Cut and Press Boot Camp

Well I had to post some picture didn't I. This is what we spent last night doing. I don't think I got very far with pressing straight but I still have 3 more to do.

I was disappointed because instead of taking my own FQ I decided to just buy some. The shop doesn't really sell FQ like they used to but they do sell bundles. We needed 5FQ and there was a bundle of 10 of these retro Christmas ones so I took them. Boy I hate them *LOL* They just don't fit in with my decor. I think I'd need to be younger. And that line isn't cheap :0(

On the other hand I did learn some neat stuff that I should have known eons ago. First of all how to get an exact 1/4" seam. I had no idea you could move your needle back and forth, did you? You put a ruler under your presser foot and measure the distance from the edge of your 1/4" foot to the point of your needle. Move the needle to the 1/4" spot and then back one notch to the right so you will end up with a scant 1/4". You can see the way mine was set at the factory it is one to the larger side of the 1/4" line than to the scant size.

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Not that it helped cause I had taken my Janome Gem to class and I can't sew 1/4" to save my life on that thing. Oh well. I re-sewed all the seams this morning so they should be all 1/4" now.

The reason we were doing this particular project is look at how many strips we had to cut! I have to do that 4 times to make 4 placemats. Since I've already cut them I'm going to continue. I never know how to cut. I thought my hand was turning and that's why my measurements were out. I was doing 2 things wrong. First of all there's a little ridgy type thing on the top of your cutter. I didn't know I was supposed to keep my index finger on that while I cut. That will keep you from cutting on an angle.

The second thing is where you measure from when you're cutting. I always measured from the black line... it's better to measure from the bright line just to the left.

This also gave us a LOT of pressing practise.... which I still need more of.

The last thing I learned is if you're not hungry before you go to a 6:00 lesson eating a big bowl of fancy lettuces is not enough to keep you full til the end of the class at 9:00. Take a sandwich. I couldn't think straight so at 7:30 had to run next door to the Sushi place and get something to eat. I have no idea what I ate just that it tasted good and filled me up. Kinda looked like Japanese Perogies but with pasta instead of potato. And it didn't make me sick *LOL

So now that I said I had nothing to post about there I go. There is a difference between have to and want to.

I Quit

It's impossible. I don't know how others are thinking up what to post every day but looking at the calendar I still have over a week to go and just not that much to say. So, sadly, I have to drop out of Octoberfest.

Going to another Quilter's Boot Camp tonight. Tonight it's cutting and pressing. I figure I can use a refresher on both. I know I'm not good at pressing properly.

Microwave Mitt Pattern

REVISED PATTERN

After playing around with my microwave fingertip mitts pattern I've decided to revise it. For one thing the measurements I was using made the mitts too large for my liking. So here are what I consider better instructions

On a piece of butcher's paper or on a blank piece of paper draw a rectangle 7 ½” x 4 ½”. Then cut out on the lines of the rectangle. 
 Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise and then again widthwise and cut an arc. Because the paper is folded you will end up with all corners the same. 

Fold your fabric right sides together and iron the butcher's paper template, wax side down, to your fabric. Cut loosely around your template and then pin so that your bottom fabric won’t slip while you use scissors to cut your fabric pieces. I like to do two at a time cause it’s faster. If you are using regular paper pin and cut.
Cut one more shape from cotton batting, and another from Insulbrite. Note, do not iron the wax template to the batting because you won’t get it off again. It’s better to pin and cut.  The reason I also use the Insulbrite batting is to give extra protection from heat. Make sure the shiny side is facing towards the part of the mitt  that will be touching anything hot.
Now on your waxed paper, or other template, draw a line 3” from either end These end pieces will now become your template for the finger pieces of your mitt.
Using the same method as above cut 4 mitt pieces. Cut 2 pieces of batting the same shape, one for each mitt end. Insulbrite is not needed in the fingertip ends because it won't be in contact with anything hot.
Layer a mitt pieces wrong side up, a batting piece and a top piece right side up.
We are going to add the binding now. You can use any binding you wish. Since it won't be going around a curve you don't need to use bias binding, just a cut a strip of fabric 1 1/2" to 2"wide, iron each edge to the center and then fold in half and press again.

Open the binding out and pin to your mitt end. Pin and sew along the raw edge.

Fold and pin the binding around the straight end of your mitt and edge stitch down.

Optional: If you wish you can add a magnet to your mitt so that it can be hung on the side of your microwave (if it's metal) or a nearby appliance such as the refrigerator. 

Sew a small square of fabric on the back of one of the large mitt pieces about 1/3 of the way down. Slip in a magnet and sew up the final seam.

Now layer in the following order

Cotton batting, insulbrite, mitt piece (with the magnet) right side up, mitt ends, mitt piece wrong side up. 

Pin and stitch all the way around leaving one end open to allow for turning right side out. 

Turn the mitt right side out. 

Sew along the end that you left open.

Now turn the fingertips right side out so the seam doesn’t show on the outside and there you are… a microwave mitt.

