Make Your Own Applesauce!

(sorry the pic is so blurry...)

I love applesauce! Especially when it's homemade from apples from your own tree.

Here is an easy recipe for making your own homemade applesauce:

A ton of apples (homegrown is best, but of course store bought works just as well. :) I think ours were granny smiths or a similar apple)
Sugar
Cinnamon
Lemon juice
Water

So core and cut up a bunch of apples (you can peel them if you want, but I didn't bother), put them in a big pot with some sugar (just a bit, you don't need much), cinnamon, lemon juice (if you want), and water (enough to have like an inch or so of water in the bottom of the apples).
Start cooking the apples for a long time on medium-ish heat, stirring every once in a while, until they are all soft and cooked down (if it starts to stick to the bottom too much turn down the heat, and if it seems too thick, add more water). Now taste it! Add more sugar, cinnamon, or lemon juice if needed. When it looks and tastes like applesauce, it's done! I prefer homemade applesauce cold, but just out of the pot is good too. :)

ENJOY!!!

One Project Down, Three to Go!

I had started four knitting projects at once... Not such a great idea! But there was one project I had to get done right away (a baby sweater for my... great cousin? Or great niece? [My cousin's newborn daughter]) so i worked really hard on that until I finished it! But... I forgot to take a pic before I sent it... :( Sorry...

Well I am also working on a sweater (it's an easy pattern that I started like a year ago but am trying to finish this fall),

some thigh-high leg warmers (which I am going to try to also finish this fall),

and some socks (which I barely started and will put on hold until some other projects are done).

Also, I want to try to knit a sweater (raglan style) without a pattern next! If it goes well, I will probably post a pattern. Also, I will try to come up with more patterns and post them! :)

And I am also thinking about possibly maybe someday starting a store online where I can sell stuff I knit and crochet. Well we'll see what happens with all that!

A DELICIOUS Summer Dessert

So one summer day MearKat was making cinnamon butter and I had the idea of peach cobbler but then someone had the idea of peaches sauteed with cinnamon and sugar so we made some! :) They were heavenly delicious! Here is the (very easy) recipe:

2 fresh peaches or nectarines

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 -1 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on how cinnamon-y you want it)

3 tablespoons sugar (more if you want it more on the saucy side)

Slice the peaches or nectarines directly into a skillet. Add the butter and turn heat on to medium high. Once the butter melts and it is sizzling, add the cinnamon. Once the cinnamon is mixed in, add the sugar and cook until the peaches or nectarines are as soft as you want and there is a sticky sauce in the pan. Serving suggestion: toast some bread and butter with cinnamon butter (butter, cinnamon, and sugar) and place hot peaches (or nectarines) and sauce on toast.

It's as simple as that, folks!

I forgot to take a pic; they got eaten up so fast! :)

Well anyway, enjoy!

A Bag and It's Pattern

Well I suck! I have promised so much and have given so little! Well, actually nothing...

But I have just crocheted a bag! I just sat down one day and started creating. I am quite proud of myself. Even though it was easy. ;)

My mom thinks it is absolutely amazing that I can do that. :)

Well since I've promised you patterns and things, I will tell you how to make this purse. :)


You need:
A little less than a skein of yarn
Size H-8 crochet hook (although I think I crochet loosely so it would probably be more like an I-9)
A button (mine was 1 1/2" wide)
A yarn needle or something for weaving in ends

Note: It's okay if you mess up with the amount of sts you have in each rnd. It doesn't really matter.

BAG
Round 1: Ch 38. 2 dc into 3rd ch from hook. Dc across to end st. Dc 4 times into end st. Kind of turning around and continuing back down the other side, dc into next st and continue to beginning st. Dc 2 times in first st. Slst in first dc you made. (76 sts total)

Round 2: Ch 2. 2 dc in same st as the one the 2 chains are coming out of (ie first st). Dc in the next 36 sts. 2 dc in each of the next 2 sts. Dc in the next 36 sts. 2 dc in last st. Slst into first dc. (80 sts)

Rounds 3-7: Ch 2. Dc in each st around, starting with first st. Slst with beg dc.

Round 8: Ch 1. Sc in each st around, starting with first st. Slst with beg sc.

Round 9: Ch 3. *Tc in first st. Ch 1. Sk st and tc in next st. Repeat from * all the way around. Slst to beg tc.

Round 10: Ch 4. Tc in second st. Ch 1. *Sk next st and tc in next st. Ch 1. Repeat from * all the way around. Slst to ch space at beg.

Round 11: Same as round 9.

Round 12: Ch 1. Sc in each tc and ch sp around to beg. Slst with 1st sc.

Round 13-15: Ch 2. Dc in each st around. Slst with first dc.

Bind off.

STRAPS (make 2)
Round 1: Ch 68. 3 dc in 3rd ch from hook. Dc in each st to end. In last st, dc 6. Kind of turn around and continue down the other side with a dc in each st. Once the last/first st is reached, dc 3. Slst to first dc. Bind off.

