Flying Potatoes And Tutorial

Two more gifts finished.

And the extras put into the etsy shop. (Yay! me).

I still need to finish an outstanding purse order from five weeks ago. The fabrics are cut out and interfaced - there's a procrastinating slug inside me about this project. However, the 12 hour days are now scheduled and not merely an emergency. It needs to be finished today.

These microwave potato bags are a must-have if you want restaurant quality baked potatoes in a quarter of the time it takes in the oven.

Dear hubby's last one finally gave up the ghost after three years of continuous use.

It caught fire. Which is alarming. But expected.

Even though I use 100% cotton materials in these bags, this is a known hazard.
These bags produce the moistest, fluffiest baked potatoes. The minimal risk is worth taking instead of using an entire hour to bake potatoes in a traditional oven.

If you want to make your own, I've written you a tutorial at the bottom of the post.

 Look who walked into work the other day? One of Santa's elves!
Is this not the cutest outfit - she even styled her purse with a pompom.
Delicious. (fred meyer stores!)

 Canby's Light Up the Night commenced Friday night with a parade featuring Santa texting? Well, he's not driving...

They formed up the parade right outside my workplace. Since I couldn't get out of my parking lot, I enjoyed the excitement. Small town parades. Big smile

 I found some wine for gifts featuring a biplane from a local vineyard. Be still my heart.

And, finally, my son sent me this photo of his girlfriend's mom's chickies wearing their best outfits sitting on Santa's lap.


Potato Bag Tutorial:

Cut from 100% cotton fabrics;
Try to use cotton thread.

11" x 22" Main fabric
11" x 22" Lining fabric
11" x 22" Warm & Natural 100% cotton batting


Make a quilt sandwich of Lining fabric face down, batting on top, and them place Main fabric face up on top. Quilt as desired.

Trim to a rectangle of 10.5" x 21.5".

Serge(overlock) the short ends. Or, use a tight zigzag. Or, make it more work - fold under twice and stitch.

With Main Fabric face up on table, fold down top serged edge 4". Fold up bottom serged edge 7" (or so). The serged edges will overlap 1 inch.

Baste where overlap is at the side seams. This keeps the top edge even when serging in the next step.
Serge side seams. Or you can use your tight zigzag to finish the edges. Knot off serger tails and trim.

Turn and enjoy:::

Anything polyester has a lower melting point than cotton. Try for 100% cotton.
The bag gets old and breaks down which is why it eventually catches fire.
Do not leave microwave unattended.


MICROWAVE BAKED POTATOES

Wash potatoes, pat dry. Do not prick with fork. Place up to four potatoes in bag and put in microwave on Baked Potato settings.

Marion asked in the comments how many minutes this takes as she doesn't have a baked potato setting on her microwave? I think it's about 5 or 6 minutes. You might need to experiment - adding 45 seconds until you get the fluffy just right.

Keep potatoes inside bag until meal is ready to stay hot.

These bags make the fluffiest baked potatoes with just the right moistness.

It's A Thing

It's a thing.

A couple of weeks ago, a potato with only one stamp showed up at work postage due.
On the front was an address and on the back was "Test For Wedding".
And the recipient paid the postage due.

It got me thinking.

I sent an Idaho baker to the 15 year old nephew for his birthday.
He texted me that he received it.

I immediately texted him back, "Did you find the money inside?"

If you aren't already laughing, then I was dying in the aisle.

The nephew was left wondering, "Is there money inside?"

So I'm telling this story to various peoples and fully 50% also wonder how I got the money inside. And proceed to tell me how they would do it.

The other 50% get the joke.

Fast forward a week or so to summer camps and moms sending small packages to their kidlets.
Many camps autocratically declare, "Do not send candy."

I show the photo and say, "Why not send a potato?"

It's officially, now a thing.


Most bakers weigh 12 -13 oz, so it will cost you $4.35 to send one. I put four Int'l stamps on (space available) for $4.60.