I've managed to get a decent amount done tonight, and I'm pleased with how it's looking. I'm just using a light cream coloured thread for most of it, but I might go for an olive to quilt in the leaves.
I've shown quite a few photos of Bella over the past few months, but I've never really gone into detail about her. I adopted Bella from the RSPCA almost three years ago, after my old cat died of cancer. The thing about Bella which makes her a bit special is that she is deaf, which is very common in white cats. However, the blue-eyed part is a myth; many white cats with blue eyes have perfectly good hearing, while Bella has green-yellow eyes. No one is entirely sure why being white causes deafness.
Because she is deaf, she is an indoor cat, as she can't hear things like cars or dogs. She is also an incredibly affectionate cat, and gets very upset if she is left alone. If she doesn't know where you are in the house, she howls loudly until she finds you. She can be so loud that I've had neighbours come to the door to see what the noise it. She also has different noises for different occasions; a sad howl when she can't find you, an excited meow when she is about to be fed, and a funny sound we call her "moth noise" when she spots a moth or fly in the house (which she usually catches). To get her to come to you, you wiggle your fingers, or tap on the furniture and she comes running. And if you ignore her for too long, she hops up on her back legs and taps you till you pick her up.
For some reason, she also likes to sleep in lots of funny places; shopping bags, cardboard boxes, a casserole dish I've got stashed away under my bed, and even in the lining of the couch. She also loves umbrellas!
Pop your fruit in a pot, and add 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. The juice adds extra pectin to help with setting. Bring to the boil gradually, and cook the fruit until tender, to your liking. Some people like chunky jam, some not so much. I leave mine chunky, but by the time its "jammed", there usually aren't major chunks left.
( Put a chair near the stove so Bella can watch)
When happy with the chunkiness of your fruit, add 1.5kg white sugar. 
Now is the time to check if the jam is setting; this is what the saucer in the freezer is for. Take the pot off the heat, and dollop some of the jam onto the saucer, and put it back in the freezer. Wait a couple of minutes, then check to see if the jam is set. You should be able to drag a finger through the jam without it moving back to the middle. If it isn't ready, boil another minute or two, then test again, until it is ready.
When you are happy that your jam has reached setting point, turn off the stove and get your jars out of the oven. I use a jug and a nifty funnel to fill my jars. Pour jam carfully into jars (don't burn yourself!), and pop the lids on tight. Allow to cool and set.
Now to clean all the sticky marks off my camera.... and isn't Bella such a cutie!
