My son brought me a pair of his flannel pj's. Seems that both of the legs are ripped from hem to waistband. I've fixed this pair of pj's a couple of time. So now they're MINE.
The tears weren't "evenly" in the middle, but close enough. I went ahead and cut the pants apart, down the front through the crotch area and up the back, giving me 2 separate "legs".
I then opened the pant legs up by finishing the tear - cutting through the portion of the hem and waist band that were holding the pants together. I then cut the side seams apart on both sides. This left me with 6 pieces of fabric. Two large pieces from the backs of the legs and 4 smaller pieces from the torn front. The smaller pieces were just the right width for some cloth squares and I simply cut across the fabric to make the other side of the square. Well actually some were a little more rectangular. Then with the back pieces, I continued cutting squares by folding the leg in half so that I had one long piece of fabric, doubled over on itself. I cut this apart and proceeded to cut squares from that by folding the pant legs in half and then in thirds.
I ended up with about 30 squares that were roughly 8x8. I added them to my bathroom stash. They get used for anything you would use TP for. From wiping to blowing the nose to wetting and wiping off the sink. The used pieces get put into a special container and washed in hot water, hand 1/2 cup vinegar added to the rinse cycle and dried in a hot dryer (it's very rainy here in the south during the winter. If it's sunny where you are, line drying them will also kill any bacteria that might have escaped the soap and hot water.) There's no smell or stains left on them after laundering them and they're as clean as your underwear or any other item that you throw into the wash with the general clothing.
So I now have some useful items from nothing - trash that normally is discarded. It's kept that fabric out of the landfill and made a reusable item that keeps even more items out of the dump.
So what can be done with old clothes that are too shabby, stained, holey, etc to give to the thrift store, but you don't want to throw them into the trash?
Here are my ideas, feel free to add you own!
Old sweaters or sweats:
New sweater/sweats: Take it apart and make a child's sweater or sweat set out of it, and yes, you can take a knit sweater apart at the seams, cut it down and then sew it. I'd use a small zig-zag stitch along the edge to keep it from unraveling.
Mittens: Have the person that will be using them place their hand, palm down on a piece of paper. Have the slightly splay their fingers and trace around the hand, mitten like to make a pattern. Use the bottom edge of the sweater/sweats sleeve as the cuff of the mitten and place the pattern on the fabric. Cut around it, and sew it together. Hint: don't cut the folded section - it's already together for you.
Slippers: use the body of the sweater for the material. There are patterns on the net for fleece slippers that you can use the sweater material for. Just do a small zig-zag stitch around the edge, about 1/8 inch in from the edge then sew like normal. Here's one that I found just by Googling "Free fleece slipper pattern". http://216.25.11.234/familyphotos/sewing/info/fleecebooties/index.html
I would use the ribbed section of the sweater for the upper part of the bootie and not bother with the rubber "grippy" material. Instead, after I made them, I would use my fabric paints - the ones in those little bottles, and dot the bottom of the sweater fabric with that. That's what I do with regular slippers that I knit. Make some good size dots and let it dry completely before using. And if it should wear off, you can just reapply it.
Any item made of cloth:
Any cloth can be cut up for towels, napkins, wipes, rags, etc. Cut them into 10x10 squares with a pair of pinking shears or heck, sometimes I just start a tear and then tear them into the size I want. And I'm not wasting fabric by measuring things out. I just eyeball it. I fold the material to see how to get it to look about the size I want. Then I cut through the folded layers with my pinking shears. And unless your really bothered by loose threads, don't bother to hem them. After the first wash or two, they quit raveling. (I will say the first wash with the never been washed flannel was a mess to untangle. But after that, no problems with it tangling. And since this fabric has been washed before, it shouldn't shrink or fray a lot.)
Stack in an old diaper-stacker, an "Glad type" disposable 8x8 pan, make a hanger for them - anything to neatly store them where they will be handy. Use them for anything you'd use a paper towel or paper napkin for. Rhonda Jean in her blog "down-to-earth" (link below) has a pattern and some ideas of her own on using her rag stash.
http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/
Sheets, bedspreads and other large pieces of fabric:
Remember my furoshiki post from the other day? Well....Cut a sheet down to the sizes you want and use those to wrap items furoshiki style. You can do a wrap and have grocery bags faster than the bagger can fill them - or go in with cloth premade into bags and no sewing is necessary. Or use the material to sew bags for the groceries. Make a matching towel, potholder, apron, placemats, hot pads and/or napkins from a set of sheets.
Old quilt:
DO NOT throw it away. It's still got some life left in it. Make a vest from it. Make potholders, placemats, hot pads, crib bumper pads, or baby quilt out of the sections that are still good. Make (or get) some bias tape to sew around the edges. There's even a web site that tells how to make your own bias tape. So use some of the above materials instead of buying the tape.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2150592_make-bias-tape.html
and how to use bias tape:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2096166_apply-bias-tape.html
Old jeans/pants:
cut off legs and make purses from the left-over body. I once made a quilt top out of my then husband's old work jeans - the ones with the knees and bum out of them. I simply cut off the jean legs above and below the tears and used the material that was still good for "squares", but don't you know, I didn't bother with those tiny 4x4 pieces. I left them in good size chunks. I actually opened the inside seam and left the French seam that was on the out leg stay. I then matched up pieces of leg and stitched them together to form an odd size, large piece of fabric. Square it off, use an old blanket, quilt or batting for the inside and then either make another jean fabric for the back or simply don't use batting and use the sheet, blanket or quilt for the other side. Mark a line 4"down across the fabric, then 4" across the fabric to make a grid and then do a tied quilt instead of "quilting" it with regular fabric. Actually, since you wouldn't be using the yarn to hold down the insides of the quilt, you could easily make it 8x8 or even 10x10 squares.
How to tie a quilt:
http://www.instructables.com/id/SU7HS3XF0ZSTFTJ/
You don't have to have the "traditional small squares" quilt - that's what I'm talking about making when you use tailor's chalk and a yardstick to measure off your squares. And I've used yarn instead of embroidery floss/thread to tie a quilt.
Here's a 2 hr quilt idea that I found. Only, don't go to the store, use what you have at home. A quilt does NOT need to have an "insides" of anything. It does make them heavier/warmer, but you can do the same thing with layers of quilts.
http://www.instructables.com/id/6---2-hour-Quilt/
Either way you choose to make a quilt, you can either finish it the way the last link shows or you can just use bias tape to enclose the loose edges. You don't need a machine for either choice. Use the same floss/yarn that you tied the top to sew up the edges.
From any material you can make a braided rug:
http://www.craftown.com/instruction/rugs.htm
The crazy world of a former homeschool mama whose babies are young adults. Come learn about baking bread, Once-a-month/bulk cooking, making soap, sewing, self-sufficiency, what food storage is and how to start your own. What a 72 hr kit is and how to create one. I'm not an expert but I have been doing most of these skills for a long time. I like to be as self-sufficient as I can. I love learning new skills or ways of doing things at home instead of having to buy at the store. Come join me.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Furoshiki - now we can get rid of those plastic bags!
I don't even know how I got to this website. A link from a link from a link. But this reminded me of my days in Misawa, Japan.
When I was stationed in Misawa in the mid-70's, plastic "T-shirt" bags had yet to be invented. When you went to the store off-base and bought anything - no matter how big or small, it was wrapped in paper. Not just any paper, but Origami type paper. And the ladies wrapping it didn't use the first piece of string or tape. It was so folded that your purchase was inside and with a flick of a finger, the whole thing would unwrap. It was fascinating to behold.
But since those days, Japan has become Westernized. They use somewhere in the neighborhood of 60,000,000 plastic bags a year! This is an island nation. Part of it is very mountainous. The flatter sections are very populated. They just don't have room for trash. The Japanese government is promoting a throwback craft. Furoshiki (Fu-roshe-kee)
It's the art of taking cloth squares and wrapping things in it. You can make totes, purses, baskets and carriers from cloth that are very functional. It requires no stitching, beyond hemming a square of fabric. Once hemmed, you just fold and tie it to cover whatever it is you're looking to cover. And when you no longer need the item wrapped, the cloth is good to go for another item.
The squares are made of cotton, silk, or any combo of fibers. You don't want a stiff fabric, but one that is easy to knot and unknot. They are any size from about 12" squared to 72" squared. The most common size is the 27" - 41" range. I've been playing with the wrapping techniques by using a 17" square napkin I just happen to have.
Here is a link of wrapping techniques:
http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html
This chart of folding techniques is read from top to bottom, left to right. About 1/2 way down the page is a second way to fold, so there's 5 columns with 2 tips each.
Here's a second link with some history and more background info:
http://furoshiki.com/home.php?xid=663b1a96ee34cc502d8869a9cb82f53d
Here is a YouTube link of a Furoshiki shop in Japan. Part of it is in Japanese, but part of it is in English. Enough that you can understand what's going on. He's showing how to make a purse/bag/tote from a 42" square of cloth.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NC7MH3EzBWM
And last, but not least, here is a really cool video on how to fold a t-shirt. It's two folds and it's done. It took us a couple of tries, but we can now do this ourselves! The lady in the video takes about 10 seconds to fold the shirt - and that's only because she's demonstrating it to us.
Here is the video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK1nGpvaHno
And here are the written, translated instructions:
http://www.akuaku.org/archives/2004/05/art_of_tshirt_f.shtml
When I was stationed in Misawa in the mid-70's, plastic "T-shirt" bags had yet to be invented. When you went to the store off-base and bought anything - no matter how big or small, it was wrapped in paper. Not just any paper, but Origami type paper. And the ladies wrapping it didn't use the first piece of string or tape. It was so folded that your purchase was inside and with a flick of a finger, the whole thing would unwrap. It was fascinating to behold.
But since those days, Japan has become Westernized. They use somewhere in the neighborhood of 60,000,000 plastic bags a year! This is an island nation. Part of it is very mountainous. The flatter sections are very populated. They just don't have room for trash. The Japanese government is promoting a throwback craft. Furoshiki (Fu-roshe-kee)
It's the art of taking cloth squares and wrapping things in it. You can make totes, purses, baskets and carriers from cloth that are very functional. It requires no stitching, beyond hemming a square of fabric. Once hemmed, you just fold and tie it to cover whatever it is you're looking to cover. And when you no longer need the item wrapped, the cloth is good to go for another item.
