Pots and Pins

Quilt Group Friday...

I've been such a slacker lately - would rather play with the grandkids and the dog than do what I should do but the dog is sleeping, the grandkids just left, and there is still some sun in the sky so I've pulled up a chair, and I suggest you do the same, so I can show you what my quilt group did a few weeks back:

That's Stephanie peeking around the quilt!  Last month, you may remember, Janet showed us this adorable fox quilt and she had two "piano key" borders sewn on, top and bottom.  She didn't have enough fabric to make all four borders so she asked for our opinions...always a big mistake...but this time I think we were helpful because Janet took our advice and you can see the results above!  She cut those two piano key borders in half (instead of being approximately 8-inches wide, they became 4-inches - or thereabouts, like I actually know!) and then she had enough fabric to make the other two borders.  Pretty dang cute if you ask me!  I think she will have this one quilted and bound before her grandbaby arrives!

This is another quilt top by Janet - I think she called it shoo-fly, they are all half-square triangles.  I think Janet said this was easy...does it look easy?!?!?  Nope!  Not to me!  Beautiful but definitely not easy!  I've decided I'm a Lego quilter...just like I'm a Lego grandma...meaning if any toy has more than 10 pieces it stays at their home, it doesn't come to grandma's house, you won't find Lego Land here!  And if any quilt pattern calls for more than 10 pieces in a block, then it will never be a quilt I'll make!  I counted 28 pieces in Janet's block before my vision blurred!

 

I absolutely love this quilt, it's happy!!!  Barbara made it and even though she said working on it gave her a headache, I think it was worth it!!  (Yes, I know, easy for me to say!) This quilt, however, like Janet's above, is too hard for me!  I don't do hard but I can sure appreciate it!!

Terry, who is masterful with applique, brought in a few more of her wool blocks to show us...her stitches are so tiny I couldn't even see them with my glasses on!  This is going to be a beautiful quilt when it's finished!

Denise wowed us with her selvedge quilt top, still in progress.  Denise sewed selvedge strips to a foundation fabric/block.  I think this is just amazing!  Years ago Denise asked us to save the selvedge for her and I remember carefully cutting it off each piece of fabric and then I never gave it a second thought so it was so fun to see she has actually been working on this.  By the way, selvedge is the correct spelling, unless you're British, or smarter than me (which isn't saying much), then it's selvage.  

This started as a HUGE piece of fabric from Doha, Qatar, where Marsha's daughter Megan bought it when she was there teaching school.  Megan sent it to her mom and asked her to make it into a quilt...but it was so big that it needed to be resized.  Marsha meticulously cut it down to a reasonable size (like it would have covered two king size beds!) and then it was quilted and a new border/binding was sewn on and now this beautiful quilt resides on Marsha's daughter's bed in her new apartment in Austria where she is now teaching school!  Hope it keeps you warm and cozy Megan!  Great job Marsha!

This was made by Helen...as if you couldn't tell.  Helen's quilts have a definite style to them and this is classic Helen...bright, happy with just a touch of black and white striped fabric that makes you sit up and say HELLO!  You just can't beat a good striped fabric!  Way to go Helen!

Jenny just has one more circle block to finish and then this top will be ready for quilting.  Jenny made this for her friend and incorporated all kinds of personal things into each block...truly a labor of love.  I love how the striped small border fabric goes so well with this quilt - perrrrrfect.  Speaking of perfect, how about Jenny's shoes?!?  

I have a favor to ask, Diane is trying to finish up a quilt and she needs "Garden Notes" fabric by Moda...would you mind checking your stash to see if you happen to have that fabric for her???  If you do, shoot me an email and we'll make a deal!

Thanks for stopping by - I love showing off the quilts our group makes - they are all so talented!  

Twin Star Quilts...

I lose track of time easily, as in how can it already be August?!?  Why is Summer always in such a hurry to run away??  And how it could have taken me three years to get these quilts finished?!?  

Please focus on the quilts and not the grass, obviously Farmer Greenjeans doesn't live at my house!  Three years ago my quilt group had a sew day at Barbara's cabin, which is about an hour's drive from here just on the other side of the pass.  It's so pretty up there, and her cabin is hardly a cabin...it's practically magical as 6 or 7 of us can be sewing at the same time and still have room to lay out quilts and eat, of course!

