So Much To Make: HOW

Showing posts with label HOW. Show all posts

Friday, October 31, 2014

Lettuce-Edge Repurposed T-shirt Cardigan

I love wearing t-shirts. Soft knit cotton is comfortable, versatile, and often a flattering look. So when I go to put on one of my favorite long-sleeve tees at the beginning of cooler weather, and it has little "mouse holes" on the front of the shirt right at the belt-line, I'm annoyed. Have you ever experienced this?

Well, I am SO STOKED (I don't think I've used that phrase since high school) about sharing the clothing re-purpose I just did! I have already salvaged two of my waist-line-hole-ridden t-shirts and made them into cute cardigans. It was seriously easy, and now I have TWO cute cardigans!

AND, I am now on the lookout for non-hole-ridden tees on sale to do this to, because cardigans are usually so much more pricey and in shorter supply than t-shirts are!

Here's the how-to:

1. Start with a long-sleeve knit t-shirt. I made one from a round neck and one from a v-neck. Both turned out cute. The v-neck has a more casual lay to it when finished.

So here's a close up of the "mouse holes." Thankfully not actually made from mice. I've heard they come from doing too-big loads of laundry. **Guilty**

If you have holes at the belt-line that are on the sides of your shirt, this won't help get rid of those. But if you are like me, the holes are usually right below my navel, in the middle of the shirt.

2. Cut the t-shirt front from the center of the neckline to the center of the hem.

3. Set your machine stitch width to 5 and the length to 2. Use a zig-zag stitch setting.

4. Pull the t-shirt along the cut edges so that it rolls in on itself, ideally with the raw edge turning to the inside. (Most jersey knits do this fairly easily). Beginning at one end of one cut edge, run a zig-zag stitch right along the edge of the roll, pulling both ends of the fabric taught while the machine feeds the fabric through. Pulling out the elasticity of the fabric while you are sewing with taught thread is what makes the wave in the lettuce-edge. Tie off each end with a reverse stitch or two. Repeat on the other cut edge.

And you're done!

My little mouse holes on the striped shirt were rolled into the pretty edge, and were gone! I cut about an inch extra out of the bottom of my white shirt to get rid of all the holes. I blended the cut so it was still straight when I sewed the lettuce edge, and it turned out great!

I discovered that the stretchier the fabric, the more prominent the waves will be. My striped shirt has looser waves because it stretched more horizontally than vertically. The white shirt was very stretchy in both directions, so it has tighter waves.

I was so excited for the finished product!

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Wavy Scarf Tutorial

As I write this post, it is 65 days until Christmas. Time to kick your gift planning into gear, folks.

But no reason to start stressing. I bring you good tidings of great joy. Every woman and girl on your list has a neck that needs dressing...and I'm here with the solution!

This scarf tutorial is not only quick and easy. It is so versatile. Young or old, punk or preppy, you can customize each scarf to the wearer. And they can customize how they wear it!

My mom was in town this past week, and the two of us whipped out 6 of these in about 2 hours. And they cost us about $2 each to make. Score!!

Here's the how-to~

You will need:

14-16" of a 60-inch-wide flowing type of fabric. (Knits, poly-blends, silks, chiffons, and challis are all good choices).
Coordinating all-purpose thread
Elastic thread

1. Sew a rolled hem on the edges of the fabric, if needed. If you are using a jersey knit (as well as some poly-blends), the cut edge may be fine to leave un-hemmed. Since you will likely be using the full width of the cut, the short edges may have a factory finish you can leave. I used the rolled-hem feature on my serger to finish the long sides.

My mom chose this fabric. Isn't it lovely? It is a silk-like chiffon.

2. Use your machine to put elastic thread onto your bobbin and thread your machine as you normally do-- put coordinating all-purpose thread on top, elastic thread in the bobbin. If you are only making one scarf, you won't need a full bobbin of elastic thread. We filled our bobbin and had enough for 8+ scarves. Move your stitch width to 4.

3. With right side of the fabric up, sew a top stitch (tying off with a back-stitch at the beginning and end) directly down the center of the length of the scarf.

That's it! Scarf complete!

Sewing just one length with the elastic thread in the bobbin will gather up the scarf enough to give it a soft, wavy look!

A special thanks to my models! Aren't they lovely? So sophisticated and stylish. I didn't instruct them how to wear the scarves--they each draped or knotted them on their own! I adore every style!

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Saturday, October 11, 2014

The No Peeling Applesauce Experience

Have you ever made applesauce? Last year was my first year. It turned out unbelievably delicious, but I only made about 3 quarts because it was SO MUCH WORK--the peeling, coring, slicing, cooking, mashing-- for a small yield.

This year I had pretty much decided it wasn't worth all the work, until I saw this post from SewCreative. She made applesauce without peeling her apples. She just mashed them after they cooked in her slow-cooker. I was intrigued.

