Slow Sunday Stitching

Is anyone else still suffering from a tryptophan hangover or food coma?  I’m telling you, I have been sluggish the past couple of days. 

In spite of that, we did manage to decorate the inside of the house for Christmas and also the tree.  We made two shopping trips for the tree because “it” had not been unveiled on our first stop.  We settled for one slightly shorter than what we wanted but it really looks nice adorned with white lights and our favorite family ornaments.  I’m going to do a little more decorating then share a few photos with you.  I’ll also have a confession to make!

Today was Slow Sunday Stitching over at Kathy’sQuilts.  Before I share today’s project, I need to show the Manatee Row from this post.

As a reminder, my friend and I collected many kits from Florida’s 2015 Row by Row Experience.  Click here to learn about the Row by Row Experience.

  

This row is from Boutique for Quilters in Melbourne, FL.

Cute little schools of "fish buttons"

And I also completed the “Peace on the Treasure Coast” row from Laura’s Sewing in Port Saint Lucie, FL.

You can’t see them but I promise the bird has legs. 

And today, I finished stitching Primitive Stitches “Winter Sampler.” 

I first learned about these designs from Karen at My Yellow Farmhouse a few years ago.  She once had a quilt shop that sold kits. 

I have all four seasons and will make a small quilt with each.

I am still working on secret projects for Santa but he said I can tell you about them after Christmas.

Have a good week, y’all.  Put your ear plugs in because the screen door is surely about to be slammin’ J

Linking up to Kathy's Quilts, Slow Sunday Stitching

and Sew Many Ways, Sew Darn Crafty

Farm Girl Fridays – Week #9

Happy Sunday friends.  I am here to share my Farm Girl Vintage blocks as part of Lori Holt’s Farm Girl Fridays Sew Along.  If you haven’t already, check out Lori’s blog Bee in My Bonnet for a recap of the sew along and additional ideas / projects for using these blocks.

This is week 9 and block #s 16 and 17, hard to believe!

Feed and Seed Block

Fresh Pears Block

Staying inside today, the temperature is forecasted to be in the 90's with a heat index of 105 degrees.

I'm linking up to Karen's Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party.  Go over and see what everyone else is up to today.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a blessed Sunday and great week ahead!

Sailor’s Quilt Top

This weekend was very productive.  I was able to get my sailor’s quilt top together.

It needs a lot of trimming and a bit of pressing but I am very happy with it.

Sorry for the crooked picture.  I had to get on a ladder to take it.

I hope your weekend was filled with things that make you happy!

From the Recipe Box: Pumpkin Tarts and An Update

Wow, time has really gotten away from me.  It’s been a month since my last post!!

Life has been busy…my job and yes, I’ve been very busy in the sewing room too.  However, most of what I am working on is either a gift or an experiment for a gift so I won’t be able to share photos just yet.

I am happy to report that I have TWO quilts at the long arm quilter’s and one more will be going this week J

Knitting needles have been humming also…again, gifts so no pictures yet.

I thought I would pop in and share a recipe that I found on a butter box.  Yep, I’ll try recipes from ANYWHERE… do you do that, too?

This one sounds labor intensive but it is really super easy!

I hope you try it and like it!

Pumpkin Tarts

Preheat oven to 375^o

For the topping:
¼ cup       all-purpose flour
¼ cup       brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup       pecans, finely chopped
2 Tbs         butter, softened
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside.

For the Crust:
¾ cup       butter, softened
6 oz            cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups  all-purpose flour

Combine the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl, beat at medium speed until well mixed.  Add the flour and beat until it forms a dough.

For the Filling:
14 oz. can     sweetened condensed milk
1 ¼ cups      pumpkin (I had to use canned)
1                     egg
1 tsp              pumpkin spice

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.

Assemble:
Divide the dough into 36 pieces and place each piece into an ungreased mini muffin pan cup.  Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the cups.

Add approximately one tablespoon of the filling to each cup and sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for 25 – 28 minutes

Yields 36 tarts (I make 24 at a time because I only have one tart pan)

Smells wonderful

Can you smell them?

Enjoy!!!

I'm linking up to Karen's Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party...October Theme Week

From the Recipe Box and Stitching Progress

‘Tis the season to bake (isn’t EVERY season?) so I thought I would share an easy apple cobbler recipe.  You can find many variations of this recipe on the internet.  My family likes this one because it isn’t too sweet…just sweet enough.

Preheat the oven to 375^o

For the filling:
6 cups of a tart apple (granny smith is my favorite) peeled, cored & sliced
¾ c.           sugar
2 tbsp.       all purpose flour
½ tsp.       cinnamon
¼ tsp.       salt
1 tsp.          vanilla extract
¼ c.           water
1 tbsp.       butter, softened

It took 5 granny smith apples to yield just over 6 cups

Place the apples in a bowl.  Combined the dry ingredients above and pour over the apples, add the vanilla extract and water.  Mix well.

Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray and pour the mixture into the dish.  Drop pieces of butter on top of the apples.

