Another Recipe And A Bit Of Quilting Thrown In

I had huge plans of getting more machine quilting done today, but as we all know plans change. I moved a banquet table into the living room so that I had space and decent lighting. So of course with that comes, what's on the TV? Answer, absolutely nothing, so in went the DVD Schindler's List. I'm sure you can imagine what happened next.... You got it, the quilting stopped, but like so many others I can't just sit, so I transfered myself to the comfy chair and picked up my embroidery. What an incredible movie, and so heart wrenching.
So no progress photo's today, but instead I thought I'd share another favorite recipe. A little explanation on the coconut that's in this recipe. Dessicated coconut is dried, unlike the coconut that's found in the supermarkets here, which seems to be extremely moist. I've seen it in the bigger supermarkets and health food stores.
As I was looking through my recipe book looking for more ideas for when Hollie's home, I came across a recipe that all my kids loved when they were little and still do to this day. It seems to be a favorite with most Aussies and Kiwi's (New Zealander's). So here it is. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does, which reminds me I really should make it for my sweetie. I mean to say I've been here for 3 years and he still hasn't tasted it. Oops....

Lamingtons are little Australian cakes that were invented as a way of using stale bread. Lamingtons appear at fetes and picnics all over Australia. They are coated in a chocolate syrup and plenty of desiccated coconut. They can be served simply on their own as a snack or have them as a dessert dish with a little good vanilla ice-cream.

Lamingtons

3 eggs

1/4 cup cornflour (cornstarch)

1/2 cup castor sugar (granulated sugar)

1 teaspoon butter

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons hot water

Or if you're not into baking from scratch and butter cake mix would work.

Chocolate Icing

1 lb icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup cocoa

3/4 lb dessicated coconut

2 teaspoons butter

Beat eggs until light, gradually add sugar, continue beating until mixture is thick and sugar completely dissolved, approx 10 minutes. Sift dry ingredients several times, melt butter in hot water. Sift the dry ingredients over the egg mixture, fold in, then gently fold in the hot water and butter. Pour into a well greased 11in x 7in baking pan. Bake in moderate oven approx 30 minutes.

Cook cake the day before cutting and icing. Cut the cake into 24 even pieces. Hold each piece of cake on a fork. Dip each cake in icing, then toss in the coconut. Allow to stand on wire rack until icing sets.

Icing

Sift icing sugar (confectioners sugar) and cocoa into top half of a double saucepan. Add softened butter and milk, stir to mix thoroughly, stir constantly over hot water until icing is of good coating consistency. Keep icing over hot water while dipping lamingtons. If icing becomes too thick add a little extra warmed milk or water.

Machine Quilting

Joni has asked me to post photo's of how I machine quilt as she's not familiar with it. She also suggested photo's of my sewing room....ha...not at the moment, I've made another mess in there....lol.. So as I spent yesterday quilting the County Life quilt I was also taking photo's. Do you know how tricky it is to take a photo with one hand?....lol.. I can tell you if you're like me, a real leftie it's almost impossible. The quilting on this quilt is by no means perfect. I try to do the best I can, but like life, nothing is perfect and that's how I like my quilts.
There is always alot of chatter about machine quilting on a hand embroidered quilt. Whether to quilt up to the embroidery or whether to stitch through it.
This is my personal opinion and the way that I prefer to quilt. It is not a set in stone rule by any means. You all need to find what works best for you.
My thought is that if I've spent hours, (for instance this quilt was approx 70 hours of embroidery) doing the embroidery I don't want the quilting to take away from it by stitching through it. I never stitch through any of my embroidery, but stitch right up to it. When it comes to my machine quilting I'm afraid I'm not very adventurous, usually sticking to grid work, or in the ditch.