CLOSURE
Row 1: Ch 9. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and all the way across.

Rows 2-11: Ch 1. Sc in each st across.

Row 12: Ch 1. Sc2tog. Ch 4. Sk 4 sts. Sc2tog in last 2 sts.

Row 13: Ch 1. Sc2tog. Sc in next 2 sts. Sc2tog.

Row 14: Ch 1. Sc2tog 2 times.

Bind off.

FINISHING
Sew straps, closure, and button to bag with yarn and a yarn needle and weave in ends.

Abbreviations:
Ch: chain
Sp(s): space(s)
Sc: single crochet
Dc: double crochet
Tc: triple/treble crochet
Sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
Tog: together
Beg: beginning
St(s): stitch(es)
Slst: slip stitch
Rnd(s): round(s)
Sk: skip

Well I hope you enjoyed my pattern! :D

Oops! Haven't been on here in forever!

Wow! I haven't posted on here in forever! And I was trying to post every week! I suck at this... ;) Sorry! I have been soooo busy with school and all that I haven't even had time to think of any projects... But now school is over and I might think of something in the future. I will probably start out with simple things like skirts and the such but who know what could happen in this crazy mind of mine? :)

Well, I learned to quilt a couple months ago from someone who was staying in our rental guest house. I made up a little pattern and I found that I have enough random fabrics to do it! I bought a rotary cutter and mat because that thing makes it soooo much easier to cut straight lines! So now it just needs to come in the mail and I will start cutting and sewing! All I will need to buy is batting for the center. It's the first time I've done something like this, but I think it will work out ok.

Other than that it's just been school, school, school (oh and a bit of my sweater). I am sooo happy it's summer! :D I will have more time for sewing, knitting, crocheting, and cooking!

Speaking of cooking, sometime this coming week I am going to attempt making gnocchi! I love gnocchi and they sound so fun to make. Apparently all you need is potatoes, eggs, flour, and maybe one or two other small things. Very simple. I will try to remember to post and tell you how it went!

Morgan

My Blog Will Probably Be More Interesting Now! ;)

I figured that to make my blog a little more interesting: I should post little projects and stuff that I tell you how to do. If I just say, "I'm doing this, this, and this," it's kinda boring...

I saw one person (it was a blog, actually) who told how to sew a fat quarter skirt. (Fat quarters are basically a square 1/4 yard of fabric. If you just cut a quarter yard it would be long and skinny, so they basically made a square version, if that makes sense! :P) I could tell you how to make that, but it's kinda already done. :P (I couldn't find the link but you can try searching for it/one if you want.)

The hard part will be coming up with a "pattern" or technique (either sewing or knitting/crocheting) to show you how to do... Well, I am super busy right now, so I will be thinking and experimenting and searching whenever I have free time and I will get back to you soon! :)

Happy Crafting!

Another Crafty Post

AHHHH!!!! I am so mad at myself!!! I keep procrastinating and my skirt is still sitting there by the sewing machine... *sigh...* Every evening I think, "I can watch t.v., read a book, work on my story, or sew my skirt..." and it always ends up being t.v.... :( I am dissapointed in myself! I will try harder to finish it by next Thursday!!!! Please remind me on Monday or sometime in the week so I will do it!

In other news, there is a couple renting our guesthouse right now and the lady is an AMAZING crafter!! For example, she took a whole bunch of pine needles and made this strong, sturdy bowl out of them! O.O It's crazy!!! I wish I had a pic to put up on here and show you! Well anyway, she offered to do some sewing with me so I am supposed to pick out a purse pattern and buy some fabric and she will help me make it. I have a list of about 12 different patterns so far... I always have long lists and then have to choose one... haha! Anyway, it'll be fun!

Also, when I was looking at purse patterns on Vogue, I saw these amazing old fashioned hats!!! I really wanna make one! I have a "southern belle" themed spring formal in April(?) and if those are the kind of hats they wear, I should make one to match my dress!! :) That would be awesome!!! :) Here is the link: http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v8052-products-6806.php?page_id=850
And here is the pic! :) They're so cool!

Hmmm... what other crafty things have I been up to? ;) Well, I've been designing some clothes. My sketches aren't that great and I don't know how to turn them into patterns to sew so I doubt anything will happen out of them... But, I did find a book somewhere online (that's like $95!!!!) that says it shows you all about making patterns. Maybe I should get it (or a cheaper one) so I can try to make one or two or more of my designs! That would be cool!! :)

I also found a pattern on youtube for crocheted fingerless gloves. I made one, and it's a little lopsided, but I didn't have enough yarn for the other one so I have one glove just sitting on my dresser... :P I also found a couple patterns for slippers and I might want to try making one of them sometime...

Hmmm... Sometimes I wonder if this blog is super boring for everyone because it's all just about things that I make and do and it's not interesting for anyone else... I mean I don't post any patterns or anything interesting... If you guys think this is kind of boring and have any suggestions for things that would make this any more interesting, feel free to comment and let me know! :)