Finished! A Beautiful Bag

What else can I say about Butterick B5005, which is sadly OOP?  I've sewn it 5 times now, including for myself.

Diaper Bag and Changing pad

This version is for my sister, Terpischore, and my new nephew!!!

My very first version of this bag was for Poly, one of my other sisters (I have 4 of 'em). So, I called her to see how well her bag had held up. I was considering using Amy Bulter fabric, like I did for her's back in 2009 and wanted to make sure it would be durable. She reported that after using it daily until she no longer needed a diaper bag for her first child, she retired it to "beach bag" and was still using it. Even better, she reported that it machine washed beautifully and - six years on - the only real visible wear and tear was on the straps. That was all I needed to hear and I'm hoping that this bag holds up equally well for Terp.    

I wrote about the hardware that I've used for bag sewing when I made another version for a dear friend. The only elements that I've added since then are the zip welt pocket, which I first did for my own diaper bag (here). And now this fun "Handmade" plate from Emmaline Bags.

Zipper double welt pocket 

I never can get good pictures of the insides of the bags so I took the above and below inside photos before final assembly. They're a bit dark since I took them inside. But you get the idea.

 

On my bag, I use these nice sized pockets for diapers and wipes. 

The only other detail is that I made a matching changing pad.

Isn't the changing pad pretty with it's hot pink bias edging? As always, I used iron on vinyl.

 Here's a few detail shots...

Metal zipper

Outside pocket with a magnetic snap closure; webbing straps

I really think this may be my best looking bag yet. I'm just wild about the color combination and prints; they really pop!  And on that note I have to confess that I hope it's my last bag, at least for a while. When you do a bag right and add so many little details it becomes a big project. And frankly, I'm feeling very eager to get back to some non-baby-oriented sewing.

Anyway, I can't wait to meet my nephew and drop off this diaper bag in the next few days. I hope it serves my sister well! 

Quick Quiche!

One of my favorite things to bake and eat over the last year has been quiche.

I really craved dairy during pregnancy and found it equally satisfying during the early months of motherhood. With limited time and patience for baking, I developed this very basic recipe for a crustless quiche that was the perfect use for leftovers. My quiche making eventually got to a point (obsession?) where I started trying to generate more leftovers in order to have more quiche fillings.  

Calling this a recipe is an overstatement. It's actually a ratio based on how many eggs you want to use. The basic ratio is: 

1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 oz cheese (cheddar, gruyere, a blend...)
1 oz of one or more fillings
salt and pepper to taste

So, if you want to use 4 eggs, you would add one cup of milk, 4 oz of cheese and 4 oz of as many fillings as you would like. When it comes to cheese and fillings, you really can use more or less to suit your tastes.

Leftover Veg, diced leftover ham and gruyere

What do I mean by fillings? I mean leftovers. For example, the rest of the broccoli or spinach from last night's dinner. Or leftover roasted chicken or ham that's been diced. Or a few strips of bacon that you've crumbled. You really can use just about any vegetable or meat that you'd enjoy as long as it isn't too wet. As for cheese, use whatever suits you - cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella, blue cheese, feta..

Leftover bits of broccoli, mushroom and sauteed spinach.

Just put all your fillings in a pie plate (for a 3 or 4 egg version) or another small or large dish that will hold everything, keeping a bit of the cheese aside for topping. In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mix over the filling and top with cheese.

With a dusting of parmesan on top!

About 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven should do it. Just be careful not to drop yours onto the kitchen floor.

Yeah. This happened. 

Enjoy your quiche warm or cool with a side of soup or salad.  I ate my many quiches during the winter with this awesome and easy tomato soup. Perfect!

Summer Socks!

I love how these socks look.

They are Tennarisukka ankle socks; the pattern is a free Ravelry download which I knit up in Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn. This is probably why I love how these socks look. Isn't the colorway beautiful and fun?

But the yarn itself is kind of scratchy. I think they will definitely exfoliate my feet when I wear them.

The yarn wasn't scratchy enough that I didn't like knitting with it, but these socks definitely don't feel buttery soft. The yarn is much less springy than other sock yarns I've used and has little in the way of give. I think that this may be my one and only pair of Noro socks. I'll have to make the other colorway I have at home into a stuffed animal. Wouldn't that be fun?

As for the pattern, it was very easy and satisfying. I think it makes a nice looking sock with minimal effort or skill; the pattern is entirely knit and purl stitches. It was a winner for my first pair of back to work/back to commuting socks.

And now I am back in the swing of sock knitting and commuting. Sort of. At least that's what I tell myself.

How do you get back into the swing of sewing or knitting after a hiatus?