Hi there....and a very Happy New Year and very best wishes for a productive (and healthy) 2021!

We are now back in the swing of things with some deliveries coming through. The 505 quilt basting has arrived, along with good supplies of the wool blend felt, Sue Spargo wools, a great selection of Kaffe Fassett spot fabrics, and there should be lots more scissors in the next week or so. The Bernina stock in terms of overlockers and machines seems to be improving also.

Perhaps a little late or maybe quite early is the new pre-printed Christmas panel from Australian designer Natalie Bird from The Birdhouse. This year features “Dasher, Dancer and all the Reindeer”. These are in stock now and are $29.90.

We are still waiting on the wool packs for the next shipment of The Santa, The Tree, The Turkey and Me which have been held up in Australia over Christmas, but I will get these out to you as soon as they arrive. Promise!

The follow up installments (year II) of The Field Journal, for those of you who have been patiently waiting since before lock down, is another 4-6 weeks away, but I am sure will it worth the waiting for this stunning Liberty and Stitchery project.

If you need a touch of colour in your life, this quilt from Kaffe Fassett’s “Quilts in Ireland” book ($59.90 featuring 20 different designs), is sure to do it for you, highlighting a good collection of his pink, reds, and orange fabrics. But it would also look stunning in his jewel colours of blue, purple and green. This pattern certainly gives new life to the traditional log cabin design.

Before I forget the first Woolly Stitcher’s Day for this year will be Saturday 30th January. (More details on the class page of the website).

The winner of the $50.00 voucher from Annie’s for December is Kay Cunningham from Christchurch. Congratulations Kay, your voucher is here waiting for you.

On to the recipe...

Apricot and Walnut Chutney

• 2.5 kg apricots
• 1.5 kg onions
• 500 g raisins
• 1 kg brown sugar
• 1.2 l white vinegar
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 100 g chopped walnuts
• Juice and rind of 2 lemons and 2 oranges.

Put all the ingredients except for the walnuts in a large pan and simmer until thick and glossy. Stir in the walnuts and pour into clean jars.

Have a great weekend,

Happy stitching.

Rachel

Annie’s Country Quilt Store