Our sewing essentials...

There are three redwork designs in the July Stitchery Club.

Each has a sewing theme and though they can be used in many ways as individual projects, I thought I'd stitch them together and display the set in a white frame on my sewing room desk...

Redwork is a very relaxing style of embroidery.

No mind twisting hours spent choosing the perfect thread colours; just pick out your favourite red and thread your needle.

But don't limit yourself to redwork.

Have you tried blackwork?

Here's an old design of mine which looked quite striking stitched with only black thread on white linen, and bordered with black and white pin-dot print...

 

This pattern is a gift for all my newsletter subscribers during July.

The newsletter is free and is emailed direct to you every second Friday.

Inside you'll read about the highlights shared on my blog over the previous two weeks, get direct links to any tutorials I've shared recently, have access to special offers, and receive a free monthly design to download!

Just sign up over HERE and you'll receive "Potted Daisies" as your first gift on Friday 3rd July.

If you sign up after the 3rd you will receive the pattern in the July 17th newsletter. 

 I'm planning to have another slow day (or two)...

Life has been quite hectic recently and I have precious family members arriving for a visit on the 13th, so before I set my muscles to scrubbing and sprucing and baking (as well as toddler-proofing the sewing room) I intend to spend a day or two with my feet up.

I shall drink many pots of rose-vanilla tea, finish hand quilting "at the heart of it all", and watch all my Jane Austen movies. 

I may even indulge in a little Poirot and some Belgian chocolate.

So until next week,

breathe, relax, laugh & drink in the beauty of a slow day

hugs

 

 

Changes afoot...

As I shared the other day, I have a very clear direction for the blog in 2015.

"A Year of Gentle Domesticity"...

A few quiet afternoons were spent this week stitching a pretty new banner to feature on my blog next year.

I showed some peeks of my progress last Tuesday, and now here it is all complete...

I love it...

...and the response the other day by my readers to those small glimpses encouraged me to offer it to you as a pattern that you can stitch for yourself.

It's HERE right now as an instant pdf download.

Mine is stitched on a vintage doily purchased at a small town market stall, which really adds to my 2015 theme. If you don't have a doily with a large usable area in the centre you could stitch it onto a piece of solid fabric, or perhaps a faded piece of gingham? 

I adore old cotton gingham - mmm, may have to do something with that idea in 2015...

It's only 5 more sleeps until Month 3 of the Stitchery Club is emailed to all subscribers...

 This month the theme is "Stitchy Things" and you may see a lot of these designs popping up across blogs next year as in January my Club members will be invited to participate in our very first international swap!

I'm so excited about this that I'll be one of the swappers too.

I wonder who may partner will be? May have to ask Mr E to randomly choose for us so it's a surprise!

Here are the designs in this month's set of six patterns...

 Remember, you can unsubscribe at any time, so why not sign up today and try it out?

Go HERE to subscribe and I will email you this sweet freebie as a a gift you can stitch while you wait for your first set of Club patterns to arrive!

The Stitchery Club sets will not be available to purchase outside of the Club in 2015.

They will however be sold as six individual stitchery patterns instead.

Another great reason to join. :-)

Have a wonderfully relaxing weekend my friends.

I'm finishing a country style remake of my free "Sparrow" design (available here) for a friend...

It looks very different to my original pastel version, doesn't it?

Have you stitched this yet?

hugs

Coconuts and scrolls...

It's a tradition in our family to bake Cinnamon Scrolls on Blossom's birthday, but I had such a nasty head cold last weekend that I gave her a rain check on them.

Today was rain check day!

Actually, it all starts the night before.

I make the dough, and roll the scrolls at night, then pop them in the fridge until early the next morning...

Surprisingly the dough will continue to rise in the fridge, so when I get up next morning they go straight in the oven for a hot breakfast treat!

 Served with a hot cappuccino, we celebrated Blossom's 19th once more.

YUM.

Would you like to make them too?

The recipe for the sweet dough comes from an old favourite bread book of mine...

Just add these ingredients, in order, to your bread machine and set to 'dough'...

The measures above are Australian metric, so for my US friends here they are in Imperial...

1 1/4 cups water (300ml water)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons butter (40g)

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons of sugar (60g)

3 3/4 cups white bread flour (525g)

4 tablespoons milk powder (60g)

1 teaspoon bread improver

2 1/4 teaspoons dried yeast

(I suggest you weigh the ingredients for the best results)

 

Once the dough cycle is finished, roll out the dough to a rectangle - about 10" x 14".

Mix one third of a cup of soft butter with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder. Spread this over the dough.

Roll up the dough like a Swiss Roll. Cut into 12 slices, and lay them in a baking dish lined with baking paper.

Place in the fridge overnight.

Next morning heat your oven to 190C (390F). Bake the scrolls for about 15-20 minutes.

Mix together a heaped cup of icing sugar (powdered sugar), a teaspoon of strawberry essence, and enough milk to make a smooth icing.

Drizzle over the hot scrolls as soon as they come out of the oven. 

Have I ever told you that we have a Coconut Palm growing right outside our front door?

I was outside this morning taking photos of the original version of Romeo Roses made into a cushion .....

