My New Tina Givens Table Runner

I was on a roll after I finished the handbag and whipped out this table runner in two days. I knew I wanted to feature some of the Tina Givens fabrics from the Annabella and Chloe’s Imagination collections that I love so much. The design scale is large so the blocks needed to be large as well. Once again I was too lazy busy to find a pattern so I just picked a size for the center blocks on point and went from there. The leafy vine fabric was perfect for the sides. I was so happy that the repeat let me cut them cleanly apart. I’m really pleased with how it turned out because it’s better than the photo shows. Actually I’ve been trying for days to get a good photo of them and this is the best I’ve been able to get. It’s a lighting thing. I’m working on it.

Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag

I made adjustments to the model for this bag and fixed the problems with it. I interfaced the entire thing for more body, made the strap narrower and used a magnetic clasp. I’m still not good at sewing through all the layers of home dec fabric so some of the seams are not pretty. I don’t mind as long as it holds up. A new bag for spring, Yay!

Spring Cleaning

I’m getting rid of some fabric. I know that sounds horrible but I amassed a good pile from two local stores that in recent years have gone out of business. I stalked them in the final days as the sales price went lower and lower. I thought I was doing a good thing by giving the fabric a good home but I bought too much of some and I’m letting it go in my Etsy shop. I’ll keep posting more in the next few days. If you mention the blog in the ‘notes to seller’ I’ll give you free shipping so wait for a revised invoice.

Almost Spring

I mentioned earlier that one of our hens started laying eggs. The second one has started too…. and they’re the loveliest shade of soft green. It’s kind of fitting that the hen’s name is Olive, for her olive green legs. How cool is that? My husband picked the “Rainbow Layers” assortment from the hatchery so we knew they could be tinted but until you see a little green egg, it’s hard to believe. Maybe an early St. Patrick’s present? There’s a duck egg in there to show you the size. The chicken eggs would probably be graded “small” by the USDA.

A friend brought over a copy of Mother Earth News that had a little article about free-range eggs. Turns out they have:

- 1/3 less cholesterol

- 1/4 less saturated fat

- 2/3 more vitamin A

- Two times more omega-3 fatty acids

- Three times more vitamin E

- Seven times more beta carotene

Omelettes for dinner anyone?

My Dirty Little Quilting Secret

Before today, I never tied off the quilting threads in my quilts. I just backstitched or overstitched and clipped threads. I suppose the fifteen or so quilts I’ve made over the last six years should be falling apart any day now (minus the ones I’ve had professionally quilted).

Let me explain. I started as a self-taught hacker. Then I took a class but it ended before I finished the quilt. Fast forward several years where I went on my own merry way until I again took another class. Oh, so that’s how you do it.

I finished the dinosaur quilt today complete with tied and hidden knots. I mostly remembered how to do it but I googled “tying off quilting threads” just to be sure. I continue to be amazed at what you can find on YouTube, especially when it turns out to be useful rather than ridiculous. I did a combination of this and this.

I told the big boy that the quilt would be on his bed tonight and he informed me that he doesn’t want a dinosaur quilt, he wants a wild animal quilt. One thing at a time.

You Learn Something New Everyday

I’ve been making all our bread exclusively for about two years now. You’d think I’d have the hang of it. Lately I’ve not been happy with the rising of my loaves. (Luckily it hasn’t affected the taste.) I read recently on AllRecipes about the difference in handling “lean” doughs as opposed to “enriched” doughs. Enriched doughs have some kind of fat… either butter, milk, oil or eggs. (I’ve also heard that honey slows the rising of bread doughs.) The trick is to hydrate the flour first in the water/yeast mix to develop the gluten strands before adding the fat. I did that with this Cheese Bread and the result was terrific. A great rise. The taste and texture were very nice but ultimately not that cheese-y. (The recipe was from a cookbook and I won’t bother to post it.) I really love cheese bread toasted so I’ll have to keep looking for a good recipe.