Me and Bobby Dylan.... and my Janome

I am an early riser...  Its when I do my best work...

I got an ipad for my birthday and discovered the camera in it, so I took pictures of my sewing space, attempting to do it artfully with the ipad camera -- it isn't nearly as good of a camera as my real camera, but It is certainly interesting to test it out.

I also had to figure out how to get the photos off the ipad and onto the computer so i could put them on the blog -- quite easy as it turns out, very much like with the real camera...  I was sort of expecting some difficulty since my computer is a PC and not a Mac -- but it works anyway!

 

So, once onto the computer then I can fiddle with the settings and take really sexy pictures of myself with no make up and emphasize the wrinkles cause ya know, I did turn 60!  That is no Cindy Crawford with Meaningful Beauty Products to make her young and cute and thin!  but then who is going to see me, when I am in my sewing room, except you, of course!

So while listening to very early Bob Dylan ( three albums worth!) I picked up stuff, filled bobbins with thread, sipped on a cup of coffee that was cold before I finished it, but I drank it anyway, and

picked up bits on the floor, sorted some scraps and started another scrappy thing,

 simply sewing strips of fabrics together in 'width of fabric' strings,

 

I do have something in mind, tho the idea is not yet fully formed, so all I can say is it is kid orientated and will likely go to my quilt guilds charity quilts program...

 

And for a change, Archie, my inbred Siamese (his mother is his sister and his father is his grandfather-not my doing, just uncontrolled neighbourhood cat population, so I grabbed him when he was young, neutered him and he hasn't been outside in 5 years) was sitting quietly by me and I had to play with the photo elements stuff to see what it could do....  I don't really think he should be lime green, tho, but he is an easygoing fellow and probably doesn't really mind...

 

If I don't get back to the blog in the next day or two...

 

Have a really fine and safe New Year.

Grandma Ives Chocolate Chip Walnut Date Cake

My maternal Grandmother made this cake when I was a child.  I have never come across a recipe like this one nor one that tasted quite the same.  This cake needs no icing so please don't put any on it, but GEE it goes great with ice cream!

I try to make this cake as my own Birthday Cake, but it is an Everyday Cake as she often said, a cake that was nice to have on hand when someone dropped in for tea.  The instructions are set out the way she had it written down, not quite the format of current cake recipes, so read through carefully before you start to put it together.  This is a moist sweet cake.  I actually slightly changed the steps of this cake, but it makes no difference in the end result.

Grandma Ives Chocolate Chip Walnut Date Cake

 

In a bowl:

1 cup chopped dates

1 teaspoon baking soda

pour in and mix until fairly smooth (it gets a bit fizzy)

1 1/2 cup boiling water

 

let cool

 

In a Large Bowl:

 

Cream together

1/2 cup butter (or hard margarine)

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

 

Sift together

 1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

add so they are well coated

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

 

Add

dry mixture to creamed mixture, mix together as you would muffins then add date mixture and finish stirring.

 

Pour into a 9" x 13" cake pan that has been oiled and floured lightly beforehand.

This cake rises a fair amount.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes  - test with a straw to make sure it is baked all the way through.

 

Allow to cool, and slice and serve.

 

ENJOY!

Turning Sixty

Turning Sixty is not nearly as hard as it was to say Turning Thirty, and I don't really know why.  Maybe I understand my place in the world better than I did when I was half as many years on the earth...

In the past few years I have had to work my way through a few difficulities and sadnesses that I think have matured me more than in the previous Fifty years.

  My parents died and my sister decided she was going to be an only child for reasons that I still don't understand she no longer welcomed any contact between herself and her other siblings.  That took a couple of years to accept.  At the same time I was ill with some weird internal goings on for about 2 - 3 years that took alot of my adventurous spirit. 

My husband lost his job of almost 20 years because he worked for an American Company that fell in the disasterous economy of 2008.  Tough times.  Major Adjustments, emotionally, physically and financially - I think we are on the path to a more even road, that still and never will be paved with gold, but more like asphalt with lots of little potholes, but we are getting through it, putting patches on the holes as we are able.

I have to say that reaching Sixty is just a little milestone, but perhaps a recognized milestone because even though my little family agreed some years ago, not to buy gifts at this time of year, my sons and dh (that often means damn husband, but in this case you can take it as dear husband) pooled their resources and bought me an ipad mini!  And that I can honestly say was an enormous surprise!  I have been wishing and dreaming of an ipad for a while but those things called Finances really prevented any actual thoughts of owning such a thing.  So Yeah, WOW!!

