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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

52 prompts to blog every week : Week 4

Hi all! Its week 4 of the 52 prompts and today I'm going to talk about my favorite organization tools.



I am the most disorganized person that I know! Its true! I start every year trying to get everything on track and by the end of the year there are so many tracks that I do not know which ones to follow!

I have been cleaning my studio for a week now. I have only managed to fold half of my fabric. There is so much more to be done at the moment.

But here are a few of my favorite organizing tools:

1. Chronodex
I discovered chronodex sometime last year. I was trying to maintain a daily routine planner, but nothing seemed to work for me. Chronodex is visual and I love the 'colouring' part of it! Give it a try, you will love it too!


2. Boxes

My fabric has been on shelves ever since I moved into my new studio. I love that it is open and I can be inspired when I look at it. But lately, I have realized that it has started fading a little. Also, India is a lot dusty and it becomes a HUGE task to dust all those fabrics. So this year, I have ordered some boxes to store the fabric. I found them cheap at an online Packing and Moving supplies store.


I will be keeping all my fabric under one yard in these boxes. I do wish they were clear, but I could not find cheap clear boxes. So these will do for the time being.

3. Baskets and bins

I love having multiple baskets in my studio. I can use them to keep  a thousand different things.


Now that I have multiple sewing machines in my studio, with many people working on them (I have one intern, Preeti since 2 years now and one friend, Ashwini, recently joined me on board. She will be looking after my online store)

What are your favorite organizing tools?

Do share them, in the comments or by joining the linky!

Cheers!!!
www.fatquartershop.com





Sunday, January 24, 2016

Sunday cooking with Rohit - Chicken Curry

Today is my first post in the Sunday Cooking with Rohit series. And today he made one of the yummiest Chicken Curries I have ever eaten, at home or in restaurants!!! 



You want to know how he made it?

Here's the recipe

Ingredients :
Tsp = Teaspoon
Tbsp = Tablespoon

Chicken - 750 gm

For the marinade : 
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Kanda Lasun Masala - 1 Tsp (This masala is readily available in Indian food stores or you can make it yourself. Recipe here) If you cannot buy or make it, you can substitute it with some spicy red chilli powder and some Garam Masala.
Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp (optional)
Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp (optional)

For the Masala :
Cooking Oil - 1/2 Tbsp
Onions - about 1 cup sliced
Cinnamon - about 2" long
Cardamom - 2
Peppercorns - 10-12 (lessen number if you want less spicy)
Star Anise - 1
Mace (Crushed) - about 1 Tsp
Dry red chillies - 2 (Use only one if you want less spicy)
Coriander seeds - 1 Tbsp
Poppy seeds - 1 Tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 Tsp
Black Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
Fresh Coconut (grated) - 3 Tbsp
Dessicated coconut - 1 Tbsp
Red Chilli powder (kashmiri) - 1 Tsp (for color)

For the gravy :
Cooking Oil - 2 Tbsp
Bay leaf - 1
Onions - 1 cup Chopped
Tomato - 1/4 cup Chopped
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Red Chilli Powder (kashmiri) - 1 Tsp
Kanda Lasun Masala - 1 Tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp (optional)
Coriander powder - 1 Tsp (optional)
Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves) - 1 Tsp
Fresh Cream - 2 Tbsp
Dry dessicated coconut - 1 Tbsp (optional)
Fresh Coriander - 1/4 cup - finely chopped

Procedure

Start by marinating the chicken.
Mix all ingredients into a paste and apply it to the cleaned chicken.


 Cover and let it sit for at least an hour.


Making the Masala:
1. Put some oil in a pan to heat.
2. Add all the spices and the dry red chilli and cook till they brown. (DO NOT ADD the red chilli powder now)
3. Add the sliced onions.


 4. Saute till the onions soften.


5. Add the grated fresh coconut and the desiccated coconut and saute till it starts to brown. 
6. Add the red chilli powder and saute for one minute. 


7. Remove from heat and blend it into smooth paste. 



Optional Step : Dry roast the Desiccated coconut till it turns golden.


Making the gravy:

1. In a hot pot, pour the oil and let it heat. 
2. Add a bay leaf and chopped onion. Saute till it starts turning golden brown. 


3. Add ginger garlic paste and tomato. Saute till oil starts to separate. Do not worry if your pot looks a little burnt. It will go away once you add the chicken. 


4. Add the red chilli powder, kanda lasun masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and the kasuri methi. Add the masala paste. Add a mittle water and stir it for a minute. 


