Citronille “Solveig” Pattern Review

Projects

While traveling, I came across a lovely fabric/art shop that I could have stayed at all day. They had wonderful patterns and more linen than I could ever imagine. Needless to say, I brought home a few souvenirs.

One pattern I purchased was the Citronille “Solveig” top. They had a sample made-up in the store and I thought it looked quite nice. The pattern is in European sizes so I had to figure out what my US size would be. After this, the pattern was very easy to make-up. The only part that gave me any hesitation was the placket. I had not made a placket like this before. I decided not to ruin my project, so I got out a scrap fabric to make a test placket on. I am glad I did this as it let me figure out how to approach the placket and gave me the confidence to tackle it on the original garment. The directions for the garment were easy to understand until I got to the step with the placket. I felt it could have been written a little more clearly for the beginner in mind.

The pattern pieces were printed on a heavy paper and not a thin tissue paper. I liked this, as the tissue can often be too delicate and can rip easily. As I said above, the directions were easy to follow if you have experience. The only step that threw me was the placket. Probably this step would be ok for someone familiar with the process.

I made my shirt from Essex Linen. It was a good material choice for this shirt. I went to my button stash and found three 3/8″ buttons that were perfect for the shirt.

I liked the way the top turned out and I would buy another pattern from Citronille, although the patterns are expensive. However, if one uses the pattern more than once or really likes the garment, it would be worth it. I also feel that with the Solveig pattern, one could use parts of the pattern to create another style if they are an experienced sewer.

As always, Happy Sewing!

Ojai Sunset

Travel

Recently, my husband and I took in the “pink moment” as they call the Ojai, California sunset. It was different from any other sunset I have experienced. It was beautiful!

I booked a visit to Meditation Mount in Ojai. Meditiation Mount is open at certain times for visitors to come enjoy the grounds and enjoy the peace. A reservation and fee will allow one to enter the gates. There are garden paths to stroll through the grounds and plenty of benches to stop and sit to enjoy nature. After being able to relax on the property, guests are encouraged to take part in a group meditation led by one of the staff. This was a wonderful experience and I left the room in peace.

There is also another meditation room that is for self-guided meditation for anyone who prefers this type of meditation. I peeked in and there was a circle of chairs and candles set up in the center of the room. A very nice setting for meditation.

After meditation, guests find a space to enjoy the sunset. High above the valley, Meditation Mount offers a good view of the setting sun. However, don’t be fooled (as I was) into thinking the amazing event is happening in the west, where the sun is setting. Oh no, my friend. Look around! The pink moment is directly behind, to the east. The clouds turn a beautiful pink. The show is all around.

The Ojai “pink moment” can (of course) be viewed from anywhere in Ojai that you can catch a glipse of the sunset. Catching the “pink moment” was one of the highlights from our trip to Ojai. Ojai is a good place to feel grounded and at one with nature.

As Always, Happy Travels!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

life

Christmas is upon us and I am sending you Holiday Greetings. No matter what you celebrate this season, let it be full of joy. I for one and hoping the New Year brings much happiness. This year has been a dilly and I am ready to let it go. I have let the blog go for a couple of reasons. One… my pictures have filled up and I have to delete photos in order to add new. This seems a lot of work. Two… I suffered a concussion that left me unable to use the computer for many months. Perhaps, the New Year will be a good reason to tiddy-up my blog and get back into it.

The photo above was taken on a recent trip to Germany . A beautiful, fresh snowfall covering the path and filling the trees. A magical event for this SoCal gal. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! The next morning, the scene was washed away with a light rain. This reminds me to enjoy things while they last and cherish the memories.

Happy Holidays and See you Next Year!

A Little Something That Made Me Chuckle

life

I ordered a package and it came in the standard brown cardboard box, or so I thought. I did not notice anything odd about the box until I was getting ready to dispose of it. When I turned the box over, I had quite a chuckle.

This box had quite the personality. Written on the outside of the box was the following…”I want to be a pizza box. Recycle me. ” How funny. These words somehow made my box come alive. I said to the box, “Don’t worry, you’ll be recycled.” I really do hope the box gets it’s wish and becomes a pizza box. Hopefully, the workers at the recycle plant will get the message…

As always, Find Humor in the Small Things!

Time to Celebrate!

life

As my followers know, I like to celebrate the milestones of my blog with a little cake. I checked the other day to see if I was anywhere near a milestone number. I was at 348 followers. Close but no cigar as they say. So I waited…

Finally the day arrived! 350 followers. Time to make a cake. I chose to make a “healthy” cake. It would be a flourless chocolate cake. Instead of flour, the recipe called for almond meal. The cake was a single layer eight inch with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I was all for having a lower carb version of a celebration cake. My family, however, had other ideas…

The husband was let-down by the frosting-less cake. My daughter agreed with him. Neither thought my “healthy” cake was any healthier and my husband set out to remedy the situation. His solution was to add a dalop of raspberry jam on top. My daughter followed suit. I was more than happy with my heavily-sprinkled powdered sugar topping.

In the end, we all enjoyed the celebration. I asked my husband when I should set the next milestone. He thought 360 might be a good number. I guess he doesn’t want to wait too long for another cake. LOL. Next time, I guess I will top the cake with some frosting.

A shout-out to all my followers. Thanks for following my blog. I hope that you are still enjoying Another Day With Julie. I love to hear your comments.

As always, Find Time to Celebrate!

Granny Square Cardigan

Projects

Well, I have come a long way with my granny squares since my post https://anotherdaywithjulie.home.blog/2022/07/03/making-granny-squares-at-my-age/ . Not only can I make a granny square, I can make at least 78 of them. I know this for a fact because that is how many granny squares it took to make my latest project, a granny square cardigan.

