Weekly Progress and Goals

     Like many parts of the US my area has had a week of cold temperatures. This morning got down to 29 degrees which is unusually cool for SC this time of year. Before the freezing temperatures killed garden plants. I picked all the good size green tomatoes and processed them for a delicious batch of Green Tomato Muffins. They taste like zucchini bread.  I baked the muffins for 30 minutes.

The cooler days made for great sewing/quilting days.

Progress on last week's Goals:

1. Start adding appliques to “Celtic Fantasy” background units-   Done.

So far I have fused appliques to 2 areas.  It is looking a lot more interesting. 

2. Sew a few more Kaleidoscope rows together.     Done.

Four rows are sewn together. I have been pinning to match best I can.  Only 2 more rows and a border to be added.

3. Enlarge vintage jumper pattern for GD-Lily          In process.

I have traced the old pattern and know how much to add. I watched a video on YouTube by Nancy Zieman showing what to do. Now I just need to do it.

     On another project I chose a backing from my stash, sandwiched the cat top and started quilting. So far I have done straight lines with walking foot to stabilize.  I want it finished before Christmas for a gift so I need to continue the progress.

Stash fabric used or added:

this past week- Used: 4 yd Added: 0 yds
So far this year- Used: 138.875 yds Added: 53.75 yd
Net decrease 85.125 yds

Because of the Thanksgiving holiday I may not get a lot of quilting accomplished this week, but there are some I need to make progress on.

Goals for this week:

1. Cut out GD-Lily's jumper and start sewing.

2. Quilt on cat quilt

Hope you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends or family.

Stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

Green Tomatoes and Weekly Goals

      Last week it really felt good to get so much done in the yard on warm days and then in my sewing room when it turned cool. Since night temperatures were getting close to frost, I decided to pick most of the vegetables that could be hurt. I picked a gallon of bell and banana peppers, a gallon of green tomatoes and ½ gallon of green cherry tomatoes. I saw a recipe for green tomato bread on Jo's Country Junction blog and thought this would be perfect to try.

I followed Jo's idea of substituting applesauce for half the oil. I also used only 1 ½ cups of sugar and added raisins. I used my food processor to chop the cherry tomatoes and drained the water.

Instead of bread pans, I was able to make 18 muffins which only took about half the time to cook. Very tasty. Much like zucchini bread. I have another 2 cups of chopped green tomatoes ready for another batch and more green tomatoes to use for something else.

How I did last week:
1. Work in bearded iris beds. Done We had a couple of beautiful days before cool days. I still have more I want to do and we are supposed to have beautiful 70 degrees days this week.
2. Quilt a comfort quilt. Done I finished quilting one, trimmed it and passed it on for binding.
3. Add border to QOV. Done The top is complete and waiting for quilting.
I even completed a couple of projects not on my to-do list. I found some already prepared appliques and added them to a couple of kitchen towels. I also made a set of 4 placemats as a birthday gift, but I don't want to show them now in case she looks at my blog. She knew I was making them, but at least how they look will be a surprise.

My Goals for week of Nov. 8:
1. Work in the yard: rake pine straw and reset some bearded iris.
2. Quilt a comfort quilt.
3. Finish placemats for a housewarming gift.

    A nephew recently purchased a house. The interior is very neutral so I hope he will enjoy a set of placemats for a little color. I chose 2 1/2” strips of blues and greens and stared sewing strip sets. 

Stash fabric used or added the past week- Used: 4.25 yds Added: 0 yds
                    So far this year- Used: 102.75 yds Added: 27.5 yds

Stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

UFO Progress and Fun Projects

      This has been a fun week with GD time including baking 2 afternoons. Last year GD Lily created a recipe using a box of Brownie mix that she named S'mornies and requested to make them again. Most of the sweets went home with them thanks to my diet. If you have a sweet tooth you might want to give it a try.

S'mornies

By: Lily

Ingredients for bottom graham cracker crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs ( 1 package of graham crackers- about 9)

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Fill pan w/ graham cracker crust and begin making brownies.
Brownie ingredients (not included in box):

2 Large eggs

¼ Cup water

½ Cup vegtabale oil

Finish mixing brownie mix and spread on top of the graham cracker crust and bake. Once brownies are done baking and cooling, spread marshmallow creme on brownies. Finally, sprinkle second package of smashed graham cracker crumbs on top of marshmallow creme.

