IBOL-It

photo from IBOL guy

I'm still working on the Miracle Foundation quilt log cabins and have a few more ideas for a couple more quilts. As I looked over the pile of fabric I'm using, I realized 2 things:

1. I have way more pink fabrics than I ever would have imagined, not being a pink person myself.
2. Even if I make 2 more quilts after the log cabins, there will be fabric left over.

So I decided to send off another IBOL package. I eyeballed (bad pun) the pile, estimated how much I should save for future quilts, backing, and binding, and took the rest, along with some fabric my stash, and marched over to my local post office. Ok, I didn't march. I biked, in the drizzling rain, to the post office filled with people mailing books (university town + start of school = lots of books being mailed), confusedly trying to send things abroad (which form? which box? which stamps? that much?!?!), and attempting to rent p.o. boxes.

I crammed my bundle into the priority mail box, filled out the customs form, got a hold of some priority mail tape to secure it well, and twiddled my thumbs as I waited, hoping I would make it through the line in time to get to class on time. Luckily, the line moved, and I had plenty of time before my seminar. I've learned to allow extra time at the post office because it can a slow slow crawl to the counter. By the time I left, it was pouring again. I keep telling the rain that I'm fine with the water but I'd like it to restrict itself to the evening; for some strange reason, the rain has not listened to me. I'll keep trying.

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Embracing the Mess

I hate messes and messiness. I straighten, organize, put away, and neaten on a regular basis. I make my bed every morning, I do the dishes while I cook, and I can tell you exactly where to find any book I own (crazy, I know).

But improv quilting is a messy affair. Last night I started the second quilt for the Miracle Foundation, another improv log cabin quilt. I cut strips, ironed them, and placed them into piles by color and length (did I mention I organize things compulsively?). And then I started making the blocks, at which point the neat piles turned into a disaster. I'm resisting the urge to straighten and reorganize the piles, knowing full well that they'll return to the messy mountain-like pile in minutes. Instead I cleaned up all the rest of the fabric that had strayed from the bins and took pictures of the mess.

So it's a good mess, and I'm trying to embrace it as I make progress on those log cabins.

Speaking of which, if you're looking for a tutorial on wonky log cabins, head over to Quilt Dad's blog where he's posting a variety of ways to make blocks (starting with the basic improv log cabin block). I'm a little more inlcined toward finger pressing and a little less dedicated to ironing each block every single time I add a log, but otherwise my steps follow his.

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My Friend Primer

Every time I manage not to move, I think that I'll be saving money on outfitting a new abode. And, in general, this is true. Yet while I'm staying in one place, there are still things I need. I spent much of the past year thinking it would be really handy to move those manila folders stuffed with articles and papers out of a bankers box and into a filing cabinet. Every so often I'd stop by the local recycling center and check out the filing cabinet options. I'd see decent ones but always find a way to talk myself out of it (the box isn't soooo bad and, besides, that filing cabinet is bulky/ugly/too big/rusted and won't fit in my little car).

Then, a couple weeks ago, a friend was over for dinner. We were eating, talking, and all the sudden, BAM! The chair collapsed, sending my friend to the floor (unhurt, thankfully). I'd known the chair (and its chair friends) were not doing so hot, but I didn't anticipate a crash landing and a totally unusable chair. I needed to replace it and didn't want to spend much. Although I'd been thinking of buying 4 chairs and painting them different colors, I now needed one new chair for sure and the others, well, I'm a little too cheap frugal to buy 4 chairs at once.

My local Buddhist temple was hosting its annual yard sale this weekend, and I went by to peruse the offerings. I found a chair for $5 that needed a little love and a filing cabinet for $20 that I bargained down to $15 (hey, they had a sign saying they welcome bargaining). I decided I would paint both yellow because a yellow chair would work with the warm colors in the dining room and a yellow filing cabinet would match the decor (including my sort-of-new corkboard) of my study. I scanned some websites and figured out that spraypainting both the chair and the cabinet should be pretty simple, and wandered over to my local hardware store to buy some paint.

I jumped right into the chair, following the online directions to turn it upside down to start. That moved along smoothly, with the paint adhering nicely to the somewhat scuffed (no need to sand!) chair. Then I turned to the filing cabinet. I got out the masking tape and covered up the handle, I wiped off the dust, and I roughed up the smooth areas. Then I started to paint. According to one online tutorial, 1.5 cans of spray paint would take care of a 4 drawer filing cabinet. I figured 2 cans should easily take care of my little 2-drawer cabinet and the chair.

