October 19th, 2010

No photographers tonight and so a welcome change not to have to hunt for a car space!
A select seven this month. Emma, Shelly, Evi, Esther, Jennifer, Kate and Carolynn a first time visitor. It was so good to have Evi back and she kept us well entertained.

I don't know if anyone else looks after their DD as well as Esther. Esther ordered a Sacher Torte from Vienna for her DD's birthday and was amazed when it was delivered in 3 days! Full marks to the German Courier Service.

Esther is working on her crocheted throw - up to the 46th colour of the rows of chevrons. It is growing like Topsy!

Emma had organised a colouring evening at her house on Thursday. The project is to make a quilt to raffle using Helen Stubbings Faux Applique technique. So it was shades of kindergarten as everyone arrived with their box of coloured pencils.

And now for the photographic record

Carolynn shows us the tea side of her tea and coffee bag.

The ladybird cup on Emma's sixty teacup quilt (for more details see March post)

 

Shelly working on a Faux Applique block

 

Shelly, Emma and Carolynn

 

 Jennifer, Esther and Evi

Jennifer's prizewinning quilts. First prize - Floral Flourish and Second prize - Oriental 1

A better photo of Oriental 1 is in the March post. Floral Flourish appears in the December post. 

 

Jennifer's First prize Rosette from the Stringybark Festival

 

 Kate's No Name quilt made with the Snowball blocks in Oriental fabrics  won at the Ballarat Quilting Weekend. Emma sold me the perfect setting fabric. It was in stock at Chandler's Cottage.

 If you like the idea of going back to kindergarten and getting out your coloured pencils, then this is the book you need.

Carolynn and Esther hard at work colouring

Result of one evenings work. It really helps if there is a big gang and there is raspberry chocolate cheesecake and pavlova waiting at the end! Thanks for organising everything, Emma.

September 21st, 2010

Carole, Esther, Val and Kate met for a relaxed evening. We had no formal Show and Tell although Carole had completed her Leesa Chandler bags for her American relatives. Made with Leesa's Australian flora fabric they looked great.

A very short post for this month, but there is always next time!

August 17th, 2010

Seven Tarts gathered to celebrate Emma's birthday, Esther's three rosettes from Showcase at Jeff's Shed and to welcome back Shelly. Also Kate has resurfaced, hence another post of the Blog. When we arrived the Car Park was almost full, and poor Jennifer had a long way to hobble on her twisted ankle.

As usual some sewing, plenty of chatter and a delicious supper thanks to Emma and Jennifer.

This is Emma's recipe from the July evening which I missed, but I heard they are scrummy!

Marble Choc cheesecake Brownies

175g unsalted butter
3 tblsp cocoa
200g golden caster sugar (I used regular caster)
2 eggs, beaten
125g plain flour

250g ricotta cheese
40g golden caster sugar (regular)
1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 180C.  Grease 11" x 7" rectangular baking tin.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, remove from the heat and stir in the
cocoa and sugar.  Beat in the eggs, then add the flour and stir to mix
evenly.  Pour into the prepared tin.

For the cheesecake mix, beat together the ricotta, sugar and egg, then drop
teaspoonfuls of the mixture over the chocolate mixture.  Use a palette knife
to swirl the two mixtures together lightly (bugger lightly, you really need
to kind of dig the chocolate up from the bottom a bit).

Bake in the oven for 40-45 mins (mine was a little overdone but would
definitely say it needed 45 mins), until just firm to the touch.  Cool in
the tin, then cut into bars or squares.

And now for the pictorial record. Remember you can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Esther and Carole display Esther's "In the Pink"

Detail of In the Pink

Detail of the superb quilting "In the Pink"

Another detail of the quilting. I am not sure why the colour is so different from the previous shot

Carole shows us her pink Pt Lonsdale lighthouse - fabulous!

Carole is making bags from Leesa Chandler's new Australian fabric

Back and front of one bag above, and a second bag below

And here we all are, Carole, Emma, Jennifer, Shelly, Esther and Barbara and my empty chair behind Carole. The gluten free orange chocolate muffins are very good.

A block from Emma's chocolate and raspberry "Matilda's Waltz", the story of a girl's search for love and home.  Emma has personalised it e.g. the cricket bat and Twofold Bay sign.

Jennifer's "Oriental One". I look forward to seeing the next in the series.

Jennifer's "Field of Flowers"

Shelly with her "J" - just imagine the "oy"

Esther and her colourful crochet

Emma demonstrates the only way to eat Cheesels!

 

 Shelly about to attack the Cheesels

 Bubbly goes well with Cheesels and what's more driving home afterwards is no problem!

 

April 20th, 2010

Val, Jennifer, Carole and Kate sat and sewed. We wished Emma's back a quick magical cure and hoped Pixie enjoyed the special ballet evening.

At our March meeting, Carole was worried about the non arrival of her first order from Hancocks. Turns out the package was doing a Grand European tour!. It went to Austria, Zurich and London and took more than three weeks to make it to Melbourne.

Jennifer is really on the home straight with her Floral Flourish quilt - sewing on the hanging sleeve.

