Dresden plate quilting class

I went to my first quilting class put on through the local Quilt Guild.  It was with Anelie Belden, a National Speaker that wrote a book on a new and easier way to make a Dresden plate quilt – sounds fancy

Before the class I had to buy a Jelly Roll (I had to ask what that was) – a roll of about 40 strips of 2.5″ wide coordinating materials and follow the pre-class instructions.  I first sewed pairs of dark and light materials together.  Then I had to iron them flat and starch.  The next step was to cut squares that the ‘plates’ will be sewn onto (I didn’t cut all of them since I knew there was no way I would get it all done in one day).

Before class I wondered if it would really be an all day class.  It definitely was and I only got 1/2 of a plate done!

Anelie Belden was a great teacher – I learned a lot and had lots of fun.  I still haven’t figured out what I am going to do with my Dresden (half) Plate, but I am thinking of completing it and turning it into a wall hanging.  

I think the next item I will make using this technique (assuming I ever finish this one) will be a serpentine shape and make it as a lap quilt.

What new skill have you learned?  – H

Gluten-free banana bread

I just checked and I have not posted this recipe even though I have made it a few times.  So, here it is:

Note:  This recipe was originally posted using whole wheat flour at: http://8weekstoabetteryourecipes.blogspot.com/2012/09/banana-bread-8-week-friendly.html

I modified it so it is now Gluten-free

Gluten-free Banana Bread (with honey)

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free flour  (without xanthum gum in it)
• ¼ teaspoon xanthum gum
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar free applesauce
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 mashed overripe bananas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan (** see note at bottom).
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, xanthum gum, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.

** If I make three small (3 inches by 6 inches) pans I cook it for about 35 minutes.

Note:  This photo is from a loaf that has been in my refrigerator for a few days – still tastes great and does not fall apart easily.

I just added this recipe to a permanent page under Gluten Free Pages.

Later – H

Repairing a braided kitchen rug

We have had a braided rug in our kitchen (in front of our counter that we do most of the standing) for a long time.  Well, it has been starting to fall apart (the clear thread has been breaking, etc) for a while, BUT Pepper (the 9 month old Golden Retriever puppy) has decided recently to ‘help’ it fall apart.

So, I decided to sew it back together (and then I will take it to the laundry mat so it is clean).

What I used:

-Heavy Duty Mattress/seat ‘curved’ needle

-Coats Extra Strong Upholstery Thread  (much stronger than invisible thread/fishing line)

The curved needle made this job a lot easier than I expected.

It still took some time since almost every time I sat on the floor to work on it Pepper decided she wanted to sit on me or the rug.

The rug is finished and the thread blends into the rug so you can’t see it unless you are looking for them.

Yeah – Another item off my To Do List.

What project have you finished lately? – H

Updated places to print coupons page and book review

I just found a website that lists the coupons that are available for the name-brand products sold at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, etc so I added it to the page showing places to print coupons.

Have you ever read (really skimmed) a book and felt like you could have wrote it?  Suddenly Frugal by Leah Ingram (written in 2010) is a book I saw in the new section of the Library (which I have been to a lot in the last few months).

I hoped to learn a few tricks, but I didn’t really learn anything new.   IF you don’t follow a lot of frugal steps already I think this could be a really good book to look at.   (Note: I got nothing for this review and it is only my opinion.)

Later – H

 

Garage sale season!

Well, you wouldn’t know that earlier this week it was snowing by today’s weather (about 70 degrees F).  One of the local churches had their Spring (smaller) Rummage Sale on Friday and Saturday morning (their big one will be at the end of Summer).  We went Saturday morning and everything that could fit in a bag cost $1.00.

We ended up buying three bags ($3.00) and we got about 60 items which works out to about $0.05 each item and a can of nails equals one item!  We got some clothes, books, household/garage items, four like new belts (I thought buying one at the thrift store for $0.50 was a good deal, but this was way better), craft items, and a new bright yellow baseball for Pepper (Golden Retriever puppy), etc.

Pepper first wasn’t sure about the ball since I think it smelt like someone else.  But after I gave it a good washing she has been carrying it around the house and dropping it with a ‘thunk’ tonight.  We will have to see if she will chase/retrieve it in the backyard tomorrow.

So, we will have to see what other deals we find this summer.

What deals have you found lately? – H

Spring Break – a week of many firsts

We decided to go camping for our Spring vacation in March 2013.  We went to Bishop, CA (just south of Mammoth Mountain, but definitely warmer than where we are from) for a few days and then we went into Death Valley National Park for a few days.

Some of the firsts:

- First time Pepper (8 month old Golden Retriever puppy) slept outside (you could tell she was nervous with the different sounds, etc).  We took her portable crate and set it up right outside the tent and chained her to the truck.  You could tell she wasn’t happy since in the morning she would try to get her nose into the tent zipper so we would allow her in the tent.  (I think this is what added to our zipper breaking – see below.)

