Sunday, April 14, 2013

The Challenge

Yesterday was my monthly "Not the Farmers Wife " sewing group. I can't tell you how much I enjoy getting together with these girls. It's always a blast. Even if they do come up with cruel and unusual punishments (keep reading!) 

I was late, which is my usual MO on sewing days. I had a valid excuse because I was returning a lost dog to its owner before it got squished by traffic on the main road. Why is it a law of the universe that when you need your mobile phone its always dead? And by the way has anyone tried to find a public phone box lately? It took me ages. Finally the dog was restored to his rightful family and good deed done for the day I arrived at my destination.

We were missing a few groupies yesterday. For those of you that weren't present rest assured that I managed to talk enough in your absence so that you were barely missed (read: I totally monopolised the conversation for at least two hours bitching and whining) Thank you again Not the Farmers Wifers for listening to my tale of woe. 


Then we solved the mysteries of the universe and moved on to the conundrum of exactly how often I actually cook dinner.  The girls pretended to be horrified at my admission but I know they secretly wish they could work out how to eat takeaway or have someone else cook dinner 4 nights out of 7. In the end I was challenged to cook for 7 nights straight from scratch. I'm pretty sure that was Claire's idea because she looks like someone who enjoys a little kitchen torture.  I think Val was egging her on too. Challenge accepted. 

Denise(no blog) put on this spread of awesomeness for sweets. NTFW days may end up like kids birthday parties where we all subsequently try to out do each other in the dessert stakes. 


This is what I worked on yesterday. I had hoped to take the Beep Beep baby quilt to do the binding but alas the quilting isn't finished yet because Little P came for a visit on Thursday night and on Friday I was busy at the playground and duck feeding instead of sewing. 


My original idea was to make a full sized quilt out of red yoyos based on this picture which makes my heart sing every time I see it. Isn't it GORGEOUS?

Stupidly I've kept this photo and not the original source so if it's yours please let me know so I can give you proper credit via a link!
We all know a large sized quilt just isn't going to happen because I'd have to make about 430 yoyos to have a decent sized quilt. I don't have that kind of staying power or attention span and I'm fairly confident I'd still be making yoyos when they carted me off to the nursing home. A more realistic vision for my yoyo collection is that they'll become a mini quilt. 

The goal for today is to to finish the quilting on Beep Beep and get the binding on ready for hand sewing. I got overly ambitious with the back and now I'm pondering what to do with certain parts of the quilting so it doesn't impinge on my awesome design on the back. There's something to be said for thinking ahead when you get creative. Oh and I have to decide what I'm cooking for dinner tonight. And for the rest of the week .....I don't actually believe anyone cooks 7 nights out of 7- it sounds like some kind of urban myth.   



22 comments:

Cath said...

Nothing like a sewing group to spur you to errrr...cook! Let me tell you a horrific secret from my home. Since last August, my hubby and I have each "cooked" our OWN evening meal!! Shhhh, don't tell a soul. There is a plausable reason. Love that red delish quilt. I hope you get yours done.
Cath @ Bits 'n Bobs

Jackie's Stitches said...

It looks like you got suckered into a challenge by your NTFW friends! Do all of them cook 7 nights a week? Surely not! :) My guess is they're eating salads or sandwiches a couple of nights a week. I have to admit though I'm very interested in seeing how it all turns out!

Jennifer said...

Nice yummies! Did your friend make each and every one of them or did some, at least, come from a local cakerie? I cook most nights, it's boooooring......

willywagtail said...

I don't cook often either. Everyone here is adult and too picky. I freely admit this error but I'm not sure my friends can actually understand what I am saying either. Maybe you could send out a general call for red toned yo-yos and get a little closer. Cherrie

Michelle Ridgway said...

Do you have the gaffer tape ready for next group meeting to pop over your mouth so you cannot respond to anymore challenges...eek! 7 nights in a row. Is eggs on toast cooking from scratch??? I adore the red yo-yos and the inspiration quilt is gorgeous.

audrey said...

Wow, they must be out to get you! That yo you quilt is amazing, no wonder you saved the pic!

Marg said...

Are you serious? You are going to cook for 7 nights in a row, OMG. Please do it after I've stayed I don't want to have to take you for psychiatric assessment.
I love your red yo yos. Why don't you make enough of those yo yos so you can do a smallish bed runner for your bed, it's not as big as a quilt and you could have a similar effect as the photo.

Rachaeldaisy said...