5. Lower heat, cover and cook for another minute.


6. Add half of the chopped coriander, give it a good stir, cover and cook for another minute.
7. Add the marinated chiicken and stir thoroughly to make sure that all of the chicken is coated.



8. Cover and let it cook till the chicken is cooked. 
9. After about 10 minutes you will see that the chicken will start oozing some water. Add salt to taste and warm water to thin the gravy. 


10. After the chicken is cooked, add the fresh cream and the roasted desiccated coconut. 
11. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with rice or roti. Add a dash of lemon juice before you serve.



If you do make it, do let me know how it went. If you have any problems, feel free to ask questions.


Enjoy your meal!!!

Cheers!!!

www.fatquartershop.com


P.S. The spices listed above in "For the Masala" will be used repeatedly in making of Indian recipes. They have a pretty good shelf life too. If you buy more than you need, you can store them in the freezer in ziploc bags.



Tuesday, January 19, 2016

52 prompts to blog every week : Week 3

Its Week 3!!!
And today we will be talking about our dream sewing space!!!



What quilter does not have a dream sewing space? I do too! But now I am VERY near to having that wonderful sewing space!!!

About a year and a half back, my Father-in-law got my studio re-done.



It is absolutely fabulous and PERFECT!

I just need to actually decorate and organize it now.

I have created a pinterest board to put all my dreams together!
Follow 13 Woodhouse Road's board 2016 Studio Plans on Pinterest.

I will be working on my plans one at a time to make my studio near my dream by the end of the year!

What are your dreams for the studio?
I'd love to see them.

Do share them, either in the comments or on your blog and by joining the linky!!!





www.fatquartershop.com





Sunday, January 17, 2016

New Series Alert : Sunday cooking with Rohit!!!


This Sunday has been awesome!!! Well, most Sundays are for me lately.

Okay, everyone who follows me knows that I'm not a huge fan of gourmet cooking! Well, I wont kill my family of starvation, but I'd rather do the dishes than cook, given a choice!

Since the past few months, Rohit, my (way) better half, has started taking a keen interest in cooking! It could be because I dont like it and rarely make an effort, but I like to convince myself that it is because he genuinely enjoys it!


Thats my wonderful husband, with his favorite bike!!!


So this morning, he was making lunch and we started talking about blogging. I told him he should write a blog about his cooking adventures. I told him that I know he is not a pro, but so are 99.9% people out there! And I'm sure they would like to see how and what he experiments with! He looked a little interested.


Then I had a BRILLIANT idea. (I am intelligent, though not your ideal housewife!) I suggested him to do a guest column on my blog instead! I have an audience built up over the last five years. And I'm sure most quilters love food. And most quilters abroad love Indian food!!! And his recipes are simple (for now. I'm sure he will be experimenting and playing big soon) enough for anyone to make. His recipes are basic and down to earth. And more often than not, they are absolutely yummy!!!


You hungry?

So we will be starting next week! Every Sunday I, on Rohit's behalf till he gets the hang of blogging, will be posting yummy recipes that he tries. I will also include mine and Aadi's opinions about the recipes!!!

If there are Sundays that he does not cook?

I will whip something up (it will be the easiest and quickest, I promise) and put up a recipe!

Are you ready?







www.fatquartershop.com





Friday, January 15, 2016

Fat Quarter Shop : Top 10 Videos of 2015 : Day 10 Fractal Quilt

Today's the last of the series. 

This has been so much awesome!


Today's quilt is the Fractal Quilt. I loved this pattern the moment I saw it. You can watch Kimberly's video and download the pattern. Make sure you buy the Creative Grids Kite Ruler to make this one. 

Today's block is made by yours truly!!!


And yeah, I just realized my shirt matches the fabric I used to make this block!!! LOL! But I just could not resist these indigo dyed fabrics!


The block came together pretty fast. I was actually not expecting that to happen! I have this innate fear for Y seams. Especially after making the Hexed quilt for Rohit. But it wasnt as bad this time! Maybe Kimberly's video did the trick!

Here are the other bloggers joining me today.




Melissa of Oh How Sweet


Sherri of A Quilting Life


Caroline of Sew Can She

It would be awesome if you would share your #fractalquilt or any other #FQSTop10 quilts for 2015 on Instagram. Oh and did I mention for every #FQSTop10 post you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a Fat Quarter Shop $100 Gift Certificate! This fun contest ends January 31, 2016 and the winner will be announced on Instagram February 1, 2016. 


