Thursday, April 15, 2021

Pat had requested a carrot cake for his birthday – the one with the pineapple in it. After my bread was in the bread maker I started on the cake. I was ready to mix everything up when I realized I hadn’t shred any carrots; three large carrots gave me the two cups I needed.

Once all the ingredients were in the mixer I thought it seemed dry. I reviewed the recipe and checked that I had put in the right number of eggs and the right amount of oil. I decided that everything was okay and this recipe must have been a different recipe than I used last time.

It wasn’t until the cake was out of the oven, cooled and ready for the cream cheese frosting that I realized what was missing – I’d forgotten the pineapple.

Pat suggested adding the pineapple into the icing so I gave that a try. He had also suggested cutting the cake in half and layering it; although the cake rose a bit it wasn’t very thick. I wasn’t too far into making the frosting when I realized that we’d be in sugar shock if I added enough icing sugar for a spreadable icing.

I tried layering it with some icing between the layers but the top layer just slid off. So back into the cake pan it went and I just poured the frosting over the top. It looks okay, but I don’t think it will taste very good.

On the other hand I seemed to get the laundry done without mishaps, the cleaning is done and the slice of cheesy bread I had after the cake disaster tasted fine.

Monday, April 12, 2021

If Stacia and Deloise weren’t also challenged with the pattern we’re doing I’d probably have given up by now.

I was working slowly doing the same step in each of the six blocks at the same time. When they were all done I lined them up three of the six were done wrong. I have found all sorts of reasons why I’m having the problems and Stacia has come up with one as well.

I should have been able to spot the errors much earlier than when the blocks were finished. Can you see the problem with these baskets?

I’ve got them corrected now so I’m back in the game.

Sunday, April 11, 2021

How bad was it? I spent the entire morning trying to get the bonnet and face done for Gretel. I wanted her facing the gingerbread house and no matter how I sewed or cut the three pieces for her face I could not get it right. I finally got one together (the wrong way) and decided that rather than have Hansel looking at the gingerbread house he would be looking at his sister. I had the same problem when I did Red Riding Hood and I actually had the row together and than took it all apart to “fix” her.

And just when I thought I had everything going the right way I managed to lose one of the pieces. In my scrounge around to find it (I did) I ended up tipping over a container of empty bobbins.

Is it any wonder that I quit and went outside to work in the yard?

Once my back gave out I came upstairs and tidied my sewing room so I’ll be ready to sew with Stacia and Deloise starting tomorrow. I’m using the precision piecing method and I have my container of leaders and enders ready to go. They say this method isn’t slower but there is a lot more prep work involved.

I’ll drag out the vacuum but then I’m quitting to relax in my chair with some cross stitching until supper.

Friday, April 9, 2021

I joined an online class this morning on precision piecing. The instructors were in Powell River for an in-person class a few years ago so today was a good refresher. I’d stopped using many of their techniques (even though I knew they worked) and I’ll get back into it again.

I did a bit of tidying in my sewing room for the remainder of the morning. I had to stop at a Guild member’s house today to pick something up. I hadn’t seen Penny for at least two years and we had a very brief chat at her door. I also had a book that I wanted to drop off at the library but even the book drop was closed. I knew they had a water incident more than a week ago and I was surprised that it affected the book drop, but maybe it’s because no one is working to keep it emptied.

When I got home I sorted out some fabric for the April postcard that Stacia, Deloise and I will work on next week. After the postcard is finished I plan to start quilting another large quilt so I cleaned and oiled my machine, changed the needle, and wound some bobbins. I even have my quilting pattern figured out.

It was such a different day today from yesterday. The temperature was about the same but there is quite a difference in how it feels depending on whether you are in the sun or, like today, out in a very stiff breeze with some rain.

I have a bit of time left this afternoon and I’m going to dig out my April UFO and see if I can get a bit of that done over the weekend.