Doll Quilt Show and Tell 5

Remember this quilt?  I had some blocks left over after I played with the layout.  When the order came in for the doll quilts I pulled them out, made a few more and put together this simple, yet bold creation.  What a different feel, even though all the blocks are the same.  A true testament to improvisation.

These doll quilts don't ask for fancy quilting.  Or maybe it's just me being lazy?  Either way, this was another simple quilting design.  Because I don't like to stipple when there are so many seams to go over I merely went in the ditch on the diagonal.  This seemed too simple and quite boring, so I added the wavy line for a different texture.  I would definitely use this idea again no matter the size of the quilt.

Don't you love the backing fabric?  It is too good not use.  It is from the older line by Moda - Peas and Carrots, designed by Sandy Klop.  I need to get to the store and buy a bunch more.  I just used the orange as well - but that's a different quilt (coming soon).

Doll Quilt Show and Tell 4

Now, find me a little girl - or a grown woman - who wouldn't love this quilt.  I am thinking of adapting it to at least a lap size or even bed size.  A whole flock of appliqued birds on a modern, bold background?  Hmm, I already have a collection of pinks and browns set aside for another idea...

The quilting really makes this design.  The pattern is simply that of my quilted interpretation of tree branches.  Swooping and curving across the quilt, the branches support the bird and add some flow to the design.  And boy was it fast!

I have to give credit where credit is due.  We have pretty rockin'  Friday nights in this house. Hubby was watching TV and I was quilting a few feet away in our messy dining room.  I threw the fabric that has the small birds in it and a pad of paper his way, with the instructions, er... command, to draw me a larger version.  First shot and he got it bang on.  I probably should have put his name on the label.

Another label, another skinny binding, and another quilt for the order completed.

Taste Adventure - Deer

The home of my brother- and sister-in-law is situated in country residential East of Edmonton. Their house is set back from a rural road and surrounded by trees.  Moose will bed down on their front lawn and there is a new deer track every morning.  What a perfect location for a family of hunters.

At our last visit we watched a snacking deer as the sun set.  The Monster was actually quite afraid of the deer, hiding behind her uncle as he tried to point out the doe in the trees.  She constantly repeated, "I'm afraid of the deer."  Hmm, maybe it had something to do with the head of a buck on the living room wall?

Regardless, I was a little nervous as to how she would react when I pulled out a gifted deer roast from the freezer.  Would the memory be so strong and she would be afraid to eat?  Would she get upset at eating an animal, albeit a different animal, she just saw?  

The roast was simply labelled "deer roast".  Hmm, I had no idea what cut it was.  That makes a difference in how you cook a roast.  Animals with lots of connective tissue require a slow, low roast to ensure a tender piece of meat.  At the other end of the spectrum, a cut like a tenderloin needs high heat and to be cooked for only a short time.  What to do, what to do? God love the internet.  Most hunting related sites suggested marinating the roast in buttermilk or milk, overnight.  Well, that wasn't an option.  I was making it for dinner that night.  What I did find is that unless it was a tenderloin that most methods included a liquid of sorts.  So I went with an old fashioned pot roast.

Smashed garlic, a rough chopped onion, and a pile of carrots went into the La Creuset beside the well seasoned and browned roast.  I poured in a bottle of beer and stuck it in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees.  In the end, it was a bit long, with the roast cooked all the way through. But oh, was it ever tender.  You could definitely tell it was game and not beef, but it had tremendous, rich flavour.  I served it with some homemade horseradish cream that my dad makes every year.

It turns out I didn't need to be nervous about whether The Monster would like it or not.  Her plate is always put down first.  By the time I turned around and put down plates for Hubby and I she'd already powered through half of what I gave her.  "Good bacon, Mama," she informed me.  And this past weekend she told her uncle that she was no longer afraid of the deer.

The deer roast was also a good introduction to red meat for The Smilosaurus.  Cut in tiny little chunks she ate more than The Monster.  And since that night she's been a meat fiend.  Steak dinner out one night, ribs, even chicken tagine.  Our little carnivore.  And it all started with the deer our family provided.  Now that's local. 

