Monthly Archives: March 2012

Spring Fun

  By sewwhatscooking | March 30, 2012 - 3:37 pm |
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I don’t know where the time has gone!  It’s Friday again already and I have not done any posts this week.  Sorry I disappeared!

I was playing catch up the beginning of the week and then Wednesday, we got a new baby.  Not the kind of baby you might think….. but I love it SO!  Tom jokes that my favorite cologne would be Barbecue Scented!  Laugh but I think it might be true!  Got it all put together on Wednesday, primed it and made hot dogs on the charcoal side for lunch and Italian sausage on the gas side for dinner.  Tonight we are having Tom’s mom and stepdad over for steaks and brats and asparagus and potatoes.  Yum.  I think I would cook outside all the time. :)

Barbecue Grill

We also got a fire pit.  The kids are looking forward to roasting some marshmallows! Well, Sammy.  And me, too!  Who am I kidding? :)

Fire Pit

I’ve also been preparing for my first Beginning Quilting Class I’m teaching.  It is on Thursday and I have 3 mom and 3 daughters.  Should be a lot of fun.  They will be making Baby Doll Quilts similar to this one.

Baby Doll Quilt

My friend, Nancy, told me about this cute book they got from the library.  They have made baskets full of adorable sock bunnies!  I want to make some sock creatures, too!  When looking up this book below, I found a second one!

Socks AppealStray Sock Sewing

These are so cute!

That’s all for now!  Have to run and get things done.  I DO plan to sew this weekend and post some quilting and recipes.

Have a lovely weekend!

Krista

Hanging Out With My Guys

  By sewwhatscooking | March 26, 2012 - 10:54 pm |
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Hi!  I took a little break to spend some time with my husband and kiddos.  Saturday, after working on my WIPs, we went out to Micro Center.  Tom (my brilliant IT man) & Andrew were building a computer together before Andrew got sick but there was a bad part and then Andrew was in the hospital and it got set aside for a better time.  Well – Saturday was a better time and we went off to Micro Center so they can troubleshoot it and swap out whatever was bad.  He will have a nice gaming machine by the time they get it all set.  Then Sammy gets an upgrade to the laptop Andrew has been using. I checked out the cool tablets that let you write and draw, etc.  I would love one of those – maybe for Christmas!  Do any of you have one?  If so – what do you think?  TabletAfter that we went to IHOP for dinner and then Barnes and Noble.  I wanted to check out the new All Small BHG magazine.  It was very nice – a lot of great projects!  I didn’t get it, though.  $12.99 and I have more than enough projects in the works!  We love visiting Barnes and Noble and browsing.  I love seeing all the new quilt and sewing and craft books with lots of fresh ideas.  Sammy was the only one to get anything, though.  He got a new Nintendo Power Magazine and Pokemon Book.

all small

All in all, a nice afternoon.

Sunday, we went up to the lake with Tom’s brother Dale, his wife Kelly, and their son, Quincy.   We hung out, walked through the woods, played on the ATV, and the boys (& Tom and the Kelly) went out on the paddle boat.  In the end, Andrew was trying to sell paddle boat rides. :) Always trying to wheel and deal and make a buck, or in this case, a quarter.

Lake

Today spring break was over and we had library and had to stop at the grocery store.  Grandpa came over for dinner and we had tacos and cheese enchiladas.  Yum!

I’ll be back to work on some quilts tomorrow and do some posting – quilting and a recipe.

Hope you have a lovely Tuesday!

Krista

 

 

 

Busy Again – 3 Quilts!

  By sewwhatscooking | March 24, 2012 - 1:34 pm |
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Well, I didn’t get my Japanese Blocks finished.  I think I’ll be working on those tonight. However, I sure have managed to keep myself busy!  And will be busy for a while with all the quilting!

Last night I really wanted to play with my new charm packs and have wanted to do a Half Square Triangle Quilt.  I used almost the whole pack of Vintage Modern and I think about half of Redwork Renaissance and got all my  1/2 square triangles sewn, pressed, trimmed, and up on my design board.  I can’t wait to start putting it all together.  Here’s a peek!  I LOVE it!

Half Square Triangle Peak

This Chocolate Zig Zag Quilt is ready to be quilted..  I thought about piecing the back but decided against it.  I’ve had this in my WIP pile for too long and want it done.