I went to the cabin that day with my sewing machine and a layer-cake and some white fabric...I had no idea what I was going to do but I knew I wanted to get something finished that day if possible.  I did a quick search on line for quick layer-cake patterns and this one came up!  And it IS quick!

I love moving the quilts around my house - seeing them in different places and thinking about how to use them.  In the end, these two will stay in my "quilt room" until I've petted them enough to maybe give them away...maybe.

The fabrics in the star are Free Spirit and the border fabrics are Kaffe.  Both quilts measure 67-inches square...the perfect cuddling size, in my humble opinion.

Rosie and Roxy both wanted the same quilt...but Rosie got there first!  Roxy is the girl's dog and she comes to visit with the Grands...which is almost every day so to say I'm in Heaven is quite the understatement!

As Summer goes scurrying by, at least I'll have two summery quilts to help me remember these care-free, fun-filled days with the Grands!  We are off to pick blueberries today - so no quilting when I get back, but surely a pie or two!

Apple Crisp...

I'll admit to being new to the world of apple crisps.  The first time I ever made apple crisp was about 4 months ago when a friend asked me to make a pan for her for something she was hosting.  My friend gave me her recipe and I made two apple crisps that day - one for her, one for us.  While I liked her recipe, I just didn't think it was worth the calories - don't get me wrong, it was good but it didn't have enough crisp! So I tinkered with her recipe, and made another batch...using different oats, dark brown sugar and a bit more of it, and while I was peeling away, an idea hit me of how, even as an apple crisp newbie, I could make the best apple crisp in the world...thereby saving you and me from ever eating average apple crisp again!    I’m not being boastful or even bordering on hyperbole, I'm just stating a fact.  I decided to add more crisp...twice as much crisp, to be exact...because when it comes to apple crisp, it’s all about the crisp!

Most recipes for apple crisp just have a crisp layer that is sprinkled on top of the apples. This recipe has two layers, one is spread over the bottom of the pan, under the apples, so when it is baked it becomes crispy, dare I say even crunchy?   A bottom crispy-crunchy layer...genius, no?   The second layer is sprinkled on top of the apples...two layers of crisp means double delicious.

For this recipe I only use tart apples, Granny Smith apples work nicely.  I also only use old-fashioned oats, not quick cooking oats,  because I like the oats to hold on to some of their chew.  And while I’m at it, I have to say I would never use apple pie filling from the jar/can.  Never.  Ever. Amen.

This recipe makes 12 generous servings - even so I'll bet you won't have any left.  I wish I had pictures to show you the finished crisp but unfortunately the family was circling when I pulled it from the oven and they couldn't wait to dig in!  This is best served hot/warm from the oven and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - or cinnamon ice cream if you can find it.  I always serve it with a spoon, not a fork, because those last creamy drops of melted ice cream mixed with the crispy cinnamon-y layers is the kind of stuff culinary dreams are made of!

Apple Crisp - Pots and Pins

Apple mixture:

10 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 1/3-inch thick) about 8 medium sized apples

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Crisp mixture:

2 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon cinnamon 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold, diced into small cubes

Optional:  1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped (I love to add pecans to this dish, however my family isn't big on them...but I highly recommend adding them!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Set aside. 

Make the apple mixture:  Place prepared apple slices in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Sprinkle mixture over the apples and stir gently, coating all of the apples with sugar mixture.  

Make the crisp mixture:  In a large bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.  Sprinkle the cold, cubed butter over mixture and using a pastry cutter (or your hands or even a fork) mix in the cold butter until only pea-sized pieces remain.  Add chopped pecans, if using.

Spread half of of the crisp mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan and press down into a nice flat layer.  Pour apple mixture over top and smooth apples into even layers.  Pour remaining crisp mixture over top of the apples and spread evenly.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly and top is a dark golden brown.  Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.  Serve hot/warm or even at room temperature.  (Serve with vanilla ice cream for coma-inducing-deliciousness.) Makes 12 generous servings.  Keep any remaining crisp in refrigerator and reheat in microwave.