Monday, November 30, 2020

Virtual Cookie Exchange And Christmas Blog Hop Day 1

 The Virtual Cookie Exchange and Christmas Blog Hop has become one of my favorite traditions! It grows every year with amazing recipes, quilts, gifts, and traditions.


Doreen Alexander is sharing my blog today to share one of her favorite and traditional recipes. 

My childhood Christmas' were spent at our grandparent's house in Queens, NYC. All of my grandparent's friends in the area would store the wrapped presents for months. Guess that is why we could never find them! While we were eating dinner they would all bring over the presents and fill up the front porch. Don't know how they timed it but as soon as all the dishes were done the bell rang. We knew Santa had come...

In my family Sauerbraten has always been the Xmas dinner. My great grandparents were German. I am the eldest of five girls and each of us competed for the best recipe. I came up with a recipe that can be made that day or in advance. Either keep in fridge or freeze. The best part is no soaking of the meat is required.

SAUERBRATEN
Doreen Alexander

3 TO 4 POUND BONELESS BEEF TOP OR BOTTOM ROUND

2 TABLESPOONS OIL

LARGE SLICED ONION

1 1/3 CUPS H2O

1-8OZ CAN TOMATO SAUCE

3 TEASPOONS INSTANT BEEF BOUILLON

½ TEASPOON WT PEPPER

1 ½ TEASPOONS GROUND ALLSPICE

2 BAY LEAVES

12 OR MORE GINGERSNAPS, CRUSHED

2/3 CUP RED WINE VINEGAR


Brown meat on all sides in 2 tablespoons oil.  Add all other ingredients except gingersnaps and simmer until tender in slow cooker.  Then add gingersnaps to thicken gravy and let cook approximately 20 minutes more.  Enjoy!

"Sauerbraten is a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as a national dish of Germany, and is frequently served in German-style restaurants internationally. It can be prepared from a variety of meats, most often from beef, but also from venison, lamb and mutton, pork and horse." 


For instant pot :

Manual high 42 minutes.  Natural release (not warm!). I love "Alexa" for my timer!

Remove meat.  Add crushed ginger snaps to thicken. If you thicken too much add some water to thin gravy.

Slice meat. Return to pot.  Bring to simmer for 5 minutes. Then serve.

Note for best even slices make day or more in advance and do not return meat to pot.  The meat slices easier if wrapped and put in fridge until cooled down; then slice. Cover meat with gravy and keep in fridge or freeze. To reheat use stove  or low oven. I always serve with potato dumplings, my four sisters with wide egg noodles.  

Ready to check out the rest of the virtual awesomeness!

December 1

Creatin' in the Sticks

Doreen – Just Let Me Quilt Guest

Bumbleberry Stitches

Home Sewn By Us

Quilt Schmilt

Food for Thought

Life in the Scrapatch

Ms P Designs USA

Just Sew Quilter

Cathie's Craftworks

Cynthia's Creating Ark

 December 2

MooseStashQuilting

Karen's Korner

Sew Many Yarns

Selina Quilts

Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Days Filled With Joy

Words & Stitches

Just Because Quilts

Beaquilter

 December 3

Quiltscapes

Websterquilt

DayBrook Designs

Karrin’s Crazy World

Samelia's Mum

Songbird Designs

For The Love Of Geese

Stitchin At Home

Dreamworthy Quilts

That Fabric Feeling

 December 4

Just Let Me Quilt

Quilt Fabrication

DesertSky Quilting

Seams To Be Sew

Happy Cottage Quilter

Pumpkin Patch Patterns & Quilting

The Darling Dogwood

Kathleen McMusing

Scrapdash


There is a Pinterest page for all the amazing things you'll see during this hop...HERE!

Be sure to come back tomorrow for more awesomeness!

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Crafter's Edge Gingerbread Man Round Bag

It's that time of year when most of us are scrambling around looking for a quick and easy idea for a neighbor or friend gift. This year I grabbed my Crafter's Edge Gingerbread Man die and did a little brainstorming. He's such a cutie so it wasn't hard to think of ways to use him. 