This too will be solved soon, as I'm waiting for a new book to become available.
I'm not blessed with a long arm quilting system or a home quilting system, all my quilting is done on my faithful "Jenny".
So I'll try to give you as much detail as I can Joni.
As you can see from all the pins, this is what I consider important prep work before quilting. If your quilt isn't well pinned, you're more than likely going to end up with tucks and wrinkles on the back. When I'm working in a grid, or cross hatch I mark the lines with a blue water erasable pen, my eye is not good enough to stitch a straight line from one side of a quilt to the other.



As I said before this is my way of doing it, the way I was taught and I know many will probably be surprised to see those sewing pins in the quilt.I choose the line I'm going to start on and pin on my blue line up to my stopping point. Stitch along the line, and yes I do stitch over those pins. The purpose of the sewing pins is to help prevent tucks on the back, plus it hold the top nice and firm. I try to stitch up to but not over my embroidery stitches. Cut the threads leaving a good length to pull through to the wrong side. I don't reverse and I don't have a machine that does that lovely tie off stitch. Flip the quilt over to the back and pull your top stitches through to the wrong side, tie a double knot with both the top and bottom threads, pulling close to the quilt backing.
Now thread a needle with the two strand of thread and put it back into the seam line and run the needle down the side of the seam, making sure not to go through to the front.

Travel along the seam line approx 3 - 4 inches and bring your needle back up, pull firmly and snip the threads close to the backing.

If you click on this photo you'll be able to see what I'm talking about.

Hope that helps Joni.

Happy Stitching.

While You're Waiting

For progress on my stitching I thought I'd share with you some of our favorite Australian and New Zealand dishes that I still cook. As my dd #3, Hollie will be coming home for a week from boarding school in 3 weeks time. I've been thinking about all the dishes she loves and doesn't get at school and deciding on some meals for when she's home. Number 1 on her list is always Pavlova, one of our all time favorites.



Pavlova

4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups castor sugar (granulated white sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)




Topping

Fresh double cream
Fresh or canned fruit

Combine egg whites and salt, beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. (It should look stiff and shinny). Lightly fold in vinegar, vanilla and the corn flour. Turn onto a prepared (greased and floured) round plate and mould into a round shape (approx 40 cm in diameter) with an indentation in the centre. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours or until firm to the touch. Cool in the oven.

Once cooled whip the cream and spread on top of the pavlova and top with either fresh or canned fruit.

In 1935 ert Sacse, a chef at Perth's Esplanade Hotel, created that gorgeous dessert, the Pavlova. He named it after the Russian ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova, who was a guest at the hotel.

Enjoy.

Country Life

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and that you're enjoying today. We had a weekend full of rain, keeps the temps down which is good for sewing.

Saturday I spent the day putting on the sashing to my "Country Themed" blocks. It took quite a lot of time, as I ended up doing a lot of frog stitching. Couldn't make up my mind which layout I wanted. Finally ended up with something I was happy with, so Saturday ended with everything done except the final border.

This morning I got the last border on and have half the quilting lines marked. Just giving my back a rest, then back to the marking and then to piece the backing fabric and on to the pinning out....yuck.... not my most favorite part of quilting. I hope to have it ready to machine quilt by the end of the day, so that's it ready for tomorrow. With a bit of luck you may just see a finished photo by the end of the week.

My idea of using blue and cream and red and cream homespun checks flew out the window as soon as I got to the fabric store. Not one in stock, then I thought oh well blue homespun check with a matching blue Kona. Had them in my trolley ready to go to the cash register when I spotted the perfect piece of fabric, the bonus it was on special for $2.99 a yard. So I got the backing and border fabric for under $9. I ended up with colours I would normally never use. I'm a blue, red lover and these are what I'd consider drab, after saying only a few days ago on someone else's blog that I don't like drab colours.... go figure......

Time to share another Bronwyn Hayes block.

I'd better get back to stitching the rest of these blocks, otherwise I won't have anything to share with you.

Happy Stitching.

P.S. I've just changed from dial up to DSL Internet and now every time I come to blogger I have to sign in, even though I ask it to remember me. I know there's something you can do so that your ID is permanently remembered, but I can't for the life of me remember what or where it is. So if you know please let me know, this is so frustrating having to log in constantly.

