Speaking of stitches

I finished my sashiko embroidery square and would love to try a design on the edge of a pillowcase next. I think that would make a very nice wedding gift. I was browsing around this evening at Burdastyle.com and found a great link to tons of embroidery stitches. If you like hand work, then this site might be an excellent resource to keep bookmarked. http://inaminuteago.com/stitchindex.html

More sashiko...

I haven't made too much progress today, but I did put some additional stitches on my sashiko project. I was able to do multiple stitches at once, like you would for hand quilting and it went much faster with less wear and tear on my wrist. I have done some research on my decoupage idea and I am obviously not the only one thinking about my idea. I would really like to do trivets with the sashiko design decoupaged and then sealed with high heat sealant. The sealant looks to be a bit costly, but if it covered all the trivets, it wouldn't be too bad. I think they would make great Christmas persents. You could do wall plaques and not need the sealant, but a trivet might be more purposeful. I would use ceramic tile as the backing. I read about using glass tiles and putting the decoupage on the bottom side. I don't think I like that idea as much. For now the task at hand is to finish the embroidery. Oh and I have a surprise that I will share next week-can't wait!!

Sashiko Embroidery

My right wrist is obviously still sore from knitting projects I guess, so I decided to set that aside and work on some Sashiko embroidery. Requires a little different motion of my hand. This is also in my Martha Stewart Craft book. Several different patterns to print and use. It is a simple running stitch, but you have to try to make them all the same size. I love the cool effects the patterns have once you get several on your fabric. This is a butter cream linen with red floss. Not sure what I will do with it, but I have an idea that requires some research on decoupage. Tomorrow night is our ladies night out and we are all making pomp a doodle scarves-FUN! Hopefully my wrist will feel better.

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Typically coffee cakes are dry and I don't like that! It is not as if you are going to pick up your square of coffee cake and dunk it in your coffee, so why choke on it if you don't have to. I made a coffee cake this morning that has cream cheese and butter in it-so it is extremely low fat-HA! So here is the recipe:

Combine 1-8 oz pkg of softened cream cheese with 1 stick of softened butter. Then add 1 cup of white sugar and mix well. Add 2 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well and then add 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda and mix well. Then add 1 cup of all purpose flour and mix, add 1/4 cup buttermilk and then another 3/4 cup of flour. I then put half of the batter in a 8 x 11 pan that is sprayed with cooking spray. I sliced some thin pieces of butter and laid them on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and then gently spread the rest of the batter on top. For the streusel topping combine:

1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans if desired and 1/2-3/4 tsp cinnamon. Use a fork or pastry blender to mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Spread on top and bake at 350 for roughly 30 minutes. I covered the top of mine with foil after about 20 minutes so it wouldn't get too brown while the middle was still cooking. Cook until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Don't overbake or it will become more dry!

I was out of pecans so mine does not have nuts this time. It is quite tasty and not dry. It went down nicely with a good cup of coffee this morning!

Apple Pie Sunday

Church was wonderful this morning and we are starting our small groups tonight for the new year. We meet at 6 and we eat and then have study/fellowship time for about an hour or until everybody quits talking. On tap for tonight at our small group is chicken and gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread, brownies and apple pie. I am cooking the chicken and gravy and the apple pie. I get to use the apples we put up this summer and the house smells so good. I bought some Mayfields vanilla icecream to go with it-YUM! Hope your day of worship has been wonderful.

I included a picture of the sewing cabinet that came with my second hand sewing machine. I cleaned it up yesterday and plan on using it this week.

Progress, Progress, Progress?

It has been a busy week and weekend for me. We had school co-op this week and my son took his driver's test Friday and is now an officially licensed driver-Yeah! We went to Red Lobster Friday night to celebrate. I also stopped by Hancocks to pick up a couple of 1 yard pieces (not that I don't have gads at home-but hey any excuse to go visit a fabric store) of fabric to sew up a few nursing blankets for the Saturday baby shower. It was relatively easy to put one together, but the second one is still waiting to be started. I will post more detailed instructions this week. It just got to be too late and I was a little tired. I will definitely make more of these for gifts though. I am also posting pics of my Simplicity dress. It is hanging on Shirley (my husband named her) waiting for more attention as well. I have also finished cutting all of the squares plus some for the baby quilt I am starting for my sister-in-law. I have them laid out in the floor to see if I like the set up of the squares. Any feedback from you readers who quilt???? Any squares I should move around?

Well I hope those of you who attend church services tomorrow have a blessed day of worship!

This Little Piggy...

I am going to a baby shower for a sweet friend tomorrow and I have a few store bought gifts for the baby, but I also wanted to do something homemade. I bought the Martha Stewart craft book from Barnes & Noble and it has so many ideas in it that I want to try. I decided to make a felted wool pig for the baby's room. I had never felted wool, so I went to Goodwill and bought several wool sweaters that received a healthy dose of hot water and even hotter dryer treatment. They all came out very nicely. I chose this deep red wool for the pig and I think he turned out really cute. I decided to use Fisherman's wool yarn to outline the stitch lines on the pig and I really like that. He really looks like an old toy with that added effect. I just sewed on 2 small black buttons for eyes and inserted a pipe cleaner in the tail for curl and VOILA!

I finished a cream wool cowl on a recent trip and I have some progress on my Simplicity pattern. I haven't taken pics yet, but I will. I also have a baby boy quilt in progress for my sister in law. Will post some pictures of the fabric squares I have cut soon. Hope everyone has a productive weekend!