Time For Another Guild Member Of The Month!

Every month during meeting nights Show & tell, we are always in awe of the many project our fellow quilters have to made for themselves and others! We at the Crossroads Quilters Guild are also lucky to have a large number of quilters in our group that quilt for charity, and this months member is one of the most generous of them all. Every months she takes the time to set down at her sewing machine and make a few quilts and crocheted afghans for Project Linus & W.I.C. She has also been know to bring in a few dozen completed Doo-Rags for the local cancer center as well!
Lets all give a big hello to this months featured guild member Joyce C.!

 

Joyce C.

 

1. Joyce, Can you please tell us how long you have been a member of the Crossroads Quilters Guild and why you decided to join?
As I can recall, I think I have been a member since 2004 after seeing in the EDN (Effingham Daily News) that the guild meeting was on third Monday of the month and to contact Sharon D. for info and I did attend the next meeting

2. How and when did you become interested in the art of quilting?
After retiring and getting bored, I decided to find out how to get started quilting. Went to Angies and picked out Eleanor Burns “Log Cabin” book and got started I was hooked and made several quilts before branching out.

3. If given a choice would you rather quilt by your self or with a friend/group of friends and why?
I really enjoy sewing with others but tend to get more done by myself. Wonder why!!!

4. What do you look for to inspire you when you start a new quilting project?
Fabric and quilt magazines.

5. Do you have a color of fabric that you just can’t stand to use in your quilts? If yes, can you let us know why?
(I) Do not have any special color I don’t like.

6. Do you do any other crafting besides quilting? What kind of items do you like to make?
I do crochet while watching TV and have made several prayer shawls, afghans etc. and now am trying to make some poncho’s for my small great granddaughters

7. Have you been able to pass on your art of quilting to a new generation of quilters?
I also have sewn with the Dietrich grade school third graders helping them sew blocks together to make quilts for foster kids. What a joy that is!!

8. Have you seen any new quilting patterns lately that you are interested in trying out?
Have made a “Bargello” quilt recently but don’t think I will attempt another one anytime soon.

9. The internet is playing a large part in the quilting world today, do you use the internet in anyway (such as shopping) for you quilting?
I do buy online for fabric and yarn . Very convenient especially this past year when I couldn’t leave my husband alone very long.

10. Do you have a favorite internet web site or blog that you like to visit?
I am on “face book” and have several quilting “likes” on there and enjoy reading what others are making.

Joyce C.

11. Who do you make quilts for? Family? Friends? Charity Donation?
All of them but like doing for charity as I know some child might really need one.

12. Joyce, you are very involved with making quilts and other items for donation to the local W.I.C & Project Linus Organizations, can you tell us a bit about why you love to donate your time a skills to help others?
Its just my way of giving back and feel that its what God me to do. Give back your time and talent.

13. Can you take a guess at how many quilts you have donated over the years?
I have never kept count but in all the years I suppose have made several hundred.

14. What do you enjoy the least about quilt making?
Layering quilts is not my favorite thing

15. What do you enjoy the least?
Love piecing quilts and trying new patterns and reading my quilt magazines!

Thank you so much for taking part in our Quilter of the Month post here on the guild blog Joyce!!! Are there any closing comments you might like to add?
Thanks Beth for asking me to be a “Quilter of the Month”

This month I leave you with a few photos of quilts Joyce has made and entered into our guild quilts shows! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Log Cabin Star, Joyce C.

 

Chinese Coins, Joyce C.

 

Spinning Spools, Joyce C.

Homemade Caramels!

At this years White Elephant Auction guild member Harvy G. donated a bag of her homemade Caramels and the winning bidder paid top dollar for them! Now i will not say my recipe is as good as harvy’s but i thought i would share it with all of you that were outbid this past Monday night! Just be warned… they are easy to make but a real pain in the tush when it come time to wrap them all up in wax paper!

Soft Caramels

1 1/2c.  Sugar (i use C&H brand!)
1c.          White Corn Syrup
1/2c.     REAL Butter (1 stick, MUST be REAL BUTTER!)
1c.          Heavy Whipping Cream
1tsp.     Vanilla
1c.         Powdered Sugar
Wax Paper
Candy Thermometer

- line a 8″x8″ pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray
- mix first 4 ingredients together in a heavy pan
- place over Medium Low heat and stir until butter is completely melted and ingredients are well combined.
- using a CANDY THERMOMETER, bring the mix to 238 degrees
- remove from heat and quickly mix in the VANILLA
- pour into your foil lined pan and let cool completely.
- remove the caramel from the pan (the foil makes this MUCH easier!) and cut into desired size pieces
- roll each piece into the POWDERED SUGAR and then wrap in a piece of WAX PAPER.

