Apron Strings

A quick shot of a quick, little apron I made for my daughter.

Just in time for the big meal! 

-Elizabeth

It’s been a long time!

Wow!  Where does the time go?  It has been a longer “break” than I anticipated when I posted about our impending move.  Well, we are indeed all moved in, but still have those lingering, last boxes hiding in odd corners and closets!  You know, the ones that sometimes never get unpacked, and you “discover” them two or three years later – or the next time you move! 

For the most part, my sewing and crafting stuff is unpacked.  I now have a small corner of a three-season porch to use as my sewing room, and I am super excited.  Even though I still set my machine up at the dining room table, I have a little more room to store things, and I don’t have to go digging to get at what I need.  It is truly nice to have a little space of one’s own! 

On the sewing front, I was able to finish this quilt, and decided to give it to my niece for her first birthday.

(The purple floral is from a vintage smock-type apron.)

I machine quilted it with horizontal, straight line quilting.  It’s difficult to see in the photo, but I added hand appliqued scraps of the purple floral fabric randomly around the binding.  I didn’t have enough to piece it into the binding, but I wanted a little something extra so I tried this.  I really liked how it looked.  I hope it “wears”  well as I imagine (hope!) it will get dragged around and “loved.”

I also worked on adapting a vintage bib pattern.  I love the soft curves around the edges.  I hope to have a few of these in my etsy shop in the next few days.

 

Thanksgiving is coming, and I am so excited! Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  I am hosting dinner this year, and the eldest Morning Glory daughter plays in the football band at her high school’s game that morning.  Turkey, and football, and family…I can’t wait!  I’m almost done with my menu.  We don’t vary too much from year to year.   We have all the usual suspects:  sweet potatoes, cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, blueberry salad, cranberry salad, homemade rolls, layered lettuce salad, party-potato casserole (kind of like twice baked potatoes without the shells!), deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, coffee, iced tea,  spinach pasta bake, chocolate cake, and, of course, turkey!   There will be eleven of us:  my mother-in-law,  my sister-in-law and her family, her husband’s mother, and then the six of us.  The countdown is on!

I will leave you with my method for brewing iced tea now that the days are shorter, and the sunshine is limited!

Brewed Iced Tea – makes one gallon

4 to 5 cups cold water

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tea bags

In medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a rapid boil.  Turn off heat and add tea bags.  Let steep for 15 minutes.  Remove tea bags and let tea come to room temperature.  Once cool, pour into gallon-sized pitcher and add enough cold water to equal one gallon.  Chill.  Enjoy!

10 days until Thanksgiving!

-Elizabeth