Tea Towel Sewing Challenge

Hello,

Last night while blog surfing I came across the tea towel challenge that Jenny is having during January. I always have some tea towels on hand in my sewing cupboard ready to machine embroider or decorate with applique.

The challenge was to make something that is useful out of a tea towel. I managed to get two things out of the one towel. I made up a teddy bear that I will use near my sewing machine to put pins in. With the leftovers I sewed up the two sides that weren't sewn and I now have another dishcloth. If I made the teddy bear again I think I would iron some sort of stabiliser on to the towel as it tended to fray a bit. Thanks for the challenge Jenny,nothing like a challenge to get the brain ticking over. If I had bought the material it would have cost a lot more than the purchase price of the tea towel. Now I will be looking at tea towels in a different light.

Happy sewing

Bev C

"Grow your own "and some finished items for January.

Hello,

I have been enjoying the tennis and cricket on TV. Hasn't it been great. I just love that French commentator. I have managed to get a little sewing done in between.
The other day I got a lovely email from Nate and Annie asking if I would join in Grow Your Own
I had previously done this posting about the zucchinis and the recipes I made with them. If you are interested in growing and cooking this is a great site. Please do yourself a favour and visit the blog

This morning I unpicked all the quilting I had done on the table runner except for the three daisy's in the middle. I am glad I did spend the time undoing it because I wasn't pleased with the previous quilting. Now it is finished and ready for the label to be sewn on. I am joining in next months Friday Night Sew In and can't wait. It is a great way to get an extra project done each month.

Today I posted the Hexagon Bag to Chris. I had some material left over and made something else. The above photo is a sneak peek of it. There has to be some surprises Chris. I will show a photo next week when the parcel arrives.

Yesterday I found this little piece of teapot material so decided to make another Mug Holder Bag. Now I have to work on my "Row Block of the Month". I have found a lovely chook pattern and I am enjoying finding different coloured material for the chooks. I hope everyone is enjoying the last week of the school holidays.

Happy days.

Bev C

"Makes Me Happy Monday" Number 4 and a Award.

Hello,

Happy Monday to you all. For this week "Makes Me Happy Monday" I have chosen a quilt I made called "Scrap Happy" I made this quilt from all those little bits I had left over from projects and used black homespun for the centre blocks and triangles and border. It certainly makes me happy when I know that this quilt is basically made up of leftovers. Lots of happy memories coming through when I look at some of the material I used. I have some from a skirt when I was very very young,there is a piece of Christmas material that one of my children used a gold pen and wrote Merry Christmas on it when they were younger.Pieces of scraps from Ainsley and Bonnie's 21st Birthday quilts. I didn't keep to a uniform size for the scraps,after all it is a scrap quilt.

I finished the quilt in August 2007. It has a home on the bed in the spare bedroom. When I got it quilted I chose multi coloured thread to quilt it. The quilting pattern shows up a bit more if you use multi coloured thread. So this quilt really makes "Me Happy" when I see it. I made the quilt from this pattern .

Now onto an award that I was given last week. Paula kindly gave this to me and I have to pass it onto 7 people. As with all awards there are several things which must be done. So here goes.

1. I have to thank Paula,thanks heaps Paula, it is extra special to receive it from you.

2. I have to Paste the award on my blog. Done. That was easy!!!

3. I have to Link the person who nominated me. Done. Make sure you check out Paula's blog.

4. Tell 7 interesting things about yourself. It is below,please read them.

5. Nominate 7 blogs. Again,keep on reading below.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs,Will do that,make sure you visit them.

Now for the 7 facts about myself.

1. I would rather buy patchwork material and garden items than shop for clothes and shoes.

2. I grew up on a sheep/wheat farm at Jennacubbine.

3. I love to walk everyday but was bitten by a dog late last year. I am waiting for those neighbours to shift before I start walking again. In the mean time I am swimming every day.

