Have you seen this great video series from Hot Patterns? If you are on the Hot Patterns e mail list than you already know about it. Periodically Hot Patterns has been posting videos on their new patterns with tips and ideas on how to make their patterns and how to change them to get more value out of each pattern. The latest You Tube videos, divided into three parts, is how to make their latest pattern, the Uptown/Downtown dress, an easy knit dress from start to finish. This is a terrific tutorial for sewing knits. If you are inexperienced or have never sewn knits than this will really be a wonderful help to you. I have been sewing knits for a while now, but I am still not comfortable in sewing the seam directly on the serger, so I really enjoyed seeing her put this dress together entirely on the serger. I also liked seeing her sewing order which is very different from most of the directions I've seen for sewing knits, or really for most instructions given in patterns. Burda is a really one of the worst. Not just for the clarity of their directions, but for the sewing order they suggest for their garments. I was always taught to keep it flat as long as possible and none of their instructions for knits or any garment for that matter, do this. I have long been baffled about the order they use to construct their garments. Do you sew in a zipper after you've put together your pants? I certainly don't, but that's how they tell you to do it. They even have you put in an invisible zipper at the end. This makes construction harder than it should be and more time consuming. For anyone thinking about sewing knits, or for those who are frustrated by them, this is really worth a look and a bookmark.
Here are links to the last two.
second clip
third clip
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Chocolate and the Art of Low Fat Desserts
Several people have asked for my chocolate mousse recipe. It is from Alice Medrich's book, Chocolate And the Art Of Low-Fat Desserts. It's a great book and if you don't have any dietary issues except wanting low fat dessert recipes there are other great desserts in the book. The chocolate souffles are to die for and very easy, but they call for some flour.
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MERINGUE MOUSSE
This can be eaten with a spoon, or used in another dessert.
For Weight Watchers, it is 3 points for a 1/2 cup serving or 127 calories.
Makes about 5 cups, or enough for 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
1 tsp instant espresso
1 once unsweetened chocolate. ( I use Callebaut brand, but use the best you can find)
4 onces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. (I use at least 70% chocolate.)Chopped fine.
scant 3/8 tsp cream of tartar
5 egg whites
10 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
Instant read thermometer
Work time: 20 minutes
Chill time at least 4 hours
1. In a small heatproof bowl dissolve the espresso powder in 5 tablespoons of water. Add all the chocolate and vanilla. Set the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water and stir frequently until smooth.
2. Make the safe meringue.
Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a large skillet.
Combine the cream of tartar and 5 teaspoons of water in a 6-8 cup stainless steel bowl. I use one of the bowls from my mixer. Whisk in the egg whites and the sugar. Place a thermometer near the stove in a mug of very hot tap water. Set bowl in skillet. Stir mixture briskly and constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to keep from scrambling the whites. After 2 minutes remove bowl from skillet. Quickly insert the thermometer in at least 2inches. If less than 160 degrees F. rinse thermometer in skillet and return it to the mug.
Replace bowl in in skillet. Stir as before until temperature reache 160F. when bowl is removed.
Beat on high speed until cool and stiff.
3. Fold about a quarter of the meringue into the chocolate mixture. Fold the remaining meringue into the chocolate mixture ( I actually add the chocolate mixture, after the first amount of meringue because of the bowl size) use immediately in another dessert or scrape into individual serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hour, or until set. Mousse may be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 day.
For company I will sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.
Enjoy. It really does only take about 20 minutes to make. Good chocolate makes a really big difference here. My favorite is Valrona for this one, but use your favorite. Whole Foods carries unsweetened Callebaut chocolate which is far superior to Bakers. They also break up the big 5 kilo bars of 70 % Callebaut to sell and this where I get the Valrona. When I was doing a lot of baking many years ago, a restaurateur friend used to get me that big bar of chocolate and is that amazing. It keeps quite well as long as it is well wrapped.
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MERINGUE MOUSSE
This can be eaten with a spoon, or used in another dessert.
For Weight Watchers, it is 3 points for a 1/2 cup serving or 127 calories.
Makes about 5 cups, or enough for 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
1 tsp instant espresso
1 once unsweetened chocolate. ( I use Callebaut brand, but use the best you can find)
4 onces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. (I use at least 70% chocolate.)Chopped fine.
scant 3/8 tsp cream of tartar
5 egg whites
10 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
Instant read thermometer
Work time: 20 minutes
Chill time at least 4 hours
1. In a small heatproof bowl dissolve the espresso powder in 5 tablespoons of water. Add all the chocolate and vanilla. Set the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water and stir frequently until smooth.
2. Make the safe meringue.
Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a large skillet.
