3 more quilt tops done only 100 or so more to go.....geezeeeeee

The DH went out of town for a few days for work... I do miss him while he's away but I also get so much done with no interruptions or dinner to make!  I did get strep throat the day he left but I didn't let that keep me from my work!  :)
So I worked on my Art Quilt.  I think this one is the one I'll enter for that category in our 2016 quilt show.

Then I made this one using left over charms from charm packs that I robbed when I was doing the boutique.  I used all the charms that I didn't like the fabric for this one.  I was surprised to find I liked the finished quilt.  Sometimes it's amazing how fabric no mater how ugly will go together and become beautiful.  :) or at least I think it turned out beautiful.  

Then this is the last one I made.  It is the disappearing hour glass by Missouri Star Quilt Company.  There is a YouTube video on this one.  I found it fairly easy to do and it was a very fast quilt to make.  I love this one.  :)

So tell me what you've done this week...  I'd love to hear about it if you want to post a link!

Steamed Blueberry Pudding

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup milk
1½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Grease a 2-liter (quart) pudding mold. A 2-liter heat-proof bowl or casserole dish makes a good substitute. You may also use two well washed 28 oz. stewed tomato cans.
Prepare a large dutch oven or soup pot with 3 or 4 inches of water. The pot should be large enough to hold the pudding with enough space for a pot cover. Place a trivet on the bottom. Bring the water to a simmer while preparing pudding batter.
Remove 1 tablespoon of flour and mix with the fresh berries. Skip this step if using frozen berries as the flour will clump from the moisture.
Mix remaining flour, baking powder and salt together. Lay aside.
Cream butter and brown sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well until light and fluffy. You may beat the butter mixture with a whisk or use an electric beater.
Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with the milk. Stir in blueberries.
Turn batter into prepared mold or bowl. Cover with wax paper and foil and tie tightly with twine or secure with a sturdy elastic band. Place the prepared pudding into the pot of simmering water. the water should be hot enough to break bubbles. Steam 2 to 2½ hours. Check periodically to make sure there is enough water in the pot. It should be at least 2 inches deep at all times. Use boiling water to replenish the pot.
When pudding is cooked, carefully remove from water. Let pudding set at least 10 minutes. Turn mould or bowl upside down on serving plate. Cut pudding into wedges and serve hot or warm with a Brown Sugar or Lemon Sauce.
Makes 8-10 servings.
*********************
Brown Sugar Sauce
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon butter

Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and vanilla. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Lower heat and continue to cook and occasionally stir for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and vanilla and mix well. Serve with steamed pudding.

Finished my little sewing case.

This is the cutest design ever.  It's pretty much completely made by hand.  The only think that is sewn in with a machine is one side of the zipper.  It is quite easy to make though.  I think the next one I will use a curved needle as I think that would make the gusset much easier to sew on.  I love how it turned out.  I've ordered some taupe fabrics to use on the next one.  This is one of my favorite styles of applique.  It's very much like Japanese applique that is so popular right now. However this pattern is not done by a Japanese designer.  Here is the link where to get it for yourself.
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/the-muffins-sewing-set-by-mjjenek/136182

Here is my first one. So pleased to share it with you.

More fun...Pot Holders, mug rugs wood working...what the heck else would I do?

Here are a few I finally go the binding on!  :)

These are going to be pot holders for a swap.

 More bindings...yaaaaaaaaaaaa!

So here is my small adjustable weaving bench with the seat at it's lowest level.  It's a customer order, just got it all boxed up and sent her a picture of her new bench.  Hope she loves how easy it is to adjust the seat height.  :)

Some recent projects

Here are some new projects that I've been working on.  Sometimes it's nice to do little quilts or quilt projects to mix things up a bit.  So without further adieu....

Another kitty pin cushion, this was a commissioned piece.

A handful of mug rugs and pot holders for swaps

This is a trade I did with the original piece of art.  

The original

This is for a pot holder swap called "Cute as a Button"  

And here is a customer order with carrying case.  Weaving spool holder, warping stand.

And as a surprise I made this bag for it.  However I never even got a thank you or a review so probably will never be so nice again....yeah I do expect a thank you or at least a review.  just saying.  Some people just have no couth.... wish I could right a review sometimes...;)  oh well...all is good.

Esther's Blog: WOW: Lily Rose the CBBs

Esther's Blog: WOW: Lily Rose the CBBs

My new weaving bench design

I've been making and selling weaving tools for about 15 years now.  Wow time flies doesn't it!
One of the items I made is an adjustable weaving bench.  I've been wanting to take the time to design a new bench that is easier to adjust the height. The old bench required that you turn the bench upside down, remove the 4 bolts holding the seat into place and then stacking books or some other object under the seat at the height that you wanted to make the bench then screwing the 4 bolts back into place.
The new bench only requires slipping the seat off and moving the supports up or down.  Also the new bench can now either be set at an angle or straight just but turning the supports one way or the other.

The new bench comes in large and small.  The large bench adjusts from 27.5 down to 15 inches in the following increments, 27.5, 25, 22.5, 20, 17.5 and 15 inches .
The small bench adjusts from 24.5 down to 14.5 inches in the following increments, 24.5, 22, 19.5, 17, 14.5 inches.  I am happy to be able to offer two sizes.

Here is the prototype of the new bench, the optional spool holder can also be added to the new bench.

And here is the old bench with the new one so you can see the optional spool holder.

This is the first sold bench with spool holder

 

My Little Valentine Pot Holder swap.

I've been very busy getting all the swaps I'm doing done. I've finished another one today for the My Little Valentine Pot Holder Swap. Now I'm working on the It's all about the embroidery Redwork Pot Holder swap. I'm doing the red work while I watch TV tonight then tomorrow I have a weaving bench to make for a customer and those take a good day to make.

Well here is my Valentine pot holders. I made one to keep :)

All Things Spring Mug Rug Swap

I searched the internet for something I'd love to make for the All Things Spring Mug Rug Swap....
And I came across this picture.  I never could find the website it came from or the pattern so I can not tell you where to get the pattern.  I printed the image and made it as close as I could to the picture.  This definitely makes me think of spring.  One more swap complete and now on to the Valentine swap.  I also found a picture of the pot holders I'll be making for this and the website that originally posted the pattern is no longer being hosted :(  very sad indeed.  I'm going to try and recreate them without the pattern but It would be so much nicer to be able to purchase a pattern!

Well here is the All Things Spring mug rug I made.

Mug Rug Swap

I started a Facebook swap group for mug rugs and pot holders.  You can find it here.
This is mug rug is for the Laundry Day Mug Rug Swap that is due February 19th 2015.  I finished it today and am very please at how it turned out.  I did put a hanger on the back in case who ever gets this little beauty wants to hang it.
Here it is...so much fun to make and finally finished.