My Birthday and Christmas and my Dads Deathday are all in a row so we generally stay in and keep out of the malls and the stores and off the busy streets.  Christmas for us is a time of  Peace in our World.  We don't rush to go places, we don't feel obligated to give something, anything just to say we did.  We read, and watch TV and walk the dog very early on Christmas morning when the world outside is more quiet than any other day of the year. 

You would think that one would need to work hard at being apart from the Christmas Frenzy, but all it takes is a step back and everything goes on around you and most forget you are even there, which makes it so easy to enjoy those peaceful days even more...

 

Most of all this time of year stirs memories and thoughts of people no longer here, this year too a dear friend - the best man at my wedding died of cancer and I miss him.  I think of my Mom and Dad and Uncles and Aunts who were important to my growing up years.  Special thoughts for my two grandmothers who fulfilled the special job of teaching and hugging and spending time without judgements or discipline....  And a grandfather who didn't seem to notice that I was a girl and taught me to cut wood and throw a fishing line...  So many memories fill my brain there is more that can be written down on a short blog entry...

 

Merry Christmas...

 

PS.  When I was born on Christmas Eve, my mother wanted to give me the first name Christine - my maiden name was Merry...  How bout that for a Christmas baby name!  Whew, I am glad that it became Susan, tho!  My parents I think could imagine the trouble that would have caused me!  Besides, I don't look like a christine!

Frustrating Crochet!

Right now, I am sort of confined to crochet because I twisted my knee and for the last few days it has not been very complient when I want to go up two flights of stairs to my sewing room.  So, my sewing machine sits lonely and unused.

I am trying to keep my knee warm and relatively immobile so I am playing couch potato with a crochet hook.

Crochet tho, can sometimes drive me totally batty!   I have big aspirations that turn into blocks of wasted time.  Hmmmph!

About a month ago I saw a crochet sweater/jacket posted on Pinterest that I thought I would like to make for myself, so I followed the links back to where the pattern originated.  It was a Red Heart pattern from the 1970's and updated for today.

Here is the link to the pattern --  http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/crochet-vintage-striped-jacket

Looks pretty good, eh?  Yeah, well, I think it must be trick photography...

Now it has been a few years since I crocheted a sweater for myself an the pattern was not particularly complicated.  The pattern called for Red Heart Supersaver yarn and I should have known better...  Supersaver means exactly what it says, cheap and lots of it...  HoHum... It does have its place though as I have used it often for granny squares and ripple or chevron afghans - once it is washed it softens up and is a nice warm blanket...   But for a sweater, there must be something more wearable because once it is crocheted into single or even half double crochet it becomes somewhat like putting on a cardboard box. 

I tried 4 times to get the neck and shoulder area to conform to my shape, it was ripple-ly and distorted.  The last attempt I got it crocheted almost to my waistline and when I tried it on it had a huge hump in the back!  Well, I spent a couple hours undoing it and rolling the yarn up into balls...

Sometimes I get stubbornly determined to do something and keep at it even when I know its not working....   So, because I had bought enough Supersaver yarn to make a sweater, I thought, I will see if i can find another crochet sweater pattern that I could make.   Again, part way and many hours of making half double crochet stitches and counting and re-counting, I have finally given up the ghost on this project!!  I just can't see me wearing either of the sweater designs, both neck down -- maybe a different yarn and a different pattern... 

In the time I have spent crocheting stitches only to again undo them, I could have made an afghan and put it into my closet for next time someone needs a wedding, birthday, housewarming gift...

I am really starting to dislike even touching this stuff.  It is not meant to be a sweater!

I must work on my other things for a few days before I pick up that burgundy supersaver yarn again!

Work in Progress - Lacey Crochet

Quite a few years ago, I was wondering what a doily would look like if you used chunky yarn and made it like a shawl...   Other people apparently have thought about the idea too, but the difference is, they actually did something with the thought!

A few months back, I found a likely crochet lace table cover and started a shawl from the instructions.  First thing I ran into a basic problem.  You can't just start in the middle with a ring, you actually need to start a dozen rows from the centre in order to make a 'collar', so that took some counting and figuring.

Well, I got past that and am finally got it worked around and a bit down the shoulders.

 

One of the things about doing these kinds of crochet lace is that you sure do need to keep track of where you are, and more so, when you are not doing it in rounds because a shawl will need a front opening so you are working in rows and surprisingly that makes a bit of a difference because you need to have found the best place to create that place to turn for each row, otherwise, it won't match up properly.

