The forecast is for rain all week so it seems like it will be a good week to make some progress on projects. I have several in the planning stage, but only one is actually underway. I hope to finish quilting Quadrille this week and move it to the binding stage.

Tearing up my sewing space last week with the arrival of another new machine put me back a bit. But my new table should arrive on Thursday, then I can put the mess back in order. It didn’t help that I have two more projects in the planning stage, with fabrics pulled out and littered all over the cutting table. But, I think I have made a good decision with the miniature nosegays quilt. I changed all the fabrics, pulling a brighter print for the focus fabric to use on the borders and triangles.

The blender colors are pulled from the print on the right. I wasn’t that pleased with the green, so I switched it out. I planned to use the teal at the top next to the purple for the vases, but it wouldn’t have enough contrast. So, I found another print with a black background for the vases, and I’ll use that teal as the alternate square in the center.

I am also planning my next British theme quilt for our annual silent auction in December. I found the British print on the left last year, and bought what my local quilt shop had left a few months later. Then, Memorial Day weekend, I couldn’t pass up a super deal at Fat Quarter Shop on the British flag print they had on clearance. They only had 2 yards, and I bought them both.

Then, I got the print on the right from a lovely reader, but I have lost her email. Whoever you are, thanks again!! I couldn’t find an email, because my dear friend Dawn gave me the lighter color fabric at lunch a couple of weeks ago! Thanks, Dawn! I think these three fabrics will go together very well. Now to decide on a pattern!

I still have the Japanese fabric collection to put into a project or two. That decision needs to be made soon as well.

I got some of the embroidery done on this project yesterday. The little Santa with a tree came out nice. I plan to embroider three more and put them together in a wall hanging.

In the kitchen, I pulled out my two cast iron skillets when I found that my stove could indeed use them. I was under the impression that you could not use cast iron on glass top stoves, but that only applies to the skillets with a heat ring. Mine are flat bottom, and if I don’t slide them around, will do just fine. So I checked a book out from the library, and started working on seasoning one. I made good progress, doing the process of oiling it and baking it several times.

The test to see if the seasoning has made it non-stick is to fry an egg. Breakfast time on Saturday, I did that and it didn’t stick. Time to try the next thing, cornbread! My Sweet Babboo loves cornbread, and I am still trying to put 5 or 10 more pounds on him. It turned out nicely. The heat resistant handle cover tutorial is on my post Quick Sewing Project for the Grill. Previously, I only used the cast iron when we were grilling outside.

The book that gave me all the instructions was Modern Cast Iron by Ashley Jones. She goes through cleaning the cast iron and the seasoning process using several methods, then the last third is recipes.

I have a dish in mind for one of the Fair cooking contests that will need to start on the stove and finish in the oven. There’s no better pan for that than cast iron! Plus, it will stay warm a bit longer for transport to the contest. Now that I have the pan properly seasoned, I can make the dish and see what refinements will be needed. I usually make a dish at least twice before the contest day.

Fun in the sewing room this week, and more delicious dishes to come. That is my plan for the week, what’s yours?