- First time Pepper went on long hikes and she did well with her doggy backpack (she carried her own foldable water bowl, a few doggy cookies and some plastic bags).  The spot in the left (above the horizontal line [dirt road]) is our truck.  Pepper did good hiking up and down that trail.

- First time my family officially went bouldering (rock climbing without the ropes).  Our daughter has started enjoying rock climbing and there are some places near Bishop, CA which are famous for bouldering (some friends go down a lot so they loaned us a crash pad and a book with routes to take on the rocks).

- First time we drove into Death Valley National Park on the dirt/graded road from Big Pine, CA (about 2.5 hours to the Mesquite Campground and it goes by the 700 ft Eureka Sand Dunes).  Pepper and I stayed at the truck since she is not allowed on trails, etc in National Parks (she had to stay in the campground, on dirt roads or near the paved roads).

- First time we camped in Mesquite Campground (north end of Death Valley near Scotty’s Castle).  We had a couple of days/nights with high winds (storm heading into California, but it didn’t get to us) – the tent poles are luckily built to bend or our tent probably would not have stayed up.  (We heard from a neighbor that the campground was flooding the previous week due to the rain.  I guess we should be thankful we only had the wind.)

- First time our tent got a rip in it and the first time the zipper broke.  We think the tent ripped when we moved it from our first campsite (on the inside of a loop and closer to the restrooms) to the campsite on the outside edge of the park -less people walking close to our tent and no mouse running through the campsite in the evening like we had the first night .  Pepper was much calmer the second and third nights.  The rip has already been fixed and replacing the zipper is on my ‘To Do’ list before our next camping trip.  We realized our tent is about 20 years old so that is not bad.  I don’t think replacing the zipper will be hard, but I will report after it is finished.

- First time we went to the Racetrack playa (2.5 hour drive each way on a dirt road from the Mesquite Campground).  The racetrack is where rocks mysteriously move on the playa and leave a trail behind them (no one has ever seen them as they moved, just the path after the fact).  This was another place Pepper and I had to stay at the truck.  Luckily we parked in such a way that we stayed in the shade the whole time.

- First time we went to Rhyolite (old ghost town between Beatty, NV and Death Valley National Park).  We were able to walk Pepper around the town.  There even is a house that  was made from old glass bottles.

We had a good Spring Break.  We did come home a day early since the wind was so high the tent was bending/making noise all night long for two nights.  Also, after driving on all of the dirt roads everything was DUSTY.  If it could not be thrown in the washing machine it had to be wiped off or have the air compressor blow it clean.

We have had two flat tires on our truck since we bought it (1998) both on dirt roads.  The first one was years ago and we were a long way away from anything and the spare was low on air.  Luckily we made it to a very small town and they loaned us an air compressor.

This time we got one coming back from the Racetrack playa.  A family heard the noise and stopped us (they had gotten a flat tire on the way into the Racetrack playa).  This was the first time we had a shredded tire.  Luckily the spare was full of air, etc so we didn’t have a problem putting it on.  We went out to Beatty, NV and the tire place had an used tire (our size!) that we bought for $30 as our spare.  The place told us that they get about two vehicles a week coming in that had a flat tire from the Racetrack playa road so we were not alone.

What adventures have you taken lately?  -H

Sewing Retreat and Pepper

Sorry I haven’t posted for a while.  I have a bunch (over 10 and counting) of posts to get done, but figured I would start with a new one first.  Dana – thanks for the nudge

Last weekend I had the chance to go to a multiple day Sewing Retreat in Virginia City, NV.  One of the projects I brought with me was a Rag Quilt that was completely cut out and given to me by the local Quilt Guild – all I needed to do was sew it together and then trim the edges to give the ‘rag’ affect after it is washed.  I think it turned out pretty good.

This quilt will be given back to the Quilt Guild so it can be given to someone in the community.  I was able to spend a few days with some long-time friends and meet some new friends.  Now to decide if I want to join the Sewing Guild that meets in Reno…

I sewed on a few other projects, but none of them are finished yet.  I will post them when they are done.

As a side note you get to see 9 month old Pepper the ‘red’ Golden Retriever.  I found out today that when I wanted a photo of just the quilt she decided she wanted to be in it, BUT if I just try to take a photo of her she turns away, etc.  I guess I will have to act like I am taking a photo of something else to get photos of her from now on.

So, what projects have you been working on lately?  One of the bloggers I follow has been trying to finish three UFOs (unfinished objects) monthly.  I start with that intent, but lately I have been adding way more projects that I have been finishing.  Time to make a list and try to stick to it.

- H