Gingerbread Man Round Gift Bag

How to make this bag...


SUPPLIES:
Batting or fleece
Iron-on applique adhesive
Thread
Two buttons
Pins or spray basting (for quilting)
Crafter's Edge Dies: Gingerbread Man, 7" Square, 2 1/2" Strip Cutter


FABRIC NEEDED:
1/3 yard each of two fabrics
Fat quarters/fabric scraps in brown, red, white

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut 4 - Gingerbread Man (CE Gingerbread Man Die - applique)
Cut 4 - 7" x 7" squares (CE Square dies - fabric - outside bag)
Cut 1 - 7" x 26 1/2" strip (fabric - lining)
Cut 2 - 9 1/2" circles (fabric - bag bottom) *A small 9 1/2" dinner plate works as a template
Cut 2 - 2 1/2" x 18" strips (CE 2 1/2" Strips - fabric - straps)
Cut 1 - 7" x 26 1/2" strip (batting/fleece) *Cut 8" x 28" if desired for quilting
Cut 1 - 9 1/2" circle (batting/fleece)

SEWING/APPLIQUE INSTRUCTIONS: All seams are sewn 1/4” unless otherwise noted.

Step 1: Applique – Iron adhesive to wrong side of fabrics; let cool. My go-to iron on adhesive is HeatnBond Lite...I love it. My Mini Oliso iron may be small, but it works great on all my projects.

Following Crafter’s Edge instructions, place paper side of adhesive facing up on platform. Cover as directed before running through machine. *To reverse the direction of design, place fabric side up before cutting.

Run die and fabric through machine. Peel off paper liner from the backs of applique pieces. Place applique, adhesive side down, on right side of fabric. Press according to package directions until entire piece is bonded. Let cool. Sew around edges of applique using a straight, zig-zag, or blanket stitch. 


Step 2: With right sides together, sew 7" appliqued squares together. Press seams to sides.


Step 3: 
Place outside bag fabric face down on batting. Spray baste or pin to secure. Quilt in straight lines or with a pattern of your choice. Spray n Bond Basting Adhesive is what I use to baste my fabric for quilting.


Step 4: With right sides together, sew outside bag with batting and lining together along long edge. Press seam towards lining.


Sometimes after quilting fabric it shrinks a bit so the lining is a little longer. No worries, just trim it straight with the shorter section.


Step 5:  With right sides together, sew shorter ends together to create a tube; match outside bag and lining seam. Fold along outside bag and lining seam, placing lining inside bag with wrong sides together. Press flat. Baste raw edges together at bottom of bag.


Step 6: Place batting circle between wrong sides of fabric circles. Spray baste or pin to secure. Quilt with desired design. Sew a 1/4” from edge. Trim close to stitching.
 

Step 7: Mark center points on bag and fabric circle (in four places.) *Folding the bag and circle in quarters helps find the centers. With wrong sides together (yes…raw edges will be on the outside of the bag for now), match center points of circle and bag. Pin to secure. *Using lots of pins and clips helps avoid puckers.

Step 8: Sew 1/4” around the edge of the circle and bag, easing the fabric in as you go. Make sure you catch all layers. Trim fabric close to stitching.

Step 9: To cover raw edges of seam,, turn the bag inside out and go to the bottom of the bag where the circle is. 

Sew 1/4” from the finished seam, enclosing the unfinished edge. Slowly easing in the fabric helps as you go around the bag...don't rush it. It should have a finished seam on the inside as well as the outside.

Turn it inside out and check to make sure you caught all layers. *A walking foot makes sewing this easier.

Step 10: With right sides of fabric together, sew around straps leaving a 2” opening for turning. Clip corners and turn inside out. Press seams flat. Topstitch along seam line making sure to catch opening. Topstitch again 1/4” from edge. Center strap on bag and sew on buttons.

I had some leftover Halloween candy that filled this bag perfectly. This will be great for a big family with kids!