Chill for a few minutes to make slicing easier. Slice and enjoy!

- - - - - - - - 

    Last year I saw directions for carved apple shrunken heads and this year we made them. First the apples are peeled and carved. 

 After soaking in a solution of salt and lemon juice they were dried in a low temperature oven for many hours.

    GD Lily also got sewing done on a Roly Poly Santa from an old panel. He still needs handwork to attach his arms, beard and mustache. He is real cute and she did a great job.

     I used some time to layout scrappy red, white and blue blocks and pieced them into a top center. 

 I have enough leftover Mountain blocks for the border after I figure out what to do in the corners.

I hope this will be a nice Quilt of Valor.

I'm linking up with Alycia for Finished (or Not) Friday. Hope you see something to inspire you.

Stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

Weekly Goals

 
     The weather prediction for this week is a good chance of rain most days so there should be plenty of time to sew and quilt. Of course, there is also work I would like to do in flower beds and garden to get ready for winter; however, if it is wet that will have to wait.

How I did last week:
1. Decide on border for Bats and Boos quilt. Done.

I plan to make a zigzag border using 2 rows of 3” HSTs similar to Pat Sloan's border and should finish 40" square.   Here is a mock up in EQ.

 

The fabric I hoped to use may go on the back.

2. Make progress on a comfort quilt top. Done.

I worked on blocks for 2 projects.

3. Enjoy time with granddaughters. Done.

GD Lily and I enjoyed a few afternoons playing with 18” dolls. I supervised GD Mattie baking a small batch of “Stickies” using my grandmother's recipe for a cinnamon roll type biscuit. The recipe is below if you want to give them a try. Most of the time I use self-rising flour instead so I don't need to add the baking powder, soda and salt.

 

          Stickies
First make a batch of biscuit dough:
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
about 3/4 cup buttermilk
Blend ingredients and roll thin (about 1/8”). Sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar all over.
Then sprinkle cinnamon. Cover with about 1/4 lb butter (melt or use small pinches).
Roll into log. Slice into 1/2 inch pieces and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees until light brown – about 15 minutes.
      For  a sweet addition mix powdered sugar with a little milk and drizzle on top.
      I remember watching my grandmother make these and my GDs frequently request that we make them.

Stash fabric used or added the past week- Used: 0 yds Added: 0 yds.
                         So far this year- Used: 95 yds Added: 25 yds

Goals for the week of October 4^th :
1. Finish border for Bats and Boos quilt.
2. Make progress on a comfort quilt.
3. Start making Hermione bag for GD.
      I am on a search for the right fabrics and notions. I may have to learn how to make a tassel and do some beading.

I wish I knew why blogger changes the font color from black to gray and back.  

Stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

Holiday Preparations

     My younger granddaughter saw one of my holiday sweaters and asked me to make her one.  I made matching Christmas sweatshirts for both granddaughters.  I fused a holiday bear from fabric and embellished them a little. 

 

   

     I also did my holiday baking.  About 40 years ago a family friend gave me her rum cake recipe.  For Christmas I have been making Rum Cakes every year since as gifts. 

 



   I gave the recipe to a friend and she varied the recipe making chocolate rum cakes.  This year for half I tried her variation.  My older son said he likes the original better.  Here is the recipe if you want to try it.

Rum Cake - From the kitchen of Elizabeth V Kelbaugh

Cake ingredients:

1 cup chopped pecans

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Butter Recipe mix

1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding

4 eggs

½ cup cold water

½ cup Wesson oil

½ cup dark rum (80 proof)

Glaze:

¼ lb. unsalted butter

¼ cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 325⁰ F.  Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan.  Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan (optional mix ½ nuts in cake batter.)  Mix all ingredients together.  Pour batter over nuts.  Bake 1 hour.  Before cake come from oven, boil glaze 3 min.

Mix glaze ingredients.  Let boil 3 min. and have hot when spooned evenly over cake.  Use spoon to ease edge of cake from pan when pouring on ½ sauce.  Remove from pan immediately.  Spoon remaining sauce over top and sides.  Let stand 3 to 4 days before serving.

* I like to use 6 cup decorative Bundt pans as well as 1 cup Bundt minis as gifts. I bake the 6 cup pans about 45 min. and about 40 for the 1 cup.