Hooray it's FNSI

Boo we're going out this evening to play in a canasta competition. But hooray there'll be cake as we've been baking today.

 

This is a lemon and poppy seed drizzle adapted from a recipe on the Nordicware UK Facebook page. Drizzling the bottom of the cake before taking it out of the pan was not a good idea, but it tastes nice. I'm hoping that none of the WI ladies will spot my patchwork cake skills and just enjoy the cake.

 

 

I have been under the weather for two days and I'm just coming out the other side. I spotted tonight was Friday Night Sew in but didn't feel up to any large projects. I also spotted this little needle case on Bee Lori's instagram feed, so decided that I would make it my FNSI project. It was quick to put together from my scrap bags.

 

 

And I even found the alphabet ribbon that I knew I wanted to use for this project. Shame the poppers I need are still MIA. A pretty and quick project which I think I will send to my mini quilt swap recipient.

 

Chocolate honeycomb bundt #Bundtbakers

 

I was going to make a chocolate cola Bundt originally and indeed I did a test run last week, but I wasn't satisfied with the result, though it was judged delicious by my canasta playing WI friends. I would have liked to call this a Crunchie Bundt but I thought that might infringe trademarks, but you know what I mean.

 

I paired a simple chocolate Bundt with shop bought toffee sauce and homemade honeycomb. It was baked in the Nordic Ware heritage pan which slightly resembles a honeycomb.

 

Start with making your honeycomb:

 

Ingredients

200g of caster sugar

4 tbsp. golden syrup

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

 

 

Grease a tin - I used a silicon cake pan as I thought it would be easier to get out. And I was right. Put the sugar and golden syrup into a large saucepan and melt them together over a low heat until all of the sugar crystals are melted. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. This took a few minutes but eventually they melted and started to colour. Turn up the heat until the mixture turns amber. Turn off the heat and add your bicarbonate of soda. Mix to incorporate, watch the magic happen as the mixture froths and foams and carefully pour into your greased tin.

 

 

Leave to cool whilst you make the Bundt.

 

Ingredients:

50g cocoa

300g self raising flour

1 tbsp baking powder
450g caster sugar

225g butter or margarine

4 medium eggs

250 ml honey yogurt

1 tsp chocolate extract

Preheat your oven to 180degrees Centigrade. Put all of the ingredients into the bowl of your mixer in the order above. The wetter and heavier ingredients on the top will stop the cocoa and flour from filling the kitchen. Now mix for a few minutes on low until well combined. The extra baking powder enables you to do an all in one method without the cake being heavy.

 

 

 

Pour into your greased tin. I used Dr Oetker cake release spray and Nordicware's Heritage Bundt tin. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes until a knife or skewer inserted into the cake, comes out clean.

 

 

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for ten minutes before turning out onto a cake rack. Gather your caramel sauce, Bundt and honeycomb.



 

I then put the honeycomb into some parchment paper and broke it up using a rolling pin. I drizzled the sauce over the cake and piled on the broken honeycomb.

 

 

Enjoy!! My daughter has told me it's delicious but as I'm allergic to chocolate I've resisted trying some myself. I know I can rely on Lizzie to tell me if my cake's not up to scratch.

 

 

 

 

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme.  Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Here are February's Chocolate themed Bundt Bakers:

• Apricot Almond Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache by Cassandra at Cassie's Kitchen
• Blackforest Bundt Cake by Anshie at SpiceRoots
• Bundt Cake de Cerveza Negra by Lara at Tartacadabra
• Chocolate and Almonds Bundt Cake by Kathya at Basic N Delicious
• Chocolate and Lavender Bundt Cake by Aisha at La Cocina de Aisha
• Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake by Beatriz & Mara at I love Bundt Cakes
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bundt Cake by Julie at Eat, Drink, and Be Mighty
• Chocolate Crumb Bundt by Catherine at Living the Gourmet
• Chocolate Custard Floating Island Bundt Cake by Jelena at A Kingdom For a Cake
• Chocolate Honeycomb Bundt by Sue at Just Sew Sue
• Chocolate Irish Cream Bundt by Anne at From My Sweet Heart
• Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake by Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker
• Chocolate Pound Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days
• Chocolate Strawberry Pound Cake by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cider White Chocolate Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Glaze by Patricia at Patty's Cake
• Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Bundt Cake by Linda at Brunch with Joy
• Devil's Food Chocolate Bundt Cake by Tanya at DessertStalking Blog
• Double Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake by Carola at En La Cocina de Caro
• False Chocolate Bundt Cake by Anna at Media RaciÛn Doble, Por Favor
• Guava and Chocolate Bundt by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
• How the Grinch Stole Valentine's Day by Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Kickin Chocolate Bundt Cake by Kaylin at Keep it Simple, Sweetie
• Lemon Glazed White Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake Mini Bundts by Laura at The Spiced Life
• Mars Bar Bundt by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands
• Marshmallows Chocolate Bundt Cake by Shilpi at SimplyVeggies
• Quadruple Chocolate Bundt by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Red Velvet Bundt with White Chocolate Roses by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
• Sacher Bundt Cake by Esti at Mummy & Cute
• Spicy Chocolate Mini Bundt Cake by Rocio at Kids & Chic
• Triple Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake by Teri at The Freshman Cook
• Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake by Rebekah at Making Miracles
• White Chocolate & Raspberries Bundt Cake by Samantha at Un Mordisco Un Pecado

