This redwork quilt is featured in my Storytime Stitches program. The red and white quilt seems appropriate for the week of Valentine's Day!
But today is Fastnacht Day!
Jessica, my adorable daughter-in-law, came home to make fastnachts with her aunt last weekend. Fastnacht Day is how the Pennsylvania Dutch refer to what most people call Fat Tuesday. A fastnacht (Pennsylvania Dutch translation: Fast Night) are special donuts made especially for the Tuesday before Lent begins.
Jessica and her aunt are determined to continue the family tradition and use Jessica's grandmother's recipe. There are a variety of different recipes for the donuts; all I know is that Jessica's grandmother always made a yeast based donut that had to be risen two times before the dough is cut into squares and fried. It takes them most of the day to make all the batches they want done.
Unfortunately, my family ate all the ones she made already so I have to venture out today to pick up some more fastnachts--mostly for my elderly neighbors who like the celebration but don't venture out much.
The block is a rendition from a book illustrated by Margaret Evans Price. Isn't it adorable? There are many redwork blocks on this quilt that have storybook counterparts and I talk about that in my program.
Have a wonderful Fastnacht Day and great Valentine's Day!
I introduced my western PA mother to Fastnachts yesterday. I had hoped to get them from Mary Anne's but they were sold out. I had to settle for Weis, which actually wasn't too bad. Now what am I going to do with the Josh Early chocolates that I wasn't able to finish off before today!
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