Wholly Quilts May Newsletter
G’day
Well I am back from Queenstown’s symposium enthused and inspired by a week of quiltie stuff. I am always blown away about how much I learn from my students - and what a great bunch I had on all five days of teaching down there.
My week got off to a great start with both my ANZAC banner and Barb’s Remarkable challenge entry receiving awards. The latter was such an emotional moment given that Barb has probably won awards at each and every symposium held in this country.
Am now sitting and looking at a quilt I made for the tutor’s exhibition, but didn’t put in cos I was not happy with it, trying to work out what is wrong. I think the balance is out – nothing on it seems to ‘sing’ to me. Will keep an eye on it for a few days and someth ing may come to me. I hope so cos there is a lot of work just to consign it to the cupboard. Don’t you hate it when what is in your head doesn’t translate to your quilt?
The Leaf Project and Turquoise Sherbet BoM are still getting additional names added so they keep me on my toes staying one step ahead of all participants.
I know I have a group of new recipients reading this their first newsletters so need to explain that the Leaf Project is a lesson/technique a month by email and the Turquoise Sherbet is a BoM where I send out a pattern and sufficient turquoise fabric to complete it.
The Pumpkin Patch is looking so green and delicious but I have to rummage in the healthy weeds to find a feed. Funny how the slugs and snails can tell the difference between a weed and bok choy! However my tomatoes have decided that they prefer to be neglected (not weeded and watered regularly) and are giving me a great late picking. So much so that I have been ‘relishing’ and drying even more of them. And now the feijoas are having their time – I have sort of sweet pickled feijoa leather out of the first bucketful but now have an ever increasing heap waiting for attention.
I have such fun telling you of ways I preserve my ‘pumpkin patch’ product that many of you are now asking for the recipe so I have decided to include one each month from the Chopping Block.
The first is how I dry my tomatoes: I cut all (and you can include green ones too) into quarter-inch (just to keep it patchworky) slices and lay out on baking paper covering an oven sheet. I then sprinkle with sea salt, fresh thyme from the PP though you could use dried, oil that I have infused with garlic from the PP (you get the idea) and put into a fan oven at about 70 degrees for five hours.
The tomatoes are reduced considerably in volume for easier storage and can be used as they are or in sauces, on pizzas etc
Regards
Natalie Murdoch
