Party in the Garden - Month #9

Hello Everyone,

For those of you participating in the BOM program, here we are at month #9 for Party in the Garden. This is an easy month for you. I want you to get lots of practice making these little flowers because month #11 is going to be full of them.  Don't forget to center the little hexagon paper right in back of the flower on the fabric.  Attention to detail is my motto!  I drive myself crazy with my attention to detail.

This grouping of four flowers goes below the picket fence that you will receive next month.  It's the month after that you will need to prepare yourself.  Enough said....don't say I didn't warn you!  Now I've talked to many of you making this quilt, and to a person (except maybe one or two or five), you all love the little flowers.  They do become addicting and are very portable to cart around with you.

I love these little flowers and I hope you do also.  I also love the cross-hatching in the yellow border fabric which sets the whole section off nicely.  Enjoy!

As always,

Lynn

Enchanted Autumn - Section #2

Hello Everyone,

What started as pieces, is now all put together for section #2 for Enchanted Autumn.  I said I wasn't going to re-do any of the blocks that have been sitting in a drawer for the last  five years....but I didn't say I wasn't going to remove some of the stitches that were very visible and re-do them!  Overall, for my very first attempt at applique five years ago, it isn't too bad.

So one football playoff game later......this section is finished.  This little bird block was all finished except for the purple/magenta berries.  What a difference with the berries.  They add so much color.

This was my first ever Bear Paw block.  It too, is far from perfect....but it is going to stay just the way it is.

I am determined to finish this UFO this year before October!  I may even have it finished by September so I can enjoy it just that much longer.  My version is a little 'brighter' than the original which suits me and will brighten up the area where it will be hanging.

You haven't heard a peep out of me for the last few days because I've been spending good quality time with the little man in my life, Jess.

Walks with Zinny and picnics in the snow.  Life just doesn't get any better....unless all of the little kids were with me.

Don't forget to enter the contest for the Wilder Family Cookbook.  The drawing will be held this Friday, 11/21/2001.  You can also enter by sending an email to patched55@comcast.net     Good Luck!

As always,

Lynn

Cookbook Give Away Time Again

Hello Everyone,

Now that the Christmas rush is over and it is safe to go to the Post Office again, I'm giving away a copy of The Wilder Family Cookbook.  This book is a compilation of years of our family favorites. I'm always trying something new and I have a stack of more recipes to add to the cookbook.....just haven't done it yet. I found some new binders this year that are similar but not identical to my copy.  This Susan Branch recipe keeper is so much fun and is very attractive. 

 

The new binder has nice dividers with pockets for your notes. It also contains plastics covers for your family favorites on recipe cards.

But wait.....there's more.....The book contains sixty of my most requested recipes. They are all tried and true and have been made countless times by my family and friends....and me of course. I own over three-hundred cookbooks and I read them like novels.  Only the best recipes make it to THE BOOK.  All of the recipes that I have featured on my blog are included.

Here's an example of one of the recipes....which is our favorite bread pudding recipe ever.  Plan on taking a long hike after eating this for breakfast to work off the calories.  But, if served on a Holiday, calories don't count!

Peach-Amaretto Bread Pudding

1 (16-ounce) loaf French or Italian bread, torn into pieces. I used a Dutch Crunch loaf of bread.

1 quart half-and-half

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons almond extract

3 medium-size fresh peaches, peeled and thinly slices.  Canned peaches work too.

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup fresh raspberries

Combine torn bread and half-and-half in a large bowl. In another bowl combine eggs, sugar, and almond extract; stir well. Add egg mixture to bread mixture, stirring gently. Carefully fold in peaches and almonds. Pour into a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish, cover and let stand in the refrigerator overnight. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until set and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with Amaretto Sauce. Yield: 12 servings.

Amaretto Sauce

(Make this in the morning while the bread pudding is baking)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup amaretto

Combine butter and sugar in a small saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot mixture into egg; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and stir in amaretto. Pour over the bread pudding, sprinkle with fresh raspberries and enjoy!

All you have to do to win the cookbook is make a comment. I don't care where you live in the world, the more the merrier.  You have from now until Thursday, January 20, 2011 at noon. Make a comment about anything you'd like.....from cooking,  to quilting....it's your comment. I'm just curious to see if anyone out there is reading my blog other than my sister! This is my gift to one of my blog readers.....my sister is automatically disqualified since she already has a copy of THE BOOK! Zinny, our 2-year-old Golden Retriever will very scientifically select the winner.  The decision of the Dog is final!

Good luck and as always,

Lynn

Madrigal Class

Hello Everyone,

You've probably been wondering what happened to me! Well, I've been busy working and teaching my Madrigal design at the shop.

Six very talented and capable quilters showed up at the shop bright and early Tuesday morning with their sewing machines, fabric, rulers and just about every tool one can imagine and started working on their new project.

Judy was a step ahead of the group and had all of her hourglass units completed prior to the class.  She started construction on her blocks immediately.