4. I won medals for athletics when I was much younger.

5. I don't eat red meat.

6. Licorice is my favourite lolly. Daryl Lee would have to have the best flavours of licorice.

7. I am number 7 of 8 children.

I hope you have learnt something about me. Now I wish to nominate the following 7 people for "Beautiful Blogger Award"

Sue

Maria

Anita

Lynda

Teresa

Shiree

Lisa

I enjoyed reading the comments you all left on last Monday's posting about the fridge light. It seems I have a husband that sounds very familiar to you all. Thanks for visiting and I hope you all have a very "Happy Monday."

Happy days.

Bev C

Hexagon bag finished,"Washing Day" and some recipes.

Hello,



Not much sewing has been done here this week but I did manage to get the hexagon bag together. I decided to use some rattan handles. I put these on this morning. I hand sewed it all together. Sewing with black thread on black material is something I will give a miss for a while. I will be posting the bag to you Chris early next week. Look out for the parcel.

The other week I was lucky enough to win one of Lyn's newer patterns. This is called "Washing Day" and there are three items to make,peg apron,Hand/Tea Towel and a Small Quilt to pretty up the top of your washing machine. Lyn also included a tea towel and the most beautiful ric-rac. I just love the ric-rac. Thanks Lyn.

I have been picking lots of zucchini from the garden. I have found two recipes that use zucchini. These vegetables seem to grow right before your eyes.

Zucchini Fritters with Minted Yoghurt

400 grams grated zucchini

1/2 cup finely chopped spring onions

2 tsp garlic,crushed

1 cup mozzarella cheese,cut into small dice

2 eggs

1/4 cup parsley finely chopped

1/4 cup basil shredded

1/4 cup mint shredded

1/3 cup flour

salt and black pepper

olive oil for frying

1 cup natural pot set yoghurt

1/2 cup mint shredded

In a bowl combine the zuchini,spring onions,garlic cheese,eggs,herbs flour and seasoning and stir together until mixed. Heat oil in shallow pan put small dollops of the mix into hot oil. Cook on a moderate heat until golden brown on one side. Turn to other side and repeat.

Combine the mint and yoghurt and dollop onto the cooked fritter. Enjoy.

When I made this I adjusted the recipe as I didn't have all the herbs so used dried mint and being a lover of garlic I used a few cloves chopped up and I had only cheddar cheese. I didn't have spring onions so finely chopped about a quarter of an onion.It all worked out though.

My other recipe I have is for a cake. Lucy found this recipe in her journal from her trip to New Zealand last year. Chris made this cake while we were there for my Mum's Birthday. It is just so lovely and moist.

Spiced Courgette Chocolate Cake.

250 grams unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

1/2 cup light olive oil

2 eggs

2 3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cocoa

2 tsp Chinese five spice or used mix spice

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 courgettes trimmed and grated (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup unsweetened plain yoghurt

Chocolate Glaze

200 grams dark chocolate

3/4 cup cream

1. Beat the butter,sugar and oil together until thick and creamy. Beat in the eggs.

2. Sift the flour,cocoa,baking powder,Chines five spice or mixed spice, baking soda and salt into the creamed mixture and fold in the courgettes.

3. Turn into a well-greased and paper lined 23cm round cake tin. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until cooked. Cool before pouring over the chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze.

Melt together the chocolate and cream in a microwave on high power for 2 minutes or until the chocolate has almost melted. Stir until smooth.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend,we will be having a swim as I think the temperature is going to climb up a few degrees. Hopefully nothing like the couple of 47 degrees days we had earlier on in the week.

Happy Days.

Bev C

"Makes Me Happy" Number 3.

Hello,

Well we are into week three of what "Makes Me Happy" I can probably say that no-one else will have the same topic as me this week. I have been waiting years for a light bulb and its holder to be replaced in our fridge. And I mean years!!!! Last week Ian finally did the job. I took out the plastic casing that surrounds the bulb a few weeks ago and left it on top of the fridge. I said this used to work years ago surely it must work again!!!!

Now I don't have to say why are you turning on the kitchen light just to see into the fridge. Miracles do happen.

Happy days.

Bev C