Thrift Store Quilt Rescue, Revisited

One more thing about my thrift store quilt rescue.

When I reported on that project, I hadn't yet washed the quilt. When I finally ran it through the laundry, its character changed completely! I'm not sure why this surprises me so much--I suppose it just seemed logical that a previously used and washed quilt wouldn't pull up and soften like a new and just-quilted one, especially since it's made of polyester fabrics, but the new stitching settled into the fabric and batting very nicely! (Sorry--I wish the photo showed it better.)The quilting shows much more, and it's softer and drapier. It also seems to be significantly smaller, but I can't say for sure since I didn't measure. This makes sense, though, since it has pulled up a lot around the quilting lines and even seems thicker.

Who knew? I have to say that now I think the whole project was much more successful than I did before.

Even More Leftovers--Lunch from the Pantry

In addition to our 'new' and unique Asian Sauce, we had about 1 1/2 cups of glazed carrots left after dinner on Sunday evening. For Tuesday's lunch, these became a lovely, smooth, and creamy Curried Carrot Soup.

I sauteed some chopped onion and simmered it with a couple of diced russet potatoes in some chicken base (I have a collection of restaurant soup bases concentrates that I use all the time), and added the carrots toward the end of cooking. When all was tender, I pureed it smooth in batches in the blender and reheated it all. I seemed a little thin and loose, but it thickened up perfectly with the addition of a handful of potato pearls--smooth and velvety. Salt, pepper, and a little curry powder seemed to be just the thing. Some cream would have truly been divine, but it's not on hand right now.

Delicious lunches for the next day or two!

Food Serendipity

An odd food serendipity occurred after dinner yesterday.

I had made Chicken Adobo--chicken braised in a savory vinegar/soy sauce/garlic liquid--and a fresh orange vinaigrette for a salad of romaine, pears, nuts, and avocado. The chicken was great, and the salad was good, but not as truly delightful as I had anticipated.

During our after dinner cleanup, my husband and I each poured some of the remaining adobo sauce into a partly filled cup on the counter, which it turned out had not contained adobo sauce at all, but the rest of the vinaigrette. Horrors! Wasted food! But wait...a small taste revealed a truly delicious combination of flavors, deep and chickeny and fruity. Very tasty. Hmmm.

Tonight's dinner. . .how about chicken cutlets with a tangy Asian fusion-style sauce, served over rice?

Thrift Store Quilt Rescue

I originally found this rather sad twin-size quilt at the thrift store, and felt the poor thing deserved another chance. Could it move on to a happier life?

Now, it's certain that this poor quilt started out with several serious challenges: it began life in a third world country, quickly made from less than top quality materials, very loosely quilted, and cast upon the world. In its adopted home it seems it was used hard and sent into the cold world of used home furnishings, faded and with popped seams, to be valued at only $4.oo.

I'd been thinkng about a quilt for the bedroom chair, and this would be a head start on both time and materials. The colors and the challenge drew me in, so I brought it home with me.

The original 'hand quilting' was a long running stitch along one side of each block--in other words, it was pre-basted! It seemed a good chance to practice my machine quilting, so I mended bits of about 10 or 12 seams that had come loose and began quilting. (Sorry the quilting doesn't show more in the photo.) I figure I spent four or five hours at the machine.

Was this idea a good one in the first place? Maybe, maybe not. It will never be a 'real' quilt. Lessons learned and re-enforced:

-good quality materials are of the first importance. Polyester fabrics and
battings will never wear or quilt as well as good quality cotton--they tend to be both stiff and a little scratchy.
-
-quilting does not 'snuggle in' to an already used quilt.

-machine quilting improves with practice!

The quilt does look quite appealing on the chair in the bedroom.

Leftover Projects, part 2--Tiny Sunflower Sue Quilt

Some time ago, I became quite daring and actually used some scraps from my great-grandma's quilt scrap box to start this little Grandma Tribute quilt. My Grandma Hilda loved to applique Sunflower Sue, and since the scraps are from my Grandma Genevieve and her mother, Great-Grandma Ella, it's my tribute to grandmas.

The blocks are 4" by4"--the pieces I chose were just big enough to re-cut into tiny dresses, and it was fun choosing scraps of solids to make each hat and shoes. I hand appliqued each Sue, and outlined each with a black running stitch. The back, sashing, and binding are also from the scrap box. Hand quilting seemed appropriate, since the grandmas would have been appalled by machine quilting. (Things have changed, Grandmas--your should see us now!)

