Friday 29 September 2017

Quilt Pattern: Brisk Winds, Warm Stoves

Quilting fever has hit me again! Maybe it was brought by Autumn winds from far far away quilting land. Idea of making seasonal quilts has inspired me lately. When quilts start piling it is an heureka -moment when you realize you can make different quilts, like blankets, pillows and kitchen accessorize, for every season and this way display all your great works. I am already thinking about Halloween and Christmas! I try to avoid too traditional look with seasonal quilts by choosing fabrics that will match to my personal style. This means somewhat bright colors all year around paired with skeletons and snowmen depending on the season. Today's quilt pattern is inspired by Autumn but made with clear classic style color blocks fitting to all seasons if preferred. This is a great pattern for beginners and relatively quick to make. Today I will give you step by step tutorial on how to quilt this pattern. On next quilting post I will show you how to do the batting and stitching and make pillows using these beautiful designs. If you love quilting inspiration stay tuned this Autumn and Winter season. If I am not miraculously cured from my quilting fever I will keep posting quilt projects every now and then. My BuJo is filled with sketches waiting to actualize!



Brisk Winds, Warm Stoves

With this tutorial you will get two 57*57 cm pieces you can use to make for example pair of pillows.

You will need:

Fabric in 8 colors (preferably fabric that has no pattern in it).
Sewing yarn

Quilting equipment: 

Cutting mat
Ruler
Rotary cutter
Pins
Scissors
Sewing machine
Iron

You can use this picture as a pattern model when making the blocks. You will come up with two pieces that are slightly different when looking the stripes. Collect the blocks together as shown in the picture and picture below.




Step 1. You might not find exactly same fabrics that I am using so decide what fabrics you are using instead. To make it easier to do the cutting I have listed the pieces that you need from each 8 colors.

Green & Blue Palette

Light blue: 21,5*21,5 cm Square 1 piece / 21,5*6 cm 2 pieces / 21,5*5,5, cm 4 pieces
Olive green: 21,5*21,5 cm Square 1 piece / 21,5*6 cm 4 pieces / 21,5*5,5 cm 3 pieces
Moss green: 21,5*21,5 cm Square 1 piece / 21,5*6 cm 2 pieces / 21,5*5,5 cm 4 pieces
Bright green: 21,5*21,5 cm Square 1 piece / 21,5*6 cm 2 pieces / 21,5*5,5 cm 4 pieces

Red and Orange Palette

Orange: 21,5*21,5 cm Square 2 pieces / 21,5*6 cm 2 pieces / 21,5*5,5 cm 3 pieces
Red: 21,5*21,5 cm Square 2 pieces / 21,5*6 cm 2 pieces / 21,5*5,5 cm 3 pieces
Cyclamen red: 21,5*6 cm 2 pieces / 21,5*5,5 cm 3 pieces
Lilac: 21,5*21,5 cm Square 1 piece / 21,5* 6 cm 2 pieces / 21,5*,5, cm 3 pieces



Step 2. Iron the fabrics properly. Because all pieces are 21,5 cm wide cutting is quick and easy. First you cut 21,5 cm piece and the cut of the 21,5 cm wide square and then the stripes. See picture.



Step 3. Because 6 cm and 5,5 cm wide stripes can be difficult to tell from each other I suggest you put a post it on the top of the 6 cm pile. When you have cut all pieces it is time to start sewing pieces together.


Step 4. First consult your plan or the picture of the pattern on this page. In this pattern you can see 9 blocks that consist of five stripes and triangle. Work one block per time and see the order of stripes. Take the tree stripes in the middle from the 5,5 cm wide pile and the stripes that are going to both sides from the 6 cm wide pile. 


Step 5. Sew stripes together with 0,75 cm seam allowance. You get 0,75 cm when you sew following the edge with the foot as in the picture.



Step 6. Iron the seams properly open.


Step 7. Take the square that is the same color as the triangle of the block. Draw line from corner to corner to the wrong side.



Step 8. Pin the squares right sides together as shown in the pictures.



Step 8. Sew from both sides of the line with the 0,75 seam allowance.



Step 9. Cut the triangles apart following the line you draw before. Iron the seam well.



Now you got the first blocks for the pattern. Do other blocks similarly. Note that you are making everything in pair for two different bigger blocks. 


Step 10. When you got all blocks ready you can combine the parts together according to the pattern. Sew blocks together row by row.