Midway through the 2nd layer of painting the cabinet, I realize 2 cans would not be nearly enough. I couldn't figure out where I went wrong, and went back inside to consult my sources (here and here).

PRIMER!

Occasionally, my close reading skills disappear. Scanning tutorials is a really bad idea because it is easy for one (me) to miss crucial steps. Like buying and spraying primer to start. I had a moment in the hardware store wondering if I should buy primer, but decided I didn't need it. One late night trip to the hardware store later, I was equipped with primer (1 can) and more paint (1 can). It turns out that if you use primer, 1 can of paint is more than sufficient for a small filing cabinet. It also turns out that I should read and reread directions, especially before inhaling lots of noxious chemicals that, I'm sure, will do terrible things to me later in life. In the meantime, I've got a nice yellow chair (no primer necessary) and a nice yellow filing cabinet (primer very necessary).

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Not-Exactly-Friday Recipe: Easy Polenta with Spinach & White Beans

I whipped up this dish for company last night. I had invited a few friends over for shabbat dinner, knowing full well that my day was packed. While they were bringing salad and dessert, I was still responsible for everything else. Which was fine, because it gave me a chance to test out a couple new recipes and see whether they were, as I thought, doable in a limited amount of time. The answer, fortunately for everyone, was yes.

Last night's menu:
*Challah (already made and frozen. I now divide the dough from my recipe into 4 which is perfect for freezing 2).
*White Bean dip (previously made and frozen, just needed a little defrosting and warming; I use this recipe and halve the butter)
*Corn/Tomato/Black Bean salsa (bonus recipe below!)
*Double Broccoli Quinoa from 101 Cookbooks (I didn't have enough parmesan cheese, but the recipe is delicious for those who, like me, love broccoli)
*Polenta (recipe below)
*Tossed Salad
*Dessert (my friends brought the Chocolate-Almond Tart from Trader Joe's; it's decadent)

Easy Polenta with Spinach & White Beans
~Serves 6-10 (depending on whether it's the main dish)

Onion
8-10 cloves garlic
1 28 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes
6-10 oz spinach
1 can white (cannellini) beans
1 polenta log (organic, kosher, vegan, and gluten-free ones availble at Trader Joe's)
herbs (your choice! I'd recommend oregano, thyme, rosemary, chili peppers)
salt
pepper
olive oil

1. Chop onion and mince garlic.

2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and saute the onions and garlic.

3. Add the tomatoes. Stir regularly for about 10 minutes. IF you used diced tomatoes, use a hand blender to blend the tomato mixture into a sauce.

4. Add herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.

5. Add spinach and mix in until it wilts.

6. Add the beans and stir.


7. Slice 2/3 polenta into disks. Form small balls (size of gnocchi) with the rest.

8. In a 9x 13 pan, spread about 1/2 the tomato mixture in the pan. Then arrange the polenta disks and balls on top.


9. Cover the polenta with the remaining sauce.

10. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

11. Enjoy!

Notes:
*This is a recipe that can easily scaled up or down in terms of quantity and ease of cooking. To make it quickly, I used premade polenta, tomatoes from a can, and beans from a can. If I had a bounty of fresh tomatoes, I could have started with chopped tomatoes. I could have also made the polenta or soaked dry beans. Conversely, if I had even less time, I could have used prepared tomato sauce. I used fresh spinach but frozen could work too. It's all malleable.

*I prefer this dish warm, but my roommate ate it cold today and liked it. Eat as you please.

An extra recipe...

SIMPLE Corn/Tomato/Black Bean Salsa
~Makes one medium sized bowl

*8 oz corn (frozen, canned, or trimmed from fresh corn)
*4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
*1 can black beans
*Olive Oil
*Red Wine Vinegar
*Lemon Juice

1. In a medium bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, and black beans.

2. In a measuring cup, combine 1/8 c. olive oil, 1/8 c. red wine vinegar, and lemon juice to taste. Whisk well.

3. Pour oil & vinegar into corn/tomato/bean mixture. Mix well. Cover and let sit for an hour.

4. Enjoy!

Notes:
*I used what I had on hand. Sometimes I'll add red onion, minced peppers, or avocado as well.

