Martha Pullen Sewing Market

If you are interested in going to the Martha Pullen Sewing Market in Arlington on May 20 and 21, please let Sara Hector know so that she can made reservations for rooms and pre-order tickets. She needs to know by April 30.

Sara and Susan are planning to go up the afternoon of May 19, spend that night and the night of May 20, and go home at the end of the day on May 21.  You can also buy tickets for one day at a time, and just drive up for the day.

Detailed information about the event is at http://www.marthassewingmarket.com/.  Sara Hector, Sue Golden, Grace Whitis, and  Susan Swindle have all attended, if you have any questions.

Sewing Scattered Leaves Amid the Bluebonnets

Traveling across Bell County to get to the quilt group meeting is always a pleasure at this time of year due to the bluebonnets which are everywhere.  This year has yielded a stellar crop, especially on the hill at the Hector farm.  Sara hosted the group on April 12, since Grace had a sudden death in the family.  Our thoughts and prayers were with Grace at this difficult time, but we certainly appreciated Sara stepping in at the last minute and taking on the hosting duties.

We started with homemade Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, fruit and a delicious egg casserole, all made by Sara.

It was all yummy!

Then we had a brief sew and share.

Marilyn shared an unbelievable crocheted snowman afghan.

Absolutely gorgeous!

Margaret shared her new phone ...

and the picture of her blooming Christmas cactus.

Sue shared a Jelly Roll Log Cabin pattern.  Easy and beautiful, and it does not require borders!

Then it was time to get to work!  Susan gave some last minute details about the Scattered Leaves Friendship Quilt, then everyone got to work.

When were we last so quiet?!?

And some progress was made.  Some worked on their leaves. Some just watched for now.  Joycelyn just had eyelid surgery, and we are so glad she joined us!

We did send her home with the pattern and background fabric to made her scattered leaves blocks.

Others worked on finishing up some other projects first. Marilyn worked on a costume for her granddaughter

Such detail ~ look at those sleeves!  She could do a session teaching us all how to do those!

And some of us finished leaves, and even blocks!

Sandy Collins will be participating in our friendship quilt, so we are shipping off to California the directions and the background fabric so she can finish her blocks and get them back to us by the May meeting.

Then, it was time for food!  What a delicious array of salads, along with good fellowship and a quick Texas Pecan Coconut Cake made by Sara according to Marilyn's recipe.

It was a time of great fellowship and delicious food.

Even though some of us were missing, it was time for a new group picture to use in the header on the blog.

Sara has a beautiful, enormous Lady Banks rose bush in her yard, so we headed out to pose in front of it. 

 Notice:  Karen is front and center.  We missed her in the last group picture, so here she is.  Also notice:  Grace finished the perfect leaf square, and it is beautiful! If you were absent this month, don't miss next time.  You never know when we will pull out the camera and update the group photo. (Karen:  I will be changing the header as soon as I get home.)

A quick note for those who were not there:  Marilyn Shine is taking a new job which will prevent her from attending our group meetings. 

We congratulate her on her job, and we wish her well in her new endeavor, but we still will hold her in our hearts as a member of our group, and we expect her to still be able to join us for lunch on meeting days.  I am thinking she can still bring her sew and shares to share over lunch, and...we expect her to bring her scatter leaf blocks to lunch next month to Grace's house, because we want her in ou friendship quilts!!

Last, but not least, we all miss Sandy, so we compiled some greetings for her far away in California:

Click here:  Greetings to Sandy!

Until we get together again in May, start sewing on those scattered leaves, and enjoy the springtime!

Marilyn's Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

By popular demand, here is Marilyn Shine's soup recipe:

Tomato Basil Soup

                                                                   

Ingredients:

2 cans crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarians

1 bunch fresh basil

1 large shallot

½ whole onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup cream

3 tablespoons of sugar (or more to taste)

Ground pepper to taste

Tortellini (as much as you like)

Preparation:

In a large stockpot, heat vegetable oil over medium-low heat.  Add sliced garlic, finely diced shallots and onion.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until onion starts to caramelize.

Add cans of crushed tomatoes: add sugar.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth.  Remove from heat and let cool a bit.  Working in batches, puree the soup mixture in a blender or liquid-tight food processor.  (NOTE:  Heated liquid expands tremendously when you try to puree it—only fill it halfway full at most, each time.)  Put pureed mixture in a bowl, then rinse the stockpot and put pureed soup base back in.

Optional:  If you’d like a smooth texture to the soup, you should cool it and strain it at this point, working in batches, with a sieve.  (I prefer the more rustic texture of pureed but unstrained soup.)

It can remain in this state (refrigerated) for a few days until ready to serve.

To serve, bring tomato soup mixture to a medium heat, and then stir in tortellini and cream.  (In this way, you are keeping the cream out of the pureeing step—which might whip it—and also the boiling step—which might curdle it.

Top with basil, rolled gently and sliced very thinly.

Thanks, Marilyn! 

Friendship Quilt Update

Just a quick update for those of you who will check the blog one more time before heading out to our meeting at Grace's house on Monday. 

I made up one of the blocks to show you how it will look.

 I decided to go with a lighter background fabric than the tan shown in the magazine. 
I did so for a couple of reasons.  One was that when I looked at the tan fabric, I was afraid that our signatures would not show up. 

