The Spring Quilt is 75% pieced, although not 75% done - there are trillions of leaves and flowers to do.
This is the third quadrant.
Personally I am happy to cut and sew triangles rather than use the method of sewing squares together and then cutting.
Granny's choice - this was a difficult one to work out the pattern - don't think my head was in the right place on Sunday morning! I originally tried it out with a Quarter Square Triangle Unit which would have been a better fit (the squares version was a bit small- not sure why as the seams were accurate). I thought the squares version looked neater though. I'll put a 'scant 1/4" seam' in the instructions.
I have the instructions to write for two blocks for this week's class and the leaves and vines to prepare the Quarter Three. I'm still appliquéing the leaves on the first half though. So little time.....
I pootle about in the early mornings with pattern designs and I have done the last four blocks
I start by building the individual units. I use millimetre units to build the block - so a 4" block would be 40mm (it fits on the page!). So this Goose Tracks Block has four background squares of 40mm (cut 4 1/2" squares) and so on. Then I type out the measurements and make the block up. Finally I compile the instructions with step-by-step pictures. I have been building a Library of pictures which break down the instructions into their component parts so that I don't have to start from scratch each time. These are called assets and you can just see some of the triangle assets on the right hand side of the picture. It takes quite a while to put together the instructions. Especially before I realised I could create my own 'assets'. I've been making other assets to use for my designs - buttons and embroidery stitches. I find it totally absorbing. You can get quilt design programmes (I had one ages ago) which are really good if you are just making quilts yourself but no good for creating instructions and putting patterns together for sale. The programme is designed for illustrators and is really powerful. I am all self taught here and have wonderful moments of epiphany when I discover how to do new things!
Baking this week - Cappuccino Cupcakes.
I had a long discussion with myself about butter versus margarine which involved a lot of 'Googling'. The origins of margarine are pretty grim reading.
Butter makes the cakes heavier and more dense but very tasty. I always used to use butter because the margarines and spreads used to have horrendous things in them and don't get me started on 'spreads'! My father used to trawl the fridge and throw away anything with hydrogenated fats decades before the general public were alerted to the dangers. We very, very rarely ate fried food and the oil went in the bin after it had been used as it had undergone molecular changes during the heating process. I suppose we were lucky that my father knew about these things - although he always explained things in great detail. The laws of physics are hard for little children to understand, but I am so grateful he made our lives the richer by being curious about everything! Things did sink in even though our eyes became glazed and our little bodies fidgeted. I hope I have carried this curiosity on to my children and grandchildren although my understanding of things is feeble in comparison with my father's. It is a source of great regret that he did not live long enough to see his grandchildren grown into men and have their own families. For them as well, not to have known such an incredible person. Such is life.
To get back to the subject in hand! These cupcakes were made with margarine and the icing with butter, which sets much harder (especially in the winter). The only time I use margarine is in baking and I always read the list of ingredients first. I might have a little experiment with oil in baking - that has nothing added.
Max stayed on Saturday again - he is much better now although his ear is still not recovered. His grommet dropped out. Steph rescued it to show to the doctor.
He lives in his own little world and every little engagement with his eyes is a joy. They are becoming more frequent - little steps, big blessings. He's a such happy little boy and although his condition isolates him in many ways he is very loving and that is so precious.
So now the housework is calling, in particular the bathroom. Oh joy.
I have pancakes left over from yesterday so I will feast on the delights of pancakes with lemon and sugar for a nutritious lunch... I might make a vegetable soup to stop my halo from tarnishing. Oh I forgot - that ship sailed long ago!
My love to you all on Valentine's Day.
Until next time. xx
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