Recipe – Classic Strawberry Shortcake

Posted on May 20, 2012 | 3 Comments

Strawberries have a special place in my heart – not only are they delicious, but they also remind me of summers picking strawberries with my Grandpa. His sister lived on a farm, and every morning he would take my brother and me to the farm to pick a bushel of berries.

Yum! Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

Most of them would be sold at the farm’s roadside stand (I believe we were paid .25 cents for each quart we picked), but he always brought at least one basket of fresh berries back home. My grandmother would spend the summer making homemade strawberry jam, strawberry pies, and of course strawberry shortcake. I never got tired of eating strawberries, but I sure did get sick of picking them!

Picking Berries

In the spirit of family tradition, I introduced my son to the joy of picking strawberries. Of course, we only picked for about 20 minutes – not 2 hours :) . He really enjoyed it, and was happy when I poured some of my berries in his bucket so he could have more than me (the things we do for our kids). We picked about 10 quarts and only paid 6 dollars, definitely a bargain.

Delicious Hand-picked Strawberries

And of course we had strawberry shortcake for dessert that night. In my opinion, you can’t beat the Bisquick shortcake recipe. I grew up on it and it still tastes the best to me! You have to use Original (full fat) Bisquick for the tastiest result, although I have made it with the reduced fat kind and it still tastes good. You also have to use REAL whipped cream. I like to add about 1/4 cup of powered sugar to my whipped cream to give it a hint of sweetness.

Classic Strawberry Shortcake
(original recipe from Betty Crocker website)

  • 1 quart (4 cups) strawberries, sliced
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 1/3 cups Original Bisquick® mix
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream

1. Heat oven to 425°F. In large bowl, mix strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.
2. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, 3 tablespoons sugar and the butter until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by 6 spoonfuls.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
4. Split warm shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream.

What are some summer desserts you like to eat?

Keep it Thimble!

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Household, Recipes

Tutorial – A Triple Threat – Teacher Gift, Tissue Holder, Stashbuster

Posted on May 17, 2012 | 4 Comments

School will be out in 15 days (!), and it’s time to think about end of the year teacher gifts.    Teachers always appreciate a gift card, but it’s also nice to make them a little something just so the gift is more personal.  I was trying to think of something fun and easy, since my son has lots of teachers, and then I remembered the good old travel tissue holder!  You can tuck the gift card in the opening, tie a pretty bow around it, and it is the perfect teacher gift.

Tissue Covers

There are a lot of tutorials online on how to make these, so I figured it would be fun to share some of them with you and show you my finished results.  For mine, I used a tutorial posted at Melinda’s Quilts, ETC (http://melinful.blogspot.com/2010/01/travel-tissue-cover-tutorial.html).  The reason I liked this one is because it just uses two pieces of fabric (exterior and lining) and is sewn in a way that makes its own trim on the edges of the opening.  It literally took me 10 minutes to cut out the fabric and sew it together.

Press Seam Open

After sewing the tube, I used my point presser and centered the seam on the top part so that the seam could be pressed open (see above).

Pinked Raw Edges

In addition, the raw edges were cut with pinking shears to prevent them from raveling.  This gives nice finished edge and you don’t have to mess with bias tape.

Back of Tissue Holder – Fussy Cut

Lastly, on one of the covers I fussy cut the fabric so that the floral motif was centered on the back of the tissue holder.   Also, these are great stashbusters – you only need 2 scraps of fabric less than 8″ square for each one (and a packet of travel tissues from Target).

Here are some links to some other tutorials:

  1. Sew Much 2 Luv has a fun tutorial that uses 4 scraps of fabrics.
  2. The Distracted Domestic has a tutorial that is a variant on the method Sew Much 2 Luv uses – but it uses just one strip of fabric.
  3. Whimwham at Craftstylish posted a tutorial that shows you how to add some fancy machine embroidery on the front.  This is a great way to personalize the gift.
  4. Craftapalooza at Whipup discusses her LAB technique for making these.  She uses trim around the opening for a nice contrast.

What are your ideas for teacher gifts?  I’m always on the hunt for more fun and easy projects.

Keep it Thimble!

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Gift Ideas, Sewing, Stashbusters, Tutorials

Happy Belated Mother’s Day!

Posted on May 14, 2012 | 7 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there and an extra special hug and kiss to my dear mom!  I meant to get this posted yesterday, but time just gets away.  I also noticed it’s been two weeks since my last post – shame on me!