Combine the cream of tartar and 5 teaspoons of water in a 6-8 cup stainless steel bowl. I use one of the bowls from my mixer. Whisk in the egg whites and the sugar. Place a thermometer near the stove in a mug of very hot tap water. Set bowl in skillet. Stir mixture briskly and constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to keep from scrambling the whites. After 2 minutes remove bowl from skillet. Quickly insert the thermometer in at least 2inches. If less than 160 degrees F. rinse thermometer in skillet and return it to the mug.
Replace bowl in in skillet. Stir as before until temperature reache 160F. when bowl is removed.
Beat on high speed until cool and stiff.
3. Fold about a quarter of the meringue into the chocolate mixture. Fold the remaining meringue into the chocolate mixture ( I actually add the chocolate mixture, after the first amount of meringue because of the bowl size) use immediately in another dessert or scrape into individual serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hour, or until set. Mousse may be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 day.
For company I will sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.
Enjoy. It really does only take about 20 minutes to make. Good chocolate makes a really big difference here. My favorite is Valrona for this one, but use your favorite. Whole Foods carries unsweetened Callebaut chocolate which is far superior to Bakers. They also break up the big 5 kilo bars of 70 % Callebaut to sell and this where I get the Valrona. When I was doing a lot of baking many years ago, a restaurateur friend used to get me that big bar of chocolate and is that amazing. It keeps quite well as long as it is well wrapped.
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Guest Blogger!
As most of you know my daughter is home for a somewhat extended visit until she gets a new job in Korea. We are enjoying her immensely, but she is, as predicted, rather bored. She has all her paperwork done and has been getting a lot of responses lately to her resume. A skype video interview is scheduled for tonight for a job that meets all her requirements.
She has agreed to be a guest blogger here on Nancy K Sews. She doesn't sew, cook or garden but she does eat, so she was happy to talk about what we had for dinner last night.
Guest Blog for Mom 10/12/09
Fooooooooooooooooood
Perhaps you know me by one of the following monikers: dd, midget, long lost daughter in Korea, etc. My Mom doesn’t blog much about what she cooks in part I think because she doesn’t think what she prepares on a day to day basis is anything special. She thinks that whipping up a chocolate mousse from scratch (for a quick way to cheer up her daughter) is no big deal. As a child, people used to suck up to me in March to get invited to my birthday parties, not because I was popular but because the birthday cake was sure to be an out of this world concoction of amazingness.
A “simple” Sunday meal: sambal and idli. I hung out in the kitchen with her for part of the preparation to keep her company. However, I will admit that I contributed absolutely zero effort toward making this meal though I did put away some dishes and clean out the silverware drawer. Anyways, sambal is a type of curry like sauce** made from lentils and stewed veggies and seasoned with a spice mix. Of course my Mom does not BUY the spice mix. Oh no. First she roasted the hot chili peppers in the oven. Then she ground them up in the old coffee grinder that is reserved for this purpose (because let’s face it, chili powder coffee is a zing we aren’t exactly looking for in the morning) and then mixed in a bunch of other stuff. This is where I was (obviously) paying less attention. The idli is some sort of fluffy cake thingy made from rice flour and you eat it mixed in with the yummy sambal sauce. Apparently, it’s a traditional breakfast food in some parts of India but definitely more of a dinner food for the traditional Western palate. Leftover idli also makes an awesome dessert if you eat it drizzled with maple syrup.
**All knowledge is from staring/osmosis and not actually based in fact. Correct at will.
This is a meal that my Mother would consider ‘nothing special.’ It’s a vegetarian dish that is low fat, savory and exotic to boot. I will happily continue to do the plethora of dishes she leaves in her wake in order for the cooking to continue.
A little more technical information about my recipes might be in order, as I said Alex doesn't cook. But she does do the dishes with my dh, a routine that they have down, including complaining about how many pots I use.
The Sambar is a south Indian dal and vegetable mixture usually served with Idli, a steamed rice cake formed in a stacked metal mold that is put in a steamer to cook. I use a mix for this. It's a pretty elaborate preparation to make this from scratch. Sambar calls for sambar powder, which you can buy ready made, but I didn't have any more in the house, so I made it from scratch. Not hard to do. Three kinds of dal, fenugreek seed, coriander seed, cumin seed, curry leaves, peppercorns, brown mustard seed and dried red pepper are toasted with about a tsp of oil and then after cooling is ground in the coffee grinder Alex mentioned. I stored the excess so next time I make this I can skip a few steps! The Sambar is made with toasted dried coconut, cumin seed, red peppers and brown mustard seed browned before adding the red lentils and turmuric and water. After it is cooked to mush, the vegetables are added along with tamarind juice and some salt. I used red peppers, zuchini and cauliflower, a pretty standard variety, though if you have fresh okra that can be added too. When we were in Madurai in India, this was served at the breakfast buffet along with idli. Yum.
