Baby Stroller Mattress

Few days ago, as my daughter came for a visit, I decided that my grandson was not comfortable enough in his stroller and I thought that this situation could not last one minute more! I went and fetch my Birch Organic fabric stash and proposed it to my daughter who chose this cut elephant print.
No sooner said than done!

To do this mattress, I just sewed an enveloppe and put inside five layers of batting. This process took less than 10 minutes! This sweet baby will feel now more cozy and I think that this orange color gives a cheerful touch to the stroller.  The mattress has a second use : after moving the baby from the stroller to his car seat, we put it on him as a small quilt!

Finished Jacket!

Here I am, wearing my finished knitted jacket! I know you were all sooo eager to see it! (I am joking). Anyway, the thing I prefer in this jacket is the silver broach I used to attach it! I ordered it from my friend who is creating wonderful jewels. You can see some of them here. As regards the jacket itself, the real color looks rather like the first picture than like the second one. I am quite satisfied with my knitting as it is very warm, soft and pleasant to wear.

Last Monday was as usual so pleasant! We all work on different projects, with our own personal style, but we appreciate each other's very much.

And to be rewarded after so much "work", Eleni offered us a delicious cheese-cake!

Knitted Jacket

Slow Sunday Stitching with Kathy at http://kathysquilts.blogspot.gr/2015/03/slow-sunday-stitching_22.html.

The knitting part of my blue jacket shown in this post is at last finished! This morning, after ironing all the pieces, I started assembling them. I want to finish this work today so that I can wear it tomorrow and show it to my friends at the quilting gathering. All of them are as well fond of knitting.

At Ginette's

 

Last Monday our quilting gathering took place at Ginette's home. As usual we had a wonderful time

sewing together. Ginette has a very original and personal quilting approach. I took pictures of a part of her numerous quilts and dolls to share with you her talented work. Her two daughters are quilting as well and the last two pictures show their own scrap creations.

Of course, a quilting meeting does not go without coffee, tea and cakes. We all love the fine Ginette's pies!

Liberty Four Patch Top finished!

Yesterday I finished my top. As you see, it was quickly done and I really enjoyed playing with my floral fabrics. I find the most pleasant thing to work on simple patterns, like this Four Patch, to allow myself to concentrate on the association of prints and colors, and thus to achieve quickly a top, which is quite rewarding. As a matter of fact, what took the most time in this process was the choice and layout of my squares. 

For my next quilt, I think of trying a more free exercise : a sort of random layout of my blocks. I know that it seems easy at first sight, but for me this kind of freedom appears to be one of the most difficult things in general, not only for quilting... I have a tendency to always want to arrange and match things, to create harmony. Rather than a tendency, I must admit that it can sometimes become an obsession! 

New Project and Banoffee Pie

Spring and ideas "flowering"... I don't know where to start... playing with my Liberty fabrics for a new lap quilt? Maybe... most probably! The best and funniest part of the project : choosing and matching the various prints. Well it's fun, but not so easy (at least or me).

I thought I could try to mix the Liberty fabrics with some of my old leftovers, and make a scrappy Four Patch quilt.

I cut 3" squares and followed the advice of Diane to handle them. Diane has a wonderful blog : 

http://www.butterflythreadsquilting.com. It's one of my favorite blogs, I never miss her posts and always find them interesting. She has valuable tips and tutorials. Most of all, her quilts are fabulous. I highly recommend reading her blog!

Last Monday, receiving my quilting friends, I prepared a Banoffee pie. I must say I am crazy about this pie recently. I discovered it last summer in Rhodes in a pastry shop held by an American woman. Since the I have in mind to make such a pie. I searched various recipes on the web and decided to give it a try. I wanted to take pictures of the finished cake and of the quilting creations of my friends, but my daughter arrived with her baby and I forgot everything! Anyway I have to say that the Banoffee pie was very well appreciated : not a crumb left! 

On The Hoop Again

 

Slow Sunday Stitching with Kathy at Kathy's Quilts.

After a long time without hand quilting, I decided to hand quilt the Windmill baby quilt for my grandson. The last time I did so was for the Four Patch Quilt few years ago.

Today I will try quilting with large stitches, which is not so easy for me because when I started quilting I learnt that the most tiny stitches the most beautiful and valuable! Large stitches give a different style, maybe more actual, but the difficulty is to make even stitches.

Wishing a happy relaxing stitching Sunday to all my friends!

Pink Feeling

Suddenly spring! Three weeks ago we were under the snow and now spring is here! The first sign is the almond tree flowering. And with spring comes my feeling for fresh colors in the house, and especially pink which is my favorite color. I started taking everything pink from the closets : quilts, cushions, blankets... with a will to transform the house atmosphere. With enthusiasm (I don't know for how long) I began to air, brush, wash... in a word spring cleaning. 

Apart from cleaning and decorating, I baked a brioche and this orange cake. This is a classical family recipe I used to make a lot for my children : 

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• pinch of salt
• Orange peel + 1 orange juice
• 4 eggs         

Mix the sugar + melted butter. Add the eggs one by one, then the orange, then the flour.

Lay butter and spread sugar in a rectangular baking pan and pour the mixture. 

Put in the oven at 180 o C (327 o F) for 45 mn to 1 hour.

Just out of the oven, pour some cognac or rum and sprinkle a little icing sugar.

This cake is the easiest possible to make, and always successful!

After decorating and baking, let's start a little gardening... Quilting tomorrow...