Zig Zag Top

I have this top finished now, too.  I’m almost done piecing the back and it will be all ready to quilt!

Pink Paradise Quilt

 

Quilty Progress

  By sewwhatscooking | March 23, 2012 - 9:37 am | ,
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TGIF!  Yesterday I felt like I got some things done!

First, I spent time working on getting organized.  I got my scraps organized by color in a big basket so I can continue working on my Japanese Blocks and my string quilt as well as add to it as I go.  I also pressed and folded some of my fabric.  I threaded and tested a machine I had the timing set on that I plan to use in my class and it worked great.

I made a pin cushion / binding clips jar.  I like it ok but I might redo it.

Pin Cushion Jar

I finished my fish pillow.  I was originally going to do a pillow cover but decided to just make it a pillow.  What I love, too, is that the background and back of the pillow used to be a pair of my husbands Dockers!  The fish and border are from a charm pack I had.  The fish are from  the book Scandinavian Stitches: 21 Playful Projects with Seasonal Flair by Kajsa Wikman.  I changed the wording, though.  Mine says “fish” in Scots Gaelic instead of her “haddock” in Finish.  I love this pillow!

Fish PillowFish Pillow Back

I finished Tom’s pillow that I started a LONG time ago!Tom's Cardinal PillowTom's Cardinal Pillow Back

I also finished sewing the rows together -all but the last one  for my Japanese Block Quilt.

On today’s agenda, besides a trip to the library and grocery store, I plan to make the 4 blocks I need to finish the final row on my Japanese Blocks quilt and add the final sashing (I’ll post them in the tutorial section this weekend.) and I plan to add the final sashing on my zig-zag baby quilt top.

Zig Zag baby quiltPink

Well, I’d better get moving!  I hope you have a lovely Friday!

Mini Bag & Pin Cushions

  By sewwhatscooking | March 21, 2012 - 10:36 pm | ,
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I’ve been so draggy this week – really unmotivated and feeling unorganized!  I have plenty to work on – lots of works in progress.  I am also teaching some beginning quilting classes in April and need to finish getting my project ready for that.  But am I working on any of these things?  Nope!

I’ve been wanting to try zippers, so I made this cute little bag.  It went pretty easy and turned out really good, though I had a little issue with the zipper ends.  Definitely takes some practice!

Zipper Bag 1

Zipper Bag 2

Zipper Bag 3

Then I made these pin cushion/quilt supply cups for the kids in my quilt class to use.  I used Ball Freezer Jam cups and they are big enough to fit a normal size seam ripper, scissors, tape measure, needles & a few pins.  I put ribbon on the outside for the quilt clips.  Aren’t they cute?

Pin cushion 1

Pin Cushion 2

Pin cushion 3

Well… it’s 10:30 and past my bedtime – especially since Andrew was low and I have to get up and check his blood sugar at 2am.  Good thing he is such a cute, sweet boy!

Hope you have a lovely Thursday!

Krista

Japanese Quilt Blocks with a Modern Twist Block #22

  By sewwhatscooking | March 20, 2012 - 5:00 am | ,
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Block 22: Tsumeta (Boxed rice fields)

Block 23
You will need:

1. Sixteen 1-1/2 inch squares (3.8cm)
2. Eight 2-1/2 x 1-1/4 inch strips (6.4×3.2cm)
2. Eight 4 x 1-1/4 inch strips (10.2×3.2cm)
3. Two 4 x 1 inch strips (10.2×2.5cm)
3. One 8 x 1 inch strip (20.3×2.5cm)
3. Two 8 x 1-1/4 inch strips (20.3×3.2cm)
3. Two 9-1/2 x 1-1/4 inch strips (24×3.2cm)

Step 1:  Sew two #1 1-1/2 inch blocks together, being careful to switch pattern direction. (x8)

Step 2: Sew two block strips from Step 1 together to make blocks, alternating patterns as shown. (x4)

Step 1

Step 3: Sew #2 2-1/2 x 1-1/4 inch strips to two opposite sides of blocks to form border. (x4)

Step 4: Sew #2 4 x 1-1/4 inch strips to other opposite sides of blocks to finish border. (x4)

Step 5: Sew #3 4 x 1 inch strips to block. (x2).  Attach second block to opposite side of #3 strip. (x2)

Steps 345

Step 6: Attach two block strips together by sewing #3 8 x 1 inch strip in between as shown.

