Hi there.  I am busy packing the car and finishing off the last few projects for our annual retreat in Akaroa this weekend.  It is always great fun and so if you have missed it this year, talk to us about booking a space for you and your friends for next year.  It is only a couple of days, but sometimes a weekend can feel like a holiday – in fact any time when you get to run away from the family, the housework and don’t have to cook it is a holiday!

It will then be full steam ahead with preparations for this year’s mini symposium in Blenheim where I will be a merchant (14-18 July).

http://www.sewmarlborough.com/

As Bernina is the major sponsor and is supplying all the classroom sewing machines for this event, there will be some great deals coming up on the Bernina 350, 570 and 770 machines, with savings of between $600-$2,300 on the normal retail price.  If you would like to pre-order one of these machines or would like some more information or a demo, please let me know.

After the symposium, the machines will be packed up and returned to Wellington for the technicians to give them a complete service, and then sent out to the dealers.  Some of these machines will have done a few hours sewing, and others will not even have been used at all.

Speaking of Bernina, if you have a 7 or 8 series machine, the bobbins (that tell your machine when it is running out of thread) they need to be looked after, and to that end I have managed to source some Jumbo size bobbin holders.  These are moulded silicon and hold the bobbins so when you up end it, they won’t fall out.  They are $29.90 each and there is also space for a magnetic pincushion in the centre.

In terms of what is new in the shop, my chickens ie purchases, are coming home to roost from the recent wholesale Gift Fair, with cool new retro wire baskets, clocks and treasures being squeezed in amongst the fabric, kits and patterns.

Boxes of new patterns and books have also arrive in including this very cute pattern for these characters which unzip at the back so that kids can tuck their pj’s in there.  They would also be great for wheat bags, and from tip to toe measure 24 ½”, the pattern is $32 and includes full size pattern sheets.

This week’s recipe is a quick and easy, take a plate or organise some munchies in a hurry type of dish.

Blue Cheese Nibbles

• 1 punnet of cream cheese
• 1 wedge of blue vein cheese
• A handful of finely chopped chives
• 1 packet of ready rolled pastry
• 1 egg

Roll out the pastry a little thinner and using a round cutter make circles from the pastry.  Mix the cheeses and the chives and spread the mixture onto half of each circle.  Fold the pastry circle over and crimp the edges before glazing with an egg wash.

Bake in a hot oven for about 20-30 minutes or until golden.

Happy stitching

Rachel