~OPAM September 2013......A Gardener's Journal FINISHED~

Hi Everyone

Introducing my OPAM (One Project A Month) for this month

doing a great big Happy Dance wooo hoooo

my Gardener's Journal quilt is finally finished

and I am soooo happy with it!!!

I remember a few months into starting this quilt I broke my arm which just put me back several months in everything and at one stage wondered if I would ever get it done!!! 

 I'll never take the use of 2 arms for granted again....

Thank you so much Chooky and Peg who are the inspiration for doing this Quilt in Stitch-a-long

and also thank you to all the fellow stitchers out there for all the support and encouragement along the way in getting this quilt finally completed....

I have thoroughly enjoyed doing my Gardener's Journal and I will bring it up to Nundle next year to show it off.....

And thank you Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM
I love that most months I can get a project complete no matter how small

Till then.....Happy Stitching

'bye, Dzintra xoxo

And this is how it all started off
A Gardener's Journal pattern by Anni Downes of Hatched and Patched

~Stitching Update and a Surprise Gift for JoJo~

The front of my A Gardener's Journal

I'm still working on A Gardener's Journal as part of Stitch-a-long hosted by the gorgeous Chookyblue 
 I have done a pieced back with some of the fabrics used in the quilt...

I'm very happy with it and hope to get this sandwiched real soon...

Thanks so much to Chooky for running this fabulous quilt in Stitch-a-long and to all the gals who drop by and leave comments of encouragement!!!!!!!!

~I have thoroughly enjoyed this journey~

Meanwhile over Christmas JoJo received a surprise gift from Lynn who was my partner in 2011 in Chooky's Christmas Swap

The card

The message to JoJo

and.....a lovely bright pillowcase
Thank you so much Lynn......JoJo just absolutely loved it and is looking forward to seeing it again and using it in July when we celebrate 'Christmas in July'

Meanwhile my New Year's project is this 'Welcome Home Door Stop' by yep, you guessed it, my favourite Designer Anni Downes of Hatched and Patched

The fabrics are from Anni's 'Some Kind of Wonderful' range

I bought this as part of a kit and now ready to get into it!!!

I'm very excited also as I have just joined an on-line swap group (Friends-in-Stitching) and a lot of the gals I have met last year at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair so this will challenge me in a lovely way to get more stitching done......and I'm a bit nervous about it as well

Sending Love and Prayers to everybody affected by the devastating bushfires around the countryside and to all those brave firefighters out there
and especially to our own Chooky who is in amongst the most frightening time out there
Stay Safe.........Dzintra

~A Gardener's Journal Quilt Top~and a pic of The Police of Penzance

After much deliberation on deciding which border to use I went with the one below as the red just seemed too bright

What was to have been the backing is now the outer border

I had read I think on Anni's blog a while ago that a backing can be pieced using fat 1/4's and I have seen pieced backings using strips of fabric

So this weekend hopefully I will have a friend down who has offered to show me how to do it all

I was thinking I might even hand quilt it just around the blocks and squares and perhaps do in- the-ditch

around the borders

Did anyone else hand quilt this one?

This is what it looks like on the bed

and on the washing line

I just couldn't get a straight pic due to the wind but I lucked it in with this one

Rehearsals are in full swing now for Gilbert & Sullivans Pirates of Penzance which is the next play put on by Bay Theatre Players

Dress Rehearsals start next week and there are 17 shows so it's going to be full on

So it's Tarantara from me now......wishing everyone a great weekend

Happy Stitching......and Bon Appetit......Dzintra


Oops I just had a look at my blog and saw that it is my Blogaversary today and this is post number 297......so I'm thinking I might be back with a little giveaway, perhaps on my 300th post!!!

~A Gardener's Journal...and Dinner Out~

~Borders and Bindings for A Gardener's Journal~

A couple of days ago I wrote that I was wondering which border to use for my Gardener's Journal quilt

I had first cut out this blue paisley way back and thought I would use the red for the outer border...

turns out I wasn't quite sure after seeing it together as the blue was quite busy with no defined 'frame'

As it turned out I didn't have enough of the red for the outer border so it will become the inner border

and the backing (which is cream/brown floral) now will be the outer border

I think I am happier with this combination as the outer border balances the stitcheries and seems to carry on the cream

The red as the outer border seemed to take away from the stitching

Not sure now what I'll do with the back

I'm thinking I might piece some of the leftovers together and use some of the cream outer border for the back as I think I will have enough to do that 

Did anyone else do something like that and is there any advice on how to do that as I've never done it before although I have seen it and I quite like the look?

