A timely reminder gals!!

Time for a change. .

Thought it time that Raymondo and myself had a rest.

Hello. Still in land of living - having post Beethoven drink!

Parting is such sweet sorrow . . . .

I'm afraid I shall be absent from my Blog for the foreseeable future due to sad family circumstances. It's a case of time and priorities.

It has been great fun and I thank those who have stopped by - some silently - others to say hello.

In the unlikely event that things may change -  I shall return with more offerings of 'tosh' and 'blather' - but all containing a ring of truth.

Au revoir - Auf wiedersehn - Cheerio - Bye y'all . . . . 

Babs. xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Places I've lived . . . .

It's exciting to see where friends are located on my Feedgit display.

These are places in which I've lived:

USA: Minnesota - Oklahoma - Washington State.

France:  Dreux - Evreux - Paris.

UK: Lancashire  - Kent - Bucks - Oxford - Norfolk - Surrey - East Sussex.

Canada:  Toronto.

You could say I've been around!!

An apology to my piano . . . .

I blamed the piano for the wonky handle on my winter block.

However, I now owe the piano a humble apology 'cos it was the Bernina that done it.

As I tell my students, "Unpicking is an Art Form!"

Winter Rain Block

O Babs - where art thou?

You've sought her here - you've sought her there . . . . that naughty Bab's been everywhere.

Apart from (failed) Top C recovery, have been stuck in jams one way or another - mainly traffic.

Allow me a day or two to recover m'dears when I shall return with a vengeance - and if you're lucky - and patient - I might even post a picture or two!

Beethoven was deaf when he wrote this . . . . !

Yep, this is what I'll be screeching tonight at my choral society practice. 

Beethoven's Ninth - otherwise laughingly known as "Ode to Joy." 

A misnomer if ever there was . . . 

Please note - and please count  - the number of bars where us poor sopranos have to sing top A -and there's more on the next page - where - yes, we end the phrase on top C!!

"How do you manage it?" I hear you cry.  

A considerable number of young sopranos have opted out of this musical delight. 

It is, therefore, left to a few  'old boilers' on the back row to compensate for the loss of youth (including their own - but that's another story)!

We have devised a secret weapon which enables mature sopranos to reach Top C  which I will reveal tonight - post practice.

It worked last week - but there is always the possibly it will not work twice and I would not wish to deceive you with a tale of false remedies!

Till this eve . . . . .

ODE TO bloomin' JOY . . . .

Latest Umbrella Block in Pop Patchwork magazine - out today!

From sublime (below) to 'Keeping the Home Fire Burning!'

Where I live in the north west . . . .surrounded by beauty . . . .

Stained Glass Appliqué in the home.....

Latest Stained Glass Appliqué to beautify entrance hall . . .

Lots of quilters make charming fabric postcards to send to each other. Perhaps, when I have more time I will have a go at this whimsical activity. I like whimsical!

Meanwhile most of my present time is spent making bed quilts for magazines, friends and family, plus Linus quilts, not to mention lots of quilting to re-decorate my home, which is showing signs of wear and shabbiness.

Made heavy curtains for entrance hall - appliquéd a design to match original stained glass window - see above.

Am planning to make bedroom curtains, using Liberty fabrics, covered with tasteful Celtic motifs to match the proposed Celtic Quilt for my bed.

Using 1930's designs for living room curtains. Appliquéd on very heavy cream linen.

So you see, not much time for 'owt else, apart from cooking, cleaning, nursing, gardening, singing, exercising and writing tosh on Blog. 

Talking of postcards, Priscilla, from (www.popularpatchwork.com) sent me a lovely fabric postcard she had created from a photograph of my garden.  It's enchanting and I was delighted to receive it.  You can see the postcard in the Gallery on Pop Pw site.

Very First attempt at Stained Glass Appliqué...1987

Keeping Youthful . . . . a bit of a moan . . .

Just returned (crawled) from Pilates class.  Have any of you taken up this 'sport?'  Sport??

 It is the longest hour of the week.  

When manoevring into' The Bridge' (you know the one)  - am merely able to drum up enough energy to hum 'London Bridge is Falling Down' during contortions - before collapsing into an ungainly heap.

When lying flat on tum with instruction to 'zip and hollow' (joke) my mind is cast back to days of yore when worried about lack of breasts (trust I am allowed to use these words on Blog).

