Creative Fat Grrl

Creative Fat Grrl was a name I invented for myself when I wrote a web column for Lockergnome. I was looking for something that felt like me, not one of the bright, trendy and excitable young people who create energetic YouTube video posts on the side. It was something I could live up to without feeling left out. I kept it going for a couple of years. The name still works for creative arts sort of posts. Most of the posts in this category will be written for that column or others.

There are 2,542 posts filed in Creative Fat Grrl (this is page 22 of 424).

Repurpose Vintage Denim: Make a Fancy Denim Purse

A denim purse has great looks, great style and does great when it comes to wear and tear. Wouldn’t you like a denim purse, backpack, book bag, or some other denim purse sort of thing for yourself?

Almost every purse or backpack I have bought myself has been denim. My Mother made me a denim purse when I was a high school kid too. I remember how often people commented about that purse, in good ways.

I do my own sewing but I’ve stuck with embroidery and sewing by hand. Most of the sewing I do is mending, hemming and Christmas crafts/ ornaments. I do have a sewing machine but I’ve hardly done more than unpack it and pack it up again each time I move to a new address. I always intend to use it, get comfortable with how it works. There are so many craft projects I could be taking on if I was using the machine and sewing patterns. Now sewing patterns are so much easier to get, for free even, online. There really is not good reason not to get that sewing machine out and make great things with it.

I want to make my own purse, backpack or bookbag from recycled (upcycled) denim and trimmings. I’m going to start by looking at patterns and ideas. I like a purse with lots of pockets and niches to stash things and keep from having everything tossed into one central big pouch. I also want good straps, since they seem to wear out sooner than anything else on the purses I use. So those are the things I will be looking for in patterns.

General Plan for Sewing a Denim Purse

Start by giving the old jeans you want to use a wash in the machine. Dry them well and if they are wrinkled give them a touch of the iron to smooth them out.

Look at patterns for purses or backpacks or laundry bags, etc. You can do this without a pattern but the pattern is a good thing when it comes to the logistics and having a plan of how to pull it all together. Especially if you want extras like pockets, lining, inside pockets and dividers.

Don’t begin cutting the jeans until you have a plan for the purse, backpack or bag you want to make. Draw a pattern for the main bag and extras like a handle. Fit them by pinning the pieces together and see how they hang – is a purse strap going to be too long or too short? Will you be able to fit your books into the book bag? Do you need a lining – which will mean cutting extra denim or recycling something else to have a different fabric for the lining.

Once you have your plan cut out the pieces, give extra space around the edge for the seam once they are sewn together. Cut the denim for the handle and any side pockets and such.

Sew on pockets and extras as you want them, not the purse strap however. Once you have the body of the purse all set and ready to be sewn together (including a lining if you want one) put the main pieces back to back (they should be inside out). Begin sewing around the edges. Leave the top open – but hem it if you have rough edges there.

Sew the purse strap on before you finish sewing the two parts of the body together. You should have left some room to tuck the ends of the strap into your seams. Or, sew extra seam and double sew over the straps for extra strength. Look at patterns for ideas on how to attach the strap to the purse if you aren’t certain. Of course, if you use plastic handles it will be different from using a length from the jeans.

You can still decorate the purse with extras like pins, brooches and whatever else you dream up.


Source: A denim purse from Poppy Patchwork on Etsy. The shop looks closed right now, not gone from the site so it may open with new items again.

If you Close Your Eyes it Will all go Away

Most Definitely A Time For Change!!!.

I was molested in a movie theatre as a kid. At the time I was too ashamed and embarrassed – also intimidated to do anything but sit there through the whole movie and wait until I could get out and leave. Now I wish I had told someone. But, at the time I told no one until hours later when I got home on the bus and told my Mother.

I don’t know why our society puts offenders and murderers on a pedestal  Instead of doing something real and concrete about the people molesting, beating or killing we lock up ourselves and our children. We are all afraid of our children being attacked and yet… the molesters (known molesters and violent offenders) are sent right back out with a slap on the wrist.

I don’t understand why we don’t have capital punishment. When I ask about it here people were horrified at the idea of killing murders. Someone suggested they should have 3 chances before being punished. Well, I’m not volunteering to be beaten, molested or killed in order to give some offender a few more chances.

It’s all a sick joke and we are the dummies to live this way while allowing the offenders to rule our lives and make us live like cattle awaiting slaughter or rabbits afraid to poke our nose out of our holes. I don’t listen to the news any more. I don’t want to hear about the latest victim and I just get really angry when I hear about the offender who had already committed several crimes over the years but was set free to have another second chance, at our expense.

I’m Making a Candycane Vanilla Sort of Cheesecake Tonight

Simply Recipes has The Perfect Cheesecake and Chatelaine has a Classic Cheesecake recipe. I’ve used these – but mostly just to make sure I didn’t forget anything, like the sugar (I only did it once!).

The Perfect Cheesecake was a bit interesting because they have iced it. I might do the same. I have candycane Kiss chocolates to put on top. The icing might be just the right thing to hold them in place and look prettier too.

Perfect Cheesecake Recipe
Cook time: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS
Crust
2 cups (475 ml) of Graham cracker crumbs (from a little less than 2 packages Graham crackers
2 Tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
5 Tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter (if using salted butter, omit the pinch of salt), melted

Filling
2 pounds cream cheese (900 g), room temperature
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar (270 g)
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream (160 ml)
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (160 ml)

Toppings
2 cups sour cream (475 ml)
1/3 cup powdered sugar (35 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces (340 g) fresh raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
1/2 cup water (120 ml)

Special equipment needed
9-inch, 2 3/4-inch high springform pan
Heavy-duty, 18-inch wide aluminum foil
A large, high-sided roasting pan

Prepare the crust

1 Prepare the springform pan so that no water leaks into it while cooking.* Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don’t create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan, and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Use your (clean) hands to stir in the melted butter.

3 Put all but 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. (Save the remaining 1/4 cup for if you happen to have any holes that need to be filled in, either while you are making the crust, or after the cake has cooked and you’ve unmolded it.) Gently press down on the crumbs using your fingers, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe just a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan. Be careful as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the filling

4 Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and creamy. Add the sugar, beat for 4 minutes more. Add the salt and vanilla, beating after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that paddle attachment has failed to incorporate.
Cook the cheesecake

5 Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake, pouring until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) Cook at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours.

6 Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door 1-inch, and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for another hour. This gentle cooling will help prevent the cheesecake surface from cracking.

7 Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn’t actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
Prepare sour cream topping

8 Place sour cream in a medium sized bowl, stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth. Chill until you are ready to serve the cake.
Note that this recipe produces enough sour cream topping for a thick topping and some extra to spoon over individual pieces of cheesecake, if desired. If you would like a thinner layer of topping and no extra, reduce the sour cream topping ingredients in half.

Prepare the raspberry sauce

9 Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to mash the raspberries. Heat on medium, whisking, about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Let cool.
Prepare the cake to serve.

10 Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from the sides of the pan, and place the cake on your cake serving dish. Run the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cake and the pan. Dorie recommends, and we’ve done with success, that you use a hair dryer to heat the sides of the pan to make it easier to remove. Open the springform latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread the top with the sour cream mixture. Serve plain or drizzled with raspberry sauce.

Yield: Makes 16 servings.