Doll Quilt Show and Tell 3

Simple, modern, and bright.

A pile of scraps and this multi-coloured sale fabric brought this quilt into being.  I pieced together the scraps into a roughly square shaped block.  Once trimmed I bordered it asymetrically with the white fabric.  Very fast, very simple.  It is an idea that could be easily adapted to a much larger quilt and I am tempted to try it, maybe ending up with a result much like this?
I kept the simple thing going with wavy lines in a variegated thread.  Nothing too fancy on a doll quilt.
The back of this one is a stripe that I bought at the same time as the front white.  I have tonnes of it left, so you may see it more than once!

What Do I Do With All These Radishes?

It can be pretty tough, but ridiculously rewarding to eat local whenever and wherever you can. But where do you start? Where can you buy? Who makes the stuff? And hey, what do I do with all the radishes I find in July?

There is a great event coming up for Calgary and area folks called Local 101. From the farmer to the chef to the shopper, come and learn more about what it takes to eat local. More importantly, come and learn more about the opportunities we have for fantastic products grown and produced in our own backyard. You'll meet farmers, writers, and a lot of cooks who live and breathe and eat local.

Eating local is fundamental to the grocery purchases in our house, and to the lessons we aim to teach the girls. Somedays I feel like I'm snotty and giving off a major superiority vibe when I talk to other moms about this fact. And other days I feel like everyone I know does this, so what's the big deal? The truth is, there are more people in my circle who shop at the big box grocery stores and Costco than shop at the farmer's market. There are more people I know who complain about the white, expensive strawberries available in March than wonder whether they should even be eating strawberries in the waning days of winter.

So I've invited a few friends and we're heading out to Local 101. They've all heard me from my pulpit, I hope some good farmers will inspire them to get a little dirty and see what our Prairie sun offers.

Doll Quilt Show and Tell 2

How is this for an improv piece?  

I started with a pile of fabric and scraps that I thought would go together.  Of course, I couldn't resist adding a circle, and then another (can you see it?)  This one isn't photographing well, but I assure you, it's cute.  This one is for the daughter of dear friends, a little girl who is essentially a big sister to my girls.  Her birthday was a month ago.  She has the busy social life of a 7 year old, so I haven't even seen her since her birthday.  Just a belated treat.

There is a mix of old and new fabrics in this one.  More Amy Butler...  And some fabric that has also been seen more than a handful of quilts produced on the dining room table.

I stole my quilting idea from one of the fabrics, the pale pink with black outlined flowers and dots.  A few lines to anchor the batting and a scattering of flowers.  It isn't perfect, but I imagine that this one will get some rough love.  It will more than stand up to Clare's love, and hopefully her sister's!
Rather than make big labels for these doll quilts I decided to make tags.  Each tag has my name and "Naps" on one side. (More on "Naps" later).  The other side has washing instructions. Every other quilt I've given away has gone to people I know, so I can verbally pass on washing instructions.  These doll quilts are almost all going to strangers, so I had to include the instructions in an easy format - love generously, wash and dry gently.

She just couldn't resist getting her hands on it...

Make Your Own Baby Food - Part 2

Take a deep breath and ignore the upcoming mess.  The Smilosaurus refuses to eat baby food anymore.  This, of course, comes only days after I filled a few ice cube trays with pork, beans, broccoli, carrots, peppers, and squash.  It must have been the peas.  Now she insists on feeding herself.  The only exceptions are yoghurt and cottage cheese, and those can't be shovelled in fast enough.

There comes a point when all babies should refuse baby food.  It's often a hard adjustment for us parents.  Will they get enough to eat?  Have I chopped those beans small enough?  Does she have to be so messy?  Many a friend will keep trying to feed the purees and mashes to make sure that the kid is getting enough to eat.  But remember this, by the time they insist on finger foods they usually don't need to eat as much.  And they do get more in their mouth than you think they do.  That is, until they learn to feed the dogs hovering below the high chair.

