The Match Safe

Grandma Faria's match safe. I still use it every day! Saw one on Pinterest and thought I'd share my own.

Frugal fritter...............

It started a while ago, my obsession with getting that potato fritter recipe..... still have not found one that seems quite right but I will continue to hunt..... In the meantime, meals are prepared and eaten and conversations made. One Saturday recently while driving around looking for Buffalo China and nice neighborhoods with homes for sale, we stopped to have some lunch. Jamie went for the fried clam special, but I had the clam chowder with - you guessed it - fritters! Those clam fritters were good, not Auntie Mary good, but pretty darn close....... good food memories make me happy.

 So the other night I am trying to decide how to cook some chicken breasts and I open the pantry cabinet for inspiration and there is a photo of fried chicken on the side of the Bisquick box. I improvise.....I use the Bisquick and mix it with some Italian bread crumbs. Dip the chicken in an egg wash and then the dry mixture and pan fry the breasts.... very light and crispy.... how happy was I?????? (pretty happy)

Unfortunately in my zeal to make 'enough' I had about a cup and a half of the Bisquick/crumb mixture left and a bowl full of egg wash...... I hate throwing away food. I quickly mixed them together and fried little balls..... they were pretty good for an experiment.....

Tonight I came home and had an opportunity to make what ever I wanted as I would be eating alone.....I mixed together:

1/2 cup bisquick
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/8 c grated pecorino
1 egg and enough milk to give me a stiff batter

Then I fried away...... better than the first experiment. Light and fluffy and just enough seasoning.

Next time..... chopped clams and a little anchovy and those will be perfect!

I am a sucker for comfort food. It doesn't necessarily have to look good to make me feel good......

 

experimental

I didn't have the label of this fiber to list it here, but I should say up front that every item I have woven (excluding the two scarves from the initial class) have been created using clearance yarn. My experiments need to be affordable because I anticipate snafu's.........

This piece is acrylic, that much I remember. I probably should have used a smaller gauge heddle  as the difference between the warp and that finished project was substantial. That being said, I tried my hand at different combinations and did a bit of hand weaving insertions.

Now, I must get to my quilting ................................

Wool and acrylic blend......

So.......I like how this looks but I combined wool and acrylic. In the beginning isn't it all about making mistakes????  I am not sure how this will handle being cleaned but my foray into warping with different colors was fun and a lesson in patience. My calculations didn't exactly add up and the piece is large - 12" x 60" not including the fringe.  

Patrons Classic Wool Worsted (variegated) in Lotus and Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky in Spice

The Initiation

 
The first  two scarves woven at The Weaving Shed in West Boylston, MA. The light red/purple was cotton warp and alpaca weft and the second was all alpaca. Still afraid to put them to water, but the cold weather is coming and I will be forced to partake so we can actually use them!

good practice............

Small baby blanket. I warped using pearl cotton and Jo-Ann Sensations Angel Hair Yarn Pure Essense Ab-06 Pink/lavender . Soft and washable with  2" fringe that I thought would be short enough for a two year old. Good practice.........

Schacht 25" Flip Rigid Heddle Loom is here and producing!!!

 

After the wonderful class offered by Jen Baum of the Weaving Shed in West Boylston, I fell in love...... with weaving. I purchased my first loom and warped it with the least expensive cotton 'Sugar and Cream' yarn I could find........ the first experimental dish towels were not to be too expensive as I assumed the mistakes would be many (and they were) and the frustration level would be high (it was) and the language would be colorful (ditto) BUT I persevered and discovered that I had remembered more than I thought I would.  

The bottom photo taken by my fantastic supportive husband is the  first warp I put on the loom. Crammed into the sewing room I was determined to get SOMETHING started. The middle photo is the cloth completed and the top photo is up close and personal.

Shrinkage was at about 20% with the final washed and dryer product measuring 16" x 18" not including the fringe. It is thick and soft  and I can't wait to clean up a spill!

The first mistake I made was double threading each slot in the heddle, but it turned out rather nice and appears as though I meant to make a heavy duty cloth. The next piece is single cotton through each slot and that will be posted as well.........

I am so looking forward to gaining confidence with this loom and start producing some interesting clothing... any requests?