I live in Washington, and yes our apples are delicious, so when I had a chance to get 40 lbs for $24, I jumped on it, and decided I would try the no-peel deal.

SUCCESS! I will show you what I did and why I was so happy with the MUCH LESS WORK approach.

You will need:

Apples (duh.) I used half Fuji and half Sunny Sweet (a sweet variety that the farm I purchased from has developed--similar to Honey Crisp).
Bottled lemon juice
Water
Honey
Cinnamon, if desired

A slow-cooker
A blender
Canning supplies

1. Core and slice your apples. I cut mine into 8ths. Fill your crockpot with the apples. Mix 1/4 cup of lemon juice with 1 cup of water and pour over the apples. (This is for a 4 quart slow-cooker, but would work fine for larger. Cut back the water for smaller cookers).

2. Drizzle honey over the apples. I didn't measure this. but you can see that I was fairly generous. I would estimate 1/3 cup of honey. Sprinkle with desired amount of cinnamon. I probably sprinkled 1.5 teaspoons. Give the apples a good stir. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.

3. After the time is up, uncover and stir gently. Look at how much water they produce on their own while cooking. I made multiple batches, and I never added extra lemon water after the first batch. I just left an inch or so of liquid in the bottom and added the apples.

4. Spoon the cooked apples into the blender. It is okay to get lots of juice in there, too, just not so much that it covers the apples. Blend on high 2 minutes, or until all skin is pulverized. (If you have one of those blenders that can obliterate a cellphone and keep on going, you may only need to blend for a few seconds. I'll withhold my jealousy.)

5. Look how pretty it is! See the tiny dark specks? That's the pulverized peels. They are completely undetectable in the texture when you eat this. It is smooth--like buttah, baby.

6. Pour hot sauce in to prepared jars. Place lids and rings, and process in a water-bath canner for 15 minutes (pints), 20 minutes (quarts).

My yield: 9 quarts! This was from three batches in the slow-cooker. I went on a run, taught an exercise class, cleaned (parts of) my house, shopped, picked up and took kids to and from their activities, made dinner, did some blog maintenance, and made apple pie filling all in the same day as making this applesauce. NO WAY I would've accomplished so much if I had had to peel all those apples!

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Sunday, October 5, 2014

Sugar and Spice Snack Mix

Orange spiced almonds, salted caramel pretzels, honey-kissed cereal and a melted cinnamon chip drizzle--This is not your average snack mix.

This mix came about because of a peanut allergy. I was helping out with a friend's baby shower this weekend, and after purchasing some peanut butter M&Ms to put in treat cups, I remembered the host has a child with a peanut allergy in her house. Oops--I needed to fill those little cups with something else. So I perused my pantry.

I had a full bag of Snyder's Salted Caramel Pretzel Pieces. These are pretty amazing on their own, but one bag wasn't enough for my needs, so I decided to make a mix.

I also had some raw almonds, Honey Nut Chex cereal, as well as a bag of cinnamon chips in my freezer. Eureka! I had a plan!

I micro-cooked the almonds with orange flavoring and zest, butter, spices and brown sugar. While those were cooling, I mixed everything else but the chips in a large bowl, then added the cooled almonds. I laid all this out on a Silpat-lined cookie sheet, then drizzled it with melted cinnamon chips. Perfect!

Sugar and Spice Snack Mix

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups Orange Spiced Almonds (recipe below)

1 (10 oz) bag Salted Caramel Pretzel Pieces

4 cups Honey Nut Chex (or generic)

1 cup cinnamon baking chips

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or shortening)

Directions:

1. Mix first three ingredients in a large bowl, then spread on wax-paper or a silicon mat. I put my mat on a baking sheet to contain it.

2. In a microwave safe dish, melt cinnamon chips on medium heat for 1 minute. Stir, then add coconut oil and heat in 30 sec intervals until smooth.

3. Using a spoon, drizzle melted cinnamon chips over dry mixture. Let cool, then break up to serve.

Orange Spiced Almonds

Ingredients:

2.5 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2-1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter just until mostly melted. Add rest of ingredients and microwave on high, uncovered 3-4 minutes, stirring after each minute.

2. Spread hot spiced nuts on wax paper to cool.

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Branch Votive DIY

I can take little credit for this project. I know how it is made, but my son (now 13) made it a couple years ago. So if an 11 year old can do it, you can too! :)

I set this votive out with my fall decor, and I leave it all the way through Christmas. I just change the table runner and what I set around it. At Christmas I put pine cones and boughs, ribbon, and red and gold glass ball ornaments. I love the versatility. Every year my display looks a little different than the last!