The squares are made of cotton, silk, or any combo of fibers. You don't want a stiff fabric, but one that is easy to knot and unknot. They are any size from about 12" squared to 72" squared. The most common size is the 27" - 41" range. I've been playing with the wrapping techniques by using a 17" square napkin I just happen to have.
Here is a link of wrapping techniques:
http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html
This chart of folding techniques is read from top to bottom, left to right. About 1/2 way down the page is a second way to fold, so there's 5 columns with 2 tips each.
Here's a second link with some history and more background info:
http://furoshiki.com/home.php?xid=663b1a96ee34cc502d8869a9cb82f53d
Here is a YouTube link of a Furoshiki shop in Japan. Part of it is in Japanese, but part of it is in English. Enough that you can understand what's going on. He's showing how to make a purse/bag/tote from a 42" square of cloth.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NC7MH3EzBWM
And last, but not least, here is a really cool video on how to fold a t-shirt. It's two folds and it's done. It took us a couple of tries, but we can now do this ourselves! The lady in the video takes about 10 seconds to fold the shirt - and that's only because she's demonstrating it to us.
Here is the video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK1nGpvaHno
And here are the written, translated instructions:
http://www.akuaku.org/archives/2004/05/art_of_tshirt_f.shtml
Thursday, January 17, 2008
updates on life
First, thank you to all whom offered prayers in our behalf. I really appreciate it!
Nalani went in Tue to talk to the judge. They do things differently in a big city than in the back-home counties around here. Poor kid had to go into this huge court room and talk to one of the D.A.s assigned to the traffic court.
The possible "punishment" for failure to yield with an accident is 3 points on your record and a $150 fine. The D.A. pointed out that since State Farm already knew about the ticket/accident it wouldn't matter that they put 3 points on her record - her rates have already been raised. But she offered to drop the fine if Nalani plead guilty - which was what Nalani had already said she was going to plead. Then Nalani had to stand up in front of the judge at a large lectern and give her plea. The judge was nice to her but reminded her she didn't want to be getting tickets because it raised insurance rates. Nalani just said "yes, Mam".
It was a hard day because we still have big doubts that the accident was Nalani's fault. We had a Jag pulling out of a side street, Nalani starts to turn and looks back over her shoulder to make sure no one in running the intersection on the opposite side, BOOM. How do you get from a side street to an intersection in a 35 zone in the time it takes for someone to look over their shoulder? Why do you let your friends yell at a kid, but when hubby comes up yelling, you jerk his head down, whisper something in his ear and he shuts right up? Me thinketh something else was going on, but we couldn't prove it. We had our insurance company check, the X model Jag doesn't have an on-board computer, so we couldn't have that checked to prove her actions. So, since dd was turning left, she was at fault. It was a hard, unfair lesson, but as mom has been telling her, life isn't always fair.
Last night in snowed. Here in the south, we don't have snow clearing/ice melting equipment. So 1/2" of the white stuff will shut the area down. I rather figured that court would be canceled, but I didn't want to just not show up. I spent 3o minutes calling around before I finally found SOMEONE in the courthouse. Seem that if they cancel school, they cancel court too.
Since we homeschool, I have no idea what the school system does or how to find out. We also don't have tv and I don't listen to local radio. So I had no way of knowing what was going on. I just knew I didn't want to fail to show up and be in contempt of court myself.
So....everything is on hold until they reschedule this court date. I'll let everyone know when that is set for.
Thanks again for reading my blog and for your prayers and good wishes.
Nalani went in Tue to talk to the judge. They do things differently in a big city than in the back-home counties around here. Poor kid had to go into this huge court room and talk to one of the D.A.s assigned to the traffic court.
The possible "punishment" for failure to yield with an accident is 3 points on your record and a $150 fine. The D.A. pointed out that since State Farm already knew about the ticket/accident it wouldn't matter that they put 3 points on her record - her rates have already been raised. But she offered to drop the fine if Nalani plead guilty - which was what Nalani had already said she was going to plead. Then Nalani had to stand up in front of the judge at a large lectern and give her plea. The judge was nice to her but reminded her she didn't want to be getting tickets because it raised insurance rates. Nalani just said "yes, Mam".
It was a hard day because we still have big doubts that the accident was Nalani's fault. We had a Jag pulling out of a side street, Nalani starts to turn and looks back over her shoulder to make sure no one in running the intersection on the opposite side, BOOM. How do you get from a side street to an intersection in a 35 zone in the time it takes for someone to look over their shoulder? Why do you let your friends yell at a kid, but when hubby comes up yelling, you jerk his head down, whisper something in his ear and he shuts right up? Me thinketh something else was going on, but we couldn't prove it. We had our insurance company check, the X model Jag doesn't have an on-board computer, so we couldn't have that checked to prove her actions. So, since dd was turning left, she was at fault. It was a hard, unfair lesson, but as mom has been telling her, life isn't always fair.
Last night in snowed. Here in the south, we don't have snow clearing/ice melting equipment. So 1/2" of the white stuff will shut the area down. I rather figured that court would be canceled, but I didn't want to just not show up. I spent 3o minutes calling around before I finally found SOMEONE in the courthouse. Seem that if they cancel school, they cancel court too.
Since we homeschool, I have no idea what the school system does or how to find out. We also don't have tv and I don't listen to local radio. So I had no way of knowing what was going on. I just knew I didn't want to fail to show up and be in contempt of court myself.
So....everything is on hold until they reschedule this court date. I'll let everyone know when that is set for.
Thanks again for reading my blog and for your prayers and good wishes.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
When life gets scary
Normally I'm a law-abiding person. I have to be. If I EVER do ANYTHING wrong I get caught. I mean I ALWAYS get caught. So it's easier just to do what I know I should do. And to prove my point about getting caught if I do something I shouldn't:
In Dec. I was at my local Wallyworld getting whatever it was that I needed. I left the store and headed to my workplace. It was a Saturday evening-at dusk. I was trying to turn left, but there was a lot of traffic on the road. I don't need an accident, so I just sat there waiting patiently for the traffic to thin. However, the guy behind me wasn't so patient. Every time there was the smallest break in traffic, he'd inch closer to me, trying to force me to go. I could have gone, but the traffic in the far lane would have had to slam on their brakes. So I just sat there. By the time the traffic cleared enough to safely turn left, the guy was so close to me, I could no longer see his headlights in my rear-view mirror. He then proceeded to dog me all the way down the short, but steep hill we were on.
I was keeping one eye on the road and both eyes on my mirror. I was sure he was going to hit me. At the bottom of the hill is a stop sign. While watching him still coming at me, I noticed that there was enough break in traffic that if I went right then, I could get out. So I rolled to a partial stop, swung around the corner and was immediately greeted by the blue lights of one of the city's finest.
With no place to pull over - there were deep ditches on both sides of the road, I had to travel about 1/4 mile before I could find a safe place to pull over. I was worried that the officer was going to be ill with me over that. I got my license and insurance card out and he ran my tags. I asked him if he would pull my driving record and see that I don't normally get tickets (I've had 3 in 37 years of driving, all for speeding a few miles above the speed limit). Nope, he wouldn't just let me off with a warning. In fact, he wrote on the ticket that I nearly caused an accident?! I asked him about THAT, mentioning that there were no tire marks on the road, (in fact, there was no squealing of brakes and he was able to pull directly out behind me. So where did the "cars I pulled out in front of that had to avoid me" go??) He declared he wasn't going to debate it with me on the side of the road. So I just shut my mouth and resigned myself to paying the fine.
On the appointed day, I went in and paid the fine of $145 (ouch!) and was told that it would put 3 points on my driving record. Well, that kills the State Farm 28 year good driving discount. So I asked what I could do to avoid having the points put on my record. I was told I could talk to the judge.
Now I'm not real eloquent around authority figures. In fact, I tend to clam up. This has to do with some experiences as a child. I simply can not get out what I want to say. It's like I lose my voice and the ability to think straight. I look and feel like a bobbing-head doll. But I just had to speak to this man, so I came back a couple of hours later for court that evening.
I was blessed that there was a Public Defender in-house and that he spoke with me about what I needed to tell the judge. When the judge called my name, I was still a little unsure of what exactly I should tell him: No lo contendre or guilty. The "no lo" would have kept the points off my record, but I wanted to speak to the judge. When I hesitated, the PD answered for me: "Guilty, with an explanation". I was told to sit back down and after the judge had finished reading off the docket, he'd start over again and deal with those that needed to speak to him.
To make a long story short, traffic court is unlike regular court in a big time way. This was not a solemn occasion. He was joking with people and let a couple of people off with a warning- those with good driving records. So when my name was called again, I explained what had happened. the judge asked the Lt. if the citing officer was in house and referred the ticket back to him with the instructions to tell the officer what I told the judge. I thought I was doomed, but the officer was willing to let me off with a warning. Talk about blessed!
So with that scary situation under my belt, I have to take my oldest to court about her accident that she had in Nov. We did get our agent to check about the Jaguar having a computer, but the Jag dealer said that her model of car didn't have a computer on it. So there's no proving that the lady sped up.
We're resigned to paying the $150 fine. But she will get 3 points on HER record. And in this state, 4 points for anyone under 21 is an automatic suspension of their license. She's a chip off of mom with the speaking problem, but she's going to have to talk to the judge because if ANYTHING else happens she would lose her license.
We have court Tue for that. Then I have court Thur. over Child Support. It's supposed to be a contempt hearing for my ex, but I'm so concerned that the newbie (at least to this job) lawyer is going to let him turn it into a custody hearing.
I thought I had a lawyer that a friend was going to pay for. But the lawyer, for some reason unknown to both of us, won't take the case. Something about the D.A. being involved. Well, if the Child Support Recovery lawyer is with the D.A.'s office, then they're involved. But the suit against him is being brought in the children's name, not mine. So it shouldn't matter. Anyway, I don't have a lawyer and can't afford one -even if I could find one this late in the game that could make it to court that day. So if anyone feels like it, will you please keep us in your prayers?
My youngest is at dad's. She's stopped going to church - with dad's encouragement. She's gotten to be really rude with people (this was the sweetest child until about 9 months ago.) And every time I try to get her over here, they plan an activity so she can't come over. I got to see her for maybe 5 minutes on Christmas. In the meantime, he's still getting to see the other kids. (And no, I don't want to hold the other kids' visitation hostage until he lets me see her. That's not fair to the other 2 kids for me to do that.) If he gets physical custody, I won't ever get to see her.