 

 

I had to make it so that the line of 'shells' were on both sides of the opening, if I had not added those extra stitches on each round, one side would have the line of shells and the other, well, I am not sure what it would have.

Now, I discovered on a treasure hunt to one of my local thrift shops, there was a whole book written in 2006 on this very subject!

I almost started jumping up and down in the store (as if I could jump up and down!) when I saw the book for ONLY ONE DOLLAR!  Little things make me happy, and this book is right now at the top of the HAPPY list!

 

I think there may be a few lacy projects on my to do list. Now the trick is to find some yarns that will work!

 

And, I could not resist posting this for some of the Canadians who live east of me -- most of the country is East of Abbotsford, actually...

 

 

 

They may be wet but look at that, the geranium is STILL BLOOMING!
I took this photo of greenery in my back yard at 11 am on December 11, 2012...   I hope I am not jinxing the weather by bragging about our mild conditions (compared to -33C in Winnipeg today)

Sunday Snips - Oh Christmas Tree!

Lately my posts have been drifting away from quilting and crochet -- not quite sure why except this time of year seems to inspire memories...

Today, I was thinking about Christmas Trees.  You know when someone says "do you remember the gift ..."  Well, do you?   There are too many gifts over the years of Christmases to remember them all, or even to remember one from each year.  I think perhaps you remember the worst, and maybe the best - and that doesn't mean the cheapest or the biggest...

I remember the Christmas Trees more than I do the gifts.   But then we had a number of unusual Christmas Trees through the years and each had an unusual story.

We stole a Christmas Tree one year, or maybe two years actually!
Can you believe that? Stealing a Christmas Tree?  But we do have an excuse for both of them.  

We rode a train half way across the country to have Christmas with my Mom and Dad in 1982...  We arrived in Victoria, BC on Dec. 24 which was a Friday.

 Now, because my parents lived in a small apartment they had not put up a christmas tree, but we decided that we should have one for the sake of the kids... 

So we headed out into the lovely warm evening, no snow or even a hint of snow, to find a Christmas Tree.  My Mother said there was a Christmas Tree Seller just a couple blocks away.  Well, yes there was an empty lot, with trees, but somewhat like in "A Charlie Brown Christmas" there were only a few trees left. 

Myself and my hubby and my sons wandered amoungst the trees looking for one not too big so we could carry it the couple of blocks back to my Mom's place. 

Finally we found a little tree that seemed to suit us very well. 

Now, for some reason while we were picking out our little tree we never noticed that there was no one else around.  We did look and knocked on the door of the little shack where we thought the seller would be, but no one came to take our money.

We walked around and around the little lot of trees, looking for someone, anyone, but well, I guess it was after closing and no one bothered to put up a sign that said CLOSED... 

So we debated about what we should do for a few minutes, and not wanting to set a bad example, but wanting a tree very badly and with the encouragement of our 7 year old and 4 year old sons, we decided to STEAL the tree!  

Now, kids think this is an amazingly daring adventure and all the way back to the apartment my 7 year old, who was always the kind of kid to make life exciting would yell out, "Here comes the cops, everybody RUN!" 

How can you run while dragging a Christmas Tree and at the same time making sure a 4 year old doesn't get left behind or lost or wander out into traffic....

Yep, we stole a Christmas Tree...  We never told my Mom that, tho!

Now, it is maybe not seem so bad that we stole this little Christmas Tree, but my Mother and Father worked as caretakers for a CHURCH! and their apartment was part of the CHURCH building...  And YOU are reading the first ever telling of this story outside the four of us who did the deed!

Work in Progress - The "olden" days

I do believe I have an 'enquiring mind'  I am always looking for new things to learn about, even if those things are old things, forgotten things and things our grandmothers did everyday...

History.  History doesn't mean just the things that made up world events or the people who lead countries and created policies or wars.  History includes the small things -- you might almost call it EveryWoman's History.  The things in the home, the how-to's that were once passed from mother to daughter.  Some of the recipes that were learned from a neighbour who was born in a different country.  Perogies were one of those things in our home that we had never even heard of until Mrs. Kormilo taught my Mom how to make them and suddenly we went from the usual English Fare to Ukranian foods, cabbage rolls, borscht, and others...

Now, tho, it is often the internet where we learn about those new "olden days" things, or on occassion we might find some old books in a thrift shop that will explain a few thing or perhaps cause puzzlement because tools or methods have changed.

