Monday, August 01, 2011

Wholly Quilts

Wholly QuiltsAugust 2011 Newsletter

G’day

Have you ever sat down to look back over your quilt journey?

I have recently had cause to do so and I find that I have made huge progress in some respects but am still doing what attracted me to quilting 21 years ago – making scrap quilts. It is as though I have gone round in a great big circle and am still doing the same old same as. My techniques are not necessarily better just different, my colours are still my colours though I am maybe a little more daring. The quilts themselves are smaller – there are only so many quilts you can fit on one bed – so that I can get another pattern or technique out of my system. Another thing that hasn’t changed is my passion for the craft and for teaching others and I suppose you can’t ask for more than that out of your chosen lifestyle.

Enough philosophising!

The good news is that I have had my quilt accepted for the On the Surface challenge run by Aotearoa Quilters. That was something different so I look forward to seeing the 20 quilts that will tour with the exhibition starting in Hamilton later this month.

The Pumpkin Patch got its annual prune yesterday. It was such a lovely sunny day albeit muddy underfoot so it was out with the gloves (for the roses) and secateurs. I did get the ladder out to deal to the fruit trees but decided if I needed to climb to prune then I would have to climb to pick so it was generally an ‘off with their heads’ policy. It’s very satisfying making plants grow how you want them to. I did harvest all the rosehips cos I hear that they are good for arthritis. Am now in the middle of making a cordial out of them (remember giving our babies rosehip syrup?) and will pass on the recipe once I have perfected (or at least made) it. I see the cabbages and broccoli are ready for picking – some healthy eating coming up.

Lemony tastes continue to come off the Chopping Block but this month I want to share a pickled onion recipe. It is an oldie but a goodie and the onions will be ready for the warmer weather, picnics and parties that are not that far away now.

As always these are taken from my old handwritten recipe book and I make no apologies for the old measures.

Take 5lb pickling onions and peel and put in brine for 24hrs.

Bring 1 ½ bottles (I think about 2lt) of vinegar (I am sure it would be malt vinegar cos there wasn’t that many choices way back), 1 lb brown sugar, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp mustard powder and 1dsp whole cloves to the boil.

Mix 1tbsp turmeric, 2tbsp cornflour with a little vinegar or water and thicken. Boil further 5 minutes.

Pack jars and pour sauce over. Leave at least one month.

Regards
Natalie