I used Warm and White batting, and it washed up beautifully, finished at last. I think this little quilt is for MY old doll!

Leftover Projects Completed, part 1--Scottie Doll Quilt

There is a plan in the back of my mind to make each of my granddaughters a special doll quilt-- this one was started quite a while ago, using pieces from my collection of reproduction vintage prints.

Since my work is slow at the first of the year, I'm enjoying some project catch-up time!

Each of the little doggie blocks is hand appliqued, with black buttonhole stitched edges. I added tiny black button eyes and machine quilted it using 'Warm and White' batting, which I must say washed up to a lovely snuggly feel. Another project finished! A doll will be warm and cozy.

Another Leftover

Oops--I meant to post this fun, fast, and festive little project during the holidays! I'm planning to make some more for Valentine's Day, and maybe some to use as get-well wishes for flu season. I'll post them then!

The idea for these cute little tissue pouches has been around for years--and it's still a fun idea for a quick and inexpensive small gift. You will need:

Dollar store tissue pouches (8 for $1.00)
Fabric scraps
Scraps of double fold bias tape and trim

l. If you're using dollar store tissue packets like mine (see below), cut a rectangle of fabric 5 by 61/2 inches. If yours are different, cut a rectangle of fabric as long as your tissue packet and as wide as the circumference of the packet.) The short ends will be the opening.

2. Using your bias tape, carefully bind the short ends of the rectangle.
Tips for using bias tape:

a. One side of double fold bias is wider than the other--
the narrower side is the top, or stitching side.

b. Be very careful not to stretch the tape as you sew, or the edge will pucker.

c. I think it's better not to pin on a small application like this. Place the bias under the presser foot, take a few stitches close to its open edge, then lift the presser foot and open the fold. Working a short distance at a time, slide the fabric in and stitch close to the fold.

3. Add more trim along the edges if you like. Mark the middle of each long side with pins. Fold the bound ends in to the pin, right sides together. Pin and stitch both ends, using a 1/4" seam.

4. Turn to the right side and stuff tissue packet inside. My packets open at the ends, so I had to slit the packet along the middle with little sharp scissors.

That's it! Fast and fun.

The Holidays--Leftovers

With several no-longer-interesting remnants of holiday treats lurking in the fridge last week, it was time to move on--and I can NOT waste food. How to re-do and rescue the bits?

Half a small platter of layered bean dip. Hmmm, burritos? Still boring. How about Refried Bean Soup? I warmed some prepared refried beans and added chicken broth from a base, and stirred the bean dip in until it just melted in. The sour cream, cheese, beans and salsa of the dip added just the touch, served with the last crumbled remnants in the tortillla chip bag. A definite success!

Two small cheddar, cream cheese, and walnut garlic cheese balls. Garlic toast? The nuts may not add. How about a creamy pasta dish? I stirred small chunks of the cheese balls into some hot cooked linguine, and sprinkled it with green onion. Not bad-- and not an enormous success. I suppose you can't win them all.

Maybe the single serving of coconut-vegetable curry would have made a good turnover, but I ate it. Wait--it would have been good over those leftover boiled potato chunks. . .

Christmas Blanket, Revived

After the traditional transitional period contemplating the holidays past and new year ahead, plus a short visit to my grandkids (and the sun) in Las Vegas, I think I'm ready for new projects!


When we were first married, my mom made Christmas blankets for each of us children and our families--the tradition is to get them out at Thanksgiving and put them away at the New Year, and to add new names to the blocks as the family grows.

I made my own version for each of my children's familes when they married, butI haven't had my own blanket out for several seasons, since it was falling apart from years of love and use. This year, I decided it was time for an update, so I snipped out and washed the squares that could be rescued, and I've been incorporating them into a new, resurrected version over the last couple of weeks. I only wish I had taken a 'before' picture!

I actually still have some of my mom's Christmas blanket fabric collection in my own 'fancy fabric' box. She loved to use a wide variety of textures for her Christmas quilts, and it was fun incorporating some of her pieces into the new, old version. The rescued squares had to be recut slightly smaller then they were originally, so some of the names on them were infringed on a bit after seaming, and a few of the squares with names did not survive. I'll enjoy updating the names and adding trim and embroidery as a New Year project, and the tradition will be ready to be revived when Christmas comes again!