Reflections on Sewing in 2011 and Predictions for 2012

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Laura

I’m joining in with Sew Mama Sew to reflect on 2011 and make some predictions and set some goals for 2012 (using some of their suggested questions).

Looking back at the 2011 sewing scene, what trends stand out?
I became aware of the modern quilting movement, particularly related to quilts made with solids and improvisational piecing.  Also, I keep seeing hexagons everywhere (like in this runner).

What were some of your favorite things related to sewing this past year?
My most favorite sewing thing this year was learning how to quilt.  I worked on five major quilts, along with a couple doll quilts.  Two of the quilts were for friends and I sewed them with four other women.  This “modern quilting bee” idea was one of my favorite parts of sewing this year.

What did you make that you’re most proud of? 
I love these color books, which I designed myself.  (This “designed myself” part is a big deal for me as I have been using tutorials and patterns almost exclusively since I started sewing.)

I also loved sewing this checkerboard quilt, which was my first major large-scale quilt that I sewed by myself.


What sewn projects have you seen this year that you absolutely love?
This quilt (with just in-progress pictures) from Oh Fransson is amazing.  How she has the patience to sew an entire twin quilt from 1 1/2 inch blocks is beyond me!

Do you have a favorite sewing book or pattern to recommend?
I absolutely love Elizabeth Hartman’s The Practical Guide to Patchwork.  I hope to make at least one quilt from that book this year.

What are your thoughts about social media? How is it going for you? What do you love or hate?
I am exceedingly grateful to the many, many generous bloggers out there who take the time to write up tutorials for sewing so many amazing things.  I’ve been able to teach myself how to sew (and particularly how to quilt) just by following those tutorials.  I still don’t do much on Facebook, have refused to join Twitter, and am resisting Pinterest (in an attempt to avoid being consumed by the Internet).  We’ll see how all that goes by the end of 2012.

Can you tell us what to expect from you in 2012? Any big projects or life-changing goals?
I have lots of sewing to do for Christmas that isn’t presents (like an advent calendar, a tree skirt, and stockings).  I also plan to sew a couple more quilts, Roman shades for our dining room, some kind of curtains for our living room, Handmade Christmas 2012, some commissions from friends, and lots of baby blankets.  I’m sure I’ll come up with more projects!

I’m also planning to write up three different tutorials – for Ellie’s quilt, my color books, and Nik’s T-shirt quilt (which I am just now finishing up).  I feel like it’s time for me to start giving a little bit back to the on-line sewing community that has given “sew” much to me!

Posted in sewing | Leave a comment

Here’s the Spiced Nutty Pumpkin Muffin Recipe You Requested. (I’m Sorry I Can’t Remember Your Name.)

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Laura

In the last week, I’m almost certain that someone asked me for the recipe for these super-delicious muffins, which I make all the time and I assured her that of course, I would email the recipe to her right away .  I’ve been a little short on sleep this week (with a getting-over-a-cold, teething baby) and so certain details are escaping me (like names).  So if you do read my blog, here’s the recipe for you.  Otherwise, I hope the person asks me again!

These muffins are the main reason I freeze so much pumpkin every year!

Spiced Nutty Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from Simply In Season (a cookbook everyone should own)

makes 24 muffins or 2 loaves

 3 C whole wheat flour
1 C oat bran
1 C unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1/3 C finely diced crystallized ginger (optional)
½ C white sugar*
½ C packed brown sugar*
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
1 T cinnamon
¾ tsp each of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves
1 C chopped pecans or walnuts
1 C raisins or other chopped dried fruit or you can also use chopped fresh cranberries

Mix together in a large bowl.

2 ½ C pumpkin or other winter squash (pureed)
4 eggs (lightly beaten)
½ C oil (we use coconut oil)
2 tsp vanilla

Add to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Pour into greased muffin tins or loaf pans.  We always make muffins.

Bake at 350 until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  This will take 50-70 minutes for the loaves, depending on your oven and the day.  The muffins take less time – just bake until the edges are getting brown and the top feels firm, around 20 minutes.

Cool in the pan for few minutes and then put onto a rack to cool completely.

(To make them over-the-top delicious, add a streusel on top, a combination of melted butter, flour, brown sugar, oatmeal, and cinnamon – a standard cobbler/crisp topping.)

(Here’s the recipe to print:  Nutty Pumpkin Bread.)

*The original recipe calls for 1 C each of each kind of sugar.  I prefer them to be less sweet because, really, who needs that much sugar?  But if you like your muffins sweeter, feel free to increase the sugar.

Posted in cooking, parenting | 6 Comments

A Baby Who Can Feed Herself (and some old-fashioned musings too)

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Laura

Ellie is becoming increasingly proficient in feeding herself.  In just the last week, she has started scooping food from a bowl with ease, particularly yogurt, applesauce, and thick soup.  It’s so exciting to see her becoming more independent in this way!

One way in which Nik and I are old-fashioned is that we like to use “real” things at the table.  That means we avoid using paper plates/napkins/cups and plastic utensils, even when hosting parties.  We wanted to carry this forward into how Ellie feeds herself but most (if not all) baby-sized feeding items are not “real”.  So we decided to just look for small items, rather than baby items.

I blogged about the spoon already but we have also started using the small ramekins from Crate and Barrel and the small (3.25 oz) tumblers from Williams and Sonoma.  Perfectly sized for little hands and about as real as glass and pottery comes!

Obviously, “proficient” does not equal “neat and tidy” as you can see by the yogurt all over her.  The round nature of the yogurt on her face comes from Ellie’s discovery that it’s much fast to pick up her bowl and drink her yogurt!

