Saturday, January 19, 2013

History Quilter Podcast Episode 35 Indigo Quilts & A Podcast Anniversary Giveaway

Yesterday amidst a very busy but enjoyable day, I carved out a bit of time and recorded my 35th podcast episode in honor of my 2nd year Podcast Anniversary.  Wow - two years!  If you are a listener, thank you for listening, commenting, thinking, and supporting me throughout this most gratifying endeavor in my life.

To thank my listeners for two years of support, I am hosting a giveaway that I announced in the podcast episode.  Now here is the fun part - only those who listen to the podcast and hear what they must comment on will be eligible for the giveaway.  I'm thinking of it as a "pay it forward giveaway" to my podcast listeners and honestly, a way for me to gauge how many core listeners I have.

Blog readers, are you intrigued as to what I'm giving away?  I'm giving away Two (2) Craftsy online classes worth $55.00 to one listener who comments about Episode 35.  
Two years = Two classes. 

Don't know what Craftsy is?  Visit the Wall Street Journal article dated Thursday, January e, 2013 here to learn more about the evolution of this online company which owes much of it's success to us quilters.  Yes, quilters!

To find my podcast please visit iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher Radio or listen directly from this blog with the Podbean box to the right.

My 2nd Podcast Anniversary will be open until I record the next podcast. Go listen and good luck!  

Be safe and have fun~
Susan

43 comments:

  1. Great episode, Susan! You made me hungry for apple fritters, I will have to try making those. I really enjoyed the indigo talk. I never realized the dye comes from the fermented leaves themselves.. very interesting! You and I share a favourite colour, I like the darker shades too. I love cobalt glass!
    Not just in this episode, but I love when you say exactly what you're thinking, then you say "I don't know why I said that" lol.. it's charming. I knew what you meant, though. I feel the same about birthdays. It's a happy celebration, but bittersweet too, as I consider how many years are left.
    Happy podcastaversary! It's been a great two years! Here's to many more!

    One of your biggest fans,
    Daisy

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  2. Thanks for the episode Susan! I just purchased my first Craftsy class, a beginner serger class. I just bought a serger and am a little intimidated by it. Unlike most quilters, I'm excited to start sewing more clothing! Thanks for the info on how Craftsy got started! I'd love to win!!!

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  3. I am downloading the podcast and will be back after I listen to the podcast... LOVE INDIGO FABRIC ( along with every other fabric under the sun.) Just bought two yards of indigo fabric planning to use in the quilt and then a piano keep border. The fabric is design as 17 stripes of different prints going length wise. Kind like a Jelly roll.. just great indigo fabric I can do so much with WISH I HAD BOUGHT MORE BUT IT IS ALL GONE... BUMMER.

    NONNIE

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  4. WELL I got to listen while rocking a baby ... best way to listen could not comment till she started playing on her own. Peek a boo with NONNIE has limited appeal I guess.

    I buy INDIGO FABRIC but I never knew how they grew the plants to get the dye. I should have tried to learn but I never bothered trying to find out. Thanks for the information.

    Love cooked greens but I never tried KALE before or the chokes you mentioned... might have to try them as I try to cook more vegetables.

    I have taken several Craftsy class, my problem with them is not the classes but I have limited internet bandwidth and have to get up in the middle of the night 12mn til 5am to get unrestricted download so I can stream the classes.... so I do not do it often.. I also prefer dvds as I like watching on TVs more then a computer. I am sign up for the free BOM and the free classes but I have to listen to them at night. I have signed up for all the FMQ classes when I could get them for the half price. I also signed up for the MODERN QUILT classes and several design classes.

    Good luck in your student teaching endeavors.

    Nonnie

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  5. First of all Happy Birthday! Makes me wish I was on Twitter. I miss all the good stuff. :)
    Apple Fritters sound good. I have seen them at many a bakery but never tried one. I look forward to seeing your results.

    I had no idea making indigo dye was so involved. I had heard it was a rather smelly process though.

    I have never eaten anything with saffron, mostly because it seems too ridiculous to waste something on my palate that is so precious. Someday maybe. Have you had saffron in/on anything?

    Also, I have yet to listen to one of your podcasts that doesn't make me smile at least once. Usually it is more and there is usually at least one laugh along the way. Congrats on your excellent 2 years and here's to many more!

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  6. Happy birthday! Congrats on 2 years podcasting...

