Saturday 21 June 2014

Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini || Pattern By Jen Kingwell

Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
This quilt is stunning! Mum did an amazing job and it is so jam-packed with Liberty fabric that I want to frame it. The picture above is the finished quilt top. And below are pictures of the individual blocks.
The pattern is Green Tea And Sweet Beans - designed in Australia by Jen Kingwell of Amitie Fabrics in Melbourne.
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
The pattern book
Mum bought the pattern book whilst in Melbourne last year. And I have loved watching her piece together her version using... dun dundanah... scraps! You wouldn't think so to look at it, but this quilt has been created using Liberty of London and other fabric scrap pieces from many a past project.
Here is a look at the twenty-three different blocks used in the quilt.
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Wedding Chain Block surrounded by Checkerboards
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Propellar Blocks
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Lozengers Blocks
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Garden Paths Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Pinwheels Blocks
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Churn Dash Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Drunkards Path Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Poppie Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Tulip Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Hexagon Panel
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Orange Peel Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Orange Peel Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Orange Peel Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Day Lily Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Baby Carriage Flowers Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Igloos Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Berry Basket Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Square Daisy Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Double Pinwheel Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Double Drunkards Path Block
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Flower Blocks
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Flower Blocks
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Flower Blocks
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Appliqué Block 1
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Appliqué Block 2 above Liberty of London filler strips
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Appliqué Block 3 - Clam Shell
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Appliqué Block 5

This is a few different perspectives showing the blocks sewn together.
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt by Marina Forgiarini (Pattern designed by Jen Kingwell)
Gorgeous isn't it? I can't wait to see it finished and quilted.... but that will probably be in... 2015/16! Mum plans to hand-quilt it. Yep. Hand-quilt. It's going to be a masterpiece!
#jenkingwell #greenteaandsweetbeans #libertyfabric #quilting #rhapsodyandthread

Sunday 18 May 2014

Meet My Mum




I want to introduce my mum, Marina.
She is my best friend and mentor, and I'm excited to have her help with the quilting side of things for Rhapsody and Thread. I have been so busy making clothes that I haven't had time to finish the Liberty Baby Patchwork Quilts I started last year. I also wasn't sure if I wanted to add them to my shops. But I recently decided to integrate Liberty fabric into my outfits - so it makes sense to add the quilts as well. They are so gorgeous.
 
Mum is a brilliant quilter, and especially loves applique, so we can look forward to seeing some artistic flair added to each quilt.
 
At this early stage, mum is busy finishing the backing and binding of the quilts I made last year. And she is designing appliques to jazz up some simpler designs I made up.
 
I can't wait to show these to everyone.
 
I will also be showing off her work as she continues with her own projects. I'm so proud of her.
 
I'll be starting with the amazing job she did recreating the Green Tea And Sweet Beans Quilt designed by Jen Kingwell. I'll do that in a separate post though.
 
xx Tabatha

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Home Cooking With Mum --> Hot Cross Buns Tutorial

Have you ever made your own hot cross buns? Well, neither have I! I'm actually not a huge fan because of the fruit... yes I'm still like a fussy child :oP I don't like fruit in my yhogurt or my muffins, and certainly not in my hot cross buns. But! Mum has been raving about her hot cross bun recipe and Justin loves hot cross buns, so we decided to make them.

Here is how we went!

Utensils List

Bowls
Measuring cups/spoons
Cooking utensils (inc. pastry brush)
Sieve
Glad wrap and tea-towels
Small saucepan
Silicone mat (not required - bench is fine)
Piping bag (not required - any small plastic freezer/snaplock bag would work)

Ingredients List

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Ready for action
For the buns:
1 ½ cups milk
7g sachet dried yeast
⅓ cup castor sugar
3 ½ cups plain flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups dried mixed fruit
1 egg (at room temperature and lightly beaten)
50g melted butter

For the cross:
⅓ cup self-raising flour
¼ cup water

For the glaze:
½ cup water
⅓ cup caster sugar
1 tsp powdered gelatine

 

Instructions For The Buns:

1. Cover the dried mixed fruit with water in a bowl to soak for 1 hour (or until they are plumped up).

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Plumped up mixed fruit after being soaked for an hour

Mum really wanted to drown them in rum but thought maybe it wouldn't be a good idea...