My good friend Julie came over for lunch on Saturday and she taught Ellie how to do “cheers” with her cup!  Yet another fun trick for the growing-up baby!

Ellie was very proud to show off her new skill to Baba at dinner that night!

Posted in Ellie, KIOS | 3 Comments

She Loves To Read

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Laura

and I love that she loves to read because then I can get some work done!

Posted in Ellie | 2 Comments

Now, Looking Forward

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Laura

I have lots of thoughts in my head about what I want to write about.  I don’t know how many blog posts I’ve composed in my head while Ellie was nursing, only to have them stay there because I ran out of time to actually write them.  So I’m not making any promises that this will all get done.  With that caveat, here’s what I want to write about this year!

Sewing:

1. Tutorials for Ellie’s quilt, the color books I made for Ellie and Luke this year, and for Nik’s T-shirt quilt which I’m working on right now.

2. I have all kinds of sewing to do this year, including Roman shades for our dining room, lots of Christmas stuff (like a tree skirt, stockings, etc), a commission!, curtains for our living room, clothes for Ellie, lots of sewing for the bazillions of new babies coming (and on it goes).

Ellie:

1.  Finally, some videos of her in all her amazing growth and development.

2. Some analyzing of her language development

3. Thoughts on parenting

KIOS:

A long time ago, you all voted for our series to be called, “Kickin’ It Old Skool”.  Back then, I claimed the series would start in the fall.  Ahem.  Here we are in January, so we’ll do it in the spring!  I’ll be writing about what makes our family old-fashioned, in the ways we eat, play, and live.  This will probably take up the bulk of my “serious writing” time.

How to ______________ without _____________:

I’ll keep posting in my series, “How to _____ Without ____________” – this is probably where you’ll see some more recipes and cooking stuff.  Some of this will overlap with my KIOS writing.

Travel:

Finally, we’ll be traveling quite a bit this year – to Alaska for Ellie and I in the spring and to England, Greece, and Iceland for all of us this summer.  So you should get to see some great travel pictures too.

And I think that is enough!

 

Posted in cooking, Ellie, How To ___ Without ___, KIOS, parenting, sewing | 1 Comment

Stats – At 15 Months

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Laura

Weight: 23 pounds, 2 ounces (a gain of 6 ounces in 3 months)

Height: 32 inches (a gain of 1.5 inches in 3 months!)

Ellie is oh so close to walking.  She loves to hold our hands and walk.  When we aren’t available, she walks a lot on her knees.  I know, ouch.

Here she is walking and having fun.  (Thanks for the tights, Aunt Nikki!)

(a little blurry, I know – we’re still getting used to our new lens/camera)

The nice thing about Ellie being so tall is that I don’t even have to lean over to help her walk.  It’s much easier on my back!

Ellie is a joy to be with every day.  One of these days, I’ll get a video or two posted so you can see some action too!

Posted in Ellie | Leave a comment

Resolved – for 2012

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Laura

Here’s my two main resolutions for 2012.

1. Do exercises for my back 6 days a week, before 8:00 am.  (Ellie always gets me up by 6:30-7:00 and I know that if I haven’t done them by 8:00, I probably won’t do them.)  I know my core needs serious strengthening, particularly as Ellie gets heavier.

2. Memorize the book of Ephesians.  Ephesians has 155 verses, which works out almost perfectly to three verses a week.  So here’s my verses for this week:

Ephesians 1:1-3  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus,the faithful in Christ Jesus:  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

My goal is to be able to say the entire book on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2012.

If I see you or talk to you in real life, feel free to ask me how I’m doing on either of these goals!  I will appreciate the help and accountability!

Posted in reflecting | Leave a comment

Looking Back Before Looking Forward

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Laura

Before I give you a bit of what I’m planning to write about in this coming year, I thought I’d look back a bit on some of my favorite posts of 2011.

My favorite sewing projects:

1. The diaper bags:  Meggan’s, Rachel’s, and Leah’s.

2. The color books.

3. The Cuddling Checkers Quilt.

My favorite Ellie posts (although it was very hard to choose):

1. Miss Mary Mack and It’s Over

2. Ellie’s Birth Story

3. All By Herself and The Happy Family (pictures from her 7-month photo shoot)

4. Hippos in Tutus and Peacocks and Puke

And some of my favorite posts in which I really wrote:

1. Rockabye Baby

2. In which I give you a garden/yardwork update and betray my snobbery

3. In Which I Resolve to Act Like the Smart, Confident Woman That I Know I Am, Even in Home Depot

4. Thoughts on healing, resting, responsibility, and community

5. Nursing as Comfort Food and It’s Worth It

6. Seeing? Or Looking Through?

I’ll be back tomorrow with my plans for the coming year!

Posted in Ellie, reflecting, sewing | Leave a comment

Really and Truly, Honestly, I’m Done With Preserving (At Least Until June)

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Laura

On Thursday, I made 15 pint jars of marmalade.

Here are the 8 jars of grapefruit marmalade

and the seven jars of tangerine marmalade.

The verdict?

Both varieties are delicious!  I like the grapefruit the best – I love bitterness in my marmalade and the grapefruit definitely has it.  Both are wonderful though. Nik even enjoys them and he is not a marmalade fan.  This much should last us for a couple years.

Thanks for the fruit, Boy Scout Troop 877!

Posted in cooking, KIOS | 2 Comments

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Laura

May 2012 be full of rich blessings!

Love,

Nik, Laura, and Ellie

Posted in love | Leave a comment