Recipes, Reading, Refurbishing Clothes

A picture from last month's trip but it's expressing how I feel.  A toast to figuring out how to get back into my blogging groove, particularly as I start the internal debate about Meta and the oligarchy. Not that I'll ever be a whiz at blogging or anything tech but persistence pays off.  First, as promised, recipes or links from my last post about our dinner party. 

Menu:

shrimp, mango, avocado salsa

cheese coins

soup de poisson and rouille 

no knead everything bread

Beef carbonnade

mashed potatoes

sticky toffee pudding

This recipe is so old that I could not find the original link on the internet.  Darn google

Cheese coins on YouTube

 https://youtu.be/oB8-pUQkKMs?si=vSAic-FscsyLvWbx

I combined a few French fish soup recipes but this one most closely matches how I made mine.  We use a potato ricer with three removable plates...using the two largest, to squeeze all the deliciousness but keeping it light.

Soupe de Poisson

I used this rouille recipes since I dislike peppers in the recipe above.  It calls for some of the fish soup as liquid but I make it with just some lobster "better than bouillon." Vampires don't visit us when I have this in the house.

And King Arthur baker, Martin, gave me the tips I needed to make this bread turn out consistently wonderful.  I just made a plain loaf last night to enjoy with soups as the polar vortex sweeps through this week.

No Knead Everything bread

Beef Carbonnade America's Test Kitchen 

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes America's Test Kitchen

One of the side benefits of the potato recipe is a whole lot of russet baked potato skins left over.  I froze mine and they are thawing now.  We will turn them into stuffed potato skin appetizers to take to a Ravens game pot luck tonight.  Maybe they too fit in the category of refurbishing.

Sticky Toffee Pudding America's Test Kitchen

With cold and snow in our forecast, I'm especially glad to live in Maryland which I think has the best library system in the US.  Between Baltimore's famous Enoch Pratt Library (whose former head librarian is now the current Library of Congress 14th librarian and first woman and African American in that role) and the Baltimore County library which lead the nation decades ago in widening the scope and breadth of library services, I have everything I need to stay home, stay safe and watch the snow fall while I read a good book.  My latest favorite is this touching, moving, suspenseful and thought provoking book from 2018.  Leif Unger can't write a bad book and I heartily recommend this 2018 one.  I may have to recommend it for book group when we meet on Wednesday night.

 

And now let me show you my small refurbishing projects before I start to prep a new to me sewing pattern for my upcoming sewing retreat.

I own a 12 needle Babylock Embellisher because I love the look of wool and roving embellish onto fabric.  And I am a member of a Buy Nothing Facebook group in my area where we can give away (that's my main goal, divesting) or ask for something.  The year before last, in "closet change season" I asked for any men's wool sweater with stains or moth holes.  I wanted to attempt refurbishing wool sweaters (my favorite fiber) by re sizing them and mending them.  This year I finally tackled the two that were gifted to me and I'm thrilled with the result.  I could have done "visible mending" on the moth holes in both of these sweaters but since I cut them down to my size (using the Pamela's Patterns T Shirt makeover pattern guide) I decided to see if my embellisher could meld small mending pieces set behind the moth hole.  Wow, it blends right in to the naked eye.  It's not perfect and purists would show me those labor intensive hand mending techniques that I admire.  But I quickly and easily redeemed two cashmere sweaters from the waste land of old clothes and will happily enjoy their warm and comfort for winters to come.  Of course they are somewhat plain, deep navy and warm medium blue, sort of typical "guy clothing" colors but I'll be adding scarf each time and am happy with these new additions to my wardrobe.

Can you tell where I embellished the sweater?  It has a slightly different texture from afar and the closeup shows it better. 

The color is actually the pretty blue but these pictures came out grey. 