In the pink

 

 

A perfect little pink block to sew yesterday on Valentine's Day from the Moda Building Blocks quilt. Five more to go - two 6" blocks for which I've drawn up the foundation pattern on EQ7 and three large blocks which I am avoiding. So today I will either continue to avoid the big blocks and load my Orbit quilt on my long arm or I'll cut out the first of the three large blocks left to stitch.

Aviatrix finish

This is going to be light on photos as there's no one else at home when it's light enough to take a good photograph. I received the Essex linen for the binding on Monday and it's now been handstitched down and is ready for its Eisteddfod label. I thought I only had one more project to finish with poppers on a cushion, but I realise I need to get the glass taken off a cross stitch sampler, which I can drop off today on the way to have my nails done.

 

So after finding the poppers for the cushion I need to:

• Make three string blocks for Ann
• Finish three other blocks for Siblings Together and do a post for Saturday
• Quilt my Orbit Quilt  - another Quilt Along that didn't get quilted at the time I made the top
• And when I need a break from quilting, I can sew a Moda Building Block or two. Six left to make including, three of the four large blocks.

Hazel hedgehog

I've finished another project and in the same month I started it, despite promising myself not to start anything else. I blame Gnome Angel for hosting the Quilt Along (QAL)

A few favourite blocks - Freddie the Fox on a background of Priory Square. I blanket stitched around the glasses on my Bernina.

 

 

Love the Cotton & Steel arrow print for the spines. All of the spines were Cotton & Steel - mostly from Jane's stash. typically I found another fat quarter in my stash, after I'd finished the blocks.

 

 

All of the backgrounds were low volume fabrics from my stash and the body and faces were plains from either my own stash or Jane's stash. All have now been returned. I purchased the binding which isn't a strip but behaves like a stripe, picking up the aquas and pinks from the blocks.

The end of baton week

 

One little Moda Building block done and seven more to go - all of which are either very big or more complicated. I simplified this one and combined two flying geese units into a square. This also helped me control the directional cream print.

 

 

Today the NFWI centenary baton left Jersey on its way to Guernsey. Yesterday was busy with Hel's Belles' afternoon tea at Cafe Firefly at Durrell and two WI meetings in the evening. I took the baton from the afternoon tea to the meetings so I had a busy evening and it was interesting to see how members reacted. it has definitely been an impetus for some memorable events. This photo was taken with Lee Durrell and the bronze of Gerald Durrell in the ground of Durrell.

Now I need to prepare for my WI meeting this evening and collect the key, then tomorrow I can focus on sewing the binding on my quilted Aviatrix top. Then I think the only Eisteddfod item that needs tweaking is a cushion that needs some poppers to close the back. first I need to find the poppers - I found the tool last week and some pink poppers, but I need teal, red or white.

Bumbling Honeys - February 2015

Carol from The Running Hare asked us to make the blockcalled 'Geese all round' which can be found here: www.quilterscache.com/G/GeeseAllAroundBlock.html And she would love us for ever if we could make two. :) The background is Kona white and the geese are navy, teal, aqua, blue or lime green.

 

It has been a busy few days with a Ceilidh on Thursday evening, La Moye WI hosted the baton on Friday evening and I was an invited guest. Also yesterday we had a lovely lunch out at the St Brelade's Bay Hotel. Very nice. Tomorrow we are visiting Durrell and having a photo with Gerald Durrell's wife - Lee followed by afternoon tea.

In the midst of all this activity I've slowly foundation pieced the blocks which are now ready to post to Carol with Jane's block. Next I need to work on my New York Beauty centre.