Step 6

Step 7: Add #3 8 x 1-1/4 inch strips to opposite sides.

Step 7

Step 8:  To finish, sew #3 9-1/2 x 1-1/4 inch strips to final opposite sides.

Block 22

Bread Machine Baguette and Fun Kids!

  By sewwhatscooking | March 19, 2012 - 10:52 pm |
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This is really, really good bread.  It’s best to let it cool on a wire rack before cutting – though by the time dinner rolls around, 1/2 a warm loaf has disappeared between me & the boys!

Speaking of the boys – Andrew is always very interesting.  He saved some money and wanted to get a cd from Amazon.  He picked Homeland – A Collection of South African Music.  Surprising as lately he’s been into Devo, Dave Brubek, and the Contortions and, of course, Rush & Genesis. I asked him – “Why South African?”  His answer as he walked away:  “Because it’s more melodic than West African music.”  Of course!!!  My husband told me it’s because he is into Paul Simon again and he was very into African music.  Anyway, he is a really neat kid!

Sammy is too!  Tonight he was cracking me up.  It was like he was performing an operatic musical in his room while he was playing a video game.  Tom and I were dying out here listening to it.  It was so great!  I wish we would have taped it!

Well, it’s late and time for me to hit the hay.   I really want to sew tomorrow but need to get some sleep so I can think clearly!  Have a good night!!

Bread Machine Baguette

Print recipe
Bread Machine Baguette
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Total time 30 minutes
Allergy Egg, Wheat
Meal type Bread
By author Krista Robbins
Baguette for bread machine

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon water

Directions

Step 1
Place all ingredients except egg yolk and tbsp. of water into bread machine pan in the order recommended by manufacturer. Run dough cycle.
Step 2
When the dough cycle has finished, place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or doubled.
Step 3
Punch dough down. Split dough into 2 pieces and roll out into a rectangle. Roll up lengthwise into a long tube shape and taper ends.
Place 2-3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Cut slashes across top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes or doubled.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (190C). Mix yolk with tablespoon of water and brush loaf tops. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack.
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Japanese Quilt Blocks with a Modern Twist Block #26

  By sewwhatscooking | March 19, 2012 - 8:38 pm |
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Block 26: Yosegi kaku to sankaku (Squares and Triangles)

Block 26
You will need:

1. Two 5 inch squares (12.7cm)
1. Two 2 inch squares (5cm)
2. Two 5 inch squares (12.7cm)
3. Two 2 inch squares (5cm)

Step 1:  Sew #1 2-inch square to corner of #2 5-inch square.  Trim across corner and then press right side up. (x2)

Step 2: Sew #3 2-inch square to corner of #1 5-inch square. Trim across corner and then press right side up.  (x2)

Block 26A

Step 3:  Sew contrasting blocks together to form strip.

Step 4: Sew 2 block strips together.

Block 26 Step 2

Block 26

 

 

Japanese Quilt Blocks – Quilt in Progress!

  By sewwhatscooking | March 19, 2012 - 8:55 am |
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Well – one row to go!  I’m working on the last 4 blocks for my quilt this week.  I love it so far! I don’t usually do all white for my sashing.  I like color a lot….. but I think it looks good.  What do you think?

I’m going to make a pillows out of some of my other blocks.  I have a few that somehow turned out smaller and one that turned out bigger, so I think they will make good pillows to go with.

I’ll continue working on the Japanese blocks until I finish the book and will be posting 2-3 blocks per week if you are following along.  I will post the next block later today.

Japanese Quilt Blocks Quilt

Japanese Quilt Blocks with a Modern Twist Block #23

  By sewwhatscooking | March 17, 2012 - 6:28 pm |
1 Comment

Block 23: Kurume kasuri goku masu (Five Squares)

Block 23

You will need:

1. Two 5-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (14 x 3.8cm)
1. Two 3-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (8.9 x 3.8cm)
2. One 1-1/2 inch square (3.8cm)
2. Two 7-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (19×3.8cm)
2. Two 5-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (14×3.8cm)
3. Two 1-1/2 inch squares (3.8cm)
3. Two 3-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (8.9×3.8cm)
3. Two 9-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (24×3.8cm)
3. Two 7-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (19×3.8cm)

Step 1: Sew a #3 1-1/2 inch square on opposite sides of #2 1-1/2 inch square.