Country Christmas

Well I finally decided on the last block for the "Country Theme". As I already had Country Christmas and no printer ink to print out designs I thought to heck with it and went ahead and stitched it up.

So I now have 9 blocks completed and no fabric to use for sashing or borders, oh darn I'll have to go shopping.....lol.... I'm thinking of using a navy and cream and a red and cream homespun check, but it's just a thought at the moment, it could change.
So with that completed and revolting weather, thunderstorms, and no decent lighting in the sewing room because of the weather, what else is a girl to do but sit and stitch.
I've had my thinking hat on for birthday and Christmas presents for this year, (yes I do start Christmas gifts this early in the year). A few weeks ago I saw a photo of an embroidered photo album cover, so now that I have a template and the design, that's what the plan for today is. Saturday I'll shop for the album and the beads, I'll do this up for Jenna (dd#2) for Christmas, and I think I'll use the "When I was Little" embroidery for her birthday, still need to get it framed.
Well the thunder's returning so time to get back to the stitching.

Update on Replying to Posts

I should have mentioned yesterday that you also need to make your profile public, so that other bloggers can then check your blog and comment.

Another Block Finished

I didn't think I was ever going to get this block finished, all those little french knots... but here it is the last of the big blocks in the Bronwyn Hayes blocks from the Flower Bed book, and it goes with this block in size.

Time to shift the focus for a couple of days and get the swap blocks embroidered, I've been putting it off so I could get that last large block done. No excuses now.

I've just discovered that the ladies at church meet once a month for quilting, so I'm waiting to hear back on that. Would be a great way of meeting and getting to know the ladies from the church, as we're new there, plus perhaps make a few friends.

Happy Stitching.

Replying to Posts

This is for the new visitors who visit this and other blogs. We just love to receive comments and most times try to reply to comments posted. Many new bloggers are unaware that if you have your profile set at private we cannot reply personally. If you'd like me to reply to your comment, please:
Go to your profile and click on "edit your profile" then go down and put a check mark in the box "show my e-mail address".

Solstitches I tried to respond to your lovely comment but you have it set as private.

Happy Stitching.

Progress

Now that title depends on how you look at things. I didn't get into the sewing room yesterday as planned to clean. I know the mess will still be there when I open the door. Instead I stitched on the last of the largest Bronwyn Hayes blocks. I had hoped to have it finished last night, but by 11.30 pm I was just too pooped to do the last 6 flowers. So maybe tomorrow or the next day you'll get to see it.


I've just spent the last hour installing DSL, what sheer joy to have the phone line freed up and have quick page loading. I had forgotten how quick it is.


Back to the blocks, I have just counted and I only have another 4 1/2 blocks to do and the stitching on the Bronwyn Hayes blocks will be completed. I think I need to re-trace 2 of those blocks as the stitching will end up being too close to the seam line, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. So to stay with the theme of the Bronwyn Hayes blocks I'll share a couple more photo's with you.

I've been collecting fabrics to use for the setting of these blocks for some time now and I must admit I'm ready to start putting it together. It won't look anything like the photo on the cover of the book as I've changed the size of all the blocks and added blocks that weren't actually official blocks but just doodles from the book. Plus I'm not overly fond of square quilts, I'm yet to sleep in a square bed. I much prefer to have a quilt that covers the side of the bed, hiding the mattress and base and those revolting legs on the frame.

I'm thinking that once the quilt is finished that I'll offer the book as some sort of prize here on my blog. The book is in very good condition and has not just the blocks for the quilt but also bag patterns and pin cushions. I'm it's first owner and the cost of the book was over $30 AU.

Happy Stitching.

Tagged

I've been tagged by Rose a very talented Aussie from http://threadbarecreations.blogspot.com/. Apparently I have to share seven random facts you may not know about me. This may be harder than I thought.

1) I'm a licensed Minister of the Gospel.