What started it all for The Smilosaurus was a roasted carrot. I roasted a chicken for the rest of us. Because I love the carrots roasted with meat I threw a bunch in the pan. It seems she loves them too. Soon it became more about what she could get her hands on, literally, and what we were eating. You should have seen her with medium rare steak tonight. I swear she ate half of mine.

It is rather tempting at this point to let them survive on bananas and peas.  This phase of baby food can be more time consuming than the purees.  Only because of the incessant chopping required.  You are your baby's sous chef, dicing and prepping every day.  The one saving grace is that this is also the time when you can start introducing spices, oil, butter, and other condiments.  Knowing that can make your life a lot easier.

At this point you have two choices: reserve a bit of what you are making to steam and chop for your little one.  This only takes a few extra minutes of prep, and maybe another pan/dish if you want to cook it separately.  Or, you can simply take what you've cooked - prior to salting it - and cut it into small pieces.  Okay, you can do it after seasoning it too... but I am notorious for undersalting, according to Hubby.

No recipe, no technique.  This is about the transition from purees to people food.  You've been getting rougher textures already, right?  You've been offering things like bananas, peas, and blueberries to encourage her pincer grasp, right? No? Then start with these.  In fact, I start with these within a month or two of starting solids.  The longer you stay on smooth purees, the harder it will be to move to finger foods.

The next thing to help with the transition is to make sure you are sitting down to eat with your baby.  Too often we feed the baby first, make our dinner, then feed ourselves.  Sure, your dinner will get a little cold or it will feel like you are eating ungodly early, but it is important to sit down as a family and eat.  Your baby will see you eating your food and their natural curiosity will draw them to your food.  Not to mention the extra benefits your family gains when sitting down together.

Don't let a lack of teeth stop you from introducing chewy and rough textures.  My little one has her two bottom front teeth, and that's it.  And tonight she ate about 4 ounces of medium rare steak.  And raw peppers, chopped a little smaller, some steamed green beans, sweet potato, and watermelon chunks.  That was just dinner.

So grab a good knife and chop away.  Some foods will require cooking - like beans, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and even zucchini.  But you can get away with raw peppers, peas, and most fruits.  I would steer clear of hard apples or most raw veg at this point.  Meats and beans are fine, but cut them a bit smaller than you do the soft foods.   Most importantly, don't leave your baby alone when you eat.  This isn't the time to grab a shower or put in a load of laundry.  Finally, here is some good advice in the unlikely but horrible event that you do encounter choking.

Hubby loves this photo of our little one.  He says it reminds him of a combination of The Incredible Hulk and Shrek- if they ate maple baked beans and avocados.

Doll Quilt Show and Tell 1

There has been enough whining and pining for better days on this blog.  Let's get back to some quilts, shall we?

This is the first of 7 doll quilts I am wrapping up.  Six of these are for a special order, and one for a precious little friend.  With the order the request was made for 4 modern, 2 traditional quilts.  I think this one could qualify as either.  It is a rail fence design, but I made the middle section larger than the two side ones.

Isn't that middle bar fantastic?  I'm not supposed to be buying fabric, but I fell in love and bought it in three colour ways.  This one is my favourite.

With such a busy design I went for a simple loopy swirl to quilt it.  Nothing fancy, nothing distracting.

All of the doll quilts have simple backs, no piecing on something so small.  I sadly let go of this favourite Amy Butler for the back of this one.  It's been used on more than three quilts I've made, plus one that was made for The Monster.  It's time to move on.

Over the next week or so I will share all of the doll quilts, and hopefully a few other finished pieces (if Hubby will hold up the quilts in the freezing ass cold for me).

Bright Days Ahead

Sorry about that.  I didn't mean to take such a break.  I've been plugging away on a few projects, but none have really been going anywhere.  My doll quilts are almost all done and ready for shipping.  Project Improv is slowly moving forward.  And all has been put aside to get that baby quilt done. Life has taken some unexpected twists and turns lately.  Some great (a pipsqueak of a nephew) and some not so great (hospital visits and such).