I'm going to do some more brainstorming for ways to use this sweet gingerbread man.


One Christmas gift down, a lot more to go!



I'm so glad you stopped by!

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Riley Blake Designs Kaleidoscope Project Tour

Riley Blake Designs has a huge assortment of basic fabrics to use on their own or to accent other fabrics. "Kaleidoscope" is one of their beautiful basics by Crayola and is an official licensed product. It's 100 per cent cotton and looks amazing in quilts, home decor, or clothing.

52" x 52"


To create "Kaleidoscope Eyes" I used Key Lime, Scarlet, Dandelion, and Toy Poodle Black (I love that name!) 

Just saying the word "kaleidoscope" brings back wonderful memories of one of my favorite toys as a child. It was a tin tube to look through to see colors change into amazing designs. It was mind boggling for my little brain in those days as I wondered how it worked! 

Those designs inspired the "Kaleidoscope Eyes" quilt. At 52" x 52" it's a perfect size to snuggle under.


The lemon tree in my backyard is full of lemons waiting to be picked. They are close in color to the beautiful yellow Kaleidoscope Dandelion fabric.


All the lovely colors available in this line are incredible!


Don't let those half square triangles (HSTs) or hourglass blocks scare you. They are really easy to make! 


Half Square Triangles: To make four HSTs, place one 11 ½” x 11 ½” white square and one RBD Kaleidoscope Toy Poodle right sides together. Sew around all edges (1/4” seam), pivoting at corners. Cut sewn block diagonally from corners in both directions. Open each cut piece; press open towards dark side. You will have four HSTs. Trim each HST to 7 ½” x 7 ½”. *Tip: Spray starching the fabric helps to hold the shape.

Hourglass Blocks: You will need one white square and one color square to make two blocks. Draw a line diagonally on wrong side of white square. Place right sides of squares together. Sew a 1/4" seam along both sides of the drawn line. Cut the block along the drawn line to create two blocks. Open and press fabrics to the color side.

On one of the blocks from each set, draw a diagonal line opposite from the seam on the wrong side of fabric.  With right sides together, place colors opposite of each other and nest the seam, sew 1/4" along both sides of the drawn line. Cut the blocks along the drawn line. Open and press seams toward the side. Trim blocks to 7 ½” x 7 ½”.


"Key Lime" made a sweet border next to "Scarlet" to finish off the quilt.


All of my applique projects are made using ThermOWeb Heat n Bond Lite. I love that I can trace them or use the EZ Print sheets to run them through my inkjet printer. You'll love how easily the backing peels off the paper...no scoring!




You can find the PDF pattern for "Kaleidoscope Eyes" HERE.


Check out the Riley Blake Designs blog for some incredible and inspiring projects in "Kaleidoscope" fabrics!


I'm so glad you stopped by!

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Celebrating Christmas Gnomes Table Topper

 It's never too early to sew for Halloween or Christmas, so here is "Celebrating Christmas Gnomes" in a 32" x 32" table topper. The gnomes face all different directions so your guests at the table can see at least one of them without twisting their heads around.

Celebrating Christmas Gnomes


Bixi


Winkle


Smiggles


Jinky



You can find "Celebrating Christmas Gnomes" in my Etsy Shop HERE.


So glad you stopped by!

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Celebrating Christmas Gnome Table Runner With ThermOWeb

Creating any of my applique projects always involves using ThermOWeb's HeatnBond Lite. I love that I can run their sheets through my printer if I want to or trace them on the regular HeatnBond adhesive. It's also so easy to remove the paper backing without scoring it...that's definitely a plus!

I'm on the ThermOWeb blog today as part of their gnome projects in paper and fabric. I've been crazy for gnomes lately, so of course I wanted to play along with all of them. You should check it out for some fun ideas!

Celebrating Christmas Gnome Table Runner


You can find the free pattern HERE.

I always love it when you stop by!

Just Saying...You Inspire Me

In case I haven't mentioned it lately, you inspire me. I'm grateful for that! Your blog posts have kept me going through good times ...