New puppy

Miss D'arcy at 13, has a new mate.. the daughter she never had! Remy, so named after our last week in Provence staying at St Remy, is just gorgeous, soft and cuddly and reasonably well behaved for a 16 week old Retriever ! Puppy preschool on Wednesday nights still has me a little challenged but there are signs of progress...

Melbourne Cup!

Thanks to Tuesday morning class for getting in the spirit..

Yuletide Blessings to all & recipes

End of term for another year! It has felt a little like Christmas in classes this week with French champagne and quiche, together with little ' gifts' from my kitchen. My thanks to all who support Judi' s Studio with attendance and wonderful conversation.. Always lots to talk about .... While we sew of course! Enjoy the break and families over Christmas and New Year!

Below are recipes from this weeks classes you asked for. .. The little prune / walnut logs ( thanks to Mandy Walker) make nice gifts to serve on a cheese platter for a change, and the gourmet rocky road( thanks to Julie Darley) looks pretty and tastes rather nice too !
First log is made with 2 cups dried figs, whizzed in food processor ( leave 1/2 cup chopped not processed) add 2 tabs pine nuts with 1 1/2 tabs of vinocotto( available at Harris Farm Markets). Shape into log 4.5x 18 cm. Leave wrapped in foil for a few days then wrap tightly with foil in fridge for a few more days. Keep refrigerated and cut with a hot knife into slices and serve with honeyed walnuts and blue cheese... Lovely!
I have also included my recipe for pastry done in whizz... So easy! For savoury I add 1/3 cup Parmesan to flour and sweet 2 tabs castor sugar. The salmon quiche recipe is also a goody thanks to Jane Wiesener. Served with caramelized onion.. Yum!
Bon Apetit! Bonne Noel!

Bike Ride almost 300kms!

Starting at Blois after catching an ultra smooth train from Paris, did not disappoint... Our first hotel was probably16C and most of town and of course castle date back even further, being first mentioned in 6C!...OLD!
We managed to get away after bike fitting the next morning with a clutch of maps... Not necessarily matching any sort of signposting we are used to... The French way!
Arrived at Amboise in the rain after 45 ks of fascinating little villages, sunflower fields, vineyards and chateaux popping up here and there. The hot shower and delightful hotel De L'Abrelles set in woodland was very welcome. We spent the afternoon wandering around Leonardo's last dwelling, a beautiful small chateau called Clos de Luce and magnificent gardens, the whole experience memorable.

Tricky communications

My blog hasn't been as successful as thought so apologies for not posting as planned. Internet signal and strength have been very erratic in places like Nth Devon, Paris, Loire & Carcassonne, making it impossible to send much at all. Here in Provence at a charming hotel much better signal and a little time before we head home. Photos taken in a Paris 'passage' .... A fabric shop which felt like turn of the century, with gorgeous silks and a wall of buttons all in beige suede boxes.. A little slice of heaven.

Harrod's windows and a day in London

Loved London, can't believe I rode around parts of the city! It made it so easy to get to the changing of the guard without any traffic hassles, cyclists rule here, fantastic.

Beautiful Quilts thanks to Jan!

Congratulations to Jan Manchester who shared her fabulous collection of handmade quilts she has done over the last 10 years in a recent exhibition for charity. Everyone was bowled over by her ability with colour choice, design, hand work and sheer size of her efforts.. Just brilliant! Her are. Some of the close ups I couldn't resist taking on my iPhone, which include some of her friends work as well.

Our faves from this term!

Studio morning teas

I am a home bake girl! All those years of cooking lunchbox goodies for three boys and my country students offerings from their experiences of ' bringing a plate' have provided me with endless nice things to cook for our class breaks in the Studio. Here are three popular ones from this term.