This is all so scary to me. I hate conflict and confrontation. I hate going to court without a lawyer, even though I'm just supposed to be called as a witness. (I've never had to go to court for the other 11 times he's been cited for contempt.) And I hate that I've got to go defend myself and possibly lose custody of my 13dd. I'm trying not to worry and just pray that God's will be done, but sometimes we have to do something to help allow His will to come to pass. Many judges don't really care about God and those that DO care, are still bound by law. They can't just go by "well, God says to do..." And if you don't have someone looking out for your rights, there's nothing that the judge can do. If you don't know to what to object to and how to do it, you get run over. It's very naive to think that God will protect you when you don't protect yourself by using the people in place who's job it is to help. Only problem is, $$$. There are no pro-bono lawyers around here. There's one poor "Legal aid" lawyer for 13 counties from Atlanta north and that person is only taking minority custody cases. Sometimes things happen that are not "God's will", but he just allows it to happen. Otherwise people couldn't use their agency. And THAT'S what worries me a bit. I mean, hey, it's not God's will for people to make war on each other or murder each other, but he still allows it to happen. If he didn't we'd be just a bunch of puppets and not his children. Anyway, any prayers will be welcome.
I know - chin up, shoulders out, forward march! (Why do I feel like the Cowardly Lion?) Especially when I am so brave in other areas? I've been a medic and a paramedic. I've see stuff and been in danger before. Why can't I have the same "lay my ears back, duck my head and run forward" attitude when it comes to dealing with my ex and the judicial system? Who knows? I just try to remember Dorrie's admonition: "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swim, swim." But I don't LIKE the water! And I DON'T like to swim! lol
In Dec. I was at my local Wallyworld getting whatever it was that I needed. I left the store and headed to my workplace. It was a Saturday evening-at dusk. I was trying to turn left, but there was a lot of traffic on the road. I don't need an accident, so I just sat there waiting patiently for the traffic to thin. However, the guy behind me wasn't so patient. Every time there was the smallest break in traffic, he'd inch closer to me, trying to force me to go. I could have gone, but the traffic in the far lane would have had to slam on their brakes. So I just sat there. By the time the traffic cleared enough to safely turn left, the guy was so close to me, I could no longer see his headlights in my rear-view mirror. He then proceeded to dog me all the way down the short, but steep hill we were on.
I was keeping one eye on the road and both eyes on my mirror. I was sure he was going to hit me. At the bottom of the hill is a stop sign. While watching him still coming at me, I noticed that there was enough break in traffic that if I went right then, I could get out. So I rolled to a partial stop, swung around the corner and was immediately greeted by the blue lights of one of the city's finest.
With no place to pull over - there were deep ditches on both sides of the road, I had to travel about 1/4 mile before I could find a safe place to pull over. I was worried that the officer was going to be ill with me over that. I got my license and insurance card out and he ran my tags. I asked him if he would pull my driving record and see that I don't normally get tickets (I've had 3 in 37 years of driving, all for speeding a few miles above the speed limit). Nope, he wouldn't just let me off with a warning. In fact, he wrote on the ticket that I nearly caused an accident?! I asked him about THAT, mentioning that there were no tire marks on the road, (in fact, there was no squealing of brakes and he was able to pull directly out behind me. So where did the "cars I pulled out in front of that had to avoid me" go??) He declared he wasn't going to debate it with me on the side of the road. So I just shut my mouth and resigned myself to paying the fine.
On the appointed day, I went in and paid the fine of $145 (ouch!) and was told that it would put 3 points on my driving record. Well, that kills the State Farm 28 year good driving discount. So I asked what I could do to avoid having the points put on my record. I was told I could talk to the judge.
Now I'm not real eloquent around authority figures. In fact, I tend to clam up. This has to do with some experiences as a child. I simply can not get out what I want to say. It's like I lose my voice and the ability to think straight. I look and feel like a bobbing-head doll. But I just had to speak to this man, so I came back a couple of hours later for court that evening.
I was blessed that there was a Public Defender in-house and that he spoke with me about what I needed to tell the judge. When the judge called my name, I was still a little unsure of what exactly I should tell him: No lo contendre or guilty. The "no lo" would have kept the points off my record, but I wanted to speak to the judge. When I hesitated, the PD answered for me: "Guilty, with an explanation". I was told to sit back down and after the judge had finished reading off the docket, he'd start over again and deal with those that needed to speak to him.
To make a long story short, traffic court is unlike regular court in a big time way. This was not a solemn occasion. He was joking with people and let a couple of people off with a warning- those with good driving records. So when my name was called again, I explained what had happened. the judge asked the Lt. if the citing officer was in house and referred the ticket back to him with the instructions to tell the officer what I told the judge. I thought I was doomed, but the officer was willing to let me off with a warning. Talk about blessed!
So with that scary situation under my belt, I have to take my oldest to court about her accident that she had in Nov. We did get our agent to check about the Jaguar having a computer, but the Jag dealer said that her model of car didn't have a computer on it. So there's no proving that the lady sped up.
We're resigned to paying the $150 fine. But she will get 3 points on HER record. And in this state, 4 points for anyone under 21 is an automatic suspension of their license. She's a chip off of mom with the speaking problem, but she's going to have to talk to the judge because if ANYTHING else happens she would lose her license.
We have court Tue for that. Then I have court Thur. over Child Support. It's supposed to be a contempt hearing for my ex, but I'm so concerned that the newbie (at least to this job) lawyer is going to let him turn it into a custody hearing.
I thought I had a lawyer that a friend was going to pay for. But the lawyer, for some reason unknown to both of us, won't take the case. Something about the D.A. being involved. Well, if the Child Support Recovery lawyer is with the D.A.'s office, then they're involved. But the suit against him is being brought in the children's name, not mine. So it shouldn't matter. Anyway, I don't have a lawyer and can't afford one -even if I could find one this late in the game that could make it to court that day. So if anyone feels like it, will you please keep us in your prayers?
My youngest is at dad's. She's stopped going to church - with dad's encouragement. She's gotten to be really rude with people (this was the sweetest child until about 9 months ago.) And every time I try to get her over here, they plan an activity so she can't come over. I got to see her for maybe 5 minutes on Christmas. In the meantime, he's still getting to see the other kids. (And no, I don't want to hold the other kids' visitation hostage until he lets me see her. That's not fair to the other 2 kids for me to do that.) If he gets physical custody, I won't ever get to see her.
This is all so scary to me. I hate conflict and confrontation. I hate going to court without a lawyer, even though I'm just supposed to be called as a witness. (I've never had to go to court for the other 11 times he's been cited for contempt.) And I hate that I've got to go defend myself and possibly lose custody of my 13dd. I'm trying not to worry and just pray that God's will be done, but sometimes we have to do something to help allow His will to come to pass. Many judges don't really care about God and those that DO care, are still bound by law. They can't just go by "well, God says to do..." And if you don't have someone looking out for your rights, there's nothing that the judge can do. If you don't know to what to object to and how to do it, you get run over. It's very naive to think that God will protect you when you don't protect yourself by using the people in place who's job it is to help. Only problem is, $$$. There are no pro-bono lawyers around here. There's one poor "Legal aid" lawyer for 13 counties from Atlanta north and that person is only taking minority custody cases. Sometimes things happen that are not "God's will", but he just allows it to happen. Otherwise people couldn't use their agency. And THAT'S what worries me a bit. I mean, hey, it's not God's will for people to make war on each other or murder each other, but he still allows it to happen. If he didn't we'd be just a bunch of puppets and not his children. Anyway, any prayers will be welcome.
I know - chin up, shoulders out, forward march! (Why do I feel like the Cowardly Lion?) Especially when I am so brave in other areas? I've been a medic and a paramedic. I've see stuff and been in danger before. Why can't I have the same "lay my ears back, duck my head and run forward" attitude when it comes to dealing with my ex and the judicial system? Who knows? I just try to remember Dorrie's admonition: "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swim, swim." But I don't LIKE the water! And I DON'T like to swim! lol
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Happy New Year
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Christmas Eve, I spent the evening and until 7:30 am getting the rest of the knitting done. I had gotten my two kids stuff done, but still had the other fingerless glove to get done for my daughter's boyfriend. I had trouble with the first one I did for him. For some reason, my tension was WAY off and I ended up frogging it back to yarn. It was hard to do - I only needed to cinch down that last stitch and weave in the tail. But...it didn't look or fit right, so...rip it, rip it, rip it. But that upset my timetable. I'm just thankful that I got it finished.
We had our traditional dinner together, but it was a little sad. This was the first time all my kids weren't here with me Christmas morning. My 13dd is still at dad's. I got to see her for about 5 minutes. Long enough to give her her present and wish her a merry Christmas.
Hopefully next week I'll get her back, but you never know what a judge will do. It's actually supposed to be a contempt of court hearing on him, but....the attorney for Child Support Recovery is new to her job and sounded like a rather new lawyer in general. She may not stop my ex from turning this into a custody hearing. He shouldn't be allowed to do that, but....who knows.
Just keep us in your prayers.
The other 2 kids and I spent New Years Eve together. I had the opportunity to attend a single adult dance with other singles of my faith, but instead chose to spend the evening with my two kids instead. We had a nice time. I had bought some different cheeses, a beef stick and some sparkling grape juice. We watched a movie and ate snacks.
This is probably the last time my oldest will be home for New Years. She will probably move out in the next 6-9 months. She'll be 19 and finished school in May and even though we have a very good relationship, she's ready to get her own place where mom can't "pull rank" on her - even though that's only occasionally. She's ready to fly and that is good. It means she feels ready to take on life as an adult - though she pretty much does that now.
As for my boy-o, hopefully he'll finish up the few remaining badges for Eagle scout and get his project done. Mostly he just has to write up the requirements he's already done, they just need to be documented on paper. I think he's already got a good idea of what he wants to do for his project. But there's no use planning the project until the badge work is done. He has 3 that he hasn't done anything on and then about 7 that he's lacking the written part. And for pity's sake, he can TYPE it. But I guess I'm just going to have to tie him to the computer for an hour each day until it's done. Once he starts, he'll get it done rather quickly, but it's getting him started that is the chore. lol
I've started my own small business. I'm doing data entry. I only have one client, but it's a start. And my daughter and I are working on a web business idea we have, so time to blog has been absent. Hopefully, I can make more time now that a lot of the preliminaries are done.