Step 2: Sew a #3 3-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strip to opposite sides of Step 1 strip.

Step 3: Sew a #1 3-1/2 inch x 1-1/2 inch strip to opposite sides of Block.

Step 4: Sew a #1 5-1/2 inch x 1-1/2 inch strip to opposite sides of Step 3 Block.

Step 5: Sew a #2 5-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strip to opposite sides of Step 4 Block.

Step 6: Sew a #2 7-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strip to opposite sides of Step 5 Block.

Step 7: Sew a #3 7-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strip to opposite sides of Step 6 Block.

Step 8: Sew a #3 9-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strip to opposite sides of Step 7 Block to finish.

More Fabric Love !

  By sewwhatscooking | March 17, 2012 - 4:05 pm |
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I’m so excited!  At the quilt show, I found 8 lovely fat quarters that were so bright & cheery I couldn’t resist.  I just LOVE them!

Fabric Love Fat Quarters

And if that wasn’t enough! My sweetie pie husband gave me a gift certificate for Amazon and I found these fun charm packs  at Southern Fabric.  They shipped them out immediately and they got here today!  Can’t wait to figure out what I’m going to do with them all!  I know that I can’t just sit and stare at them. LOL

Charm Packs

Fanfare of Quilts Quilt Show

  By sewwhatscooking | March 17, 2012 - 3:37 pm |
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This morning I went to the 2012 Fanfare of Quilts Quilt Show, hosted by Bits ‘n’ Pieces Quilt Guild  of Ballwin, MO.    I really enjoyed it and saw some really wonderful quilts.

One of the quilts I loved the most was Room at the Inn Cardinals Quilt by Marilyn Fallert.  I love the quilting – baseball, players, the arch, “world champions”, etc. What a fun quilt!

Carinals 1Cards 3Cards 4Cards 5

This next quilt was amazing.  I wish I’d taken a better picture because I just cannot make out the name and cannot figure out what quilt this is from the program.  So – whoever you are, your quilt is amazing and beautiful!  LOVE the Loch Ness!

Circle Quilt

While there were so many beautiful, wonderfully made quilts, for whatever reason, these are the ones that caught my eye….

Wheel of Infinity
Wheel of Infinity by Kristina Perez

 Out of the Woods by Dusty PostOut of the Woods by Dusty Post

Christmas in St Louis

Christmas in St. Louis by Priscilla Poczekaj

Farmers Market

Farmer's Market by Nellie Mueller

The Only Thing Missing is Me

The Only Thing Missing is Me by Rose Diringer

Dragonfly Daze by Nancy Sinise

Dragonfly Daze by Nancy Sinise

Sunrise in Provence by Tracy Back

Sunrise in Provence by Tracy Back

Summertime by Ann Diehl

Summertime by Ann Diehl

Over the Door Sunrise by Marilyn Fallert

Over the Door Sunrise by Marilyn Fallert

Dresden Flower Garden by Candy Grisham

Dresden Flower Garden by Candy Grisham

Fish

Artist Unknown - But love this!

Anyway – like I said, there were so many beautiful quilts and others would have caught my eye on another walk through, I’m sure!  The craftsmanship, the ideas, etc. are all very inspiring!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies – Revised