The good thing about such times is the opportunity for reflection.  Actually, the motivation to force yourself to regroup.  That's the same thing, right?  Sure, life is crazy and will only get more so in the coming months.  It's a perfect time to launch a new career!

I've decided to make a good and honest woman out of myself.  With quilting, that is.  I'm putting together some class notes and a few pitches and I'm going to get out there and try and convince someone to hire me to teach.  I've been thinking about it for over a year, but haven't had the nerve or the commitment to do it.  But with the return to work looming and the prospect of a few more years at a job that no longer excites me I decided I had to do something. I still have to go back to the desk job, but with Hubby's support I'm taking the plunge, and the time sacrifice, to launch this new path.  To be honest, I'm quite giddy about it.  If only the girls would coordinate their nap schedules a bit better so I can get more work done!

Any tips from you pros? Any notes from the dedicated class goer? 

Comfort Food - Bread

Start 'em young, that's what I say.

My bread-making skills (if they can be called that) began in my teens.  Simply out of experimentation I tried a few loaves.  I think my mom was still happier buying the grocery store brands.  But in my last year of university I took a job at an organic vegetation cafe and bakery.  A family run business, I did no more than serve food and maybe marinate some tofu, while the mom, dad, and son did all the cooking and baking.  Then the son wanted to go on vacation.  Despite having to start work by 5 am I was stoked to get in the kitchen and play with the starters.  It took a few weeks, but soon enough there was no difference between my bread and the experts.

But in the 13 years that have passed I've only randomly made bread.  Instead, I will spend some time and not an insignificant amount of money on finding local bakeries and good bread.  And good bread products.  I could live on bread alone, provided I had some sweet butter, jam, and a croissant or two thrown in.  The Monster is the same way.  For a few months there she quite literally survived on bread and fruit.  Yes, Atkins is a four letter word in this house.

With winter hanging on for dear life I decided I needed to make some bread.  The ritual of kneading and the smell of yeast are a comfort on a bright and cold afternoon.  The buns and loaves are a welcome addition to the dinners of stew and soups that keep our bellies full and warm.

As expected, The Monster was happy to join me in the kitchen.  Dumping flour, stirring the wet ingredients, and cracking an egg are always eagerly approached.  What I underestimated was how much she would enjoy kneading.  She dove right in and attacked the dough.  Surprisingly, she was pretty good.  Despite her constant attempts to shake her bum to Coldplay and Paul Simon, she doesn't quite have rhythm yet.  But she did have a good grasp of the rhythm of kneading.  I would fold and turn, she would knead.  We had our pass back and forth going strong.  

Sadly, she wouldn't eat the buns when they were cooked.  Next time I'll play music while we knead.

Comfort Food - Cake

Because beer doesn't qualify as food (although it has qualified as dinner before) it cannot truly be considered a comfort food.  Besides, that would be a bit scary.  But beer in cake?  Definitely dinner and dessert, and a midnight snack or two, all in one tasty, brown, sweet, and crumbly package.

During one of our recent emergency room visits I flipped through the March issue of Chatelaine?  Does anyone else feel sadly old reading a magazine they remember their mom reading, while you snuck looks to make yourself feel older?  And can you believe there was a current issue of a magazine in a hospital waiting room?  I digress.

Not so surreptitiously I ripped out the page before we left.  Something about beer and cake together seemed ridiculously indulgent.  Other than cupcakes here and there and a birthday cake or two (and it's usually wacky cake) I never bake cakes.  We just don't have enough company to justify all that goodness in the house for me to eat over the next two days, to the neglect of any other food.

There was no occasion other than family dinner to make the cake.  With one sad looking Trad in the house I broke it open - resisting the urge at 10 am to take a sip - and got to baking.  It was an easy cake to make, as most are.  Really just a dense and crumbly cake, using beer instead of milk or another liquid.  Honestly, I was a little worried that it wasn't coming together well as the batter was quite dry.  And maybe it isn't supposed to be?  But it resulted in a wonderful cake.

