Hi there.  The weeks seem to be racing by and it’s lovely to see the spring flowers and blossoms making an appearance and the daylight hours beginning to stretch out once again.

I am really excited to tell you about an amazing trip that I am hosting next year in conjunction with Jane Spence from Farm and Leisure Tours.    “Quilts & Textiles – A taste of the Hawkes Bay” Sunday 31st August-Friday 5th September will be six days of creativity and inspiration in one of New Zealand’s best known “foodie” destinations. Based in Napier we will discover the vibrant quilt, art and fibre scene, explore the history of the region and many of it’s treasures, and indulge boutique shopping while sharing our passion for all things fabric, fibre and textiles.   Want to know more?  Click on this link, or you are welcome to give me a call anytime.

We are also racing towards another major event on the creative calendar with the National Quilting Symposium coming up at the beginning of October.  Bernina is a major sponsor of this event, supplying all the sewing machines and long arm quilting machines for the classes.  These machines are fully serviced and are all sold off at discounted prices after the event through the dealer network throughout New Zealand, so you all get the savings! If you are keen to purchase one of these machines, you do need to pre-book it with a deposit for delivery late October.  You can check out the machines that are available on our website or Facebook page  or talk to us in store – there are some good savings to be had!

https://www.anniesquilts.co.nz/cms/shop-online/category/29-bernina.html

We are also looking forward to being a merchants at the following shows and events.   It will be a very busy September-October and it will be great to see you there! 

• Ashburton Embroider’s Guild – Ashburton 7 September
• Waimea Quilters – Wakefield 14-15 September
• National Symposium – Cambridge 2-6 October
• Christchurch Quilters – Christchurch 11-13 October
• Golden Bay Quilters – Collingwood 26-28 October

I also thought I would show you a couple of new projects that I have just finished.  These fabulous egg tins reminiscent of the famous Russian eggs make beauitful pincushions.  The tins complete with pincushion kit including either pink or grey green velvet, stabiliser and beads are just $17.50 and would make a perfect gift…pop the lid on and you know that your pins and needles are safe from pets and small fingers.

If you have a new baby in your family or friend circle, this one is ideal for a girl or boy and can be completed in no time.  Available as a kit it is $115.00 which includes the pattern, all the fabric for the quilt top, applique and binding.  Easy!

Coming up we have our Friday night cross stitch next Friday night (23rd August) and our Wooly Stitcher’s day on Saturday the 24th.

The following Saturday (31st) will be our embroidery class with Maria Morrissey, a great opportunity to learn lots of different stitches, embellishment techniques from a very talented lady.  It is not too late to register!  See below.

Now…on to the recipe.  This is a good cheat for a delicious dessert that you can make ahead of time.

Chocolate Mousse (with just a little bit of cheating!)

• 200 g chopped dark chocolate
• 1 tsp good quality vanilla essence
• 125 g chopped soft marshmallows
• 2 cups cream

Heat the chocolate and marshmallows in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Stir until just melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool before adding in the vanilla.
Beat the cream to soft peaks and fold through the chocolate mixture.
Spoon the mixture into glasses, cover with cling film for 4-6 hours or until firm.  Decorate with grated chocolate, extra whipped cream or berries.

Happy stitching and thank you.
Rachel and the team at Annie’s.
03 3076 277
www.anniesquilts.co.nz