  By sewwhatscooking | March 16, 2012 - 7:44 pm |
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Here’s the recipe, as promised!  These are oh, so good! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Print recipe
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Serves 12-15
Prep time 25 minutes
Cook time 23 minutes
Total time 48 minutes
Allergy Egg, Wheat
Meal type Dessert, Snack
Misc Child Friendly
By author Krista Robbins
Chocolate cookie dough brownies.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/8 cup water
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 bag chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 stick butter (melted)
  • 1 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 3/4 cups baking cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9 inch pan.
Step 2
For Cookie Dough: With mixer, cream together softened butter, sugars, vanilla, and water. Add in flour and salt and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
Step 3
Roll cookie dough into small marbles. Put in freezer.
Step 4
For Brownies: Whisk together melted butter, sugars, vanilla, eggs, and water.
Step 5
Add in flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk until just mixed.
Step 6
Spread brownie batter into pan. Press frozen cookie dough into brownie batter. Bake 20-23 minutes until knife in center comes out clean.
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We are short on time this morning because we are going to a science class at the library this morning on optical illusions.  Sammy really loves that sort of thing and is excited.  Andrew is NOT at all thrilled to be going out and being around other kids.  Anyway….. I don’t have much time to post this morning.  However, I am making these for dessert tonight – yummmmm!  I hope!  I don’t know how they could not be good (cookie dough and brownie mix?) but it is a recipe I came up with myself based on some cupcake recipes I’ve seen.

I will post it this afternoon when they are done!   In the meantime, I will leave you to imagine how delicious these will be!

Japanese Quilt Blocks with a Modern Twist Block #18

  By sewwhatscooking | March 16, 2012 - 8:29 am |
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Hi! Sorry for the delay in more Japanese Blocks.  I have to say, I really struggled with Block 12 and I had a bad headache so I set it aside to finish later!

So….. I skipped ahead in the book and have a new block for you today and am working on some more I can post later today or tomorrow tomorrow.  I wish I would have used a more contrasting fabric for the corners on block 18.

Block 18: Kurume kasuri masumon (Kurume square pattern)

Block 18
You will need:

1. Two 3-1/2 inch squares (8.9 cm)
1. Two 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inch strips (14 x 8.9cm)
1. Eight 1-1/2 inch squares (3.8cm)
1. Four 3-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch strips (8.9×3.8cm)
2. One 3-1/2 inch square (8.9cm)
3. Four 1-1/2 inch squares (3.8cm)
Block 18 a

Step 1: Sew a #1 3-1/2 inch square to opposite sides of #2 3-1/2 inch square.

Step 2: Sew a #1 1-1/2 inch square to opposite sides of #3 1-1/2 inch square. (x4)

Block 18 b

Step 3: Sew a #1 3-1/2 x  1-1/2 inch strip to strip made in Step 2. (x4)

Step 4:  Sew block made in Step 3 to opposite sides of #1 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 inch strip.

Block c

Step 5:  Sew strips made in Step 4 to opposite sides of strip made in Step 1 to finish.

Block 18

Really Easy Awesome Spaghetti Sauce

  By sewwhatscooking | March 14, 2012 - 8:24 pm |
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After we moved here we had dinner on The Hill.  It was so incredibly good.  But it definitely spoiled me.  No more jar sauce – ever if I can help it! Funny thing is – sauce is NOT hard to make it all.  It’s one of the easiest things I have ever made and it is so much better than the jar stuff.  But we are brought up thinking that you need to buy spaghetti sauce – after all, there is an entire row of sauces at the store.  Not so!!!  Try it!  You’ll see!

Rich Spaghetti Sauce

Print recipe
Rich Spaghetti Sauce
Serves 8-10
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total time 1 hour, 35 minutes
Meal type Main Dish
By author Krista Robbins
rich spaghetti sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 84oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon basil (fresh, chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Note

If you want to add meat, cook first and add with the crushed tomatoes.  Simmering the sauce for so long makes it thick and rich and SO good.

 

Directions

Step 1
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Crush garlic and remove paper skin. Add to olive oil and saute 1 minute.
Step 2
Add 84 oz. crushed tomatoes, basil, and crushed red pepper.
Step 3
Bring to a constant simmer just low enough to not splash out of your pot. Simmer 1 1/2 hours uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
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Sammy’s Quilt

  By sewwhatscooking | March 14, 2012 - 7:55 pm |
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I got held up on my Japanese blocks but will be posting some more tomorrow!  In the meantime, let me share with you Sammy’s Quilt.

Sammy's Quilt

My Sammy is a big cat lover and when he was a little guy he created an alter-ego for himself – SammyCat, and he drew himself in cat form.  I just love his little SammyCat and I took his drawing and embroidered it on squares.

SammyCat

I collected as many cat fabrics as I could – my sister sent me a bunch, too – and it turned out super cute.  He loves it too.  I also made him a matching pillowcase.

Sammy's Pillowcase