the fruits of my labour

Well, from conception to completion it took me what felt like a lifetime, of course, but I have finally finished making a handbag for myself. It’s the Pleated Beauty Handbag from Bend-the-Rules-Sewing and my first bag (other than a simple tote), my first attempt at free motion quilting and possibly the first thing I’ve made myself. So quite an achievement, really! Even though the bag (my bag, not the pattern) has its issues. I’m pretty sure free motion quilting is supposed to allow me free motion, not the machine, so I clearly need to work on that. And why is cutting fabric (correctly) so hard?! The linen I used is quite stretchy and prone to fraying, which didn’t help, but my god, I have so much trouble accurately cutting fabric. I think that takes me longer than any other stage of a project.

Anyway, I’m pretty happy with the bag. It’s soft, nice and roomy and a lot better to carry my essentials than what I had – nothing!

I’m a little slow to comment on this (gee, what a surprise), but I’m so pleased that the craft blog that led me to all other craft blogs, and is therefore largely responsible for this (far inferior) blog has returned after a year’s hiatus. Loobylu is back and judging by the warm reception her first post in over a year received, I’m not the only one who’s excited.

Oh, and on Sunday we will have been without an oven for three weeks. I don’t want to talk about it any more.

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I am in the process of making some improvements to the blog, but given my limited computer expertise and my even less impressive design credentials, this is a slow and painful process (sorry, Chris), so if it ever looks like I’ve lost my mind, I probably haven’t, I’m most likely going a roundabout way to make things better.

Today we have been without an oven for two weeks. Correction: we’ve had an oven, just not a working one. This is quite unsettling for me, but I just keep reminding myself how lucky I am that it has happened now and not around anyone’s birthday or at Christmas, and that it’s summer. If it were winter or a kid’s birthday, I’m pretty sure I’d cry. I find baking and anything that cooks for a long time in the oven very comforting, and therefore by extension, I guess, I find having a working oven comforting. I was informed on Wednesday that the thermostat is broken. Unfortunately, because we rent, we’re at the mercy of the real estate agent, the owner and the repair person. So we can’t just get it done. We have to wait for all the relevant parties to talk to each other and hope that something happens soon.

So, we’re having to make alternative arrangements, like constantly reminding ourselves we can’t bake anything, using the barbecue to roast chicken, and wracking our brains for sweet treats that don’t involve an oven (that works). One of my favourite sweet treats to make even when our oven is working, is a no-bake fruit fudge slice (above). This is something Mum used to make quite a bit when we were kids. I’m not sure anyone loves it quite as much as me, but I think it’s safe to say it’s a family favourite. I copied the recipe into my little book when I left home to go to uni. I can’t remember the name of the book it came from but it was something published in the 70s or early 80s, I guess. And I suppose it’s an Australian book, given the reference to a lamington tin in the recipe. Here’s the original recipe (with my comments added):

Fruit fudge fingers(/slice)

125g margarine (I always use butter, though)

1 cup sultanas

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla essence (I use extract)

250g milk arrowroot biscuits, finely crushed

nuts (optional) – I usually used crushed peanuts, but walnuts are good too

Chocolate icing

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons water

90g chocolate pieces

Place margarine, sultanas and sugar into a large saucepan and bring slowly to the boil. Remove from heat, add egg and vanilla essence, blending well. Add biscuit crumbs and mix thoroughly together. Press mixture into a greased lamington tin and ice with chocolate icing while still warm. Sprinkle with nuts if desired. Cut into 2.5cm squares just before serving.

To make icing, combine in a saucepan, brown sugar, butter, water. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces, blend well. Beat with wooden spoon until mixture is of spreading consistency.

Makes 22 to 24 fingers.

As much as I love these, I hope our oven comes back to us soon. There’s bread, Danish, pizza and muffins to make.

At last I have finished something. After weeks of feeling really frustrated about not getting any projects started or finished, I’ve finally completed the first part of Isobel’s birthday present. Actually, I finished it last week (I think it was last week; the days have been such a blur for me lately. Actually, I think they always are.). Anyway, it’s done and I’m happy. It’s a birth announcement pillow, based on the Happy Birthday Pillow project in Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts, a book I bought myself with a Christmas gift card. The centre of the pillow is printable fabric on to which I printed Isobel’s name, weight and date of birth, in colours coordinating with the patterned fabric. I then backstitched around each letter and number. That was definitely the most time-consuming part, but it was pretty easy and gave me a great excuse to park myself on the couch and watch TV. I like TV, but I hate having nothing to do with my hands while I watch it. I do like to be productive.

According to the book, this project should have taken me only four to eight hours. It took me longer than that (I think, but I wasn’t counting the hours), but that’s all me. I’m so slow, and whenever I do gain some speed I seem to make more mistakes, so it’s probably best to take it slowly for now. The book, however, is beautiful and full of really inspiring projects and excellent information. I can’t wait to try something else from it.

But first, I need to finish the other, far more ambitious, gift for Isobel. Then there’s all the other belated gifts I need to make. I’m going to catch up, right? Slowly, but surely.