Stitches in Play

tidbit tuesday - answering your questions

Thank you sooo very much for all the beautiful comments and neighborly love on yesterday's post.   You all truly made my day!

Now for today's post:  In the comments and via e-mail you have asked.  I'm more than happy to provide the answers - plus it saves me the trouble of coming up with something to write about - you all are the best.  So here goes:

1.  How do you miter the corners on your napkins?

Answer:  No mitering of corners here.  These are reversible.

Cut 2 eighteen inch squares of fabric.

Place squares right sides together and sew around the edges - leaving a 4 inch opening for turning.

Snip off all four corners.  Turn right side out.  Press napkin, folding in the opening.

Topstitch around the perimeter, closing the opening as you go.  Be sure to stop at the corners with the needle in the down position when you rotate the napkin.

And you get a reversible and durable napkin - no mitering required.

2.  Where did you purchase this ruler?

Answer:  here at Joann Fabric.

3. More info on these boots please.

Answer:  They are Sporto Demi boots, purchased last year at TJMaxx (I paid $24.99).  They are super comfortable, lined in warm flannel, and perfect for wearing in the snow. I think they are waterproof - they are not leather.  I wear a size 6 1/2 shoe and these would look cute in all sizes...nuff said.

4.  How did you close up the bottom of these stuffies?

Answer:  I used my sewing machine - just plain old running stitch with regular sewing foot.  The bottom edge that you see in this photo is the actual cuff of the sleeve from the sweater that I used.

5.  Care to share the cutlet recipe?

Answer: Of course.

3 pounds ground beef (very lean - 3% fat)

1cup matzah meal (or plain bread crumbs)

1 small onion diced

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1/4 cup milk

3 eggs

1 T garlic powder

1 T paprika

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Form into small cutlet shape using palm of your hand - wetting hands first helps. Fry in canola oil - about 3 minutes per side.  Makes about 25.  I usually have 2 pans going at once.  Leftover are great for sandwiches the next day.  You can also bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

 
This was fun!  So keep those questions coming.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! 

tidbit tuesday

I'm quite aware that it's Wednesday but this mama forgot that this Tuesday I had to take three kiddos to vote, then for a run in the park followed by some much needed sweater shopping.  Then they insisted they were hungry and made me feed them.  And when we got home after taekwondo it was way too dark to take pictures - darn time change.  Enough excuses...

tidbit #1 - How I sew buttons on to knits.

1.  Thread needle with wool.  Double yarn but do not knot.

2.  Pull needle through from the back, leaving a long tail of yarn.

3.  Pull back through the second buttonhole.

4.  Knot the two ends. Twice.

5.  Snip ends.  That's it.

I like this very simple method better than the traditional way because it's fast, secure and doesn't require much stabbing into the knit sweater - allowing you to remove the button for washing or for when you want to switch it out for a new look.

tidbit #2 - piecing pieced strips without pinning.  These are for the Leslie quilt.

 

Before beginning to sew, align the first seams (not the the tops of the strips) because it's most important that the seams match.  Use sewing machine to sew just past this first intersection.  Stop with the needle in the down position and ...

 align the second intersection and sew over it.  Stop with the needle in the down position and align the next seam.  You will continue gently tugging the fabric to match the seams til you get to the end of the strip.  See finished blocks here.  I find this method to be much faster than pinning all 10 intersections before heading to the sewing machine. (I tried to take photos with the fabric in the sewing machine but they turned out way too dark - hope this makes sense)

 

This method works for all quilts patterns where two or more seams need to be matched - try it when sewing blocks together into a quilt top.

Hope you find a way to incorporate these tidbits into projects you're working on.

I'd like to thank everyone on all the neighborly love from the last post.  I will be posting the top down "recipe" for the mods I made to the original neighborly later this week.  I also ordered more of the same wool (because I love it so much Jennifer) to knit a 'big girl' neighborly and I will be sharing the pattern once I get it knit up.

Also, several weeks back I dvr'd Oprah to see the show with Stephanie Nielson  - that's one inspiring lady.  But apparently I don't know how to program my dvr because yesterday I realized that I have taped the last 16 Oprah shows.  So last night I browsed through a show on shoes and accessories from last week that featured this knit "infinity scarf' from the Limited.  Ladies, we can so save $40 and make this "must have" fashion accessory!  I'm thinking some:

size 13 circular needles,

250 yards of bulky yarn, and

120 stitches, joined in the round

in a 1x1 rib pattern. 

Easy peasy!  I'm going to start mine today.  Let me know if you decide to knit one.  After all, how can we enter the winter season without the "must have" accessory?

Have a fantastic rest of the day!