Happy Mother's Day

My daughter, Lizzie is feeding my addiction for Nordicware with this addition.

 

I really can't justify making cake today as we have scones, carrot cake and courgette cake left from yesterday's baking competition. I was so chuffed to win first prize for my scones, though I did have to bake two batches as the first batch was wonky, but tasty. I can recommend just out of the oven scones for breakfast.

 

I'm suffering from a cough and cold that started as a tickly throat on Thursday evening after a lovely day spent in Guernsey. as a result this customer quilt is still waiting for collection.

I love the delectable mountains border paired with the string blocks from a class with Carolyn Forster.

Fiesta block

 

About a month ago I treated myself to EQ7 along with two books of exercises to guide me through the process of drawing blocks. I am definitely getting to grips with it, apart from my mouse control where I end up with random lines. Does anyone know if you can use a drawing tablet with EQ7?

 

Jane is the lucky recipient of my EQ5 software which I never got to grips with, but this time I plan on doing the monthly challenges on the website and work through the exercises.

 

This is the block I submitted for the competition which closes today. I've drawn inspiration from the fabric design. The fabric is colourful and out of my comfort zone but I'm pleased that I've entered and learnt how to add fabric to the library and import jpgs of fabric too.

Stunning Seminole

 

I apologise for the appalling photographs. You can't even see my quilting. I used an all over star edge to edge pantograph in a bold autumn King Tut thread. Although last week was busy with Eisteddfod adjudication (photos of the exhibition to follow), I loaded this quilt on Monday and completed a couple of rows every day. It was soon ready for Jane to collect on Thursday.

Siblings Together

Here are four blocks I whipped up in less than an hour for RoseDahlia. we were asked to provide 9" finished churn dashes using the tutorial at Cluck Cluck Sew The colour choices were defined by this sorbet selection by Rose Dahlia.

 

As there is no Fat Quarterly Retreat this year, Jane and I plan to post our contributions in the next month. I think I'll send the two I've completed and then if I make any more than can go at a later date. The goal is to make 100 quilts for this year's camps and just like vintage Bleu Peter, here's the group progress to date. If you have a spare hour, do rustle up some churn dash blocks.

Provided byFund-Raising-Ideas-Center.com

Bumbling Honeys - March 2015

 

On Saturday evening Lizzie and her friends monopolised the lounge, eating homemade pizza and watching movies. I retreated to my girl cave to make these blocks for Claire. Fortunately Claire had given us the instructions early so I have one out of three commitments for March already completed.

 

The instructions for the cross block are here. Our instructions were low volume background and solid or tone on tone for the crosses. Tick, done.

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to March

 

March is the last month of this quarter, so I'll need to look back and see what I thought I'd finish this quarter.

First up is my ALYOF goal for March, to finish my Orbit quilt. This is so nearly done. I have about 1 metre of binding to hand stitch down. I will take this with me to the Eisteddfod this week in case we have any quiet moments. Then I have one square and five octagons to quilt which I'm planning to start today.

I also have my Wishes quilt to finish. Two Jersey friends have finished theirs, my blocks are sewn together and need a border, I think. Having dug the project out of my cupboard, I need to do one length of sashing on the longest sides and then the border. I also want to finish a few Moda Building blocks this month but that's not a official goal just a step towards finishing the project.

My smaller project to complete is a bag of teddies which has sat here for two years and need to be turned into Beau Bears. As well as these I have three bees to complete blocks for, I like to get these finished early on in the month so wait enthusiastically for the instructions  to be released.

 

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?