 Ready for the polar vortex.  Cozy clothes, cozy reading and cozy dog

2024 Favorite Books and a Good Start to 2025

Thank you to recent readers and commenting friends. It feels like I'm back amongst my familiar artsy peeps who enjoy talking about sewing and our creative experiences as much as doing it. And coming back to blog reading regularly is like settling in with a good book. So with that intro, here are my favorite books of 2025. I had to laugh at myself because, yes, I DO like the long form of so many things, books included. Several of these were quite lengthy but I enjoy diving into the whole alternative that they create for me. (I didn't even include the 40 plus hours I spent walking listening to Barbra Streisand's autobiography!) And if the first day of the year is how your year will go, then we're off to a good start at our house. Mr Lucky, Bingley and I headed out on a blustery afternoon to do a first day hike. I'm getting over the damn virus ( I think it was from our Christmas day visit to Longwood Gardens) so I didn't want to join the morning ranger walk. We just wandered the trails on our own and ended up at the Crystal Pier where a birder and photographer pointed out this adorable little sparrow sized bird...a snow bunting...who has made the long trip from the Arctic to the Chesapeake Bay. There's what I need more of in sewing endeavors, patience, persistence and determination. And it's a new bird on my meager Merlin bird list but does bring me to my word for 2025...new. Yes, I'm looking for some novelty in my sewing experiences this year. I have so many patterns but have kept to tried and true ones in recent years since a lot of the fit work is done. But this is my year to venture a little further. No numbers to challenge or frighten my, just some steady progress trying out some new to me patterns. This morning I cut out a Jalie jacket for an initial mock up. And the coming cold weeks here in Maryland are good for sewing something cozy. Here's hoping that your sewing is keeping you interested and curious.

Beachwear and Books

Hello from warm, sunny southwest Florida where I am sitting in a library courtyard with flowering trees, a splashing fountain and fluffy white clouds drifting across the blue skies.  We left Baltimore more than a month ago and are enjoying all the pleasures of a winter vacation in a tropical environment.  So I thought I should share some tropical clothing that I've sewn for this trip.   

Mr. Lucky and I are in two rentals this season (too long a story but it all worked out in the end) and our February rental was a fantastic surprise.  The VRBO house was available last minute and was just magnificent with a heated pool and spa in the back courtyard.  It also included access to the resort pool and spa and all the amenities...tiki bar with music three nights, outdoor dining, gym, multiple pools, waterfalls, just glorious.  So to finally make this about some sewing, here's a purse I customized with leftover fabric from the guest room curtains and pillows I sewed many years ago 

curtain and shower curtain post

  and here I am wearing my most pinned sewing project, a pullover poncho that seems timeless since it continues to get plenty of hits from searches.

pullover poncho

I have sewn versions in silk, rayon and this very "hole-y" open weave knit which I made longer as a swimwear coverup which might be my current favorite.  I think even Peggy Sagers of Silhouette Patterns just did a youtube video on something very similar that she saw while doing her upscale snoop shopping.   

I wrote that original post almost eight (eight?!) years ago when we owned a condo here in Naples.  Turns out I am much better at renting someone's great place than owning a second property.  Now we get to enjoy time with northern friends who come visit while also catching up with FL friends who are happy to see us again each season but I don't have the worry when I leave (nor the nasty mean-spirited emails from absentee owners when I was on our little eight unit condo board.)

Cheers to friendships near and far.

This tunic is another tried and true pattern, New Look 6110, one of my very favorite done in a lightweight silk tissue crepe.  I am happy there's a print (of NYC and its landmarks) because my placket looks terrible on this version.  Must refine that process since I love the pattern and have lots of other plans for it this year.

Jalie Elenore jeans #3461

It's Florida so there must be flowers....even on my pants.  These are the ever popular Jalie 3461 Elenore in a Fabric Mart stretch woven.  All of these summery garments were done at this year's winter Northern Virginia ASG Winchester retreat, our 8th year at the lovely George Washington Wyndham hotel.  And this year the cocktail of the night, specially designed for our group, was the "Berry Bobbin."  Cheers again!

Let's move on to the other sub-head for this blog, my reading selections.  One of the friends who I am looking forward to seeing in person in a few days always asks me what I have been reading.  Hmmm, I have been reading at a greater pace than usual this past year but I still had to go back to my library reading history to recall titles and my opinions about them.  My blogging has slowed down so much that my book reviews dropped off the to-do list.  However, just like in sewing, it's fun to read over these pages and recall the books I have been enjoying.  

First up is a series that will be largely unknown to an American audience.  In June of 2016 when we were on our Wales walking trip (look here if you want to see those sewing projects and my bragging about my mountain hikes Wales sewing and hiking) I spent a lot of time talking with a particular couple at several meals.  He was an avid reader and we discussed  so many books, mostly by American authors.  His partner, however, was only focusing on one author, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, and her Morland Dynasty series.  Several months after the trip I read the first one and now I am totally addicted.  Morland Dynasty series  

I was an English major for my undergraduate degree so of course had English history in my studies.  But these novels have me understanding that history in new and interesting ways. I am on book 19 (and these are long books, 500-600 pages at least) and have to pace myself because there are only 35 in the series.  One of the libraries in Maryland carries her books so I inter-library request them and savor each one.  Bravo to her for being so prolific and so consistently enjoyable with characters that are unique and compelling. 