Mother’s Day Card from my son

Here is what I had waiting for me when I woke up on Sunday morning.  On the other side of the card my son had drawn the entire lifecycle of a butterfly from the egg – too cute!

Dearest Dolls, Ken Davies, 1954

I’ve found some great picture at the thrift stores recently.  The first one is a print from 1954 by Ken Davies called “Dearest Dolls”.  From a bit of research, it seems as if this was a print commissioned by Family Circle magazine.  This is painted in what is known as trompe-l’œil–painting something so realistic as to make it appear like it is actually a three dimensional object.  All of his subjects involve some form of Americana and after looking at his website, I wish I could have a whole houseful of his paintings!

Cross Stitch, Pam Jersey, 1975

Here is another treasure I found, stitched by Pam Jersey in 1975.  Her name is signed on the back of the frame.  I’d like to get this cleaned, blocked, and re-framed and am tempted to find some vintage floss and stitch her name and date on the front.  What do you think – is that cheating?  This is going in my downstairs bathroom.

Cross Stitch Sampler, maker unknown

Finally, here is an old-fashioned cross-stitched sampler, no idea of the date or who made it.  I figure it must be at least from the 60′s or 70′s…any ideas?  This is a good reminder that you must always sign and date your work.  You have no idea who might find it years later and really appreciate it.

Keep it thimble!

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Flea Market Finds, Holidays

Pattern Sale – Radiant Folded Patchwork Star

Posted on May 1, 2012 | Leave a comment

Happy May Day!  To celebrate, the Radiant Folded Patchwork Star and covered box pattern is on sale for $2.99.

Radiant Folded Star and Covered Box

You can use the Folded Star in a variety of ways – table toppers, covered boxes, clothing and accessory accents, and more!

This pattern includes full step by step directions for both a fabric covered box and a table topper.  Photographs of key steps are also included.
These Folded Stars are fat quarter friendly, great stashbusters, and useful for scraps!  Use Christmas fabrics to create a festive holiday table topper.  Use pastels or batiks to create a striking storage box.  Make a scrappy star to complement your latest quilt.  The possibilities are endless!  The pattern is easy to make and requires little sewing.  This is a great project for kids and confident beginners.

Buy Now on Sale! $2.99

Buy now, sew today!

You are purchasing a PDF pattern which will be available for immediate download after purchase. After your payment is processed, you will be e-mailed a link from which you can download the pattern.

Keep it Thimble!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Gift Ideas, Patterns, Stashbusters

Quilt Book Recommendations

Posted on April 25, 2012 | 4 Comments

I love books about sewing and quilting and wanted to share a few of recommendations with you.  There are so many books out there, it’s hard to know which one to get.  This list is by no means complete, but if you are looking for some good basics to include in your library, check out the following books.

For some good beginner quilt books, I recommend the “Quilter’s Academy” series by Harriet Hargrave and Carrie Hargrave.  Right now she has three books in the series (Freshman Year, Sophomore Year, and Junior Year), and the fourth book will be published in May.  These are excellent books and they will take you through the quilting processes step by step. Each book builds on the one before, so if you want to get your Bachelor’s in quilting, these are a necessity.  I wrote a review of the first book in this series – so read that for more information.

Hand-pieced Wall Hanging

If you are interested in making quilts by hand, I recommend “Quiltmaking by Hand” by Jenny Beyer.  This is also an amazing book and takes you through each step of the hand piecing and hand quilting process.  Hand piecing can be fun and relaxing if you aren’t in a huge hurry to finish the project.  I hand pieced this wall hanging a few years ago (still need to hand quilt it though!).  The book has lots of pictures and clearing explains the specific techniques needed for each phase.  Of course, I highly recommend Allie Aller’s Crazy Quilting as well, and posted a review of this last year.

If you like crazy quilts, check out “The Magic of Crazy Quilting” by J. Marsha Michler.  This book includes several techniques for piecing the crazy quilt foundation, information on embroidery stitches, embellishments, and transfers, and several crazy quilting projects.  The book has tons of pictures and a gallery of quilts at the end.  You definitely will get a lot of ideas just looking at the pictures!    She also has a companion book called “Motifs for Crazy Quilting” that includes hundreds of embroidery designs for your crazy quilts.

