Homemade muesli bars

I have been looking for a muesli bar recipe for ages. One for a crunchy, nutty, seedy bar* just like a bought muesli bar. But none are quite right.
Too soft.
Too cakey.
Too crunchy.
Falls apart - ends up looking like granola!

But I think I have nailed it with this recipe from River Cottage.

Although I omitted the chilli and rosemary, & opted for pink salt instead.

I used 200g pepitas,and added 100g slivered almonds

The rice malt syrup was the winner, the perfect " glue" for homemade muesli bars! Yummy, just right consistency. They hold together just right. Not too sweet, nice and crunchy. A definite winner, will make them with cranberries next time!

* that is to say I have been looking for a muesli bar recipe which is not like one of those budgie treat bars you hang in a bird cage, as opposed to looking for a dodgy pub!!!

Quick make over

I got a little bit of sewing done this week - ploughing through the basket of repairs & minor " finishing off" jobs.  These 2 calico bags have been hanging around for a while, I wanted to cover up the branding printed on them.
A piece of Aunty Cookie fabric and a rainbow patch piece  sewn up as a test run for the rainbow cushions I made last year ( it was too small for what I needed) did the job.  Much nicer than the branded bags!

Fairfield Restash 2018

Just a quick post to promote the Fabric Restash event this Saturday, organized by the lovely Anna of Blogless Anna & a team of other wonderful sewists!  

Hope to see you there, I will be wearing my floral Darth T so come & say Hi!!!

( photos blatently copied from Blogless Anna !!!)

Looking forward to Autumn

Did you see this brilliant mini magazine in today's Age?

Showcasing the Daylesford- Macedon region, the magazine highlights  the countryside, local producers & businesses of the region.  There is also a lovely piece titled "nature's bounty" written by Kate from "Foxs Lane".

Autumn is the time for festivals in the region, including a couple I visited  2 years ago- Trentham Spudfest, this year on May 5 (lots of amazing colours & shapes of heirloom spuds, and the BEST hot jam donuts I have ever eaten!); and the fascinating "Lost Trades Fair" held in Kyneton 10-11 March.

(2016 Lost Trades Fair)

There is also a comprehensive calendar of all events, markets etc. in the region during Autumn. 

I think I might have to plan some family road trips!

Blanket progress

I am officially half way through my grey stripe knitted throw- I added some extra plain grey in the middle, and started the next big ball on the weekend.

The big ball seems to make the knitting go so much quicker - not having to stop & decide if the coloured stripe is big enough or if it needs a couple more rows, not stopping to check which colour comes next, and taking time to change colours ( once I have figured if I am on the same side as other changes, or need to knit one more row!)

During a quick visit to the wonderful " Variety Store" in Bendigo yesterday, I spotted a shelf full of gorgeous new colour combo balls, " Ice Cream" by Porta Craft; $10 for each 200g 8 ply ball.

How great are these colours!!!

These are my 4 favourites-

So much yarn. So little time!

Comfy cushions

Still catching up on holiday sewing posts (not that I did very much!). I finally made some new covers for the cushions on the couch. 

 I had made a couple of new covers about 2 years ago, and then not got any further! The old ones were looking a bit faded, plus the fabric ( polyseter peach skin or somesuch)  although soft is kind of weird to touch, particularly on a hot day!
So I grabbed some fabrics from the stash and whipped up a couple of simple envelope back covers.

This fabric started life as a pillow case, cut up to make a quilt ( and a couple of pieces used for a patchwork cushion cover). Plus the back ended up with a pleasing pattern too!

 

Quilt scrap cushion made last year.

This next one was an experiment, after taking some screenshots from a craft book review online ( but I can't remember which book!). The fabric was really too thick to use, but I'm pleased with the final result- if you don't look to closely!

Mind you it is not particularly comfy to lean on as it is sooo bumpy with the thick ridges!!!

Printing fabric

I actually did this project back in May, but didn't have any good photos of it til I remembered to take some on the washing line last week.

I bought 2 sheets from Savers, cut the green one & sewed a panel to either end of the grey sheet. A larger grey sheet - king sized? provides the backing.

I cut a shape from some thin craft foam, glued it to a timber block, and made a print pad from some  fabric foam on an icecream container lid.

After printing a hot iron set the paint ( black acrylic with J Sonja fabric paint addative mixed in).

Veey happy with the result- a new  unique bed cover!