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Scarves Times Six

Sometimes I get ideas in my head and I just have to follow through, regardless of the consequences. Last Wednesday night, before I packed for my long weekend trip to Vermont, I decided I should make a little surprise present for the friends I would be hanging out with over the weekend. These aren't just any friends, but college teammates with whom I spent a lot of time back in the day. We're now scattered across the country but try to see one another once a year. Or maybe this year it will be twice? It's an informal thing, it starts with an email from one of us, and then all the sudden we're coordinating travel plans and getting excited to see each other really soon.

One of the things I love about spending time with people I've known for a long time is that we don't need to do anything. We hang out, we cook, we eat, we drink, we talk, we eat, we drink, we talk, and so on and so forth. There's no pressure, and we're all just ourselves in raw form. It's delightful.

A few months ago, one of my awesome former teammates suggested I should make us matching belts. I recalled this last Wednesday and opted for non-matching scarves, given the time constraints. So the consequence was not going to bed until 3.30 am last Thursday (and waking up at 6 am to catch a flight). The other consequence was the fun squealing about what could possibly be surprise #3 (we were on the same page about bringing surprises...and brownies. We consumed a lot of brownies). I wrapped the scarves in different fun papers, and since I did so at about 6.20 am, I had no idea what was in each one. Everyone got to pick a wrapped package and open it to a surprise scarf, myself included.

It was really fun to mix and match fabrics, using some of the same ones in different combinations and throwing in a couple of small pieces I was savoring until just the right moment. While making 6 in one night cost me sleep, it was totally worth it and I'd do it again. Although maybe next time I'll start a little earlier.

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Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to everyone who commented. I wish I could send everyone something. But, alas....

I divvied up your comments into a fabric group and a scarf group, and used the random number generator to pick a winner from each group. Those who read 2hippos on their blog reader got an extra entry, as did anyone who is a follower.

The Winners (please email me your address!)

*Of the fabric: Fiesta, who noted that she's "happy that in a few days I can display all my fall quilts and such." It's certainly turning toward fall up here in the Great Lakes area.

*Of the scarf: Ginny, who said her husband was recently in a bad accident but he's alive and, I hope, doing well.

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Giveaway Time

In July, I reached 200 posts and passed my blogiversary. I intended to do a giveaway, but wasn't in a place to do it then. But I'm now ready. As I'm off in the woods of Vermont for the weekend, it seems like a good time to post the giveaway and give people a chance to enter.

The Giveaway
So what can you win? I wanted to make sure those who craft and those who admire crafts could enter and win something they would enjoy. Thus I'll give away 2 different things, fabric for the crafty types and a made-by-2hippos-scarf for everyone.

First, the fabric:

About a 1/2 yard of Aviary (not Joel Dewberry, another Aviary), at least a FQ of Michael Miller's Dazzle Daisy in green, and some other fabric goodies to be determined.

Second, the scarf:

This scarf features some Joel Dewberry (Chestnut Hill) and Michael Miller (Dazzle Daisy) fabric as well as the fun black & white print to the left and the gorgeous green and blue print in the middle. I received the latter from swaps and don't know their makers, but they're both very soft and wonderful.

To Enter:
1. Comment on this post, telling me which item you'd prefer AND tell me something else you're happy about -- your favorite song, the turn to fall, a book you've read, a friend who has visited...whatever has made you happy of late (aside from this giveaway).

2. Please make sure to leave an email address either in the comment or through a blogger account.

More Fine Print:
I will choose the winners in some random fashion at some point on Wednesday, September 2.

You may earn 1 extra entry by blogging about this giveaway (come back and let me know you've done so) and another extra entry by becoming a follower.

I think that's it. Enjoy!

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Friday Recipe: Zucchini with Pine Nuts

This recipe offers an easy way to use the end-of-summer bounty of zucchini. It's quick, delicious, and malleable.

Zucchini with Pine Nuts
~Serves 8-10 (side dish)

2 large zucchinis (I used green and yellow for variety)
1/2 onion
4-6 garlic cloves
1/2 tofu cake
olive oil
salt and pepper
pine nuts

1. Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Cut tofu into small cubes. Slice and quarter the zucchinis.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil, and add the onion and garlic. Saute until lightly browned.