2. Heat milk to lukewarm, remove from heat, pour in to a large bowl.

I didn't know that it's important not to overheat the milk because hot milk will kill the yeast and those little soldiers have work to do!

3. Add the yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar (not all the sugar!!).

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Milk, yeast and sugar mixture

4. Cover with glad-wrap and place in a warm spot (out of reach of little fingers) for 20 minutes (or until frothy).

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Soaking up some rays

5. While that's frothing, get the rest of the ingredients ready - like melting the butter and beating the egg.

6. Sift the flour, spices and salt into a large bowl.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Shake it

7. Once the milk mixture is frothy, add the melted butter and lightly beaten egg.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
This is what the milk mixture will look like once the yeast has activated

Now we are ready to combine everything!

8. So add the remaining sugar to the flour mixture. Stir.

9. Next drain the mixed fruit and stir in.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Ready for the milk mixture

10. Finally, stir the milk mixture in gradually until a dough forms.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Mix it all up

11. Turn out and knead until smooth and elastic (approx. 6 mins)

Mum dug out her Tupperware silicone mat to knead the dough on - but you can do it on the bench ;o)

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Splat
Keep the surface and your fingers lightly floured to reduce the stickiness of the blob.
Eck glad it's not me doing that :oP
Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Eck glad it's not me doing that :oP
Keep dusting and kneading the blob.
Needs more kneading
Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Needs more kneading

12. Place in a large oiled bowl and turn dough around in bowl to coat it in oil.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Ready to get rising

We spray-coated our bowl and just sprayed the dough once it was in the bowl.

13. Cover with plastic and place in a warm spot again for 1 hour (or until doubled in size).

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
I went and chased Isla around the yard in her new harem pants for a photo
Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
This is the 'risen' result

14. Now that the dough has risen, punch it down (literally) and turn it out onto your floured work surface.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Punch it!

15. Knead for 3 minutes (or until smooth and elastic).

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
More kneading
Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Logan was trying to help
Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Ready for shaping

It was a bit sticky so mum added a bit of flour to her hands in the kneading process.

16. Shape into a 14cm x 24cm rectangle.

17. Cut lengthways into 3 even pieces.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Cut 12 portions

18. Then cut each length into 4.

19. Shape pieces into tall squares or balls.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Shape the buns with your hands

20. Place each bun 1cm apart into a lightly greased lamington pan.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Rise little buns, rise!

21. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 20 minutes.

They will rise again and hopefully join up.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Joined up - and looking rather squishy!

Whilst that's happening, make the cross mixture.

Instructions for the Cross:

1. Whisk flour and water together to form a paste.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
The cross mixture

2. Scrape into a piping bag (or snaplock bag and cut the tip off) and pipe 3 long strips across the buns and then 4 strips down the buns. Make sense?

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Crossing the buns
Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Ready to pop in the oven

3. Pop tray in a hot oven (200C) for 10 minutes.

4. Then reduce oven to 180C and cook for another 20-25 minutes (or until golden and cooked through).

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Smells amazing

5. Stand 5 minutes.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Hot buns fresh out of the oven

Whilst you're waiting, make the glaze.

Instructions for the glaze

1. Place water, sugar, and gelatine in a saucepan over low heat.

2. Stir until sugar and gelatine dissolve. Remove.

3. Brush tops of warm buns with glaze.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Glazing is so simple

I asked mum what the gelatine is for and she said it gives the buns their glossy shine.

Hot Cross Buns Tutorial by Rhapsody and Thread
Glossy and ready for butter-smothering

4. Let them cool and pop them out to either smother in butter and devour or freeze for Easter weekend!

Happy Easter <3 <3 <3

Tab

#Easter, #Hotcrossbuns, #Easterfood, #Cookingtutorial, #Yum, #Cookingwithmum