a busy domestic blog of knitting, sewing and all kinds of needlecrafts, cooking my garden produce and preserving it

Sunday 21 February 2010

cushions for the Den

Daughter's wendy house is being slowly converted to an outdoor teenage den requiring something in the way of soft furnishings. She made the pink plaid one herself - with a little help. Her first time using a sewing machine, so a little bit nervy.


I made the flowery one as part of a 'how- to- make' post for Make It and Mend It

Tuesday 16 February 2010

pink mohair jacket

I have run really short of yarn for this project. it was bought as a cheap bundle a long while ago and it isn't possible to buy any more.

the back, front and collar/edging are finished. I have 2 balls and some bits left, which doesn't seem a lot. the sleeves are only elbow length but with a turn back cuff. I'm knitting them downwards from the sleeve head and the length will depend on how much yarn there is.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

leftovers soup

Using up bits and bobs of leftovers to make soup for lunch.
Starting with about a pint of water/stock from boiling gammon at the weekend,adding a small carrot not much bigger than a finger, a slice cut from a turnip, half a sweet potato left sitting in the fridge, a handful of yellow split peas and half a chopped up onion. Everything in a saucepan and simmered for about half an hour.
Today's magic ingredient though was 3 or 4 tablespoons of sauce left over from yesterdays fake boston beans - I could always add a little tomato puree, a pinch of mustard and a very small dribble of black treacle another time to see if it tasted the same, but today's was a wonderful accidental soup.

Monday 1 February 2010

fake boston beans

SOMETHING NOT ENTIRELY DISSIMILAR TO BOSTON BEANS
to serve with cold gammon

first chop up a pepper, or half a red one and half of a green, put it in a saucepan, add a small chopped up onion, cover with water and start to simmer.
add - a tablespoon of black treacle, a teaspoon of mustard powder, half a teaspoon of chilli powder (could be more, or less, depends how spicy you like things)
simmer everything till the veg are soft
here's the 'fake' bit - add a tin of baked beans and warm through.

this serves 3 as a side dish or add a little more water and make soup for 2

THOUGHTS TO TRY

add mushrooms or courgettes
serve with pasta - only enough for 2
use as topping for baked potatoes