I wish everyone a prosperous New Year, filled with love, laughter and the ability to overcome the adversity that is a natural part of life. May our difficulties be few and our paychecks be many (and well stuffed, lol).
Christmas Eve, I spent the evening and until 7:30 am getting the rest of the knitting done. I had gotten my two kids stuff done, but still had the other fingerless glove to get done for my daughter's boyfriend. I had trouble with the first one I did for him. For some reason, my tension was WAY off and I ended up frogging it back to yarn. It was hard to do - I only needed to cinch down that last stitch and weave in the tail. But...it didn't look or fit right, so...rip it, rip it, rip it. But that upset my timetable. I'm just thankful that I got it finished.
We had our traditional dinner together, but it was a little sad. This was the first time all my kids weren't here with me Christmas morning. My 13dd is still at dad's. I got to see her for about 5 minutes. Long enough to give her her present and wish her a merry Christmas.
Hopefully next week I'll get her back, but you never know what a judge will do. It's actually supposed to be a contempt of court hearing on him, but....the attorney for Child Support Recovery is new to her job and sounded like a rather new lawyer in general. She may not stop my ex from turning this into a custody hearing. He shouldn't be allowed to do that, but....who knows.
Just keep us in your prayers.
The other 2 kids and I spent New Years Eve together. I had the opportunity to attend a single adult dance with other singles of my faith, but instead chose to spend the evening with my two kids instead. We had a nice time. I had bought some different cheeses, a beef stick and some sparkling grape juice. We watched a movie and ate snacks.
This is probably the last time my oldest will be home for New Years. She will probably move out in the next 6-9 months. She'll be 19 and finished school in May and even though we have a very good relationship, she's ready to get her own place where mom can't "pull rank" on her - even though that's only occasionally. She's ready to fly and that is good. It means she feels ready to take on life as an adult - though she pretty much does that now.
As for my boy-o, hopefully he'll finish up the few remaining badges for Eagle scout and get his project done. Mostly he just has to write up the requirements he's already done, they just need to be documented on paper. I think he's already got a good idea of what he wants to do for his project. But there's no use planning the project until the badge work is done. He has 3 that he hasn't done anything on and then about 7 that he's lacking the written part. And for pity's sake, he can TYPE it. But I guess I'm just going to have to tie him to the computer for an hour each day until it's done. Once he starts, he'll get it done rather quickly, but it's getting him started that is the chore. lol
I've started my own small business. I'm doing data entry. I only have one client, but it's a start. And my daughter and I are working on a web business idea we have, so time to blog has been absent. Hopefully, I can make more time now that a lot of the preliminaries are done.
I wish everyone a prosperous New Year, filled with love, laughter and the ability to overcome the adversity that is a natural part of life. May our difficulties be few and our paychecks be many (and well stuffed, lol).
Monday, December 24, 2007
New fingerless glove pattern
I just spent 2 days trying to knit the old pattern that I posted in Oct.
I tried it on dpns and ended up frogging it - several times.
Then I got to the last stitch on my circular needles (I use my circulars for flat knitting. I have better control with them), pulled the loop through and before cinching it down, decided to try on the glove to see how it fit. To say it didn't would be an understatement!
So....I frogged it back to bare yarn and started over. Tried to use the dpns again and again I frogged it. So after about 6 times of frogging this same blasted yarn, I went to my circulars, but changed size and knit the thing flat and then sewed up the seam. As I went, I changed the pattern so that it didn't end up with a huge bulge at the wrist. This new pattern is fitted and I liked how it turned out. Now if I can just get the second one done in time for Christmas - it's a present for someone and so I have a deadline. I've got the ribbing done on #2 and just started the glove itself, but since it's 2am, I'm going to go to bed. Well....after I finish this blog.
Here's the new pattern by yours truly:
I tried it on dpns and ended up frogging it - several times.
Then I got to the last stitch on my circular needles (I use my circulars for flat knitting. I have better control with them), pulled the loop through and before cinching it down, decided to try on the glove to see how it fit. To say it didn't would be an understatement!
So....I frogged it back to bare yarn and started over. Tried to use the dpns again and again I frogged it. So after about 6 times of frogging this same blasted yarn, I went to my circulars, but changed size and knit the thing flat and then sewed up the seam. As I went, I changed the pattern so that it didn't end up with a huge bulge at the wrist. This new pattern is fitted and I liked how it turned out. Now if I can just get the second one done in time for Christmas - it's a present for someone and so I have a deadline. I've got the ribbing done on #2 and just started the glove itself, but since it's 2am, I'm going to go to bed. Well....after I finish this blog.
Here's the new pattern by yours truly:
Fingerless Gloves
Materals: approx. 2.5 oz worsted weight yarn - I used the Wallyworld $2 skein of acrylic - the big one and have enough to do several more pairs. Actually, this is left over from the slipper/socks that I flat knitted for my son for Christmas and still will have enough for a pair of these gloves.
Size 2 or 3 dpn or flat knitting is your choice. If you're not good at using dpns, do yourself a favor and knit it flat.
(The first time I did this pattern, I used size 5 and it turned out ok. I did decrease some stitches around where the ribbing and glove meet - to get rid of some of the bulk, but I do like the new pattern better.)
Gauge: I need to check this in daylight. The yarn is black and with my lighting, it's hard to count. Best I can see right now is 6 stitches to an inch and 9 rows to an inch. I think the gauge will change. For some reason, probably trying to learn to use dpns, my stitching was SO tight it was miserable to knit. With the second glove, I've loosened the stitching and it's going much better. I will measure both pieces when the sun comes up and get back to you. I'll also put "Edited" on the title so you know I've changed or confirmed the gauge.
Needle for finishing.
Cast on:
I used a size 2 needle and casted on 36 (and added 8 stitches at start of glove – after ribbing is done this shapes it to the hand so side isn't puckered or sticking out.)
Work in K1, P1 for 3" to 5" I do 5" because I like a longer cuff.
Begin glove:
Row 1 : K4, M1, K8, M1, K8, M1, K8, M1, K4 (To M1 (make 1) I knit the stitch like I would normally, then pulling the stitch up so it's a larger stitch than normal, I twist the needle so that it makes the yarn tight on the needle, then go back into the stitch I just used and reknit the stitch so that you've got two stitches from one knit stitch. The two stitches will look like a v with the needle going through the top of the v. Each leg of the v is a new stitch, the bottom of the v is from the row that is on the needle.
Row 2 : Purl
Row 3: K6, M1, K8, M1, K8, M1, K8, M1, K6
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Knit (Optional - if you need more room before starting thumb gusset, which I do.)
Row 8: Purl (Optional - if you did a row 7, you need to do this as a purl row)
Row 7[9]: Knit 14/17/18/21 stitches. Place marker, K 2, Place Marker, Knit to end (If you used the optional two rows, then the bracketed number is the row you're on.)
Row 8[10]: Purl
Row 9[11]: K across to markers slip marker, Increase in each of the two stitches (4 stitches), slip marker, knit across.
Row 10 [12], Purl
Row 11 [13]: Knit to marker, slip marker, inc in first stitch, k in following stitches, inc in last stitch (6 stitches), knit across .
Row 12 [14]: Purl
Row 13 [15]: Knit to marker, slip marker, inc in first stitch, k in following stitches, inc in last stitch (8 stitches), knit across
Row 14 [16]: Purl to marker slip marker, knit 8, slip marker, Purl to end
Row 15 [17]: Knit to marker, slip marker, Increase in first stitch, knit to last stitch and increase (10 stitches), knit across row
Row 16 [18]: Purl across to marker, slip marker, Knit 10, slip marker, purl across
Row 17 [19]: Knit across to marker, slip marker, increase in first stitch, knit to last stitch and increase (12 stitches), slip marker, knit across
Row 18 [20]: Purl to marker, slip marker, knit 12, slip marker, purl across
Row 19 [21]: Knit to marker, remover marker, bind off 12 (knit first stitch, knit next stitch and then slide the first stitch over the second stitch). Do this to marker, remove marker, then slip that last stitch back on with the rest of the to-be-knit stitches, knit it and all the others to end. (This binding off and reknitting that last slipped stitch keeps a hole from forming in bound-off area.)
Row 20 [22]: Purl across stitches
*Row 21 [23], 23 [25]: Knit (25 is what I use, but I like the longer length)
*Rows 22 [24], 24 [26]: Purl (26 if you did 25, then you need to do this row too)
Repeat from* for number of rows you want for palm length(remember to include the 6 rows below in calculating your length), ending with purl row.
If you want a tighter top, do six rows in K1, P1 ribbing and bind off. I do the K1 P1 it keeps the end from rolling so much and so that it keeps its shape better.
Otherwise, knit six rows even and bind off.
Sew up side seam (if knitting flat) and fasten off end.
To do this in the round, just knit all the stitches on all the rows EXCEPT when, on the purl rows it tells you to knit those few stitches between the markers. Those between the markers you will purl, so it turns out looking right and having some support at the end of the thumb.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Home-sewn 'feminine protection" - pads
Earlier this week Sarah ask me how I made my feminine supplies. I forgot that I was going to do a blog on that. Thank you Sarah for reminding me.
I'm at that season of life where I need feminine protection infrequently, but I do sometimes need protection from wetting when I sneeze. sigh Ain't having had kids great. The little left-behind damage done to a woman's body. More stuff your mama never told you about!
I was wearing a disposable "incontinence pad" because I never knew when a sneeze would cause a little dampness. I started out with it happening once in a while then went to it happening a LOT. I found that over time, I was having a continuing problem that seemed to be getting worse, so I was wearing pads more and more often, until I was always wearing them.
I came to be using cloth as part of a challenge. The challenge was to try cloth wipes for the bathroom. I did and really liked using the cloth for wiping. I had already started using cloth napkins instead of paper towels. Which got me thinking again about cloth for feminine needs.
After thinking about this for a while and reading the praises of others, I decided that I would make myself some pads and the result was AMAZING. After a couple of weeks, I noticed that I wasn't leaking when I sneezed - until I was sick and sneezing REALLY hard and a lot of times in a row. When I got really sick with a respiratory illness and was just sneezing my head off and the cloth pads weren't enough, I went back to the disposable ones. After several weeks, even though I wasn't sneezing as much, I was still having problems. So I went back to my cloth pads and in less than a week, I wasn't having constant leakage with sneezing. I guess there's something in the disposable pads that causes me to have MORE of the problem. In fact, most of the time, I don't have any problems at all.
