Sewing on New Year's Day {Gail}

I made a tote bag today, New Year’s Day 2012. I read of someone’s tradition that sewing a complete project on the first day of the year will bring you good luck with your sewing all year long. I liked it, so I adopted it!

I decided a tote bag – I love bags! – would be just the ticket. I’m always dragging my latest magazines, book purchases, puzzle magazines, tablets for lists, and graph paper for dreaming up projects… (aah, graph paper…) whenever I go even the smallest trip or am a passenger.  Having a bag just for these makes a lot of sense.

This project also kick started my sewing for the Stash Buster Contest at patternreview.com. Since one of my main 2012 NY Resolutions is “To sew and quilt productively,” this is the perfect contest for me right now!

I certainly have a stash to work on! (Quiet, daughter Sam!!)

I dove into that stash and found a piece of lightweight canvas fabric that feeds my odd-but-typical January color attraction: neon greens and oranges. it also has brown, pink, a golden tan, and light orange. For the lining, I found a piece of tightly woven quilting cotton in a softer green with hints of the main fabric colors throughout. Then I chose the accent fabric for the bottom of the tote bag, the darkest, most neutral color: milk chocolate in a twill I picked up on clearance last year. I knew I had some brown cotton webbing for the handles, and was able to find that, as well! (whew!)

My fabric choices: a colorful print, brown accent, muted calm lining, and brown cotton webbing for straps.

As I've mentioned before, I don’t use patterns for basic tote bags any more. The engineer in me finds it easier to start with the question, “What do I want to carry in this bag?” I then determine the measurements of the bag and work backward. Here is my worksheet from today, and a bit of a tutorial follows. Shouldn’t be too hard to decipher if you want to do things this way yourself!



My tote worksheet for this project.
Click to make it bigger. SA = seam allowance.

At the lower right, you'll see a note about shortening the lining.

I chopped off 2" before sewing it in. Just so ya know.



I then cut the fabric. A big cutting mat and 60mm rotary cutter makes cutting out bags very accurate and quick. By placing the mat at the end of my big table, I can walk around 3 sides to cut – no turning the mat or the fabric.



Cutting complete. Now...



... a bit of dessert before hitting the sewing machine.
Homemade gingerbread, whipped cream, and chopped crystallized ginger. Mmmmm!

 

I began sewing. The actual stitching of the tote bag goes fairly quickly if you don’t have to figure it out from scratch. Here’s my list:

1. Do I want pockets in the lining? Put them on first. I didn’t, but then I did after I spotted a nice curvy scrap left from cutting out the accent fabric! So much for keeping it simple!  I turned it into a raw edge appliqué pocket and placed it fairly high on the lining. I will put an accent button along the top edge 3/4 off-center just to keep the pocket from sagging open.



Pocket in the lining, from a scrap.
Raw edge applique style.

 2. Stitch the bottom and both sides of the lining. Leave a 4”-6” opening in the SIDE of the lining for turning the assembled bag right side out near the end. Backstitch at both ends of this opening.

3. Do I want a pocket(s) on the outside of the bag? If so, create pocket and baste it in place so the stitching of the bottom fabric and straps will end up holding it in place. I skipped this.

4. Apply the accent fabric / bottom reinforcement. I just turned under 1/2” of the brown, pinned it onto the bottom edge of the main fabric panels, and topstitched it with the green thread I was already using. I love contrast top stitching! I basted across the bottom edge, too.



Best color representation!
Adding the accent fabric.



Topstitching the accent fabric down.


5. Sew the main fabric front and back together along the bottom and apply a continuous handle strap OR apply a strap to each of the front and back, then sew the bottom together. I came up a little short on webbing length, so I applied it only as far down as the accent fabric. My bar-tacks at top and bottom will give extra strength. I’m getting some hot-red-orange buttons to stitch onto these 4 spots as accents to make this Solution look like a Design Feature ;)

Detail of strap application. Soon to have orange accent button.

6. Stitch up the main fabric sides.

7. Miter the corners of the bag and lining. By pressing the side seams toward the same side (both to the front, or both to the back) and then pressing the *bottom* seam the opposite way, your corner mitering is a breeze. Pull out the fabric to the very corner point of the bag and nest those seams together and pin.

 

Notice that the side seam (left) is pressed up;
the bottom seam (right, under) is pressed down.
This evens out the bulk and makes the
bottom corners of your bag look awesome!



Getting ready to miter the corners on bag and lining.

