Sewing Update

I've been so sleep deprived of late that my last few baking posts have been the most creative pursuit that I've been able to concentrate on. Boo has been sick with a cough, then an ear infection and has been up in the night for about the last 4/5 weeks. She is all good this week and I've finally gotten some sleep which has been an absolute godsend.

The few times that I've attempted some sewing, I've seriously mucked up what I've been working on. One thing has been a cute little pinafore dress for the doll's I'm making. The dress required some buttonholes and I had to do 3 takes before I managed to get it right. Thank goodness that the clothing pieces are so small! Now I have to try and find some nice buttons that will coordinate with the other clothing before I can take a photo. The other item is the baby quilt that I've been making. I have *tried* but my quilting is so incredibly dodgy, I really think I have mucked the whole thing up. I am pretty sad about that. I don't know if it is *me* that is the problem or if there is something wrong with my machine. I have a feeling the material should just glide past the needle but my experiences have been horribly clunky... I suspect it is more my level of patience though!

The most exciting thing thats happened to me in a long while was when I was visiting a fabric shop a few weeks ago and encountered a filming session of the Australian "Project Runway". They allowed me to enter the store while they were filming. It was pretty exciting stuff to see the crews of people around each of the "stars". I was pretty strapped for time and really just wanted to get some interfacing and get out of there though! If I wind up in shot in the background, I hope I don't look too ungrateful! The store I was at was Rathdowne Remnants on Victoria St in Brunswick(?). Its about a block from AJ Fabrics on Lygon St. They have an array of fabrics - I particularly like the denim, corduruoy and suiting fabrics. They also have a small selection of quilting fabrics (very small - don't go just to see quilting fabrics!). The staff there are fantastic and the prices are really good. They stock a good selection of haberdashery which is heaps cheaper then SL.

Muesli Slice

This is a very yummy muesli slice that I have made twice in a manner of weeks. It is that good!


I've taken the Recipe from the Women's Weekly Babies and Toddlers cookbook and made some modifications.

Muesli Slice
125g butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
(original recipe asks for 1/2 cup each of chopped dried apricots, dried apples, sultanas)
1/2 cup self raining flour

1. Combine butter, sugar and honey in a large saucepan; stire over medium heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. (I microwave butter and sugar). Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients.

2. Press mixture into greased and lined 20x30cm pan. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven (170C fan forced) about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan; cut into squares to serve.