Step 11. Iron the seams properly. Then you should combine the rows. Be careful that the corners of the blocks match.




Step 12. Pin the rows together carefully and sew with 0,75 cm seam allowance.



Step 13. Iron the seams and the complete work. Combine the blocks of the other piece same way.





I will continue working with these quilted pieces and turn them into pillows. I will write a tutorial about that too so stay tuned, part two is coming soon. If you are interested in quilting check my other posts about quilting:

Step by step guide on how to quilt a block, gives you another way to sew blocks!

Welcome to the quilter's residence, gives you some color inspiration in a form of quilted blankets.

Happy Friday and Weekend to you all!

Sannu

Tuesday 26 September 2017

Autumn Story: Dinner with Poets


Today I let the pictures do the talking and share two great recipes with you. This Autumn Story is inspired by poets and melancholy of the season. Autumn is the season of contrasts, warm buttery pie crusts and cold winds. It is the best time of the year to gather friends together and organize a bohemian style evening party. Usually letter shaped cookie cutters are used when making sugar ornaments or other sweet treats. You can experiment with the cutters and cut sliced veggies or decorate a savory cabbage pie with pastry letters. Choose your favorite verses and surprise your friends with a creative way. Fun idea would also be to decorate each one's plate with one word and then combine the words to a poem in a group. 

I am sharing two recipes to add to the evening menu. Traditional Finnish Cabbage Pie is a must for the Autumn season when new white cabbages come to the stores. Butter and quark in the crust make this dish super tasty and fulfilling. Fresh bulgur wheat salad gets it's character from lemon and lemon pesto. Letters cut from beetroots or carrots fit in perfectly. Just let the beetroot letters rest for little while before adding to the mix. Otherwise you will have red salad instead of pretty green and yellow. All recipes are relatively easy. Cutting letters is the task that takes most time. You can begin by cutting the veggie letters you need and keep the letters moist in cold temperature before serving. Lets get cooking, baking and crafting!






Poem on the pie: 

Läpi yön käy yrttien henki 
ja kuuma huokaus maan. 

Nocturne by Kaarlo Sarkia.


Poem on the salad:

Turhaan, oi turhaan
     tartun ma hetkehen kiini;
riemua ei suo
     rattoisa seura ei viini.

Elegia by Eino Leino


Traditional Finnish Cabbage Pie

To the crust
250 g butter
250 g quark
4 dl wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder

Filling
one small cabbage
3 carrots
2 onions
water
0,75 dl broken barley
3 tbsp dark syrup
veg. oil
2 tsp apple vinegar
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp marjoram
salt
black pepper



Step 1. Mix together flour and baking powder. Add butter in cubes. Mix flour and butter with fingers.


Step 2. Add quark and mix properly.


Step 3. Cover the pastry with cling film and let it rest in the fridge.


Step 4. Prepare the filling. Mince onion and cabbage, grate carrots. Sweat the onion in oil on a big kettle. Add little bit of water and small part of the cabbage. When the cabbage becomes slightly softer add more cabbage and grated carrots. Cook barley in a separate kettle.


Step 5. When the veggies are soft mix together barley, syrup and spices.


Step 6. Take half of the pastry and roll it to the bottom. Spread the filling on top. Roll the other half of the pastry on top. Cut off extras and secure the seams.


Step 7. Use the extra pastry to the letters. Attach the letters with a little bit of water. Use fork or barbecue stick to make small holes to the pie's surface. Egg the surface and bake the pie in 200 Celsius degrees preheated over for about 30 minutes.




Bulgur Wheat Salad with Lemon Pesto and Letters

Bulgur Wheat
Lemon Pesto
Lemon juice
Lemon peel
Plum tomatoes
Paprika
Courgette
Veg. oil
Kalamata olives
Salad cheese
Beetroot/ Carrot
Cavolo Nero sprouts / other green salad or herb


Step 1. Peel and slice beetroot/ carrot. Cut letters with cookie cutters. 


Step 2. Cook bulgur wheat. Mince courgette and sweat in veg. oil. Mince paprika, olives and tomatoes. Wash and grate lemon peel. Wash cavolo nero.


Step 3. Mix together cooked bulgur, pesto, lemon juice, olives, minced veggies and salad cheese cubes. Decorate with lemon peel, cavolo nero and beetroot/ carrot letters.




Have a Great Last Week of September!

Sannu