Good luck and happy quilting everyone! 



www.fatquartershop.com





Thursday, January 14, 2016

Fat Quarter Shop : Top 10 Videos of 2015 : Day 9 - Star Cakes Quilt






Hi all, I'm back! With a new friend making the new block this time!








Today's block is from the Star Cakes Quilt Pattern. You can watch Kimberly's video video tutorial to learn how to make this quilt. Then download the FREE pattern and grab your favorite Layer Cake and get sewing.




Rohinni Juneja or Jolly Juneja (JJ), as she is known in my gang of girls made this lovely block. She is a multi-talented girl. Not only does she quilt, but she also has an online fabric shop. She also makes organic beauty and skincare products. And she is as crazy as I am!!! Love this girl! She is the most resourceful person I have met!!!











I loved the colours she chose to make hers. This girl was travelling when she volunteered to make it and finished it late into the night!!!













Here's a list of other bloggers who are hopping with me today.




Rachel of PS I Quilt

Melissa of Happy Quilting






It would be awesome if you would share your #singleweddingringquilt or any other #FQSTop10 quilts for 2015 on Instagram. Oh and did I mention for every #FQSTop10 post you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a Fat Quarter Shop $100 Gift Certificate! This fun contest ends January 31, 2016 and the winner will be announced on Instagram February 1, 2016. 


Good luck and happy quilting everyone!


























Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Agitagueda

Quilters find inspiration anywhere! I believe this completely. I also believe that they can 'store' inspiration in their brains for accessing at a later date.

I think it was a couple of years back when I first saw the photos of the Agitagueda - a monsoon festival in Portugal where they cover the street with colourful umbrellas.

Photo credit : Avax News

It stayed in my mind for years! When on my recent trip to Bangalore, my friend Bilqis gifted me a bunch of her hand dyed fabrics, my mind kept on going back to this picture (not exactly this picture, but a similar one that I had seen some years back)

Thats when the design for this quilt started taking shape in my mind.

Here is my completed Agitagueda


This quilt took the longest to Free Motion Quilt! It took me 2 hours to complete the quilt top, but 2 weeks to finish the FMQ.

I love the small details of the quilt.




Quilt stats :

Name : Agitagueda

Size : 25" x 19"

Material Used :

Fabric : Bella Solid Black for background, Assorted Hand dyes for applique and backing
Thread : Aurifil 28 wt in assorted colours for quilting. Aurifil 50 wt in the bobbin
Others : Pellon 805 (Wonder Under) for applique, Cotton Batting (high loft)

Appliqued and Quilted on my Bernina 710 using the BSR.

Technique used : Raw Edge Applique

Experience : Meditative, since I was doing the same design basically over and over! It took a lot of patience!

I normally use the same weight thread both on the top and in the bobbin, but for this quilt I used 28 wt Aurifil in the top and 50 wt in the bobbin. I had absolutely no issues with the quilting. I just reduced my tension when I was working so that the bottom thread did not show on the top.

I used Pellon 805 for fusing and a basting spray for basting. That has made the quilt all 'gummy' and i had to change needles multiple times during this project. I first used the Bernina Quilting Needle, but that kept on breaking. I then switched to the Bernina Stretch Needle and completed last 3/4th of the project without any issues. I just remembered to clean the machine every time I changed the thread colour, so that it wont 'gum up'


www.fatquartershop.com





Fat Quarter Shop : Top 10 Videos of 2015 : Day 8 Hope Blooms Quilt

Another Day, Another pattern!!! This is so much fun!!!


Today's pattern is the Hope Blooms Quilt. It is a beautiful log cabin pattern. You can watch Kimberly's video and then download the pattern to make your own.

Today's block is made by Shradha Vyas, known as Cushy to the gang (please don't ask why). She is the most awesome girl I have met. She is hard working, sophisticated, always ready for fun! She has two wonderful daughters and she does an awesome job of raising them as well as taking care of her family! 


She decided to make the block in Black and White fabrics rather than pink (I was expecting her to make a pink one actually!) But I loved it that she went outside her comfort zone with the colours. 



Here are the other bloggers joining us today






Charise of Charise Creates


Rachel of PS I Quilt


Christopher of The Tattooed Quilter

It would be awesome if you would share your #hopebloomsquilt or any other #FQSTop10 quilts for 2015 on Instagram. Oh and did I mention for every #FQSTop10 post you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a Fat Quarter Shop $100 Gift Certificate! This fun contest ends January 31, 2016 and the winner will be announced on Instagram February 1, 2016.

Good luck and happy quilting everyone! 




www.fatquartershop.com