Pattern of the Week - Christmas Ribbons

 Hello Everyone,

Since it's Sunday, it must be time to post my pattern of the week offered in my Etsy shop for a 10% discount!  This week I'm featuring Christmas Ribbons.

This was the first time I did curved crosshatching on my longarm.  

The flange in the border can be optional.  I think it sets the border off so nicely.

The quilt finishes at 62" x 62", and the blocks are 10" finished.

It also looks great in non-Christmas fabrics too.

You could just call it Ribbons!

Click HERE for the link to the pattern in my Etsy shop. 

I have a very busy week ahead and I'll tell you all about it when I can.

Soon,

Lynn

Home to Stay & a Recipe

Hello Everyone,

My Gentry's Mill quilt has been out traveling around the country for months and she's finally returned home to stay for a bit.

My Calico Cottages design is on display on the left, and Minglewood is in the crock on the right.  Gentry's Mill is draped over a very old sled.

Calico Cottages is pouring out of a mailbox I found at an antique store here in town. The Rocking Chair Lodge sign came with the mailbox.  Perfect right?

I also use a sled to display my Americana collectibles and patriotic quilt.  Mr. Joe had glass shelves made for the sled and it's quite the conversation piece.

I took a picture of a new recipe I made for our company the other night called Smoked Deep-Dish Burgers.  

These are SO GOOD and would be great to make for your 4th of July celebration.

Here's the recipe:

Wood chips for smoking

1 T. butter

1 (8 oz) pkg sliced white mushrooms

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 C. chopped sweet onion

2 T. steak sauce

4 Thick-cut bacon strips, cooked crisp and crumbled

3-1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 Beer or soda can used to form the patties

12 Thick-cut bacon strips

Salt and pepper to taste

12 Slices of your favorite cheese

Soak a great big handful of wood chips in water for 30 minutes, then drain. In the meantime, melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion until softened.  Stir in the steak sauce and cooked bacon and set aside.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spritz with cooking spray.  Form the ground beef into six equal-sized balls and arrange them on the baking sheet.

Clean the outside of the beer or soda can and coat it with cooking spray.  Press the can firmly into a meatball to form a cup, pressing the edges of the meat to an even thickness and fixing any cracks; wrap each with two bacon strips and secure with toothpicks.  Remove the can and repeat with the remaining meatballs.  Season with salt and pepper and fill with the mushroom mixture.

Grease the grill grate and preheat the grill to 300 degrees for indirect cooking.  For a charcoal grill, toss a big handful of the soaked wood chips directly on the hot coals.  For a gas grill, place wood chips in a smoker box.

Set the stuffed burgers on the COOL side of the grill.  Close the grill lid and cook for 30 to 45 minutes.  Top each burger with a cheese slice and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. DO NOT FLIP THE BURGERS!  We rotated the burgers, so each side had a turn close to the heat, so the bacon was crisp.

These smelled so amazing that we couldn’t wait to dig in—I completely forgot to snap a pic of the finished dish! They were incredibly flavorful, and no bun required. I paired the burgers with Danish potato salad and fresh sliced melon. It is the perfect summer meal!

I hope you all have a delightful weekend!

Soon,

Lynn

 

Pattern of the Week - Autumn Thyme

 Hello Everyone,

Summer may have just begun, but it’s never too early to let a little autumn charm sneak into your stitching. Embrace those warm hues and harvest-inspired patterns now, and you’ll be ahead of the curve when the crisp fall days arrive.

This whimsical design blends the rich texture of wool with the touch of cotton, measuring 38" by 10". It is made from my Hearthstone fabric collection for Marcus Fabrics, it radiates a rustic warmth that feels right at home in any cozy setting.

Of course, I have a plaid flange around each of the blocks!

I'm offering Autumn Thyme as my featured pattern of the week at a reduced price of 10% off. The pattern is available HERE in my Etsy shop.

You certainly do not have to use wool in the design.  It would also look great in cotton fabric.

The pumpkins have little 9-patch windows looking out at the world.

On the home front, I’m still hitting the pool most mornings by 7 a.m.—though there are definitely days when my to-do list wins out and I opt to stay home and tackle it one task at a time.

I'm still volunteering four hours a week setting up for the massive flea market in August, working in the Craft/Sewing/Linens room. As I sort through bags and boxes of donations, I can’t help but think of my own sewing room. It’s a gentle reminder (more like a full-fledge shaking) that I really need to get things in order at home... before my treasures end up at the flea market for 50¢.

We had a delightful summer thunderstorm roll through on Monday. Dark clouds gathered over the mountain, and for nearly an hour, thunder rumbled off in the distance like an old engine revving up. I sat out on the deck with my book, soaking in the calm before the rain. When the drops finally came, they brought that sweet, earthy scent I love which is called petrichor.  There’s something about a summer rain—it not only soothes the soul but also offers a little relief from the looming threat of fire season.....my least favorite time of the year.

I'm off to the flea market this morning, then home to my sewing room.  I started stitching the rows together for my Christmas quilt.  When I get tired of sewing, I work on the pattern.

I hope all of you are enjoying your Summer so far.

Soon,

Lynn

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