We had leftover chocolate mousse for desert. I make a low fat recipe that is 3 points per serving and is absolutely delicious and no one ever thinks that this is a 'diet' recipe. It has no dairy in it and no gluten, so it meets the dietary requirements of the house.
She has agreed to be a guest blogger here on Nancy K Sews. She doesn't sew, cook or garden but she does eat, so she was happy to talk about what we had for dinner last night.
Guest Blog for Mom 10/12/09
Fooooooooooooooooood
Perhaps you know me by one of the following monikers: dd, midget, long lost daughter in Korea, etc. My Mom doesn’t blog much about what she cooks in part I think because she doesn’t think what she prepares on a day to day basis is anything special. She thinks that whipping up a chocolate mousse from scratch (for a quick way to cheer up her daughter) is no big deal. As a child, people used to suck up to me in March to get invited to my birthday parties, not because I was popular but because the birthday cake was sure to be an out of this world concoction of amazingness.
A “simple” Sunday meal: sambal and idli. I hung out in the kitchen with her for part of the preparation to keep her company. However, I will admit that I contributed absolutely zero effort toward making this meal though I did put away some dishes and clean out the silverware drawer. Anyways, sambal is a type of curry like sauce** made from lentils and stewed veggies and seasoned with a spice mix. Of course my Mom does not BUY the spice mix. Oh no. First she roasted the hot chili peppers in the oven. Then she ground them up in the old coffee grinder that is reserved for this purpose (because let’s face it, chili powder coffee is a zing we aren’t exactly looking for in the morning) and then mixed in a bunch of other stuff. This is where I was (obviously) paying less attention. The idli is some sort of fluffy cake thingy made from rice flour and you eat it mixed in with the yummy sambal sauce. Apparently, it’s a traditional breakfast food in some parts of India but definitely more of a dinner food for the traditional Western palate. Leftover idli also makes an awesome dessert if you eat it drizzled with maple syrup.
**All knowledge is from staring/osmosis and not actually based in fact. Correct at will.
This is a meal that my Mother would consider ‘nothing special.’ It’s a vegetarian dish that is low fat, savory and exotic to boot. I will happily continue to do the plethora of dishes she leaves in her wake in order for the cooking to continue.
A little more technical information about my recipes might be in order, as I said Alex doesn't cook. But she does do the dishes with my dh, a routine that they have down, including complaining about how many pots I use.
The Sambar is a south Indian dal and vegetable mixture usually served with Idli, a steamed rice cake formed in a stacked metal mold that is put in a steamer to cook. I use a mix for this. It's a pretty elaborate preparation to make this from scratch. Sambar calls for sambar powder, which you can buy ready made, but I didn't have any more in the house, so I made it from scratch. Not hard to do. Three kinds of dal, fenugreek seed, coriander seed, cumin seed, curry leaves, peppercorns, brown mustard seed and dried red pepper are toasted with about a tsp of oil and then after cooling is ground in the coffee grinder Alex mentioned. I stored the excess so next time I make this I can skip a few steps! The Sambar is made with toasted dried coconut, cumin seed, red peppers and brown mustard seed browned before adding the red lentils and turmuric and water. After it is cooked to mush, the vegetables are added along with tamarind juice and some salt. I used red peppers, zuchini and cauliflower, a pretty standard variety, though if you have fresh okra that can be added too. When we were in Madurai in India, this was served at the breakfast buffet along with idli. Yum.
We had leftover chocolate mousse for desert. I make a low fat recipe that is 3 points per serving and is absolutely delicious and no one ever thinks that this is a 'diet' recipe. It has no dairy in it and no gluten, so it meets the dietary requirements of the house.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
What I like, the new Vogue Patterns
There have been plenty of negative comments about the new Vogue patterns, and some of it is definitely justified, but there were some good things too. I like how Vogue patterns are drafted. I used to sew them almost exclusively, and made a ton of designer patterns back in the 80's. I remember fondly my Karl Lagerfeld black silk sheath dress, an Emanual Ungaro dress in a gorgeous wool challis (the moths got to this one), a Geoffrey Beene jacket that I wore to death, a Bill Blass black and white linen sheath that was gorgeous. Do I have them? No, I am not a saver, though I really regret having letting these go. I made Anne Klein, and Issey Miyake. I made a Calvin Klein suit for my son's Bar Mitzvah from Calvin Klein fabric that I found at the now gone Trebor Fabrics. I made non designer things too, but these stick in my mind more vividly, probably because I remember where I wore them. I still make Vogue patterns, but I discovered Burda World of Fashion about 10 years ago and fell in love. There are also more independent pattern companies these days, and I am a big fan of Hot Patterns.