    Apple fritters sound yummy....

    I love craftsy classes but am so behind in the ones I'm doing.

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  7. I am not sure how you keep up with your life, quilting, podcasting, cooking etc. I think it is awesome that you involve the boys with your cooking.

    I think I am going to have to look at the column you read on Craftsy, it's history is very intriguing to me. Who would have thought quilting would lead the charge.

    Thanks for all you do. Jackie

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  8. Why are we not surprised about that Wall Street Journal article? Quilters are always enthusiastic about learning more about our craft. You'll have to take a class, Susan. They are very well done. I'm doing the 2013 BOM right now, and I'm half way through Cindy Needham's Design it Quilt it course.

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  9. Apple Fritters DO sound yummy! Your son has good taste. (tho the shortribs sound awesome too bty!) I'm anxious to hear about the sunchokes...I'm not familiar with them either.
    Congrats on 2 years Susan - that's very cool, and I really enjoy your podcasts!

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  10. Happy birthday and happy podcast anniversary! I love that you always workout on your birthday. I might just have to copy that. My daughter wanted the Insanity DVDs for her bday. So since there is a few weeks between club and hs soccer we've been digging deeper and sweating like crazy.

    You should really try a craftsy class. Their set up has many great features. The classes are broken down into short segments so its easy to watch you can bookmark, interact with the instructor and view other students work, but best of all they never expire! They are always adding new classes too

    Thanks for the podcast
    Jul

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  11. Do you expect to start the remodel soon on your 50s era kitchen with poor lighting?

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  12. I have done indigo dyeing. and two comments 1) fermenting indigo vats stink something fierce. 2) because you are trying to create an anorexic environment the vats are very fickle. think difference between a good vintage wine and vinegar. but the results are totally worth it.

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  13. I had a fantastic AP American History professor in high school (many years ago) and he was fantastic. I hope your mentoring professors are as dynamic! Have fun and thank you for the giveaway opportunity.

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  14. I just took my first craftsy class last week, and it's no surprise that the quilting classes are the biggest - they're also the best! The class I took was Anita Grossman Solomon's Traditional Blocks Made Simple - It was jam-packed full of tips about starching and quilting, and the pineapple block now looks easy to me.

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  15. 1. Belated Happy Birthday!
    2. I've started, but not yet finished, my first Craftsy class. I'm looking forward to many more!
    3. Happy Podcast Anniversary!
    4. I can't wait to hear how the student teaching goes1

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  16. OK I will shamelessly mention that you mentioned ME on this podcast, LOL. Thanks for that, and I really enjoyed your information on Indigo quilts.

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  17. Happy Birthday Susan!

    First, thanks for all the great information that you always provide. I especially enjoyed your shout-out for Crafsty classes - I live in the middle of nowhere and Craftsy provides a lifeline to professional teachers, along with the convenience of anytime access.

    I sure hope you find time to take the artisan bread making class and you let us know how it went! Hopefully your bread will turn out as great as the apple fritters sound!

    Good luck with your first days of teaching :)

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  18. Happy Birthday Belated what a idea exercising on that special day.

    Indigo began 4000 years ago for textile dying and printing. Glad to hear you have classes to teach.

    Congrats on finishing 2 yrs keep up podcasting

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  19. Congrats on two years podcasting! My favorite color is also blue, the shade I prefer may change but all my life its been my favorite color. I had no idea that fabric had to be in the Indigo vat for so long. Amazing. Thanks for the information.

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  20. Congratulations on your anniversary. I like to hear about all you do; the quilting, the teaching and the food. I laughed when you talked about checking out the market to find some Jerusalem artichokes and currently growing vegetables in your garden. Sigh. My garden is buried under three feet of snow. The cold weather is great for quilting though.

    Thanks for the info about Craftsy. Great courses.

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  21. Happy podcasting anniversary to you. I have enjoyed listening to your podcasts while I sew or walk.

    I had no idea that a textile dye that is taken for grants by many, including myself, has such a complex process and has been around for as long as it has. After you described the entire process, I had to wonder just how did the people of the time stumble upon it.

    I will share my first experience with Jerusalem artichokes with you. I was first introduced to this type of vegetable was when I lived in England. The owner of the house that we rented had planted some Jerusalem artichokes in the backyard. The plants were over 7 feet high. A neighbor told us all about the disfigured vegetable. I tried to peel the vegie and then found out that the thing is just cleaned up well and cooked up. It is eaten pretty much like one would eat a potato.

