Thursday, May 5, 2016

HEAVENLY JELLY BERRIES




I know that for some of you think picking dewberries or blackberries is not your idea of fun.  But it is mine.

In fact, if I drove you around our property I would probably bore you with what I consider to be my best berry picking spots.  If my husband happens to run over my berries with his tractor....well....you can imagine the ear full he gets...

So once I get them picked then I juice them.  This part is fun if you like getting your hands messy.


The plums are not ripe on the vine yet but I did find some in the freezer ready to jelly up.  I have to tell you that this plum jelly is out of this world good, you can eat it like candy (not that I would.....HA!!)
I did make jelly from the dew berries I picked the other day and jelly from the blackberries frozen from last year.

You might think work...

I think fun....

and when you hear the ping of the lids when you know they sealed....oh yes....
that causes a smile to cross my face each time.


"

You can tell I do not need a roller coaster ride to get my thrills.

So...here is my "Playful Paper Piece" using Desert Rose Island Batik Fabric.

                                                       
                                                                Laying in my rose bush.



                                                I was hoping to catch the flowers to the left....


                                                This project is Joanna's from the  Shape Moth's blog

                                                   
Click on the link above and you will find the pattern for the jars.

Now having done that, I have to admit, I am not a fan of paper piecing.  I have done one quilt using the paper piecing method and well...that was that.

Thank you Island Batik for allowing me to practice this method again.  The Island Batik Ambassadors will be posting at various times during the month about their projects for the month as well.



15 comments:

beaquilter said...

quilt looks great and so does the berries, I want a jar!! lol

QuiltShopGal said...

What a fun post and gorgeous quilt that so captures your beautiful and yummy berries. Total #CreativeGoodness.

QuiltShopGal
www.quiltshopgal.com

Annie said...

Yes, I reacted to all the "fun?"...stuff just as you predicted. LoL. You can keep all that fun and just send me the yummy looking jars. That's a very sweet quilt.

Gene Black said...

I love the colors and fabrics on your cute jelly quilt. That sound of "ping" as a jar seals is one of my favorites too - I always smile.

Needled Mom said...

There is little as exciting as that pop of the jar lids. Love your jar quilt.

Unknown said...

Love making jams and jellies. My new fave is marmalades. Kumquat was my obsession over the winter when I found a wild tree! Yummy. glad to see you are still a wild quilter at heart.

Denice Barker said...

I'm with you! I can be quite a snob about berrying. In summer I don't eat a fruit I didn't pick myself and I'm discovering some new combinations to put into my homemade ice creams. But I've never tried to make jam after the berries have been frozen! Usually I freeze them for pies in the dead of winter when I can take a bite and remember the mosquito bites of summer.

Calicojoan said...

These are just so adorable. I had to stop for a minute when I saw the photo of your berries. I looked suspiciously like fabric dying. LOL!

Shelly said...

MMMMM wish I had some of those berries of yours! Might have to just settle with a quilted jar of jelly instead.

KaHolly said...

Your jars full of sweetness look so yummy, both the real ones and the fabric ones!

Quilter Kathy said...

YUM! I know exactly what you mean about feeling great delight when you hear the ping! I love canning... especially jam!

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

I love berry picking. As a child I used to help my Grandmother make grape jelly from our grape vines but I haven't tried canning as an adult. I love your jar quilt. What caught my eye in this post was the cloth you were using to juice your berries. I thought you were going to tell us how you use your hand picked berries to dye fabric :)

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

Your quilt is beautiful Barb! I also noticed the cloth you were using to juice your berries and was sure you would use it for quilting......maybe you still will!

Linda said...

Such a cute jam quilt you have made! I love to make jam, I just finished a batch of kumquat marmalade! That's not my favorite jam to make because of the slicing and 2 day job. My favorite jam to make is cherry! We have a plum tree that is going to give us a lot of plums this year, would you like to share your recipe? I would love to try it!!!

Pam Geisel - For Quilts Sake said...

Just yummy!