Reply #6: Always proof your yeast.

[SheilaT]

put it in some warm water with a little sugar and give it ten minutes or so to make sure it's bubbling away nicely before you mix make the bread. Also, yeast bread normally goes through two risings -- did you do both of them?

But some breads are much denser than others and will not rise as much as others. Bread baking is fun, and if you do it regularly you'll get a real feel for it.

I used to bake more often than I do now and I kind of miss it.