Victoria Bryant: February 2008 Archives
There is an old movie with Cary Grant and Doris Day called "That Touch of Mink". If there had been Minky available then, I am sure that animal-loving Doris Day would have starred in "That Touch of Minky". Minky is as soft as mink and made of 100% polyester. It is washable and durable. It is, of course, perfect for decorating nurseries. If you are making a gift for a baby or creating a nursery, you might want to look at our selections of Sew Baby patterns and Donna Babylon patterns.
If you think outside the box, Minky can also be used for other things. I was challenged last year to create a slipcover for a Foof. For those unfamiliar with a Foof, think of something similar to a beanbag chair. The person wanted to use the plush Minky. I was dubious. I had never worked with Minky. I had never created a pattern or sewn a slipcover. We calculated the yardage by measuring the length and width of the Foof. We estimated 5 yards of minky would be needed to complete the slipcover. That is a lot of Minky! When I cut the fabric into the pattern pieces, imagine my surprise when black Minky went everywhere. It was on me, on the cutting table, on the floor and even the cats. After vacuuming the fuzz up, I carefully pinned everything together. Since I was making a slipcover, I used upholstery thread and a size 16 needle. I discovered that it would probably be best to increase my stitch length slightly. The Minky was not hard to sew. I did use a lot of pins. One of the things I liked about the Minky was that if I made a bobble in my straight stitch, the pile of the Minky hid my mistakes. Minky is very forgiving. I was even able to sew a 48" zipper in it with no problem. Surprisingly, the slipcover fit like a glove. At least I was surprised. There is a little stretch to hide some miscalculations. You may recognize our model above - Stephen's daughter Halle. It looks very comfortable..Minky also makes great pillows and robes. We have a variety of Minky fabrics from animal prints to a new paisley print.
For Valentine's Day, we created a Valentine pillow for a special little girl.
Melanie has offered a list of tips for working with Minky- See our second blog of the day for Melanie's minky tips.
Daniel in our IT department has been waiting for us to publish his "Ode to Minky". He is our "Prints Charming".
Here it is:
Let me tell you a little story about a fabric named Minky. Minky, oh sweet Minky! You are so pink. Many try to imitate you, but none succeed. There's Dimple Dot, Curly, Zebra, and Swirl. But none can match the elegance of Minky Micro Plush Strawberry Pink.
But Tiger comes close.
Okay, Daniel, you are now a published author.
It seems like only yesterday that I was receiving Love Letters. With emails and cell phones, does anyone write love letters anymore? If you have not written a letter you should. It is a memento that will be treasured whether it is written to a man or woman. Men like them even though they may not admit it. It is good to feel special.
Valentine Day is one week away. I would like to remember a couple of special friends on Valentine Day so I have been surfing the net for something special. I stumbled across a website called pajamagram.com. They create a gift that includes pajamas, a scented sachet and a personal note in a nice package. Fabulous idea but because I sew I can cut that price to less than half. You may already have a pajama pattern. If not, Favorite Things Jammies Pattern (FT-021) is perfect. It is suitable for both men and women. It includes several pattern options including a camisole top. I have found some great interlock knits in our novelty knits area that are perfect- BC-938, BF-609, BF-630, BF-617 and BB-964. Check them out! All of these knits are priced from $4.98/yard. If you want something a little fancier- check the satins in the Valentine's shop. This project will take about 90 minutes. With the money I save I can also give a box of chocolates, a personal note and package it in a nice container. I can also personalize it by picking the fabric I know my friends will like.
Looking for a one-hour project. Look at Donna Babylon's heart-shaped pillow (DBP-005). I adapted her pattern to create a pillow for a special little girl. I used different shades of minky to make my pillow. I added a pocket to the pillow after embroidering her name on it. I tucked a valentine card and some conversation hearts in the pocket. She can use the pocket later to tuck her special treasures. Let your imagination go wild!
For a special sewing friend, I found a heart-shaped pincushion at Allpeoplequilt.com. I think I can do that in 30 minutes.
To finish off the day, treat yourselves to a special dinner with all the trimmings. Great ideas at bhg.com. Here is a sweet ending from bhg.com.
Mocha Truffle Tartlets
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by 1 person Chill: 30 min.
Ingredients
- 2 2.1-ounce packages baked miniature phyllo dough shells
- 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate pieces or chopped dark chocolate bar (9 ounces)
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon coffee-flavor liqueur or brewed coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 8-ounce container whipped cream cheese
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans or chopped dark chocolate (optional)
Directions
1. Open phyllo shells, leaving shells in tray; set aside.
2. In a small saucepan melt the 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate and whipping cream over low heat, stirring occasionally. Divide melted chocolate mixture evenly among the bottoms of the phyllo shells; set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together brown sugar, coffee liqueur, espresso powder, and vanilla; stir until espresso powder dissolves. Add cream cheese and stir until well combined. Spoon a small amount of cream cheese mixture over chocolate mixture in each shell. (Or, place cream cheese mixture in a resealable plastic bag, cut off a small piece of one corner, and pipe cheese mixture onto chocolate filling.) Cover tartlets loosely and chill until set (about 30 minutes). Once set, tartlets can be covered tightly and chilled overnight.
4. Remove tartlets 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each lightly with a little cocoa powder. If desired, top each with chopped coffee beans or chopped chocolate.
5. Makes 30 tartlets
A sweet treat to end a sweet day.
Directions
1. Open phyllo shells, leaving shells in tray; set aside.
2. In a small saucepan melt the 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate and whipping cream over low heat, stirring occasionally. Divide melted chocolate mixture evenly among the bottoms of the phyllo shells; set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together brown sugar, coffee liqueur, espresso powder, and vanilla; stir until espresso powder dissolves. Add cream cheese and stir until well combined. Spoon a small amount of cream cheese mixture over chocolate mixture in each shell. (Or, place cream cheese mixture in a resealable plastic bag, cut off a small piece of one corner, and pipe cheese mixture onto chocolate filling.) Cover tartlets loosely and chill until set (about 30 minutes). Once set, tartlets can be covered tightly and chilled overnight.
4. Remove tartlets 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each lightly with a little cocoa powder. If desired, top each with chopped coffee beans or chopped chocolate.
5. Makes 30 tartlets