Making progress

Aviatrix I already off the frame with no ends to sew in. Hooray. It has been trimmed and the edge zig zagged ready for binding. I ordered my binding from Simply Solids yesterday and I'm told that Jett has parcelled up my order ready to take to the Post office yesterday evening. Although the postman has been, I can always hope that it's coming in the parcel van.

Tomorrow I am helping the Jersey Eisteddfod needlework section take in some of the 500 entry forms and write up the cards for attaching to entries. I usually take some binding to hand stitch down, but despite having two projects needing binding, I think I will be going empty handed. I will however walk down this year as I made the mistake of parking in a short term car park last year and it cost me £12 for six hours. Lesson learnt.

I think I'll work on Carol's bee blocks next as that is my last set of bee blocks for February to do.

Centenary baton arrives

 

Progress is being made - Aviatrix is ready to be quilted. I don't have enough fabric to bind the quilt so I have ordered more of the Essex linen in steel to finish it. Not that it will even be quilted by the time my order has arrived. Jane has finished with my long arm - her poor husband didn't even get a lift to the airport so that she could finish it today. I now have to work out what backing I bought to use for this quilt.

 

 

The WI centenary baton is doing a tour around England, Wales and the islands and today it arrived in Jersey - 12 hours late due to bad weather yesterday evening. we didn't get taken on a tour in the vintage cars, but they make a lovely back drop for photos of our reception at Government House today. of course in true WI fashion, the reception was followed by lunch at the Ambassadeur Hotel. Tomorrow evening the baton is being hosted at a ceilidh.

 

Off to look at last year's blog posts to see if I can work out which backing I should use for Aviatrix.

Foxy lady

I know I said I wouldn't start any new projects, but I was sucked in by the quilt long over at Gnome Angel using Elizabeth Hartman's pattern at Oh Fransson!!. The hedgehogs and fox are so cute. I've used Kona plains along with the Priory Square map print. I have used Bondaweb to applique the glasses and will do a small blanket stitch around the glasses on my Bernina.

ALYoF - February 2015

 

 

My Q1 FAL plan says I should be working on Orbit this month but I need to finish Aviatrix so I'll do that first and then quilt Orbit. I went to add the final butterfly border to my quilt at my Guild's UFO day last month and I was one block short. Fortunately I hadn't yet discarded the templates for cutting the irregularly shaped wings, so I need to cut and sew one light orange block, add it to the existing border, sew on the butterfly border and the last grey border. Then quilt and bind it. And all before the end of the month for it to be entered into the local Eisteddfod.

 

 

 

My smaller project for this month will be my UK mini swap New York Beauty quilt. This is bound and just needs the centre circle taken off and made smaller, quilted and it's done. I'm also entering this one in the Eisteddfod. Perhaps I should work on that today?

TQS BOM 2009 - Thimbleberries edition

 

My quilt photographer assistant is still at work, so this photo will have to suffice for now. I finished this top, probably not long into 2010, I started quilting it on my longarm with thoughts of beautiful custom feathers, but I haven't ventured far from using the Prostitcher edge to edge designs yet. so it was taken off the machine and abandoned on the top of the wardrobe until this month.

 

I love the centre feathered star block of this quilt and I have to admit to falling back in love with this quilt now it's finished. I must find a home for it as I have too many quilt (finished and in progress).

 

These six inch stars made up of lots of half square triangles were a challenge, but I love how their scrappy colours helps pull the quilt together. I used fabrics from about four different Thimbleberries programmes to make the quilt and only ran out of the blue binding fabric, but a member of Kim's TB2 group came to my aid.

 

I used a flowering vine pattern to quilt the piece and was inspired by several of the fabrics I used to choose this new pattern. The quilt is now ready for entry into our local Eisteddfod needlework section in March.

 

Come back on 1 February to see what I have planned to work on in February.

 

Linking to:

 

Two years late but a finish never the less

 

 

I bought the kit for the Christmas knitted bunting at Knit & Stitch over two years ago. I also bought one for Claire as her Christmas present. Claire finished hers and made a second for a baby. Mine was almost finished apart from the string which I finished this month. I've even blocked it and it's ready for the Jersey Eisteddfod in March. I think I need to put it on a cardboard base to keep it nice and flat.

 

 

 

I'm also trying to finish up all of the odds and sods of moisturisers, cleansers and more. I seem to have more eye creams, hand creams and body lotions than anything else. I've definitely made progress on this in January. I have two containers in the top drawer by my bed and I need to work through them. I've just found a small pot of Crème de la Mer moisturiser which I've started using up.

