Pickled Beets Recipe

Today, I want to share my recipe for pickled beets.   I love root vegetables, and beets are one of my favorites.   I enjoy them in salads, as a garnish with cornbread and collard greens, or with nothing at all.  They are delicious.

My preference is to prepare them using the recipe below.  But I also purchase them for the grocery store already in a jar.  This is my favorite recipe and I can't remember where I got it from. Anyway, I hope you like it.  Here goes.  

Ingredients:

A bunch of three or four medium sized beets

1/3 cup of vinegar (there about or to your taste)

1 medium onion sliced

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (to your taste)

1 cup of water or about 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan

1.  Cut off the top of the beets, peel, and rinse them off.

2.  Cut the beets into 1/3 inch slices and place in a medium sized saucepan

3.  Add  sliced onion, vinegar, sugar, and water

4.  Place saucepan on high flame and bring to a boil.  Liquid should start to thicken.  Lower heat as needed and cook until tender.  

That's it.  A very tasty garnish that is a great source of probiotics, which aids in the digestion of other foods.

Babylon Leather - Tote Bucket Bag

Over the holiday weekend, Rhonda and I decided to make our Babylon Tote Bucket Bags.  We thought it would be a great project to do together.  We had estimated that it would take about three to four hours to complete.  However, it ended up taking several more hours to complete.  

Before I get into the details of our sewing experience, let me give you some details about Babylon Leather bag kits.

Babylon Leather has an extensive line of leather bag making kits on their website.  Additionally, they offer tools, leather, hardware, and patterns.  A well-rounded website that has so many items to help you complete your own unique leather projects.  Check it out.  You are guaranteed to find something to your liking. ;-)

It was several Instagram craft influencers who "encouraged" me to try making my leather bag.  On the Babylon website, there are so many choices; it was hard to choose just one bag making kit.  I ended up settling for the Tote Bucket bag. 

The kit contained everything that I needed to complete my bag:

• all leather pieces needed for the desired bag (some were partially finished).
• two scarves and a bag charm
• waxed thread
• a set of hand-sewing leather needles
• bag hardware
• scissors
• screwdriver
• clip
• finger protector sleeves

and 

• QR code link to tutorial for assembling the bag.

The entire bag is assembled by hand.  So, it takes some time and patience to complete it.  I learned a few things about hand sewing leather.  How to "knot" the thread and how to sew with two needles at the same time.  Once you get the hang of sewing, it is a very calming and relaxing process. 

 

The most difficult part of making the Tote Bucket bag was attaching the handles to the bag.  It took about two hours to attach each handle.  Again, once you get past the initial stitches, the rest is easy.  It just takes time.  

 

The things that I liked about the product and this project are:

• everything is in the kit, which makes it super easy to concentrate on making the bag
• the design of the bag and the color options
• quality and quantity of the leather, supplies and tools
• packaging of the kit
• access to the tutorial to assemble the bag
• the simple, refined, unique looking bag
• the bright orange leather with a great texture
•  

and 

• the beautiful bag that I made with my very own hands. ;-)

There weren’t any real dislikes about the project.  

 

This ends my review of my first Babylon leather bag.  I hope this information is helpful.  If you've made a Babylon bag, please share your experience.  I'd love to read/view your experience.

 

Happy Sewing!

C

 

 

 

Still Here!

I'm still here, just spending more time enjoying various activities and events.  These days,  I'm spending less and less time on social media.  Way back when, it didn't seem like It took that much time to create content.  Now there are so many tools and applications to use.  This are much different from a few simple pictures and a few good paragraphs.  

Anyway, I'm almost finished with Vogue V2097 and the Burda Style Jacket 7321.  Of course, I have about six other projects going on at the same time.  Lol

Over the holiday weekend I made my first Babylon Leather purse.  I'm so pleased with how it turn out.  Next post I'll give my full review.

Happy Sewing!

C

 

Notes on a Pattern - Vogue V2097

 

Sewing Friends,

Here is another "Notes on a Pattern", Vogue V2097.  I really like this pattern, and want to make it this spring.  The silhouette is perfect for me. ;-)

Of course, I want it fit as well.  So, of course, adjustments and muslin are in order.  

So, with this top/jacket the FBA is a little different.  I basically slashed and spread between each dart and added some length to the bodice.  With this FBA, I also needed to do a little tuck at the neckline to keep it from gapping.  Adjustments had to be made on each of the collars to match the length of the neckline.

For the back, I made the prominent shoulder blade and swayback adjustments as per usual. The resulting muslin showed that I still need more room in the bust area and the pleats need to be moved slightly to the center of my torso so that the center pleat falls at the center for the bust.  Additionally, I'll need about a half inch added to the side seam.    So, with a little tweaking, this pattern will be ready for me to cut out my coordinate.

I transferred all of the markings, again, so that the location of the buttonholes, pockets and grainlines were visual on the muslin.

More later of Vogue 2097.

Happy Sewing!

C

Notes on a Pattern - Burda Style Jacket 7321

 

Hi Sewing Friends,

Today's post is "Note on a Pattern" for Burda Style Jacket 7321.  For starters, I cut the pattern pieces at size 18 instead of 16.  I wanted to test to see if a larger size would give me a better fit.  I've noticed that some Burda Style sizing/cut run smaller than the Big Four.  

I made most of my usual fit adjustments:  FBA, swayback back, lengthen the sleeves, and slightly forward shoulders.  This jacket is short.  The hem is at the upper hip area. I prefer a longer jacket for this style.  So I lengthen the jacket by 2 inches above the waist.

My muslins fit pretty well, with the exceptions of the waist area.  It fits, but I like a little more move.  So, I will just an inch or two along the side seam.  Truly, though, adding the 2 inches to the length of the jacket may have something to do with the snug fit.

On the muslin, you can see that I transferred all of the markings. I wanted  to have a complete visual of the jacket; the location of the buttonholes and pockets as well as the grainlines. The back looks very good.  I like the darts at the shoulder for better shaping on me.  I didn't make a prominent shoulder blade adjustment.  That may also attribute to the snug fit.

There are a few drag lines in the upper chest area, which I will address.  I'm excited to make this jacket.  I think the style and the fit are good for me.  So with that said, I think I am off to a good start on making this jacket.

So, stay tune for updates on this jacket project.

Happy Sewing!

C

Pan Seared Red Snapper

 

It's about time for another recipe.  I intended to share this recipe at the beginning of the Lenten season.  However, it wasn't until this afternoon that I sat down to post it.  It is simple and easy.

Ingredients:

4 medium red snapper fish

2 limes

Your preferred seasoning for fish.  Or.., Below is my list.  You can tweak the seasoning to your taste.

1 tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp fish seasoning

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tblsps garlic and ginger paste

1 tsp green seasoning

6 tblsps butter

1.  Clean fish and let soak in citrus bath for 1 hours.

2.  Combine all seasoning in a bowl.

3.  Slice fish several times to allow seasoning to be throughout fish.

4.  Rub seasoning all over and in fish.  Marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator if you like.

5.  Melt butter in pan.

6. In heated pan of butter, sear fish on both sides.  Cook for 15/20 minutes or until done.

7.  Serve with rice and green vegetables.

That's it. Enjoy!

Crocheting -- Who Else Is Crocheting?

 

I've been crocheting as long as I've been sewing.  But I rarely post my projects. Lately, I've been crocheting a lot.   I love making beanies.  They crochet up really fast.  Like sewing, crocheting relieves my stress.  And lately, I've been stressed quite a bit.  So, here's to relieving stress.