My friend Doris gave me some old 'needlecraft" books that I have been reading through and there are words that really have muddied up the water, because I have no idea what they are (or were).

Buttonhooks?!  That booklet was published in 1958 and says that Buttonhooks are becoming collectible.... hmmm... I don't think I have ever seen one or seen one in use.  Have you?

Needlework and Embroidery - that books tells us that there are two types of quilting - English and Italian?  It was published in 1966.   I know my grandmother and my aunts were making quilts at that time, but with a book like that around they might have got quite confused by the definitions and names.  Part of the instruction says - for your first lesson in quilting, make a simple potholder in gingham and use cotton wool for the padding.  Now how far would you get with that without your mother or grandmother to give you measurements or to explain what cotton wool is or even what gingham is... 

This page is photographed from a booklet simply called Samplers and was published in Great Britain in 1977.   Considering the contents of the booklet you would think it was published much earlier because it shows examples and some stitches from a hundred years before.  I really like the one above as it shows an embroidered Map of The Farm.  Imagine, using needles and thread and cloth to embroider your gardens and animal pens, fields and the things you grow.  This booklet shows how the needle and thread would record for memory events in a life, the birth of a child, a depiction of the farm house, the coronation of a king, bible verse, one photo in the booklet shows the grades and marks and teacher comments of a childs school years from 1787 to 1794!

Now these pages about quilting describes some of the procedures a bit more in detail.  Use ground cinnamon pressed or pounded through a paper stencil onto the cloth to be quilted so you can follow a design.  It also says that quilts should be made using silk, satin, or fine linen with either goose feather down, or wool placed by hand between the layers of fabric and quilted as you put then in to secure them in place.  A totally different method that we use today.  Those instructions come from a book called Home Handicrafts and Needlework, published in Great Britain, but has no date that I can find...

Sometimes looking for the History of things, especially small things, household things, everyday things are not quite as well recorded or explained the way the details of war and exploration is...

I wonder what it would be like trying to make a quilt with goose feathers as the middle layer?   I don't believe they are meaning a duvet, either as the photo does show quite a bit of actual quilting done on the item.

 

Well, even tho I am not necessarily in the process of making History.  I am still considering the research of historical methods to be a Work in Progress....  If I get a chance to find some goose feathers, I would even like to try making a bit of a quilted sample to find out what it might be like to do a quilted piece like that...

 

I am also working on a few 'needlework' christmas gifts that I'm sure you all understand why I am not showing them...

Only a couple more weeks to get those special projects done to put under the tree for the Big Day...

Sunday Snips - Thoughts about Christmas

Well, now we are into December and there is only 3 weeks and a bit until Christmas Day.

Ever since I was a child, Christmas was celebrated in my family with a decorated tree in the living room, a wonderfully delicious turkey dinner, gifts for the children, and visits back and forth with extended family.

My favourite part of Christmas was the day we would spend with my grandmother, my dads sister and her husband.  My parents and the other adults would sit and talk and drink those grown up drinks, and talk too much and too loud while me and my brothers would be working on a variety of colouring books, or punch out books or other things that kept us quite busy and oblivious. It was the only time where I ever ate cheese cake until I was an adult!

When I was about 5 years old I even crept down the stairs at some point in the night and actually saw Santa setting out gifts under our tree.  Just a shadow, mind you, but I was so afraid that Santa would see me, I hurried back up the stairs - to this day I can still see my own feet stepping carefully up those stairs so the steps would not creak and give away my presence.  I kept that secret for a very long time, until somewhere in my child mind I realized that what I saw, was in reality the Yogi Bear punching bag standing by the tree that turned out to be a 'gift' from Santa to my youngest brother.   But I did still hope that it was Santa and I refused to really think about what the reality was.

 

Now, 50 years later I am not expecting Santa to stop in a my house.  We are long grown up here and the childlike wonder of Christmas has been gone for a long time.   My Christmases are  memories of family - times that cannot be captured again, mainly because my family's composition just does not have the one absolute necessity of Christmas, anymore.   Young Children.  The ones with stars and wonder in their eyes,  the expectation of something, anything and the excitement of "sugar plums"!

I don't at all mind the way Christmas around me has evolved;  I don't do much decorating, and I don't buy gifts.  I don't even do very much visiting with family, because most of my family lives in other cities.   I like my quiet Christmases now, but when I re-imagine those childhood memories I do miss them and wish for the wonderment of them back again.

May you all enjoy this season in the way that best suits you and makes you happy...