The second reason was that none of the tans I saw had enough fabric to make sure we all had enough for our 12 blocks. That made it a pretty easy decision.  I actually am allowing 1/2 yard each, so that if you want to add more blocks to your quilt, you will have plenty of background fabric to match. 

Anyway, here is the block made up:

I know that I told you that leaves come in all colors, and I am not normally drawn to brown, but let's just say this brown fabric "spoke to me."   So, my leaves are brown.  I am counting on all of you to come up with bright colorful leaves to offset my dark, dead-looking brown leaf.  That is your challenge ;-) At any rate, I did make the strips surrounding the leaf bright!

Having had the experience of making the first leaf, I can assure you I have already made all the mistakes ~ including sewing the leaf together wrong.  I would like to say that I did that on purpose, just so I could tell you how easy it is to fix, but that is not the case.  I was sitting there with the picture in front of me holding the pieces of the leaf just so, and I turned around to my machine, and something strange happened.  When I opened up those two strips of fabric, It did not look like a leaf at all.  I had sewn the wrong side of the strips together. So I have had the experience of ripping the first block apart.  No one else has to do that to make us all feel better!

Anyway, I do have a few suggestions.

• 
  
  Make a sample block first to place in front of you with the pictures from the pattern which I will give you on Monday.  After you do that, you can chain piece the parts and put them together pretty quickly.
• 
  
  If you have one of these padded small ironing board/cutting mats, or a small mat:

bring it.  It will be good for laying out the pieces of the block next to your sewing machine before you sew them together.

• 
  
  Next, if you have one of these:

bring it.  That would be a Chinese food chopstick, a skewer, or a bodkin.  It would be most helpful for holding the tiny pieces of the leaf together as you feed them into the machine.

• 
  
  Last, but not least, you might want to bring one of these:

That would be a seam ripper....not that anyone else will need it now that I have given you fair warning.  Just in case, I will have mine handy as a preventative measure so that those leaves fall right into place.

I really like the block, and, mistakes notwithstanding, it really does go together easily and quickly.  I cannot wait to see what fabrics you have chosen and see how all of it looks together. 

See you Monday,

Susan

Our Friendship Quilt Project

At Grace's house in April, we will begin work on the blocks for our friendship quilt.  The pattern is called Scattered Leaves and was published in the October, 2009 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting.

Of course, ours will only be a lap quilt of 12 blocks, unless you want to add additional blocks.

At the April meeting, we will begin the blocks, which we will sign and trade in May at our meeting.

The pattern recommends that the background fabric on the leaf portion of the block be the same throughout the quilt, so Susan has purchased that fabric for everyone, and will distribute it and the directions for the quilt at the meeing on Monday, April 12.

For Monday, in addition to sewing machine, thread, etc., please bring the following:

Fabric for the leaves: Two fat quarters or scraps to make 12 leaves as follows:

Total cuts:

12 ~ 2 X 5”rectangles

12 ~ 2 X 3 ½” rectangles

12 ~ 2 3/8” rectangles

12 ~ 2” rectangles

*Note:  Susan has cut this out, and you actually only need one fat quarter for 12 leaves!

Remember that all leaves are not green! You can use reds, oranges, blues, purples, golds or any bright color that will stand out on a light background! Patterns are great as long as they “read” as a solid!

Fabric for the strips: Assorted medium to dark prints, plaids, or stripes which are big enough to cut into 2” strips as follows:


12 ~ 2 X 9 ½” rectangles One of these for each block

24 ~ 2 X 8” rectangles Two of these for each block

24 ~ 2 X 6 ½” rectangles Two of these for each block

12 ~ 2 X 5” rectangles One of these for each block

Susan will bring the following:

Background fabric for the leaf block: 


Cut the following:

12 ~ 2 3/8” squares

36 ~ 2” squares

24 ~ 1 ½ “ squares

Susan will also bring copies of the pattern directions for each person.
This includes the cutting instructions above for 12 blocks as well as the instructions below which are for larger quilts:

This will be a fun project that will allow us to have shared, signed blocks from everyone in our quilt group! Sandy Collins is also participating, so everyone will be included!  Looking forward to Monday!  See you then!

A Rainy Day is a Great Day for Quilters!

Bell County Quilters met at the home of Karen Coates on a rainy day in March, but a great time was had by all. Karen had prepared some delicious goodies for breakfast.

Sew and share consisted of a variety of projects.

Sara made a pillowcase for Charles, who likes Eeyore.

No, that small quilt is not for Charles, even though it is the same Eeyore fabric.

Sara explained her technique for "tying" the quilt, which was quick and easy.

Sara also added cording on the pillowcase.

Carole shared a holiday project we may want to revisit.

It is a placemat star made of Christmas cards!

Looks great!

Sue shared her bag made with plastic shopping bags.

 

And her latest crochet efforts:

Karen shared some of her cross stitch.

And she and Carole discussed some cross stitch layouts.

Karen shared some of her other quilts.

Another work of art shared! Beautiful!

What a prolific group of quilters we are! 

Susan invited quilters to take part in a friendship quilt at the next meeting.

While others looked on, she shared the process.

Karen asked the group for advice for covering the bottom of her portable desk.

When we got down to work, everyone worked on different projects.  In fact, Marilyn and Susan were the only two sewing on machines that day.

Margaret was even working on some "fluffing" to rehab the "fur" on her granddaughter's jacket.

Then, of course, it was time to eat.  What a feast!

As usual, we had a great day!  Thanks, Karen for having us at your home!