The pads I made were very easy to make and I like them a lot. The only thing I would do differently is that I would cut up a piece of those "diaper changing pads/crib mattress protection pads" that I used with my kids and use that to back 1/3 of my pad - as a leak protection. I had even found one of those old crib pads while cleaning my daughter's bedroom. And I put it ??? I've hunted high and low and I have NOT been able to find it. I decided to go ahead and make the pads without it. So sometimes I do leak through my pads. I don't have the money to just go by some PUL to use. My solution is to just change frequently.
To make my pads I used polar fleece and flannel. I found both in the remnant bin at Wally world. From 1 yard of 60"wide fleece and about 1 1/2 yards of 35" wide flannel, I made 14 pads. Oh, the last 2 pads I used a couple of old diapers I had left instead of the flannel - I ran out of flannel. If I had had it, I would also have used PUL or mattress protection padding.
What I did. First, I looked online at all the different patterns/sites that dealt with this subject. I decided what style I liked. Then I looked at how fussy the pattern was going to be and decided that, I really didn't need a "shaped" pad. Also, I didn't like the sizing on the pads. I'm a large size and the tiny pads that were out there would never work for me. So I got the bright idea of just going my own way and measuring myself so that the pad would fit ME.
I used a measuring tape to take 2 measurements. Measurement 1 was from where I wanted the pad to cover from front to back and the second was the inside of my legs - as in how wide was my pelvic region from the inside of one leg, across to the other leg?
I like a lot of coverage. I've always hated having leaks - front or back - because of skimpy pads. I hate side leaks because the pad was not wide enough or too wide and bunched up.
My starting point with the tape measure was in the back at the point that I wanted the pad to start, then I pulled it gently up between my legs (over my underwear so it wasn't tight) to the front where I wanted the pad to stop. That was the first measurement and for me, it was 18". Others might want/need it longer or shorter. It depends on a lot of factors, most of them personal choices and likes/dislikes. Just measure yourself - or if you have a commercial pad that you just love, measure one of them and make it that length. If you're not sure how long you'd like it, try different measurements and make 1 pad of that length. See what length you like best, then make your pads that length.
For width, measure yourself like you do for your inseam measurement, only instead of going down your leg, you're going from the crease of one leg, across your nether region to the crease of the other leg. Again, measure over underpanties. For me, 3" is about right.
So I made my pads 18" long by 9 inches wide. Why 9" instead of 3. Well I fold my pad in 3rds, which makes the 1/3 part be 3".
First, I washed and dried my material in hot water and in a hot dryer. This way, it's shrunk all it's going to. Next, I snipped into the selvage and tore the flannel off across the top, until I had the top squared, then did the same thing at the bottom of the piece. Then I cut my fabric into 18" lengths and then across to 9" widths. (Actually, I snipped into the selvage edge and just tore - YUP tore! the fabric across. Made nice straight pieces that way.) Now the fleece doesn't tear and it is sort of a pain to cut - unless you're fortunate enough to own a rotary cutter. Scissors are a pain, but that's how I had to cut mine. Things don't have to be exact. Who's going to see it?
Any way you do it, you want to end up with pieces of fabric and fleece the length you want by 3 times the width.
If I had found the crib pad or had some PUL, I would have cut it 18" x 3".
I did have some 18" x about 3" sections of "leftover" fleece that I used - why throw it away?
I made a "sandwich" of the 18x9 fleece on the bottom, then the 18x3 scrap I put down the middle of the fleece. If I had the PUL/pad, I would have put that next to the 3" fleece section, so that as I looked at it, there would be on the left edge the PUL/pad, next to it in the center 1/3 would be the fleece (those two together, side-by-side, would be the middle layer) and then the right 1/3 section would be the bottom layer of fleece showing up with nothing on top of it. The top layer is the flannel and it goes right side up.
I didn't bother to pin it, I just started sewing around the edges with a zig-zag stitch, near the edges. I used a small zig-zag stitch about 1/8" in from the edge. That made a large rectangle. The edges are not all "even", but they're close enough for my needs.
Next I sewed 3" in from the edge on both long sides of my rectangle. So I was sewing 3" from the edge of my material and down the 18" length. I turned it around and sewed down the other side, 3" from the edge. I did use a straight stitch to do these guidelines. After doing a couple of these, I got smart and marked 3" out from the side of my machine needle and it made it so much easier and my line is straight. Yup, right on Mr. Machine himself! You could use masking tape - if the kids haven't absconded with it. But failing tape, a Sharpie does a great job and won't smear off onto the fabric - just give it a minute or two to dry.
This straight stitching divides your rectangle into 3rds, so it makes it easy to fold and helps it to not unfold. When folded it makes the pad as wide as you wanted it by the length you wanted. By doing a trifold, you have at least 6 layers to better absorb moisture. (The ones of mine that I used the scrap piece down the middle is 7 layers thick and when I find that pad, I'm going to open up the side and add that so it will then be 8 layers thick.)
To use: just fold it in 3rds along your stitch line, lay it in the bottom of your panties, pull up and you're ready to go. Snug panties are a help in holding the pad in place. Also, if you used the PUL/pad - which I would REALLY recommend if you can at all afford it, make sure that the 1/3 section that has the PUL is in the bottom third. That way, it's farthest from your body. The flannel will keep it in place in your panties and the next layer will be the PUL/pad which will keep the pad from leaking. (or in other words, fold the 1/3 section without the PUL/pad in towards the center of the pad first, then fold the 1/3 section with the PUL/pad towards the center next. That way, the center 1/3 of the pad is on top and next to your body, then the second section is next, then the section with the fleece - pad- flannel is last. When folded properly and with a middle layer of PUL/fleece, you're pad will be: flannel, fleece, fleece, fleece, flannel, fleece, PUL, flannel.)
Nicest thing about this pattern is that it unfolds to wash and dry so that it doesn't take forever for it to wash and dry. I toss them in with my whites. I wash with 2 Tbs of grated Fels Naptha soap, 2 TBS of washing soda (this is NOT baking soda, but the box is similar to the baking soda box - the same company makes it.) and white vinegar in the rinse spot - where you'd put the fabric softener. I wash them in hot water and dry in the regular dryer. They've been being washed once a week since about Oct. and I've not had any trouble with them raveling or coming apart. I've got a couple that have a bit of very light staining, but that's my fault for not treating them or at least putting them in some cold water or rinsing the blood out. I was in crazy mode from the comings and goings I was having to do, and just tossed them in a special container I use and the blood dried on them. I then forgot and washed in hot without pre-rinsing them or treating the stain.
Some people worry about "germs". The soap/washing soda is alkaline and the "germs" don't do well with that. The vinegar is acidic and the "germs" don't like that. Then there's the heat from the washer and dryer and they don't like THAT either. By the time the laundry is done, you've got more bacteria on your hands than you do in the clean pads (or clean cloth wipes, even ones that you've used to wiped after a #2 with!)
I'm at that season of life where I need feminine protection infrequently, but I do sometimes need protection from wetting when I sneeze. sigh Ain't having had kids great. The little left-behind damage done to a woman's body. More stuff your mama never told you about!
I was wearing a disposable "incontinence pad" because I never knew when a sneeze would cause a little dampness. I started out with it happening once in a while then went to it happening a LOT. I found that over time, I was having a continuing problem that seemed to be getting worse, so I was wearing pads more and more often, until I was always wearing them.
I came to be using cloth as part of a challenge. The challenge was to try cloth wipes for the bathroom. I did and really liked using the cloth for wiping. I had already started using cloth napkins instead of paper towels. Which got me thinking again about cloth for feminine needs.
After thinking about this for a while and reading the praises of others, I decided that I would make myself some pads and the result was AMAZING. After a couple of weeks, I noticed that I wasn't leaking when I sneezed - until I was sick and sneezing REALLY hard and a lot of times in a row. When I got really sick with a respiratory illness and was just sneezing my head off and the cloth pads weren't enough, I went back to the disposable ones. After several weeks, even though I wasn't sneezing as much, I was still having problems. So I went back to my cloth pads and in less than a week, I wasn't having constant leakage with sneezing. I guess there's something in the disposable pads that causes me to have MORE of the problem. In fact, most of the time, I don't have any problems at all.
The pads I made were very easy to make and I like them a lot. The only thing I would do differently is that I would cut up a piece of those "diaper changing pads/crib mattress protection pads" that I used with my kids and use that to back 1/3 of my pad - as a leak protection. I had even found one of those old crib pads while cleaning my daughter's bedroom. And I put it ??? I've hunted high and low and I have NOT been able to find it. I decided to go ahead and make the pads without it. So sometimes I do leak through my pads. I don't have the money to just go by some PUL to use. My solution is to just change frequently.
To make my pads I used polar fleece and flannel. I found both in the remnant bin at Wally world. From 1 yard of 60"wide fleece and about 1 1/2 yards of 35" wide flannel, I made 14 pads. Oh, the last 2 pads I used a couple of old diapers I had left instead of the flannel - I ran out of flannel. If I had had it, I would also have used PUL or mattress protection padding.
What I did. First, I looked online at all the different patterns/sites that dealt with this subject. I decided what style I liked. Then I looked at how fussy the pattern was going to be and decided that, I really didn't need a "shaped" pad. Also, I didn't like the sizing on the pads. I'm a large size and the tiny pads that were out there would never work for me. So I got the bright idea of just going my own way and measuring myself so that the pad would fit ME.
I used a measuring tape to take 2 measurements. Measurement 1 was from where I wanted the pad to cover from front to back and the second was the inside of my legs - as in how wide was my pelvic region from the inside of one leg, across to the other leg?
I like a lot of coverage. I've always hated having leaks - front or back - because of skimpy pads. I hate side leaks because the pad was not wide enough or too wide and bunched up.
My starting point with the tape measure was in the back at the point that I wanted the pad to start, then I pulled it gently up between my legs (over my underwear so it wasn't tight) to the front where I wanted the pad to stop. That was the first measurement and for me, it was 18". Others might want/need it longer or shorter. It depends on a lot of factors, most of them personal choices and likes/dislikes. Just measure yourself - or if you have a commercial pad that you just love, measure one of them and make it that length. If you're not sure how long you'd like it, try different measurements and make 1 pad of that length. See what length you like best, then make your pads that length.
