Free Motion Mavericks - Week 28 - A Cot Quilt In The Making

To kick start my sewing projects for the year I decided doing a cot quilt was the only way to get going.  The top was easy to put together because I had some strips already assembled, left over from previous ones.

This time I have tried to get away from my usual meandering quilting and have done swirls. Much as I love the end product, I don't really enjoy doing the quilting on these scrappy quilts because I can't see where I am going.  I thought swirls would be easier to keep track of than meanders, but now I'm not so sure.  Also, I'm not over-thrilled with the look of the swirls on the front.

If anything, they look better on the back.  And the whole thing will look better once the binding is on - it's always the way.

Enough moaning.  It's the January effect.

Here goes for week 28...

Many thanks to Maartje, Hilary, Gwyned, Judy, Quilting Reader's Garden,  Barbara, and Claire for linking up last time.  

If you love free motion quilting, whether you are a beginner just taking the plunge, or you have reached the stage where you can do ostrich feathers with your eyes shut and still achieve perfect symmetry, then please link up.

Remember, FMQ is FMQ, whether your machine was made last week, or it is older than your granny.

Here are the very easy and slightly elastic rules:-

1.  Link up with any recent post, ideally from the last week but within the last month, which features a free motion quilting project, whether it is a work in progress or a finish.

Or, because it is still January, link up to show your favourite FMQ project finished in 2014.

2.  Link back to this post in your own post and/or grab the linky button for your blog's sidebar.
  .
3.  Visit as many of the other participants as possible and say hello in the comments box.

4.  The link up will remain open for four days, from midnight to midnight GMT for the long weekend, Friday to Monday.

So far quilters from USA, England, Wales, Australia, Canada, Germany, Holland, New Zealand and France have taken part.  The first participant from each new country will get a special mention the following week.

Welcome to Marena White, the latest follower - thank you for joining!

Linking up with Kelly's blog My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
and Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday

A Pretty Picture for Sunday - Winter Sun

Somehow I can't quite believe how this photo came out.  Where was I?  How do you see it?

Free Motion Mavericks - Week 27 - More Leaves

Here is the latest leaf sampler, and I have to confess I am getting a bit bored - I hope you aren't too. It hasn't got the binding on yet, but I have taken the photo with the dark green that I shall be using in the background so you can get the idea.

There is a distinct lack of inspiration here at the moment, with energy being used up in all directions except sewing.  Here is one of the reasons:-

I have been busy digging, and had to put in plenty of hours over the Christmas and New Year holidays to get my allotment in order.  I'm not complaining - in fact, after the months of misery with a frozen shoulder last year it is a minor miracle that I have managed it.

Meanwhile, domestic creativity is being channelled into cakes.  Fancy making some jam muffins? Too easy to be true.

Here goes for week 27...

Many thanks to Maartje, Hilary, Judy, Gwyned, Barbara, Janine, LeeAnna, Linda  and Quilt Musings for linking up last time.  

If you love free motion quilting, whether you are a beginner just taking the plunge, or you have reached the stage where you can do ostrich feathers with your eyes shut and still achieve perfect symmetry, then please link up.

Remember, FMQ is FMQ, whether your machine was made last week, or it is older than your granny.

Here are the very easy and slightly elastic rules:-

1.  Link up with any recent post, ideally from the last week but within the last month, which features a free motion quilting project, whether it is a work in progress or a finish.

Or, because it is still January, link up to show your favourite FMQ project finished in 2014.

2.  Link back to this post in your own post and/or grab the linky button for your blog's sidebar.
  .
3.  Visit as many of the other participants as possible and say hello in the comments box.

4.  The link up will remain open for four days, from midnight to midnight GMT for the long weekend, Friday to Monday.

So far quilters from USA, England, Wales, Australia, Canada, Germany, Holland, New Zealand and France have taken part.  The first participant from each new country will get a special mention the following week.

Linking up with Kelly's blog My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
and Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday.

Jam Muffins

Over the New Year I had a fun-packed baking session with my great-niece (proud owner of the MP3 cosy).  She is 10, and a star baker, so I have passed on this quick and easy recipe to her.  Her younger sister and two baby brothers helped too, so it was bit of a riot in the kitchen.