Use a see-through ruler to mark your stitching line. I had decided to make my bag 3” thick, so I centered my ruler’s 3” width (1.5” away from ruler’s long edge) along the seam line and slid it along until I found the spot where I would make a 3” side. Mark, stitch, trim 4 places.

for a 3" thick bag, mark exactly perpendicular
to the seams where it is 3" across.
(sorry for that glaring sun from my flash)

Stitch both bag and both lining corners
then trim off the extra

8. Nest the right-side-out-lining into the inside-out-bag (RST = right sides together.) Most instructions have you put the lining on the outside, but linings need to be shorter than the main bag and it’s more difficult their way. So, RST, lining inside! Nest the side seams of lining and bag; if they’re both going the same way, turn the lining halfway around. See the pin at the far left? This reduces the bulk at the top edge!  Pin all around and sew the top edge.

Almost done! Put the lining inside the bag, RST

9. Press top edge: I designed this bag with a 1” fold-over “facing” – the outer fabric folds inward and shows for 1” on the inside. For this method, you press both seam allowances toward the outer bag. If you are having both lining and bag fabric meet evenly at the top edge of the bag, press this seam open firmly.

This is what I want to happen once I turn the bag:
 a 1" facing of my main fabric turned to the inside.
By pressing the top edge seam correctly while still at the inside-out stage,
you'll have an easier time managing that top edge once you turn it right-side-out.

10. Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining side seam, then stitch or fuse the opening closed. Give everything a nice press.


I like to use a thin strip of fusible tape to hold that
opening closed. Sometimes I'll hand stitch it, too.



Getting the lining seam in place just before fusing.
Horrible picture. this may not be here if you look again ;)





All that’s left after that is any final topstitching and embellishing you want! I mentioned I am putting red-orange buttons at the spot where the straps meet the brown accent fabric. I’ll use brown thread to sew them on. I will probably also stitch with a brown zigzag near the top edge of the bag. This will anchor the top edge, and I like that it will also be a negative image of the green stitching on the brown straps. I chose to do a zigzag to echo the zaggy edges of the flowers in the print.



My bag! It's only half full -- It will be able to
carry enough stuff to keep me busy, for sure!
I may not be able to carry IT, however! ;)



As I sit here typing, I’ve been admiring my bag. I like it! I’m sure it will come in very handy, hopefully for a couple years or more!

Happy Stitching!

Gail

Happy End of 2011!! Sam's Cookie Swap Cookbook

Can’t believe this year is already over!  It went by so fast for me, and the end got so very busy!!  I didn’t do a lot for Christmas this year because of well, life… but I did manage to host a small Cookie Swap for some close family and friends!  For once I actually managed to not hold a camera to my face, and didn’t take a single picture during the swap, a good thing for me this year to just chat it up with people I don’t always get to see that often.  We talked, ate, drank and at the end, exchanged the cookies we all made.  We each ended up with an assortment of 13 kinds of cookies, and they were all delish!!  Here are the recipes so you can feel free to enjoy them yourself!!  *BONUS* My Mom’s home-made cider recipe follows at the bottom, we went through a full 2 gallons at the party, if that is any indication to how good it is. J 

My contribution: Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Sea Salt

Courtesy of Two Peas and Their Pod

Check out their whole website for more great recipes!! http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/chocolate-caramel-cookies-with-sea-salt/

Recipe:

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I used dark cocoa)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Soft caramel, rolled into little balls (I used just your regular old square wrapped caramels, she suggests using Peter’s Caramel)
Sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF; line 2 baking sheets with baking paper, lightly coated with cooking spray. I used Silpats! Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sift together flour, soda, and salt; set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will resemble coarse sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Wrap the chocolate dough around the caramel balls. Place balls on cookie sheets and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Sammantha’s Contribution: Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Courtesy of MyRecipes.com

Recipe (actual cookies):

Yield: 4 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon red food coloring paste

Parchment paper

Peppermint Frosting (Recipe follows)

Directions:

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended, scraping bowl as needed.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions.  Roll 1 portion of dough into a 12x8 inch rectangle on a piece of lightly floured plastic wrap.

Knead food color paste into remaining portion of dough while wearing rubber gloves.  Roll tinted dough into a rectangle as directed in Step 3.  Invert untinted dough onto tinted dough; peel off plastic wrap. Cut dough in half lengthwise, forming 2 (12x4inch) rectangles.  Roll up each rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting at 1 long side, using bottom piece of plastic wrap as a guide.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze 4 hours or up to 1 month.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut ends off each dough log, and discard.  Cut dough into ¼ inch thick pieces, and place on parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350F for 6 to 7 minutes or until puffed and set; cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes.  Remove to wire racks and cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Place Peppermint Frosting in a heavy-duty ziplock freezer bag.  Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole.  Pipe about 2 tsp frosting onto half of cookies.  Top with remaining cookies, gently pressing to form a sandwich.