I made two. They are great for getting hot things out of the microwave but also good for carrying hot dishes to the table. They are so much less bulky than full sized oven mitts.
I don't know if I wrote this so you could understand or not. Hope I did.

Fingertip Microwave Oven Mitts

I did it! I figured out how to make these fingertip mitts without having to put bias tape around the edges.

If you don't mind bias tape around the edges you can find the free pattern at Savvy Seams I personally like the cleaner look. She also has a pattern for full sized oven mitts. I've had a pair of the fingertip ones for about 5 years that I bought at the market here one summer. They're very used and besides I found this really cute retro fabric and had to use it.

On the left is the back and on the right (below) you can see the pouches where you put your fingertips.

This is my prototype, which we'll use anyway til it falls apart but it isn't really straight and it was ripped apart a couple of times while I was trying to figure it out so it does have a frayed edge. Tomorrow, I hope, I'm going to make another one and I'll take photos along the way and post instructions here.

Em's Challenge

This was a hard one cause I like so many different singers/groups. I like James Taylor but it didn't look like his song titles could help. So I picked Alan Jackson. Then I realized I LOVE Great Big Sea but it took me too long to do it using Alan Jackson so that's where it stands.


1. Are you a male or female? Blue Blooded Woman
2. Describe yourself: Work in Progres
3. How do you feel: Strong Enough
4. Your family: Everything I Love
5. If you could go anywhere, where would you go?: Dallas
6. Your favorite form of transportation: I’ll Fly Away
7. Your best friend: Sissy’s Song
8. Your favorite color is: The Blues Man
9. What's the weather like: Tropical Depression
10. Favorite day: Let It Be Christmas
11. If your life was a TV show, what would it be called?: Murder on Music Row
12. What is life to you? Nobody Said That it Would be Easy
13. Your current relationship: Up To My Ears in Tears
14. Looking for: Who Am I
15. Wouldn't mind: Winter Wonderland
16. Your fear: Tall Tall Trees
17. What is the best advice you have to give: Just Put a Ribbon in Your Hair
18. If you could change your name, you would change it to: Itty Bitty
19. Thought for the Day: It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere
20. How I would like to die: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
21. Your pet: Just Playin Possum
22. Your motto: It’s Alright to be a Redneck

Today a Recipe

I wanted to post this a few days ago and I forgot. Now that Fall is here I'm being reminded of all our winter favorites. Number one on the list is meatloaf... ugh. But my number one is this stew I discovered I don't know where... I think an old Purity cookbook or something. I'm really not much of a cook but this is delicious!

Old Time Beef Stew

2 lbs stew beef cubed. I usually was buying a round steak instead cause the stew beef at Safeway was always too fatty and stringy. I got it last time at a different supermarket and it was delicious so you can do either. Also since we've changed to metric I just use some cause I can't figure it out. What looks about the amount I want.

2Tbsp shortening

1 tsp Worster sauce

1 onion sliced

1 or 2 Bay leaves

1 tsp salt (Optional - I leave it out cause I'm on a salt restricted diet and no one notices)

1Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp Paprike

Dash Allspice or Cloves

6 carrots, pared and sliced

4 potatoes

3 Tbsp flour

Brown meat in hot shortening... I also brown the onions at the same time.

Add 2 cups hot water and the next 9 ingredients. I also add a tsp Beef OXO or 1 beef cube, and because we like lots of gravy I increase the water to about 4 cups. I guess that's why I put the OXO in for more taste.

Simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally.

Remove Bay Leaves.

Add vegetables.

Cook covered 30-45 mins.

Blend 1/3c water w 3Tbsp flour. Stir slowly into hot stew.

Cook and stir until bubbly plus about 3 mins longer.

I don't stick to only carrots. I throw in whatever strikes my fancy... usually frozen green beans and corn, just to give it some colour.

I also find that I need to add more water (maybe a cup) when I put the vegetables in cause the simmering means there's less water than I put in to begin with.

Confused yet?

Just take the basics and put your own twist on it.

Crime Update

I really didn't feel like blogging today. I have a lot on my mind right now so wasn't in the mood. But I was on my way to bed just now and realized I do have something I can blog about.

We had to wait until our local paper came out on Wednesday but we finally found out what was going on last weekend with the police and the copter and everything.

In Wednesday's paper on page 3 there was a little blurb. There had been a vocal altercation in the park. One kid stabbed another kid in the arm. He was taken to hospital and released. They've made so many cuts to our hospital that it's more like a glorified walk in clinic except it takes longer to see a doctor.

They took the second kid into custody and he's out now pending a hearing. So, what that means is our police are bored and don't have a lot to do so when they got the chance to play with the helicopter and sneak around in the bushes in the dark it was a big deal for them.

So much for crime. We did have a panhandler once. The police told him to move along and no one saw him again. We also have 2 homeless people but everyone leaves out their empty pop cans so they can take them to the recycling depot and get cash to buy food so they aren't too hard up. The thrift shop doesn't have a lot of room inside so they leave larger items like couches outside at night and that's usually where the two homeless guys sleep.

As Walter Cronkite used to say "And that's the way it is."