Everything was organized in baggies and colors were coordinated.

Nanci had a lot of her applique pieces ready to go.

Ann concentrated on her hourglass units for the center of the blocks and completed all of them.

Kathy had her fabric ready.

Once the aroma of lunch was in the air,  Harley, the shop's dog, came to see what all of us had on our plates.  He thought Kathy's lunch looked particularly inviting.

Judy started working on her flanges.

Julie had centers completed and started working on her coordinating squares.

Carol has her beautiful border fabric and selected her flange material.

Harley left Kathy alone long enough so she could start working on her blocks.

Lots of little trimmings from the hourglass sections.

Blocks started to appear on the walls like magic.

The class will meet again in a month.  Homework was assigned!  I'll be posting some gorgeous quilts next month at this time.  Thank you ladies for a great day at the shop.

As always,

Lynn

What a Difference a Flange Makes.....

Hello Everyone,

I had a bit of time yesterday to work on the new Summer's Blush.  I've been auditioning different fabrics for the sashing and the flange.  I put everything out on the floor to get a better overall picture of how this quilt was coming together.  (I don't have a design wall at the cabin....nothing sticks to logs.) Compare the first two images.  What a difference just a little check on the diagonal makes on this block!  Yes, it takes more time, but it is well worth the effort.

This block looks so plain to me....in fact it looks unfinished.  It definitely needs a flange or 'eyelash' as some quilter's call it.

I'm using a lot of Civil War reproduction fabrics in this quilt.  Some of them are quite old, but I still love them just the same.  The fabrics were in my quilting cupboard shouting out, "pick me, pick me!"  When I find fabric that I really like, I will buy 2-3 yards of it.  The black fabric is a recent Bonnie Blue Basic.  The ruffled-looking caramel-colored fabric and the flange material is a Jo Morton fabric from Andover.  The tan background fabric is called Chelsea Boutique from Blackbird Designs.  Sometimes it is hard to find an attractive, tone on tone background.  When I find one, I'll pick up 3-4 yards of it since I know it will not go to waste.

The blocks go together very quickly compared to the flowers in the setting triangles.  I have about 20 hexagon flower made that need to be sewn together and appliqued to the background.  Sounds like a good job while we drive down out of the mountains today.

I hope all of you enjoy your weekend.  I know I will since the football playoffs begin today. I'll be cheering for the underdogs while workings on flowers.

As always,

Lynn

Risotto Anyone?

Hello Everyone,

Last night, Joe and I were invited over to Kaaren and Clint's house for homemade risotto from scratch. What a fabulous treat and a most enjoyable evening! Kaaren and Clint recently returned from a two-month vacation in Italy. Kaaren, through observation and broken Italian and English, learned how to make risotto.

Let me set the scene here. Their home is absolutely lovely. When you step through the door, both Clint, Kaaren, and their home, give you a warm, inviting welcome hug. Kaaren is a quilter too, and this Sandy Gervais quilt is illuminated right by the front door. 

All we had to do was bring and appetizer or "nibble" as Kaaren calls it.  Joe and I made Shrimp on the Barbie!  Do you know how hard it is to find a Barbie-type doll in a small, winter resort community?

Do the shoes remind you of the ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz?  I had to take a picture of the shoes! Red leaf lettuce made a nice ruffled skirt for Barbie.

Kaaren started cooking with her special rice and extra special olive oil.  I now have all of her secrets and I'm anxious to make my own risotto.

Rice, mushrooms, pancetta, garlic, chicken broth and fresh rosemary were the ingredients.  It's the stirring and stirring that breaks down the starch which creates the sauce. (Smell-o-vision would send you over the moon about now.)  After about 30 minutes later dinner is almost ready.

Here we go, a hearty, filling and delicious serving of risotto topped with a generous handful of pecorino cheese. Add a salad, bread, wine and life is good.  We thought we had died and gone to heaven.

Our hosts, Kaaren and Clint sitting across from us at their long, farmhouse table in their kitchen. 

Thank you so much for the delightful evening.  I'll have to put on my thinking cap to come up with a dinner as good as this one when it's our turn to host Kaaren and Clint.  There's no way I can possibly top the dinner we had last night!

As always,

Lynn

New blocks.....finally

Hello Everyone,

In between making blocks and writing pattern directions, I finally have something to show from my efforts for the new Summer's Blush quilt.  This quilt is going to be totally scrappy.  I make the points in the block using a 7" square of fabric.  I'm sure all of us have lots and lots of 7" squares.  I know I do!

This is my favorite block so far.  I love the combination of pink and black together.  I just may make one with a pink pinwheel center and black points in the star.  This is a simple block that gets easier and easier.

Some of the pinwheel centers will be the same as I make them in matched sets.  I'm also pulling the colors in that I used to make the hexagon flowers.  I still have to select the fabric for the flanges on the setting triangles.  I've narrowed the fabric selection for the sashing down to two.  I'll reveal my selection later on this week.  Hint, hint, it is going to involve black.