For width, measure yourself like you do for your inseam measurement, only instead of going down your leg, you're going from the crease of one leg, across your nether region to the crease of the other leg. Again, measure over underpanties. For me, 3" is about right.
So I made my pads 18" long by 9 inches wide. Why 9" instead of 3. Well I fold my pad in 3rds, which makes the 1/3 part be 3".
First, I washed and dried my material in hot water and in a hot dryer. This way, it's shrunk all it's going to. Next, I snipped into the selvage and tore the flannel off across the top, until I had the top squared, then did the same thing at the bottom of the piece. Then I cut my fabric into 18" lengths and then across to 9" widths. (Actually, I snipped into the selvage edge and just tore - YUP tore! the fabric across. Made nice straight pieces that way.) Now the fleece doesn't tear and it is sort of a pain to cut - unless you're fortunate enough to own a rotary cutter. Scissors are a pain, but that's how I had to cut mine. Things don't have to be exact. Who's going to see it?
Any way you do it, you want to end up with pieces of fabric and fleece the length you want by 3 times the width.
If I had found the crib pad or had some PUL, I would have cut it 18" x 3".
I did have some 18" x about 3" sections of "leftover" fleece that I used - why throw it away?
I made a "sandwich" of the 18x9 fleece on the bottom, then the 18x3 scrap I put down the middle of the fleece. If I had the PUL/pad, I would have put that next to the 3" fleece section, so that as I looked at it, there would be on the left edge the PUL/pad, next to it in the center 1/3 would be the fleece (those two together, side-by-side, would be the middle layer) and then the right 1/3 section would be the bottom layer of fleece showing up with nothing on top of it. The top layer is the flannel and it goes right side up.
I didn't bother to pin it, I just started sewing around the edges with a zig-zag stitch, near the edges. I used a small zig-zag stitch about 1/8" in from the edge. That made a large rectangle. The edges are not all "even", but they're close enough for my needs.
Next I sewed 3" in from the edge on both long sides of my rectangle. So I was sewing 3" from the edge of my material and down the 18" length. I turned it around and sewed down the other side, 3" from the edge. I did use a straight stitch to do these guidelines. After doing a couple of these, I got smart and marked 3" out from the side of my machine needle and it made it so much easier and my line is straight. Yup, right on Mr. Machine himself! You could use masking tape - if the kids haven't absconded with it. But failing tape, a Sharpie does a great job and won't smear off onto the fabric - just give it a minute or two to dry.
This straight stitching divides your rectangle into 3rds, so it makes it easy to fold and helps it to not unfold. When folded it makes the pad as wide as you wanted it by the length you wanted. By doing a trifold, you have at least 6 layers to better absorb moisture. (The ones of mine that I used the scrap piece down the middle is 7 layers thick and when I find that pad, I'm going to open up the side and add that so it will then be 8 layers thick.)
To use: just fold it in 3rds along your stitch line, lay it in the bottom of your panties, pull up and you're ready to go. Snug panties are a help in holding the pad in place. Also, if you used the PUL/pad - which I would REALLY recommend if you can at all afford it, make sure that the 1/3 section that has the PUL is in the bottom third. That way, it's farthest from your body. The flannel will keep it in place in your panties and the next layer will be the PUL/pad which will keep the pad from leaking. (or in other words, fold the 1/3 section without the PUL/pad in towards the center of the pad first, then fold the 1/3 section with the PUL/pad towards the center next. That way, the center 1/3 of the pad is on top and next to your body, then the second section is next, then the section with the fleece - pad- flannel is last. When folded properly and with a middle layer of PUL/fleece, you're pad will be: flannel, fleece, fleece, fleece, flannel, fleece, PUL, flannel.)
Nicest thing about this pattern is that it unfolds to wash and dry so that it doesn't take forever for it to wash and dry. I toss them in with my whites. I wash with 2 Tbs of grated Fels Naptha soap, 2 TBS of washing soda (this is NOT baking soda, but the box is similar to the baking soda box - the same company makes it.) and white vinegar in the rinse spot - where you'd put the fabric softener. I wash them in hot water and dry in the regular dryer. They've been being washed once a week since about Oct. and I've not had any trouble with them raveling or coming apart. I've got a couple that have a bit of very light staining, but that's my fault for not treating them or at least putting them in some cold water or rinsing the blood out. I was in crazy mode from the comings and goings I was having to do, and just tossed them in a special container I use and the blood dried on them. I then forgot and washed in hot without pre-rinsing them or treating the stain.
Some people worry about "germs". The soap/washing soda is alkaline and the "germs" don't do well with that. The vinegar is acidic and the "germs" don't like that. Then there's the heat from the washer and dryer and they don't like THAT either. By the time the laundry is done, you've got more bacteria on your hands than you do in the clean pads (or clean cloth wipes, even ones that you've used to wiped after a #2 with!)
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Emergency Baking substitutions
So you're in the kitchen and open your cabinet to get out the ingredients to bake and find that the kids have used up the last of something and neglected to tell you. What to do, what to do?
Here are some handy substitutions. Actually, many of these are useful for everyday cooking. You know what the ingredients are! For instance, most baking powders have Alum in it. Do you know what "alum" is. Aluminum! Yep, the stuff that's been indited as a culprit in Alzheimer's. I'm under the impression that there are only 2 brands available. One is found in health food stores. I don't remember the name brand. The other is Rutherford's. The Rutherford's is a double acting, but you can make your own single acting powder.
Baking Powder (single acting)
This works well, but doesn't store well. Also, you need more of this than you do commercial.
2 Teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Baking SODA (sodium bicarb)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Mix together and add to your flour. (Use about half again what the recipe calls for)
Cake Flour
For each cup of cake flour you want, measure 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch into a 1 cup measure, then spoon in enough flour to make 1 cup. Level off and sift together.
Self-Rising Flour
8 cups flour
5 Tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Mix together, then sift a couple of times. Store in an airtight container. (Don't use homemade baking powder unless you're going to bake with the flour immediately.)
Confectioners' sugar
Put 1/4 cup regular sugar into the container of your blender and blend at highest speed for 2 mins. Stop the blender once in a while to push the powdered sugar off the sides of the container.
If you use a food processor, you can process up to 1 cup at a time.
1 cup regular sugar = 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups in a blender and a bit more in the processor.
To stop it from clumping together, mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch to each 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar. (Store-bought sugar has the cornstarch in it so it won't mess up your recipe.)
Commercial powdered sugar is a little finer powder than what you can do in a blender, so know that 3/4 cup of your homemade sugar is equal to one cup of commercial stuff. 2 1/4 teaspoons is equal to 1 Tablespoon of commercial.
If your processor can make 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar from 1 cup of regular sugar, then you won't need to make any adjustments.
Here are some handy substitutions. Actually, many of these are useful for everyday cooking. You know what the ingredients are! For instance, most baking powders have Alum in it. Do you know what "alum" is. Aluminum! Yep, the stuff that's been indited as a culprit in Alzheimer's. I'm under the impression that there are only 2 brands available. One is found in health food stores. I don't remember the name brand. The other is Rutherford's. The Rutherford's is a double acting, but you can make your own single acting powder.
Baking Powder (single acting)
This works well, but doesn't store well. Also, you need more of this than you do commercial.
2 Teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Baking SODA (sodium bicarb)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Mix together and add to your flour. (Use about half again what the recipe calls for)
Cake Flour
For each cup of cake flour you want, measure 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch into a 1 cup measure, then spoon in enough flour to make 1 cup. Level off and sift together.
Self-Rising Flour
8 cups flour
5 Tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Mix together, then sift a couple of times. Store in an airtight container. (Don't use homemade baking powder unless you're going to bake with the flour immediately.)
Confectioners' sugar
Put 1/4 cup regular sugar into the container of your blender and blend at highest speed for 2 mins. Stop the blender once in a while to push the powdered sugar off the sides of the container.
If you use a food processor, you can process up to 1 cup at a time.
1 cup regular sugar = 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups in a blender and a bit more in the processor.
To stop it from clumping together, mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch to each 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar. (Store-bought sugar has the cornstarch in it so it won't mess up your recipe.)
Commercial powdered sugar is a little finer powder than what you can do in a blender, so know that 3/4 cup of your homemade sugar is equal to one cup of commercial stuff. 2 1/4 teaspoons is equal to 1 Tablespoon of commercial.
If your processor can make 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar from 1 cup of regular sugar, then you won't need to make any adjustments.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Honey Whole Wheat Graham Crackers and "gingerbread" houses
I have yet to try this, but it looks really good. You won't taste the beans or the vinegar in it and the beans with the milk and grains makes this a complete protein.
Part A
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (save out about 1/4 cup. If flour is very absorbent, you won't need the full 1 3/4 cups, but if it's already absorbed a lot of humidity, you may need a bit more than the 1 3/4 cups. By saving some out, you won't have to add a bunch more water to have a workable dough.)
1/4 cups white bean flour
1/3 cup dry milk powder
1/4 teaspoon soda
scant 1 teaspoon baking powder (scant=almost, but not quite, a full tsp, but more than 3/4 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
Part B
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons water
Place part A in a bowl and mix it together. Make a well in the center and add part B.
Mix until it forms a dough. Don't knead it, just get all the flour moist. This is where you'll find out if it needs more water or flour.
Roll out dough to about 1/8th thickness (you can roll it in parts and use 2 pencils as a guide to get an even thickness. Place pencils on either side of the dough mass that you want to roll. Using a rolling pin, slide the pin over the dough until the pin rests on the pencils. Sort of like the skids used to move heavy pieces of stone.) You can also roll it directly on your cookie sheet, but you'll need one without sides or a pin that will roll between the sides of your sheet. Make sure you spray your cookie sheet with no-stick stuff before you start. After it's rolled out, you'll need to score the dough or cut it into shapes with either a knife or have fun with your cookie cutters.
It's best to prick the dough with a fork to keep air bubbles from forming. They won't hurt anything, just don't look as tidy. Large pieces have to be pricked.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes one jelly roll size pan of crackers if it's just scored into squares. Two pans if you cut out shapes.
