Blue Blue Blueberries...

Who doesn't love these yummy little berries that look and taste so delicious and are so healthy for us too... Like everything it seems this year, the blueberry crop is early. They have been available at our Saturday Farmer's Market for several weeks now. I have been away the last few weekends so decided I better get mine today and get them in the freezer or I might miss out. I love them in muffins or a crisp in the middle of winter. My hubby loves Blueberry Pie so guess that's on my To Do list for this week as well...
As I told you yesterday the theme of this year's Maine Quilts was Blueberry Fields Forever and today I'm sharing with you some of the wonderful pieces from that Challenge. Many were individual entries, some were group entries from a Guild, for a total of 110 Challenge entries this year.
Being a lover of blues and greens, this scrappy lap quilt caught my eye. Blueberry Fields was made by Beth Maitland of Cumberland Maine. I loved the rich shades she used. It was machine pieced and machine quilted.


Blueberry Homecoming by Kathy Boudreau of Brunswick ME touched a soft spot in my heart as I have done this same cross-stitch. It is a design by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum of Told in a Garden. It has always been a favourite of mine and I loved seeing it made into a small quilt.




This miniature quilt is called Blueberry Stars and is a pattern from Thangles by Mary T. Hayes.
Being a Miniatures enthusiast, I could appreciate the work in this one! It was by Mary O. Wilford of Phillips ME.












Of course Blueberries for Sam appealed to the cat-lover in me. It was made by Stephanie Thibodeau of Turner ME, who has a special place in her heart for her Maine Coon cat Sam. Now Ollie thinks I should put him on a quilt - I told him he'll have to learn to eat blueberries first!












Maine Blue-bearies by Beverley Valle of North Andover MA is an adaptation of McKenna Ryan's pattern "Huckle-Bearies". Very clever! Reminds me of the story my Mother used to tell of picking raspberries as a child and coming face to face with a black bear...







Forever Blueberries by Anne Freeman was my favourite of the group entry by Maine Machine Quilters. 9 members of MMQ used the same pattern/design, but each "did their own thing" in the "white space". Very nice indeed. And those berries looked good enough to eat...












Nine members of Kennebec Valley Quilters of Madison - Norridgewock area also did a group entry. Blueberry's in a Basket (left) is by Pat Smith. Two medium values of blue and pine green were given to the members; they were asked to use both with the Blueberry theme and add two embellishments of their choice. Blueberry Pickin by Pat Rollins (below) is another entry from this group.

There were many more pieces in this Challenge but these give you a "taste".... There were also potholders, table toppers, a doll, a jacket, totebags, etc.


I thought I'd also share with you my favourite Blueberry Muffin Recipe. (I often throw in some chopped cranberries as well.) I love the combination of lemon and blueberry flavours...

Blueberry Muffins

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup blueberries
* Note If I'm adding chopped frozen cranberries as well, I use 3/4 cup of each

Stir together dry ingredients. Combine milk, egg, oil and zest. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in berries. Place in muffin cups. Bake at 375F for about 18 minutes- until golden brown.
Optional- Sprinkle tops of muffins with white sugar before baking.

Piece
Linda

"Summer's lease hath all too short a date..." ~ Willy the Shake