I can't remember when I first started my birdbaths at sunset quilt. It might have been two winters ago, but at least one. I didn't write down the date in my little project notebook. I remember spending part of a snow day ironing fabric so I know I'm in the right season. Anyway, the blocks don't come together quickly. I think it takes me close to three hours to make a set of six. Yesterday I made up two sets (a set being of the same center square fabric), except for all the raspberry corner triangles. And this morning I made up another one.
I think I have now made nine sets and I have eleven left to go. When I started, I organized the strips around the center fabric squares. Before I cut the strips into specific lengths, I make up cards with little scraps of fabric so that I can remember the pattern combination.
And then I can cut the strips and put them together in sets.
I have lots of little fabric clippings.
In between ironing, cutting, and sewing, I baked bread. Last night before I went to bed I forgot to start the no knead, slow rise dough. I pulled out Laurel's Kitchen cookbook and went back to a more conventional recipe that doesn't need 16 hours of rising time. Can I say that I love my new rising buckets! They are so cute and are the perfect size for the two bread pans that I brought back from London in 2011.
Today's dough was airier and lighter and smelled more yeasty. I think it will be tasty as well.
I've been experimenting with different yeast and flour that I bought in Vermont. Last week I made the slow rise, low yeast bread with a mix of regular bread flour and the European blend. It was dense and delicious.
It will be interesting to see what yeast and flour combination we like the best.
