Christmas Creations with APS

This might be the most important post I ever write ... it's about making Pralines. I don't know much about the other 48 states, but in Texas and Louisiana this is one of the food groups. This isn't my recipe either. Veronica's daughter-in-law posted it on her Facebook page earlier this month, hinting she'd like some. (Though she didn't want to have to wait until Christmas!!) Since Michelle's husband has his third of 4 finals tonight and we knew he wouldn't be home until 10 p.m., she thought she would try a test batch.

*** Note: The recipe was originally posted on I Love Texas Recipes Facebook page in December of 2013. 

It was quite simple ...

Ingredients:

Directions:

Michelle had a lot of fun, despite her 4-year-old having a momentary crisis at the "critical" stage (step 4). The whole process was fun, and except for needing a lot of pecans, she had most of the supplies in her "winter" pantry.

Here's a look at her adventure ...

So really the only thing she changed was using wax paper. There is very little that she uses wax paper for because most times you can substitute The Appliqué Pressing Sheet by Bear Thread Designs. While the craft sheet was originally created for fusible appliqué, its non-stick surface has also made it an interchangeable tool for other crafts and cooking.

The Appliqué Pressing Sheet comes in 3 sizes and you can special order a specific size as well. Since her parents' own the company she get leftovers, so as you can see, she has a roll of small pieces. These 3 pieces are slightly longer in width than a butter knife, so she had to us several. 

Michelle spooned the mixture onto the sheet and let them cool for about an hour for the first batch, because she had to make dinner. The second batch was plated after about 30 minutes and sent next door when the neighbor brought over Lil Monkey's (Veronica's grandson, not really a monkey), Christmas gifts they had been hiding there.

Both batches made 14 Pralines each. When it came time to plate them, they just slid right off. She liked that the sheet was sturdy enough so that she could lift it up and check to see if they had cooled all the way though.

Then, she wrapped the extras for her sister-in-law and put them in a container that I'm sure her sister-in-law will agree is too small! It only held 8, so I guess we'll put some on a holiday plate for her as well. Michelle is officially the favorite sister-in-law, at least for now, and I'm the favorite bear!

** Note: Is The Appliqué Pressing Sheet has been stored rolled, as above, lay it on the work surface with direction of roll facing downward. 

** Note: Once The Appliqué Pressing Sheet has been used with food, it cannot be used on craft projects. 

For more of Michelle's Kitchen Creations, visit The Teacup Collector's Cottage.

 

Tip Thursday-The Applique Pressing Sheet

I received this e-mail from a customer today and thought I would share it with you.  she is actually not the only one who has e-mailed or called to tell me this .

I have been researching slider sheets for free motion machine quilting and they are very pricey so I started looking for other ideas, one being a Teflon baking sheet. Then, I happened to look over to my peg board of notions ( enough to start my own store...) and found my Applique sheet which is 18 x 20" . Ta Da !! it is also NON stick and very slick ......if you get my drift. I just unrolled it on my machine and it almost covers the 18 x 24" extension table.  I think this would work but I will use painters tape to keep it down. 
I am so thrilled that I had this!

So there you go, another use for The Applique Pressing Sheet.

Tip Thursday-Yes, we're back

Tip Thursday is all about the Grip-n-Press this month.  The original one was brown and orange, but now we make them in silver and black.  The Grip-n-Press has a grippy surface on the bottom and a non-stick (Applique Pressing Sheet)  surface on top.



See, this is what the bottom of the sheet looks like.




It is an ironing board protector and can also be used as a multi purpose craft sheet.  The Grip-n- Press allows you to use virtually any surface as an ironing surface.  It is easy to carry, you just roll it up and carry it to class.


In this picture, we are ironing fusible web to a piece of fabric.

OOOPS!  We got some of the fusible hanging over the edge of the fabric.  Not a problem, when you pull the fabric up, the fusible web stays on the Grip-n-Press!     

How do you get it off?  Easy.  It just peels right off!  Nothing sticks to the Grip-n-Press.  This makes a great protector for your ironing board cover.  No more sticky residue from fusible web!  

    

So, here is an older one, some are still being sold, and there is nothing wrong with them, we just switched to a different color.  So either color works.      

