QBOTMC News - Rosebud Block, Banana Nutella Bread & Machine Quilting Tips
Published: Tue, 02/28/17
We hope you've had a good week. This week here has been a bit exciting - I know - small things
and all that... but I received a package of Liberty Print Fat Quarters in the post, and with Annette
here for a couple of days, we've had a flurry of designing and creating a stack of new projects.
It's always exciting when you get your hands on new fabric, especially if you ordered it online,
and have had to wait for it to be shipped out. This fabric range is Brand New for Alice Caroline
(in the UK), and we've come up with all sorts of fun projects for an upcoming Online Quilt
Magazine, trying to use up every last scrap!
I'm heading up to join Annette's quilt group for their early Autumn retreat, and we'll be busy
sewing Liberty stars !!
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In keeping with our loose floral theme this week, this week's block is a pieced Rosebud Block.
Please click the link below to download this pattern.
http://www.quiltblockofthemonthclub.com/download.php?file=rosebud-block.pdf
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This week, we share Part 1 of Christa Watson's (a quilter and teacher) tips for domestic machine
quilting.
1. Maximize your workspace.
Having enough room to work is one of the keys to successfully quilting on your home machine.
Many manufacturers offer drop-in tables that allow your machine to sit flush with the work surface.
2. Match thread weight to the proper needle size.
With so many choices for threads and needles, here’s a general rule: use a size 80 needle with size
40-50wt thread, and a size 90 needle with a 28-30wt thread. Choose needles labeled as sharps,
topstitch, or quilting over universal. These needles have sharp tips and will more easily pierce
through all three layers of a quilt.
When machine quilting, Christa Watson suggests using the same thread in the top and bobbin.
Christa usually pieces and quilts with Aurifil 50wt cotton thread.
3. Use the same color on top and in the bobbin.
With perfect tension, you should be able to use any combination if colors for the top and bobbin
threads, but in reality this is not always the case. If the two threads have high contrast, you may
see little dots of thread either on the front or back of your quilt. You can also use invisible thread
in the top or bobbin, just not both at the same time.
4. Sketch it, quilt it.
Warm up before you quilt by sketching your quilting design on a piece of paper or on a photograph
or printout of the quilt top. If you understand the flow of the thread path, you can mimic that motion
on your actual quilt.
5. Practice free-motion quilting daily.
Prepare several practice samples consisting of two 10″ squares with a layer of batting in between.
Fill one sample every day and date each sample. Within a week, you will begin to see a noticeable
improvement.
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Banana, Coconut and Nutella Bread
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup self-raising flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 over-ripe bananas, mashed
165ml / 6oz can coconut milk
1/3 cup golden syrup (or substitute with maple syrup)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup Nutella
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180C (356F)/160C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 9cm x 25.5cm (3in x 3 1/2 x 10in)
loaf pan. Line base and sides with 2 layers of baking paper, extending paper 2cm/1in above edges.
Step 2
Sift plain flour, self-raising flour, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add sugar.
Stir to combine. Make a well. Add banana, coconut milk, syrup, oil and egg. Mix to combine. Spoon
into prepared pan.
Step 3
Top with spoonfuls of Nutella. Using a butter knife, drag Nutella through the top of the batter to
create a marbled effect.
Step 4
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of loaf comes out
clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn, top-side up, onto a wire rack lined with baking paper.
Cool completely. Serve.
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Keep an eye out for this week's Bag Pattern arriving shortly in your Inbox too!
Until Next Week - Happy Quilting!
Regards,
Jody & Annette