Back to Vogue. The Cynthia Steffe dresses appeal to me, the black one in particular would fit me, as long as I add a few inches.
V1150
I like exposed zippers, but for this I'd probably buy a Riri zipper with the satin tape and skip the fake leather trim. It definitely needs a few inches for my body!
V1142
If you remove that drape the pants are a very nice cut, but the drape? Not so good. BWOF had a pair of pants like this a few months ago and was similarly slammed. The blouse I really like. It's different but wearable as long as it's made in the recommended fabrics.
V133
This is not a dress for my lifestyle, or even my figure, but it is very current with those shoulders and I think that for some women it will be very flattering.
V8618
I cannot resist one slam. I am not a big fan Marcy Tilton's mixed fabric or decorated clothing. My aesthetic is more minimal and structured. This is just a mess. Dropped shouldered tops are so unbecoming on anyone who has narrow shoulders or a large bust. Sure they are easy to fit, but all that extra fabric at bust level just adds pounds. If you are thin it hides your body and adds pounds too. Who want to look bigger anyway?
Will I buy any of these? Maybe at the next sale, but I have a lot of patterns to work my way through first. I've finally altered and fit all my patterns for the Wardrobe contest. I know that I am a bit behind, but with all the patterns fitted, the sewing should move along nicely. I need to finish cleaning up my cutting table; tracing and altering a lot of patterns creates a huge amount of paper scraps!
Back to Vogue. The Cynthia Steffe dresses appeal to me, the black one in particular would fit me, as long as I add a few inches.
V1150I like exposed zippers, but for this I'd probably buy a Riri zipper with the satin tape and skip the fake leather trim. It definitely needs a few inches for my body!
V1142If you remove that drape the pants are a very nice cut, but the drape? Not so good. BWOF had a pair of pants like this a few months ago and was similarly slammed. The blouse I really like. It's different but wearable as long as it's made in the recommended fabrics.
V133This is not a dress for my lifestyle, or even my figure, but it is very current with those shoulders and I think that for some women it will be very flattering.
V8618I cannot resist one slam. I am not a big fan Marcy Tilton's mixed fabric or decorated clothing. My aesthetic is more minimal and structured. This is just a mess. Dropped shouldered tops are so unbecoming on anyone who has narrow shoulders or a large bust. Sure they are easy to fit, but all that extra fabric at bust level just adds pounds. If you are thin it hides your body and adds pounds too. Who want to look bigger anyway?
Will I buy any of these? Maybe at the next sale, but I have a lot of patterns to work my way through first. I've finally altered and fit all my patterns for the Wardrobe contest. I know that I am a bit behind, but with all the patterns fitted, the sewing should move along nicely. I need to finish cleaning up my cutting table; tracing and altering a lot of patterns creates a huge amount of paper scraps!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
October Burda has Arrived!
I read the end of books before I get to them, so it shouldn't be a big surprise that I can't keep from looking at the Burda previews online before I get the magazine. It really spoils the enjoyment of getting a new issue, but I can't seem to keep from doing it. I had already incorporated a blouse from the new issue into my yet again revised wardrobe plan for the Pattern Review contest. It came today, and aside from the rather lame, again, crafts, it's a pretty good issue. You know how designers often use strange accessories on the runway for showmanship? Well most of us wouldn't wear them even if we could afford them so why choose to make them into a craft project? How young do you have to be to wear pompoms? I know my 23 year old dd wouldn't wear them.
As you can see I have made a couple of changes. Again. I went back to my tnt pant pattern which I refitted anyway. I am a little anal about fit. I am making two versions of it, neither of them having the side front pockets. (I do not need any more width in the hips!) I narrowed the legs, added a contour waist and front welt pockets for the black denim trouser. I'll sew it as a faced pant for the gray silk and wool in the wider width.
Most directions for narrowing pants just have you draw them narrower. This doesn't always work well, leaving excess fabric below the front and rear crotch. Threads had a terrific article on a better way to adjust pants width years ago and they have reprinted it on their website.
Threads
I am going to sew one of the 3 Graces t's and the white blouse is next to it above.
I know that I am really behind, but I decided to do all my pattern alterations before I started cutting out and sewing. I do a lot of pattern alterations. It must be wonderful to not have to make adjustments. Sigh. I have the two blouses to trace and fit and that's it for patterns.
