Last Day of Winter!

The second block of my Civil War Bride Quilt is finished - loved, loved, loved doing it! Now to choose another block to start on!

Christmas fabric? - yes, and isn't it just beautiful!

Still on Christmas and the reds - from dear Jane - see Jane's Fabrics on my Sidebar - just click if you would like to have a peep! I love these little girls on the red background!

Am I crazy? - I have taken the monumental leap and I am going to try to become a little more technologically savvy! Off to the bookshop tomorrow to buy Photoshop for Dummies and to try to enrol in a short course!

The Recency Dandy Giveaway has closed - through the week I found another two fabrics from the range to add. Now I have to work out how to select a winner - maybe I will have to try to find that number generator thingy!
♥

I think we are all looking forward to a little spring weather here - yesterday was soooo cold! Very drab here today and pretty cold, too - maybe a little sunshine will appear later in the day!

♥

Hoping for a happy week ahead for you all!

Sourdough Bread!

As promised - here is one great recipe for the bread shown in my last Post!

Domaine de l'Arlots Bread :

1 kg strong unbleached bread flour (Lowan's is good)

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon salt (please don't be tempted to use less)

950 ml lukewarm water

extra flour for dusting and shaping

Place the four, yeast and salt in a very large bowl. Mix in water to make quite, wet sticky dough. Use you hands to mix around well. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight. Next day, take bowl from the fridge and leave it to come back to room temperature. Prepare two flat trays by lining with baking paper and sprinkling with flour.

Using a dough-scraper, remove the dough from the bowl to a floured bench. Cut the dough in half. with floured hands lightly shape each piece into a round. Place the dough on floured trays and press/pull lightly into flattish ciabatta shapes. flip them over so that the wrinkled, floured sides are now on top. Place the trays in a cold, fan forced oven set to 220C. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire racks.

Lurline's Variations:

I use Laucke Flour, Barossa Sourdough Rye Bread Mix as pictured above which comes in 600g packets, 4 to a box.

So:

600g flour

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

570 ml lukewarm water

I don't use my hands to mix the dough, just a large spoon. This makes one large Vienna shaped loaf as pictured above. Please make sure your water has a bit of heat in it.

♥

I really do hope you have success with this bread and enjoy it as much as we do - even with Vegemite and butter the next day, it is great! It is pictured with my version of Pumpkin Soup - a few litle tricks and additives and it is always a great hit, sure to please! My home-grown kalamata olives rest on the side of the plate - and no, I have't pickled them this year - maybe next year, we'll see!

♥

Let me know when you make the bread, looking forward to comments of success - have a happy weekend!

CWBQ - Block 5!

This is not really the focus of this Post - but here it is Civil War Bride Quilt Block 5 in progress! I am just loving working on it, slowly, this week I must admit!

For all you pet lovers - here's the little Keeper of the Goods! As soon as I throw my work down, Georgina must get as close to it as she can - she doesn't shed hair and no doggy smell, so that's the wonderful thing about Maltese!

Now, to the point of today's Post - another Girlfriends! Day here and again so lovely! Robin had just returned from a month's trip to Canada and brought this gorgeous piece of fabric to show us - very special! Also, for me! - a ball of cotton to make a dishcloth, wowee at long last!

Louise with her gorgeous quilt for her little granddaughter who also lives in Canada - we have quite a Canadian contingent amongst us!

Fabulous rustic sourdough bread! We had scones with jam and cream, orange cake, berry cake and pumpkin soup with sourdough for lunch! The cleverness of Domaine de l'arlot's bread is that you don't have to knead it, nor wait for the loaves to prove. It proves in the fridge overnight, then brought to room temperature and put into a cold oven to bake! I will type up the recipe and anyone is welcome to ask for it or I may even make it my next Post, we'll see!

Everyone knows what a Poser I am - champagne taste on a beer income! I couldn't miss this opportunity - Teena visited in her Mercedes Elegance, but I felt pretty comfortable about starting it up and driving away into the sunset!

♥

Oh, I am amazed at the Comments on my Giveaway, thanks - I feel like checking out every blog and have done with a few and will do with more when I feel I can put up with somebody growling at me to get to bed! I also have some new Followers - lovely to have you visit my blog, thanks - my goodness, isn't Blogland a great place to be!