2) I can't stand the taste or smell of coffee, it makes me feel sick. But I do love black tea, nothing fancy, just plain old breakfast tea, and I'm a coke addict....lol....

3) I have one brother whom I've lost contact with, no cousins, no aunts or uncles and both sets of grandparents are no longer here.

4) I'm a romantic at heart, but alas my husband is not....lol

5) I talk to my kids in Australia and my mum every weekend, without fail.

6) I'm a leftie.

7) I married a wonderful man who just happens to be Inuit.

Now apparently I need to tag 7 others, so Darlene, May Britt, Rose Marie, Wendy, Connie , Nadine & Anne Heidi consider yourselves tagged.

A Wonderful Weekend

It's so nice to have my hubby home on the weekends, not that he's not usually here, but he works such long hours. It's so nice to have him home well rested and happy. Makes for a nice weekend.

We spent Saturday in the yard until the mossies (mosquito's) chased us inside. Saturday evening I managed to get quite a lot of stitching done on the larger Bronwyn Hayes block and after stitching this evening I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on this block.

Today was church as usual then a quiet afternoon doing not much of anything.

Tomorrow I must get into the sewing room and clear more than just a path to the machine. I'm such a messy sewer and then it gets the better of me and takes me half a day to clean up the path of destruction.

I have an old Singer Red Eye 66 that hubby and I have repaired and have in good running condition. Today we tried to attach the lower thread loop that sits just above the needle, only to find that the screw I have for it is the wrong size.

When I was living in Australia I had an old Singer suitably named "Slack Suzie" that I did all my machine quilting on. It used to sew like a breeze without ever skipping a stitch and thickness was never a problem for her. I'm hoping that this Singer (yet un-named) will replace Slack Suzie in the machine quilting department. I had thought about having Suzie shipped over here, but her weight is just too great to warrant the price of shipping plus all the plugs etc would need to be replaced, so she sits in my daughters spare room waiting for a new home.

Anyway I seem to be rambling, which seems to be a problem I've noticed as menopause sets in with avengance, dh will testify to this, along with his suffering from extreme cold as I go through a power serge otherwise known as a hot flash/flush, followed by extreme heat after said serge passes and the heating is turned up to full strength to compensate for the extreme cold I seem to have put him through. Oh the joys of living with a wife going through menopause.....lol......

Time for another photo, another Bronwyn Hayes block and another Crab Apple Hill design.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Happy Stitching.

A Light bulb Moment

Yes that's what I had yesterday while I was fondling my wonderful giftie from Oz (Red Work Folder Cover). I was looking at this wonderful gift and thinking (now no laughing too loud please) this is awfully flimsy, all my blocks will fall out. Then it happened, it was like someone turned the light on inside my head. Have I said that I'm a natural blonde, no offense meant to any other clever blondes out there. Eh duh it IS a folder cover, yes Linda you put a folder into the cover. Well that works wonderfully doesn't it? I really do astound myself at times as to how thick I can be...lol.... So now I have a folder inside this beautiful cover and I was thinking what a waste of lovely talent to only have it filled with paper print outs of designs. So I've decided to buy some of those zippered 3 hole ring binder thingies, (good description, don't you think?) and put each project in them along with the pattern sheets, so that I have all my current embroidery projects together, plus it means that Libby (new pup) can't get to my stray floss bobbins and have a colour feast.

Now that was very liberating, confessing to my often thickness of brain....

Time to share some more photo's, a post without photo's just isn't a post, is it?

Another Crab Apple Hill Design. I managed to finish another one yesterday, so that's 6 finished and another 2 to complete plus the larger centre block.

I was looking at the lovely patterns that arrived with the red work folder cover yesterday, lovely tea pots and I'm thinking that I might combine them with the Crab Apple Hill designs of tea cups that I have and make a lovely table cloth. That's still in the thinking process at the moment.

I thought it was time I got back to my Bronwyn Hayes blocks if I ever want to see this quilt on our bed, so I thought I'd share a couple of photo's of some of the completed blocks. I've got to that point where the only blocks left to do are the bigger ones and they seem to be taking forever to finish.
I love this block, I seem to have a thing for tea pots.