Shockingly, I also followed the recipe and used the remainder of the beer for the icing.  It is a basic whipped buttercream.  I know most people find buttercream to sweet, but I recommend it in this instance.  There is a good ratio of cake to icing, unlike many a famous purchased cupcake, and the sweetness of the icing is balanced out by the crumb of the cake.

And, in case you were wondering, you don't really taste the beer.  Trad is not a mild tasting beer, but it isn't a strong stout like a Guinness (which is what was called for in the initial recipe).  There was just a hint of bitterness to the cake, and not enough that The Monster or Hubby went, "Hey, what's in this?"  We all just happily ate our cake, patted our tummies, and laughed through another loud and crazy meal time.  A kitchen antidote for a long and stressful day.

Chocolate Beer Cake
(adapted from Chatelaine, March 2009)

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup beer

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Spray two 8 inch round cake pans.
2. Sift flour with cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt into a bowl.  Stir to mix.
3.  Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.
4.  Stir about 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, add half of the beer.  Repeat the additions, ending with flour.  Stir until evenly mixed.  Pour batter into prepared pans.
5.  Bake in centre of oven for 25-28 minutes.  Cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.

Chocolate Beer Icing
3 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup beer (or milk)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

1.  Sift icing sugar with cocoa.
2.  In separate bowl beat butter until creamy.  Gradually beat in half the icing sugar.  Mixture will be dry.  Slowly add beer, vanilla and salt.  Add the remaining icing sugar.  Beat until well combined.

To ice the cake, slice off any bump from the top of the cake, making a flat top.  Place one cake on a plate or cake stand.  Spread a third of the icing on the cake.  Place remaining cake on top and gently press down.  Spread another third of the icing on top.  Then spread the remaining third of the icing on the sides of the cake.

Enjoy - with a glass of milk or maybe a scotch.  Oddly, a glass of beer doesn't seem to go well with a slice of this cake.

Comfort Food

It has been an emotional couple of weeks with hospital visits, loneliness, stress, sad anniversaries, and new babies.  Time to step back for reassessment, loads of snuggles, and some comfort food.  Food is more than sustenance and I want it to make me feel better in a trying time.  Truth be told I would be happy with a dinner of nachos and guacamole, a beer, and loads of chocolate for dessert.  But even I know that is bad for my ass.

Recently, I read something about emotional eating that completely changed my viewpoint on brownies, pierogies, and juicy burgers.  Sadly, I can't exactly remember where I read it, so you will have to make do with my own paraphrasing: sure, I eat emotionally, but what fun would life be if I didn't?  It isn't about turning to food to make us feel better, it is about food contributing to the emotional health of our souls.  It is about friends sharing cake and wine, cooking with your kids, feeding your tired and hungry husband at the end of a long week, or letting a piece of dark chocolate melt on your tongue while you watch some bad reality TV. Does the food make you feel better?  The Oprah moment for me was realizing that it isn't the food that makes you feel better, it is the experience that makes you feel better.  Food is integral to the overall experience.

We all have different foods we turn to when needing that hug; the same dishes we serve when friends come over or the old recipe that we know will put a smile on our face at Sunday dinner.  Typically these foods are gooey, warm, sweet or salty, and generally fill our tummy with the equivalent of a bear hug from your favourite uncle.  They might also be the foods that bring back memories of your mom treating you when you were sick or your grandmother's expression of love.  Think Mac and Cheese, brownies, and the aforementioned nachos and guacamole.

This week I am going to go through some of my favourite comfort foods.  Some are just the right thing for lingering winter days.  Some are the right thing for indulgence and midnight snacks when no one is sleeping in the house.  Some are just right for passing on traditions.

