Baked Loganberry Cheesecake

The loganberry bush is covered at the moment. Well I think they are loganberries, if anyone thinks differently let me know.
Some of them were turned into a baked cheesecake (yes it is a little burnt - after 2 years using this electric oven I am still not used to it).
The recipe is adapted from one in an old Marie Claire/Donna Hay book.

125g Arrowroot Biscuits
125g ground almonds
125g melted butter
Combine the above and press into a springform cake tin and put in the fridge

250g soft cream cheese
250g ricotta cheese
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
200ml sour cream
1/2 - 1 tbs grated lemon rind
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs cornflour mixed with 1 tbs water
250g berries.
Combine the above in a food processor or mixer and mix until smooth. Por over the base and bake at 150 degrees for about 50 minutes or until just set.



We pulled up the garlic last week before it rained and they are hanging under the house. It has such amazing flavour.

Jump Rope Dress

An Oliver & S Jump Rope Dress for Grace. I love this pattern and the finished dress, but this pattern certainly doesn't sew itself. There is hours of work in these dresses. I used some Denyse Schmidt fabric from Spotlight and made a matching hat too.

New Look 6674

I am back from a really wonderful weekend at the Fremantle Arts Centre Bazaar. If there is anywhere you want to be on a really hot weekend in Perth it is sitting in the grounds there under the trees. The only downside was seeing the bar from my stall and all the people walking past with icy cold beer while I was trying to work.
In amongst the market sewing the last few weeks I realised I needed three days of good clothes for the bazaar. I made New Look 6674 as it looked quite comfortable. It was very straightforward to make. I used a cotton/polyester (I think) blend that had been in my stash for ages. It looks ok in the photos, but it is actually too big and and it gapes at the top. You definitely need a singlet under it.


I tried it again in some lovely lawn I bought at Spotlight in a size smaller and it fits better around the bottom and is fine with a singlet under it, but would need major alterations if you did not want to wear one. I love the lawn - it was perfect in 36 degree heat. I went back to Spotlight yesterday and bought some more in different patterns. I used a press stud on the first one instead of a button, but on the second I just sewed on velcro with the machine which worked really well. I also managed to machine stitch everything on the second one (no hand sewing at all) as I wanted to finish it fast. So the facing on the band was machine stitched down as I top stitched the band on the outside.

The Winner is ...

The winner of Modern Blocks is #13.
Which is Rachel!
Let me know your address and I will get it in the mail.

Butterick 4443

A very warm yesterday inspired me to finish Butterick 4443 and wore I it out last night. I made a quick muslin of the bodice and didn't need many alterations. The only big one was changing the shape at the back at the top. It was gaping so I cut it into a v and problem solved.
Once the muslin was finished it really didn't take long. It is lined which used to put me off patterns in the past, but it is easier than facings I think and sits much better.

I think I took 1 1/2 inches off the length

The fabric is Secret Garden by Sandi Henderson from Michael Miller. Available here and here.

Modern Blocks

My copy of Modern Blocks - 99 Quilt Blocks from your Favorite Designers is here! So many interesting blocks. Pieced, appliqued, foundations pieces - there is something for everyone.
I have two blocks in there - Higgledy Piggledy

and Stuck in the Middle.

I have one copy to giveaway (I am sorry but it is for Australians only as the postage costs for a book this heavy are completely ridiculous). You don't have to do anything tricky, just leave a comment by Tuesday 29th November 6pm telling me what you are sewing at the moment.

Dress Sewing and Broad Beans

It is 35 degrees today. I am taking a break from market sewing to sew a dress. I think the combination at the top is the winner today. Butterick 4443.
Although I really love this pattern, but there are a lot more pieces and it is fully lined and the pockets look like a bit of work. Vogue 8577.

Mmm I seem to own quite a few shirtmaker dress patterns (and there is more). Simplicity 2403, Buterick 5315 and Simplicity 4171.

In other news we picked 2 zucchinis yesterday - it is going to be a long zucchini season and I think I have found the best broad bean salad
Blanched broad beans
Cherry tomatoes
Red Onion
Feta
Mint
Olive Oil and White Wine Vinegar.
Yum!

This week...

• Making carrot cake



• Making five spice caramel pork (thanks to Stacey's tweets about it)



• Back at the gym on the treadmill



• Free motiong quilting



• Decided jogging and free motion quilting are quite similar - when you are in the zone, both are very good and when you aren't then it is bad and not fun at all.



• Sewing, sewing sewing for markets. Upmarket is next Sunday 27th and Freo Bazaar is the 2nd - 4th December.
  
  

Simplicity 2152

I think this Echino fabric is some of my favourite of all time. I only bought a metre of it (I have no idea why I did not buy more) and wanted to make a skirt from it, which is difficult when I only had a small amount.
Simplicity 2152 was perfect with the bonus of having pockets. I used a denim for the pockets tops and the band and band facing and it came out the perfect length. Another Simplicity pattern with easy to follow instructions that fit together perfectly.

