An Envelope Gift Bag from Orphan Blocks – A Tutorial

I enjoy trying pieced blocks just for the experience and many of them are never used in a quilt.  I have a stack of various sizes and developed this envelope-style lined gift bag to hold small, flat gifts and then be useful for storing sewing, cosmetic and other small items.  Each bag uses two orphan blocks of the same size.  Of course, scraps could also be used.

Here is how I make the bags:

• Choose two quilt blocks of the same size, one for the outside bag and one for the lining (my blocks in this example are 12-½ inches)

• Place the two blocks right sides together and stitch a ¼ inch seam on all sides, LEAVING A 3 INCH OPENING ON WHAT WOULD BE THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BAG.  Back stitch at the beginning and ending.

• Trim the 4 corners …

• …and turn the bag right-side-out.  Press and tuck in the opening fabric.  Top stitch 1/8 inch from the edge on all four sides.

This is all of the machine sewing you’ll be doing on this project.  A bit of hand sewing will complete the bag.

• Place the finished piece on point right-side-up on a mat and fold the bottom point to meet the left hand point.

• Pin together so that the sewn edges meet but do not overlap.

• Using needle and thread and beginning at the top edge,  join the two pieces, catching just the edges of the lining fabric so the stitches don‘t show on the outside of the bag and so the edges abut.

• Fold the right hand point over to meet the center and join together.

• Turn and press.

• Sew a small snap on the back flap and center.

• If desired, add a button or other embellishment to the back and/or front.

The 12-½ inch block makes a bag approximately 7 x 8 inches.  It would be a good size for a small journal or paperback book.

A 9-½ inch block makes a bag about 5-3/4 inches square.

An 8-½ inch block makes a bag about 5-¼ inches square – good for a CD or DVD

A 6-1/2 inch block makes a bag 3-½ inches square – just right for a gift card.

These bags are very fast and easy to assemble, make nice holders for gifts and reduce the stack of orphan blocks.

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Pause and Remember – 4/27/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

My daughter and I celebrating her birthday at Belgian Bistro, Cincinnati

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My Daughter’s Birthday Post

In reply to my gift of a table topper mini-quilt for her birthday (click here), my daughter posted a poem on her blog that gives her side of the story of the 1958 picture.

http://www.nudged2write.com/archives/2719

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A Birthday Mini-Quilt Table Topper

Today is my oldest daughter’s birthday and this mini-quilt table topper is my greeting card to her.  As the center,  I scanned a favorite picture of her when she was 4 years old and printed it on June  Tailor Sew-In Colorfast Fabric Sheets for Ink Jet Printers.  I like to use 1 inch strips of fabric to make 3-1/2 inch log cabin blocks to form a frame around the center.  I usually make these blocks of scraps, but this time I chose fat quarters in white and two shades of blue.

I did a very simple, fused applique in the border.

The label is in the form of a pocket so I can print out this post and place it there for future reference.

After over 50 years, I can still remember the fabric in this dress so well.  I look down at my lap and can see it there as I’m hand-stitching the finishing touches.  It’s a pale aqua cotton with white flocking, a bit of a splurge at the time.

She had her requisite white gloves and black patent leather shoes to accessorize the dress on Easter and again on her birthday.  It appears she also chose to wear her crucifix and charm bracelet for this special occasion.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

It has been so much fun celebrating her birthday for 58 years.

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Brown Sugar Drops – A 1940s Cookie Recipe

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.  

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

My version of the recipe is one-half of the original and I substituted dairy sour cream for the sour milk.  Like all of the recipes in this little book, the Brown Sugar Drops are easy and quick to make, homestyle, not too rich – just a good old-fashioned cookie.

BROWN SUGAR DROPS

• ½ cup shortening
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
• Raisins or walnut halves (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Lightly grease cookie sheets

Cream together the shortening, light brown sugar, egg and sour cream.  Mix in the soda and salt.  Gradually mix in the flour until well blended.

Drop cookies by a level measuring tablespoon onto the greased cookie sheets.

Place cookies 2 inches apart.

If desired, press a walnut half or 3 raisins into the tops of the cookies.

