Singlet Tote Bag

This week - let's try a bag!

This Week's Pin:  SaltTree: DIY Tank Top Tote in 5 minutes   

Original Source: http://www.salttree.net/2011/08/diy-tank-top-tote-in-5-minutes.html

Who's This For?:  The girls to use for shopping

Cost:  Zero - All recycled materials and scraps

You'll need sewing pins, a sewing machine, scissors and a singlet top you no longer want to wear.  If there is one, remove the label at the top of the inside back of the singlet.  Otherwise, it'll always look like a singlet.

Cut off the bottom in a curve shape.  Make sure yours is more even than mine.

Pin a few pleats in the bottom and turn inside out.  Sew the bottom edges together.  Turn right side out again.

Cut out some petal shapes from felt scraps to make a flower.  I kept experimenting with designs but unfortunately, some of my earlier flowers above were a fail.

I used this design to create a really nice result.  I drew a 7 petal flower roughly on paper.  Then I cut out 5 flowers making each one a little bit smaller than the previous.  Then I layered them with the smallest flower on the top.  Simply pin and sew to the bag.

Have a look at my tutorial on the t-shirt scarf (click here).  I show you how to make a felt flower that you can glue or sew.  There are also some tutorials for really nice jersey flowers from 'intheoldroad' - click here. 

So that's it really.  So simple.  Here's the final result.  As a final addition, I topstitched around the top of the bag (not the handles because they need to stretch and I had to unpick mine).  My daughter liked it so much, she said "I'd wear that as it is now!"

Did it take 5 minutes?  Well no, but it was done in an hour and I spent more time experimenting with my flowers than sewing the bag up.  So I'm sure it's do-able in 5 minutes if you've got a decoration ready to attach.


Soops

“It's as hard to get from almost finished to finished as to get from beginning to almost done.”
― Elinor Fuchs

Apple Cinnamon Chimichangas

School's back and I find myself back here too.  I've missed this blog.  School holidays are filled with late breakfasts, movies, catching up on everything that's put off during school term and routines go out the window.  I had to go to work a number of days as well.  My crafty hands are feeling idle.  Let's get on with it then.

This week I've made something sweet and warm for dessert.  Oh and of course, it's quick and simple too.

This Week's Pin:  Apple Cinnamon Chimichangas

Original Source: http://www.kidskubby.com/20-unique-apple-dessert-recipes/9/

Who's This For?:  The whole family

Difficulty:  Simple - 3 steps

Two ingredients above plus brown sugar and cinnamon = yummo.  The website, kidskubby.com has a dozen great apple recipes.  The actual recipe for these chimichangas originates from jcocina.  But where does the "chimichanga" originate from?  I've heard a story about it meaning "thingamajig".  Seems apt enough.

So my interpretation of a chimichanga is that it's a flour torilla filled with yummy things and fried.  The last time I heard someone talk about one was Princess Fiona in the Shrek movie talking to Cookie ( Read it here.)  Time to try one.

Dinner's finished so let's get dessert ready. Chop up 4 granny smith apples. In a saucepan put the water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes so that it becomes thick and gooey.

Add the apples, turn the temperature down and cook until the apples are soft. Let it cool.

I spooned a little of the filling into the tortillas and folded them up.  Only one cracked and the warm appled burst out while I was folding but the rest I managed to keep intact.  

There is a Pin with the recipe to make your own tortillas.  Perhaps I should have made my own.  So that I begin with a soft, fresh tortilla, next time I'll try some of these too.  Hopefully not too time consuming.  See the recipe here  http://theurbanspork.com.

With a little butter in the frying pan, grill them until they become golden and when ready dust them with the combination of sugar and cinnamon.

How were they?  Well this is me, going back for seconds.  I was paranoid about the apples because I have fructose malabsorbtion and I can't eat a fresh apple without experience belly pain and other weird side-effects.  However, this cooked apple was yummy and gave me no grief.  They remind me of an apple turnover but with less pastry.  The cinnamon and sugar is a winner (as it always is) because it melts a little and gives a slight toffee effect to the outside and stops it from feeling like a burrito.  

Definitely a winner.  This is a quick idea for a dessert to have when dinner just wasn't enough.  A packet of torillas and a couple of apples will do the trick!

I've read other blogs on the same quest: Does this Pin work?; Does it taste as good as it looks?; Can I make it as well?  I can't simply photocopy someone's purpose in life.  I am always bending my path in the direction I need to go.  So I take the Pins and use them for inspiration.  I take their experiences and tweak them to fit me.  It seems this one was a perfect fit.

See you next week.  Let me know what's been your inspiration recently.

Soops

When a thing has been said and well, have no scruple. Take it and copy it.  Anatole France