    I like your idea of exercising on your birthday. I will have to keep that in mind for when my birthday comes around. It is a nice way to be good to yourself.

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  22. Susan, Congrats on your upcoming first day in front of 3 classes on the 29th. Too bad it is too early for your garden of Kale, Carrots and cabbage to be ready for making a salad to take for lunch that day.
    Will you be able to wear something Indigo when you are teaching?

    I absolutely love Craftsy and would LOVE the opportunity to win additional classes.

    Happy 2nd Podcastiversary!
    ~June in AZ

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  23. Happy Birthday, and your favorite color is Balooooo! I always look forward to your podcasts, and wish the best for you in this third year of enlightening our souls with the history of quilting (my favorite subject!). Mwah!

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  24. Congrats on your two-year anniversary and good luck with student teaching. My "Sunday" fried chicken is always fixed with buttermilk. I think buttermilk should be confirmed as one of the wonders of the world. It makes everything better.

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  25. I'm an new listener and enjoy your mix of history, food and life. I've gone back and started listening from episode 17, as that's as far back as itunes goes.

    Indigo fabric is used in Sashiko quilting using white thread to stunning effect. I didn't know that the dye was so complex. Do they traditionally use a fixadent with the procedure or is the fading part of the charm?

    Thanks for keeping me amused as I slog through housework, etc. Your podcast is charming.

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  26. Happy Days [Birth and Podcast]! But was there cake?

    Anyone who knows me know that blue is my favorite color too, but NOT if it is that pale washed-out Carolina blue [says the Duke alum and NC State mom.] Every other type of blue is my favorite.

    All the best.

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  27. Susan,
    I would love winning the craftsy.com gift cert! I love hearing about your cooking but since I am vegetarian, I probably would not make buttermilk chicken.
    The apple fritters sound like a perfect winter recipe. I will think about you on the 29th when you are in front of THREE classes! Congrats on that progress!
    I love blue too, don't know if it is my favorite color, but it's close.
    Thank you for doing the podcast, I did enjoy hearing how complicated making indigo can be to produce.
    Emily Hinkel

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  28. Susan, I enjoyed your podcast & I would love to win.
    The mention of "sunchokes" reminded me of when I grew them back in my "back to the land" days in the 1970's & 80's - I have to say that although they are easy to grow and the flowers are pretty (as any sunflower is), the supposed food value is not as described. We thought they tasted like the roots they are and found many other things to grow that would serve the same purpose.
    Indigo is a great dye for fiber, too, the yarn coming out such a lovely color blue.

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  29. Ok. I listened, been listening for over a year! Really like yours! Enjoy hearing about your school progress, your cooking adventures, but really love your quilts! Go indigo (your info was very cool). Living in S Carolina, I really found the indigo history and East Bay Trading interesting. I'm not a giveaway person, hearing you get excited with your two inch strips from Sandy turned me. Happy Pod 2 year! Beth in SC

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  30. Ok. I listened, been listening for over a year! Really like yours! Enjoy hearing about your school progress, your cooking adventures, but really love your quilts! Go indigo (your info was very cool). Living in S Carolina, I really found the indigo history and East Bay Trading interesting. I'm not a giveaway person, hearing you get excited with your two inch strips from Sandy turned me. Happy Pod 2 year! Beth in SC

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  31. I would be super-excited to win the Craftsy classes! Love the show. This time one of the things you talked about winning the giveaway from Sandy that was a bunch of 2.5 inch strips and you are wondering what you will make from it. Oh and you got a DVD too but I don't remember what you said it was. (kelley at pioneer quilter dot com)

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  32. Congratulations on your anniversary! I'm excited to hear that you're doing Lucky Stars too. I also have never done paper piecing but am looking forward to learning. This is also my first BOM experience. The opportunity was so affordable that I couldn't pass it up. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  33. Very nice episode! I enjoyed learning about Indigo cloth and about Saffron too! I hope your son got his shin guards on time for soccer!
    I enjoy hearing about your upcoming teaching job.
    Sandi

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  34. Congratulations on your second podcastiversary! I love that you and the other quilting podcasters refer to each other's podcasts in your shows. It's like a little, "oh, I know that one, too!" jolt of recognition during the podcast. I love the sound of the kale salad recipe from the WSJ. I'm probably the only perosn in my house that would eat it, though. My boys (including DH) are not very adventurous eaters, and kale falls in that category, as do capers. They are very boring to cook for. sigh.

