Yearly Archives: 2008

Sewing Saturday

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Sewing Saturday is a new feature I’m adding to the musings and random ramblings ‘from me’. I’m planning on making it a monthly feature, and will try to get a graphic designed before the next one is posted.

This month I want to share with you one of the easiest sewing projects you can make. It is a good place to start with a young child wanting to learn to sew with the machine.

A baby blanket is a fun project, as it can be used as a gift to bless someone else. Therefore you can make MANY of them, and never be run over by them in your own home. If you have a serger this project is even simpler, but a regular machine is great and easy too.

You will need nice (not too flimsy) 100% cotton flannel fabric. You can make your blanket 30″ sq. (for a newborn) or 36″ sq or 45″ sq. We prefer the little bigger sizes as they make a nice favorite “blankey” that the child can use longer. Since this fabric will shrink, you need to buy more than your final size. I like to get 2 1/4 yd. for a 36″ sq. or 2 3/4 yards for the 45″ if I want the front and back to be the same (1 7/8 yd for 30″).

I really prefer to do coordinating patterns, different design on front and back, but the designs go together. For that, get 1 1/8 yd each of 2 different fabrics for the 36″, or 1 3/8 yd each of 2 different fabrics for the 45″ (1 yd each for 30″).

Pre-shrink (wash and dry) the fabric (and iron if needed.)

Cut 2 squares the size you want your blanket to be. (The finished blanket actually will be a little smaller, if you’re using a regular sewing machine, as I’m not adding seam allowance to these.) Be sure to cut along the grain, you want a perfect 90° corner so your blanket will be truly square and not cockeyed. I like to use a rotary cutter and mat for cutting pieces like this. (Using the full width of the fabric and making your square to match that measurement is the easiest way.)

You can leave your corners square if you like, or you can round them. I prefer rounded, especially with a serger, but with a beginner and regular sewing machine you may just want to leave them square. To round the corners, put the 2 pieces of fabric directly on top of each other, right sides together if stitching by regular sewing machine, wrong sides together if using a serger. Place a plate in the corner with the edge of the plate exactly on the edges of the blanket. With a marking pen draw around the edge of the plate, then cut on your line, to round the corners.

If using a serger, pick a “pretty” thread – I usually like to use a variegated, “wooly” thread in the needles. Just stitch the sides together, sewing right on the edge (not cutting any off,) rounding the corners, and overlapping your stitching a bit when you get clear around. After cutting your threads, pull the ends to tighten and “seal” the stitching. You’re done!

If using a regular machine, use a 1/2″ seam allowance and start stitching slightly past the middle of one of the sides, sew to the corner and turn, (or round each corner if you’ve cut them this way) clear around until you get back to your first side, but NOT all the way around. Leave an opening about 8″ or so. Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end of your sewing.

Turn blanket right side out and press edges, so the seam is nice and flat, tucking in the seam allowance of the opening. Hand stitch the opening closed. Top stitch, with a pretty coordinating color thread, completely around the blanket, 1/4″ in from the edge. Now You’re Done!

My dd has enjoyed making these as baby gifts for her older sisters’ babies. They are such a nice, soft and pretty and useful gift. You can make matching washies (for bath or wiping bottoms) or hankies (don’t use kleenex on a little nose, these are much softer) or burp clothes (if the mom uses them) out of properly sized pieces of fabric, by either just serging edges, or making a small hem all around. I prefer double sided for all but the hankies. To do this follow the exact same instructions as the blanket, using a glass or smaller round for the corners.

Sew much fun!

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
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Chili Non-Carne – Friday Food

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We love Chili! When we greatly cut back our meat eating, we found it can be just as delicious without it. A friend (who doesn’t leave meat out) had already got me on to adding rice to it. Add a pan of cornbread with honey butter and a salad – yum, yum!

Lisa’s Good for You Naturally™ Chili Non-Carne

Rinse and Cook – until just soft, not mushy:

3 c. dried pinto beans (in at least 12 c. water)

Add:

1 c. brown rice (uncooked)

1 lg. can/jar (28-32 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 lg. can/jar (28-32 oz.) diced (or whole) tomatoes

(or you can use all of either or 3-4 1# cans)

1 med. fresh chopped onion (or about 1/4 c. dried)

1 sm. (or 1/2 lg.) chopped green pepper

2 Tbl. (or more) chili powder

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)

1/2 tsp. dried minced garlic (or a couple cloves fresh)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Simmer at least an hour, until rice is soft. Adding more water if necessary.

S&P as desired.

My dh prefers more cayenne and adds hot sauce (Tapitio) at the table too.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
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What I’d Like to See in a President

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What qualities are you looking for? The more I read the more I like the candidate we’ve chose to back. We began by looking for the best constitutionalist. It led us here – to the only constitutionalist running. The more I read, the more I believe we’ve made the right decision.

My friend Miiko has a nice list to introduce you to Ron Paul, if you’re going "Who?" Click on over and take a peek.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
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Corn Chowder Recipe – Friday Food

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Announcing! Friday Food – and Health Helps! Every Friday (Lord willing) I’ll post a Good for You – Naturally! recipe for a yummy food or homemade health help.

This week’s recipe is for Corn Chowder. I promised this one long ago, but the recipe was lost, and I couldn’t remember it off the top of my head, and when we found it I forgot about the post. We usually serve this with carrot and celery strips and oatmeal muffins with butter.

