Cooking Fun

This week we had a fun diversion.  We were cooked for 80 people for 3 meals this weekend.  It is always fun to do this service.  We did sloppy joes, chicken noodle soup from scratch and buttermilk pancakes from scratch.  It is fun to see happy hungry teenagers.  The Youth went to a very old cemetery and worked for the better part of 5 hours cleaning, weeding, and other general help.  It was chilly outside but managed to not rain.  Then to the church for hot chicken noodle soup, kids even came back for seconds and more.  I think that I have it down to a science now.  Grateful to be able to be part of something fun for the kids, and grateful to all of those who helped me.  Now back to real life, with quilting and cleaning to make up for last week.  One quilt on the machine for a wedding present for a friend then on to the work/play with the quilting business. 

Make you laugh

Just thought I would make you all laugh.  I was hanging a quilt up so take a picture and Torri, my little Shar Pei dog heard a noise outside and ran to check it out.  When she stands all of her wrinkles sag to her tail.    Maybe someday I will get a picture of her face.  She is a good girl.
I have one quilt on the machine for a wedding on Friday.  Need to get back to work.  I will take a picture of it tomorrow.

Minky Fun

I have a new niece on the way and I had a lot of fun making a quilt with a minky back.  This is the softest fabric I have ever played with.  I used the low loft minky.  I used white thread so that it wouldn't detract from the polka dots on the minky.   It worked well and I look forward to using it many more times.

Gig Harbor QOV

Here are two more Quilt of Valor quilts.  These beautiful tops were made in Gig Harbor.  I gave them both the stars and loops pattern for the body of the quilt.  This way the quilting wouldn't dominate these tops.  I quilted borders with stars and hearts with the words Thank You on one of them and Freedom and Courage on the other quilts borders.  These quilts will soon be on their way to comfort men or women in our armed forces.  I am grateful for this opportunity.

Kate's Oatmeal Bread

I am asked often for the recipe for my Oatmeal Bread.  I have been making this bread for about 20 years.  I always make enough for 4 loaves.  One of the loaves I will make into monkey bread for a treat.  This recipe is easily cut into half, but then it would be gone to fast.

         Oatmeal Bread

1 cup warm water
4 T yeast                                            
1.5 cup water    
1.5 cup old fashion rolled oats                                                   
 1 t baking soda
 2 T salt
1 cup honey (sugar works well also)
2 cups buttermilk                                                  
2/3 cup oil
11 cups flour (white and wheat work well together)


Start by softening yeast in warm water add 1 t sugar to help it brew.
Heat 1.5 cups water to boil and stir in 1.5 cups oats.  Stir constantly for 3 minutes.  Take off heat and stir in the buttermilk and oil then stir.  In mixer measure 4 cups of flour, salt, and baking soda and mix together.  Add oatmeal/buttermilk mixture and yeast mixture into the flour mixture.  Add sugar or honey and then stir for 2 minutes.  Add remaining flour and knead for 6-8 minutes.  Remove from mixture and form a ball.  Place in large bowl to rise for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Form equal loaves  and place in pans.  Let dough rise for 45 minutes or until double.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake for 40 minutes.

This is amazing bread.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we have....Kate

Pillow Fun

I was able to play with making a pillow for a bridal shower.  I made the front and then assembled the front to the back on the quilting machine.  I then did the cross hatching on the back and quilted acorns and oak leaves to the pillow front to compliment the fall colors of the fabric.  I look forward to making many pillows.  This was a fun and fairly quick project. 

Baby Quilts

Baby quilts are so much fun to do.  Over the years every time I make a baby quilt I have made 2 tops.  If I am going to go to the work of making the one top I might as well be making two.  As I go through my drawers in the sewing room I am finding baby quilt tops even 12 years old.  So I have been quilting them.  The oldest is the Noah's ark quilt.  It was so much fun finding didgitized patterns that would look like feathers for the bird and such. 
The log cabin quilt has one of my recession buster patterns on it.  The teddy bears are about 4 inches high. 
The rose bud quilt with an Irish chain has blossomed rose buds in an all over pattern. 
The 4th quilt is a Buggy Barn Crazy Stars.  It has geometric squares with stars in selected boxes. 
Baby quilts are so fast to quilt and you feel so accomplished.  I hope you have fun looking at these.

Tribute Page

Today I will pay tribute to my favorite quilt pattern artists.  My first quilt ever was an Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day patterns.  So this first quilt pic is from the book Still Stripping After 25 Years.  Eleanor Burns reinvented quilting by creating the strip quilting method.  My living room curtains are this same pattern except longer. 
My next tribute is to Bonnie Hunter from Quiltville.com.  I have been using her patterns for ten years.  The red is a string quilt, called String Quilting Primer.  The second quilt, the blue one is called Leaders and Enders.  The funny part of this quilt is that the white and blue shells, and striped fabrics are the 3rd reuse of this fabric.  It was the curtains in two of our homes and now it sits as a quilt on my bed.  It is bigger than a California King size quilt so it is hard to display. 
The third artist that I have loved and learned so much from is the Buggy Barn patterns.  I have made many of their patterns including my nieces quilt earlier pictured and these Crazy Stars.  I enjoy the stack and whack method of quilting.  It is a nice diversion from my favorite traditional piecing. 

I hope that you quilter will take a look at these artists and if you are new to quilting try the Quilt in a Day patterns.  You will love it.  Thank you for your time and attention.  I am enjoying sharing with you.