I chose to make the Granny Square Cardigan Crochet Pattern by Originally Lovely https://www.originallylovely.com/crochet/granny-square-cardigan-crochet-pattern/ . I substituted the yarn for an all cotton yarn because I did not want to use acrylic. This meant that I had to use a different size crochet hook to get my squares to be 4 inches. That is why it is so important to make a swatch or a square to be sure the correct size is achieved. If the size is off, the sweater will not fit. I am usually a size small in knitting patterns. Asuming this, I made up the squares for the size small. However, when piecing them together, I realized it was not going to be big enough. No worries. I just whipped-up some more squares and I was back in business. The medium was a perfect fit.

Having never made a crochet project before, I spent quite a bit of time watching youtube instructions to get me going. After making this, I do understand the terms and techniques better, and will say that the pattern is simple enough for a beginner (like me) but a little guidance from youtube is VERY helpful. The cardigan went together really fast. I was quite surprised that I was able to finish it so quickly.

Not to toot my own horn, but I was so very happy with the way the cardigan turned out. It is always nice to accomplish something that has been a goal for so long. I really never thought I would be able to make one granny square let alone a whole sweater. I even have an order from my daughter to make her a granny square sweater. A pull-over this time, with a slightly different granny square pattern. I will be visiting youtube again. Stay tuned to see how it turns out…

As always, Happy Crocheting!

That Mailbox is a Real Character!

life

I have come across some interesting mailboxes when out and about. Some look as though they might barely hold the mail. Some mailboxes are shiney and new. Some are wimsical. Some are bright, others dull. But it’s these latest characters that have caught my eye.

Minions! Not one, but two minion mailboxes standing side by side along the roadside in Maine. Needless to say, my husband turned around so that I could get pictures. Yes, I crossed the busy road and got my legs bitten-up by misquitos, while standing in the grass to get my picture beside these cuties. Of course, it was worth it. Love, love, love the Minions.

As always, Enjoy the Scenery!

Dress with Front Pockets

Projects

Here is my latest look for fall. I made this dress using the VERY EASY VOGUE pattern V9022 and yes, it was very easy.

The pattern does not require buttons or zippers. This may be a bonus for many who fear these notions. It instead calls for a hook and eye closure. I love that there are front pockets incorporated into the pattern that are semi hidden.

The pattern also is made in panels and could be done in different blocks of color. I tried this using a center panel piece in a coordinating fabric. I later ripped the panel out, not caring for the combination, and, instead, made the piece of one fabric.

This dress can easily be made in one day and is flattering on. A simple dress for a simple occassion. I would recommend this Vogue pattern.

As always, Happy Sewing!

Thread Catcher Basket – DIY

Projects

Having done a lot of sewing projects lately, I was looking for a better option of disposing of cut threads. My option of choice lately had been to chuck them on the table where they found their way to the floor and left my sewing room in a state of disaster. Yes, I could have opted for a trash can, however, I don’t like the idea of feeling down below the table for the trash, slowing me down. What to do, what to do?

I came across this site https://mermaidsden.com/blog/2016/07/13/sewing-tutorial-thread-catcher-basket-free-pattern for a thread catcher basket. Genious! Just what I needed. I absolutely LOVE my thread catcher basket and it was SO EASY to make. Now I can reach over and place my threads into the basket and empty it whenever I get around to it (it holds a lot). It is also very pretty to look at and washable.

My sewing station with my thread catcher basket.

My thread catcher basket is made of scraps of material I had on hand, so it did not cost me anything to make. Well, of course it did, but I didn’t have to purchase any new items for it. Always wonderful to make a project with items from your own stash.

These wonderful baskets could have other uses other than catching threads. Make them in different sizes for different uses. The possibilities are endless.

As always, Happy Sewing!

B&W Bread in a Can – Review

Cooking

Researching an upcoming trip to Maine, I came across a unique food item. Bread in a can. These cans of bread are apparently sold on the shelf next to the Boston baked beans. It’s an East Coast thing.

My husband affirmed the fact that people on the East Coast do indeed eat bread in a can. It is meant to be eaten alongside Boston baked beans and hot dogs. He ate this bread growing up. He brought me back a can of the bread as a souvenir from his trip so I could give it a try.

The directions on the can say to open both ends of the can. This needs to be done so the bread can be given a little push out of the can. I did so and the bread popped out easily. I put it on a serving platter and set it on the table for dinner.

B&M Bread in a Can

I must say, I was a little disgusted looking at this bread on the platter. It doesn’t look appetizing. It has the exact look of canned cranberry jelly that pops out of a can at Thanksgiving with the lines of the can marked into it’s sides. I also did not like how the bread rolls around.

The bread sliced easily. It has no crust. It was very sweet because it contains molasses. I would call it more of a sweet bread then a dinner bread. Almost more like a muffin really. Apparently, if the original flavor isn’t sweet enough, one can purchase the version with raisins.

While it tasted fine, I really do not see the point in purchasing this bread. I would be embarrassed to set it out for company as it doesn’t look appealing. It would be a good pantry staple for emergencies, however, I would prefer a fresh loaf of bread (homemade or store bought).

The bread in a can does bring up some questions for me. How does B&M get the bread in the can? How is it cooked? I looked into this and found that the bread is steamed in the can. https://www.mashed.com/270569/the-surprising-origin-of-canned-bread/ Martha Stewart even has a recipe to make homemade bread in a can. https://www.simplemost.com/make-boston-brown-bread-in-a-can-at-home/

It’s interesting how different regions have their own specific food items. I do not know of any stores in So Cal that sell bread in a can. I wonder what other unique food I am missing out on. If any of my readers have food specific to their region of the map, drop me a line and let me know what I am missing out on.

As always, Happy Eating!