Thursday, November 1, 2018

Sajou redo & October Mini

I know, I know--I was adamant that I was not going to remake my Sajou (again), even though I wasn't crazy about my finish. Well, I lied. The border was just too bland, and I loved the pieced border Lori had on hers. Just because I didn't use the round of the setting triangles, there was no reason why I couldn't do the final border.
I like this so much better. I guess the third time IS the charm. 
 


I did draw paper foundations and copy them onto newsprint to use for foundation piecing, making sure the borders would fit properly.



 







My October mini was finished just in the nick of time, but I was too tired to post it last night. This is the Jewel Box mini I made with leftovers from other projects.
It is posing with a jewelry box that my grandmother gave me for my birthday when I was a young teen. It still sits on my dresser. It has been decades since I wound the key and tried to get the music to play, so I did it today. I got a very slow, but perfectly in tune version of the love theme from Dr. Zhivago.

The day before Halloween I had been in my LQS and had picked up the last FQ of a very cute owl fabric. I didn't know what I would do with it, but it had to come home with me. So when it came to layering the Jewel Box mini for quilting, I decided that since it was my Oct. mini for Wendy's Mini a Month challenge, owls would be a fitting back. I felt like I was channeling my inner Barb (who is the queen of fun backings).

You can see I simply quilted (wobbly) diagonal lines. Aren't those owls great?

Color: Boysenberry--looks like plum to me
On a non-quilty note, my kitchen just received a new addition this week. I have been using my MIL's 25 year-old, refurbished, white KitchenAid stand mixer for about 3 years now. Seems almost every gluten free baking recipe I like calls for the use of a stand mixer, and I didn't have one. I had been a Bosch user all my life, but had to get rid of mine when I was diagnosed with celiac disease. The old KitchenAid still worked well, but I wanted larger bowl capacity. And if you are going to get a new one, why not get a fun color, right? This arrived yesterday. (You can see my distorted reflection in it as I take the photo.) It makes me smile whenever I see this on my counter.

And to break it in I made a batch of my new favorite gluten free muffin recipe from King Arthur Flour. They are a delicious gluten free pumpkin muffin that you can dress up in a variety of ways. I have made them with pecans or mini chocolate chips. These are the pecan version--so yummy! The grandkids prefer them with chocolate chips. I am just happy to have a great pumpkin muffin again. They are fluffy, moist and flavorful, and they taste good even several days after making them. That is rare for gluten free baked goods.

One final note--I have finally made and sent blocks to the 70273 Project, something I have been intending to do since I first read about it on Lori's blog over 2 years ago. 
 
It is very important, and deserves its own post (which it will get). In the meantime, click on the link above and see if you are inspired to participate.

Until next time,
Janet O.





29 comments:

  1. If I got a new Kitchen Aid, I would get one in a Fun color too. Very nice addition to your Sajou. I like your Jewelry box as weel. My Grand parents gave me one.
    I got them for my Granddaughters a couple years ago.

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  2. Your final version of Sajou is wonderful, and your Jewel Box mini is a star! Those owls are so precious I hope you have enough of that fat quarter left over to feature them on the front of a future quilt! A friend recently gave me an older KitchenAid, but I ended up giving it to my step-daughter. Our kitchen is so tiny with very little counter space and I would have had to haul it up and down from the basement every time I wanted to use it. Your pumpkin muffins look delicious! So happy you found a recipe you love and that lasts more than a day or so.

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  3. Your Sajou looks wonderful Janet but Oh My .. that jewellery box mini is just SOoooo sweet. And your jewellery box is darling too! I love the Owl backing you have used. What a fun colour to have in your kitchen! I wish I could just reach into my screen & try one of your delicious looking muffins!

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  4. Love your new Sajou!! (I loved the others too) I think the paper piece is a good way to do it if you want it a certain way. I'm glad to see you did it that way.
    Love that mixer! What a pretty color- the muffins look so yummy!!
    I've been meaning to make more XX blocks. What a story.

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  5. Oh, Janet, I LOVE the new border on your Sajou!! It is so you!! Your October mini is darling and the back is fabulous!! I had a little jewelry box as a teenager that was the exact same style as your music box!! I kept it for years, but alas, it is now gone.

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  6. What a pretty Sajou quilt!! I like your mini, with the perfect backing. My son got me a kitchen aide mixer when he was in college and I love it still!

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  7. As always great finishes.love the center in the saijou quilt. BTW way my kitchen aid mixer is RED! And it's fabulous.

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  8. First good for you for doing you XX blocks. I will confess that I intended to also but it got away and seeing that you did I will definitely do mine!
    your Abe block is wonderful in everyway. I like it set on square in the center and love those fussy cuts union bits.
    The jewel box mini is so so charming, especially photographed with your jewelry box from your grandmother. What a treasure with Laura Song even if it plays a bit slow.
    lucky you to have a red mixer, mine is white....but I'm grateful it works. The muffins look yummy!

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  9. Fancy, hot color machine! It should be lots of fun to mix things up for baking now! Your remake is great....do what you like and enjoy it. No matter what....change your mind to get it right.
    I prefer that jewel box mini....it turned out so cute and the owls are such a fun touch.

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  10. The borders on your block are stunning. I have liked the block each and every time, but yes, you have definitely nailed it this time. The Jewel Box mini is gorgeous (love the backing) and I love that you still have your jewelry box from your grandmother. How sweet! Your new kitchen aide mixer is gorgeous.... enjoy!!