    I look forward to hearing about your new adventures in the classroom as the teacher instead of as the student! Exciting times!

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  35. Congratulations on your podcastiversary as well as completing another year of life! I always enjoy listening to you. I have 2 daughters that are close to the age of your sons. Mine are in 9th & 11th grade. Yes, life is changing as they get older & don't need us as much or in different ways. Never heard of sun chokes, got to find them. Craftsy is on their 2nd BOM free class. I downloaded the first but never got farther than that. I bought the class on sewing with knits to motivate me to start making some clothes again & finished a cute, well fitted hoody sweatshirt that was so easy! Good luck with your teaching & new chapter of your life! But try to keep in touch with us on your podcast!

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  36. Congratulations! What an acheivement! Enjoying your visiting with us. Good luck at your student teaching. Looked up the cookbook on Amazon right away, looks like it would be a good one, family meals. Also went to the blog of Don't call me Betsy! Beautiful stars. Again congrats and thanks!

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  37. Congratulatuins Susan on your Podcast Anniversary! Time is flying, guess we're having fun! Loved your podcast (as always), and just wanted to say thank you for doing it. I know it takes time, and it's so generous of you to share with us. I just signed up for my first Craftsy class! After much internal debate, I chose Leah Day's machine quilting. It was that, or the bread class, but since I recently took the bread class at Sur la Table, I thought I'd go with the quilting. More classes though, I would LOVE! To add to your Indigo portion, from my 1800's Club class, I learned something I thought was kind of silly. "Some quilt historians have recently theorized that the popularity of the blue-and-white color combination was a result of the influence of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. This organization, dedicated to publiczing alcohol's threat to the family was founded in Ohio and had as its colors blue and white. Many fine quilts in this color combination have been found in this area, and a number of them are made in the Drunkard's Path pattern."

    Gloria (gmauno at gmail dot come)

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  38. Hi Susan.
    I left comments regarding your podcast on your blog and then wandered here. Happy Birthday! Apple fritters will be great. Kale, cabbage and carrot salad sounds amazing. I like the color blue too.

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  39. Great episode Susan! I only wish I had listened to your information on Indigo quilts before going to Road of CA. There was that lovely booth that had all hand-dyed indigo fabrics from Africa - did you see it? Oh - I could have come home with so many of those. I found it interesting that when handling the fabric that they were so stiff... not at all soft.

    I've signed up the for Don't Call Me Betsy BOM as well... you are way ahead of me, I haven't even started yet!

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  40. I loved hearing about the process of dyeing with indigo! I'm pretty fascinated with dyeing in general. I also spin/knit and have experimented with dyeing unspun wool and finished yarn, but I haven't yet been more adventurous than dyeing with kool-aid (acid dye, works for animal fibers but not cotton) in a crock pot. I knew indigo was fairly complicated but I had no idea just how involved the process is.

    I'm a new listener, just found your podcast last week and have been listening to some of the older episodes. I'm a pretty new quilter (in the middle of my first quilt) and have been digging up all the information I can find about the history behind various types of quilts.

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  41. about indigo fabric
    you probably know of Da Gama indigos from south Africa now produced in Europe. A vendor called Quilters Cabin comes to Vermont Quilt Festival and has tons of them. Really stiff at first and they smell great. Not sure how widely they vend. but the're on line too. but $$!

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  42. Loved your podcast Susan! You always make me smile no matter what! I never knew Craftsy started because of quilters, it's pretty fascinating, isn't it? I love the indigo dyes,I had several dresses of that color when I was a little girl. I've yet to try kale I have to admit. I don't just want to buy it and make something, but rather try it somewhere else and see if I like it. I tasted the raw leaf somewhere and not sure if I could eat it like that. I like cabbage and carrots too, but not sure if I could mix it with kale to be honest :))I really like your food segments (as you can tell). Happy 2nd podcast-a-versary! :)))

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  43. Always enjoy the information you share. I really found the information about the sun choke interesting, how it was dug up when other vegetables were not plentiful. Enjoy your excitement about teaching and you will surely bring that to the classroom

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