Today I must write about chili.  Meaty, spicy, slightly sweet, and filled with beans, corns, and just a touch of chocolate.  Well, that was what it turned out like this week.  I swear I've never made two batches of chili the same.  I must admit, other than cooking the beans from dried I was supremely lazy this time around.  I grabbed some moose or elk (it wasn't labelled) that my brother-in-law gave us.  I also grabbed the chili sauce my dad makes a few times a year. Essentially it lands somewhere between a salsa and a tomato sauce.  Brown the meat, toss it with the chili sauce, cooked or canned beans, and some frozen corn kernels.  I also usually throw in some extra chili powder and an ounce or two of bittersweet chocolate.  Bake it for an hour or so on low heat.

The way to properly serve chili is another point of debate in our house.  Hubby likes it over rice.  Personally, I would rather have cornbread or a cheesy bread.  But we both agree on shredded cheese on top.  We actually also both agree on avocado too, but sadly Hubby can't eat it.  Both the girls enjoyed it too.  Well, Smilosaurus only had the beans, avocado, and cheese, but she was in heaven!

What about you?  What do you turn to at the end of a rough week - aside from a case of Traditional Ale or a stiff scotch?

Here are some more favourite chili recipes:

The Princess and the Pea Mama

Growing up I never ate lima beans, lamb, or lobster.  I never ate peppers, raw tomatoes, liver, broccoli tops, cauliflower, and peas either.   In the case of the latter, it was because I thought they were disgusting.  I never ate the former items because my mom didn't like them.  If she didn't like them we didn't eat them.  I'm with her on the lima beans, but I sure missed out of lamb and lobster.  Hmm, maybe she just hated food that started with the letter "L"?

I'm doing my damnedest to not do that to the girls.  Of all the foods I hated as I child I now eat almost all of them, except peas.  Peas are seriously the most vile things on the planet.  They stink and they taste like mud.  Eating a pea is akin to popping a bubble filled with mushy sewage.  

Hubby likens me to The Princess and the Pea, except that I can tell that there is one pea in an entire dish of shepherd's pie.  Or that the samosas do indeed come with peas without even opening one.  Okay, the last one is generally a given.  But the foul odour of peas is distinct and I can pick it up despite pastry or potato coverings.

As I said, though, I am trying not to pass on that dislike to the girls.  I plug my nose when I defrost the frozen peas, scrub my hands with smelly soaps when we go pea picking, and make Hubby feed Smilosaurus dinner if peas are on the menu.  So far I've been successful, both girls love peas.  The Monster will eat them fresh or frozen, raw or cooked.  And Smilosaurus practices her pincer grasp at least once a week with a bowl full of peas.  Good for them.  

But they better not ask me to make split pea soup, ever.

State of the Dining Room

President Obama may be addressing US Congress, and really the world, tonight on the State of the Union, but I am currently concerned with the state of my dining room.  Or should I say, the kitchen table (since there isn't one), the office, the recycling centre, extra fabric/batting storage, obstacle course for the Smilosaurus, and landing zone for nearly everything that comes in to this house.  I love it and hate it.

While the basement is under reno, or as I like to call it, under the idea of renovation, I am stuck quilting on the dining room table.  That means I have to clean up before every meal and if Hubby needs it to look at plans.  Hence the bin of blueprints, a shredder, a sewing machine, ironing board, box of current projects, and cutting mat in the corner.  I want one of those pretty studios filled with organized thread, pretty little boxes of scraps, and an inspiration board. Damn you who have them!

Am I a little bitter?  Hell yeah.  I am so tired of the clutter, of watching that the girls don't play with my thread, and of constantly cleaning up my creativity.  Now I know why kids hate when we constantly tidy their toys and art stuff.  I'm not a messy person (seriously, can't you tell?) but I would love to keep some in progress works spread around.  Oh well, one day.

But I am not telling you the highlight of my day.  I spent almost a half hour on the phone with Mark Lipinski!  We bonded (at least I think so) over discussions about cabbage rolls and the Polish/Ukrainian border.  And I got his commitment for Quilt Canada next year.  He will be the keynote for our Professional Development conference, so mark your calendars for April 26-27, 2010. 

