Cutting Out parts.

 ( pile of unsewn parts )

It's a wet day and I have been cooking and sewing. For a while I have been mulling over a new project and decided today to start. It's an old favourite with me. Hexagons - but NOT English Paper Pieced ones .I suppose it's a form of Quilt as you go. The backing fabric which folds forward over the batting and feature fabric is in this case 9.5" and the feature fabric and batting is a 7.5" hexagon.
 Way back in 2006 I did a child's quilt ( which Grandson is now using as his play mat at his place )  in this method with much smaller hexagons.I did another the year after . Since then I have used the same method to make coasters and place mats.
 This is going to be garden themed. Only actual flowers not generic ones and backings in green fern or leaf fabric.Some will be repeated to give a larger block of one flower. I will show you as I progress. The project will involve hand stitching, machine quilting and hand sewing together.

 Today I have dehydrated more apples and persimmons, made Winter Bean Soup and this Walnut and Apricot loaf.

I altered the recipe a bit today but will put my original recipe below.

Walnut and Apricot Loaf.

* Soak 1 cup of chopped dried apricots in a bowl with a cup of boiling water. Leave for about an hour to plump up.

* set oven to 180 degrees and line a loaf tin with baking paper.

*In a large bowl beat 2 large eggs with 3/4 cup of sugar.

* Sieve in 2 tsps of baking powder and 1 tsp of baking soda and 2 3/4 cups of flour.

* Stir in the soaked apricots fluid and all. Mix till combined.

*Fold in 1 cup of fresh chopped walnuts.( can be quite chunky )

 Spoon into loaf tin and bake for 1 hour at 180 ( 350 F) degrees Celsius.

* Check if cooked using a toothpick or skewer.  Cool before cutting. Freezes well. Can be buttered.

 ( today I used I cup of almond meal in place of one cup of flour. )

The big Luculia tree is in full bloom. Bees, ladybirds and bumble bees are all enjoying it when the sun is out.