For a general quilting reference book “The Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting” is a must have.  This includes lots of pictures so the techniques are easy to understand.  This is my go-to book when I have a question about how to do something or just a need a quick reminder.

What books do you recommend?  What books do you have your eye on?

Keep it Thimble!

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Books, Crazy Quilts, Quilting

Bella Bag – Indygo Junction Pattern

Posted on April 23, 2012 | 5 Comments

While sorting through some old fabric, this stash of Amy Butler fabric caught my eye.  These pieces were set aside for another project, but I realized that they were better suited for the Bella Bag pattern from Indygo Junction.  I’ve had the pattern for awhile, but never felt motivated to make it until I saw this fabric.

Bella Bag, pattern by Indygo Junction

The bag is very roomy and could easily be described as a tote bag – good for taking to the beach, library, or supermarket.  The pattern is very well written and the instructions are easy to understand, but I think this is more suited for an intermediate sewer (or a confident beginner who likes a challenge).  The difficulty comes when you are trying to sew the circular bottom piece onto the body of the bag.

The bottom of the bag is gathered and you have to space the gathering correctly so that the circle fits on the bottom (ie, not to large and not to small).  For some reason, this was difficult, and the bottom seam is very puffy.  This will probably flatten out over time or perhaps after I wash it.

Bella Bag, snapped together

The other challenge was creating the handles.  You sew a tube of fabric, turn it inside out, and then insert upholstery cording.  The cording has a tendency to become less compact as you pull it through the tube, so it took me a good 30 minutes to complete this step.  I finally put a thick piece of scotch tape on the end of the cord to keep it from unraveling and so that it gave less resistance as it was pulled through the tube.  The handles are what make the bag come together for me, I was bound and determined to get the cording in there!

The way the bag fastens is another nice feature.  Magnetic snaps are on each side of the bag, so you can snap the sides together and then snap the front and back together.  This is useful when you want the bag to look smaller or don’t have as much stuff in there.

Bella Bag, Interior

The buttons are from a place called Dill Buttons, and they have a wide range of fashion buttons that work great for purses and other accessories.  I originally had some smaller ivory buttons on this, but they looked out of place and too small.  The larger buttons look better, and the unusual shape is a nice contrast with the other patterns.  I also added some top stitching on the bag body around the center seams.  Top stitching always make a bag look more finished (I think).

What are some tips you have for making bags and other accessories?  Any patterns you would recommend?

Keep it Thimble!

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Purses and Totes, Reviews

The Straight Stitch – Which Sewing Machine Should I Buy?

Posted on April 19, 2012 | 3 Comments

Dear Heather,

Please help! Sewing machines…I keep thinking about buying one. Any suggestions on a good beginner one? It’s hard to know where to start!

Signed,
On Pins and Needles

I know just the machine you want – the Bernette by Bernina. Check out www.mybernette.com for a full list of the machines in this line (and just for the record, I am not affiliated with Bernina in any way). For my first machine, I had the Bernette 55 – a very basic machine that had 15 or so stitches, a buttonholer, and the basic feet and accessories.

My First Professional Tote

I knew my Bernette was made of sturdy stuff when I was able to sew through 4 layers of fabric + 4 layers of interfacing + cotton webbing when I made my first Professional Tote! The Bernette is not made in Switzerland (I think it is manufactured in China), but Bernina selected it for their beginner’s line since it meets their quality standards.

The differences between the models comes down to how many stitch choices you have, how the buttonhole function works (automatic or manual), and if everything is computerized or manual (such as changing the stitch length, needle position, etc). The more expensive ones might have a few more features such as being able to drop the feeddogs (only important if you are going to do free motion quilting). They range in price from $249 – $799. Many times you can even find a special deal for the basic machine for $199.

I definitely feel it is better to spend about $250 on a Bernette instead of buying something at a large retail chain store. In my experience, the machines at these stores are not as sturdy, powerful, or smooth as the Bernette. The one thing about Bernette is that you have to buy one at an authorized Bernina dealer. You can check on their website to find a dealer near you. The nice thing about this is that the dealer will teach you the basics of using the machine (ie, how to thread it, wind the bobbin, change stitches, and use the buttonhole).

My Bernette is a work horse and I love sewing on it. I use this machine for my classes since it more portable than my “fancy” machine. It’s also good for children and I plan to let my son use it when he wants to learn how to use the machine :) .

Keep it Thimble!

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Purses and Totes, Sewing, Straight Stitch, Tools