Thread Catcher

One of the annoying side effects of improvisational quilting is the constant starting and stopping when you sew.  Depending on your plan of attack it might be difficult to chain piece. That can leave a lot of cut threads, mess, and wasted time.  A good quilting friend of mine taught me this trick.

Take a scrap of fabric and double it up (or use two small pieces).  When you finish a seam, sew a a few stitches in to nothing, then sew in to your scrap.  You can then cut your piece from the scrap without a tangle of threads to deal with.  When you come back to your machine for the next seam just sew from the scrap piece, cutting it off when you go to press.

I usually keep two of these by the machine.  One for the start of my sewing and one when I finish the seam I'm working on.  That way you always have one handy to plug in to the end of your seam when you leave the machine to press.

In Progress

There are 7 doll quilts in progress at my house.  One is a present for our friend's little girl.  The rest are for a special order.  This is the first time I've sold quilts.  I'm excited and nervous that the recipient won't like them.  But the process is great.  I do enjoy the opportunity to try something new without great fabric expense.  It is also a great way to play with scale and colour.

Is there anything better?

This morning I decided that one of my favourite activities in the entire world is baking with The Monster.  She is intrigued by the process and will dive right in making a mess, if only to lick the paddle at the end of it all.  I have a million pictures of her devouring the sticky dough left on that paddle.  But today I took pictures throughout the process.  I don't think there is much more to say today.  Pick you favourite recipe and bake.  Pull up a chair for the kids, make a mess, and watch some Yo Gabba Gabba while the cookies cool.  

A personal stash of chips keep little hands busy while the cookies are in the final mix.

Everyone wants in on the action.

Fresh from the oven and into the mouth.

Cooling cookies and watching Tony Hawk on Yo Gabba Gabba.

The crumbs she swept into my hand, off the table, because they were getting in the way of eating her orange.

All is quiet, but not clean (see that bowl?) during naptime.

Today we made an old recipe for me.  These make a cakey, crumbly cookie.  I'm not normally one for anything instant, but the pudding mix does work nicely here.  You can use vanilla, chocolate, or even butterscotch (my fave). You can also play with the type of chocolate chips. I learned how to make these when I was a little girl. I think the recipe came from a church cookbook.  Really, a duotang filled with photocopied sheets.

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen

1 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 package instant pudding mix
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup (or more) chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees Celsius.
2.  Cream butter and sugars together.  Add vanilla and pudding mix.
3.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixed well.
4.  Slowly add in flour and baking soda.  Stir in chocolate chips until well blended.
5.  Drop by teaspoonful on to a greased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy with your favourite monsters.

Trying

As in trying to get things done.  Like a reno budget, trips to city hall for permits, laundry, cleaning my floors, getting healthy, finishing curtains, paying bills, and even a little bit of quilting.

In the absence of overlapping naps very little of anything is getting done.  Oh well.  The girls are having fun with Mama all to themselves.  I did get this little doll quilt basted with only our Smilosaurus keeping me company.  Pins are very intriguing to an almost 9 month old. Hopefully I can get it quilted after bedtime tonight and before 24.  Then I can take it with me to city hall when I have to wait in line-ups for permits.  Anything to make that process more interesting.

Stash Report

There hasn't been much quilting lately.  The girls are not napping at the same time and I've had other work to do.  On the plus side we have a dishwasher finally!  That is saving me some time. To keep this place active I thought I would do the Sew Mama Sew stash interview.  No fancy photos either - I don't want to wake up the girls and my stash is stuck in a corner of their room. The photo above is from the last time I organized things, before we moved it all out of the basement.

What do you usually sew?
Quilts and that's it.  I have some feeble attempts at clothing and crafts, but they are just that, feeble.

When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy?
Because I never use a pattern, most of my quilts are stash based.  When I shop it is either to augment a colour or for something like a binding because I don't quite have enough.  That means I usually buy 1/2 metre cuts.  It gives me enough freedom to do different things with the fabric.  If I am buying for a specific project then the cuts are often smaller, so I can have more variety of fabrics.  I find lately that I get tired of a fabric if I've used it too many times, no matter how much I like it.

