Author Archives: mlwilkie

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About mlwilkie

Software Developer, Mother, Wife with keen interest in art, design and crafts of all kinds.

New quilt design (9 block sample) + Modern Bee winner redraw

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Merry Christmas to all my family and friends (including those in the virtual world :-))!!!

Sorry for those that are expecting a Book Review Tuesday, today. Unfortunately, I am knee-deep in Christmas gift making still. I know, I know, I have only 6 hours of awake time left. Book Review Tuesday will return next week. The last book review giveaway “Modern Bee” (see review here) did not get claimed…..so the new winner is:

Screen Shot 2013-12-24 at 3.23.53 PM

#80 and this is Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

I am thinking about teaching some quilting classes next year. I have been playing around with designing new blocks for a sample quilt. Each block has a finishing size of 12″. Many of the designs have been inspired from wall paper, upholstery or tiles. This is my first effort. I am really liking it, and think some of the blocks could be a great overall quilt design as well.

Sample_Quilt

Another thought was to change-up the bottom left hand corner to include circles:
SampleQuilt_Circles2

Or change-up the color Palette (Nay, Red, Grey, Black and White):
SampleQuilt_BlueRed

I would love to hear your feedback. Would you take a class that covers each block, maybe in 3 sessions??

Christmas baking, hamper goodies

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In the last couple of days, I have had the opportunity to take it a little easy…..and in my usual style, that does not mean, I did nothing :-).  I decided to catch-up on Christmas baking for the family + hamper gifts (gift baskets) for our two neighbors.

First, was my Pineapple Fruit Cake (my version of Christmas Fruit Cake, since I am not a fan).
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Second, Orange Lightening Cake (as muffins).
IMG_7017

Thirdly, Star Wars Sugar Cookies, with green and red sugar sprinkles for a Christmas flare. The forms, we purchased at Williams and Sonoma, while they were on special for $4.95. For these, I used this recipe, but found I had to add 1 additional egg, and 1/2 stick of additional butter as it was very dry.
IMG_9049

Lastly, something for my husband to remind him of home, German Christmas Cookies (made with almond meal)….recipe below. IMG_9069

German Christmas Cookies

Ingredients
1 egg (separate egg yolk and white)
60 g (1/2 cup)  Almond meal
180 g (1 1/2 cups) All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
pinch salt
80 g + 40 g (1 cup) icing sugar (confectionary sugar)
80 g (3/4 stick) butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp water

Mix the yolk, almond meal, flour, baking powder, salt, 80g icing sugar, butter, vanilla and milk in a large bowl. NOTE: I start mixing with a fork and then use my hands as the dough starts to form). Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F (200 degrees C). Once dough has chilled, place it between two layers of plastic wrap and roll out the dough. Cut out your cookies using your forms and place on a tray that is covered with baking paper (cookie sheets).

Mix the rest of the icing sugar (40g), egg white and water in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the icing sugar. With a brush thinly coat the top of the cookies with the glaze-mixture. Bake cookies for ~12 minutes or until golden.

Remove from the oven, leave on tray to cool for 5-10 minutes. Place on cooling rack thereafter until completely cooled.

What have you been baking for Christmas? I would love to hear.

A Mess + Sunday Stash {22.12.2013}

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With all the Christmas sewing, and the fabric purchases over Thanksgiving, my sewing room is a war zone. This is what it normally looks like:
SewingRoom

Today, it is the war zone, all spread out over the floor (I don’t think I even got it all in the photo :-)).MessySewingRoom

See the two piles along the side of the table at the back….in fact, any pile that is close to my  project table that does not have a book, paper pattern or cut pieces on top…..that is all new fabric ready to be stored. I have a problem though…..I have run out of storage. After only a year, my 18 cubby holes in my project desk, has no more room. I am seriously thinking about joining the fabriholics anonymous pledge.

FabAnon

The rest of the mess are project piles, or a scrap pile I need to sort. Luckily, I have two weeks to either complete the project piles or clean up my war zone. Thank you for vacation!!!

In the meantime, in celebrating these fabric purchases, here is my Sunday Stash for this week.  I purchased these fabrics, as I am loving the mustards, pale blues, reds, blacks + grays that have been appearing in a couple of recent lines.
Mustard_Blues_Red_Greys_Black_Collection2

The first ones are all from “Bark and Branch” by Eloise Renouf for Cloud 9 Fabrics. I purchased these from Hawthorne threads.EloiseRenouf

These cute low-volumes that continue the blue, black and mustards are from “Up, up & away” by Skinny laMinx for Cloud 9 Fabrics, also purchased at Hawthorne threads. SkinnyLaMinx

Finally, “Twigs” by Charley Harper for Birch Fabrics….purchased from Fabric Worm (as they were on sale).CharleyHarper_Dandelions

One last look at them all together, hopefully you can also see how fabulous these could be together. Now, to decide what to do with them???Mustard_Blue_Red_Grey_Black_collection

Linking up with Fiona @ Finding Fifth, for her second to last Sunday Stash.