the printing plates are here!

I was walking out the door to skating and realized there was a package on my work bench.  My Beloved had put it there when he brought in his steel.  It was from my plate makers for the letterpress.

I have most of what I need to print now!  I am going to find some time this weekend and start.  I have to admit that I am very excited even though that was not the plans for the weekend.  But I thought my plates were not going to be here!

a bit of basting

I finished pinning Baby Nacho's quilt yesterday while watching the last of the Call of the Midwife episodes.  My Beloved will watch Downton Abbey but not these.  He was busy working yesterday afternoon so I had time to pin.  Small Mister was not with me either.  It went much faster without having to track down the saftey pins when I needed them! 

Ready for stiching.  I am also less then 20 squares to the next quilt top.  I am going to cut out linen squares next.  My Beloved just cut the buttons off a linen shirt (it is the only way he will stop wearing them) so I hope to find some not so worn pieces of that for the next quilt.  

what I have been doing during videos

This afghan has been my project in the evenings when we watch videos.  It is a granny square pattern from Posie Gets Cozy.  I have tried to chose a grey for the outside edge and my Beloved picks all the other colors.  He really likes the orange and the red.  The pattern actually calls for only 80 squares.  It is one of the reasons I laid it out today.  I wanted to see how big 80 squares was.  Not quite big enough.  I am going to finish 100 and then put it together.  I actually have enough yarn bits (this is really nice for bits) that I will probably make another.  Or find another pattern I like and use that.  I am enjoying this even though I know putting it together is going to be tedious.

ginger snaps

Amy was talking at skating on Sunday about ginger snaps.  She got me craving them so I went to my go to recipe in the Joy of Cooking.  The only problem with that recipe is that it makes 10 dozen.  10 dozen if you make them rather large.  I always think that is too many cookies so I cut it in half.  And roll the cookies in sugar like they were molasses crinckles.  The recipe actually suggests to frost them but I cannot see that.

ginger snap

Note:  From the Joy of Cooking, 1981 (yes, year matters with this cookbook)

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar 

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Sugar for dredging

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl.  Add molasses, egg, and vinegar.  Beat well.  Mix in the dry ingredients.  

Roll small teaspoons of dough into balls.  Dredge in sugar.  Place on a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper.  

Bake 12 minutes

Very yummy.  Similar to a molasses crinckle but more ginger.

And Small Mister likes them.  He likes the size too.

quilt back

I have a done quilt back.  For some reason, this one seemed to take much longer then normal.  It was probably my head space because what I really wanted to do was keep making nine squares.  20 more and I have enough for the next quilt I am making.  And my friend is not feeling well so I really hope it helps when she gets it.  I will eventually make one for me and I am excited about starting that as well.

My arthritic conditions have been really playing with me recently.  Injuring myself has not helped.  I think right now I would rather buy and grow flowers then food.  Well, except maybe for tea and homemade bread for toast.  My list for this weekend is overwhelming and I know it will not all get done.  I can hope that parts of it do.