Beginner Quilting Class: Stress & Sweets

If I could say week three went off without a hitch in my quilting class that would make me so happy. Unfortunately, that is not the case. It has been an interesting week to say the least.

I have cut more fabric than I could even begin to tell you. First, it was the strips for the nine patch blocks. No problem. Next, the snowball blocks, which was relatively easy, except it was time consuming. Mostly, because I had to draw lines on the diagonal on the backsides of each of the corner squares.

In class, we sewed some of the nine patch blocks and did more pressing. Of course, I still had a major problem with that. In fact, I pressed all of my strips the wrong way....AGAIN. UGHHH.

We really did not get a lot done during class. Why is that? you ask. Well for one thing, it seems Leo, our instructor likes to throw topics out in the wind for discussion. This week out of the clear blue he asks if anyone believed in ghost. After a brief narration from him about the shop being haunted, and everyone had to talk about that, the next topic was Aliens. And did we believe in men from outer space.

Truthfully, I like things to be quiet when I am sewing, and this was a major distraction. MAJOR. I really did not even care to listen and kept on sewing over the chatter. I could hardly hear a word anyone was saying. But everyone else was busy in conversation of said topics and did not get much done. The result of not getting much done during class is a result of having lots of homework....and I thought I was so over that.....lots of homework.

So, needless to say, I have had lots to do. Finish all the cutting for this weeks sewing. Then all the squares of the nine blocks had to be sewn. It seems that after I finished with these blocks, I discovered I had a few more than what I needed.

Remember I told you about the men at the shop like to insist you can not sew the way you really are capable of doing without a Bernina. Well, this is my clunker......compared to everyone Else's machine. I don't really care. I like how it sews.

This week, when I arrived, Leo had a Bernina set up for me to sew with. I refused. He said, "Well, you really should try it and see how wonderful it is before you buy one." Huh......I am not buying one, not today, not next week, not at the end of the class. Seriously. In this economy....no way. I'm not saying I will NEVER buy one, but this is not the time.

Did you happen to notice in the last photo what is sitting on the side of my machine.....one of my bone dishes...you know, it makes a great pin holder while I am sewing. Oh, and speaking of pins....I hate pinning....anything. I would rather just straight sew, no pinning. But I am trying to do what he says, and pin...still don't like it. This week all the pinning drove me nuts...it was a lot.

Here is a photo of the blocks....I like the colors. It took me a few minutes before I realized something.......

....I realized that this is the center of the quilt. I like how it looks, and love the fabrics.

Here is a closeup of one of the fabrics for the flying geese blocks. Now...that was the rest of our homework to cut the fabric for these blocks to be sewn next week. Being the out of the box thinker I am, I decided I wanted to do one green, and the one on top orange. The example quilt had both geese the same color.

Leo, already knew I was going to do that, and he said something about it in class. Well, all of a sudden EVERYONE wanted to do that same thing and it was a major ordeal for the rest of the girls to choose their fabrics.....can you say annoying.

Late last night, I was trying to cut the flying geese, and I was really tired, but wanted to finish. Guess what happened? I cute DOUBLE what I needed. I could have just died. I called Leo today and told him that he could forget flying geese, I had flying flocks....tons of them! I am going to finish these extras and maybe at the end, we can make my quilt bigger. I already have them cut and Leo said to stitch them up next week.

If you remember, there are no women who work in this shop. That really rings true each week because it seems Leo and the rest of the guys really have a sweet tooth. Everyone is instructed to bring desserts to stuff our faces with each week....just like a man I tell ya. It is annoying to me, I am not there to eat...I am there to sew and learn something....maybe I am a bit too serious.

I took this......Dump Cake....look how pretty it is on my Dump Dishes.

I call this recipe, Brenda's Dump Cake. I have had this very recipe for about 37 years. My cousin Brenda, is the best cook and I can remember at a young age being impressed with her cooking skills.

Once, long ago we went to visit them and see their new house they had built. It is so funny how things stick with you over the years. I remember her beautiful stained glass windows and this incredible dessert. I had never had anything like it. It was wonderful. I have kept that recipe all of these years and I always think of that day each and every time I make it.

So when looking for a recipe for the heavily suggested dessert to bring, I decided upon this. Let me tell you something, the men were in heaven. Seriously. They said they had never had anything like that and raved about how delicious it was. Hardly any was left and I made a large cake. I was shocked at how many people had never heard of this cake.

I am going to post the recipe below....minus pictures....this post has stretched out long enough..by now, most of you have most likely clicked off my blog. Besides, I need to be sewing the snowball blocks and I still have lots to do. I tend to want to get everything out of the way for the next week so I don't have to stress all week about getting it done.

Yes, I have been stressed. For some reason, I never associated stress with sewing....or sweets with sewing for that matter. I've had lots to do, and really, I don't have time to eat or even need any more sweets.....I wonder if the women teachers are like this...somehow, I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, Leo is an excellent teacher, smart, on the ball....just wish he would lose the sweet tooth.

Here is the recipe for the cake. Thank you Brenda for taking to time long ago to give me this recipe, it has been enjoyed over the years and I always like the memories associated with making the cake.

Brenda's Dump Cake

Use 9X13 dish, layer each ingredient in the order listed:

1/2 stick butter - melt in pan add

1 large can crushed pineapple (drain part of the juice off) spread in pan

1 can cherry pie filling - pour and spread over pineapple.

1 yellow cake mix. Spread 3/4 of mix over pineapple (just cake mix strait out of the box)

Melt one stick of butter and pour over all.

sprinkle 1 cup chopped pecans and remaining 1/4 of the cake mix on top.

Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until brown.

This is super easy to make and super delicious. Enjoy.

See ya next Friday...for another saga of the "Beginner Quilt Class".....I know you can hardly wait...Ha Ha!!