Of cooking, and associated paraphernalia.
How is it that for about four years, we lived with one functioning cupboard and the driftwood larder (Quercus’s first attempt at cupboard-making) and we seemed to have everything stored, if not sensibly, then at least accessibly, without any particularly noticeable oversights, yet now, we have acres – no, hectares of storage, of glorious oak cupboards, and we’re filling them up within six months of their completion? Where has all this stuff come from, I ask? Do I really need six mince-pie trays, given that I normally only use two of them? And how do I come by EIGHT round cake tins of approximately the same size and style? One, two or even three I could understand, but EIGHT? That speaks of more than a momentary lapse of concentration, doesn’t it?
Anyway.
One of my favourite things is cupboard reorganisation. I’ve been rejigging things about a bit ever since Quercus finished our cupboards, and I think I’m just about happy with where everything lives, despite my intense puzzlement about the quantity of detritus we appear to have had stored in the sheds. I knew there were more cups and plates and things, but I hadn’t realised just how much baking crap I have. It’s… interesting. I suppose it’s the result of inheriting lots of bits as the aged parent prepared to move house; he doesn’t bake, and thus handed all the things that were my mother’s over to me, and then, as they came in dribs and drabs, I shoved them somewhere convenient and forgot about them, not noticing the very plural nature of those dribs and drabs. Well, at least if it turns out that the answer to the universe is, in fact, a pie of mince, I will be well prepared.
Part of all this unearthing has been rediscovering old recipes that I love, and baking things I remember making with my mother when I was small. Just as I can recall sitting on our counters and handing her things from the cupboards while performing minor physical miracles in avoiding bashing my head on the wall-mounted storage, now I see the small girl sitting in front of me, swiping dried fruit from the various bags and boxes which live in the larger Dried Fruits storage box (fortunately without the physical miracles, as our kitchen is large enough to avoid wall units, a personal loathing of mine), and covered in various quantities of flour, sugar and sunflower oil.
All this baking requires the right clothing, clearly…
So last night, I made her her first apron. A very kind friend recently donated various swathes of fabric to our cause, and in amongst them was a rather nice upholstery-weight brown, which now has a few buttons added, and some red thread, and a wooden heart. I think it’s probably going to be EEEEnormous on her because I sized it by gawping at some dungarees of hers which were kicking about after she’d gone to bed, but hey – room to grow, or something.
And now the bit where I have to wait to give it to her, because we’re out with friends this afternoon, so I must learn me some patience. Remind me how that works…? I’ve never learned thus far… I do love making things for her, and I also love the feeling of surprise that I get every time something actually works out – after years of being utterly crap at sewing, it constantly amazes me that I can do this, and it may even work. Long may it last, both the feeling, and the making.
And you? Any works-in-progress at the moment?
Fair winds prevailing (well, lack of rain anyway) might see me sewing the new kitchen blind tomorrow. Plans to do this (which actually doesn’t involve very much work at all) have been in place for several months. It doesn’t come naturally to me, obviously. We’ve had the new material for several months. Two weeks ago we got the old blind down and dismantled the threadbare and disintegrating material only to find that the braid I’d intended to reuse was not only stitched on, but glued on. We didn’t manage to get to the shop to buy new braid until late last Sunday so this Sunday is the first chance I’ve had since to get the machine out. Wish me luck…
very cute apron!
since you’ve confessed to enjoying it so much, can you come and organise my cupboards? I flinch whenever I open a cupboard door. And every time I literally have to dodge a cascade of falling spice jars, crammed as they are into the most stupidly chaotic space.
Sadly, I don’t have any (creative) works-in-progress at the moment. I have a heap of projects I want to get underway, but not a moment for them just now. But I’m determined to make time for some Spring planting any day now…
I see your baking trays and raise you THIRTEEN frying pans! And no, I have no idea how I acquired them. I was ruthless however, and now only have six……….
Good job on the apron. Bigger it is, the more it will cover. I am completely and utterly hopeless at making things for the children and not giving it to them straight away. I have to hide homemade gifts so that I am not tempted to give them too soon. Sometimes I can even find them again. Sometime near their birthdays.
Only one wip at the moment and it is a cardigan for one of my girls. Not sure how it is going to size up, so not sure which daughter it is for!
lovely apron! my daughter informed me 2 weeks ago that a friend would like a (cross-stitch) birth record for her 5mth old daughter, & would i please hurry up & get it done in a week? it will not be a week. after that, it will be time to stitch up sofi’s felt christmas stocking. canning chutney today. i have a variety of knives, strainers, & glass measuring cups–am now contemplating diversifying my baking tins…;)
Awww…that apron is precious!
Um, eight round cake tins? Really? I am in AWE! I can’t remember the last time I ate cake, let alone BAKED one. Let alone one with LAYERS requiring even TWO cake tins. Note to self: you would make a pathetic baker.
Now, I can completely understand having eight chopping boards and fifteen knives (I can’t be bothered to do the dishes, so there really is no other choice). Or having ten mixing bowls of nearly the same size. It’s all about having to do dishes and not wanting to…
So, you want to know about works in progress, eh? How long a comment am I allowed to leave? The list is endless…
hmmmm. Think I need toplan this year’s chrissmussy projects. also think typing one handed due to sleeping cat is no fun at all…
Hmm – lots of crafty bits and bobs, then, and Megan, I am in awe of your planning. I am also slightly scared of it. Sue, THIRTEEN? Really? Wow.
dw, I feel your washing-up pain. Once you have a dishwasher, the pain simply translates into the dishwasher needing loading or unloading, or there being things which just don’t fit… Grr. I need a self-loading one. 
And GoodTwin, I hope you managed it! Petoskystone, two weeks is a tall order… Is the end in sight?