Sharon's Muffins
(Raspberry and coconut)
2 cups SR flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk ( you can also use natural yoghurt)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
150-300 g fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3 cup coconut
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients together, then combine the two till only just blended...20 stirs!! I like to paper line my muffin trays with large party cases. This should make 12. Cook in moderately hot oven for 20'.
NB. Chocoholics can add 1 cup white chocolate buds instead of coconut.

Harvest Pear Cake
( from Ian Parmenter's Consuming Passions)
The crumble mix:
50g canola margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts

Cake
125g canola margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tap vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup wholemeal SR flour
1 cup in bleached plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 cup skim milk
3 cups pears, cubed with skin on
Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and mix till smooth. Add vanilla and milk. Mix well, add sifted dry ingredients. Fold in pears and half the crumble mix.
Put into greased 20 cm cake tin or baking dish, top with remaining crumble mix. Bake at 190 deg for 45' to 1 hour. Makes a nice dessert with fresh yoghurt or cream decadence!

Jess Harvey's Date Slice
(Thanks to Iris Country Fair Cookbook)
3/4 cup sugar
125gms butter
1 egg
4 tabs glacé ginger
1tsp bi carb soda
1 1/2 cups SR flour
1 cup or more seedless dates
Extra caster sugar and cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 175C. Cover dates in boiling water. Leave 10 minutes.

Gently melt butter on low heat, cool slightly. Add egg to sugar and butter. Add softened and drained dates, then flour.
Mix in medium sizes saucepan which butter was melted in to save on washing up. Press into a slice tin lined with Gladbake. Cook 20' and remove if when pressed in centre is not too soft. While hot sprinkle with extra sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Voila! perfect pocket....have a go!

Buttonhole pockets steps 3 & 4

Turn pockets strips through to wrong side and aline folded edges. Press. Slip stitch edges together. Placing wrong side down, lift jacket front up so the 'V' shows at each end of pocket. Pin across base of 'v' through pocket strips and check on right side that these are positioned well. Machine across pocket ends, catching in 'v'. Stitch a pocket bag onto each strip at back, right sides facing, press then stitch around outside of pocket bag to finish!

Buttonhole pocket revision steps 1&2

Having raw edges of folded strips butting over centre pocket line, stitch along centre of each strip stopping at end point level at each end( at least 1.5cm from raw edge of strip)
On wrong side clip along centre between lines of stitching and to centre of last stitch at each end.

In training for bike ride in the Loire next month...

Jacket interfacing....where should it go?

Use armoweft fusible for entire front of jacket, under collar, pocket welts and as this is a lighter weight coating, on facings and upper collar.
Use a non fuse shapewell or cotton muslin cut on the bias for back 'saddle' which is stay stitched around armhole neckline and shoulders. The lower edge which isn't attached should be pinked so a press line won't show on outside.
Sleeves have a small amount of interfacing around the head and lower edge, which helps to give it a tailored look when finished.
You can also build up a breast plate using several overlaying layers from front shoulder around armhole as shown, this stops garment collapsing around front armhole.
After applying interfacing, pin pattern back on each section and trim if any distortion has occurred. Mark all necessary points, darts, pocket lines and especially ' the dot' ( stitching stop point at knotch collar junction on front and facing neckline).
I like to stay stitch the lapel roll- line to prevent stretching.

Great garments completed!

Last summer....


Meredith chose a silk satin and silk organza to make a classic evening top with a cluster of beads holding a tie to neck...exquisite!

Julie's 'mother of the bride' outfit was a gorgeous beaded silk chiffon, softly flowing over wide legged pants. Hand made tassle with added rhinestones and beads on front cowl gave the top a special focus. Wedding was a great success!

Warmer climes anyone?

Term 3 sees Kaye traveling north to warmer climes.... Can't say I blame her ! She certainly won't need her beautiful new coat, made last term from Burda pattern and cashmere & wool fabric... Fabulous!

New blog!

Thanks to son Hugo I now have a blog to record Studio info, photos and tips, woo-hoo!
Watch this space.....
XJ