Whereas my 'barrage balloons' (memories of the war) tho' previously appealing to opposite sex   - now distinctly inhibit any movements on floor. Ah, happy memories!

Will post picture of patchwork block(s) as penance for moaning.

PS. The Rosemary Jelly was absolutely delicious!

THE SINGING GARDEN . . .

Put last stitch into the quilt 3 days ago. 

Quilt is now rolled up and packed ready to go to Editor of Popular Patchwork magazine and is to be revealed sometime next Spring. The pic below shows the unfinished top. 

Must say the quilting has transformed it.

It has been a fun quilt to make - tho' not without some hairy moments, with broken needles, thread and the accompanying ripe epithet.

Have nearly finished the Autumn Garden quilt top, but still have a few more blocks to make of the Winter version.

My GPQ Sampler Group are heading for the last round up. Final workshop on Saturday.

Some great quilts have emerged from this group.

My Elgar Quilt Group have almost finished their quilts. Next step is designing an Elgar Quilt for The Elgar room at the Rectory. Have some glorious fabrics, which I luckily bought from the States when the exchange rate was favourable. Over $2 to the £1 at the time.

Off to bed in a few minutes having spent a sleepless night watching the US elections. 

Weren't they thrilling!

Singing Garden quilt top is complete - packed - ready to go... but unquilted . . to meet magazine deadline!

That completes the pictorial instructions. Now for the RECIPE.

You will need at least a couple of lbs of Bramleys.

As you can see in the second picture  -  I had a bucketful. I didn't weigh my apples.

Enough juice was  left over after making Chilli and Mint jelly. Enough to make a few extra jars of Rosemary Apple Jelly and at least half a dozen jars of plain Apple jelly.

You can find fruit jelly recipes in almost any cookbook - recipes are mostly the same - but here's the one I used (filched from my brother David's recipe collection -  a brilliant engineer in real life.)  Thanks David. 

Definitive RECIPE for Simply Wonderful Apple Jelly.

Ingredients:

Bramleys  3 - 4lbs

Approximately 3 lbs of jam-making sugar or granulated sugar

Enough cold water to cover the chopped fruit in pan (see pic).

For Chilli Apple Jelly - add  2tsps dried chilli flakes

For Mint Jelly - add 2 dessertsp finely chopped fresh mint + food colouring, if desired.

Method:

i)   Roughly chop apples including skin/pips/cores.

ii)  Put in large pan.

iii) Put enough cold water in pan to cover chopped apples.

iv)  Bring to the  boil. 

v)  Reduce heat. Simmer for approx 40 minutes.

            Fruit should look pulpy.

vi)  Pour the whole mixture into jelly bag (sterilised).

vii) Leave to drain into large bowl - preferably o/night. Cover contraption with large cloth.

viii) Measure juice and pour into clean pan.

ix)  Add 1lb sugar for each pint (or 500ml) of juice.

          If making Chilli Apple Jelly then add  1 tsp dried chilli flakes for each pint of juice.

x)  Stir the mixture and have heat on low until sugar is dissolved.

xi) Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and skim scum from surface.

xii) Return to the boil.  Boil vigorously for 15 to 20 minutes until setting point is reached.

Test for set:

Pour a few drops of jelly onto cold saucer that has been in freezer for half an hour.

If jelly wrinkles when slightly pushed - setting point is reached.

xiii) Remove pan from heat. Let stand for a couple of minutes.

xiv)  Ladle or pour liquid (HOT) jelly into sterilised jars using wide-mouth funnel.

       I sterilise jars by putting them through the dishwasher - then into 200ºC  oven for 10 min.

xv) Seal each jar with a wax disc (see pic) and a slightly wet large cellophane disc.

xvi) Fasten with  elastic bands before leaving to cool.

xvii) Finish off by covering the top of each jar with some pretty fabric.

 Enjoy!  It's a lovely delicate jelly and the Chilli Apple Jelly has a real kick!

Am off-line for a few days. Have a nice weekend.

Clear as a bell - my stash - waiting for lids and fancy tops.

Wax disc on top of jelly followed by wet cellophane circle and elastic band.

Have jars & funnel ready - ladle jelly into jars - fill to brim.

Stir and skim periodically to remove scum . . .