Hi there. I am very excited to tell you that our long awaited shipment of new fabric from Australian designer Kathy Doughty called “Kindred Sketches” has finally arrived! After 12 months from the date of ordering, I am doing a little happy dance.

Anyway...moving right along I am really pleased to be able to show you the cushion I have made using fabrics from this vintage inspired range and featuring this stunning pre-printed stitchery. This can be purchased as a panel only ($32.00) or together with the matching 10 Eleganza Pearl 8 threads ($116.00). The fabric is available by the metre and we have Fat 1/8th and Fat ¼ bundles available. We are also busy cutting kits for the Casablanca quilt. Let us know what you need!

If embroidery is your passion, you can not afford to miss this stunning new book from Inspirations called Elizabeth’s Flowers by Susan O’Connor. This is a trip around the garden in Elizabethan embroidery with 24 designs for motifs and projects show casing the Queen’s favourite fruits and flowers. This book which is 165 pages will be released in February 2020 ($65.00) and we are taking pre-orders now – don’t miss out on this beautiful book.

It would seem that quite a few more of my chickens are coming home to roost so to speak, with lots of beautiful new fabrics arriving in with some exciting new Block of the Month, classes and kits planned for next year so stay tuned.

I am also very much looking forward to our Fibre Arts Tour to the lower North Island region 23-28 January 2023 which will be full of workshops, adventures, shopping, good food and some fun surprises thrown in. It is a small tour (not the 50 seater bus variety), and the good thing is that you don’t have to do any long hall flights, change currencies, deal with passport dramas and there shouldn’t be language barriers! Not having to cook or do housework for a week is another bonus. If you are keen to join us you can check out the full itinerary by clicking the link below

https://www.farmandleisuretours.nz/tour/annies-country-quilt-store-fibre-art-tour-2023/

Coming up we have our Snazzy Sneakers Classes (no sewing involved at all), you bring the sneakers and I will provide the drinks, nibbles and everything you need to create your very own pair of shoes. More details on the class page of the website and on our Facebook page. This is a fun class and a great end of year ‘get-together’ type event for the end of year.

https://www.anniesquilts.co.nz/cms/classes.html

Now...on to the recipe. I love these ones where you put everything in a dish, through it in the oven and forget about it for an hour or so.

Crème Fraiche and Mustard Chicken (serves 4)

• 200 g Creme Fraiche
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• ¾ cup chicken stock
• 8 chicken pieces
• 500 g potatoes (cut into wedges)
• 8-10 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 lemon (thinly sliced)
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Place the chicken potatoes and garlic cloves in a single layer in a roasting dish. Combine the Crème Fraiche, mustard and chicken stock in a bowl and then pour over the chicken. Top it off with the lemon slices and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and bake for about an hour until cooked through and golden. Serve with fresh asparagus or a green salad.

Happy stitching....see you at wool class tomorrow!