Starwberry Tea and Rainbow Squares

Last night we had our Strawberry Tea. We also stitched all of our Rainbow Squares together. The ladies all work furiously at stitching before they were rewarded with lovely strawberries, shortbread fingers, scones with jam and clotted cream and teas and coffee.
We had a really good evening. A big thank you from me to all of those involved in setting everything up and for everyone who sat furiously stitching squares together.They look really good. It is much appreciated.
I made the scones and was asked for the recipe.

So here it is . I do hope you will try it and let me know what you think. These scones are not like traditional scones - they do keep well for several days. The recipe came from a handwritten recipe book that belonged to my Mother-in law, sadly, no longer with us. I was dleighted when I first tried the recipe as my husband said they tasted just as re remembered them from when his mother used to bake them. Praise indeed.

So here it is
Grandma’s Bun Scones

Ingredients:
4oz self raising flour
4 oz of caster sugar (I use much less as I don’t like things really sweet)
2 oz of butter (or margarine) I use about 1 ½ as it seems to rub better
1 beaten egg (you can add a little milk if you like – I use a large egg)

Method:
Put flour and sugar in a bowl, rub in the fat and then mix in the beaten egg.
Do not use the whole egg, just half of it to start off with and then add a little more if the mixture isn’t binding together into a soft ball.
You don’t want the mixture to be sticky but neither do you want it to be too dry.
Knead the ball slightly with your hand and if it is a bit sticky sprinkle some flour over it.

I make about 10 balls from the mixture using my hands and place them on a baking tray that has parchment paper on it.
Use the remaining egg to spread over the top of each scone.

Bake at 180 degrees for about 15 mins – test for browness and doneness! I always think you have to judge finished baking by your own oven – if not quite done give them another 5 minutes so – it isn’t crucial!
When baked they will have spread and look more like biscuits.

I have also baked them in one of those flippy floppy baking trays – placed on a metal tray. Then they come out more traditional scone shaped.

These are not like traditional scones – but they are delicious and unlike normal scones they will keep for several days!! (Bonus)!

Enjoy

Monkey Buttons

In June we had Saturday workshop from Monkey Buttons. They design and create patchwork bags.

The members who attended had a great day and produced some lovely bags.

These bags belong to Val, Marion and Pauline. I hope that one or two more members will eventually let me have a photo of their finished bag.

Kathryn and I missed out as we were conducting a Regional Training Day for Branch Officers. Maybe next time! (with better planning on our behalf.!

Val's bag

Marion's bag

Pauline's bags

Rosettes, Corkscrews and Wiggle-woggles

Last year one of our members taught us how to make Rosettes, corkscrews and wiggle-woggles, blogged about in an earlier post.

I promised to ask Joyce for some instructions and she has very kindly written them out for us.

A big thanks to Joyce - we really enjoyed making these - they were quick and easy to make - are great for using up small left over balls of yarn, can be made to look quite exciting and have lots of uses.

Over to Joyce for the instructions!

These patterns are starting points only and there are many ways in which they may be varied. Needle size should be appropriate for the yarn chosen, but tension is not critical. 10 metres of yarn should be enough for any of these projects, but thick yarns need more length than thinner ones. Rosettes and corkscrews may be finished off in a different yarn

BASIC ROSETTE

Cast on 10 Stitches.

Row 1: knit 1, *yarn forward, knit 1, repeat from * to end. (19 stitches)

Rows 2, 4 and 6: knit

Row 3 as row 1 (37 stitches)

Row 5 as row 1 (73 stitches)

Cast off loosely.

Curl the shape knitted into a rosette. It may help to pin it as you go. Fix the shape with a few stitches, using the ends of yarn from casting on and off. Decorate as desired and stitch a pin to the back.

BASIC CORKSCREW

Cast on 30 stitches.

Row 1: knit into the front and back of each stitch. (60 stitches)

Row 2: knit 1, *yarn forward, knit 1, Repeat from * to end of row (119 stitches)

Cast off.

BASIC WIGGLE-WOGGLE

Cast on 12 stitches

Row 1: knit 2 together, knit to the end of row.

Row 2: purl 1, yarn round needle, purl to last stitch, knit 1

Repeat these two rows until the knitting is slightly longer than it is wide. Cast off.

The aim is to make one side of the knitting tight, and the other loose. It should be curling itself into a cylindrical shape as you knit, but depending on the yarn and the knitting it may need a little coaxing. Curl it into the desired shape (cylinder or cone) and fix one end with a few stitches, using the end of the yarn.

Joyce Pemberton 2007