For the topping:
½ c.           all purpose flour, sifted
½ c.           sugar
½ tsp.       baking powder
¼ tsp.       salt
2 tbsp.       butter, softened
1                 egg, beaten

Combine the ingredients above and beat with a fork until it is a smooth consistency.  Place spoonfuls on the batter evenly on top of the apples.

Bake for 35 minutes (your oven may vary), make sure the apples are tender.

I'm wearing Mary Grace's apron, green side showing...for the apples of course!

This serves about 8

Serve with your favorite ice cream J Our favorite is French vanilla but my DH has discovered French vanilla gelato.

I'm linking up to Karen's Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party...Theme Week

 

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After the cobbler was finished, it was time for a cup of tea and some stitching.

Remember my DD’s graduation quilt that I first shared here?
I haven’t worked on it much after cutting everything out…that is until last weekend when I finished piecing all of the blocks. 

This weekend I started sewing the blocks into rows.  I joined three rows together just to give you some idea as to how it will look.

You can vaguely see the little seashells on the white background

Three rows together and ten more to go…  After the borders are added, this quilt will measure 91” x 105”.  I will try to finish the quilt top, backing and the pillow shams by the end of next weekend.  I want to send everything to the LAQ so the shams can be quilted at the same time as the top.

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I’m also finishing helmet liner #6.  You can read more about those here.  I’ve committed to knitting 9 liners this campaign.  I would try to do more but we have quite a few participating knitters this year and I know we will have a lot to donate.  The Forgotten Soldiers Organization will include them in their Christmas mailing to the soldiers which is scheduled for November.

It’s been a busy and WAY too fast weekend here.  I hope you have enjoyed yours J
 

Weekend Project and Deck-Ade the Halls

My DD starts college tomorrow.  Seems just like yesterday she was starting Pre-K

My how time flies!

We gave her a laptop for part of her graduation gift.  She has been shopping for a sleeve to protect it while it is in her book bag.  The ones she really likes are super expensive so I offered to make her one.  She went into my stash and chose the fabric.  I went to Jennifer’s and found a wonderful tutorial here and here.

 

Photo used with permission from Jennifer @ Sewplicity

I turned this… 

Into this…

DD did not want handles since this will be carried inside a larger bag.  We can always add them later if she changes her mind.

 

 

It's hard to see but there is an outside pocket she can use to carry the charger or headphones...or both.

This project took me about 4 ½ hours…start to finish.  Jennifer’s tutorial is chock full of photos and is well written.  So easy to follow.

That left me enough time to catch up on the FQS’s Deck-Ade the Halls blocks.  Wreaths and trees…

 

I have difficulty getting good photos in the sewing cave :(

It’s really beginning to look a lot like Christmas! (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

I'm linking up to Karen's Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party...Week 129

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend…did you get to stitch?

Feeling the Love and Graduation Quilts

WOW!  Lots and lots of blog lovin’ has come my way since the first post only 3 days ago!  I am overwhelmed by Karen’s kind words and Candace’s willingness to display my button on her blog.  Due to their generous support I instantly gained many friends.

Everyone has given me a warm welcome into blogland.  I have discovered so many places to visit for inspiration and I’ve learned so much already!  I’ve made new friends from all over the world and even a new one right here where I live.  Suzy from Sunshine and Lollipops and I will be getting together for coffee soon!

I believe I responded to all of your wonderful comments.  For  those that were “no reply” , please know that I appreciate you stopping by and giving me words of encouragement.

Now, down to business…

Let’s just say I’m still on a huge learning curve when comes to taking good photos.  I’m using my DD’s Canon T2i which is pretty dummy proof (that’s what I need) but I realize there just aren’t good ‘display’ options around here for photographing quilts.  That is something I will have to work on.

Since I know so many of you are watching and are willing to hold me accountable for completing my UFOs, I finished a graduation gift J

This is my DD’s special someone and he graduated with her a couple of weeks ago.  I made him a Senior Year memory quilt and I’ll have to say that I am disappointed in the printable fabric I chose.  The package read 100% cotton so I expected it to be softer.  It’s colorfast quality is great! 

Can you recommend a good printable fabric?  I would love to make another one… perhaps one larger than a wall hanging so it will need to be cuddle-worthy J

In 2010, I surprised my DS with his graduation quilt (below).  The pattern is Shoeboxes from Atkinson Designs.

And DD knows that Mom would be fair and do the same for her this year.  Therefore, I allowed her to choose her pattern and fabric.  She chose Butterfly Trails, again from Atkinson Designs.  Their patterns are so easy to follow. 

I have everything cut so it is time to sew!

This pattern calls for only two fabrics!  New one for me…

Since the quilt wasn’t her surprise gift, there was no hurry to finish before graduation.

I know this is crazy…inserting photos AND ‘linking up’ for the first time in the SAME post, but I did!

Linking up to Karen’s Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party…Week 118

 

Thank you again for all of your blog lovin’…now I’m off to catch up with YOU at YOUR place J

Have a great week and keep the screen door slammin’