The Bag of a Thousand Uses Tutorial!

Well alright, maybe not a thousand but this truly is a very useful little drawstring bag that you can adapt easily to fit your needs. Here are some of our suggestions:

Use it as a small gift bag, instantly making any gift look special.
Place herbs inside it and hang it up to make an attractive room fragrance.
Use it to keep your jewellery in.
Make it slightly larger and it could be used as a perfect bridesmaid bag.
Again make it slightly larger and using glitzy fabric, easily make yourself an evening bag.

What You’ll Need
Fabric in two designs for outside and lining
Dinner Plate
Pencil
Cord or ribbon

Step 1

Draw around your dinner plate on both your outside and lining fabric. Cut along your pencil lines so you have two circles of the same size. These usually look good if one fabric is paler than the other.

Step 2

Place the circles right sides together and pin around the edge.

Step 3

Sew around the edge of the circle (this can be by machine or hand). Remember to leave a gap so that the fabrics can be turned the right way out. Clip around the edge of the circle at approximately 5cm (2″) intervals.

Step 4

Turn the circles the right way out and sew the gap closed. Next iron your circular mat flat.

Step 5

Now we need to create a channel for the drawstring cord to go through. Begin by sewing around the circle approximately 1 1/2cm from the edge. Sew a complete circle with no gaps and make sure to sew back and forth at the beginning and end of the circle to reinforce. Now we sew another smaller circle, approximately 1cm in from the circle we’ve just sewn. Again no gaps and sew back and forth.

Step 6

Now we need to make two small cuts in our new channel so we can push the drawstring in. Cut on either side of the circle so that they face each other. It’s wise to sew a few stitches around the edges of these cuts to reinforce them.

Step 7

Now cut two pieces of cord (or ribbon), I particularly like using colour co-ordinating cord here. We now need to thread the cord through one hole and bring it around the entire circle and back out the same hole. With the other length of cord you need to thread it through the opposite hole and again pull it through the entire circle and back out. Either side is then knotted together. Tip. If you find it difficult to thread the cord through, a hair grip attached to one end of the cord can make the process easier.

Step 8

Pull your cords together and you have your completed bag! You can also turn it the other way out and it still works very well.

Burns Night Cranachan Recipe!

If you didn’t already know, tonight is Burns Night. Traditionally this is a day to celebrate the life and poetry of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns who was born on this day. While we’re not massive followers of the tradition, my last Scottish relative being born in the late 18th century, we certainly enjoy the traditional foods that are eaten on this night. So in honour of Robert Burns and Burns Night itself I thought we’d bring you our favourite Cranachan Recipe. Cranachan is one of several desserts traditionally eaten on this day.

What You’ll Need

75g (2 3/4oz) Oatmeal
30g (1oz) Sugar
3 Tbsp Whisky (for a child friendly version substitute with Orange Juice)
4 Tbsp Honey
300g (10 1/2oz) Raspberries
500ml (1lb 2floz) Double Cream

 

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4. Mix the Oatmeal and sugar together and spread out evenly on a baking tray. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stir at least twice to ensure even browning without burning.

Step 2

Put the double cream into a large mixing bowl and whip until firm.

Step 3

Add the Oatmeal, Honey and Whisky (or Orange juice if making the non alcoholic version) to the cream and gently fold in to combine.

Step 4

Now the fun part! In a glass pot spoon in a layer of the cream mixture and then a layer of the raspberries. Keep layering like this until your pots are full.

Sit back and enjoy your delicious Cranachan!

 

Butterscotch Cookies Recipe!

Mmmmm… 30 year old biscuits! Well alright they aren’t really 30 years old, but the recipe is. It comes from a book that has been in our family for a long time; it’s cover is long gone, it’s pages are soft and yellowed, but we love this book and the recipes it contains. Last year the page that contained these cookies fell out and a period of genuine distress ensued. Luckily it was eventually found among the pages of another book. So today I am sharing it with all of you, which also ensures that should the page go walkies again I can always look back here to find it.

What You’ll Need

6oz/ 150g SR flour
4oz/ 100g Soft brown sugar
4oz/ 100g Butter
1 Tablespoon Syrup
Pinch of Salt

 

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 160C, 325F, Gas Mark 3. In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar and syrup until soft.

Step 2

Now add the flour and salt and mix to form a soft dough.


Step 3

Using your hands roll the balls into small balls, flatten slightly by hand and space evenly on a baking tray.

Step 4

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Tip

We usually make double the quantity as they disappear so fast!