Hi there. Naughty or nice, have you decided yet??? The sleigh is reving up (and so is the bus) and it is time to decide!

It is not too late to climb on board for our Fibre Arts Tour of the lower North Island 23-28 January 2023. The final itinerary looks amazing and our tour organiser Jane Spence from Farm and Leisure Tours has done a fantastic job of pulling together classes, workshops, visits to quilt shops, and small boutiques, fibre artists, a chocolatier, a winery, amazing local restaurants and so much more! I am really looking forward to the trip and the chance to pack in so many fantastic creative opportunities in an amazing week without even having to leave get out my passport or think about foreign currency!!!

If you would like to join us, you can check out the details and contact Jane at the link below.

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

It has been all go at the shop with lots of people calling into Annie’s on their travels, and new stock and beautiful fabrics arriving including some gorgeous new cotton linen fabrics which would make perfect for summer tops, tunics and dresses (as well as quilts). These are at a great price at just $28.00 per metre). Don’t forget about our “made to measure” dressmaking classes (suited to beginners as well as more experience sewers) will kick off in February with very talented local seamstress and teacher Paula Preece. Give us a call to book your spot in the class today!

If you have time for a fun project over the holidays, these girls “Quilting Friends” by Jennifer Jangles are available as a kit to make all three ($39.00) will create a smile and I am sure remind you of someone in your quilt group. I am sure you will have fun personalising them to suit!

Just a reminder that our Bernina Christmas Sale will finish at 1.00 pm on Saturday as we will be closed for the statutory holidays.

This will be our last newsletter for the year as I am heading away for a few pre-Christmas days and the staff will be in charge J

I am very lucky to have such a great team of people that I work with here at Annie’s with Marelize, Jane and Rosie working in the shop and Jack keeping the books straight, along with Robbie and John in the workshop. A huge thank you goes out to them as well as to you the customers, who keep coming back to get that “fabric fix” and hopefully be inspired to create the next project, buy a new sewing machine or get your one serviced.

Next year we will have been in business 20 years, and we look forward to celebrating with you all and planning ahead for the next milestones to come. I am also very exited about becoming a Granny in 2023 as our son Stefan and his wife Melis who are in Melbourne are expecting a baby - so there is indeed lots to look forward to.

On to the recipe.....Here is a super quick pasta recipe for a meal in a hurry or a tasty side dish. You could also add crispy bacon, chorizo or left over Christmas ham for an extra flavour kick.

Pasta with Two Cheese Sauce

• 400g spiral pasta
• 1 ½ c fresh or frozen peas
• ½ c freshly grated parmesan
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2/3 c ricotta
• Fresh herbs

Cook the pasta in boiling water for 7 minutes and then add in the peas and continue to cook until the pasta is al dente.

Place the grated parmesan and olive oil into a large bowl and mix to a paste, then add in the ricotta and combine the ingredients with some salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and peas, saving some of the pasta water. Add the hot pasta into the cheese mixture and mix until the pasta is well coated, thinning the sauce with the pasta water if necessary.

Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh herbs.

Best wishes to you and all of those people who are important to you, for a wonderful Christmas and holiday season.

Rachel and the team at Annie’s

03 3076 277

www.anniesquilts.co.nz