Do you buy on impulse or go out looking for something you need?
Both.  Sometimes I'm just missing a specific shade of green or turquoise.  And when I'm looking for that I find three other fabrics I love!

Are you a pre-washer?  If you are, do you wash it before you need it or only when you are ready to use it?
I used to be an ardent pre-washer.  Then my stash started growing and I could no longer remember whether a fabric had been washed or not.  Now I generally don't bother, with two exceptions.  I always pre-wash batiks or a purchased/gifted hand-dye to make sure it doesn't run.  I will do this right before I use them because I don't use them often.  The second exception is reds.  This is the most likely colour to run so I usually pre-wash reds right when I come home from the store.  Then they are ready when I need them.

Do you iron it?
I will iron before using, whether pre-washed or not.  If I need to cut precise strips or pieces I iron to get out fold lines so I can cut to grain successfully.  And if I'm cutting random pieces or scraps I generally iron before sewing, at least.

How do you sort it?
As you can see from the photo above, by colour.  I keep my batiks, novelties, and flannels separate.  Any significantly multi-coloured fabric are contained in two other bins.  There are also a few other bins that contain UFOs and pulls for specific, planned, but not started projects. I don't like making quilts with all one line or designer, so I've never bothered to sort this way.

Do you have any special folding techniques?
Nope.  I fold it rather than stuff it in the bin, doesn't that count as a technique?  If The Monster gets into it she rolls it to put it away.

How do you store it?
I have about 15 plastic bins.  Currently they are in an old closet - minus the doors - in my daughters' room.  I can see each colour and can easily grab a bin or two for some project pulls. 

What tips do you have for building up a well-rounded stash?
Don't get stuck on specific designers and buy their entire line.  Buy your favourites from the line.
It isn't necessary to buy a lot of any one fabric, no matter how much you love it.  Will you still love it after you've made your fifth quilt with it and you still have three metres left?
But, don't be afraid to buy what you really love no matter what.  Then don't be afraid to use it!
Don't be afraid to buy a fabric you just aren't sure about.  If you love the colour but hate the pattern you will use it.  Fabric looks different cut into a small strip or triangle.
Buy fabric in a variety of prints. Small-scale, large scale, stripes, dots, solids/blenders, and even florals.  Having a variety of fabrics in your stash will help make your quilts more dynamic.
Don't cull a fabric just because your tastes have changed.  There may be a perfect use for that one brown one day.
Try to have fabrics in one colour that have both shade and tint.  Again, it will add more interest to your quilt.

When do you say enough is enough?
I don't.  Every now and then I will say that I need to take a break from shopping, but then I need just a bit more for a backing.  And sometimes it is worth adding a few new things to get you jazzed about your options again.  I might by one new multi-colour fabric, do a pull from my stash, and never even use that new fabric.  but it got me to look at my stash again and get excited about what I've got.

What are some of your best stash-busting projects?
Anything I do always starts in the stash.  Lately the entire project or at least the majority of it comes from stash.

Do you have a current favourite print in your stash?
Not really.  I find that I have colours I go to, but not necessarily a favourite print.  That being said, I recently put in an order at Purl Soho for the first time.  I've always hesitated because ordering from a US company can cost a fortune in taxes and duties, but I had to have a specific print and took the risk.  It was so worth it!  And now I have this cute robot fabric from David Walker.

What's your definition of a perfect stash?
Well, I think mine is pretty good.  The only thing I would change is a better way to store it.  I would love to have it in a closet, not the bins, and folded better.    

A good stash is not like your favourite quilt store.  You can go into your favourite store and know you are going to get what you need or like.  But go to a new store and you'll see something you've never seen and it gets you excited.  Sometimes you go through your stash and it is like that new store.  We all have our go-to fabrics, but the search for the perfect pink uncovers that one stripe you forgot you bought.  A perfect stash is full of stand-bys and surprises, is used and added to, and it inspires all on its own.