Hope you like the Grip-n-Press, I love mine.    

Here is another use for it.  A hat in case it's raining outside.  The rain will roll right off of it!  At least according to Veronica's grandson it will.  

More things to do with The Applique Pressing Sheet

Did you know that you can use The Applique Pressing sheet as a a paint pallet?  This is straight from the website.  You can read about the other things you can use The Applique Pressing Sheet for by going to www.bearthreaddesigns.com.



CRAFT SHEET & PAINTING SURFACE -- The Appliqué Pressing Sheet is a great crafting surface. This non-stick surface is great for hot glue guns, glue melts, wax designs, stiffening fabric, glue projects, rubber stamps, and embossing. It works great for kids' crafts. Also great as a paint pallet. Paint peels off when dry. Clean up is a breeze.  

Pictures of fused quilts

All of these are fused!!!  Can you believe it????????????????



Here are a few pictures of Pine Needles patterns.  Veronica has made all of these using The Applique Pressing Sheet.  All of these quilts are fused.  There are many more quilts and the patterns are for sale on our website.  Just click on Online store.  You can them click on The Applique Pressing Sheet and all of the patterns pop up on the sidebar.  Our website is www.bearthreaddesigns.com.







See you Monday.

What is an Applique Pressing Sheet?

I recently had a couple of ladies ask me what the differences were in our products.  So I decided that we will devote a few of our Tip Thursday's to tell you what each product does, Veronica will have some samples and show you some completed projects.  We start with our main product The Applique Pressing Sheet. You can use you Applique Pressing Sheet when making fusible web projects.  All of our Applique Pressing Sheets come with a free pattern so you can go home and "play".  We give you a tracing guide, which is pictured below. All of the pieces are seperated so that you can trace them without having to figure put which piece needs that little 1/8" so that fabric touches fabric.

Trace the pattern onto fusible web.














Once you have that traced, you will fuse it to fabric.

When you have fused all of your fabric to your fusible web, you'll cut your pieces out.  I use teflon scissors.  More on those later.

Here it is with the fusible web still on the back.

 I usually put all of my cut pieces into a baggie ready to go to the ironing board.  This is our pattern (it's in the package with your Applique Pressing Sheet).

 Next you put The Applique Pressing Sheet on top of the pattern.

As you see, you can see through the sheet with the pattern underneath.  So now you're ready to fuse. You add your first piece.  I usually add the pieces that are in the back of the design first and build it up.  It is much easier to do it this way than to add pieces underneath after you fuse the top pieces.  I think of it as building a cake.  You gotta start at the bottom and go up!

 

You continue fusing until all of your pieces are fused to the sheet.  Let it cool off and gently peel it off of the sheet.  You entire project is now in one piece, everything is exactly where it should be and

all of your fusible web is still on the back.  The only part that has fused is where the fabric is touching fabric.  Now you take your completed fused piece, put it on the background fabric and press it down.  

Now it's done and ready for you to quilt it.

This is a project Veronica just finished .  It is one part of a block of the month pattern by Pine Needles.

With The Applique Pressing Sheet, you can get very detailed with your quilts.  Have fun and tomorrow we'll show you lots of pictures of quilts that Veronica has made.

The Applique Pressing Sheet comes in 3 sizes.  The original in a flat or rolled package is 13" x 17", We also have an 18" x 20" and a 27" x 30" for those extra large quilts.  All three sizes are available on our website www.bearthreaddesigns.com.

Musty Quilts?????????? Tip Thursday Sew Fresh

Did You Know?....Sew Fresh is an ODORLESS Non-Toxic
Formula.

Sew Fresh ODORLESS formula will eliminate the musty
& moldy smell from quilts that have been stored for a period
of time.  Here’s how to get the musty smells out.  Spray both sides of the quilt and lightly brush the formula into the fabric.

Repeat if required.

NOTE: check for color fastness in an inconspicuous area before treatment.

