Design Wall Monday with Jane Austen

This is my version of the Jane Austen quilt from my UFO pile, and it's on my design wall this morning.  I pieced this quilt several years ago,and I've learned a lot about measuring for borders and how to correctly put them on a quilt since then.  I think I'm going to take the border off, remeasure the quilt, and put a wider border on.  What do you think?  Another green border but a bit wider?  Maybe a thinner red inner border? 

The 60 degree diamonds in this quilt are mirror imaged both top to bottom and left to right just as Jane Austen did in her quilt. 

 This quilt is a replica of what Jane Austen and her sister, Cassandra, and their Mother made sometime around 1812. Sense and Sensibility was published toward the end of 1811, and Pride and Prejudice was published in early 1813.  I have the BBC movie version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.  It is 4 or 5 hours long, but I never get tired of watching. 

Here is a photo of the original Jane Austen quilt that hangs in the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton Village, Hampshire, England.  Jane, Cassandra, and their Mother lived there from about 1809 until mid 1817. Jane died on July 18, 1817.

The original coverlet measures 97 X 105 inches, and it is not quilted.  This photograph is on a postcard sent to me by Linda Franz in 2001 when she visitied England after she had toured the Museum.  Stop by Linda's web site to see her book,  The Jane Austen Patchwork Mystery.  Her book Quilted Diamonds is based on a combination of this quilt, the Dear Jane quilt, and Linda's love of all things Jane Austen.

Design Wall Monday is hosted by Judy Laquidara.  I hope all of you have something on your design walls today, and that you are busy stitching.

Welcome to my new followers.  Thanks everyone for stopping by for a visit.

Two Flower Friday & A Mug Rug

I spent Tuesday morning looking for something in my sewing room, and I made such a mess that I had to spend most of Wednesday and some time on Thursday putting it all back together again.  In between bouts of cleaning and straightening, I sewed these two hexagon flowers.  Thank you Karen at Journey of a Quilter for hosting One Flower Wednesday. 

And, I also made this mug rug.  The little 9 patches finish at 1 1/2" inches and are left over from a quilt I made last year.  The flower was part of the cheater cloth that was included in the Fresh Flowers fat quarter pack that I ordered. 

This mug rug was machine quilted. 

 We had more snow overnight.  It doesn't look like much, but there was freezing rain and sleet underneath it.  I shoveled the driveway today (about 75 feet X two cars wide) because I knew the snow was too heavy and wet to use the snowblower. 

In fact, the snow was so wet that it just rolled up when i shoveled it, so I made a snowman.  The photo isn't very clear, but I think if I went back out and decorated him, he would look like Snoopy.  I sent the photo to my daughter, and she thought it looked like Gandalph from Lord of the Rings.  Either way, the neighbors are probably calling the Neighborhood Watch block captain to keep an eye on me. 

I hope you found some time to stitch today.  I'll stitch tomorrow while I'm recuperating from shoveling.  Thanks for visiting! 

Cupcakes! They're not just for breakfast

My daughter was home for a visit this weekend, and we had talked about making cupcakes off and on since Thursday evening.  Somehow we were always too tired or too busy or whatever to make them.  Well, she had to leave this evening so I decided today had to be the day.  I made these cupcakes before breakfast.  I know most people don't have dessert after breakfast, but today we decided to make an exception and have a cupcake. 

The quilt in this photo is one of my UFOs.  I made it to go on this dining room table and plan to hand quilt it.  What you can't see too well in this photo is that I've only appliqued the flowers and leaves on one side of the border.  Actually seeing it on the table may be enough motivation for me to finish it.

Here's a little closer look at the border that I do have finished.

The cupcakes that we made are from my husband's favorite chocolate cake recipe.  His Mom gave it to me many, many years ago.  I'll share it with you.

Chocolate Cup Cakes

1 2/3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup cocoa

1 1/2 t. soda

1 t. salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk OR 1 1/2 cups milk plus 3 T. lemon juice

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

 Put all ingredients in the bowl in order as given.  Don't stir until everything is in the bowl.  Then blend for 30 seconds on low speed of mixer.  Beat 2 minutes more at medium speed.  Bake cupcakes 18 to 22 minutes at 350 degrees. 

I just frosted with powdered sugar icing:  1 stick margarine, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 Tablespoons milk or cream.  Adjust amounts according to how you like your frosting. 

I hope you all have some time to stitch today.....and to eat a cupcake!!!!!!