3. Add the tofu and stir.

4. Add the zucchini. Continue to cook and stir until the zucchini is cooked through.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Sprinkle in pine nuts. Mix and serve.

7. Enjoy!


Notes:
*I used 2 large zucchini because that's what the farmers were selling. Medium and small would be fine as well.

*This can be eaten hot or cold, making it ideal for summer bbqs and potlucks.

*This is an easy dish to repurpose as leftovers. I reheated the zucchini in a saucepan and added black beans. Then I used the mixture as burrito filling with sour cream, salsa, and homemade guacamole. Even more delicious!

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Miracle Foundation Quilt #1

After spending a lot of time with the cool end of the color spectrum, I needed to experience the warmer end of the spectrum. Fortunately, I had a task that demanded using warm colors and, luckily, when I returned from New York, several packages of fabric awaited me. Thanks to the generosity of Lise, Jocelyn, Michelle, Grace, and Jen, I have a lot of red/pink/orange/yellow fabric to work with for the Miracle Foundation quilts. Yes, that's a plural quilts. Given the amount of fabric they so kindly donated (for which proper thank you notes and a small gift will be in the mail soon), I plan to make more than one, maybe even more than 2.


So I plunged in this week, trying to emulate a pattern I saw in a store, (sort of) committed to memory, and tried out this week. The idea is that improv stripy blocks surround improv quarter log cabins that surround a different color (in this case, not red). I'd say it sort of worked. I made 5.5" blocks, and the design might show off the other color bursts better with larger blocks and thus larger bursts of other colors. Even if most of the yellows, oranges, and pinks stay in the background, I like the quilt, and think it will provide a lot of visual interest for kids in the orphanage.


The back is a swirly red and black, while the binding is a red with white swirls. Next up on the Miracle Foundation quilt list is another -- and bigger -- improv log cabin. I'm hoping to get a lot of it done next week in part because I'd like to donate the extra fabric to IBOL, and the deadline for that is September 7. If that doesn't happen, I'll use the extra fabric for more donation quilts.

Speaking of IBOL, check out this post if you haven't already seen it. Robin writes in and about the spirit of Ted Kennedy, reminding us of his insistence on bettering the world around us:

"All of us will ultimately be judged, and as the years pass we will surely judge ourselves on the effort we have contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which our ideals and goals have shaped that event."

[from Ted Kennedy's eulogy of Robert Kennedy, 1968]

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A Chuppah in Progress

This is a tale about moving from there (above) to here (below).

And, before I proceed, I must reiterate my warning that my camera is dying a slow death and is not doing justice to the vibrant colors in the chuppah. The dull, somewhat 70s era shading stems from the combination of the crappy camera, indoor lighting, and flash (thanks rain!).

Starting to lay out the blocks, with the light and light/medium blocks in the center.

Surrounded by medium blocks,

and then by medium/dark and dark blocks.

However, the more I looked at, stared at, and contemplated the design, the more I realized something was off. It was unbalanced and didn't work. The problem, I determined, was the rectangular shape.

All along, I'd been thinking about a square; I decided it needed a square center, which would blossom into a big square. So I made more blocks (barely squeezing out the last dark blocks, hoping the fabric strips could eek out 2 more blocks). Which they did:

[See those striations, they are not in the quilt, they simply reinforce the ill camera.]

Here's a better shot, from a different angle:

I'm still a little concerned about posting these pictures, because they don't show off the quilt top well. Don't hold it against the chuppah. Here are some close-ups that, I think, give a better sense of what the colors look like.

Making this quilt reminded me that fabric surprises you. I included some fabrics I was unsure about in combination with others, fabrics that while making the blocks stood out to me, making me wonder if they really fit in. Then, when it was all put together, I barely noticed them. They blended in, my concerns unfounded.

The chuppah is not complete, but the pieced top is. The first time I saw this design, I thought it would make a lovely chuppah, and I'm glad I'm able to make it for a good friend. I don't, however, intend to make the design again anytime soon, for it is very labor intensive; chain-piecing helps, but strip-piecing is limited because variety is key in this design.

I've been calling this "Beth & Harley's chuppah."
Any suggestions for other, less literal and more evocative names?

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