Recipe (Peppermint Frosting):

Yield: Makes 1 ¾ cups

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter, softened

1 (3oz) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions:

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended.  Increase speed to medium, and gradually add milk and peppermint extract, beating until smooth.

Susan’s Contribution: Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies with Mint

Courtesy of Paula Deen

Recipe:

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 (8oz) brick cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (18oz) box moist chocolate cake mix

2/3 cup crème de mint (andes) mint chocolate bits

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Beat in the egg.  Then beat in the vanilla extract.  Beat in the cake mix.  Mix in mint bits.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls.  Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioners’ sugar.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.  Bake 12 minutes.  The cookies will remain soft and “gooey” Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Maryfe’s Contribution: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe:

Yields: 60 cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Gail’s Contribution (yes, My Mom): Roll out Cookies Decorated

Recipe edited in by Gail -- I found it!

White Rolled Cookies for Decorating

Note: this dough is fairly bland and not too sweet. It is meant to balance the sweetness of frosting and candy decorations. Cookies are not fragile.

Cream together:

1/2 c. margarine, butter

1 c. sugar

Add and beat well:

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together and combine into wet mixture:

2 1/2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp salt

Optional: form into a 1” thick saucer-sized patty; chill for 30 minutes to 2 days wrapped tightly in plastic. Dough can be frozen; let come to almost room temp before using.

If dough has been chilled, remove from frig and gently work dough patty with fingers to loosen up the butter. Unwrap.  Place dough patty on a well floured surface; sprinkle top with flour and then rub off. Pick up patty, reflour surface, place it down upside down. Flour and rub off this side. Gently roll out dough from the center outward with a floured rolling pin. Prevent edges tearing by frequently pressing them inward and mending small tears. If dough seems to be sticking, lift edges and reflour surface underneath. Roll to the approximate thickness of an uncooked Kraft macaroni noodle, about 1/8”. J don’t get too technical! If thicker, your cookies will be cakier and take longer to bake. If thinner, your cookies will be crisper and bake more quickly.

Cut cookies with cookie cutters, flouring cutter after each cut. Place 1”-2” apart on an ungreased, cool cookie sheet – they will not spread. If cookie does not lift out with cutter, wait until all are cut, remove scrap dough, and lift cookies with spatula. Scraps, with excess flour brushed off, can be re-rolled once. These cookies will be tougher and drier.

Bake at 375 degrees until edges just begin to turn color. Cool 5 min on pan; remove to cooling rack gently using a spatula.  It is best to bake similar-sized cookies on the same sheet, or put smaller cookies in the center of sheet. Check for doneness every 2 minutes starting at 5 min for small cookies, 8 min for hand-sized cookies. It all depends on your butter/margarine, exact oven temp, thickness of dough, and size of cookie.

Before baking, cookies can be sprinkled with colored sugars; press in lightly.

After baking and cooling, decorate with your favorite frosting and edible decorations.

Easy frosting to color: 1 c. butter, 1 lb box powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 Tbsp water; mix until it all comes together then blend in enough more water to make it easily spreadable or to use in frosting bag with round and star tips. Color with gel or paste food coloring (green, red-no-taste, blue, yellow, and white are good at Christmas). Decorations: all kinds of sprinkles and colored sugar, mini chocolate chips, red hots, snips of dried fruit or fruit roll ups, crushed peppermint candy,  string licorice, Wilton Fondant Writers, Wilton Cookie Icing, colored gel icing although this does remain sticky… use your imagination!

Randal’s Contribution: Creamy Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Recipe:

Yield: 24-36 Bars

Ingredients:

Crust -

8 graham crackers (calls for 8 medium sized butter or chocolate chip cookies)

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

Chocolate Layers -

2 1/2 cups (15 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Filling -

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (Peanut Butter & Co. Peanut Butter, White Chocolate Wonderful - can be found at QFC & Whole Foods)

http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/

1/2 cup salted peanut butter, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions :

Preheat oven to 325 F

In a food processor or blender process the graham crackers until finely chopped, then add melted butter and mix together completely. Press crumb mixture into a 8 x 8 inch metal baking pan and bake 10-12 minutes. Let the crust cool completely.

Melt chocolate in double boiler over slightly simmering water, or microwave the chocolate, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Pour half the melted chocolate into the pan and smooth chocolate over crust. Place pan in refrigerator. Keep remaining chocolate warm.

