Join Me at Merry's Stitchins in Jesup, IA

I'm excited to forward information to you about a trunk show/retreat I'm doing with Merry at her new shop in Jesup, Iowa.

Consider this your invitation to join us for some fun & sewing the second weekend in October!  Call the shop @ 319-827-6703 to register!

Thursday, October 11

Trunk Show — $10

7 PM to 8:30 PM

at Merry’s Stitchins

(includes dessert and mystery Merry Bucks!)

Join us for a quilt show and a little history lesson.
Evonne Cook of Clothesline Quilts has a fabulous collection of civil war designs to share (with patterns of them all, too!) She has researched the Battles of the Civil War and the Generals. She also is known for the cute "coloring bags" patterns that we have samples of in the shop.   An Iowa Girl, she and her husband make their home on the family farm in Northwest Iowa.

Friday, Oct 12: 9 AM to 3 PM

Chattanooga Class Make your own Civil War Battle Series quilt. Learn some power cutting and piecing techniques. Our sample finishes 40" x 54". Alternative size of 74" x 102" also included on pattern.

Instructors: Merry & Evonne. Lunch included.

Class Fee: $25 Pattern Required. Kits available.

Saturday, Oct. 13: 9 AM to 3 PM

Atlanta ClassMake your own Civil War Battle Series quilt. Learn some power cutting and piecing techniques. Our sample finishes
48" x 58". Alternative size of 95" x 115" also included on pattern.

Instructors: Merry & Evonne. Lunch included.

Class Fee: $25 Pattern Required. Kits available.

Call the shop to sign up today! 319-827-6703

Harvest & Apple Butter - they just go together!

You know, sometimes this blogging comes very easily & other times - not.  Why is that?  I've been thinking about this for days now, the blog, I mean, but just this morning I feel like sitting down & typing.  Weird . . .

Anyway, in Iowa the combines are rolling across the fields already - most farmers are taking out the corn first this year ahead of the soybeans because of the dry summer.  Yields are so, so - obviously not going to be a bumper crop in most of the midwest.  But, God is still good, we have a crop to harvest & we are thankful.

My garden is just starting to produce - it has been slow with the dryness & it just doesn't seem to matter how much we watered, it is not the same as a good rain.  Cherry tomatoes & peppers have done good, as you can see, but I am still waiting for enough large tomatoes for canning.  I had some nice cucumbers at one time, then the vines just dried up & died - poor things!

My dear friend Kay sent a jar of the best homemade apple butter with me this summer, so I'm sharing her recipe.  She makes it in the crockpot!

Crockpot Apple Butter - begin early in the morning
    Fill a standard size (3 or 4 qt.) crockpot with finely chopped apples, peeled & cored. 
    Stir together & add - 4 c. sugar, 4 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. cloves & 1/4 t. salt
    Move the apples around in the crockpot to let the mixture sift down among the apples.
    Cover & cook 1 hour on High, then lower the heat & cook all day until the apples are dark.  12 hours or more.  (That is why she starts early in the morning!)
    Stir the mixture down once in a while.
    Boil small jars & lids with seals.  She used pint jars, but you could buy the smaller jam jars.  Fill the jars while they are hot & put the lids on; they will seal.  Also can be frozen.

Sounds so easy.  Guess I'll go make myself & piece of toast with apple butter & take a picture for you.  Doesn't it look delish!


Thanks so much for joining me today.  Have a great weekend.  The weather is beautiful & we have a wedding to go to; what a great day for a wedding!