Bake @ 400 degrees F for 6 to 7 minutes until cookies are golden brown on the tops and bottoms.

Place on a wire rack to cool.

Yield:  Approximately 32 cookies

A cup of tea from this pretty teapot would go well with the cookies.

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Antique Store Finds – 4/22/2012

I love Roseville pottery but I’m not willing to pay the high prices the pieces bring.  I am willing to buy a piece with a chip which makes it much more affordable and I don’t mind the imperfections.  This Roseville Freesia #15 bookend has a chip at the top and I was able to buy it for $26.

I don’t really collect salt and pepper shakers, but I liked this one, marked “Made in Japan” on the bottom, because of the Dutch theme and because the colors match my kitchen.  It’s also interesting that they are joined with salt on one side and pepper on the other.  This piece was just $9.50.

I had a good day at the antique store.

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Pause and Remember – 4/20/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

My grandson loves steak.  I fix him one every Sunday that he can enjoy while watching the Alton Brown cooking show on TV.

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Mini-Quilts Inspired by a 1940s Tally Card

I have always loved the use of Scotties in 1930s-40s designs and have a large collection of all sorts of things.  Among the items I collect are tally cards from that era and I found a really nice one for only 25 cents at an antique mall recently.  I thought the design would work well as a fused applique for my mini-quilt rack.  The card measures about 3×3 inches and the little spot above the man’s hat is a tiny ink blot on the card.

Update:  I’ve had a few questions about what a tally card is.  In the 1930s-40s, card games in the home were very popular, especially bridge for the ladies (followed by a light lunch and a rich dessert). Hostesses liked to provide cute tally cards which were kept as souvenirs.

I scanned the card and printed it out in a 6×6 inch size, leaving ¼ inch borders for the seam.   I flipped the picture when printing so it would face in the same direction as the original card when appliquéd.  I like Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 sheets for fusing.

On my first version of the piece, I omitted the gentleman and added another tree.  The pieces were fused onto a pale peach 6-½ x 6-½ inch background and secured with a zigzag stitch using invisible thread.  I used a fine line permanent marker to add a few of the features such as the bark on the tree and the dog leash.

Then, I added fabric to finish out the piece and border to measure approximately 12 x 15 inches.

I liked the piece, but it didn’t have the airy spring look that I wanted, so I made another fused center, this time keeping the gentleman and changing the position of the tree.

I used 3-½ inch blocks called Right and Left from my Electric Quilt software  to complete the quilt.  This time, it had the springtime appearance I wanted.

I’ll have to look through my collection to see if there are any more designs I can use for my mini-quilts.

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Cherry Fudge Mousse

I wanted to make a dessert that would use up some leftover frozen tart cherries and a carton of Greek yogurt.  I thought about how much we like a Cherry Fudge Pie I make and translated it into this dessert.  It is easy to put together, can be made ahead of time, and is really delicious.  Using 2% milk and lite Cool Whip, a serving is 250 calories.

CHERRY FUDGE MOUSSE

• 1-½ cups frozen tart cherries, thawed, with juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. quick cooking tapioca
• Pinch of salt
• 1/8 tsp. almond extract
• ½ cup chocolate chips (Ghirardelli milk chocolate)
• 4-serving package of instant French Vanilla pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 5.3 oz. container of Greek yogurt (Dannon)
• 1 cup Cool Whip frozen topping, thawed

To make the Cherry Fudge Sauce:

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, mix the cherries, juice, sugar, tapioca and salt.  Cook until mixture begins to boil, stirring occasionally.  Boil for another minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in almond extract and chocolate chips.  Let cool to room temperature.

To make the mousse:

In a medium bowl, place the instant pudding and milk – whisk until smooth and starting to thicken.  Whisk in the yogurt and then the Cool Whip topping.

Spoon into six small serving dishes.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Spoon the cooled Cherry Fudge Sauce over the chilled moose and serve immediately or cover and return to the refrigerator.  Further chilling will thicken the sauce.  Can be kept refrigerated for several days.

Yield:  6 servings.

You might also like this Cherry Fudge Pie

http://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/presidents-day-and-cherry-fudge-pie/

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Pause and Remember – 4/13/2012

Success with an African violet – a rarity for me

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