take your olive oil and sprinkle it over the dough. Cover it using a paintbrush or your hands. Lay the pizza pan on top of the dough, slide your hand under it, and flip it over. Arrange the dough now so it covers the pan.
Place string cheese around the edges of the pan, laying them end-to-end. Take the edge of the crust and fold over to enclose the cheese. This can also be done with a little "hill" of shredded mozzarella that you put around the edge of the pan. Just enclose it within the crust the same way.
Now just add sauce, spread it around, put your toppings on, and cover with shredded mozzarella.
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Check it after about 17-18 minutes to make sure it isn't going to burn.
After removing it from the oven, let the pizza set for 5 minutes, then cut. Serves 8-10.
The dough can also be frozen and used later. Just let it come to room temperature and rise a little before you roll it out.
Bon Appetit!
xoxoxoxox
Purse Organizer Tutorial
So sorry I've been M-I-A! Not much time for sewing between all these classes I'm taking (19 credit hours, including Geology and Major American Writers!). I am wishing I had more time to spend down in my sewing room --
HOWEVER . . . I did have some time a few weeks ago to put together this tutorial. Have a look -- it's a quick project!
Here are the detailed directions:
HOWEVER . . . I did have some time a few weeks ago to put together this tutorial. Have a look -- it's a quick project!
Here are the detailed directions:
Purse Organizer
Materials Needed:
Sewing Machine
Pins - thread - ruler
scissors
marking tool, like chalk
sticky back velcro or hook and loop tape
1/4 yd fabric for the base, something sturdy like denim or canvas
1/4 yd fabric for the pockets, like cotton
1/4 yd interfacing
Cut the pieces:
For the base, cut 30 x 14 inches.
For the pockets, cut 30 x 10 inches
For the interfacing, cut same size as pocket piece, 30 x 10 inches
1. Take the base piece and lay it out. Fold the pocket piece in half lengthwise and lay on top.
2. Lay out all the items you want to store in the organizer. Mark the lines for each thing.
3. Take your pocket piece and fuse the interfacing piece to it with your iron. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the interfacing.
4. Fold the pocket piece in half lengthwise again. Lay it onto the unfolded base piece, and match the long raw edges together. Pin together.
5. Sew a basting stitch (longest stitch length on your machine) along the bottom edge, to hold the two pieces together. Use about a 1/4 inch seam allowance. You can also just match up the edge of your presser foot with the edge of the fabric.
6. Sew along your marking lines. Be sure to backstitch at the end of each pocket line at the top.
7. Fold each end under 1/2 inch. Press these toward the inside (wrong side) of the fabric.
8. Fold the whole thing in half lengthwise, matching right sides together.
9. Stitch along the bottom edge, using about a 5/8 inch seam allowance.
10. Turn the whole thing inside out. Press with your iron to get the seams flat.
12. Lay out the velcro on one end. Use either the fuzzy side or the loopy side. Cut two pieces the width of the organizer (about 6-7 inches), and space them about 2 inches apart.
13. Turn the organizer over, go to the other end, and lay out the other pieces of the velcro. Space about 2 inches apart.
14. Try it out. Make sure you can attach it into a circle.
15. Sew the velcro down, and topstitch the ends.
16. Done!
This is adjustable to the size of your purse -- that's why you use two pieces of velcro at each end.
Back with more tutorials soon!
xoxoxox
p.s. If that link doesn't work above, just go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_-uDs9cYKg
scissors
marking tool, like chalk
sticky back velcro or hook and loop tape
1/4 yd fabric for the base, something sturdy like denim or canvas
1/4 yd fabric for the pockets, like cotton
1/4 yd interfacing
Cut the pieces:
For the base, cut 30 x 14 inches.
For the pockets, cut 30 x 10 inches
For the interfacing, cut same size as pocket piece, 30 x 10 inches
1. Take the base piece and lay it out. Fold the pocket piece in half lengthwise and lay on top.
2. Lay out all the items you want to store in the organizer. Mark the lines for each thing.
3. Take your pocket piece and fuse the interfacing piece to it with your iron. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the interfacing.
4. Fold the pocket piece in half lengthwise again. Lay it onto the unfolded base piece, and match the long raw edges together. Pin together.
5. Sew a basting stitch (longest stitch length on your machine) along the bottom edge, to hold the two pieces together. Use about a 1/4 inch seam allowance. You can also just match up the edge of your presser foot with the edge of the fabric.
6. Sew along your marking lines. Be sure to backstitch at the end of each pocket line at the top.
7. Fold each end under 1/2 inch. Press these toward the inside (wrong side) of the fabric.
8. Fold the whole thing in half lengthwise, matching right sides together.
9. Stitch along the bottom edge, using about a 5/8 inch seam allowance.
10. Turn the whole thing inside out. Press with your iron to get the seams flat.
12. Lay out the velcro on one end. Use either the fuzzy side or the loopy side. Cut two pieces the width of the organizer (about 6-7 inches), and space them about 2 inches apart.
13. Turn the organizer over, go to the other end, and lay out the other pieces of the velcro. Space about 2 inches apart.
14. Try it out. Make sure you can attach it into a circle.
15. Sew the velcro down, and topstitch the ends.
16. Done!
This is adjustable to the size of your purse -- that's why you use two pieces of velcro at each end.
Back with more tutorials soon!
xoxoxox
p.s. If that link doesn't work above, just go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_-uDs9cYKg
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