Friday, November 5, 2010

New Books

I finished the Christmas Arrowhead quilt.


It is 45" x 64". I used Warm and White cotton batting, with red flannel backing. I used 12 fat quarters (and an extra 0.5meters for the binding) of Figgy Pudding by Basicgrey. It was quilted on my home sewing machine using a #80 Microtex needle (the free motion quilting foot on my machine doesn't like a finer needle - the screw goes in too much and this is what caused the last FMQ foot to break), with light khaki Invisafil in the top and red Aurifil in the bobbin.


I decided to quilt a simple, all over design, because I didn't want the quilting to be the focus, I thought that the placement of the blocks and the pattern they created should be the focus. That is why I chose the Invisafil thread (it is a very fine #100 thread - hard to see in the picture).

The back - holly leaves and swirls.

The blocks of this quilt were designed by Anita Grossman Solomon, and I thought that the blocks were so ingenious that I decided to order the book they come from.

"Rotary Cutting Revolution" is a wonderful idea book - there are no quilt patterns - it is a book with 8 incredibly described quilt blocks! They are all wonderful and so well explained. You can preview the book here, click on the "google preview" symbol.

This "No Waste Windmill" block is one I want to try next, or maybe this "Old Italian" block....



I also ordered (to get the free shipping!!) this "my bread" book by Jim Lahey (not from "Trailer Park Boys"!). It was recommended by my parents and sister, and the book sure doesn't disappoint!

This is a "no-knead" technique to making bread that is so simple! It only takes less than 10 minutes of actual working time to make the bread - the secret is letting the ingredients (flour, salt, small amount of yeast and water) to sit for 12-18 hours, and then cooking the bread in a covered enameled cast-iron pot. I have made a few loaves so far and they have been delicious.

The taste and texture are amazing - like the best artisan/European bread. And so easy!!

Update - Here is a link for a version of the bread.
Update#2 - Here is an even better link with lots of cute pictures!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!! ♥
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