Flying Geese Top and Backing

Back to my low volume baby quilt.

 Flying Geese top and backing finished.

I am quite satisfied with the soft feeling given by those tunes.

For the backing I used two fabrics, recalling those of the top.

My basket obsession!

Summer is becoming very hot here in Greece, and it allows me to sew only very early in the morning. I feel sorry I cannot go on at my usual rythm. I have so many projects in mind... and other baby quilts to prepare,
grand-children (mine and friend's) being on the way, one after the other...

I wish you all a mild summer that allows you to sew and to quilt!

Christine

String Quilt Binding

My String quilt is back from Eleni's, who again did a beautiful quilting!

It's now time to prepare it for binding. As I have added a neutral beige sashing, I thought that a busy binding, recalling a fabric I used in several blocks, would be fine.

I trim the sides.

The binding is done and I will sew it as explained in MY TUTORIAL.

For the back of the quilt, as usual, I will hand sew the binding, as explained in my other TUTORIAL .

Listening to music, I relax and I sew, really enjoying this phase of the whole quilting.

Almost finished!

I think I like it!

Enjoy your Sunday stitches!

Christine

Clafoutis Limousin

I know that this title must sound somewhat barbarian to many of you, but it is only the name of the French cake, which recipe I am going to write hereunder. Limousin is a province of France, Limoges its capital, and the clafoutis is a speciality of this place. My grandmother who was coming from Limoges passed to me this traditional recipe. 

Those sweet cherries are just a dream, eaten freshly cut from the tree.

For my cake, I prefer to use sour cherries. They give a very pleasant slightly acid taste.

Yesterday I was offered this tool by a friend. It is a stoner. I decided to try it, and I can say it did the job successfully! It did not throw red juice on me and all around, as my old tool used to do.

Here is the clafoutis, straight out of the stove.

Now, let's write the recipe :

First of all, wash and stone the cherries.

For this cake I use a square pan 9 inches sides and 2 inches deep.

Butter the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350oF.

Ingredients : 

• 1lb sour cherries or sweet cherries
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh liquid cream
• 1 tablespoon rum or cognac
• 2 tablespoons sugar to sprinkle at the end

In a big bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt.

In the center add the eggs and a little milk.

Start whisking, adding the milk and the cream little by little.

Add the cognac.
Spread the sherries in the prepared pan

Pour the batter in the pan, over the cherries.

Bake for 30 to 35 mn.

Turn off the stove.

Sprinkle the sugar over the cake, and leave for 5 mn in the closed stove.
Serve slightly warm or cold.

Enjoy your cake!

Christine

Antique Doll Star Quilt

Another antique doll quilt from THIS BATCH.

As I am a "basket collector" I store most of my stuff in baskets, and here are my little antique doll quilts in this lovely Greek basket.

Cherries are my favorite fruits! I eat a lot of them during the season, and also I make marmelades, syrups and cakes. Today I will make a sour cherry cake, and write the traditional french recipe in my next post.

Nothing nicer than those small stitches!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Christine

Flying Geese

Preparation of a baby girl quilt, as shown in this tutorial.

I selected soft tunes of variegated pinks, and neutral hues of beige, from taupe to white.

Cutting the fabrics.

A few days later : a first attempt to organize my blocks on the design board.

Thank you so much for your visits!
Christine

My First Tutorial

 The first tutorial I posted last March on my blog (Easy Quilt Binding) has been featured on FaveQuilts. It is now one of the most popular binding techniques on FaveQuilts!

Learn an essential quilting technique with this Easy Peasy Binding Tutorial. You've never read a quilt binding tutorial like this - it's so easy... READ MORE

A wonderful week-end to all of you!

Christine

Miscellaneous from Paris

Last month I was in Paris at my sister's house and I re-discovered some things I had done for her and her daughter Lea a long time ago, so I took pictures as a souvenir.

The yellow patchwork bag is the first one I sewed, all hand pieced and hand quilted, as I had not yet a sewing machine. The little red and blue bag comes from Provence in the south of France, from the Souleiado shop. I love this shop, they have such beautiful things and great traditional fabrics from this part of France.

As a matter of fact, this yellow fabric is as well typical from Provence.

This little doll is dressed with clothes knitted by my mother when we were children.

Blue drawstring bag.

Some years ago, more than quilts, I enjoyed making dolls, such as this one.

I used also to make various objects for Christmas :  decorative trees, hearts, stars...

My sister Dominique is a sculptor and this little sculpture is one of her works. Together, on the table are some parts of her collection of antique Barbotines.

I love the colors of this antique pot.

This is an incredible antique Barbotine dish... inspiring colors again!

Greetings to all my friends!

Christine

Breakfast and Hand Piecing

Pouch and Flower Garden block

Breakfast table

Black tea

Breads

Lavender - Rosemary - Verbena

Lavenders

Bumblebee on a lavender

Verbena

Wild olive tree

Breakfast time is my best time of the day. I love to wake up early in the morning, and to sit down in the garden, in my favorite corner, on the kitchen side. There it is very quite, you hear nothing except the birds. Everybody sleeps. It's 7 o'clock and I have the whole day in front of me. I enjoy a very strong black tea (Yorkshire Gold brand) with breads and marmelade. Having my second cup of tea, sewing can start, for about one hour.

It's such a happy moment and I feel blessed to be able to enjoy the lovely view, the fresh wind and the quietness. 

Enjoy your breakfast!

Christine