QBOTMC News - Hovering Hawks Block, Quilt Care Tips and Salted Oat and Choc Slice
Published: Tue, 10/16/18
We hope you've had a great week this week. We've had a fun one, and I'm delighted to say,
a wet one too! Like a lot of Australia right now, we're experiencing a fairly nasty drought
here, and this week we've had several days of rain. Not the big rain needed to fill dams
again, but enough that we now have grass growing again, and the trees are all bursting
with new Spring leaves.
Mum (Annette) and Dad have been here for several days this week too, and it was good to
see them again. We've been talking and quilting and planning, and the days sure fly by
when you're that kind of busy!
Kids are back at school again now too, and I'm realising that I need to get focused on what
I want to finish this year, as they'll be on holidays again in only 8 weeks for their big
Christmas break!!
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This week's block is a more simple one, but is quite stunning when arranged in a quilt
layout.
Please click the link below to download the Hovering Hawks Block.
http://www.onlinequiltmagazine.com/members/content/f/id/696/
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Quilt Care and Cleaning tips:
* No matter the age of your quilt - new or old, proper care increases the life of your quilts.
Looked after correctly, you will be able to maintain the colour and fabric, ensuring it will
last for generations to follow.
* Fabrics are sensitive to many environmental conditions including climate, humidity, display
technique, light, cleaning, storage and how your quilt is folded.
* Climate - a stable temperature range is best - avoid hot or cold extremes, and around 50% humidity
is preferred, to avoid drying out the fabric, or having mould grow on your quilts.
* Display - The best display for a quilt is spread out over a bed. With quilts that are intended for
display as a wallhanging, the best way to reduce wear on the fabric is to sew a rod pocket to the
back of your quilt and slide through a rod of dowel and hang your quilt that way, so the weight is
distributed as evenly as possible to reduce stress on any particular part of the quilt. NEVER staple
or tack a quilted wallhanging up, as this will put holes in the fabric and lead to damage.
* Light - Both natural and artificial light fades the colours of your fabrics. To slow this process
down, avoid exposure to direct light and try and use indirect lighting sources instead.
* Cleaning - BE CAREFUL when cleaning your quilts as you can damage them if it's done
incorrectly. Quilts that you have in storage only need an occasional airing to remove any dust
or odours. You can vaccuum if required, but tie a nylon stocking over the end of the nozzle or
use an appropriate upholstery brush to reduce the suction, so you don't damage the quilt at all.
Gentle hand washing and air drying are the best options for a complete quilt clean.
* Storage - How a quilt is stored can affect its lifespan. The best way to store unused quilts is
flat, without stacking. Put in a container or tub is a good option, but do not use an air-tight container,
as you may find you end up with mould problems. Also, acid-free tissue should be used between
the folded areas of the quilt, or alternatively cotton fabric such as a sheet may be used instead.
Importantly too, you should take your folded quilts out every so often and refold them in different
ways to avoid deep crease marks in your quilts. Repeated folding in the same way can cause the
fabrics to weaken and deteriorate over time.
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These sounded a bit decadent too, and worth a try...
Salted Oat, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares
Ingredients
150g/ 1/3lb butter, chopped, at room temperature
100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
100g (1/2 cup) caster (fine white) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
130g (1/2 cup) smooth peanut butter
150g (1 cup) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
90g (1 cup) traditional oats
190g (1 cup) dark chocolate chips
50g (1 cup) pretzels, coarsely chopped, plus 30 extra, to decorate
300g dark chocolate, melted
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180C (356F)/160C fan forced. Grease a 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 in)(base measurement)
slice pan and line with baking paper, allowing long sides to overhang.
Step 2
Use electric beaters to beat the butter, sugars and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add egg
and beat until well combined. Beat in peanut butter. Sift over flour and baking powder. Add oats,
choc chips and chopped pretzels. Stir to combine. Press into prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Set aside in pan to cool completely.
Step 3
Spread melted chocolate over cookie bar. Top with extra pretzels. Place in fridge for 20 minutes or
until set. Cut into 30 squares.
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Until Next Week - Happy Quilting!
Regards,
Jody & Annette