tiny happy

lemon curd

 

(a repost from 2006 - my early blogging days!)

I've been eating this and helping to make it, for as long as I can remember. My grandmother made it for us when we were really small, and I loved it so much I learned to make it too. 

Here's how I make lemon curd (sometimes called 'lemon honey'):

5-6 juicy lemons

125g butter

2 cups sugar

4 free-range eggs

Beat the eggs briskly with a whisk and set aside. Grate the rind from all the lemons and set aside, then squeeze them and strain the juice. Set up a double boiler (I use a saucepan inside/on top of a bigger one filled with water) and inside it melt the butter. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice, until sugar is dissolved. Then add the beaten eggs and lemon rind, stirring all the time. Adjust the heat of the double boiler so that the water is moderately bubbling, then cook the lemon curd, stirring well all the time) until it becomes quite thick. It will thicken a little more on standing and when it's in the fridge, but you're aiming for a thick, smooth custard type of texture. Pour into sterilised jars. (Makes about 2 large or 3 small jars)

There are lots of ways to eat this but on toast is the best (in my opinion). You can also sandwich it between cake layers, or use it in other baking.

It's best to keep it in the fridge, both before and after opening. 

pleasing pillowcases (to make)

Today I thought I'd share a super simple and practical tutorial. Make yourself a pillowcase or two, finished with French seams. The beauty of this method is that a case can be made from one length of fabric and it's super simple to do.

I've also included instructions for shorter lengths of fabric, in case you don't have a piece long enough. Here's another tutorial I wrote (in 2014) that works well, but I think this method is simpler and neater.

A pair of linen or cotton pillowcases makes a great practical gift, too. I made these blue pairs for friends recently. For the pair on the right I used some beautiful block-printed cotton I found at the op shop!

You'll need:

1.6 metres of cotton or linen fabric (to make a matching pair of pillowcases) or less if you will use more than one piece of fabric.

Sewing machine, thread, tape measure, scissors, iron

Method (from one piece of fabric)

Wash and press your fabric and cut a length measuring 50 cms X 160cms. * Take one shorter edge, and press under a 1/4'' hem. Fold edge again and press. Stitch folded edge in place. Repeat on other side so that both short edges are folded and hemmed.

Lay the length of fabric out on a table. With wrong sides together, fold one short edge over to make a 6" (15cm) pocket. Still with wrong sides together, fold the fabric in half width-ways. One hemmed edge will lay on top of a folded edge. Pin along both side edges and stitch in place using a narrow seam allowance. Press seam and trim any excess close to the stitching line.

Turn the case inside-out and press the side seams again so they are flat and neat. Stitch them again with a slightly wider seam allowance, to create an enclosed seam (for this seam, I line my presser foot up against the edge of the first seam as a guide).

Turn right side-out, and push out corners, trim seams and press again. All finished!

Method (from smaller pieces of fabric)

If your fabric is not long enough to use the first method, you can piece it together so you can use a smaller, favourite piece on top and another fabric on the bottom of the case. Instructions for this method below.

Of your top fabric, cut a piece measuring 50cms X 90cms. Of your contrasting fabric, cut a piece measuring 50 x 75. With wrong sides together, sew these pieces together at one short end. Press and trim seam, fold with right sides together, and stitch again to enclose the first seam. Press.

Now continue to construct pillowcase in the same way as above, starting at *. Remember to fold the envelope 'pocket' from your feature fabric end.

I made this sunflower pair using this method, because I only had 1 metre of the block-printed fabric and wanted to showcase it. I used some green cotton for the back of the cases.

a quiet turning inward

I love this time of year for its quietness. Winter in Wellington is not quiet in the way I remember Norwegian winters being, with their sound-proofing blankets of snow laid down fresh each morning. Here, winter storms batter the house constantly and the windows rattle at night. But there are quiet things: the delicate crackling and popping of the wood stove when everyone else has gone to bed. Cold Saturday mornings when no one is rushing off in their cars. A general quiet, turning inward I see in the people I know. Energy preservation for the next season.

I hope you are keeping well and warm wherever you might be. I thought today I'd share some of my latest projects. The silk dress right at the top of this post was not finished recently, but rather in the autumn. The fabric is a fine black silk chiffon I bought at The Fabric Store a year ago. I was dreaming of a silk dress but didn't feel ready to cut into it for a while. In the end, I decided to free-style the design, cutting it from the fabric length that I had (which from memory was 1.5 metres). Because the fabric is sheer, I decided on a triangular design for the bodice, which I could have planned more carefully but it turned out fine in the end. The dress is finished with French seams and hand-sewn bias edgings throughout and the hem finishes at my knee. I have only worn it a couple of times but I layered it with tights, boots, a black slip underneath and a long black cardigan. I love dressing in black from top to toe on occasion - it feels very natural and cosy to me.

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The chrysanthemums at the top of this post were brought home on Arlo's birthday by Tom. He always brings back a bunch of blooms on the kids' birthdays, and we set up a little shrine of sorts. This year we were lucky to have Arlo home from university on that day and celebrate his 19th in person. He's a good sport about me bringing out the baby photos every year on his birthday.

Among his gifts, I included a new hat made using the Brume pattern by Melody Hoffman (Ravelry link here). I chose a lovely squishy wool yarn from Miss Maude in Greytown, bought in Wairarapa when I was there at a book festival for work. The yarn is called Sesia Pura Lana Ecologica and it's from Italy. I think this new hat will be pretty cosy and possibly essential for the Dunedin winter time.

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A dear friend of mine has just had a new baby, and I've included a picture of two little sets I made for her that I know have now arrived safely. One set (in grey alpaca) is intended for winter use, and the patterns are the 'baby bear bonnet' and the 'hodge booties' (a free pattern on Rav). The cream set is a bit bigger and knitted up in a cotton-merino for spring and the patterns I used are the 'Anker's bonnet' and 'Greemy baby booties.' Ravelry link here.

I've also included photos of a recent read mentioned in my last post (So far, for now, by Fiona Kidman) and yet another granny square on the go - this one was being worked in a cosy corner of our local laundromat. Our own washing machine was out of action for a while, but I loved my laundromat time - warm, friendly, and an excellent opportunity to fit some crochet into the day! 

Finally, I'll leave you with a beautiful quote I rediscovered recently:

"Any human anywhere will blossom in a hundred unexpected talents & capacities simply by being given the opportunity to do so"

- Doris Lessing