Halloween pumpkin delight

This is absolutely to die for. I gave the recipe last year, but some of you haven't tried it, so here it is again. This has replaced pumpkin pie at our house. It is much better and even better for you!
1 15oz can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar or Splenda or sugar substitute that you use
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 (18.25oz) package butter-flavored yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans (if you like nuts)
1 cup butter melted
sprinkle of ground nutmeg
Lite Cool whip optional
Stir first 5 ingredients together. Pour into a lightly sprayed Pam 13 X 9 in. baking dish. Sprinkle entire box of cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle pecons on top. Drizzle butter evenly over top of all.
Bakd 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 min. or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and let stand 10 min. before serving. Serve warm or at room temp. with Cool Whip or whipped cream if desired. sprinkle nutmeg on top of topping.
I used a Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Yellow Cake Mix.

Applique Project Album

This applique project album is sooooooo easy to make. I love antique sewing notions, however, I made an
appliqué album to carry around with me with all of my appliqué projects in it. I found a beautiful flowered fabric that has an antique look to it that I used for the cover material.
Here are the directions: Cut the outside cover fabric 22 1/2" X 13 1/2"; cut lining fabric the same; cut polyester low loft batting, the same. Before sewing the cover fabrics together, cut a pocket of the flowered fabric 22 1/2" X 6 1/2". Turn under 1/4" at the top and then another 1/4"; stitch down to finish pocket.
Pin the pocket to the lining fabric; layer the cover and lining right sides together with the batting under the cover fabric. Stitch all around using a 1/4" seam starting at a side, leaving an opening of at least 4" to "flip and turn" right side out. Blind stitch the opening together.
Cut 4 pieces of fleece that fit inside the cover without showing. Stitch down the center of the sheets of fleece, attaching all 4 pieces to the cover. This makes 8 single sheets of fleece.
Ribbons are attached for closing album.

Mystery Quilt of Valor Block #3

Block #2 of Mystery Quilt of Valor

Block #2 is a piece of cake to make! Cutting 4 1/2" squares is so simple. This block is named a "9 patch" block as it has 9 patches in it: 3 across and 3 down. For row 1: I used blue, white, blue. For row 2: white, red, white. For row 3 same as row 1. Couldn't be easier. This finishes to be a 12 1/2" block. Make 4 identical blocks using this pattern. The top picture shows the back of the square finished. The 2nd picture is showing which way to press the seams so they fit together nicely and corners meet nicely. Remember, PERFECTION is the key to a pretty quilt.

CONSTRUCTION SLIDE SHOW OF BLOCK #1

Construction of Block #1 is "old hat" for a seasoned quilter, but ones of you who are new to this game, will enjoy seeing a slide show I made of the construction of the first block. The main thing is to mark your sewing machine presser foot plate with a Sharpie permanent pen where to line up 1/4" seams. This makes it so easy to keep a quarter in. seam through the whole quilt. It's your machine, and marking on it is your privilege! I do it all the time! It finally wears off, but, just mark it again! Another thing to remember on this block, but sure that all 8 blocks have the 3 1/2" red block in the BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER! It's ok to have it another color, but be sure that all of them are exactly alike. Your Mystery quilt will not work exactly any other way.

Mystery Quilt of Valor BEGINNING THE CUTTING OF THE FABRIC and Sewing instructions for Block #1

Once you have folded selvage edges together, cut off selvage at least 1/4". Some fabrics' selvage is even 1/2" whatever, cut it off before starting to measure. Block #1 uses 3 fabrics: dark, med. and light makes a nice block. Block #1 requires strips that are 3 1/2" wide. I started another QOV using red batik for the 12 1/2" X 3 1/2" strips. Cut 8 since we are making 8 blocks like Block #1.
Then cut 8 strips that are 9 1/2" X 3 1/2" out of the same color fabric. Follow the pattern given with Aug. 24th entry. Look at the picture of all of the pieces cut and ready to assemble.
Once you are ready to sew them together, begin with the bottom small 3 1/2" red square. This pattern is called a "Log Cabin" block. The bottom right corner square is the "hearth" of the cabin, and is usually red.
1. Sew the 3 1/2" white square to the red square using a PERFECT QUARTER INCH SEAM. Finger press light seam to the dark side. LOOK CAREFULY AT THE FINISHED PICTURE ABOVE!
2. sew the 6 1/2" white piece to the side of the two squares. LOOK CAREFULLY AT FINISHED PICTURE ABOVE!
3. Sew 6 1/2" blue piece to top of project. Always finger press to dark side when possible.
4. Sew 9 1/2" blue piece to the side of project.
5. Sew 9 1/2" red piece to the top of the project.
6. Sew 12 1/2" red piece to the side of the project, finishing the sewing of the block.
Press seams carefully on the back using a DRY HOT IRON. NO STEAM, ever!!!!!!! Once the seams are pressed nicely, press the top of the block.

MYSTERY QUILT OF VALOR STARTS TODAY

Here are the yardages needed for the quilt top:
white for blocks: 2 1/2 yds.
red for blocks: 3 yds.
blue or navy for blocks: 2 1/2 yds.
For Borders: chain sew together: Navy 6 (1 1/2" strips) (1/3 yd.)
white: 7 (2 1/2" strips) 3/4 yd.
Backing and binding fabric: you'll need 4 1/2 yds.
Cut length in half resulting in 2 pieces 78" X 44"
Cut off 1 selvage edge from each and sew 2 pieces together to make 1 piece 78" X 88"
Cut off 4-2 1/2" strips 78" long for binding which leaves 1 piece 78" X 78" for back.
Please wash fabric with COLOR GRABBERS or COLOR CATCHERS until the reds and navy or blues do not stain a white washcloth. I buy cheapy washcloths to test this fabric!


I do hope you are planning on making a Quilt of Valor, whether you are planning on using my pattern or something else. We need many more made ASAP. There are still so many wounded troops in hospitals around the U.S. and you and I can make a difference. We can show them that we care and support of military in all of their endeavors.

If you are making my MYSTERY QUILT, the very first thing I want you to do is to wash all of the fabric to be sure that the colors do not run. There are things called, COLOR CATCHERS Or COLOR GRABBERS that you throw into the washing machine with the fabric. I pour at least 1/2 cup white vinegar in with any fabric that tends to bleed its color. Red and navy fabrics are usually the worst for doing this. I had to wash a red MODA fabric 9 times and used a gallon of white vinegar before I could throw a white washcloth in with it and it didn't turn pink. Since I wanted to use white fabric along with these colors, I had to be sure that they did not run.
After washing and drying fabric I fold it very carefully smoothing it out as I fold. I do not iron my fabric, as I know I'll press every seam as I make it.
Once I have my fabric ready to use, I make sure that my sewing machine is in good running order. New needle is always a good thing to have, and I load several bobbins with gray thread, as i use that for all my piecing.
Before I start cutting the fabric, I study to be sure that I have my rotary cutter nice and sharp, or a new blade inserted; my cutting mat at waist high (I use my kitchen cabinet as it kills my back to bend over a table; my 18" X 3" ruler is great to use.
I always cut going down the selvedge edge of the fabric, saving the long pieces on the other side for borders. Cut off the selvedge edge first.
I shall be putting step by step pictures for each pattern that we are going to use. There are 5 blocks.
Check for the beginning block after you have finished all of the above assignments. I shall post pictures beginning tomorrow, Sept. 25th.