Friday, April 18, 2008

April Showers Bring...

More inside crafting time! Since I hadn't made the Pleated Beauty bag for my swap before, and my swap partner in quite the seamstress, I was a little intimidated. So, I dedided to make a test bag for myself. It took me a day to cut out the pieces, and then two days to complete the bag. The designs from Bend the Rules Sewing are adorable, but I have to be honest: I find the patterns a little hard to follow. In the end, I am VERY glad I made a test bag. There are many changes I'll make for the second one that will hopefully make the process and the finished product a little better. I do, however, really like the fabric I chose for the test bag--very springy!
The showers yesterday were actually SNOW showers! Sadly, I think my newly-planted raspberry plants are not going to survive the multiple freezes they've endured. I have not had good luck with raspberries: the summer before last the dogs dug them up, and last summer they weren't watered when Matthew was in the hospital so they died. Anyway, the cold weather led me to crave tomato soup and grilled cheese. A little known fact about me: I am absolutely hopeless as making grilled cheese sandwiches. I burn them every time! Any suggestions are most welcome!

6 comments:

Tracey said...

Hi. My name is Tracey and I am in the swap with you. I am having a hard time understanding the directions and have spent most of one night staring and gritting my teeth. I am stuck on step 5. I am trying to understand if I am sewing the outside of the bag together separately from the lining. Since you have made a sample bag, can you help me out possibly? I feel like ripping my hair out!!!! I just am having a hard time visualizing this bag and how it is supposed to be in step 8 with sewing two bags together. My email is: Punkrockertracey@yahoo.com
Any advice or ANYTHING you could offer me would be so appreciated. Thanks!
Tracey
www.itching2Bstitching.blogspot.com

Heidi said...

I burn my grilled cheese sandwiches too :) We call them "crispy" rather than burned, and I have kind of grown accustomed to the charred taste (LOL!) I think that the key is to butter the outsides and then cook them on med/low the only downside to doing it this way is they take FOREVER.... another thing I have tried is to microwave them for like 20 seconds just enough to slightly melt the cheese inside then toast the outsides.... which does work...

Britton said...

Kate- your bag is adorable! I love that you used that retroish fabric with the fruit. It is very springy!

Raspberries can be very hardy, so maybe they'll survive despite the colder weather. Don't give up yet!

Aaron is always the one who makes grilled cheese in our family, so I can't give you any tips. Heidi's suggestion about microwaving just to may the cheese melty is a good idea, though! Yum!

Bernadette said...

Yum! I LOVE tomato soup and grilled cheese! YOur bag is so pretty, and just perfect for spring! I love pretty bags of all types - totes, knitting project bags, etc. The more the merrier. They are also nice as gifts and you can tuck more gifts inside (like yarn, knitting notions, etc.)

Bernadette said...

Yum! I LOVE tomato soup and grilled cheese! YOur bag is so pretty, and just perfect for spring! I love pretty bags of all types - totes, knitting project bags, etc. The more the merrier. They are also nice as gifts and you can tuck more gifts inside (like yarn, knitting notions, etc.)

elliebelle said...

I love grilled cheese and tomato soup. My mom always taught me to cover the grilled cheese while you are cooking it - that way the cheese melts faster and then you don't burn the bread. I hope that helps! :)