I also decided that there was no way that a straight waistband, which the McCall's jeans have, will fit me, so I used a contour waistband from an earlier Palmer Pletsch jeans pattern.
It is now 4 pm and I have spent the entire day working on pants patterns. I am exhausted.
How extensive are your pattern alterations? Do you make a lot of changes for fit or style or both?
As you can see I have made a couple of changes. Again. I went back to my tnt pant pattern which I refitted anyway. I am a little anal about fit. I am making two versions of it, neither of them having the side front pockets. (I do not need any more width in the hips!) I narrowed the legs, added a contour waist and front welt pockets for the black denim trouser. I'll sew it as a faced pant for the gray silk and wool in the wider width.
Most directions for narrowing pants just have you draw them narrower. This doesn't always work well, leaving excess fabric below the front and rear crotch. Threads had a terrific article on a better way to adjust pants width years ago and they have reprinted it on their website.
Threads
I am going to sew one of the 3 Graces t's and the white blouse is next to it above.
I know that I am really behind, but I decided to do all my pattern alterations before I started cutting out and sewing. I do a lot of pattern alterations. It must be wonderful to not have to make adjustments. Sigh. I have the two blouses to trace and fit and that's it for patterns.
I also decided that there was no way that a straight waistband, which the McCall's jeans have, will fit me, so I used a contour waistband from an earlier Palmer Pletsch jeans pattern.
It is now 4 pm and I have spent the entire day working on pants patterns. I am exhausted.
How extensive are your pattern alterations? Do you make a lot of changes for fit or style or both?
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Still no Sewing going on
I am still working on patterns for my wardrobe. The jacket is ready, as are the jeans. I am reworking my formerly tnt pants pattern, the HP Razer at the moment. I also broke my little toe yesterday. How? I walked into a chair without shoes on. Painful to say the least.
I am enjoying having Alex home and spending time with her. She is sort of gimpy right now too, having fallen in Taekwondo and re injured the ankle she hurt last fall in a fall while rock climbing. She was complaining about being bored with inactivity and I said "you need a hobby". So what did she do, being 23 she googled hobbies and decided on scrapbooking. She is planning on taking the boxes of memorabilia from her travels and making a multi media journal out of them. Perfect.
I am enjoying having Alex home and spending time with her. She is sort of gimpy right now too, having fallen in Taekwondo and re injured the ankle she hurt last fall in a fall while rock climbing. She was complaining about being bored with inactivity and I said "you need a hobby". So what did she do, being 23 she googled hobbies and decided on scrapbooking. She is planning on taking the boxes of memorabilia from her travels and making a multi media journal out of them. Perfect.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Midget Returns
The Midget is how our older son refers to his sister. He is 6'2 and she is 5'3 1/4"(the 1/4" is very important!) tall. She never thinks of herself as short though, especially not after a year in Korea where she is often taller than her students mothers. But, even before, she has a large, strong personality and most people are surprised to realize that she is actually short. I picked her up at JFK on Thursday afternoon and I don't think I stopped smiling the whole drive home. The only problem is that I don't know what she's going to do with herself here. When she asked me what she used to do, we looked at each other and both of us said homework. There is not a whole lot to do on Long Island without driving other than shopping(well shopping too needs a drive), and she can get most of what she wants cheaper in Korea. Her two good local friends moved away and her college friends are, if still in the NY area, working. She is going to take the cheap China town bus up to Boston to visit a good friend for a few days. At least when Jes is working she'll have museums to explore. It's good to have her home.
I am working on patterns. The jacket is ready for a second muslin. I have two pairs of pants ready to cut out too and need to make a muslin for the leather skirt. It's good to have a plan, not only on what to make, but the order I am going to work on it. I am trying to make the most time consuming things first and saving the easy, tnt tops for last to hopefully avoid stress at the end. I also still like my plan, a major accomplishment.
I am of course cooking. Alex has to have "Mommy food". Though she loves the food in Korea, she misses my cooking. She could cook you say, but she'd rather not. It actually costs them less to eat out than to cook. Kind of strange.
I am working on patterns. The jacket is ready for a second muslin. I have two pairs of pants ready to cut out too and need to make a muslin for the leather skirt. It's good to have a plan, not only on what to make, but the order I am going to work on it. I am trying to make the most time consuming things first and saving the easy, tnt tops for last to hopefully avoid stress at the end. I also still like my plan, a major accomplishment.
I am of course cooking. Alex has to have "Mommy food". Though she loves the food in Korea, she misses my cooking. She could cook you say, but she'd rather not. It actually costs them less to eat out than to cook. Kind of strange.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
