Well equipped – Knitters project bag

May 21, 2017 by nadel&gabel

I had bought the Cloud9 “Wound Up” fabric already with the idea of sewing a knitting bag in my mind. And then … nothing happened. … Until I wanted to take my recent knitting project with me and it didn’t fit into my small project bag I made a while ago (btw one of my most popular blog posts these days). After some measuring to find the perfect size – the hight fits circular needles and small double pointed needles […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, wallets & pouches • Tags: bag, drawstring, easy, equipment, knitter, knitting, maker, needles, pouch, project, sewing, tutorial, wool, yarn

Pulse – Spring pasta with peas, ricotta and lemon

May 14, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Except from our – magnificent – trip to São Miguel (dispatch to follow) during our Easter holidays, there has been a lot of work going on here right now in ‘real life’, while my digital life has shifted to Instagram mostly these days. This won’t be the beginning of a lenghty complaint, but an explanation: My recreational program these days mostly consists of some knitting in the evening and short walks in the sun in the afternoon – in case it […]

Categories: grains & legumes, In the kitchen, pasta, seasons, spread, sauce & spice, spring, vegetable, vegetarian • Tags: carb, easy, fresh, green, legumes, lemon, pasta, pea, pulse, quick, ricotta, simple, spring, zest

Sweet, fresh, clean – Homemade orange cleaner

April 23, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Looks yummy? – Yes, but in this case it isn’t for drinking what brews in this jar. But for cleaning! Inspired by Lina Jachmanns book “Einfach leben. Der Guide für einen minimalistischen Lebensstil” I gave this natural homemade cleaner a try. For some years now not only our food, but all parts of our household are getting more and more eco-friendly, natural, waste reduced. Already when I got into natural DIY cosmetics, I realized that we actually don’t really need many fancy […]

Categories: cosmetics, craft & DIY • Tags: bathroom, biological, citrus, cleaner, cleaning, DIY, easy, healthy, household, kitchen, minimal, orange, organic, scent, vinegar

Girls only – Discrete little pouch

February 19, 2017 by nadel&gabel

This weekend I attempted a long overdue task: Tidying up my sewing materials. Bias tape, rivets and eylets, zippers and cotton webbing, velcro and cords – it had all become quite a mess lately, in which I had slightly lost orientation. No wonder that I made surprising discoveries during the cleaning up 😀 After this first step it was time to go through my collection of fabric scraps. Pleasant surprises here as well. The scraps reminded of former sewing projects of […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: discreet, easy, fabric, female, girls only, KAM snap, pouch, scrap, sewing, snap, tampon, trimming, tutorial, women

The flow – Trail tote

January 29, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Panta rhei. Life is a flow. Most times it’s a steady flow, we’re floating in familiar waters. Perhaps you would prefer some more movement, a slight change of directions, but somehow it doesn’t happen. Are you even moving forward, is there any progress although you’re working for it? You can’t see it. But suddenly it’s there: It starts with a small swirl, you can sense some kind of acceleration … and suddenly things happen! Is ist just luck? Some kind of […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, wallets & pouches • Tags: bag, blue, easy, fabric, free, gütermann, long island flower, multipurpose, noodlehead, pattern, piping, pouch, sewing, SnapPap, tote, trail tote

Balance – Felt ball mobile

January 14, 2017 by nadel&gabel

It’s already midst of January, the blog break obviously took longer than intended. Anyway, I hope you all had relaxed holidays and a good start into the new year. Mine started with a lot of work, but I don’t complain. Proudness that I managed not to fall into too much procrastination prevails! (One of my big goals for 2017). This project actually was one of my Christmas presents. But as it is not very christmasy and because I had wanted […]

Categories: craft & DIY, interior • Tags: baby, ball, children, colour, colourful, Craft, decoration, DIY, easy, embroidery hoop, felt, felt ball, gift, kids, mobile, natural, toddler, tutorial

Alien – Spiced cake bars

November 27, 2016 by nadel&gabel

   There are times, when I’m surrounded by a bubble that follows me wherever I go. It’s a shield that protects me at least to a certain extent from this crazy, disturbing place our world has become. It’s desperately needed to distance from all the hate an alienation that we’re faced with these days. It’s a wall, too: Invisible, but preventing full immersion, full connection with others. Always one step aside, an alien amongst groups of insiders. Do we have to resign, accept all […]

Categories: cake, cookie & dessert, diets, In the kitchen, seasons, vegetarian, winter • Tags: anis, bar, cake, cardamom, christmas, cinnamon, easy, gingerbread, glaze, hygge, recipe, spice, warming, winter

Efficient – Origami bento bag

November 20, 2016 by nadel&gabel

This may be the fastest and easiest thing I’ve ever sewed. Ratio of time invested : outcame = unbeatable! Although this origami bento bag isn’t difficult to sew, it is helpful to have have pictured tutorial of the folding steps at hand when sewing it for the first time. (I have lot of experience in sewing things wrong sides together, it’s some kind of logical problem.) These pictured instructions f.ex. are helpful. (Optionally you could box the corners to create […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes • Tags: bag, bento, easy, eyelet, fabric, lunch, market, origami, reusable, sewing, tote, towel, tutorial, wrap

Soulwarming – Pear fritters with chocolate sauce à la Hélène

October 22, 2016 by nadel&gabel

On those autumn days when the colour of the sky only knows the monochromatic shades of grey (no reference) that are slowly creeping into your mood, the best thing you can do is cuddling into your wool blanket with a hot cup of tea… … and enjoy some food, that caresses your soul, brings coziness deep inside, brings warmth to your heart. It helps when chocolate is involved 😉 In this case I paired chocolate with one of my sweet […]

Categories: autumn, cake, cookie & dessert, diets, German/Swabian, grains & legumes, In the kitchen, seasons, snacks & small dishes, vegetarian • Tags: autumn, bake, belle Hélène, Birne Helene, chocolate, dessert, easy, fritters, pear, recipe, soulfood, sweet, warm