On the wall! Quilty 365
I'd started hand quilting this and then switched to the machine. I'm still learning free motion quilting and tried to be a little creative with a few curlicues in my circles. Free motion quilting is one thing where you really know practice pays off.
I had an interesting time quilting this piece. I ran into a big problem with my machine part way through. My upper thread kept fuzzing up and then breaking. I would re thread the machine and it would run okay for a while then the same problem again.
I tried all the usual remedies.
Changed the tensions.
Changed my thread.
Changed my needle...even though it was a new one put in in January
Took out the bobbin and cleaned all around it.
Unscrewed the plate and manually readjusted the upper tension.
It would work fine for a little while and then stop.
Do you know what I discovered was the problem? A certain fabric was the culprit! I've had this particular yard or two kicking around in my scrap bin for ages. Probably came from a bundle at a thrift store.
It is a true white cloth that I had set aside because it was difficult to get a needle into it while embroidering I'd discovered. The cloth is like a thin canvas, very smooth, irons beautifully but is tough, tough, tough. I had used it as a backing on some of my circles before I realized it was hard to stitch into. I never dreamed it would also cause a machine problems.
Sure enough, as soon as I avoided trying to sew those circles, my machine worked beautifully.
Not all white materials are the same, obviously not.
I'm not totally sorry this happened. I learned a lot more about my machine and how to troubleshoot issues. And I feel proud any time I use a screwdriver successfully!
BTW, Hubby pointed out to me that the size I've made the two birds relative to the house, in real life they would be the size of Boeing 747's! lol
I made Scottish flapjacks this weekend.
They are not at all what we think of as flapjacks here in North America...which would be a kind of pancake. This is completely different. I actually came across this recipe while researching oat recipes. I love oats and we eat them for breakfast a couple times a week. I wanted to make a square with oats, bran, flax seeds, nuts, whatever...you know a basic healthy kind of snack to go with a cup of tea.
What I made tasted great...marvelous in fact, but I swear if I'd added chocolate it could pass for a candy bar. Next time I'm going to reel back the sweetness of them.
There are many recipes for these (who knew??) and some are labelled British Flapjacks and are basically the same thing.
Here is what I mixed together...
Into a large saucepan I put
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar and
3 tablespoons golden syrup
When this melted and was well stirred I mixed into it
almost 2 and 3/4 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
Mixing it reminded me of making Rice Krispie Squares. You feel like you have to stir this while it's warm to get it all to mix properly and before it hardens.
I spread it in a buttered 9 inch pan and baked for 25 minutes in a 350 oven. It must cool completely before trying to get it out of the pan.
Next time, I'm using a smaller pan so they will be thicker.
I'll say again these are delicious (had to rush to get a photo before they were all eaten) and I am going to try them another time but make them a little more healthy-ish.
No comments :
Post a Comment