Design Wall Monday

Thanks for the good wishes last week on finding the missing row. Turned out I hadn't sewn them together as I discovered three blocks with the fourth nowhere to be found. I went back to the photo on the blog and pulled the fabrics to make a replacement. Just as I was about to cut I saw something out of the corner of the eye and you guessed it - the missing block. I think one of the cats had taken a liking to it and had moved it to where she could enjoy sleeping on it - going by the cat hair attached. Still a brush and good as new. So rows sewn together and finally attached to the quilt top. Here's the progress so far.



Needs borders but that will have to wait.

I have been playing however.



Tumbler quilts are going to feature here next year as I try to use some of my stash. I haven't used 30's fabrics in ages so am enjoying something different.

Head over to Judy's to see what others have been doing.

Design Wall Monday

Well the silly season is well and truly upon us and that has left very little time for sewing.

i wasn't going to post this week but Judy says show what you've got even if it hasn't changed.

So what have I accomplished this week. The bottom row from last week is now sewn on. There is a slight problem however. Going back through this blog I confirmed my suspicion that there are another two rows. This weeks mission is to find them!



I have also appliqued the little star from a few weeks ago to it's background. Three more like this to do. In a couple of weeks there may be enough progress to show you the start of this quilt.



Merry Xmas to everyone. Thanks for stopping by.

Design Wall Monday

Monday's do come around quickly don't they. On my design wall is something I was working on earlier this year. It just needs the bottom row sewn on and some borders added. I can't for the life of me figure out why it went away - except as you are all beginning to find out , I have the attention span of a gnat.



Finished top next week.

Hop over to Judy's to see what others have been doing this week.

Baby steps on my jouney to becoming a domestic goddess.

Right it's Sunday so time to cook. Well that was the plan but work intervened for a time.

I had decided I was going to make the cupcakes from last week and a quiche for our dinner. Ambitious I know.

By the time I finally arrived home the plan was for the quiche only. Now remember I can't cook so I was not planning another too stupid like making my own pastry.

So full steam ahead with salmon, red onion and zucchini quiche.

Getting the ingredients did not pose a problem this week. I of course still had last weeks eggs so decision made. On the subject of eggs it has been really interesting to hear every one's thoughts this past week. I'm still confused as it seems there is no right or wrong. The only thing most people agreed on was that they needed to be free range or organic. That part was easy for me as I'm already a convert.

The first step required cooking onion, garlic and zucchini until golden. There was no way this was ever going to become golden so I just had to live with that.



The next part of the instructions had one of my favourite instructions - not - salt and pepper to taste. Who in the world knows what raw eggs, sour cream and cheese should taste like! However I soldiered on like a true domestic goddess.

I won't bore you with step by step photos.

Here is what it was supposed to look like



and here it was it actually looked like.



Wasn't too far off the mark but definitely room for improvement. Looking at the pictures a decided difference really but hey I need to dream a little. Pastry was not great. I don't think I cooked it in the initial baking for long enough. Having said that it went down OK and I'm having left overs for lunch tomorrow.

So what did I learn this week. I don't think my oven is hot enough. Everything took longer than suggested. When I make this again I'm going to try turning the oven up a bit and see if that makes a difference.

Will there be cupcakes next week. We'll all have to wait and see.

Design Wall Monday

Well all that fabric buying last week certainly didn't lead to massive amounts of sewing. I did make the binding and backing for last weeks disappearing 9 patch and have sent that off for quilting.

The only progress - if you can call it that - that I have to show is this little star ready to be pressed and appliquéd.



Head on over to Judy's to see what others have been up to.

Baby steps on my journey to becoming a domestic goddess

Ok lets just state the facts straight away. I am 47 years old and can't cook. I can make some really simple things that all go into the same pan but my repertoire is limited to about five things. I don't know why but I have decided that is going to change and I will share my progress here.

When I first moved into this place I didn't have a reason to turn the oven on for over two years. The first time I did it blew up! Mine had come from a bad batch and the real estate had wondered why I hadn't had the same problems as everyone else.

So with those thoughts in mind I decided today was the day to begin my journey. Baking from scratch has always scared me so I decided to start out with something simple - a packet cupcake mix.

As I stood in the aisle of the supermarket I again remembered why I always decide this is just too hard and go and buy what I want instead. The packet mix called for eggs, butter and milk to be added. How hard could that be I thought, then I saw the amount of choices I had for these three simple ingredients. Didn't have my camera with me to show you how daunting choosing was - but something tells me your not shocked by the huge variety to choose from.

So after about 20 minutes, choices made and home they came.



Took the lovely new pan I bought last week out of its wrapping and why I don't know, put it in the oven. Well actually I didn't put it in the oven - it was too big! This is why I don't cook - it's all too hard.



Everything is nicely put away for now. I'll buy a new pan during the week and try again next weekend.

I may have shopped a little this week.....Part 3

Ok as I said in the previous post I had forgotten some of my purchases this week. Don't know why as the first lot especially are just lovely.

I have been doing classes for years at Patchwork Plus Miranda - no website. I say doing classes with tongue firmly in cheek as I do so little sewing these days outsiders would wonder why I go. Those in the know would understand that for me it's my chance to escape the real world for a time, catch up with friends and shop. So what did I buy this week:-



Just gorgeous.

The final piece of fabric that found its way here this week was bought at the Finders Keepers markets yesterday. It's from Saffron Craig's newest range. This will be my starting point for a quilt for a three year old who loves fairies.

I may have shopped a little this week.....Part 2

Next stop Quiltsmith. A little bit of Brandon,



some from Phillip,



lots from Kaffe and




a bundle of Kaffe's new range of liberty inspired prints.



Just so my friends don't think I have gone completely mad this also came home with me. Yes I still love my reproductions.




I've just realised I shopped at two more places but photos will need to wait till later.

I may have shopped a little this week.....

I've just had a week off and put it to good use by going fabric shopping. Given how much I bought perhaps it is just as well I only had one week off!

First stop Material Obsession. I have wanted one of these dolls for ages so this beauty came home with me.



Some bits and pieces for the stash.



Reese Scanell shot cottons which was what I had gone to buy in the first place. Sorry about the photos but I didn't want to take them out of the packets as they look so nice.






Next to arrive was the absolutely gorgeous new fabrics Hope Valley from Denyse Smichdt. I bought mine from here. My favourite range for 2009. Just a stack to show you for now as I'm just loving looking at it. I will buy more of this.