And here are all the blocks together!

After not being able to wet the top of my hand all week (and still not) last night we thought we'd treat ourselves out at Little Restaurant and Bar and have a night off...

A Prawn dish for JoJo and Mr Armchair

 

A little while ago when we there I saw the menu had Gnocchi made with Blue Cheese, Salted Beetroot and walnuts....YUUUUUMMMM

But I couldn't have that as it wasn't gluten free and Gary (Chef and owner) said that if I let him know next time he will make me a gf one

And blow me down it was delicious

Twice cooked Pork Belly with Roasted Pear on Mash......oh soooooo tasty

A Veal dish and salad for Mr Armchair

And Gary also made a gluten free dessert

Yogurt Cloud Cake......this was as fluffy as a cloud and full of passionfruit flavour topped with Pistachios

Absolutely delicious.......thank you so much Gary

We'll be back another time......but you know that don't you!!!!!!

~A Gardener's Journal......Block I~

Wow how excited am I

Block I is now complete and all I have to do now is join it to Block H and then onto the rest of the quilt top!!!!!!!

3 lovely gals standing alone

framed by florals and paisleys

Birds in the Tree......I loved doing this one

and now surrounded by more florals and paisleys

Joined together

I had cut out a blue paisley for the inner border but not sure whether to use it?

Close up

Originally I thought I would use a red border

but not sure now

I'll put it all together and then I'll be back to show you and see what you think

Thank you so much Chooky and the Stitch-a-long gang for continued encouragement......I am loving doing this quilt

I did get a bit more of chance this week to work on this as I put a chisel through the top part of my hand whilst doing some work at my local theatre which necessitated 'glueing' instead of stitching

Luckily there was a Doctor in the House

Then a tenanus shot and then I had to lay low for a while whilst Hubby took over caring duties

Luckily the injured hand was the 'holding hand' so it worked out well and I got some respite to boot

So now I'm off to play with the borders......Dzintra

~A Gardener's Journal......Block H...and Dinner to Celebrate~

I'm nearly there...

Presenting Block H of A Gardener's Journal by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched

I am part of Stitch-a-long hosted by Chookyblue for this quilt

Woo Hoo one to go.........and I'm excited!!!!!

Violet Wreath

Seed Packets

All together in the block

And waiting for Block I to join in to the rest of this beautiful quilt!!!!!

So after photographing the block I thought this was worth a special meal

I used Donna Hay's 50th issue birthday edition

and chose Veal Cutlets with Sherry Mushrooms and Giant Yorkshire Pudding

I had done this meal in a Cook Up before over here

I'm not a big mushroom fan but I have recently discovered Swiss Brown mushrooms and love them!!!

Yorkshire Pudding all cooked

Mr Armchair, JoJo and I think we should have this pudd more often!!!

Together with vegies a great meal on a cold night....

and I like a lot of sauce!!!

I thought I would include the recipe for Yorkshire Pudding...this one is a gluten free one and is adapted from the donna hay magazine

~  3/4C gluten free plain flour
~1/4t sea salt
~ 2 eggs
~ 2/3C milk
~ 2/3C water
~ 2 T oil...I used coconut oil which made for a very interesting flavour

Oven 220c
18cm round cake pan
Cook 25-30m
Serves 4-6

~  Place flour, salt, eggs milk and water in bowl and whisk to combine
~  Set aside for 30m
~  Pour oil into cake tin and heat in oven for 5m
~  Pour batter into tin and cook for 25-30m or until puffed and golden
~  Serve immediately

Some gluten free pastry from Rick's Pantry

Together with some Pampas Pastry

Topped with Strawberries and Cream......pure indulgence!!!

Bon Appetit......and Happy Stitching ~Dzintra~