And who doesn't like hearts with flowers?


Happy Stitching.

In The Mail

It seems to be the week for mail throughout the quilting blogs. Yesterday I received a parcel from a member of my red work group in Australia. Her swap items for our currently running swap. I thought when I first saw the parcel that it was rather large for just a needle case, scissor fob and pin cushion.

Remember I said the other day that I was blessed, oh my gosh I had no idea how blessed I really am. Look what else was in this parcel.

A lovely Red Work folder cover. Now look at the lovely contents, individual patterns to make up a sweet tea pot wall hanging or table cloth, with a couple of skeins of thread and new embroidery needles.
Can we all say I'm blessed.
Thank you Julie, you truly have blessed me beyond measure.



Another Crab Apple Hill Design to share.

Happy Stitching.

Crab Apple Hill Designs

Today I thought I'd share a couple of photo's of some of these blocks that I've stitched up. I just love Crab Apple Hill Designs, they have such charm to them.
These are "By The Garden Path" and I'm happy to report that I'm half way through stitching them. They are stitched on lemon but for some reason both cameras decided to show them as cream.

There's 8 main blocks then one centre block, I'm still trying to decide on what fabric to use to set them with. I've been looking for dragonflies, butterflies bugs etc, but am open to ideas.

Yesterday I decided that as I have a new bag I needed a wallet to go with it. So I spent the day and half the night unpicking an old wallet that was torn and making a pattern and this is what I came up with. Behind the cards and coin section is a section to hold all the notes...lol....

I just need to work out a better way of attaching the last piece of binding.

Happy Stitching.

Coaster Tutorial

Basket Weave Coaster Tutorial

1. Cut 6 5 1/2 inch squares of fabric. I use the same fabric for the lining and the backing, and usually use one of the fabrics that I've chosen for the weave so that it all blends.











2. Cut 1 5 inch square of fusible batting.

3. Fuse the batting to the wrong side of your backing square.









4. Place your lining square on top of the batting lining up the raw edges.

5. With your 4 focus squares press them in half wrong sides together.





6. Place your first folded square on top of your lining, making sure that raw edges are even and that your folded edge is towards the centre of the square.









7. Place your next square on in the same way, raw edges together.









8. Place the 3rd folded square down.

9. Place your last folded square down and fold back the first piece and slip the last piece under it.

10. Pin all your pieces in place and stitch around the outside edge with a 1/4 inch seam.

11. Now turn as if you were turning a pair of socks and poke out the corners with a chop stick or wooden skewer and press.

These take about 5 minutes per coaster to make, very quick and easy.

Enjoy.

Bags and Other Stuff

I mentioned a few days ago that while I was without a PC it gave me time to stitch. So to fill that time here's one of the items I stitched up. I've decided to give it to Hollie (dd) on Saturday when we go up to her school for our monthly visit.
And this is what I stitched up yesterday: May Britt has asked if I'll write up a tutorial for the coasters, so that's the plan for today. Hopefully blogger will have recovered from it's hissie fit and will let me post photo's later today.



Happy Stitching.

So Blessed

Isn't being a mother a wonderful thing? There's just something about that bond between mother and child that is so different to any other relationship. Yesterday I heard a pastor say that the love of a mother can be compared to the love that God has for us.

Saturday started out like any other weekend, a morning of shopping and putting all the groceries away (my least favorite job), had lunch and was sitting down cutting out a bag pattern when there was a knock at the door. Kevin (dh) answered it and there, was a man with the most beautiful arrangement of flowers that I've seen in a long time. I thought oh how sweet he's had flowers sent to me..... wrong.... After signing for them and taking them to the table I found the card " Happy Mother's Day, Love Jenna and Max. The tears flowed and I must admit I'm having a hard time fighting them off as I write this. My darling daughter had arranged for international flower delivery. Aren't they beautiful?