 

...when I realised you may not know about my coconuts. I think it's pretty neat to have coconuts in the front yard!

 I can't wait until they are ready. Mmmm, fresh coconut is wonderful!

(The Romeo Roses pattern is available HERE)

Don't forget to sign up for my Free Friday Newsletter as soon as possible because in tomorrow's newsletter I am sharing the pattern for this gorgeous vase wrap with all subscribers!

 

It's easy to sign up - just go HERE to the sign up page.

Have a lovely evening! Mr E is back from his working trip away so I am smiling from ear to ear...

Hugs

Jenny

xx

Wrapping Roses...

Yesterday I pulled everything out of my sewing room and changed everything around in the process.

I thrive on a good de-clutter and spring clean (yeh, winter's just a few days away, but it feels like spring!), so with Mr E working away, Blossom at her job, and the house to myself, I dived in head first.

Today my sewing room 'welcomed' me with shiny newness, which inspired me to finish some on-the-go designs.

Last night I bought myself a small bunch of roses, and they are SO pretty...

...that I thought they needed to be dressed appropriately.

I had stitched a pretty block many months ago, but had no idea how to use it so it's been an orphan waiting for me to get an idea.

Last year I designed this vase wrapper for Issue 8 in my first volume of Elefantz Home e-zine....

 

...so today I chose to make another vase wrapper!

 

It ties at the back with organza ribbon...

Would you like this pattern?

It will be in Friday's free newsletter.

To subscribe to my Free Friday Newsletter, just pop your email address in the box below, and a confirmation email will be sent to you.

 As soon as you confirm, you'll start receiving my Free Friday Newsletters every week!
 ~~~
Today something shiny arrived in the mail.
New sewing shears.
My first pair.
For the last few years I have been using Blossom's, so I think the loan is well overdue.
Hence, my shiny Singers.

 Tomorrow they will begin their work-a-day life with me.
Fabric awaits them.

~~~~
Before I close today, I wanted to share a simple hint.
I do a lot of sewing -  I hear you laughing.  No surprises, eh?
One thing I discovered last year was how to keep two pieces of fabric perfectly 'stuck' together when I am machine sewing them.
 I lay one fabric on top of the other, and then after aligning their edges I press them with a hot steam iron...

Only after I have pressed them together, do I pin them...

The heat from the iron almost 'fuses' them together, so that when I machine sew them there is no slipping or stretching of the bottom fabric.

 I used to find, even after adjusting my machine tensions, that the bottom fabric would usually stretch a fraction and end up a little longer than the top fabric - even when both were exactly the same length. It's more of a problem with long lengths of fabric, but is noticeable with shorter ones too.
Pressing the fabrics together before machine sewing has even made my points match up better when I am piecing blocks. If you've had a similar problem give this a try and let me know if it has helped you.

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!
Hugs

Jenny

xx

More de-cluttering, and a freebie!

I have to be honest, this de-cluttering for Spring has been wonderful!

I have been able to clear out my pantry, my fabrics, my patterns, and now my bookcase!!

Listed HERE are all the wonderful crafty books I am selling. Some of them are brand new, never read.

A few life lessons for me after this exercise today...

* Think before I purchase. 

* Use the library to see if I really like a book enough to buy it.

* Am I only buying out of curiosity??

* Do I have enough time to make the pattern/s??

The books, patterns and magazines are for Australian buyers ONLY. 

Books can be expensive to post, so maybe grab a few to make it worth your while? I post in satchels mostly as that is the cheapest.

Visit my sale page HERE.

~~~~~

My new quilt design is coming along nicely!

Another month or six weeks, and "Shabby Angels" should be finished. Here's a few sneak peeks...

 

 ~~~~~

I've also been making special gifts. Here is one that hopefully inspires the recipient.

The lace is almost 100 years old...

 

 

~~~~~

Now it's time to show you how I have been spoiled!

My sweet friend, Nancy Jo, sent me a surprise bundle of joyful bits and pieces...and you know, they arrived on a day when my heart really was in need of a lift and a hug. Thanks, Nancy Jo - I just wish you'd posted your sweet self in the parcel instead. xxxxxxxxx

My friend Stephanie has begun a crochet phase, and I was so in love with what she was making that she offered to send me the pattern. Well, bless my cotton pickin' socks - she sent me the gorgeous crochet cotton as well!

I see a crochet world in my future. ;-)

Thank you Stephanie! xxx

~~~~~

Are you a subscriber to my FREE newsletter?

If not, you missed out on my free pattern for "Sweet Somethings" in yesterday's newsletter!

Now because I've been blessed this week, I feel like blessing YOU too. 

So that nobody misses out on the free pattern for Sweet Somethings, HERE is where you can download it.

But in future, make sure you're signed up for the newsletter. I have quite a few freebies to share with subscribers between now and Christmas!

~~~~~

Mr E finishes up at his place of work today, and before he begins his new job he's taking a two week break - to spend with me. \o/

I am a very happy wife indeed.

Hugs

Jenny

xxx

PS: Issues 13, 14 and 15 of Elefantz HOME are available for purchase HERE. But only for a short time, so hurry!