I am a member of two book groups, one at my church and one up in PA where a long time friend lives.  That book group has adopted me over the years and I am fortunate to be included in their homes and their group.  This year Mr. Lucky and I were able to attend the holiday party and gift exchange.  One the delights (after the yummy food and funny re-gifting) was a special book group tree that our hostess had decorated with min-frames holding pictures of the covers of books we had read.  I thought I had a picture of the ornament but seems to be just us women celebrating good times and good friends.  (I think I will steal her idea in the future and put an ornament on my tree for my favorite book of the year.)

We did vote on our favorite book from the past year and the top two were my top two as well:

Since we are talking about rating books, here are my five and four star selections from the last year or so of reading.  Most of these are novels and many of them are books that I read, and  so enjoyed, only because someone in my book group selected it that month.  I love my book groups just as much as I do my sewing girlfriends and groups and for the same reasons.  They introduce me to new things, inspire me with their breadth of experience and keep me laughing and sometimes crying together.  Here's hoping you have good books and good friends to do the same.

My five star, don't miss if you love books selections:

My four star selections....books I recommend but maybe with some minor reservations but I thoroughly enjoyed.

Three stars....I wanted to really enjoy these but ultimately found them readable but disappointing.

Right now I am awaiting book 19 in the Morland Dynasty to arrive and have two books "in process."  Sunny afternoons and beach sunsets are perfect for escaping into other worlds and other minds.  I will let you know what I think of them and hope you share some of your favorite reads, too.  Sew grateful to have the time for such pleasures.

Stitch and Flip Jacket Progress

My reunion weekend jacket is progressing nicely and should be finished by this weekend.  Here are a few more pictures of my progress and how I put shoulder pads into this "quilted jacket."  Those of you with strong, straight shoulders I hate you can stop reading soon.

Before I start the quilting I needed to mark the location of these small petal shaped shoulder pads on the back and front of the jacket lining.

The shoulder pads are from Linda Lee's online store The Sewing Workshop  Petal Shoulder Pads  They are not cheap but are worth every penny.  I use them carefully when deciding which garments deserve these high quality pads.

Once I have marked the jacket lining, then I can start more quilting.  This picture shows my jacket with three of the

four sections quilted (I stopped so Mr. Lucky and I could go kayaking on a lovely afternoon)
Once the front section was quilted, then it was time to sew in the sleeve.  This part required me to look back at that turquoise jacket and work out how I had done it previously.  

 The sleeve is set into the armscye that has two different sections....the bottom part is quilted to the lining and the top section is left open for a shoulder pad insertion.

I pinned the sleeve in place then as I sewed the sleeve I stopped and clipped right at the intersection of those two areas, folded back the lining and continued stitching until I did the same on the sleeve back.  

Clipped quilted lining, folded back and sleeve insertion continuing on unequaled part of the jacket

Sleeve is sewn in place and that clip is folded back before inserting the lining

The sleeve lining is hand stitched in place around the entire armhole so that clip will be folded back and the sleeve lining will cover it and keep it from unraveling.

Sleeve lining pinned into place and ready for hand stitching while I sit on the back deck

Close up of sleeve lining pinned into place and covering that clipped section

Oh, the kayaking?  It was a beautiful late afternoon day and we drove up to Cold Cabin Park near Delta, PA on the Susquehanna River.  All these years living in the area (including the decades ago Three Mile Island power station scare) and we have never been here.  There are two dams on the Susquehanna and this is the "pool" area between them.  What a great wide expanse and wonderful wildlife sighting place.  We saw herons and kingfishers and four bald eagles at once swirling and swooping in the skies.  Stopped at a barbecue joint on the way home and saw a field of sunflowers across the street at the sun was setting and starting the blaze into a red, red sky.  

I love my sewing projects but I was glad I stopped so I could enjoy a beautiful day outside.  Winter will be here soon enough and I will be looking back longingly at these pictures.  Here's hoping you get to fill your day with some beauty in your sewing room or in nature.