Weekend Sewing In Vermont Take 2...

I know, it was two weeks ago...  but it was such a great weekend that it deserves a full-fledged post. 

It was such a pleasure to spend another weekend at Blueberry Hill Inn with a dozen devoted stitchers and the one and only Denyse Schmidt, even with a terribly stiff neck that made it difficult to sleep and turn my head with anything but the deliberate, noisy effort of a bendy straw.

Most of our group arrived Friday before dinner, driving and flying from all points near and far, none of them too tired to start sewing after dinner. Projects and fabrics were picked and cutting began, with over half the group choosing my newly vetted Fall Dress pattern as their weekend project. It was evident early on that it would be a really great weekend: everyone seemed so lovely, and so fun.

The weather was a bit ominous all weekend, with big bursts of wind and rain and then heavy sunshine burning through big clouds. Friday night was especially eventful. Denyse and I were sharing Moosalamoo, a little two story cottage next door to the main Inn with a bedroom downstairs (mine) and a loft with two twins upstairs.  I thought I had the better room until I realized that the position of the bed meant that my head would be beneath the window. The storm kept me wide awake, with branches banging against my wall and the wind howling at such a high pitch that I felt as though I was trapped inside an episode of Scooby Doo. It really sounded exactly like someone with a microphone and a white sheet trying to convince me that my room was haunted so that I would leave before I discovered their ill-gotten buried treasure. It worked. After a noisy, frustrated effort to set up the folding cot in the sitting room Denyse shouted down to me that there was spare bed upstairs. It was much better up there, but I was awake all night anyway. I felt perfectly fine the next day, fueled by adrenaline, I suppose, and those chocolate chip cookies.

After a giant breakfast we went back to the barn and to our projects. Things were moving steadilty, with lots and lots of great ideas being tossed to and fro. The barn looked like a fully operational sweatshop by noon, which was when we decided that a nice lunch in town would be much better than a rainy hike. We even had time for a bit of antiquing and a visit to my favorite little vintage candy/ice cream/antique store in Brandon where we stocked up on gummys. Sarah even bought some lovely dining chairs.

Saturday evening was another late night of sewing, the barn lights finally went off at about 2 am. One determined stitcher (not naming any names here!) actualy skipped dinner to work on her dress. I know. It turned out beautifully, though!

Denyse led a great workshop on imrpovisational patchwork on Sunday morning. It was a bit like her extremely popular quilt workshop, except we used a foundation piecing technique and made simple little zip up bags. I dropped so many hints that Denyse gave me the one she made. They were all so beautiful. I have taken Densyes workshop and so I recognized that shocked look on everyones faces, that " I cannot believe I made this" sort of gaze. Its such a pleasure to see.

Everyne said goodbye at around lunchtime and Tony and Wolfgang (owner and resident sauna guru/ masseuse at BBH) fired up the sauna for Densye and I and we took a good long sauna and a few dips in the pond before having an enormous dinner and falling into bed, where we had no trouble falling asleep after recounting how great everyone was and how much fun we had had. It doesnt matter what the weather, a weekend at BBH is always perfect. How I wish the barn wasn't used as the XC ski center all winter, I would love to do a snowy sewing workshop. Instead, I said goodbye until next summer. We have already put the dates on the 2010 calendar: the weekends of August 7th and 14th. Next summer we are adding the sauna / pond dip to the evening workshop schedule. We will just have to stay up later to finish all of that sewing.

see more pictures here!

California Here I Come!

Santa Cruz Beach BoardwalkI leave tomorrow for Santa Cruz, hoping to spend as much time as possible with my extremely busy family while visiting some of the west coasts hottest fabric and craft spots and doing a bit of teaching. My twin sister is now a high school guidance counselor! She has been the wise and good angel of conscience on my left shoulder since we were three (Don't put that in your mouth! Where are your pants?? Don't date surfers!) so I would like to take a bit of credit for her training. She also sent one daughter off to high school and another to junior high AND started graduate school last week. Luckily her little boy is still in elementary school and has managed to free up his schedule in order to take TC and I to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (above) while we are in town. I don't know how you people do it. I can barely keep it together with a dog and a cat and a job that allows me to spend an inordinate time in my nightgown.

If you find yourself near Harts Fabric on Thursday night or downtown by The Crafters Studio next Wednesday, stop by and say hello! There is till a bit of room in the "Mendocino Smocked Sundress" class at The Crafters Studio, which is a great first dress project. You lucky Californians, we are getting ready to put our sundresses away here in New York.

New Fall Workshops & Events

Patchwork has just posted my new class schedule for fall, which includes a few old favorites (modern trosseau and skirts that work) plus a new four-session Fall Dress workshop (pictured here).

I am also teaching two workshops in September in Santa Cruz, California: a Mendocino Sundress workshop at The Crafters Studio and a Skirts That Work session at Harts Fabric.

I have been shopping at Harts since I was in the 7th grade, when I purchases three yards of while poly satin for my Bride of Frankenstien halloween costume. If only I could have gotten my hair to stand straight up. I will be signing books and hanging out at Harts on Thursday September 3 from 4-6pm, and then when the shop closes the workshop will begin. Visit Harts website for more info and to register.

I am also extremely excited about being at The Crafters Studio in Santa Cruz, I haven't yet been but have been hearing about it from everyone on the left coast. They have an impressive class list, which includes everything from metal smithing to sewing to knitting and more. I will be there on Wednesday Spetember 9th from 4:30-6:30 signing books and meeting local stitchers and crafters, and then teaching from 6:30 to 9:30. The siging is open to the public, but space for the workshop is limited. You can get more info or sign up over here.