Tips from Beth:
- i have made this candy for a number of years now and have learned a few things when working with it!
- first off once you add in the candy thermometer you no longer need to stand over the pan stirring as long as you use LOW heat!
- did your caramel not set up solid enough to cut & wrap it? Store it in a sealed plastic bowl and use it as a CARAMEL APPLE DIP instead… YUMMY! (cook to only 200 degrees to always get apple dip consistency!!!)
- did your caramel set up to solid to cut? Use a CLEAN meat tenderizer hammer and break it into pieces then roll in sugar and wrap. Now you have HARD CARAMEL CANDY! (cook to 300 degrees to always get hard caramel!)
- do NOT cut all the candy into small pieces then walk away from it for very long…. it will melt back together! It’s not called SOFT CARAMEL for nothing!
- i hate, hate, HATE wrapping the caramels in wax paper and i must admit when it comes time to doing that step i skip it all together! I make the caramel in a toss away foil pan, sprayed with nonstick spray. I dust the top with some powdered sugar (for looks only!) and tape a plastic knife to the lid of the pan. I let them know to keep it nice and cool, never let it get to hot. Yes i give a complete batch away when i make it for friends, its easier and not once have i heard a complaint!

- If you want smaller pieces but don’t want to mess with the wax paper try this:

2c. Milk Chocolate Chips (11.5oz.)

- line a large cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper
- cut the caramel into 1″ squares, place on the cookie sheet leaving a little space between each piece then place in the refrigerator until they are solid (1hour)
- melt chips in a small Crock-Pot on LOW (or in the Microwave until melted, string every 30 seconds)
- dip each square into the chocolate then place onto the cookie sheet leave a little space in between each piece and place back into the refrigerator until the chocolate is set.
- at this point you are pretty safe to leave them out at room temp without wrapping them individually and they will not melt back together. Just don’t let them get to warm! Now you have CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SQUARES! 

Apple Cake!

A few months back, guild member Adice F. shared her Apple Cake with us during break time at a night;y guild meeting. You may remember the tasty caramel topping the cake had! Here is a receipe that is very very close to the same one she shared! The recipe is quite old but I beleve the only difrence is how long you let the apples & sugar set before you make the cake!

Enjoy!

Apple Cake

4c.  Apples, pealed and chopped into very small pieces
2c.  Sugar

- mix the first to ingredients, cover and let set for 1 hour.
- preheat oven to 350 degrees

2          Eggs, beaten
2c.      Flour
2tsp.  Baking Soda
2tbl.  Cinnamon
1c.      Butter
1c.      Chopped Walnuts (optional)

- add EGGS to the APPLES and mix
- Add ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS and blend on medium speed
- Pour into a greased 9″x13″ cake pan
- Bake cake at 350 for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean

Caramel Topping

1/2c. firm packed Brown Sugar
1/2c. White Sugar
1c. Water
4tbl. Flour

- Mix all ingredients together and cook over a Medium-Low flame until thickened.
- Pour over the cake while both cake & sauce are still hot.

Chocolate Brittle Surprise!

This past Monday the members of the Crossroads Quilters guild had our annual Christmas party! We ate a lot of food, had a gift exchange, and Secret Sisters for the 2011 year were reveled to all. And lets not forget to talk about the White Elephant Auction. This years Auction raised over $300.00 for charity! This year the selected Charity for the White Elephant Auction is The Oblong Children’s Christian Home. I am sure the money will be put to good use!

One of the many treats we sampled was called Chocolate Brittle Surprise. I got the recipe from fellow guild member Gwen O’Dell who could not be with us Monday night. A number of you asked for the recipe so here it is!

Chocolate Brittle Surprise

35 unsalted or low salt saltine crackers
1c. Butter
1c. Packed Brown Sugar
2c. Milk Chocolate Chips (11.5oz. pkg.)
1c. Chopped Pecans (optional)

- Preheat oven to 350degrees
- cover a 10″x15″ cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray
- place crackers on the sheet in rows 5 across & 7 down
- in a large microwave safe bowl, microwave the BUTTER for 2 MINUTES
- add the BROWN SUGAR to the now melted butter and microwave for 2 MINUTES,
stir the sugar, butter mix every 30 SECONDS
the mixture will bubble up so be sure to use a large microwave safe bowl!
- Pour hot mixture over the cracker and back for 17 minutes.
(should bubble NOT burn!)
- remove from oven, and sprinkle with CHOCOLATE CHIPS
once chips melt (2 minutes) spread the chips to cover the top of the crackers
- sprinkle on NUTS, if you wish.
- refrigerate for 1 hour, break into pieces & store in a air tight container.
- brittle can be frozen!

tips from Beth:

- when i melt the butter & sugar i use my large microwave safe 9c.
measuring cup! The spout comes in handy when you pour the mix over
the crackers!
- i place my hot brittle in the freezer to speed things up!
But if you want to put it in your refrigerator be sure to
protect your shelves with a couple of hot pads!