Starting a new quilt from a pattern you've already made once before can still be just as fun and challenging as the first time around.  This quilt has a unique personality that reveals itself with each completed block and flower.

I have three pages of written directions so far.  Now I just need to get my scribbles into the computer and make some sense out of them.

As always,

Lynn

Old Toolboxes

Hello Everyone,

I have a "thing" for old toolboxes.  Whenever I find them, no matter what condition they are in, I usually buy them if the price is right.  I never have enough fabric here at the cabin.  I'm always longing for something that I know I have at home.  Prior to this trip, I filled one whole toolbox with fat quarters from home. I'm going to turn this glorious collection of misfits and scraps into glorious blocks for the Civil War version of Summer's Blush.  I can tell from this pictures that I didn't bring many greens....oh well, I just won't be making many green blocks this week.

I already had this toolbox here with fabrics for an Autumn quilt.  Occasionally I've dipped into this batch when I needed something, but I really need to add to the box.  I think in my effort to tidy up my sewing room, I'll divide my fabric and bring part of it up here permanently.  But the issue now becomes, where to put it once it is here.  I think another pie safe is in my future!

Joe always has all of his "tools" here at the cabin.  I'm always carting my "tools" back and forth.  The budget doesn't allow to have two Bernina's!  A vast selection of fabric is one of my "tool"s, my color crayons for me to create my quilts.  Lucky for me Joe understands!  He doesn't complain when he has to carry the heavy Bernina through the ice and snow for the umteenth time.  Or the bags (and I do mean bags) of fabric back and forth along with my basket full of quilting supplies.  I think I'll keep him!  (I haven't asked him to cart my 12 foot Handiquilter up here......I do know my limits and space constraints.)

I hope you all have a wonderful day and week playing with your quilting tools.

As always,

Lynn

A Vintage Christmas

Hello Everyone,

One of the best things about working in a quilt shop is seeing the fantastic quilts completed by our customer's. This beauty, and I mean beauty, was made by Helen from Stockton, CA.  The picture I took, doesn't convey just how gorgeous this quilt is!  This is a Bunny Hill design called Vintage Christmas.  The quilting was done by Victoria from Creative Quilts in Galt, CA.

There is incredible detail throughout the whole quilt from the design, to the applique to the quilting.  I swear I could hear this sheep baaing!  So lifelike and cute!

Makes me want to start another project to have for Christmas next year!!!  Oh dear, here I go again....and the kit is for sale at the shop too!  

I'm so glad that I was at the shop today to meet you ladies and see THE QUILT!  Beautiful, just beautiful.

As always,

Lynn

A Different Spin on Summer's Blush

Welcome to the New Year Everyone!

After spending four days with the six grandkids and grown kids at the cabin, it is time to take out my earplugs and get back to my quilting!  All quilting ceases when the little kids are around....Grammy is busy playing.  Now to another kind of play....quilting.  Remember, quilting should be relaxing and fun, not stressful.  If you find yourself getting stressed over a particular project, it is time to put it away and work on something that you enjoy.

I'm teaching Summer's Blush next month at the shop, so I thought I would make another sample in a different colorway.  So many quilters can't picture a quilt in fabric other than the picture on the pattern or the sample on display in the local quilt shop.  I like to make my store samples in different fabric.  Every quilt shop has it's own unique style.  One pattern may sell well in one shop but not in another one.....unless I've supplied a store sample that is completely different.

This version will be incorporating black and many primary colors from my stash.  There will be lots of Civil War fabric, plaids, checks and some brights.  I make sure that every petal is just right, with the design on the fabric centered on the hexagon paper.  The attention to detail will pay off in the long run and it doesn't require much more effort.  The whole process is FUN!  I whipstitch three flowers together, make some leaves with the starch method, then applique the little bouquet to a setting triangle,

I love making the hexagon flowers.  I don't have to think too hard.....maybe that's why I like making them.  They are portable and travel back and forth with me on our trips to the cabin.  These little flowers are just bursting with color on my cutting table.

Here is the original Summer's Blush in Fig Tree & Co. fabric.  The new Summer's Blush is going to be the exact same pattern with an entirely different look!  I can't wait to put some of my blocks together drawing from the colors that I've used in the flowers.  Making a quilt twice is also a good check and double check on my written directions.  Writing a quilt pattern isn't nearly as much fun as making the quilt!  (And it takes me longer to write the pattern than make the quilt!)

I don't have my border fabric yet.  I'll wait and see how the quilt top "talks" to me once I have the top together.  How about you?  Do you start with your border fabric first?  Or wait and know that you will find the perfect fabric eventually.  I'll know it when I see it.

Have some fun this week and pull out a UFO and start working on it.  Quilt a few minutes each day and you'll be amazed how much you'll have completed by the end of the week.

As always,

Lynn