Hi there. As the rain continues to threaten, I am gazing out the window longing for some sunshine. After the flooding we have had in Mid Canterbury, there is little respite for our farming community. (Not to mention the mud and monster washing pile that seems to be taking over the laundry once again!)

This week I thought I would show you these gorgeous Aboriginal fabrics which have arrived in. I think these are very under rated as they work well with lots of fabric and patterns from designers such as Amy Butler, Kathy Dougherty, Wendy Williams, Sue Spargo and Kaffe Fassett. They are also well priced at just $26.00 per metre.

A whole lot more antique sampler style cross stitch patterns have also arrived in from “Hands Across the Sea” and “The Scarlett House”, and these will be added to the website over the next couple of days.

https://www.anniesquilts.co.nz/cms/latest-products.html

I am also working on my shop sample of Sue Spargo’s Home Grown Quilt. This will eventually be available as a Block of the Month to complete the 27 houses that make up the wall hanging. There will be a limited number of these kits and I am still working on the pricing, but you are welcome to register your interest. If you want to do your own thing, we have plenty of the Homegrown book ($59.00), threads and wool fabrics in stock.

I have lots and lots of new fabric on order, but international shipping still seems to be a challenge for our importers and I have a feeling that we will be swamped with everything arriving at once in a couple of months’ time. It will be like Christmas!

In the meantime our shelves are still well stocked with lots of gorgeous fabrics to choose. Now is a good time to build up your stash, as we will inevitably see an increase in prices with the escalation in freight costs.

Not everything is on the website, but if you can’t find what you are looking for you are welcome to give us a call at the shop any time.

Anyway...back to the sewing machine. I have multiple projects on the go as we prepare for retreats and shows later in the year. Stay tuned!

This week’s recipe is a popular favourite for late night suppers, barbeques and pot luck dinners.

Cheesy Cob Loaf

• 250 g cream cheese
• 2 c grated cheddar
• ½ c mayonnaise
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
• 1 onion
• Fresh herbs to taste
• 1 cob loaf

Preheat the oven to 150C. Process all the ingredients together (except for the bread). Cut the top off the loaf and hollow out the inside. Fill the loaf with the cheesy mixture, placing the bread pieces from the inside around the loaf. Bake until the bread is toasty and the cheese mixture is warmed through, stirring a couple of times during the cooking.

Happy stitching

Rachel

Annie’s Country Quilt Store

03 3076 277

www.anniesquilts.co.nz