♥

I am going on a bit - any Aussies with similar software to Photoshop that can help me out as to what and where to buy,what can be done with it, how difficult is it to master, please let me know! I must look up quick courses on that sort of thing, too. I would love to improve my skills in that area!
♥

Happy Day!

PS - I must tell you, please visit The Civil War Bride Quilt blog - the latest Post is a must see! If you can, please leave a Comment for Cathy - it will inspire people to get involved and become Followers!

Regency Dandy Giveaway!

Football is on in this room and both boys are happy! I was happily sewing away in 'My Studio' making siggie swap squares and I thought ' this will make a nice Giveaway' - so here it is!

The Giveaway consists of ten 10" x 20" strips, Skinnys or Fat Eighths, whatever you like to call them. The fabrics are from the Windham Fabrics Presents Regency Dandy Ca. 1810 - reproduction, bright, beautiful and a lovely fine weave. For those brave enough, they add a wonderful splash of colour to repro projects and they are being used in modern creations, too - I noticed a couple have been included in Material Obsession's BOM!

I will leave this Giveaway open on this Post until Sunday 30 September(oopsy! that's meant to 30 Ausust, thanks, Mary Grace!) So leave a little Comment and you will be in the draw - let your friends know and that will increase your chance. Being such a shocker at Replies, I will not make any Replies on this Post - more time to visit other blogs and sew!

Good luck and a Happy Weekend!

Another BOM Finish!

Oh, I am so wicked - I should be doing all my Replies and Comments instead of Posting! I promise I'll dedicate myself over the weekend!

This is my Green Tea and Sugar Beans BOM quilt - today I have sewn the two double pinwheel blocks above the applique - easy-peasey and accurate using foundation piecing! I have mentioned before, I do cheat where I can, to save time! It is gong to be a bright,crazy quilt, isn't it?

Oh, my heart went pitter-patter when I saw this on Sweet P's Blog - Coffee Time Stitches! I think it is a must have, though I will have to figure a way to get the yarn. It can be safely stored until I'm an old lady and have time to crochet, LOL! It is Woodcliff Throw and a free pattern!
Purple and Paisley, you must check this one out - maybe you, too Mary Grace!
♥
Happy Weekend!

Girlfriend! Days - Yes, Again!

Oh, dear - I have to stay home today and be a Domestic Goddess, again! Two days out in a row, Tuesday to our State Guild, WAQA, and then yesterday off to our Rough Diamonds Group for a Sewing Day!

In the pic above - a Japanese Noren - how glorious with all the sashiko! A gift to Ann - these beautiful pieces hang on a rod in doorways - the handwork is superb!

Sue, our hostess, at the head of the table and Ann to her right. A little bit of glare as it was a beautiful, spring day here yesterday - and Sue's house is very light and bright with great views of Perth's beautiful Swan River.

The food - to die for! Sue certainly showed us how to do it - we all left with a recipe for overnight sourdough bread - just wonderful with mushroom soup, followed by pumpkin pie. Above, the water jug!

The water was delightfully refreshing with added slices of Australian Wild Limes! New to all of us all and they had such a distinctive limey flavour.

Yummy sweets! Orange and almond cake with sour cream and strawberries!

This one above is for Mildred of Nalley Valley! Mildred enjoys all things elegant and refined and I'm sure this will bring back some memories for her!

Did we sew? - who cares! What a lovely day, thank you Sue, the perfect hostess! We all decided we couldn't compete and it will be plain old Vegemite sandwiches at our homes.

♥

Not a lot of sewing happening in this neck of the woods - another block started from The Civil War Bride Quilt! A new discovery - the glue pen, very handy for fastening all those stems made with my trusty Hera marker! A little afterthought - the little pink, blunt-nosed scissors that I have carried on aircraft throughout Australia and the USA over the past few years - the airline officials have never queried me and I'm sure that it is not just good luck either.

♥

Into 'My Studio' first - it is a bit of a disgrace - then onto other boring household duties!

Happy Day!

Finished Blocks!

Oh, how lucky was I - a block completed from each great quilt over the weekend! Yes, I did feed the family and yes, I did babysit two rowdy 5-year olds overnight Sat/Sun!

Above Block 1, from BOM by Sue Ross/Material Obsession. I have had a few enquiries and am waiting on a phone call from the girls to see whether there are any more vacancies for those who would like to join in!

