Thursday, January 28, 2010

Red & Green Applique

by Karen on January 28, 2010

in Baking/cooking, quilts, Red & Green Traditional Applique

I know I already did one post today, but I thought I would do another.  I think we are going to be home bound for several days to come with the ice storm fast approaching our area of Arkansas.  I thought I would get an applique project ready to work on.  I have the Christmas Quilt on the frame but if we loose power the room that the quilt frame is in is far from the fireplace so most likely I would not be back here working on it all that much.  I will have to put one of the space heaters back here if I do quilt.

I posted of the Red and Green Traditional Applique by Jeana Kimball at this post I had not gotten started on it although I did get the background fabric last month.  I thought it was time.  I think what I will do is alternate between the Little Brown Bird Quilt and the Red and Green.  I won’t get bored that way I hope.

My first block, I am in the process of glue basting in place. When that is all done it will be ready for me to bring into the living room where I can applique in the comfort of the fireplace in the living room if the power goes out.

My first block, I am in the process of glue basting in place. When that is all done it will be ready for me to bring into the living room where I can applique in the comfort of the fireplace in the living room if the power goes out.

With the cold weather approaching I thought it was a good day to bake some bread.  I love the smell of bread baking don’t you all?  I made some modifications to a recipe I had – yes I know I do that a lot :) –

Mixed Grain Bread

1 package active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups of warm water (110 degrees about)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
4 cups white flour +?
2 tablespoons ground flax seed (optional)

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add the sugar, salt, oil and wheat flour, oats, 1 cup of flour and the egg.  Beat until smooth.  Add as much of the  flour you can with the mixer you use and beat until smooth.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead in a little more flour until the dough is smooth and elastic.  You might need more than the 4 cups of white flour total.  If you are a bread baker you will be able to judge this ok.

Cover and let rise in a warm area until the bread is double in bulk.  About 1 1/2 hours.  Punch the dough down and divide the dough in half.  Shape each into a loaf.  Place into 2 greased bread pans and let rise again until double in bulk.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.  Remove from pans and let cool.

Don't they look good! I think I am almost ready for an evening snack - some butter and jam will make it perfect :)

Don't they look good! I think I am almost ready for an evening snack - some butter and jam will make it perfect :)

Stay tuned – I’m sure I will have photo’s of our winter storm over the next couple of days — thank goodness for our generator!  I don’t know how we would survive our winter storms without it.  Maybe we won’t loose our power – one can hope!

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Product Evaluation — “Mark-B-Gone” pen

by Karen on January 28, 2010

in quilts

Lately I have read on quite a few quilting blogs quilters saying that they are terrified or scared of using the blue pen on their quilts.  In fact one person stated that the blue pen “scared the crap out of her and was terrified to use it”. I am talking about a pen called “Mark B Gone”. This product goes by other names as it is produced by many companies.  I have been using this marking pen on fabric for marking quilting lines for I don’t know how many years.  I have never, ever, had a problem getting the lines out.  The one rule the product comes with though is that you have to wet it completely to get the lines out and not to use any heat on it until it is out.  I set up a series of photos to show you how you use it.

mark your fabric (this is muslin) and quilt on your lines

mark your fabric (this is muslin) and quilt on your lines

here is a close up of the pen

here is a close up of the pen

soak your fabric after you are done with your quilting. For a quilt I put it in the washing machine on a large load, if it is a very large quilt I will put it through a washing load two times just to make sure it is soaked totally through.

soak your fabric after you are done with your quilting. For a quilt I put it in the washing machine on a large load, if it is a very large quilt I will put it through a washing load two times just to make sure it is soaked totally through.

Dry it completely. For a small sample like this I just used the hair dryer until it was completely dry. See no blue line.

Dry it completely. For a small sample like this I just used the hair dryer until it was completely dry. See no blue line.

I took part of the quilting apart so you can see no blue in the batting.

I took part of the quilting apart so you can see no blue in the batting.

no blue on the back of the batting - nothing soaked through or didn't come out.

no blue on the back of the batting - nothing soaked through or didn't come out.

The back - no blue line.

The back - no blue line.

This is just a little sample of course.  It works for me.  If you are unsure of a product however you should always test it on a square of the fabric though to make sure it is ok.

(I am in no way affiliated with the company that makes these pens, just a satisfied customer :)   )

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