Lady, step away from the fabric stash!

As you may have noticed recently I've been more than a little distracted by my sewing machine and fabric stash. I think I feel about the sewing machine the way some people feel about cars. It gives me a sense of freedom. Odd, considering I have to be sitting in a very specific place to do it (and barefoot too, does anyone else do that? I find I can control the speed better that way).I can barely believe that in five months I've managed to master the machine, and some patterns, well enough to make myself dresses, quilts, cushion covers and even wallets! This week I managed to put together a silk dress to wear to a wedding. I'll no longer feel trapped by highstreet fashion that I not only don't understand - okay, who thought bringing back the '80's was a good idea?!?! - but can't get to fit me properly (although that said I still had to take in the dress as I made it too big. Oops!)

The one thing I've really gone made for is quilting. I love it. This week I finally finished a huge quilt for the bedroom with rocket ships on it. Geeky, but I'm so pleased with it.

A few weeks ago I finished a red and white "Arsenal" quilt for N. It was my first piece using triangles and I enjoyed it so much, and was so pleased with the result, I immediately made another!
But now there's a problem. It's getting warmer, and snuggling under heavy quilts is no longer cozy, it's just hot. Oh no! Whatever will I do with myself?

Patchwork throws anyone?

Stash

The things to come..

I'm in a strange position at the moment where I'm about to run out of plan. My whole life I've had one, and suddenly it's going to come to an end.

Now this is not all bad. The plan is ending because the plan will be finished, in fact not only finished, but achieved (one hopes, best not to tempt fate too early, eh!).

And so begins a summer of wild speculation as to where I might find myself post-plan. Exciting, terrifying and more than a little distracting!

I wonder if it'll involve a few of these?

Randomville

I can't believe the bank holiday weekend is almost over. The past three days has flown past. In fact, to be honest the past week has disappeared in a haze of editing, crafting, cooking, eating, drinking and campaigning.

I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about this weekend. In an unusual turn of form for us we'd decided to forgo a three day laze-fest in favour of a weekend of socialising and events. Now, don't get me wrong, we're pretty social people, and have a very lovely bunch of friends indeed. It's just, we also value some quiet time in the flat, with the cat, helping him guard the sofa, or in the garden generally pottering, or reading and crafting with a nice cup of tea. With this in mind our usual plan is to split the weekend into a day where we "do something" and a day where we don't. This weekend, all of that went out of the window as a variety of circumstances aligned to bring us a socially packed two and a half(ish) days. As a result I was a littel twitchy about losing the quiet time and starting the week already exhausted.Of course, there was no reason to worry. It was a delightful weekend, and I even managed to get some sewing done while N was in the pub catching up with a friend. This was followed by dinner with friends and a hilarious card game, then a Sunday full of dungeons and dragons, and a visit to see a friend's amazing band play, which is always a pleasure. Then, more chatting and a different friend crashing - much to Sniff's confusion, and yet another lazy communal breakfast.

All in all, a very random collection of events, but one that filled the weekend with grins and music, good food and good company.

And speaking of good food, I shall finally give you the recipe for the caramel shortbread slices that I hope lured you into this post. They look a little tempting don't they? I've been wanting to try them for months, especially given N's love of caramel, but wanted an occasion when the two of us wouldn't be left in the flat to finish them off ourselves, because believe me, I knew we would! I adapted the recipe from one in the Sainsbury's magazine and served them up with strong coffee during our DnD session. I think Kelly will be pleased to know they will definitely keep you going whilst fending off zombies.


Beware, these are very sweet, even after I used 78% chocolate on them. They are best in small doses, with a strong coffee, in my opinion. I made the full recipe because of having company, but I'm sure you could halve it or freeze them.

Caramel shortbread slices: makes between 12 and 18 slices, depending on how you cut them.

base:
100g plain flour
75g soft unsalted butter
25g caster (superfine) sugar

caramel:
150g unsalted butter
150g light muscovado sugar
400g light condensed milk

topping:
150G 78-85% dark chocolate
50g white chocolate
1 1/2 tbsp groundnut oil

Grease and line a 18cm square tin (mine was actually slightly larger, I don't think it mattered)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix the base ingredients in a food processor, or rub the butter and sugar into the flour lightly by hand until the mixture is sandy, a bit like crumble. Push evenly into the base of the tin and bake for 20mins until golden. Cool.

Put the caramel ingredients into a large heavy-based pan on a low heat and stir gently until the butter has melted and sugar disolved. Increase the heat and simmer for about 10mins until the mixture is a medium dark caramel colour. Don't let it boil and stir constantly whilst doing this.

Pour this caramel over the cooled mixture, spread to even out if necessary and leave to cool for an hour.

Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over simmering water with 1 tbsp of the oil. At the same time melt the white chocolate in the same way in another bowl with the remaining 1/2 tbsp of oil. Pour the dark chocolate over the cooled caramel and spread evenly, then drizzle the white chocolate to great a swirl. Leave to cool, then set in the fridge for 4 hours, or overnight. Bring to room temperature, then cut with a sharp knife.

Things to come...

Four day weekends rock my world.

Happy Easter weekend to you all. I hope full advantage is being taken of the fact that we've got four whole days to do whatever we like. I also hope that whatever you're doing it involves either a big ole hunk o' chocolate, or a toasted hot cross bun with lashings of salted butter. If not, you can share ours...Whilst planning a get together with friends this week I suggested I make some Easter goodies. One of them laughed and said "it's any excuse for you isn't it. I bet you've made your own hot cross buns too" to which I bashfully held up a bag of them waiting on the side for toasting. Busted!

It's been rather busy here, and I realise that I've neglected the blog this last week. A variety of things have been the cause, not least the fact that I have my draft back and so am manically back at work again. New deadlines have been made, new word targets set and once again the study has been reclaimed and the books and notes piling up.

I have however taken full advantage of the weekend to pack in some craft projects, and yes some baking. So, I hope to be back tomorrow with a recipe. In the meantime I give you my first ever quilt! Sniff would like to point out that he was instrumental in the arrangement of the panels, and the additional embellishment of muddy paw prints.
I hope you're all being smug at the impending Monday off work. I shall be mostly writing letters. Why? I shall reveal all tomorrow when my involvement in an exciting new thing can take centre stage. Oh, how I tease. Hehe!

Ready and waiting...