To make this Branch Votive you will need:

A real wood tree branch. Ask around--people are always pruning trees or having them removed. Ours came from our old yard (back when we had trees...). It needs to have a diameter of at least 2.5 inches. Bigger is great, too.
Power Drill
1.5 inch spade bit (pictured below)
Some good clamps to secure the branch while you work
Battery powered votive candles (I found mine at Dollar Tree--4/$1 if I remember right)

1. Measure and mark where your votives will sit on your branch. I suggest an odd number for aesthetics.

2. Clamp the branch securely to your work surface. This is crucial for safety and sanity as you work.

3. Place the 1.5" spade bit into the power drill.

4. With tip of bit on the center of each marked spot for your votives, drill to at least 1/4 inch depth. This photo is not "in action." The real deal is much messier. (Wear safety glasses!) Depending on the sharpness of your bit, each indentation can take a few minutes to drill.

5. Place the battery-powered votive candles into the branch. Real votive candles are fine, too, if you are comfortable with real fire burning in a branch on your table. I'm not, so I went with the fake candle option.

See? Here I caught little hands touching the "flames." Thank goodness for fake fire!

I love seeing it "lit" at night. Enjoy!

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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The Poncho Tunic

One of my dearest friends just had a birthday, and I wanted to make her something cute. She lives too far to be my model, which is too bad because she will rock this piece when she wears it!

I followed my own Poncho Shirt Tutorial to make this, but made a few changes because of the length. I will walk your through it all. No biggie, I promise!

To begin, you will need 1.25 yards (45 inches) of 60 inch wide fabric. I suggest a knit fabric so it will stretch nicely. Also, many knits roll nicely on the edges, so you don't have to hem.

You'll also need elastic thread, and all-purpose coordinating thread.

1. Fold the fabric in half so it is 45" long by 30" wide (folded).

2. Cut along the fold, making two pieces, each 45x30". Lay it out with short sides on top and bottom.

3. Follow the instructions in Steps 2-7 of the Poncho Shirt Tutorial for making the neckline and shoulders.

4. Hem the neckline.

5. Cut a curve on each side of the base of the tunic, as shown. I cut one side, then folded it in half and used the cut side as a guide for cutting the other side. I also trimmed about 1.5 inches from each side of the tunic because I decided not to do a rolled hem. If you need to hem your edges, do that now, all the way around the bottom and sides.

6. Beginning 9 inches down and 4 inches in, pin through both front and back, 18 inches down the tunic, on both sides to make the arm holes and give shape to the piece.

7. With elastic thread in your bobbin, stitch along the pins, removing as you go. Tie off with a back stitch or two at the beginning and end.

8. With iron on lowest heat for fabric, press along the elastic to draw it up further, if desired.

With the fabric I chose, I liked the look best with a belt. I tried it with a jean jacket--also super cute for fall! So many possibilities here! And so easy to make!

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Saturday, September 13, 2014

Canning Peach Salsa

Peaches are here! So many uses, so little time! One of my favorite ways to use peaches when they are in abundance is in Peach Salsa!

I made some last year, but the recipe didn't include tomatoes. We had tomatoes to use this year, so with my neighbor (and partner in canning/crime), we came up with a delicious new recipe! It is just the right combination of spicy, savory, and sweet. Chunky and rich in flavor--you will love it!

First peel and chop peaches. Ours were so ripe, I just peeled them with my fingers right out of the crate. If your peaches aren't so easy, here is a great method from Our Best Bites.

Then, chop tomatoes. I recommend Romas or some other more-meaty, less-juicy variety.

It already looks so pretty, huh?

I used my hand-crank food processor to chop all the peppers, onions, and garlic. I still chopped the cilantro by hand. Add all these ingredients, along with lime zest and juice to the tomato and peach mix. Then, stir in 1/2 cup of sugar.

Put your pot on the stove over medium-high heat. While you are waiting on it to boil, mix 4 tablespoons of fruit pectin and 1/2 cup sugar. Once it boils 3 minutes, mix this into the pot, stirring well. Let it boil 3 more minutes.

Ladle the hot salsa into sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head-space. Wipe rims, and set sterilized lids on each jar. Screw on rings to finger-tight. Process in a waterbath canner: 10 minutes for pints, 15 minutes for quarts.

Let them cool on the counter, then store in a cool, dry place.

I love eating salsa I have canned throughout the cold winter months! And peach salsa is such a rare-find. You will love serving it to family and guests through the holidays!

Peach Salsa (Canned or Fresh*)

Makes 10 pints

Ingredients:

14 cups peaches, peeled and chopped

6 cups Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

3 cups sweet onion, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped/minced

1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped

3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1.5 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

1 cup sugar-divided

4 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, mix tomatoes, peaches, bell and jalapeno peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, lime juice and zest. Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar. (*If you are making fresh salsa, add full cup of sugar and refrigerate until ready to use.)

2. Place pot on stove over medium-high heat. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and fruit pectin.

3. Bring salsa to a full boil. Boil 3 minutes, then stir in sugar and pectin mixture. Return to a boil for 3 more minutes.

4. Ladle hot salsa into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head-space. Wipe rims, apply sterilized lids and rings. Process in a water bath canner--10 minutes for pints; 15 minutes for quarts. Remove and let cool. Store for 1+ year.