Seasonal Silhouettes quilt and (ahem) Zucchini

This is one of "those" quilts that I wanted to keep for myself.  It is from the book Seasonal Silhouettes by Edyta Sitar.

I loved the border, so I quilted it to look like a column with a vine growing around it.

The blocks were all s.i.d. with a background fill.

Our summer was so hot and dry, this was the only practical use for an umbrella.  hah.   :-)

With fall upon us now, this block is quite timely.

And, the zucchini report:

picked:  5
picked YTD:  48

I previously mentioned that zucchini was not really prolific this year - this report's five that I picked was over a two week period.  Last year's zucchini count stopped at 105 on Sept. 5th.  I guess I should have gone out and sung to the plants.  

New Wide Backing

I picked up a new wide backing last week - see the Wide Backings page.

Melon Wedge Quilt & Garden Report (yes including ZUCCHINI)

I worked on a real beauty.

Appliqued melon wedges, with lots of clean, white background.

So pretty.

THE GARDEN REPORT
The garden is in the fall stages of decline.  There is preponderance of weeds (mostly grass) because I don't want to tramp through the potato patch.  (Which as you know is most of the garden.)  And, because it's September and I'm getting sick of the garden.  However the raspberries are in full swing, so I get about a pint every day now.  The zucchini harvest has been steady, but not a show-stopper this year.  The green beans are not a favorite of DH so I planted a scant pile of seeds this year.  The occasional rain gives them a great boost so the harvest is kind of sporadic and just enough for me.  Perfect.

ZUCCHINI REPORT

Picked last week:  4
Picked YTD:  43

The windows in my workroom are being replaced today, so I hit the road - landing in Ennismore for a long girly weekend.  This afternoon Margaret took us on a lovely boat ride and tomorrow we'll hit the Buckhorn Quilt Show.  Do you think I will keep my wallet in my purse?   :-)  

Beautiful Embroidery and Never Too Old For A Little Excitement

Machine Embroidery was used to make the beautiful bird & butterfly blocks.

Quilting in the outer border doesn't really show on the busy fabric.  Everything else was s.i.d., with Egg & Dart in the blue border, then a motif in all the geese units.

Background x-hatching took f.o.r.e.v.e.r.
The embroidered blocks were quilted first by the quilt maker, then they were sashed and appliqued to the background.  I did not quilt inside them at all, except for the s.i.d. on both sides of the sashing.

It turns out that even at the ripe old age of 60 I can still find things that excite me.  Today, for example, I washed a load of laundry.  It was two hours later when I went downstairs to get the wet items out of the washer and hang them outside on the solar dryer.  Oh, you should have heard the piercing scream when the *!*!!$#! centipede surprised me.   8O
I friggin' HATE those things.  But, I can assume now that my heart is in good shape.

ZUCCHINI REPORT

Picked this week:  6
Picked YTD:    39

A friend of mine from Manitoulin Island emailed me today to report that a zucchini is going for $3 up there.  If I were selling mine I would have enough $$ to pay for the shoes that I ordered online last weekend.  ha ha ha...

Bright! Stripey! and Cheap Entertainment/Red Hats/Zucchini Report

If this doesn't keep her warm and cozy this winter I don't know what will.

Oh, I just love these colours!

Great pattern - lots of movement.

I could get myself in all kinds of trouble now.  The new DSW has opened in Ancaster.  I stopped in after our Red Hat Pot Luck/Pool Party, where we got into complex discussions about things like folding & rolling your underwear.  Which I actually DID when I got home.   :-)

I made up for the shoe purchase by getting free entertainment.  Waterdown hosted a brand new festival this past weekend artsfest.ca, so Teresa and I went to see Ashley MacIsaac , the fiddler.  Whew, he put on a GREAT performance.

And, of course I have free food to go along with the free entertainment...
ZUCCHINI REPORT
Picked this week:  8
Picked YTD: 33

Saving a Relic, Zucchini Report & Recipe

Who can explain why we decide to "love" something?  The owner of this old coverlet doesn't know why she felt the need to save it, but save it we have.

It was originally hand quilted without batting, making it a summer coverlet.  It was still lovely though, and very contemporary (think Modern, Solid Fabrics, Geometric).  The original coverlet was left untouched. We added a thin batting of 100% cotton and a white muslin backing.  Then I did s.i.d.  Period.

Here's a shot of the new back.  The original Baptist Fan quilting is still evident on the front.  Yay...save!

OK.  Here's this week's report, and another recipe recommendation:

ZUCCHINI REPORT
Picked this week:  7
Picked YTD:           25

The recipe I tried last night comes from EarthboundFarm.com .  The only extra it needed was Parmesan cheese.  Really, you can never have too much Parmesan cheese. :-)  Click for the link:
Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes, Zucchini and Basil

Pink & Brown 9-Patch, An Outing Recommendation, and Zucchini Report with Recipe

There is something about pink & brown that reminds me of my childhood.  That must have been a popular colour combination in the sixties.

All of the piecing was s.i.d., then a motif was added to the setting squares.

Mmmm, love the back.

If you enjoy ART QUILTS you should take a drive to the Stratford Perth Museum and visit the SAQA exhibit.  Wonderful quilts!  The exhibit is on until Sept. 5th, and the museum is open seven days a week.

ZUCCHINI REPORT
Picked this week:  6
Picked YTD:        18

If you assume that a zucchini would cost one dollar in the grocery store, my savings are starting to add up.

I am leaving this morning for Grand Bend for the annual BEACH DAY with my longarm girls, and taking the following cake with me.  DH and I sampled it last night and it is delicious!!  He really liked it in spite of the zucchini.  Ha ha ha... :-)

Here is the LINK with all the nutrition information, or I have printed the recipe below without the advertisements.  You're welcome.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BUNDT CAKE

·         Portion size12 servings

Cake:

Chocolate Sauce:

•           1 cup butter softened •           1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar •           3 egg •           3/4 cups milk •           3/4 cups vegetable oil •           2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour •           1 tablespoon baking powder •           3/4 teaspoons each baking soda and salt •           3/4 cups cocoa powder •           2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (peel on) •           1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

•           170 g bittersweet chocolate (about 6 oz) chopped •           1/3 cup whipping cream 35% •           2 tablespoons corn syrup

Cake: In large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Beat in milk and oil.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; sift in cocoa powder.

Stir flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips. Scrape into greased and floured 10-cup (2.5 L) Bundt pan, smoothing top.

Bake in 325F (160C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto rack set over sheet of parchment paper; remove pan. Let cool completely.(Make-ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap and store for up to 2 days or freeze in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

Chocolate Sauce: While cake is cooling, in heatproof bowl set over saucepan of gently simmering (not boiling) water, heat together chocolate, cream and corn syrup, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Let cool until lukewarm and sauce runs slowly off back of spoon, about 15 minutes. Spoon or spread over top of cake.