The basic sponge recipe is much easier than the classic Victoria sponge, and the cakes keep better because the oil in them prevents them from drying out.  A lovely lady called Marina gave me this recipe a few years ago when we were in Northern Spain.

The great advantage of this recipe is that you don't have to weigh anything.  Marina used a little yoghurt pot as a measure, whereas I use this glass, which holds a quarter of a pint.  It would be just as easy to use a measuring jug.  The reason I have shown the ingredients in the order shown on the photos is that this way you don't need to wash the glass before you have finished.

The quantities I have given will make 12 muffins.

First, measure out three glasses of self raising flour.

Put the flower aside in a separate bowl.

Next, you need two glasses of sugar.  Ordinary white granulated sugar is fine.

Put the sugar into a large mixing bowl.

Then add 1 measure of sunflower oil to the sugar...

... and 1 measure of full fat natural yoghurt - Greek yoghurt is ideal.  If the yoghurt has slightly separated, drain off the excess liquid.

Lastly, add three eggs.

Mix the sugar, yoghurt and eggs together.  I use a rotary hand whisk.

The mixture will end up a pale creamy colour.

The flour is then sieved and folded in with a broad knife a bit at a time...

... giving a pale thick mixture once it is all added.

Because it is a runny mixture it is impossible to spoon into the muffin cases without making an almighty mess, so I spoon it into a gravy boat first...

... and then pour it into the muffin cases.

Each case needs to be approximately two thirds full...

... then it is time to put a blob of jam, about half a teaspoonful, in the middle of each.  I have used three different colours for the muffin cases because I am using three different types of jam.  Just one more jam to go, some home-made apple and blackberry.

Once every cake has its blob of jam, cover the jam with a bit of cake mixture, and put them in a preheated oven.

Here they are, freshly baked.  My oven is a pretty fierce fan oven.  It took about 15 minutes, starting on 150, and turning the tray round halfway through cooking and turning the heat down a bit.

Another reason I love this recipe - I have never had a cake collapse in the middle, even though I open the oven door halfway through cooking.

Delicious with tea.  

Linking up with Connie's blog Freemotion by the River for Linky Tuesday

A Pretty Picture for Sunday - Roofscape

The chimneys are fascinating - they have their own little tiled roofs.

This photo was taken from a church tower, with a fantastic view whichever way you look.

Welcome to Peggy Ryan, the latest follower - thank you for joining!

Free Motion Mavericks - Week 26 - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone has enjoyed the Christmas and New Year holiday, and that you are all looking forward to interesting FMQ projects in 2015!

Over the holiday I did hardly any sewing, but I did do one little thread sampler with a Christmas theme.  I have to thank Marly for the inspiration - her photo of the candles on her Christmas table runner gave me the idea.

So here it is, not bound yet, a sampler of five candles, with the colours fairly close to those of the candles on an Advent wreath.

Five candles, not four.

Anyway, enough of that nonsense, it's time for the first link up of the year.

Here goes for week 26...

Many thanks to Maartje, Marly and Gwyned for linking up last time.  

If you love free motion quilting, whether you are a beginner just taking the plunge, or you have reached the stage where you can do ostrich feathers with your eyes shut and still achieve perfect symmetry, then please link up.

Remember, FMQ is FMQ, whether your machine was made last week, or it is older than your granny.

Here are the very easy and slightly elastic rules:-

1.  Link up with any recent post, ideally from the last week but within the last month, which features a free motion quilting project, whether it is a work in progress or a finish.

Or, if you prefer, link up to show your favourite FMQ project finished in 2014.

2.  Link back to this post in your own post and/or grab the linky button for your blog's sidebar.
  .
3.  Visit as many of the other participants as possible and say hello in the comments box.

4.  The link up will remain open for four days, from midnight to midnight GMT for the long weekend, Friday to Monday.

So far quilters from USA, England, Wales, Australia, Canada, Germany, Holland, New Zealand and France have taken part.  The first participant from each new country will get a special mention the following week.

Linking up with Kelly's blog My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
and Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday.

The Twelfth Day of Christmas

They offered Him gifts, of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

This delightful painting of the Adoration of the Magi is on the walls of the cloister of the Collegiate Church at Alquezar, which can be seen in this photograph.

Welcome to Pam Jones, the latest follower - thank you for joining!