Sew Fresh Tip Thursday-Yucky smells

The Formula
The Sew Fresh Odor Eliminator formula uses oxidization to eliminate
odors and the end results are ODORLESS. No masking scent! The water
based formula is “nontoxic” and safe to use on any hard surface and on all
fabric types. The Sew Fresh Odor Eliminator formula is;
• Odorless
• Biodegradable
• Nontoxic
• Hypoallergenic
• Water based


Odors Eliminated…

Sew Fresh Odor Eliminator formula oxidizes and eliminates scores of common odor problems. In most cases only one treatment is all that is needed to eliminate an odor.  In some cases depending on the odor source, the location where the odor is, and the depth of the odor within the surface, a second treatment may be required.

Common Odors eliminated by Sew Fresh Odor Eliminator – PERMANENTLY
• Urine
• Mildew /Mold
• Sewage
• Organic Decay
• Chemicals
• Paint Fumes
• Fuel and Gasoline
• Perspiration
• Cooking
• Pet

Tip Thursday Sew Fresh Skunk Dog?

Did You Know?.... Sew Fresh is a Non-Toxic Formula.

Nothing worst smelling then a wet “man’s best friend”. If you own a dog then the odor of a wet dog is a familiar smell to you. With a bottle of Sew Fresh, say goodbye to wet dog odors for good.

Here’s how - Simply spray Sew Fresh formula straight onto the dogs fur and brush in the formula using your finger tips. Is this safe…Sew Fresh formula is so nontoxic that you could drink the formula. 

Spray 2 triggers for every 10 pounds of weight; 

30 pound dog = 6 triggers.

NOTE: Skunk dog? During the bathing

stage and while the soap is still lathered up,

spray Sew Fresh onto the dog and work the

formula into the lather. Let it set for 3-5 minutes

and rinse. Repeat bathing steps if necessary.

Tip Thursday for Sew Fresh

Did You Know?....
Sew Fresh is a Non-Toxic formula

Cat owners are the last to know that parts of their home smell like a litter box. Not anymore if they have a bottle of Sew Fresh Odor Eliminator.  Here’s how to remove the smell.  Remove all solids from the litter box and level the litter. Pump trigger 4-6 sprays of Sew Fresh onto the litter. Now trigger the formula towards the ceiling while you back away from the litter box to remove the smell from the air. ODORLESS results. Repeat when necessary.


NOTE: Hanging a bottle onto a towel rack in each of your bathrooms is a great idea too.

Tip Thursday Sew Fresh removes cat urine odors!!!

Remember the story about this cat back on September 10, 2012?

It was about a call from a quilter who had bought 25 yards of fabric and her kitty did his business in the bag of newly bought fabric.  She used some Sew Clean, about half a cup and the lowest setting for water and she did get the smell out, but that got Veronica wondering what would get cat urine smells out. So...Veronica reached out to a manufacturing company who worked with her and the Bear Thread Designs team to create an odor eliminator that would remove the odor caused by time and animals. They actually used synthetic cat urine to test it.  Wow, what a test.  And yes, it worked great, all the cat urine smell was gone, gone, gone.       

Sew Fresh™ is an all-natural odor eliminator that removes odors without the use of scents or fragrances. The water-based cleaner is safe for use around children and pets.

We will be doing some Do You Know's on Sew Fresh in the coming Thursday's.  There are lots of uses for Sew Fresh.

So now we have Sew Clean and Sew Fresh.  Stay tuned to Tip Thursdays.   

Tip Thursday on Sew Clean

So here is a great tip from Sue out in Quiltland, she loves Sew Clean and she says that she uses a small bottle from the craft store with a small pointy tip so that she can get in to small areas, or really up close and personal with the Sew Clean.  She just pours a small amount of Sew Clean from her big bottle into this small bottle and she says it works great.  She says she tells everyone she knows about this.  Thanks for the tip Sue, I myself use a cotton swab to dab it on in small areas. I'm going to have to get me a small bottle, I think this is a great tip.   Sew Clean is an all natural spot and stain remover for quilts or other delicate fabrics.  Sew Clean is biodegradable, has no butyl or harsh alkalies.  If you are interested in purchasing Sew Clean you can go to your local quilt store. If you can't find it at your favorite quilt store you can purchase it from the Bear Thread Designs

website at www.bearthreaddesigns.com.