I like Marg's idea for a bed runner of yo yo's! Sounds like a fabulous day with sewing friends. Those cakes look particularly tasty. I've noticed the lack of telephone booths these days, makes me wonder where Superman would get changed if he needed to.

Tazzie said...

Missed you all! I can't wait to see your cooking creations over the next 7 days - you have the staying power, I know you can do it!
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Canadian Abroad said...

Well, I would like to see the seven nights menu written out so we can see what you accomplished. Ha! You know I cook seven nights a week for total lack of anything else for food options round here. I use easy options for 'nights off' - baked potatoes with toppings, pizza with salad, very quick soups like leek and potato, and pasta with tomato sauce (easily the easiest and cheapest meal going and you can make the sauce in about three minutes).

Dianne Neale said...

Oh I wish I could find a sewing group like this, but here they would allmspeak Czech and that kinda spoils it! I don't cook 7 days a week either. Good luck with that one. Does tinned soup count?

Mistea said...

Didn't that cooking gig go out of style last century?
Katherine is making one of those yoyo quilts - hers is looking gorgeous in Purples. The reds you have there are beautiful.
Good luck with the 7 nights deal - surely salads count - you know like steak and salad.
Sounds like a fun group you have for NTFW.

Katy Cameron said...

I have homemade every meal, every day, but then I only have to cook for me, so I make my weekday breakfast something I can do in a oner on Sunday nights, and the same for weekday lunches. For evening meals I can only every get recipes down to quantities to feed 2, so I get the same thing 2 nights running, meaning I effectively get every other night off - perfect solution, even if my mother still freaks at the idea of eating the same thing 2 days running...

I think you need a bigger yo-yo maker and to go with Marg's idea...

Helsie said...

I love the yoyo quilt too and think Marg's suggestion is a great one.
No-one says the meals have to be fancy you know. Sit down and plan. A couple of easy ones - slow cooker curry or casserole for example - to give you the illusion of a night off. There's nothing wrong with a mid week BBQ either you know ! C'mon you can do it!

Kate said...

The only thing I use in the kitchen during the week is the refrigerator. Maybe once you finish the "cook for 7 nights challenge" we could try for a "no cooking for 7 nights challenge".

Love the yoyo quilt, it is gorgeous. I like Marg's idea too. Hope you got some significant stitching time in this weekend.

Noela said...

Good luck with your 7 nights of cooking. I must admit I cook most week nights but weekends not so much. Hugs....

Quiltn Mama said...

No woman on the face of the planet cooks 7 out of 7 unless she takes enough meds to tranquilize an elephant. You got played, chica!

Terri said...

If you've gotten to that time in the weather when you can use the oven without needing the A/C you can just throw some meatloaf and potatoes in there, and go sew while it cooks. It's my favorite way to bake hamburgers (called Hockey Pucks at our house) bake fish, chicken, turkey, you name it. Set your timer and come back in time to boil a frozen veggie. Voila, multitasking!
Hugs

Sue SA said...

Yep I cook most nights, or when i cannot be bothered we have left overs I dig out of the freeze...so that we don't have to eat casserole for 4 nights in a row. Cooking meals is not my fav job (would rather sew) but given that you know have all those great fruit n veg I assume you will be inspired? PS I miss your recipe reviews...we are still enjoying the lamb steaks with mint relish!!
Mind you if hubby is offering to cook let nobody put him off...unless he expects you to mow the lawn!

Sarah said...

Yep, I'd reckon it was Claire who challenged you to seven nights cooking. I cook, if you could call it that, about as much as you. I HATE it, yuck yuck vomit spew, hate it. I do enjoy baking, it's just the evening meal I hate. I'm not even bad at it. It's just a chore. Little people don't often like what I do, I'm always buggered by 5pm, my husband is a competent cook, and the lack of variety in small country supermarkets all contribute to this hate.

Brenda said...

Haha! I thought the "Beep Beep Baby Quilt" was a tricky way of saying a swear, cuz you were sick of it, but then I backed up a couple of posts and saw it really was a beep beep baby quilt. Looks like lots of fun over in your neck of the woods! My sewing studio is so very nearly finished, I can't stop smiling!

Elizabeth said...

Love that yo-yo quilt! It will make a marvelous mini!

Your Not the Farmer's Wife group sounds like a lot of fun.

xo -E

P.S. I'm wondering why I didn't comment on these posts. I know I read them when you posted.