Hi there. Good news this week...we have extended our batting sale until next Wednesday! We have had an amazing response and our supplier has agreed to extend the deal...so now is the time to make the most of the 25% off Matilda’s 60/40 Wool/Poly Batting.

Don’t forget you will need to pre-order this. Let us know how much you need and we will cut it in the classroom (where we have a bit more space) and have it ready for you to pick up or post out. Matilda's Batting is 2.4m wide, pre-shrunk, and permanently moth proofed, Australian made product which is distributed worldwide. (Usually $36.50 now $27.00 pm).

Earlier this week I was very lucky to be invited to grab a sneak at a new exhibition at the Ashburton Art Gallery featuring the work of New Zealand textile artist Malcolm Harrison (1941-2007). This is a diverse collection of original art quilts, tapestry, needlework and painted works on paper. It is well worth a look with the exhibition now open and running until 11 November.

I would also like to show you this stunning quilt by very talented local patchworker and quilter Nicky Bradley which she has kindly loaned to us to have on display in the shop. This is from Katrina Hadjimichael’s Specs and Spikes pattern that Katrina taught as a class for us a couple of years ago. It is now available as a pattern ($49.00) from Annie’s.

If you needed something else to put on the ‘must do’ list’, the Ashburton Rotary’s Bookarama is on until Saturday, so now is a good time to visit Ashburton and catch some great book bargains as well as making a visit to Annie’s!

This week’s recipe is a delicious dairy free alternative to regular custard which you could have as a dessert or perhaps on top of your muesli for breakfast?

Coconut Custard

• 1 ½ cups coconut cream
• 1 ½ tbsp cornflour
• 1 c almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• 3 egg yolks

Combine ¼ cup of the coconut cream with the cornflour and mix to a paste. Place this in a medium saucepan with the rest of the coconut cream, almond milk, sugar and vanilla. Simmer gently over a low heat for 5 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks with three tbsp of the warm milk mixture. Pour this into the pot and beat well. Continue to stir the mixture over the heat until it is thick and smooth.

Happy stitching,

Rachel