Circuit Rider

All the Circuit Rider blocks, plus the extras I made, are now a quilt top.  I have been working on this for about 2 years now, and I am very happy to have the top done.  It will be a little longer before I get around to quilting, it.  I chose blocks I liked out of the book, plus some I found in other books, and on EQ.  The only colours I used were red, green, gold and pink.

Something interesting happened when I started sewing them together, I realised that the blocks had shrunk more in one direction, than in the other.  We always expect some shrinkage with applique, but you would expect it to be uniform.  I used my trusty steam iron, and they kind of went back to the original size.

I don;t thing there is any right way up with this quilt - it does seem to be a bit all over the place as far as direction goes.  I will pretend that was the plan :-)

Now, I really want to start something new.  I have this red/black/cream applique quilt in my head and it really needs to be started.  I have been collecting black fabrics for a while, so no excuses. 

A little more

of the English Paper Pieced blocks, for the new Block of the Month.  I have been digging through my scraps to make these little blocks.

 I always buy directional fabrics when I see them, no matter what the print or colour, as I know that one day I will use them in something like this.  Even the smallest bit I keep.  The grey fabric above, I found just the other day when I was having a clean out of my drawers.  The piece was maybe 8" square, and not good for much, except these little hexagon blocks.

These are a sample of the BOM, This Goes with That, which starts in February.  Each month you get two patterns, papers and perspex templates and a fabric pack.  It is envisaged that you will add fabrics from your own stash, and make more blocks.  They don't take long to make.  The final 4 blocks I made tonight watching the TV. 
I now know why EPP has been so popular over so many years, it is because you don;t really have to have very good eye sight.  As the shapes are made by the papers, you can not really go very wrong.  Well, that is my theory, and it works for me.

Christmas pudding time

I have been making Christmas cakes and puddings for as many years as I can remember.  The first attempt at making puddings was many years ago, the first year I was married.  I was 17.   I took the recipe from my high school cookery book "Commonsense Cookery Book".

This book came from the days when every one had big families, and the quantities were enormous.  I can recall adding the ingredients, and the mixture getting so large that I ended up putting it into a plastic bucket to continue the mixing, and sitting on the floor with it between my legs.

I had a long post last year about my Christmas Cooking which you can have a look at, so I won;t repeat the same photos.  This years I ended up making 4 puddings and not the fruit mince pies. I decided to use the fruit mixture in the extra puddings and give them to friends.  My kitchen looks like a commercial cookery with them hanging around.  They have to left to dry, and then boiled again on Christmas day for several hours before serving, with brandy custard.

However, I have found out about reheating them in the micro-wave.  I have not tried it, but willing to give it a go.  It is something like putting them on medium for 5 minutes, for each 500g, but I had better find the slip of paper where I jotted it down.  Must have put it some safe place, as I can't find it now.

Found it!  Just as well, had it all wrong.  60 seconds, for 500g on medium.  phew!  I would have had it burnt to a crisp.  If you boil to reheat, then you leave it in the cloth in the water for 1 hour for 1 kg.  If you microwave then it is out of the cloth.

At Home

This weekend is about the first for months were I had totally no commitments. I had plans of what I could do with my spare time.  I thought perhaps I could get a little Christmas shopping done; maybe some baking; a little stitching.

Turns out I had my DGD Sklylar overnight.  She is 5 now and has been at school about 6 weeks.  I don't know if it has made much difference to her behaviour, but I seem to be answering more questions, and running about more.  Best way to keep her happy is to keep busy - baking!

 This is how we make cakes - in our underwear.  Easier than trying to clean up later.

 only a grandmother could love this face :-))  I remember fondly cooking with my grandmother.  She taught me lots of things, one being patience.  Not sure is Skylar is ready for that lesson yet

 mmmmm......lovely green cupcakes!  my pink food colour is missing.  Green will look very nice in the lunch box.  I sent them all home - apart from the tested one.

 Hollyhock time again.  I know I brag about them every year, but I never get tired of looking at them.  They are so beautiful.

 Can you see the bee?

This is a whole new crop of them.  The seeds fall to the grown, and they just take root.  I will leave these a little longer, and see if they get through the summer, then move them or pot them.

English Paper Piecing

this form of patchwork has really had a resurgence in the last few years.  We went from hand piecing, to fast quilts - desperate to get as many done as we could.  Now back to slow quilts, enjoying the process, and trying to get the best use out of our fabrics.

I started on my first two blocks  today of my new Block of the Month from Sue Daley designs - This Goes With That!   I found a fabric with a directional feathered print, and when I put it together it looked like a wreath.

The next block is the same group of papers, but I chose a central print, and then reversed the outer 1/2 hexagons, and kind of wrapped them around the centre.

This is part of a Block of the Month where you get papers, templates, and fabrics.   It runs for 8 months, and I hope to be able to show you new blocks every week or so.  If you want more information about the BOM please visit my website.  We are not starting until February, so you have plenty of time to join in.

I love directional fabrics, and have been collecting them for years.  Now I get to use as many as I like.

While I have been sitting and sewing :-) my DH John, has been rebuilding the pergola.  The timber of the old one rotted, and the only thing holding it up was the vines.  Bit scarey when the wind blows.  Anyway, it came down, and has been down all winter, but now that summer is here he is rebuilding it.  He is a bit of a clever cookie to do it all himself, and I just have to do the fetching and carrying.

I will get some more photos in a day or two when it is finished.