Carole takes the prize for optimism. She suggested don't worry if you prick your finger and get blood on your quilt. If the quilt is ever stolen, your DNA will allow positive identification.

And now for a few photographs. This month I used my new Canon G11 instead of lugging the heavy bulky Nikon to the gathering and I will be interested to see how the quality compares.

Carole has been experimenting with thread painting. The background is a photo of Lavatera flowers from her garden.

 Another piece from Carole - A Tuscan village - absolutely gorgeous colours.

Last month, Barbara was knitting hammocks for rats. This month the spoilt animal is Carole's daughter's dog. Its quilt is made of one inch squares and Carole was using it to practise free motion quilting.

 Val was binding a Gift Quilt for P's and Q's.

 Kate (thanks to Jennifer R for piecing 9 blocks) had assembled the Bedford Mystery quilt. Actually two kits each of nine blocks and 2 extra blocks to make a quilt of 5 x 4 blocks. It is truly scrappy!

March 16th, 2010

Already the nights are drawing in and it was a beautiful sunset as we arrived. The photographers had filled the Car Park, but then disappeared leaving the door locked. We had to wait until Emma arrived with the code  (Teach me to transfer EVERYTHING when I change handbags.) 

There were seven of us, Emma, Evie, Esther,Carole, Barb, Jennifer and Kate. Evie didn't have any interesting library books this month, but Esther brought along - Birds and Roses, Quilters Companion and American Quilt, so no shortage of reading material. After paying our annual dues we got down to the serious chat, which shall remain unreported. Why don't you come next month to join the conversation or the sewing.

Show and Tell started with Esther showing us the centre block for her new BOM. The first block will be available soon. It is a bed size quilt and is a mixture of piecing and applique. Judging by what we saw, it will be stunning, i.e. up to Esther's usual standard! So watch Esther's Blog:- 

http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com/

Below are the photos and comments about this month's Show and Tell. Remember you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

This was February's meeting. Thanks to Del for the picture.

Suffolk Puff caterpillar quilt for Emma's niece. The baby's Mum wore a fabuluous.Suffolk Puff wedding dress (made by Emma) so of course the theme is being continued.

Carole concentrates and Barb knits a hammock for two rats. I hope it is finished in time for the rats to enjoy the lovely autumn days.

Tea Party quilt for the 60th birthday of Emma's surrogate aunt. The 60 guests each made a teacup block - remarkable they could all sew!

Detail showing the D cups

And here is the demi tasse or coffee cup.

Emma shows off Block No 1 - A partridge in a Pear Tree -  from a 12 Days of Christmas kit. The ornaments are felt. The kit includes the sequins and other details and precise instructions for its assembly. It is lovely but a lot of handwork.

Jennifer brought along her blue tumbling blocks. The quilt was finished in 8 hours which is rather different from Jennifer's usual quilts. Jennifer is inclined to think the border needs some embellishment but the concensus on Tuesday night was that it looked good plain.

Emma, Evie and Esther pose for the camera

Last and least I was frantically sewing a skirt and top to wear to a wedding. I did finish it in time and here  is the proof.

February 16th, 2010

On Tuesday nine of us gathered. Although it was a warm evening, the overhead fans kept our high ceilinged room pleasantly cool and we agreed air conditioning was unnecessary.  

We welcomed two visitors, Del from Bathurst and her sister Liz and hope they will come again.
Also present were Candice, Carole, Jennifer, Emma, Esther, Evie and Kate.

The Photography Group were in the other room as they have now accepted our right to the room with adequate lighting and presented us with a box of chocolates as a peace offering for previous misunderstandings.

The usual pleasant evening, sewing and chatting and once again Evie brought a new book from her library for our inspection.

Annabelle, Esther's daughter made a delicious Banana cake which we enjoyed. Here is the recipe - thankyou,

BANANA CAKE

 

pre-heat Oven: 175 C
Bake time 35-45 mins (until skewer comes out clean)
Greased cake tin (bundt tins work best as they bake through the middle)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract and / or fresh lemon zest

2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
2/3 cup butter milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3-4 mashed ripe bananas

Method:
Prepare all ingredients.

Cream the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla with a beater on medium speed.

Continue beating and add mashed banana until incorporated.
Add flour and butter milk alternatively until all beaten in.
Fold through chopped nuts.

Bake for 35- 45 minutes until skewer comes clean. When done, remove from oven and cover cake tin with a flat plate or
dish to prevent drying out.

Dust with icing sugar or drizzle with icing sugar (1 cup icing sugar to 1/4 lemon juice mixed until smooth)

 

Peace Chocolates from the Photographers

Below are the works in progress from our Show and Tell

 

  

 Mt Egmont block from Liz's Postcards from New Zealand quilt

 

Another of Liz's New Zealand postcards.

Carole's hand appliqued baby quilt featuring delightful animal faces.

Emma's Sassy handbag

Jennifer with her Unchained Butterflies.

Candice's Sudoku - a 9 patch, 9 patch. It is made with 9 oriental fabrics, but as the colours are similar it is a little difficult to distinguish in the photograph.