Monday 25 June 2012

I hate basting!

On Sunday I went to the pictures (translation: the movies/the cinema) at Westfield (translation: BIG HUGE MAHOOSIVE mall on the outskirts of London) with Mr Crafty Shenanigans instead of doing any quilting... However, I did manage to baste my Green-grey-teal-turquoise quilt. 


I HATE BASTING!!  But it is done now, phew!  I soooo want to complete this one for the 2nd Quarter Finish-Along with Quilter in the Gap but basting sucks!  If I lived somewhere even a fraction bigger it might be considered an 'ok' process, but small houses are not suited for basting quilts [even small quilts], let me tell you!  If I can finish this quilt, it would mean I managed to get 2 out of 3 on my 2nd quarter list done.... and that would make me happy!  I have Friday off work this week so I know I have a day to complete it if I don't get very far in the evenings.  Not sure what I will use for the binding... need a day to think about that. 
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Yesterday I made some Mars Bar Squares - yum!!  I had a craving for these super sweet, crunchy squares - no peanut butter involved this time.  You couldn't find an easier recipe than this one!  The first time I made these squares was in Ottawa in 1999 when I lived with my best friends.  We made them A LOT!  The recipe was from one of their chocolate cookbooks so I'm sorry I don't know who to credit these to. 
 
Mars Bar Squares
~4 Mars Bars, cut up into small chunks, added to 1/2 cup butter in a pot on medium heat.
Stir until chocolate bars are completely melted and add to 3 cups of Rice Krispies in a big bowl and stir well.  
~Put mixture into a greased 9x9 Pyrex dish.  Flatten down and spread out into corners with the back of a spoon.
~Melt some plain/semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter and spread on top of mixture.
~Leave to cool, slice, eat. YUM!   

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Yay - I finally made my sample block for the Running with Scissors Quilting Bee (the burried block is the lime green from the Sweetwater Reunion line).  I'm making the "On the Go Quilt" by Melissa Corry (pattern found on Moda Bakeshop) which has been on my list for ages!  I love it!  I posted all my fabrics today so hopefully the girls get them for the beginning of July as they were all going to the USA. 

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A few months ago I didn't possess a single pin cushion so I decided to make one in order to get my pins out of a Tupperware container.  I made the huge square block scrappy one in the picture below.  Then Zakka came into my life and I made a second one using Vanessa Arbuthnott and Joel Dewberry fabrics with a nice green button - yum.  Then I made a third one for the Zakka sewing kit.  Since then I have been given six more to add to my awesome [and growing] collection!  From zero to nine in a few months is pretty good going I'd say.

Middle pin cushion - Susan.  From top clockwise:  mine,
Sue, Hadley, mine, Sue, Danielle, FQR.
They are all soooo different!!  Colour, size, texture and even the stuffing varies from cushion to cushion.  So - a big THANK YOU goes to Sue -Caesarea Scrappers for my Zakka text fabrics pin cushion with lace and matching finger ring pin cushion, Hadley -Flying Blind on a Rocket Cycle for my Cath Kidson inspired mini pin cushion, Danielle -DJ Coolbear for my purple and blue felt English Paper Pieced pin cushion, Susan -Canadian Abroad for the Gnome pin cushion in red and the Fat Quarterly Retreat goodie bag for the floral pin cushion with scissors.  I am now a collector of pin cushions without even realising  it :) 

What sewing/craft related item(s) do you collect??

Linking with these lovely people and their crafty blogs:
 
A Quilter’s Table
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10 comments:

Gertie Pye said...

I hate basting too! I have never heard anyone say they like basting except Sandy Klop. I was very excited when my basting spray arrived this week so that I could baste my Union Jack pillow without pins. It is joyous! Don't know how it would be with a bit quilt though.

Love the pincushion collection - can a girl ever have too many pincushions? I think the one with the little Gnome wins my new Pincushion of the Day award!

Gertie Pye said...

That should say big quilt, not bit quilt. I think I need to go to bed!

Cherie said...

Basting is the worst! All those pins! I need to re-baste two quilts...but the effort to do so! =D

Debbie said...

Basting IS the worst!! Glad you survived it yet again, though! And what fun pincushions! That's awesome!
Your Mars Bars sounds so tasty - thanks for sharing and for linking up!

Danih03 said...

I basted my first sort of big quilt with spray basting on a wall. I followed Patsy Thompson's youtub tutorial. It went super fast. I haven't done enough to give a final opinion. I did have a few small puckers in my quilt, but I haven't done a quilt spray basted, or pin basted that didn't...ha!

colorchic said...

Loving your pin cushions! Thanks for visiting Color Chic!

Leanne said...

I don't hate basting but I have a nice space if I just move the chairs out of the way. Good luck with the finish, it sounds like you have a good chance on that. And I love pincushions, you have a beautiful collection.

Di said...

Now your big 'beast' is basted I hope that the quilting goes smoothly so that you make that finish! You have an impressive selection of pin cushions! Di x

Charlotte said...

ugh, basting!!!! I spray baste which makes it slightly less annoying, but I still have to move all the furniture out of the living room!

Kelly said...

I am with you about the basting, I think I would have quilt quilting ages ago had I not found 505 spray.
Yummy looking cakes!