My Civil War Bride Quilt - Block 1! I feel I have stepped back in time and am so enjoying doing serious applique. This IS my thing - maybe a fairly serious accident and the big move from Brisbane had interrupted my applique journey - never mind, the main thing is I am doing what I love now, and will have to decide which block to start next.
♥

Hope you had a lovely weekend, too!

PS - I have just heard from Kathy at Material Obsession. If you are keen to join in the BOM please email her at materialobsession@ozemail.com.au

A Quick Post!

Yesterday I had a fun day working on my new BOM! With all due respect to Sue Ross I have successfully machine pieced the block though hand piecing is recommended - so far, so good!

There are quite a few girls doing this project so if you would like to pop over to Sue Ross BOM,


I have posted on my progress so far and left a few helpful hints. Oh, or maybe you would just like to check it out and think about joining - of course Comments would be lovely!

Happy Weekend!

I've made a start on my Signature Blocks! Should I ask your opinion? These are made from Windham Fabrics Regency Dandy Ca. 1810 - I love them, but I know they won't be everybody's cup of tea - but then, I know I would like a few scattered through my quilt! I'll decide on the other 60 when I get back to the machine!

My BOM from Material Obsession has arrived - it looks just a little challenging - maybe as I progress, I will feel less daunted - see the little pic on my Sidebar. I love the fabrics and notice the little pink piece on the left looks very much like a Regency Dandy to me - must be one I missed out on!

I'm chuffed - I was able to purchase and download this pattern - I have always wanted to make an Annie! I'll have to try to track down my old equipment - I think DD's have some!

Look how beautifully these camellias are holding up - what a happy hello in My Studio! Along with treasured gifts from Narelle of Nell's Notions ,on the right, and Chookyblue on the left. This brings me to share a little secret - it's Chooky's Happy Birthday tomorrow!

♥

Blogger was very naughty to me earlier in the week - I lost my Blogs I Follow like a lot of others, so I am way behind in reading and Commenting - late with Replies again, too - oh, the story of my life!

♥

Have a Happy Weekend - I hope mine is spent sewing!

My Place - Girlfriends! Day!

What a lovely day - lots of Show and Tell! How beautiful is this - camellias from Sandra's Dad's garden. Now as you know, my sewing table is quite long and what a variety we have here - enough to fill three vases, so my house is looking really pretty at the moment, thanks, Sandra!

A gorgeous quilt made for Carole! In flanelette - look at those glorious fabrics and hand quilting on the middle block - amazing!

Gwen, always with a big smile - a gorgeous quilt (Turning Twenty? - I think so) - all ready to be hand quilted in big-stitch Perle!

Here they are - special people - always lots of fun! Quite a few missing - lots more happy times ahead to catch up!

Now, this is pretty special too, a Banana Cake to die for! I used Lizzie's recipe - A House in the Country - Lizzie has another blog listed on her right Sidebar - Cook, I think. Check it out! I have never mastered a Banana Cake, but I've hit the jackpot with this one ! For all you cooks out there, this is a must try!

Little people need little bags and this one is for a special little Girlfriend! My daughter, Danielle, has gone crazy over these - our Byron is like his mum and collects rocks, crystals, etc. and I've had a request to make one for him with lots of little pockets - oh, well, we'll have to see what we can do! When time permits, I'll whip up a lot for the kids to give with birthday gifts inside!

♥

Check out The Civil War Bride Quilt blog , to see another Post of interest - it is all coming along nicely! We'd love to have your visits and Comments!

♥

Happy day!

Sunday Stash and CWBQ!

Goodness me - chalk and cheese! Let's talk about the above - I love birdies and this fabric is 'starling' by Alexander Henry. The blue is by Lecien and the lilac/green by Kaffe! I do have an idea to put these fabrics to use.

Now, the above - exciting news about this! Lizzie from A House in the Country has developed a new blog and you must check it out - http://thecivilwarbridequilt.blogspot.com/ - The Civil War Bride Quilt!

It would be lovely to have Joiners and Visitors, please pop over and read all about it - the blog is beautifully presented by Lizzie and I hope in time to come you will get a lot of enjoyment from it! I hope to be able to help Lizzie by promoting interest in history, applique and repro fabrics and would love your input!

Maybe I had better visit my sewing machine today - so many little projects I want to do!

♥

Happy Weekend!