This would also make a good "clay" for an edible project (don't know if I'd want to eat it after the kids have played with it for a while, lol). Let the kids model with it and then bake it until it's dry. Then they can eat it (or not). I would have them make the project in a couple of hours time, not let it sit out overnight.
You could make figures out of it, but I'd bake them at about 200-250 so they get dry. I don't know how long, as how long to bake will depend on how big the pieces are. You can make your own Nativity set. (This will make brown people/buildings. I guess if you wanted white people/buildings, you can make a dough from either salt or cornstarch and use that for anything you wanted to be slightly off white (salt) or stark, bright white (cornstarch).) Any of the above will also make good things to make cutout ornaments with. I have a set of 12 Day of Christmas ones that I've used. I poked a good size hole in the end so I'd have an opening to thread so I could hang them.
For those whom don't like the taste of gingerbread, they could also use this in place of gingerbread to make "gingerbread houses". It would take a couple of recipes, or only make a smaller house.
Download a template from the net or design your own house, roll out dough and cut out. It's easy to do. Use a sharp knife and a straight edge to cut 7 squares. 4 for "walls", 2 for the "roof" and 1 cut on the diagonal for the 2 triangular pieces that go to hold the roof up on the ends.
Place on a piece of cardboard covered with aluminum foil or cover the cardboard with pretty paper then on top of that with plastic wrap. Make this larger than your house and you can landscape it. Use frosting or make "royal" icing to use as glue - any kind that will dry. White icing makes "snow" and chocolate blends in with the brown to look like mortar.
Either use a pastry bag and a tip or fill a zip-type bag and just cut a very small corner off of it and pipe a layer of frosting on the sides of all the "walls" to get them together. Next put some on the bottom edges so it will stay on your cardboard base and place on the covered cardboard. Then attach the roof pieces. Glue all sides of every piece so that it will hold. You may want to let 10 mins go by to let the pieces harden a bit before you move them around. So do some gluing, let the pieces dry for a few minutes, then move them and add some more pieces. I'd let it sit for about an hour before I decorated it, just so the glue will have a chance to set better.
Now you're ready to decorate. Use whatever you've used for "glue" to hold your decorations on. Any type of candy is fair game. Just use your imagination. Dinner mints can be sidewalks or paving. regular chocolate-covered mints can be shingles or paving stones. Roll out gumdrops and cut into shapes, or make trees out of them. Lollipops make good trees too. Hard candies in a Christmas assortment (out at this time of year) make good pieces for decorating. Use some of the round pieces with the decorated centers for the "windows".
Or, before you bake the dough, cut "windows" in your wall pieces and add some crushed "lifesaver" type candies inside the cut-out square for stained glass. While the dough bakes, the candy melts and it looks pretty. Just crush the pieces very small and let it sit on the tray for a minute or two when it comes out of the oven so that the candy will harden a little before you move it.
Add a steeple and make a church. Only use 3 walls and make an open house that is decorated inside as well as out. Have fun and let the kids have fun. You're not making a piece of art for a prize, you're just having fun. Rustic is good! Don't worry that it's not "squared" or "perfect". You can buy perfect from the store, already done up. No fun to be had, but hey it's PERFECT. (or not. take a close look at store bought stuff and see the flaws in it.)
One last tip, if you don't want to make your own graham crackers, buy the store ones and use them to make little house with. You can make a whole village out of a single box. It takes 2 long pieces, broken where it's scored in half for the 4 walls. Another long piece, broken in half for two sections of the roof and another 1/2 piece, cut on the diagonal (a tricky cut, saw gently with a serrated knife to keep from breaking the cracker) for the two roof ends.
Hey, use some of those new mini, mini-lights and light your village with them.
Great gifts for grandma and grandpa from the younglings.
Or make "kits" either before baking the dough or after and let the grandparents play with the kids with this. (Remember if you give a before baking kit, it only works if there's an oven going to be available to bake the dough. Otherwise bake "blanks" and let whomever gets it do their own decorating.
So you kit would include either the dough ingredients layered in a pint jar with a list of the wet ingredients needed, plus the instructions. Or the dough that has been pre-made into the correct shapes and baked. With either one, include the fixings and instructions for the "glue", an assortment of candies (homemade or store bought), a pre-covered base and any other goodies you'd like to add.
Part A
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (save out about 1/4 cup. If flour is very absorbent, you won't need the full 1 3/4 cups, but if it's already absorbed a lot of humidity, you may need a bit more than the 1 3/4 cups. By saving some out, you won't have to add a bunch more water to have a workable dough.)
1/4 cups white bean flour
1/3 cup dry milk powder
1/4 teaspoon soda
scant 1 teaspoon baking powder (scant=almost, but not quite, a full tsp, but more than 3/4 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
Part B
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons water
Place part A in a bowl and mix it together. Make a well in the center and add part B.
Mix until it forms a dough. Don't knead it, just get all the flour moist. This is where you'll find out if it needs more water or flour.
Roll out dough to about 1/8th thickness (you can roll it in parts and use 2 pencils as a guide to get an even thickness. Place pencils on either side of the dough mass that you want to roll. Using a rolling pin, slide the pin over the dough until the pin rests on the pencils. Sort of like the skids used to move heavy pieces of stone.) You can also roll it directly on your cookie sheet, but you'll need one without sides or a pin that will roll between the sides of your sheet. Make sure you spray your cookie sheet with no-stick stuff before you start. After it's rolled out, you'll need to score the dough or cut it into shapes with either a knife or have fun with your cookie cutters.
It's best to prick the dough with a fork to keep air bubbles from forming. They won't hurt anything, just don't look as tidy. Large pieces have to be pricked.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes one jelly roll size pan of crackers if it's just scored into squares. Two pans if you cut out shapes.
This would also make a good "clay" for an edible project (don't know if I'd want to eat it after the kids have played with it for a while, lol). Let the kids model with it and then bake it until it's dry. Then they can eat it (or not). I would have them make the project in a couple of hours time, not let it sit out overnight.
You could make figures out of it, but I'd bake them at about 200-250 so they get dry. I don't know how long, as how long to bake will depend on how big the pieces are. You can make your own Nativity set. (This will make brown people/buildings. I guess if you wanted white people/buildings, you can make a dough from either salt or cornstarch and use that for anything you wanted to be slightly off white (salt) or stark, bright white (cornstarch).) Any of the above will also make good things to make cutout ornaments with. I have a set of 12 Day of Christmas ones that I've used. I poked a good size hole in the end so I'd have an opening to thread so I could hang them.
For those whom don't like the taste of gingerbread, they could also use this in place of gingerbread to make "gingerbread houses". It would take a couple of recipes, or only make a smaller house.
Download a template from the net or design your own house, roll out dough and cut out. It's easy to do. Use a sharp knife and a straight edge to cut 7 squares. 4 for "walls", 2 for the "roof" and 1 cut on the diagonal for the 2 triangular pieces that go to hold the roof up on the ends.
Place on a piece of cardboard covered with aluminum foil or cover the cardboard with pretty paper then on top of that with plastic wrap. Make this larger than your house and you can landscape it. Use frosting or make "royal" icing to use as glue - any kind that will dry. White icing makes "snow" and chocolate blends in with the brown to look like mortar.
Either use a pastry bag and a tip or fill a zip-type bag and just cut a very small corner off of it and pipe a layer of frosting on the sides of all the "walls" to get them together. Next put some on the bottom edges so it will stay on your cardboard base and place on the covered cardboard. Then attach the roof pieces. Glue all sides of every piece so that it will hold. You may want to let 10 mins go by to let the pieces harden a bit before you move them around. So do some gluing, let the pieces dry for a few minutes, then move them and add some more pieces. I'd let it sit for about an hour before I decorated it, just so the glue will have a chance to set better.
Now you're ready to decorate. Use whatever you've used for "glue" to hold your decorations on. Any type of candy is fair game. Just use your imagination. Dinner mints can be sidewalks or paving. regular chocolate-covered mints can be shingles or paving stones. Roll out gumdrops and cut into shapes, or make trees out of them. Lollipops make good trees too. Hard candies in a Christmas assortment (out at this time of year) make good pieces for decorating. Use some of the round pieces with the decorated centers for the "windows".
Or, before you bake the dough, cut "windows" in your wall pieces and add some crushed "lifesaver" type candies inside the cut-out square for stained glass. While the dough bakes, the candy melts and it looks pretty. Just crush the pieces very small and let it sit on the tray for a minute or two when it comes out of the oven so that the candy will harden a little before you move it.
Add a steeple and make a church. Only use 3 walls and make an open house that is decorated inside as well as out. Have fun and let the kids have fun. You're not making a piece of art for a prize, you're just having fun. Rustic is good! Don't worry that it's not "squared" or "perfect". You can buy perfect from the store, already done up. No fun to be had, but hey it's PERFECT. (or not. take a close look at store bought stuff and see the flaws in it.)
One last tip, if you don't want to make your own graham crackers, buy the store ones and use them to make little house with. You can make a whole village out of a single box. It takes 2 long pieces, broken where it's scored in half for the 4 walls. Another long piece, broken in half for two sections of the roof and another 1/2 piece, cut on the diagonal (a tricky cut, saw gently with a serrated knife to keep from breaking the cracker) for the two roof ends.
Hey, use some of those new mini, mini-lights and light your village with them.
Great gifts for grandma and grandpa from the younglings.
Or make "kits" either before baking the dough or after and let the grandparents play with the kids with this. (Remember if you give a before baking kit, it only works if there's an oven going to be available to bake the dough. Otherwise bake "blanks" and let whomever gets it do their own decorating.
So you kit would include either the dough ingredients layered in a pint jar with a list of the wet ingredients needed, plus the instructions. Or the dough that has been pre-made into the correct shapes and baked. With either one, include the fixings and instructions for the "glue", an assortment of candies (homemade or store bought), a pre-covered base and any other goodies you'd like to add.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
French/Italian bread or tortilla pizza
Does everyone know this quick breakfast, lunch or dinner trick? This takes less than 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave, less than 5 under the broiler or less than 20 in the oven. I taught my 2 1/2 year old daughter to make these for herself on a tortilla - without the sauce. I was pregnant and in labor from 17 weeks onward and on bed-rest. So I'd lay on the couch and watch her, telling her what to do. This is how she learned her numbers! (I could see the microwave from the living room - it was in a small trailer.)
