Friday, January 4, 2008

More pics to go with post below - UFO's and WIP's



WISPS AND UFO'S



I simply cannot believe this! It has been snowing big huge fat flakes off and on again all day - this last bout has been going on for over an hour and appears to be one of our famous "off the Bay" flurries - it certainly is dark out in that direction. Have wuzzed out on a meeting this evening - cold, snow and after dark is not my cup of tea now that I am staring 70 in the eye!
Have been working hard on one of my commissions all day now - I have 4 more blocks to handquilt and then the binding will go on - yeay!!! And then if I can travel on Monday - off it goes in the mail to balmy South Carolina - think I can squeeze myself into that box too? Would love a little vacation from lugging firewood and dealing with snow.
Have been looking over my pile of WIPS and UFO's, and as well as the current two commissions I'm working on, there is also a scrap hexagon one patch, and a big block, very masculine quilt I decided to do after buying a huge amount of marked down Thimbleberries fabrics that despite their lovely "hand" and how well printed they are tend to be unashamedly muddy colours - I ask myself again and again - what was I thinking?
The price was right but outside my comfort zone - so, I guess it is a charity quilt in the making!
Whoops! just glancing around and realized I missed my small amish-style strippy quilt which is already sandwiched and being hand quilted - that is picture #1 above, and since I seem to be unable to add more pictures to this post will post the others in a new post just below.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

A CHANGE IN DIRECTION


Have spent a lot of time over the last week or so thinking about the direction my activities should be taking at this point in my life. Have looked through my stash and my vintage and antique quilt kits and quilt top collections and my other collections of local folk art, smalls, books, paintings etc and decided that now is a good time to start downsizing. As my quilt studio opens as soon as the snow is gone around here I plan to work on selling many of these items. If you are interested in anything like the above, drop me a line and tell me your wish list and we'll see if I can be of help. I just might have what you're looking for.
Check out the blog on my homepage at http://www.novascotiaquilts for some pictures and more details....
In another way, my life is taking a slightly different turning as I am working on opening an online, membership website for teaching quiltmaking, including developing colour sense and design skills. Looking forward to that! In the interim, I am planning on setting up a free tutorial on "Quilting with Janet" for people who would like to see how to do my "Sea Creatures" quilt. We have a few interested parties and I am asking for several more in order to make it worth my while.
The weather here has ben very conducive to staying home and getting things done as it has been snowing pretty steadily since New Year's Eve.
Hope you are all enjoying that post holiday pause.
I am thinking about a Pay it Forward giveaway and will likely announce one in a week or so.....

Sunday, December 30, 2007

RECIPE - OATMEAL BROWN BREAD


A couple of friends have asked for my oatmeal brown bread recipe - so here goes: BTW today breadmaking is just not in the cards so i have had to rely on stock photo - will take a picture of my next oatmeal bread effort and replace it, I promise. Meanwhile - thanks to http:/www.freedigitalphotos.net

Directions: put one cup of quick oats(not instant, just quick) in a large bowl with about one eighth to a quarter cup of butter - oil simply will not do it - and some salt if you use it. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and pour over the oats and stir.
Meanwhile turn the oven to 350 or so and then add about a quarter cup or more to taste of dark molasses to the oat mixture. Allow to cool a little, while putting a teaspoon of sugar and a quarter teaspoon of powdered ginger in about a half cup of warm water - sprinkle an envelope of yeast over top and wait for it to become foamy, stir down and add to the cooled oatmeal mixture.
Then add by halfcup increments bread flour stirring until the mixture gets hard to beat - put about a cup of flour on your board and flour the top of the mixture you turnout onto the board - flour your hands too and keep working in and kneading, punch down with knuckles away from you, fold the dough add more flour, turn it around and on and on, until it feels very elastic and stiffer. Oil a bowl, put the dough in and turn it to cover with oil - set it on your stove top, and cover it with a clean dry teatowel. When it has doubled in size, punch it down and either make two freeform loaves out of it on a baking sheet or put in greased pans and again cover and let double
Place in oven at 350 to 375 and bake until browned and when you knock on the loaf it sounds somewhat hollow. Pull apart, butter and devour!
TO GO WITH: Homemade pea soup - put half a package of either green or yellow split peas in about 7 or 8 cups of cold water after having sorted through for impurities. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and add seasonings including pepper, garlic, onions and savory. Chop carrots or dice, add either a ham bone and leftover ham or a slice or two of toupie ham and a teaspoon of bacon fat. Optional - diced potato and/or dumplings. This soup is far better the second day,warmed over.

REQUESTS FOR TUTORIAL


Several comments have been left by nice bloggers interested in having a tutorial in how to construct this quilt and I would love to do a tutorial for you all if there is enough interest - so if you would get any others that you know to make a comment requesting this I will go ahead and set one up - comments can also be left on my other blog on my quilt studio site:
www.novascotiaquilts.com
Originally this quilt was made as a custom order for a young couple expecting their first child. At the same time I made a second one which was raffled off at the small independent school my grandchildren attended. Fun to make, and definitely not rocket science; in the tutorial there will be lots of room for your own creativity to shine!