WIP Wednesday

I've made some more progress on this quilt 

These are all individual blocks (not made using an online mosaic maker).

I have 6 more blocks to finish making the quilt square.

Then I'm thinking about borders. Not sure.

But I DO know that I'm loving it so far.

I had a lovely day today hanging out with my mate Clair. We ate. We shopped. I stitched (Clair left her stitching project at home ... oops). And we had a lovely catch up.

How was your Wednesday?

Andi xx

Term 3 classes

It's been a while since I've blogged. Temporarily lost my blogging mojo!
But I'm back with lots of stitchery to show!!

Thought I'd start by showing you a gorgeous quilt top made by the lovely Simone in my Scraptacular Class at Amitie:

Simone loves autumnal colours and has used them to wonderful effect in this scrapalicious quilt top.

We are having a break over the school holidays and will be back next term but this time on Thursday afternoons. 12:30 til 3:00pm so there's still time to make it to school pick-up!!

Want to make a quilt as gorgeous as Simone's? Come on over and have a play with us next term.

I'll be back soon with more of my stitching to show.

Have a great day wherever you are.
Andi x

Falling Bee-hind

I received my fabric parcel for May's Beehive in the first week of June.
Long story! But ... being a person who hates falling behind, I quickly put together Kat's gorgeous voile string blocks. I anticipate another super soft and snuggly voile quilt. I adore these!!

While I was at it, I made a couple of little blocks (5.5 inches) for Annabel. She is making a quilt for her little boy called "The Busy Sea at Night".

She has asked for pieced blocks, rather than applique which ... at this scale ... caused me a little anxiety. But in the end I really enjoyed making these 2 little blocks.

Now I just need to find the time and energy to get to the post-office!!

Andi x

Mmmmmm .... cheesecake

Next week will be a Jewish festival called Shavuot. At this time of year, it is traditional to eat dairy foods. So I have re-named this festival "The Cheesecake Festival".

Last night my family and I shared a cheesecake I had baked. It was delicious!!
The recipe is from a book that belonged to my grandmother, first published in 1951, called Jewish Cookery by Leah Leonard.

I've been making this cake for many years with consistently great feedback.
I don't usually include recipes on this blog but this one is so amazingly good, I have decided to share it with you ....

Ingredients

Crust
1 packet Marie biscuits
1/4 cup sugar
135 grams softened butter

Cheese filling
125 grams cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)
125 grams fresh ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
Pinch of salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

To make the crust:
- Put Marie biscuits into a food processor and break down into largish crumbs
- Add the sugar and mix well
- Work in the softened butter until well mixed
- Prepare a spring-form cake tin using baking paper and butter.
- Tip the crumb mix into the cake tin and spread out evenly, pressing the mixture down to a flat smooth crust.

To make the cheese filling:
- Add each ingredient (in the order listed above) slowly into a kitchen mixer, allowing for mixing time in between each one.
- You will end up with a very loose batter.

Pour the batter carefully into the crumb-lined tin.
Bake at 180 degrees C for an hour.
After an hour, turn off the oven but leave the cake in there for another hour to cool.
Once it is out of the oven, it really benefits from a couple of hours in the fridge.

This cake doesn't usually come out looking so great so I often sprinkle some icing sugar over the top to make it look a bit better. Once you cut into it though, it looks (and tastes) divine.

Serve on its own or with some cream or vanilla ice cream.

YUMMMMM!!!!

Andi xx