To prepare the peanut butter filling, blend peanut butter and softened butter together until smooth, using a food processor or electric mixer. Slowly beat in confectioner's sugar and then add vanilla. Beat until mixture is smooth. Spread peanut butter filling over chilled chocolate pan. Finish by pouring remaining warm chocolate over filling until smooth. Chill in refrigerator one hour or until firm. Then cut into bars and serve.

 

Becca’s Contribution: Peanut Blossom Cookies

Recipe:

Yield: About 36 Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (or margarine or shortening)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
extra sugar
36 chocolate kisses (more or less, depeding on if you make cookies larger or smaller)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and peanut butter until
fluffy. Add sugars, beat well. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir together dry
ingredients and add well to mixture. Roll into small 1" balls, literally walnut size. Roll in sugar.
Bake 8 minutes. Immediately press a
chocolate kiss down into center of each cookie. Return to oven for 2-5 min to finish baking cookie. Cool on wire rack.
Tip: at the holidays, add a bit of colored sugar to the sugar you roll the dough in.

Jennifer and Meagan’s Contribution (1of2): Almond Roca Bars

Recipe:

Yield: 1 pan to cut into bars

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

2 cups flour

Pinch of salt

1 package chocolate chips

Slivered almonds (opt)

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla

Add flour and salt

Pat mixture into jelly roll pan

Bake for 15 minutes at 350F

Sprinkle choc chips and put back in oven until shiny – spread with spatula

Top with almonds if desired

Holly’s Contribution: Salted Honey Lavender Shortbread

Recipe:

Yield: 1 8x8 pan

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¾ cup butter

1 tsp lavender

½ teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons honey

1 tsp salt

½ tsp flake sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix all ingredients except sea salt until smooth

Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper leaving a 3inch overhang on each side.  Spray with Pam.

Dock dough with a fork

Bake 35-40 minutes

Sprinkle sea salt over top

Jennifer and Meagan’s Contribution (2of2): Jam Jumbles

Recipe:

Yield: 1 9x13 pan

Ingredients:

1 cup melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 ½ cup flour

3 cups oatmeal

½ teaspoon baking soda

10-14oz jam

Directions:

Stir together butter, brown sugar, and oatmeal

Add flour and baking soda

Reserve 1 cup of mixture and pat rest into 9x13 pan

Spread jam onto mixture leaving ½ inch around edges

Top with rest of mixture

Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes

Dani’s Contribution: Peppermint Meltaways

Recipe:

Yield: 3 ½ dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

FROSTING:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Directions:

In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, extract and food coloring if desired; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.

Dani’s Variation: (If I remember correctly) Cookies became crumbly, so she mixed with some frosting and formed balls, and then drizzled with the peppermint frosting. 

Diane’s Contribution (1of2): Pizzelle

Courtesy of her Grandma, Dominica DiCecco

Recipe:

Yield: 6 dozen

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons crushed anise seed

Directions:

With a large standing mixer, beat eggs and sugar; add oil and mix well.  Combine flour and baking powder.  Add to egg mixture.  Add anise seed.

Drop teaspoons of batter onto a hot pizzelle iron.  Each takes 30-40 seconds.  You may need to grease the iron occasionally.  Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Diane’s Contribution (2of2): Date Meringue Cookies

Courtesy of her Mother, Julie Norris

Recipe:

Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients:

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

3 egg whites, room temperature

1 ¾ cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon flour

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1 cup chopped dates (I cut them with scissors)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Add salt and cream of tartar to egg whites.  Beat to a stiff foam.  Sift sugar and flour together.  Add to egg whites one tablespoon at a time.  Continue beating until stiff, about 5 minutes.  Fold in nuts, dates, and vanilla.  Drop teaspoons of batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  The parchment is a must as these will stick to a bare pan.  Do not grease the parchment.

Bake 300F for 24-30 minutes.  Watch closely and don’t let them get brown, except on the edges.  Cool slightly on the pans before removing.

OK!!  I thought I was cookied out, but after re-reading all these recipes there might be some more in my near future after all!  And of course to go with them, My Mom’s cider recipe:

2 qts apple cider

1/4 c. brown sugar

6" total cinnamon stick

20 cloves

15 allspice berries

scant 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Bring all to a light boil, reduce heat and keep just under a simmer for at least an hour. Spices can be placed in a tea ball or spice bag if desired. Chill and reheat leftovers

Hope these recipes fulfill any 2011 cookie dreams you might have had, I know they certainly made my last couple of weeks delicious!

Happy New Year, and stay tuned, because Mom and I have a plan 2Create in full and SHARE it with you more frequently!!

Sam