Lisa’s Good for You – Naturally!™ Corn Chowder

Cook in 6 c. water – until potatoes are soft:

4 c. cubed potatoes

1 med. chopped onion

1 sm. chopped green pepper (or 1/2 large)

Blend until smooth, with hand blender – or in regular blender (be careful!)

In a separate pan, make white sauce – heat:

1/2 c. butter

1 qt. not milk (homemade Almond Milk, or other)

Mix thoroughly (in separate container) – I use a shaker:

1 c. fresh ground whole wheat flour

2 (more) c. not milk

When butter/milk comes to a boil, whisk in the flour/milk. Simmer until thickened. Stirring often.

Stir in:

8 c. frozen corn

blended potato mixture

Heat through. Adding more water if necessary. S&P to taste.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
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Winter Reading Challenge

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I just joined the Puritan Reading Challenge (see sidebar). And here I am joining another reading challenge. (Click image to learn about it and join for yourself. Some random participant will win a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.)

I can’t help it. I am a bibliophile. I’d rather read than just about anything – except write sometimes. Yes, even rather than eat. Yes, I do skip many meals to get reading time. But, I’m not getting near as many books read as I’d like lately. I think some of that is due to reading too many emails that flood my inbox – and all its orderly sorting folders.

This winter I’ve made no resolutions or vows, not even to a Bible reading schedule, but I have told myself I want to write more, plan better lessons, spend more time with the children one on one, and read more. I should probably add – and sleep more – to that list, as I’ve not been getting enough sleep either (doing those things on that list that can only be done after children go to bed). But God has not increased my hours in the day, so I’m really not sure how I’ll do even one of those, let alone all of them. I don’t read that many emails that I can cut out. So I can only pray for grace to redeem the time that I have, to look for little moments that could be lost and use them for the best use I can.

What am I saying?! I’m already work driven. I never rest and "do nothing", and am usually multi-tasking. But irregardless I’m going to try – knowing that if I don’t complete them, nothing drastic will happen. I will know I’ve done my best, and I will have the joy of increased growth. This is nothing new I had to think about. This is the list I intended to work on before I ever heard of a possible $25 reward for posting about it. 🙂

So here is my list:

Selected chapters from Exodus, Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, Daniel, Ezra, and the whole book of Ruth  (according to my Bible lesson planning)

Ephesians – with in-depth study and research

The Bruised Reed (for Puritan Reading Challenge)

They Mystery of Providence (for Puritan Reading Challenge)

The Godly Man’s Picture (for Puritan Reading Challenge – but not even intending on getting it finished before the 17th of March – perhaps half by then.)

A History of American Christianity – Leonard Woolsey Bacon (anyone know anything about this book? – again I’m working on a specific section of it)

Doctrines of Grace – James Montgomery Boice

Family Driven Faith – Voddie Baucham

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God – Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey (if I finally get it ordered)

I’m going to stop there. This is pretty ambitious and I still have to finish the books I am currently reading to the children, which include:  (and when these are finished start new ones)

Building the Nation – Charles Coffin

Sketches from Church History

Guns of Thunder – Doug Bond (I’m guessing we’ll finish this and begin the next one in this series)

Mr. Pipes Comes to America – Doug Bond

Training Hearts, Teaching Minds – Starr Meade (we won’t finish this one until probably next year)

And parts of Bible Doctrine, Practical Religion, Democracy in America, Universal History in Perspective, Basic History of the United States, (is that all?) with my youth; as well as other books for planning lessons.

And someday I do really hope to finish:

Religious Affections – Jonathan Edwards

And no doubt there will be plenty of reading that will pop up between now and mid-March that may displace some of this.

I’ll let you know how it is going.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
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Food Allergies

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There has been a great increase* in food allergies in recent history and many are linking them to additives and modifications to our food sources. "Scientifically" the jury is still out on some, but we don’t need an undeniable "scientific link" to know when our body functions and feels better and doesn’t.

In addition to food allergies, in which the immune system has an immediate response, there are also far more food sensitivities, when the bodily changes can happen more slowly.

How can you best avoid foods that cause allery or sensitivity responses?

"O’Brien recommends that people throw out their nonorganic, processed, genetically modified, artificially created, or hormone-laced food." Mercola.com

Frankly, that is a great start. Adulterated foods are usually the culprits, and their effects go far beyond immediate allergic reactions, and milder sensitivities. They tear down our health in many ways.

In addition to the chemical additives, (in both growing and producing,) other processes can be the culprit too. Pasteurization of milk renders many unable to tolerate it. Although even without pasteurization, cow’s milk is highly mucous producing and a tearer down of our health. Dairy is one of the top three food allergens. But some people with dairy allergies are able to tolerate raw dairy products far better then pasteurized.

Along with dairy products, wheat is another of the top 3 allergens. Many people who are unable to tolerate wheat are able to eat Kamut and Spelt (non-hybrids) without problems. But for some gluten, no matter how pure the form, is intolerable.

Soy is the other of the top 3 food allergens. I wonder with all the rap soy is taking if this is a plate of cooked soy beans, or all the modified soy food "products", that people are allergic too. Soy, as a cooked bean is rarely eaten in America. But soy products abound.

I still agree with "O’Brien" quoted above. Get a pure food source and see what happens in your body. If you still have problems, remove one (or all) of the top 3 offenders. In fact, even if you don’t suspect food allergies or "sensitivities" follow O’Brien’s advise anyhow. Your body will love you for it.

*note: hospitalizations for food allergies have increased 400% in the UK since 1990.

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
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