Tuesday, August 20, 2013

History Quilter Podcast Episode 39 Catching Up

Happy Tuesday! 

When you haven't recorded a podcast in just over three months things happen:

1. You may unintentionally have background music playing of your iTunes playlist.  (Disconcerting at first but fun.) 
2. You get teased for taking so long for recording a podcast. (Don't mind that in the least.
3. It takes you almost a week to post a blog post about the episode that you recorded, uploaded and published.  (There is a benefit to this one - keep reading for the good news in the P.S.) 

This episode was all about Catching Up as I wanted to catch you all up on what had been going on in my world before I dove back into quilting history.  You can listen to the episode on iTunes, Podbean or on Stitcher Radio.  You can also listen directly from this website by clicking on the Podbean box to the right. 

I've made a few mug rugs - this one I *free-motioned quilted* for the first time.  Yes first time! 
6" x 9" Mug Rug - made for my friend Cheryl 
I finished my Maxi-Dress: 
Simplicity 2638
Jaye of Artquiltmaker.com and I are about to start collaborating on a new quilt with a pattern called Russian Rubix. She has ordered us plastic templates to make the cutting process much easier for the OCTAGONS! I called them Hexi's in the podcast....bad Susan.  
Russian Rubix Quilt Pattern

Here is a little mug rug I made with the test block for Russian Rubix.  Nothing spectacular but it did illustrate that when using prints I need to be aware of how they will fade into the background fabric if not considered correctly.  
5' X 5" test block mug rug
I'm already researching, reading and writing for my next podcast - coming soon!
Thank you for listening~
Susan 

P.S.  I spoke about the TPA's in the podcast.  I learned yesterday that they are my nemesis no longer as I PASSED!  Very, very happy Susan now.  

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

T@tT: Bruschetta Three Ways

This past Sunday the In-Law's were over to celebrate a birthday and as they are a fun group to cook for (will try anything) I decided to try a new appetizer by making bruschetta with tomatoes from my garden.  

I used the recipe Bruschetta A Dozen Ways from The Foster's Market Cookbook
Yellow Pear, Early Girl & Sungold Tomato mixture
I have three different colors of tomatoes out in my garden so I thought it would be visually appealing to use all three plus the contrast in taste between the three would be enjoyable.  The orange sungold's taste like candy - which by the way are my favorite which is why there isn't as much Sungold mixture in the top photo, the yellow pear's are more savory and the red Early Girl's taste like, um...tomatoes.
Bruschetta Three Ways
The recipe called for a olive oil, minced garlic clove, fresh black pepper, fresh rosemary and kosher salt mixture to be brushed onto the tops of the bread.  I used fresh french bread instead of a day old crusty bread (usual selection for bruschetta) as that was the only thing available.  Instead of a super crusty bread that is usual for bruschetta after it is grilled or baked, it was crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. The contrast was perfect.

Each tomato mixture consisted of fresh basil, olive oil, fresh lemon lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper. After I baked the bread slices that had been brushed with the olive oil/rosemary, I topped each one with the tomato mixture.  5 minutes later the entire platter was gone.  Success!

Enjoy your Tuesday ~ Eat Well!
Susan

Sunday, August 4, 2013

A Visit To The International Quilt Festival In Long Beach

When I "became" a quilter in 2010, I visited the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach for the first time without having a clue as to what I was about to encounter or get myself into.  Although the show was overwhelming visually with tons of quilts on display and vendors of all kinds, it was a great way to immerse myself into the quilting world.  

The show is again visiting my town so Zina and I made our short drive to the Long Beach Convention Center yesterday to check it out. Was sad to hear that this year was the last year the Quilt Festival will be held in Long Beach.  Zina shared  the news with and this article confirmed it.  Bummer.  Oh well, 
Portland Road Trip! 
                                                   
                                                                IQF LB 2013!  We should have made shirts.
Here are the ones that caught my eye this year.  No rhyme or reason other than each of them called to me to look closer and read the story behind each quilt.  By the way, why does it annoy me when I see quilts hanging in a quilt show which people are prohibited to take a photo of?  Am I the only one who feels this way?  

First up is A World of Many Colors by Georgeta Grama from Rasnov/Brasov, Romania.  I am always drawn to rainbows but this quilt with its shadowing effect of a rainbow along with trapunto, fused applique and wholecloth technique was gorgeous.  I especially liked the rainbow binding which pulled it all together.  

A World of Many Colors by Georgeta Grama from Romania

Yes this is a quilt.  Stunning, absolutely stunning work.  This is called Make You Happy by Brigit Abueso Bell-Loch from Girona/Catalonia, Spain. It won first place in the Art People, Portraits and Figures category which didn't surprise me.  Ms. Bell-Loch found a photo of her mother when she was in her 20's and thought it would make a nice present for her mother.  It was machine pieced and appliqued, free-motion machine embroidered and machine quilted.  Stunning!  
Make You Happy by Brigit Abueso Bell-Loch

I love maps.  At the show there was a large section of map quilts which I really enjoyed but this one struck me the most as it focused the antique symbols of a map with chartlines and a compass.  Love the colors and the off center placement of the compass.  This is Uncharted by Catherine Baltgalvis of Riverside, California. The appliqued compass is absolutely perfect.  

Uncharted by Catherine Baltgalvis

Uncharted by Catherine Baltgalvis - close up

OK now we are getting into "Rock Star Quilt Status" for me... This is Supernova by Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced.  When I saw it across the room I said to Zina, "That's Supernova!" and I was thrilled that Lee has her original in this show.  Seeing this quilt made me feel like I saw a celebrity.   I've made this quilt and love, love, love it....and I kept it for myself.  :)  

Supernova by Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced

Now for History Time...This is called A La Carte by Sally Wright of Los Angeles, California.  What drew me in was the garden layout and chateau look to the building so I had to take a look at the description of the quilt.  
It said, "A garden plan is kind of a map, delinting the "bones" of a garden hardscape -- the walls, paths and planting beds -- as well as the garden materials themselves -- the trees, shrubs and flowers.  The whimsical map here sketches out the great 17th century landscape designer Andre' LeNotre's plan for the garden at Vaux-Le-Vicomte, the great chateau built in the late 1650's by Nicholas Fouquet, Louis XIV's Minister of Finance. It is said that Louis was so jealous of its beauty, that he had Fouquet arrested and imprisoned for the last 20 years of his life."
Oooo intrigue!  I looked further into this and found that Louis XIV indeed had Fouquet arrested because he thought Fouquet had pilfered money from his treasury.  Poor Fouquet.  LeNotre was much more fortunate as he would go on to design the gardens of the Palace of Versailles.  

After reading the description I looked closer at the quilt and enjoyed it even more.  
A La Carte by Sally Wright
Kept my purchases to a minimum this year.  I was on the lookout for more Creative Grids rulers but saw none.  Zina and I spied these great Japanese fabrics and couldn't resist.  How could I resist all those smiling sushi characters?  And those ninjas?  
Bento Box by Robert Kaufman
I Am Ninja by Robert Kaufman
                                                   
Time to go play with fabric and watch a little tv - hope you all had a great weekend,
Susan