Sewing: Mending Matters and Geometric Sewing

I had checked out from the public library a book about stitching and patchwork and repair of clothes, which I have to return soon, and then remembered a book I had bought about embroidery and embellishment on clothes.  Below are the jeans I wore to the ceramics studio and another pair I wore to work after I finished running stitches on them.

Both books came in handy.  I trimmed the frayed denim off and then cut a patch from a pair of jeans a neighbor gave me.  The most difficult part of patching I think is the safety pinning of the patch to cover the hole, made all the more difficult if if you don't take out the inseams because you then have to stick your hands into either end of the pant legs to pin all around the patch.

My whip stitches were not the most elegant, and my friend's jeans had deliberately been frayed.  However, I think she was pleased by the tiny crosses I had stitched over these two holes.

Next I went to town on my own holey jeans.  Again I need to improve my whipped stitches, and I kind of bunched a tear with some more awkward looking whipped stitches, but onward and onward.  I had used the plastic grid sheets in my Alabama Chanin book to mark with a temporary ink pen where to run my needle.

Cooking: Enchilada Sauce

Like I mentioned, I'm trying not to have too many odds and ends in my refrigerator and pantry and decided a couple weeks ago to make enchilada sauce.  

After removing stems and seeds (mostly) I soaked the dried ancho and guajillo chiles in a pot of boiling water just to cover the peppers.

I charred some roma tomatoes, red onion and garlic cloves in my grill pan.

I then pureed in my blender the the charred vegetables and soaked chiles.  I had also added brown sugar to dull the bitterness and seasoned the sauce.

I remember having to strain this mixture because it was so thick and had to even add water to thin it.  And so I included instructions on the jar to combine with tomato sauce before putting it in the fridge.

Cooking: Pasta Primavera or Linguine with Spring Vegetables and Basil Cream Sauce

I hate to let ingredients go bad in my refrigerator, and so I took out leftover mushrooms, asparagus and English peas I had bought over Easter weekend, and some more ingredients like heavy cream, grated parmigiano reggiano I specifically had bought to make this "bits and pieces" dish.  I cut up rotisserie chicken breast, chopped a shallot and 3 cloves of garlic, what was left of the basil plant on my kitchen counter, and poured myself a Chardonnay.

I cut the asparagus into bite sized pieces and added that to a pot of boiling water along with the English peas for 3 minutes.  I didn't want to dump the boiling water into the sink because I wanted to also cook my pasta in it, and so I used a spider strainer to scoop the vegetables including the peas from the pot.  I then added the half box of linguine I had left and got that boiling for 8 minutes for an al dente pasta dish.

  After my stock pot was done, I then used my large cast iron frying pan and melted half a stick of butter with some olive oil.  I sautéed the shallots, then added the mushrooms and garlic.

I wanted a bit more color, and so I chopped a hot house tomato and added it to the pan along with what was left of the wine in my glass. 

After most of the liquid cooked off, I added the already cooked chicken just to heat through.

 I then added a little more than half a cup of heavy cream and sprinkled some salt into my dish and got it simmering.

 I didn't want my veggies to get overcooked, and so I cooked down the cream and added a couple tablespoons of the parmigiano to thicken.  When the sauce appeared not too soupy, I added the rest of the vegetables and combined.

Again I like vegetables still crisp to the bite and to remain that bright emerald green and added the cooked pasta a minute later. 

 Again just cook long enough to heat through and combine.

My pasta dish was looking a little too liquidy, and so I sprinkled even more parmigiano to thicken and stirred. 

 I then sprinkled all the chopped basil with a little fresh chopped oregano just because I had it, and if I had not been too lazy to go outside and snip chives too, I would have added that herb as well.  

Then get out the tongs to serve and holler dinner is ready while pouring another glass of Chardonnay.

 Oh yeah.  I had Meyer lemons on my counter, and had cut one in half and squeezed the juice into the pan when I had poured what was in my wine glass (probably a 1/4 cup)for a bit more acid and to cut the richness of the cream.  The hubs went back for a second helping, and so I think the meal was successful.

