Free Motion Quilting 2: The New Machine

Free Motion Quilting 2: The New Machine from Talia Carbis on Vimeo.

After the really, really helpful feedback I got last time from people like MrsMck and a Mom, and getting a new sewing machine that has the capacity to free-motion quilt, I decided to give it another go.

a Mom had recommended I try it WITH the batting, and backing, because it would affect the quilting. So that’s what I’ve done this time- tried to make it as clost to my actual quilt as possible. She also recommende the darning foot.
The reason it’s taken me so long to try this again, is because I knew a darning foot was pretty necessary, but there were a few other things my machine didn’t have. This was expecially apparent when I looked at A Few Scraps Quilt-a-long, and realised I couldn’t even put the feed dogs down…

So the things I’ve changed since last time:
New Machine
Darning Foot
Feed dogs down
Replicated quilt with practice fabric
Stitch length=0, stitch width=0

I think that’s all… I’d love to get some more advice from anyone who has experience with this! I’m still learning, and want to get as well practiced as possible before I start on my quilt!

Thanks for visiting my site again! keep checking back for more updates!

Lamb Kofte for Australia Day

Happy Australia Day for yesterday! I totally mean to post this on January 26th-Australia Day, the day we get to celebrate this beautiful country we live in! Alas, it’s not so easy to cook, film, edit, upload and post whilst fitting in various other activities, all in the one day! I hope you all enjoyed this (HOT) summer day by eating some Australian food, and hanging out with your friends!

We celebrated the day by eating this delicious lunch, and I even cooked a sponge!

This recipe video is also being entered into the Nuffnang/Barossa competition. I’d love to see what you come up with, and you can entere here.

The Barossa wine I chose was Peter Lehmann’s Barossa Blonde, and the Barossa ingredient I chose was Maggie Beer’s Barossa Tomato Sauce. Like I say in the video below, I specifically chose a meal, and wine that might not traditionally go together to show off the versatility of the beautiful wine from the Barossa! Also, using the tomato sauce as an accompaniment to the kofte, and also as the main flavour of the dressing really is a stroke of genius (if I do say so myself). Even Luke, who is NOT a huge fan of ‘regular’ salads (read: garden salad), which this basically was, ate this salad happily and even said ‘yum’! Here’s the video, and the written recipe is below. Enjoy!

Barossa Magic from Talia Carbis on Vimeo.

Lamb Kofte:

INGREDIENTS:

500g lamb mince

1 grated onion

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp papper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp allspice (I used chinese five spice)

1 tsp cayene papper or chilli

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 egg

PROCESS:

Mix it all together in a bowl.

Dvivide into 6 equal clumps. Put one clump into a metal skewer. Repeat for 5 more skewers.

Serve with Maggie Beer’s Barossa Tomato Sauce, caramalised onions, and salad.

Salad

INGREDIENTS:

Mixed salad leaves

Cherry tomatos

Good quality parmassen cheese

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

Maggie Beer’s Barossa Tomato Sauce

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Freshly ground black pepper

PROCESS:

Mix sauce, oil and pepper together. Whisk so it’s combinced.

Add salad leaves, halved cherry tomatos, and shaved parmassen into bowl. Add dressing liberally.

We ate this with Peter Lehmann’s 2009 Barossa Blonde.

Two Weeks Notice

Today was my first day at home, not working for my parent’s business. I’ve had various versions of this post written in my drafts folder for a little over two weeks now (hence the title), but haven’t quite found the right words to say to explain why life is completely upside down, and not at all how I planned.

To be completely honest, there was this part of me that wanted to hang onto my pride and tell you all that I am living the dream. That I’ve left my job and I am pursuing full-time craft work, selling heaps of stuff online. But then I thought better of it. This blog isn’t about what people think of me, it’s about the things that actually happen to me. It’s about the facts, the feelings, the projects, the joys, the sorrows etc. One thing it’s NOT about is lies, or stroking my own ego. I have to keep this account of my life as accurate as possible, without sharing too much with the world!

Four weeks ago it was 2010 and I was planning out what I thought this year would be like. Now it really is (only just) 2011, and it’s nothing like I thought it would be (thought when I re-look at that post, the drastic change is our circumstances doesn’t hinder ANY of my goals!).

Instead of working (almost) full time at eLA I’ll be doing a bunch of other things. Relief teaching at local schools, part time Uni (I just got accepted to do my Masters tonight!), housework, trying to grow my online craft business, and some free-lance web dev.

Instead of being all financially secure and what not, we’re kinda living on the edge. Luke will be doing some free-lance web dev. stuff as well to bring in some extra dosh, so I anticipate us taking the next 4 months or so slowly, and finding our feet. Last year we thought we had two options for this year: baby or holiday. Now our  decision on that is to wait and see.

It seems like that’s the theme of our life right now- wait and see.

I have been pretty up and down and back again emotionally too. But I’ve decided to make the most of this. To see this as an exciting opportunity. Not to mention a fantastic chance for me to get on top of our messy house, do some more ‘housewifey’ things like cook more, and yes, to focus on my crafty business. And at least I have some time to work on cleaning that craft room now!

We have no idea what God’s got planned with all of this. But when stuff happens that you have no control over, you’ve got to be excited. It means things are happening exactly the way they’re meant to, and you can’t mess it up!

Also, I just realised that I haven’t ye’t mentioned WHY I’m not working for my parents anymore. The only reason is that the company has changed focus over the last year. Instead of elearning development which we were doing previously, we’re now making online educational software. I don’t have the talents to do that kind of thing, so there’s no work left for me! I’ll still be doing work for them every now and again, as projects pop up.