Update on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 01:57PM by Heather Ross

And yes, the Fall Dress pattern will be available as a download soon!

Weekend Cooking: Fresh Corn Tamales

Last weekend we visited Joelle and brought with us a moody little dog, three pounds of bacon, and 40 ears of corn. The corn was actually the most problematic item on the packing list. I collected it at the Farmers Market on Friday, and because I had stopped off at a sale on 7th avenue I missed the "easy to get a cab" window and had to take the subway, which is usually very easy but not so much with 40 ears of corn. They say that you should buy the heaviest corn because its the freshest. I agree, unless you are wearing a white shirt and rain is expected and you have to carry home your groceries five blocks from the subway station in said rain all because you can't get a cab because someone told you that there was a full rack of Helmut Lang, all 75% off, at Loehmans which you could not resist which meant that by the time you got to Farmers Market it was rush hour and there was not a cab in sight. In that case, get the really stale lightweight variety.

The reason for the corn was, of course, tamales. We had planned to make a huge batch, enough to freeze even, during our long lazy weekend in the country. When we woke up in the beginnings of an all day rainstorm on Sunday morning, we headed straight to the kitchen. Well, not all of us. Lobo and Harper headed to the front porch to continue a heated debate over a bone that had begun the night before and TC headed back upstairs to nap. But Joelle and I headed for the kitchen.

I'm told that the reason tamales are traditionally made in huge batches has to do with The Day of The Dead, and that for this holiday you are not only cooking and celebrating for and with your present circle of family and freinds, but that you are also celebrating (and preparing food for) those who are no longer here. I'm not sure what happens next. I guess you put them in the freezer and if none of them end up stopping by its ok to eat them. Right?

Making them in large batches really is the way to go, because they are quite a lot of work (the factory line, redundant sort of work, not the complicated, problem solving sort of work), be sure to keep a glass of wine handy for those all important breaks from wrapping or your hands will surely prune up along with your mood.

Anyway, I had once tasted tamales at a fancy, modern retaurant in Mexico City made with fresh corn and had always wanted to try to make them. I also have a sick obsession with that little lump of sweet corn mush that they give you at Chilis regardless of what you order. When I stumbled across this recipe, I was pretty sure I had found a hybrid of sorts.

In the batch that Joelle and I made, we left out the butter and eggs. They still turned out really well. Then I came home and made a batch with butter, and those turned out really REALLY well. Then, I tried adding a bit of sliced jalepeno and some of monterey jack cheese. The chili mellowed a lot during cooking and the cheese got all crazy-stretchy. A bit of chopped avocado and some greek yogurt and a bit of cilantro and dinner was sooo ready.

Fresh Corn Tamales

28 cups of corn kernels (about 45 ears)

2 cups Masa Harina

1 1/2 cups butter, room temp

2/3 cups lard or shortening

1 cup raw sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons baking powder

4 eggs, room temp

2 Tablespoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

juice of one lime

fresh corn husks

optional: jalepeno peppers, sliced

monterey jack cheese

garnish: cilantro, avocado, greek yogurt

shuck corn and reserve husks, allowing them to soak in a large bowl of water or in the sink while you make the tamale batter.

Begin by removing the kernels from the corn cobs. Break each cob in half with your hands. Working with one half at a time, hold the cob upright with its flat end on a cutting board and use a sharp paring knife to cut the kernels, cutting away from your hands and towards the cutting board.

Working in several small batches, puree the kernels in a food processor. Transfer each batch to a stand mixer bowl. Add masa, honey, butter, lard, sugar, cayenne, lime, and lastly, the eggs. Mix for five minutes on a medium speed, add baking powder and salt and mix for one more minute. Let stand for thirty minutes.

Place a heaping teaspoon in the center of a flattened corn husk. If you like, add slices of jalepeno peppers and shredded cheese to the center of your batter. Fold edges over the mixture and then bring the ends together and tie them using torn pieces of husk, as shown. Remember when filling that the mixture will expand slightly while cooking.

NOTE: Other great options for tamale fillings include shredded or ground beef or pork, chunks of squash or pumpkin, or even slices of lime. All will soften and mellow during steaming and make for a lovely surprise when the tamales are opened. I made half my batch with pieces of roasted chicken and jalepeno, and tied the a little differently so that I would be able to distinguish them from eachother later.

Place a clean dishtowel over a bamboo steamer. Layer the tamales, with their tied ends upright, tightly together. Wrap the edges of the dishtowel over the tamales and cover with the bamboo lid. Fill the bottom of your wok with water and place your steamer inside. the base of the steamer should rest just above the water, not in it. Cover with the wok lid and steam for one hour and fifteen minutes.

Serve some immediately with greek yorgurt, cilantro, and sliced avocado. Freeze remaining tamales in small batches (I put four or six in a ziplock bag) so that they can be steamed or microwaved easily in the future.

Last Minute Opening for our Upcoming Weekend Workshop at Blueberry Hill Inn! And, I'm Coming to California!

We have an unexpected opening for our August 29 /30 Weekend Workshop at Blueberry Hill Inn! If you have always wanted to spend a weekend in Vermont, sewing in a barn, eating lots of yummy stuff, swimming in a clear mountain lake, and picking blueberries, this is your chance! Denyse Schmidt is our guest teacher and will be leading a very cool improvisational quilting class as part of our weekend. Fun! Please shoot me an email if you would like to attend....

I will be visiting Santa Cruz, California from Sept 2-10th. Come say hello, get your copy of Weekend Sewing signed, and take my skirt pattern class at Harts Fabric on Sept 3rd, or join me for a Mendocino Sundress Workshop at The Crafters Studio on Wednesday, Sept. 9.