Quilting: In the Pink

My completed baby quilt for my 6-month old grandniece, Bexley:)sans the quilt label.

I was in Redwood City for an appointment.  Once in a while, I do like to stop in a discount store, and across from the hospital is a Tuesday Morning.  Along with my Easter chocolate, I found two Benartex jelly rolls of a pink and red color palette, $23 each, and so I bought them both.

I sewed the strips in the order the strips were in on the roll, and the resulting rectangle was so wonky.

I trimmed and squared the quilt top as best I could and then layered it over crib size batting.

I had also browsed the aisles of the premium quilt fabric bolts in Joann's and fell in love with this peachy pink cloth charmingly named Astrid Pink, already discontinued, and of course I snagged all that was left.  I've a yard left over for other projects:)

I think the hardest part of quilting is centering the layers of a quilt sandwich, but centered all three as best as I could on my dining room table without its extra leaves.  

I auditioned the Aurifil and Guterman threads I used before stitching my quilt.  There's a spool of pink cotton thread I had scavenged from an estate sale, which I'll use for hand stitching the binding.

I've since stitched the Astrid Pink backing, the batting and the wonky quilt top, which is rather a bit too oblong, but no matter because I love all the colors and know that the sister of the recipient of this quilt will also adore this quilt in her favorite color of pink.  Last night I had to give up sewing after trying and failing to join the binding ends.  To be continued.  I already am looking forward to sewing the other Benartex jelly roll into a modern log cabin quilt.

Cooking: Lemony Shrimp Scampi with Orzo and Arugula

I'm always poring through recipes online and in cookbooks to change up my rotation.  I've also committed to wasting less food by "shopping" my pantry and freezer rather than run to the grocery store and being overstocked on ingredients because I end up buying more than that one ingredient I need.  My remodeled kitchen also has less room though more organization.  I had shrimp in my freezer, arugula in the fridge, and orzo in my cupboard....and so a Google search turned up Giada de Laurentiis' Lemony Shrimp Scamp with Orzo and Arugula.  It's not an elegant looking dish, but it was delicious meal whose leftovers I didn't mind consuming again.

I set out most of my ingredients: peeled and de-veined shrimp, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped shallots, chopped garlic (another reader's suggestion which greatly enhanced the dish), and my refillable Chardonnay which I sipped while cooking.

First I sauteed the shallots and garlic and then the shrimp plus salt and pepper, making sure to cook the seafood until just pink and not rubbery, which I then removed from the pan into a bowl.

I then sauteed the arugula in some seafood broth (made by boiling the shrimp shells) and Chardonnay to burn off the alcohol and meld the flavors.

I moved the sauteed arugula and shrimp into a mixing bowl with my already boiled orzo.  I then mixed up a lemon vinaigrette with olive oil, lemon juice and grated lemon zest--I stuck to Giada's proportions of lemon because I like lemony.  I also liked the peppery bite of arugula though the stems kind of made it a chewy dish....I might use spinach next time.  

Quilting: Constellation

After my spring break, not only did I resume my making with clay, I also finished Constellation:)  Basically all I had left was to finish sewing the binding and adding a quilt label.  I love the colors of indigo and chambray blue and the pop of mustard and am becoming more enamored that it's wabi sabi-asymmetrical.

Ceramics: Works in Progress

Twas a lovely return to my ceramics Saturday after surfing in Sayulita last week.  Tragically, one of my frost porcelain plates is cracked, but that's okay as I'll use it as test tiles before I underglaze maybe and overglaze these plates.  I also have another greenware plate that I'm going to dry for longer before bisque firing it.

 What survived the firing though were four hearts, a small cheese crock, salt and pepper cellars, and two Sculpture mix test tiles before I overglaze everything.

 I also managed to slab build in the morning a large crock with a lid.....sea salt crock perhaps?