CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

This summer has been completely free of sewing and crafting of any kind. It's weird, but I think it's necessary as well to keep the enthusiasm for creating going in the long run. And it's been seven years now, four of those blogging about it. It seems sometimes as if I am ready to move on. For example I started helping a young friend with her math homework this weekend and just then I realised that just maybe I should think of doing this in public schools as a tutor instead of just lamenting the poor achievement scores  all over the state of Utah... When she graduates from HS I'll think about it.

The main reason for this temporary burn out is the amounts of pattern work that was finally completed in June. A pattern for We All Sew, three patterns for Tauton Press ( the editors of Threads Magazine ) and I was ready to unplug the sewing machine for a few months. It's been looking at me funny from it's corner ever since.

Last week I turned it on again for a worthwhile cause, hemming a pair of J Brand skinny jeans bought for a song. That lucky find made me so giddy I had to fix them up immediately and wear them that night. I usually think of myself as the worst alteration seamstress in the universe, always meaning to get to it but never actually fixing anything, except hems, those I can churn out. (The triple stitch on the new Bernina 580 lets me use regular polyester thread and yet makes it appear as if cordonet was used instead, if you sew slowly enough for all the stitches to align on each other.)

The truth: I have a phobia of hand made garments, of refashioned pieces, I just don't like to wear them, ever. Odd I know for a sewing enthusiast, but true. I am coming out apparently! Yet I read so many great inspirational blogs about fashion transformations and admire the handi-work knowing all along that my ocdness would never allow it!

So instead, we spent a summer of water play, collecting sticks on all our walks for a fall fire and learning to make complicated cookies. Today: the Rose Amaretti (from a french recipe).

 

Sometimes you need a little sugar to end the day just right, those fit the bill quite nicely. Thinking back I suspect that a French 'cs' or soup spoon is much smaller than our tablespoon and should adjust the recipe accordingly next time.

I used a macaron silicone baking sheet found on ebay here.It's new and never been used for actual macs but the consistency of the amaretti dough is very similar. Well I think you can see for yourself, I piped the dough on the sheet and they tuned out quite round and regular. Almond and rose is a match made in heaven, trust me on that.

edit: this might not alas happen after all, so the post is on ice...I will end this long rambling on a suspenseful note: I have extremely exciting news to share for the future of our family, and no it's not a baby! more on this subject this week...