Take a loaf of French or Italian bread and cut it in half front-to-back so that the top is removed and can be set upside down (on what was the top) on a cookie sheet next to the bottom half.
Then put some spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce (even though I cook, I've never figured out how to have a different "taste" for pizza sauce, so I keep some Ragu pizza sauce around). Spread some sauce on both halves - how much will depend on how much sauce you like on your pizza. Add some cheese and any toppings you have handy. You can use amounts that suit you or more importantly for some of us, what's available to use. You can use less cheese or even cut the bread into thirds instead of in half, but watch your hand that you don't cut yourself! This would lower the calorie count, but still taste good.
Bake in a 350-375 oven or under broiler until bread is heated and cheese is melted and bubbled a little.
This can be frozen either before or after it's cooked. I prefer to freeze after cooking so that the sauce doesn't absorb into the bread and make it soggy. Either way, just wrap it well in whatever serving size is convenient for you and freeze. We eat it all in one sitting, but then, I have a teenage boy. lol If it was just me, I'd make the pizzas and then cook them, then cut the bread again so that I have 1/4 of the loaf. I'd individually wrap the other 3 pieces, put in a zip type bag, suck the air out of it and freeze. When I wanted pizza, I'd put one piece in my toaster oven on toast or I could nuke it in the microwave for about 45 seconds - or until the cheese bubbles a little. You're wanting to thaw/heat the bread and melt the cheese.
We also do the same thing with tortillas. Usually we don't fool with the oven we just nuke them, open-faced, for about 45 seconds to one minute. Roll them up or fold them over to eat. This makes a fast breakfast as well as lunch or dinner.
Serve with grape juice and a salad. Yummy
Take a loaf of French or Italian bread and cut it in half front-to-back so that the top is removed and can be set upside down (on what was the top) on a cookie sheet next to the bottom half.
Then put some spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce (even though I cook, I've never figured out how to have a different "taste" for pizza sauce, so I keep some Ragu pizza sauce around). Spread some sauce on both halves - how much will depend on how much sauce you like on your pizza. Add some cheese and any toppings you have handy. You can use amounts that suit you or more importantly for some of us, what's available to use. You can use less cheese or even cut the bread into thirds instead of in half, but watch your hand that you don't cut yourself! This would lower the calorie count, but still taste good.
Bake in a 350-375 oven or under broiler until bread is heated and cheese is melted and bubbled a little.
This can be frozen either before or after it's cooked. I prefer to freeze after cooking so that the sauce doesn't absorb into the bread and make it soggy. Either way, just wrap it well in whatever serving size is convenient for you and freeze. We eat it all in one sitting, but then, I have a teenage boy. lol If it was just me, I'd make the pizzas and then cook them, then cut the bread again so that I have 1/4 of the loaf. I'd individually wrap the other 3 pieces, put in a zip type bag, suck the air out of it and freeze. When I wanted pizza, I'd put one piece in my toaster oven on toast or I could nuke it in the microwave for about 45 seconds - or until the cheese bubbles a little. You're wanting to thaw/heat the bread and melt the cheese.
We also do the same thing with tortillas. Usually we don't fool with the oven we just nuke them, open-faced, for about 45 seconds to one minute. Roll them up or fold them over to eat. This makes a fast breakfast as well as lunch or dinner.
Serve with grape juice and a salad. Yummy
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Buttermilk Biscuit master mix and recipes
Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
Some years ago I devised this mix and enjoyed it very much. This is a master mix, meaning that you make up a large amount of the mix and then use portions of it to make other things.
10 cups flour (white, 1/2 and 1/2, whole wheat; OR 8 cups white flour, 1 cups each bran and wheat germ)
1/2 cup baking powder (3/4 cup if using whole wheat)
3 Tbs sugar
4 Tsp (1 Tbs +1 tsp) salt
3 Tbs vital wheat gluten (opt. makes buiscuits lighter - especially if using whole wheat)
1 2/3 cups shortening*
Mix dry ingredients together (you can sift it if you want to).
Cut in shortening.
*you can use equal REAL mayo. (not lite or Miracle whip!) This will keep the biscuits soft once they cool, but then the mix MUST be refrigerated! With just shortening, it will keep on the shelf for several months.
To Use:
1 batch (6 cathead or 9 rolled and cut out)
2 1/2 + 1/3 cup mix
1 cup buttermilk (or put 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in bottom of measuring cup and fill to 1 cup mark and let sit 5 mins. Yes, this will curdle and look nasty, but tastes fine after baking.)
Mix together to make a soft dough. Knead 5 times, adding just a little flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Make catheads or roll and cut out or roll out in your pan and cut almost through the dough where you want the biscuits to be. This will give you square, break-apart biscuits.
Bake at 375 F for 18-20 mins or until golden brown.
2 Batches (12 cathead or 18 rolled and cut out)
5 2/3 cups mix
2 cups buttermilk (or put 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in bottom of measuring cup and fill to 1 cup mark and let sit 5 mins. Yes, this will curdle and look nasty, but tastes fine after baking.)
Mix together to make a soft dough. Knead 5 times, adding just a little flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Make catheads or roll and cut out or roll out in your pan and cut almost through the dough where you want the biscuits to be. This will give you square, break-apart biscuits.
Bake at 375 F for 18-20 mins or until golden brown.
You can also use this to top pot pies and casseroles instead of using pie crust or mash potatoes. Just pat dough out to size of whatever you're covering or drop like dumplings
To make Dumplings for savory or sweet foods:
Add 1/2 - 3/4 cups more milk to make a thinner dough, scoop out with spoon dipped in water and drop into boiling broth, juice, milk, etc.. Cover and cook for 10 mins, uncover and cook another 10 mins or until done. (Cut one and see if inside is done - light and fluffy instead of still looking wet.)
Some years ago I devised this mix and enjoyed it very much. This is a master mix, meaning that you make up a large amount of the mix and then use portions of it to make other things.
10 cups flour (white, 1/2 and 1/2, whole wheat; OR 8 cups white flour, 1 cups each bran and wheat germ)
1/2 cup baking powder (3/4 cup if using whole wheat)
3 Tbs sugar
4 Tsp (1 Tbs +1 tsp) salt
3 Tbs vital wheat gluten (opt. makes buiscuits lighter - especially if using whole wheat)
1 2/3 cups shortening*
Mix dry ingredients together (you can sift it if you want to).
Cut in shortening.
*you can use equal REAL mayo. (not lite or Miracle whip!) This will keep the biscuits soft once they cool, but then the mix MUST be refrigerated! With just shortening, it will keep on the shelf for several months.
To Use:
1 batch (6 cathead or 9 rolled and cut out)
2 1/2 + 1/3 cup mix
1 cup buttermilk (or put 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in bottom of measuring cup and fill to 1 cup mark and let sit 5 mins. Yes, this will curdle and look nasty, but tastes fine after baking.)
Mix together to make a soft dough. Knead 5 times, adding just a little flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Make catheads or roll and cut out or roll out in your pan and cut almost through the dough where you want the biscuits to be. This will give you square, break-apart biscuits.
Bake at 375 F for 18-20 mins or until golden brown.
2 Batches (12 cathead or 18 rolled and cut out)
5 2/3 cups mix
2 cups buttermilk (or put 1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in bottom of measuring cup and fill to 1 cup mark and let sit 5 mins. Yes, this will curdle and look nasty, but tastes fine after baking.)
Mix together to make a soft dough. Knead 5 times, adding just a little flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Make catheads or roll and cut out or roll out in your pan and cut almost through the dough where you want the biscuits to be. This will give you square, break-apart biscuits.
Bake at 375 F for 18-20 mins or until golden brown.
You can also use this to top pot pies and casseroles instead of using pie crust or mash potatoes. Just pat dough out to size of whatever you're covering or drop like dumplings
To make Dumplings for savory or sweet foods:
Add 1/2 - 3/4 cups more milk to make a thinner dough, scoop out with spoon dipped in water and drop into boiling broth, juice, milk, etc.. Cover and cook for 10 mins, uncover and cook another 10 mins or until done. (Cut one and see if inside is done - light and fluffy instead of still looking wet.)
"New" fridge and Pizza mac
My dear daughter fixed lunch for us today. I was busy cleaning a fridge I got off of Freecycle.
Seems someone got it from a remodeler friend. I think she thought is hadn't been cleaned and decided she didn't want it. But it had, it was just stained. I tried some commercial cleaner I had on hand and it didn't get any cleaner. So I got out a Mr. Clean sponge. Now I really do try to use my eco-friendly stuff, but this was NOT going to come any cleaner.
This fridge is black with a texturized finish and the Mr. Clean Eraser did the trick inside and out. It looks like new and is a lot larger than the older one I've had since 1984. The nice thing is that it has a shelf in the freezer and 4 layers of shelves for the fridge section. Plus the doors hold a gallon and a half gallon. No more frozen milk! YEAH!!! And I can finally organize my leftovers and all the normal stuff that lives in there.
This recipe is SO easy!
16 oz package of twisty macaroni, cooked according to the package directions
12 oz jar of Ragu pizza sauce
1 soup can size pitted black olives
1 cup of cheese
Cook the mac and drain. Pour the pizza sauce in, break up the black olives (or skip them if you don't like them). Add the cheese. Stir well and eat.
Takes about 20 mins from start to finish.
Seems someone got it from a remodeler friend. I think she thought is hadn't been cleaned and decided she didn't want it. But it had, it was just stained. I tried some commercial cleaner I had on hand and it didn't get any cleaner. So I got out a Mr. Clean sponge. Now I really do try to use my eco-friendly stuff, but this was NOT going to come any cleaner.
This fridge is black with a texturized finish and the Mr. Clean Eraser did the trick inside and out. It looks like new and is a lot larger than the older one I've had since 1984. The nice thing is that it has a shelf in the freezer and 4 layers of shelves for the fridge section. Plus the doors hold a gallon and a half gallon. No more frozen milk! YEAH!!! And I can finally organize my leftovers and all the normal stuff that lives in there.
This recipe is SO easy!
16 oz package of twisty macaroni, cooked according to the package directions
12 oz jar of Ragu pizza sauce
1 soup can size pitted black olives
1 cup of cheese
Cook the mac and drain. Pour the pizza sauce in, break up the black olives (or skip them if you don't like them). Add the cheese. Stir well and eat.
Takes about 20 mins from start to finish.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)