It's times like Mother's Day, birthdays and Christmas when I miss my kids the most.
Not long after the delivery of the flowers I received a phone call from Jenna, then one from Luke my wonderful son, placed a phone call through to Hollie at school and spoke to my mum. Even though my kids and my mum are so far away it was one of the best Mother's days I've had, I realised how blessed I am.

Here's the last of the Country Theme that I've stitched. I still have one more to stitch and am trying to decide whether I want a Christmas one or make up one myself. Once I have the last block stitched then it's time to shop for the sashing and border fabrics.

I have 5 of the Crab Apple Hill blocks completed, I'm stitching these up in the evenings while watching TV. Here's the first.
The fabric is actually a lovely lemon, I'm going to have to see why my photo's aren't coming out true to colour.

Today's bag making day.

Happy Stitching.

Up And Running Again

Isn't it amazing how much we rely on our computers for contact with the outside world? I was amazed at how much stitching I got done without interruptions with the PC. We now have a new monitor and it's so nice to be able to be in contact with everyone again.

I've been somewhat distracted these past few days with many Tornado threats and warnings and alerts. Not coming from a country that has these weather phenomenas, can I say it is scary....lol...

I'd like to introduce you to our newest member of the family, Libby. Unfortunately she wouldn't sit still long enough to get a nice clear photo. She's 10 weeks old and a Shepherd,boxer, lab mix and just adorable. To give you a better idea of her size I took a photo of her playing with our other dog, Mickey, who is small enough to put in your pocket.

She has feet like flippers, and the most adorable nature, but is keeping me very busy making sure she goes outside often enough not to have an accident on the carpet.

Now on to the stitching. I've certainly had plenty of time in the last 2 weeks to sit and stitch.

I've completed all but one of the Country Theme blocks and thought I'd share one of those with you today.

This one wasn't part of the group of patterns that I had saved, but was sent to me my another lady who is doing a country theme and when I saw it I just fell in love with it. This one reminds me of growing up in rural New Zealand when I was a little girl. We lived 3 minutes walk to the beach, but it was also a farming area and this couple reminds me of the people that lived in our area.
I've also started another set of embroideries by Crab Apple Hill Designs, that is about 1/3 finished. I'll share those with you in the days to come. Yesterday I completed a back pack that I think I'll give to my youngest daughter who's at boarding school in North East Oklahoma. I just need to get some cording for the drawstring top then I'll take a photo and share it with you. I've noticed as I'm getting older my taste in colours is changing, or perhaps going through different stages. This back pack is soooo bright and fun, when I saw the fabrics I immediately had to have it, and I'm not usually a bright person when it comes to fabric choices.
Today I spent the day making basket weave coasters and pot holders. Again I'll share photo's with you at a later date. I decided that I was tired of trying to take pans out of the oven and ending up with burnt fingers from the thin pot holders I have. So after making the coasters I thought why not just make it bigger and turn it into a pot holder, using 2 layers of thermal batting with an extra layer of cotton batting in between. So as you can see I haven't been sitting twiddling my fingers.
I hope to get back into the sewing room on Monday and make more of the coasters as they are so quick and easy and will make good lightweight gifts to send back to Aussie for family and friends.
Today will be a quick trip up to Hancocks for fabrics for the Country Theme wall hanging and of course to check out their bargains for this week.
Happy Stitching

Update On PC

Well here I am at the local library, it appears that the PC is ok, it's the monitor that's decided to throw a hissie fit and not work. Darn thing isn't even 2 years old. So I hope to be back in the land of blogging by the end of next week. This time away from the pc certainly has given me extra time to stitch. So I'll have quite a few photo's to share with you all.

A big thank you to Darlene for sending out the previous post for me, very much appreciated Darlene.
Happy Stitching.

Computer Woes!

The motherboard on my computer is fried and I'm not able to stay on the computer for more than a minute or two. I'll be away for a bit but I promise, I'll be back soon, just bear with me!


Posted for Linda by Darlene