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  11. What a fun post! I *adore* the owl fabric and yes, it's the perfect choice for the backing of your October mini!! Sweet memories with your jewelry box! I still use the one my daddy made and gifted to me when I was a teen. I've given each of the grandgirls a Lenox silver musical jewelry block! I hope it becomes a treasure for them. Congrats on the new mixer! I gifted mine to Joc when we moved to the RV...it's the one thing I wish I hadn't given away! Love the color of yours!!! I'm curious, though--why did you have to give up your Bosch? (What is a Bosch?! LOL!) Enjoy your yummy pumpkin muffins! Yay!! I'm going to go check out your link to the 70273 Project, now! Have a fabulous weekend!!! :)

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  12. I call that a good finish on Lincoln. The fabrics play so well together and you have a theme going using the Union fabric with the Lincoln picture. I like your piece very much.
    I purchased a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer a number of years ago when I was doing a lot of cookie making. It has held up well but weighs a ton. I don't keep it on the kitchen counter any more because I don't have a large amount of counter space. Mine is plain old white. I know they come in delicious colors.

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  13. Oh yes, I wholeheartedly agree that your Sajou is now even better! I love how it came out. The Jewel Box mini is delightful and I will post the link on my blog. I love your comment about channeling "Barb"! We all need to add her whimsy once in a while. It's a great backing! I don't bake much these days, but thanks for the muffin recipe!

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  14. love your kitchenaid! i went for the hand mixer as i don't bake enough to warrant the price of the stand...but would still love to have one...lol!

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  15. The third time is obviously the charm. Your Sajour quilt is fabulous especially with Lincoln facing the right direction. And your October mini is so sweet with all those saved little pieces. Also the perfect backing with those cute little owls. Of course, if you're getting a new mixer pick an awesome color. You did!!! Love it!!

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  16. Great finish, glad you made the changes, it would annoy you everytime you looked at it if you didnt! Love the purple mixer!

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  17. Love everything about your october mini!...the front, the back and the story of your jewelry box :)
    How fun to have that beautiful new color of mixer in your kitchen...that is a great pumpkin muffin recipe!

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  18. Both of these quilts turned out wonderfully! I really like the Sajou - been planning on making one but got sidetracked with other projects. Been planning on making the 70273 project since I heard about it too.

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  19. Love your October mini! Those little scraps have all the perfect colors in balance!
    Kitchen Aid stand mixers are worth the investment! I had asked "Santa" for the heavy duty version in a metallic chocolate brown on year...and he brought me the smaller version in plain ol' white (less than half the price of the heavy duty one). I will admit I was a little disappointed at first....but, twenty years later...it's still mixing along perfectly! The only thing it strains with is a double batch of cookie dough. Your pumpkin muffins look delicious!!! :-)

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  20. I'm loving the red cross blocks. That cake mixer, is sexy! Is there such a thing as a sexy cake mixer?? :-)

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  21. Oh my! I love your Sajou redo! It is perfect! And who can resist any of your minis!!

    What a cheerful mixer to brighten your kitchen!

    Blessings and hugs!

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  22. Janet, I have to say that I do love the border that you put on the Sajou little quilt. It's perfect. Looks very complicated, though, to me!
    and your new Kitchen Aid?? Gorgeous. Mine is a very sexy silver! VBG. You'll love it. they are such workhorses, although I will tell you that my little knobby thing that changes the speed broke off... not from too much use, that's for sure.
    Your little jewel box mini is also fabulous! You've been a busy girl!!

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  23. The NEW Sajou is beautiful, as well as the little jewel box quilt. Inspiration galore here! Very nicely done!

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  24. Forgive me for being sorely behind in blog reading....I love seeing what you are doing. The mini jewel box is adorable; so much news in this one blog! Love your new Kitchenaid. Mine is harvest gold (1970's) and is like new. Couldn't live w/o it. And now that you mention it, it IS time for some pumpkin muffins.

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  25. Love your “Boysenberry” KitchenAid mixer! Mine is butter yellow and is 42 years old...it gets alot of use. Our DIL’s is cherry red! The new version of your Sajou is terrific - I admired your first go round though too. And your October mini is perfection piecing as always!! Cutest little owls ever. I need to step up in the Halloween fabric department...sadly lacking in my stash.

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  26. I think you nailed it with your 'latest' Lincoln Sajou piece Janet :-) The final border frames it really well. ANd your wee jewel box is lovely too...I'm picking there will be scraps from your owl FQ to use in another quilt...?! I was given a mixer for my birthday this year - I've never had one before and am enjoying it; it's not as colourful as yours but my family researched the red ones (preferred Raewyn colour) available and decided that particular brand (here in NZ) didn't have very good reviews! So mine matches my tapware :-)

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  27. Love your Sajou finish. It's perfect! Thanks for sharing how you marked the triangle border. Mini Jewel Box is just the cutest with the owl backing and looks so nice next to the jewelry box your grandmother gave you :) Spiffy mixer! Great job on making blocks for the 70273 Project!

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  28. Ok your third go at the setting is perfect - it goes to show sometimes it’s worth it, and fun, to take a quilt through several iterations before getting that ah ha moment. Love the color of your kitchenaid! I love my kitchenaid!

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  29. Your Sajou became such a perfectly patriotic quilt, Janet. I love all the fussy-cut blocks. Your jewel box quilt is, maybe, 8" x 10" and the littlest squares finish at ½"? Isn't it wonderful all the color choices Kitchen Aid provides these days? Thank you for reminding me of The 70273 Project.

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