Simplicity 2226

Simplicity 2226. I made view C without the belt loops or the tie using some cotton (I think it might be Japanese cotton) I bought at Tessuti maybe 18 months ago when I was in Melbourne. It had been sitting in my stash waiting for the right project.
I found this a pretty simple skirt to make, I glanced at the instructions briefly and then did my own thing (there is a sew a long over at Noodlehead if you need help) and all the pieces fit together perfectly. I did take out some fullness in the front and back so there is not as much gathering. The last thing my hips need is too much gathering at over them.
I think if I made it again I would make the pockets a little less deep as I can't reach the bottom of them when I am standing. I really thought when I was half way though making it that it was going to be dreadful on me with the gathers, but was pleasantly surprised when I put it on and I do love a skirt with pockets.
Worn with my new Lotta clogs - the first thing with heels I have bought in about 8 years. So, so comfortable and with a little gentle stretching my duck feet actually fit in them.

Sunshine

Every verandah needs a little sunshine.
From an old Sunshine Harvester.
Thanks to my Dad for finding it, framing and hanging it for me.

Excitement!

I'm just a little bit excited. I am sharing here as I don't think anyone in my house quite understands how exciting this is. My new dress form came in the mail today. A big thanks to Bec for her tweet about the Lincraft sale last weekend and the special on dress forms. Mail to WA can be verrryy slooww from the Eastern States, but I ordered this on Sunday it must have been posted on Monday and arrived today. Very impressed.
She doesn't have a name yet. I asked the 3 year old for ideas, not sure what I was thinking, completely ridiculous name ideas.
She is modelling my second Hotpatterns Cosmopolitan Dress.

Sewing Ideas

I have markets and other sewing deadlines looming and there hasn't been much chance for other sewing yet this week, but I am thinking about clothes for me as I sew.
I have seen a few skirts from Simplicity 2226 and think I will try it. I am not so sure about all the gathers at the front, but I will never know unless I give it a go.

I love this dress from Modcloth I discovered on Pinterest. McCalls 3537 (found on Etsy) is quite similar.

I have made a muslin of the Colette Parfait dress on the weekend and made a few adjustments so I need to make another muslin to check them.

I love the skirt on this vintage pattern - great pockets. I am not so sure about the top so I may make the skirt and use another dress pattern for the top.

Shirt - Ottobre 3/2006

A little shirt for Evie from Ottobre 3/2006. Made from a pink floral voile I bought last year at Spotlight.
I made size 104 and the only modification I made was leaving the elastic off the sleeves.
Gorgeous pattern for little girls, except for the zip at the back. Evie is in and out of dress ups and her clothes all day long so a zip at the back has caused a few problems. So as much as I love it I don't think I will be making another one.

Favourite Toy

I think the best value children's toy we own is the magna doodle. We actually own three. I first bought one when the twins turned 2 and it was used so much we bought another and then another when Eva could use it.

It is so lovely tofind these little pictures and messages left all over the house, but to be perfectly honest not all the messages I get given are nice and loving. Grace wrote last night I was horrible when I was cross. Which is true, I don't like being cross either, so today I will breathe, relax and hopefully we will all have a good day.

Quilt for Jane - Tutorial #2

I had planned to just sew these blocks together in rows, but as I had pressed all the seams to one side in the half square triangles I knew where they join there would be a lot of fabric and very hard to get the seams to meet perfectly. So inspired by these lovely quilts I decided to add strips between the blocks.
Each strip was 3 1/2" by 9 1/2" and I needed 58.
I made

• 5 rows with 7 blocks in each and 6 white strips alternating with






• 4 rows with 6 blocks plus 2 end blocks and 7 white strips.

I spread the whole thing out on the floor and made sure the colours and fabrics were evenly spread. (There can be a lot of work in making sure something looks randomly placed).
I then sewed the rows together and pressed all the seams towards the white strips. Then I sewed the rows together.

Finished size - 81" x 81". I am still not sure how I will quilt this, I am thinking maybe straight lines or freemotion circles. I am not sure when I will get the time to baste it (this requires a lot of furniture moving for a quilt this big in my house) and get it quilted, but I guarantee you will have it by next winter Jane!

Quilt for Jane - Tutorial #1

As promised a little tutorial for the quilt I made for my sister Jane (and yes it has the original name of Quilt for Jane as that is how I have been thinking of it).
For each block you will need:

• 4 squares of patterned fabric 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"


• 1 square of white fabric 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"


• 2 squares of patterned fabric 3 7/8" x 3 7/8"


• 2 square of white fabric 3 7/8" x 3 7/8"

Draw a line with a pencil diagonally across the back of both 3 7/8" squares and then place on top of the patterned 3 7/8" squares, right sides together. Sew 1/4" each side of the drawn line.

Cut on the drawn line.

Press the seam towards the patterned fabric. Trim each block to 3 1/2"

Sew into three rows as shown in the pictures.

Press the seams in the top and bottom rows towards the middle and the seams in the middle row towards the oustside.

Sew the three rows together and press the seams towards the outside of the block.

I made 59 of these blocks.

I made 8 edge blocks for the edges of my quilt.

For each one you wil need

• 1 square of patterned fabric 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"


• 1 square of patterned fabric 3 7/8" x 3 7/8"


• 1 square of white fabric 3 7/8" x 3 7/8"

Make 2 half square triangle as above and sew to each side of the other square.

Tomorrow I will show you how I put it together.