 

I'm looking out of the window and it's a dreary damp day - to go on this morning's WI walk or not? I'll decide in half an hour. 

January bee blocks

 

I have dithered about my blocks for Sue Blake for the ST2 bee. Sue asked for blocks in red and blue using half square triangle (HSTs). I decided at the beginning of the month that I wanted to do one friendship star and knew I had some HSTs left over from my Swoon quilt. As the end of the month approaches, it was time to get down to piecing these blocks. The friendship star was quick to piece and cut.

 

The small HSTs - 1.5" finished took ages  to trim and piece, so much so that I forgot an appointment.

WI centenary wallhanging

 

2015 is the centenary of NFWI and each WI has been invited to make one square depicting their WI and / or parish for inclusion in a wall hanging. We made the decision as a committee to represent our logo. I also immediately decided that I would use Bike Tracks as the background fabric.

 

I found a small scrap of navy linen which was perfect for the jeans and I thought the Cotton & Steel looked like the tread of a tyre. I hope my members like what I've done. Next job is to finish reading our Book Group book for this evening.

 

FNSI January 2015

 

Last night was the first meet up for 2015 hosted by Wendy at Sugarlane Quilts and friends from all over the world. I had been sewing during the day so I finished a few blocks last night and prepped a couple more.

 

Block 25 of the Moda Building Blocks. I drew myself a foundation piecing pattern for this economy block and it went together smoothly with some Pearl Bracelets and Cotton + Steel.

 

Oops, another little project started. I am only doing nine of these blocks for a baby quilt (no intended recipient) and this is a combination of Cotton + Steel for the spines and plains for the body and face on a low volume background. I have three patterned fabrics and have raided Jane's stash for more. I am surprisingly lacking in plains though.

 

Another Moda Building Block which looks striking with its red and white spot on a Carolyn Friedlander background.

 

Time to get ready for the day, plans include:

Making cakes - probably ginger cupcakes

Playing canasta this afternoon (hence the need for cake)

Dinner with Mike & Jane

Prepping some blocks for tomorrow's UFO day as I've stitched up the ones I had already prepared. I also need to find the last border for my Aviatrix quilt which might also lead me to some more plains.

In a bind

 

I have successfully sewn the bindings to the front of two quilts this week and I have even hand sewn the binding on all four sides on the Thimbleberries quilt which is about 80 inches square. I used a blue print which had been used in the centre of the quilt in sashings. I like this quilt more than I expected now that it's almost finished. Now I just need to sew in a few ends which I marked with a pin as I quilted it.

 

 

I also found the rainbow stripe that I bought at the Festival of Quilts in 2014 and even better there were almost enough strips already cut to bind the New York Beauty mini. That will wait until my next morning guild meeting which is the perfect opportunity for doing hand sewing. Then I'll just have a few ends to sew in and the centre will need to be removed, rectified and quilted.

 

I've even made progress on my Christmas bunting which now just needs blocking once I've washed out the mister I need to do the job.

 

 

Mid month progress

I know it's the 20th, but I am still checking in to show you my progress on this month's projects albeit a little late:

• Thimbleberries TQS BOM 2009
• Knitted Christmas bunting

 

So the BOM is quilted and trimmed and ready for binding. I cut the binding over a week ago, but I now need to locate it to sew it on by machine today. Then I can hand sew it over the next ten days.

 

 

And the string for my Christmas bunting is now complete - all 500 stitches of it. However I now have about 40 ends to sew in. I think I'll enquire about going to Stitch n Bitch tomorrow evening to see if someone can guide me as to the right tools and technique.

 

 

I have even progressed my New York Beauty to the quilted and trimmed stage. Again, I need to apply the binding. I'm thinking that the rainbow coloured fabric I used for a Siblings Together quilt might be perfect for this to pull the myriad of colours together in the piecing.

 

 

Once bound, I can focus on the middle of the quilt which is a little poufy. Fortunately the centre was hand appliqued so it will be easy to remove and remedy - fingers crossed.

 

And in bigger news - I've even managed to not start any new projects. I've been very close to clicking buy on a pattern or two but I've been strong so far. I also figure out what to work on at our group's UFO day on Sunday. Perhaps the final Aviatrix border and a Moda Building block or two? Or perhaps my Wishes quilt. I need to get another quilt on my machine whilst customer work is quiet.