Valley Quilt Guild of Marysville and Yuba City

Hello Everyone,

 

I'm sorry I've been neglecting you readers, but I've haven't been neglecting quilters!  Gail and I were in the Sacramento valley on Wednesday and Thursday with the Valley Quilt Guild of Marysville and Yuba City.  They are a wonderful group of ladies and gentlemen!

 



 

The guild has a great space for their meeting, which was well attended Wednesday night.

 



I like to mingle with the quilters before and after the evening program.  I find that we have so much in common.

I love it when they share their quilting stories with Gail and me. 

This group was very interested in looking at my quilts and labels up close and personal.

We spent all day Thursday at the Sew So Shop in Yuba City where I held a Patchwork Math workshop.  The shop has a very spacious and comfortable classroom.



 

Gail circulates around the room with me to answer questions and provide assistance.

This group of eleven were extremely focused on making their components and learning the formulas to change the size.

I set my teaching area up in the corner.  The quilts over my should were striking!

Some of the girls put their blocks up on the design wall, while others keep their blocks at their workstations.  This group was on a mission to learn new techniques!

Toward the end of the class, one of the students said she felt empowered.  Wow, I liked hearing that a lot!  The group now knows how to make many different components to use in blocks, or in sashings or borders.  They learned out to dissect blocks, and they passed the final test at the end of the day with flying colors!  You made my job an easy one.

Many thanks to the Valley Quilt Guild for giving us two very pleasant days.

Soon,
Lynn

Swineapple

Hello Everyone,

 

Have you seen the latest recipe craze on Facebook and Pinterest called Swineapple?  Since I'm going to be gone for a few days, I wanted to fix something special for Mr. Joe to eat while I'm away.  I haven't seen too much of him lately, and he's beginning to think that he's gone back to the life of a bachelor.

 

So here's the deal......you begin with a whole pineapple.  (Note to self.....next time make sure you don't have any paper cuts before you begin because the acid from the pineapple hurts like the dickens!)

 

You shave off the outside first.  Cut off the top and bottom.  Slice it down the middle, then cut out the inside of the pineapple.

The recipe calls for two pounds of boneless, country-style spareribs.  I ask you, how in the H-E-double toothpicks can you get two pounds of meat inside this tiny space?

I sprinkled the meat with some rib rub and garlic spices.  I also sprinkled it liberally with seasoned pepper.

Crammed.....I mean gently placed the meat onto half of the pineapple.  I then placed the other half on top, then wrapped the whole concoction in peppered, applewood smoked bacon.  The top and bottom of the pineapple are only in the picture to make it look attractive.

 

Sprinkle more seasoning on top, and it's ready for the oven.  Now this is where it gets a little dicey.  You are supposed to smoke this over mesquite wood for 4 to 5 hours in a smoker.  By my way of thinking, if it tastes good in the oven, it will taste GREAT on the smoker.  No matter what, we started salivating after it was in the oven for only 30 minutes at 325 degrees. (2-1/2 hours total cooking time.) You are supposed to spray it with apple juice every 30 minutes if it's in the smoker.  Since I didn't have any apple juice in the house, and I was too lazy tired to drive to the store after wrestling with it, I'm sprayed it with Cran-Apple juice whenever I thought about it.  Let me tell you it's hard not to think about it when you are breathing in just about the best aroma on the planet!

I first saw this recipe on Facebook.  Everyone, EVERYONE is re-posting the same exact pictures of it, but I haven't read if anyone but the author ever made it. That is why I documented my whole process.  Next time I would tie the whole thing together with string instead of using only toothpicks.  I had to do some repair work midway through the cooking.  The bacon shriveled up to almost nothing and I had to add more to cover the bald spots.

 

 

 

So how did it taste?? Mr. Joe is never, EVER going to forget he has a wife who shows her love for him by fixing Swineapple. (Of course he may go into cardiac arrest after eating the bacon.) We pigged out.  Oink, oink!  The combination of the pineapple, pork and bacon was wonderful.  I put a little of each on my fork and savored every mouthful.

 

Off to Marysville and Yuba City this morning for a guild lecture tonight and workshop tomorrow.  I'll be wearing eau de swineapple as my fragrance.

 

Soon,

Lynn

P.S. The recipe also suggested using boneless chicken thighs.  I'm going to try that next time on the smoker.  There would be much less grease.  If you make it with pork, make sure you place it on a rack. 

 

Something New

Hello Everyone,

 

I've been playing with my Patchwork Math book, and designed a new block.  It's new to me anyway.  Has anyone seen a block like this before?  After awhile they all start looking alike.  It is my goal to design new, yet timeless blocks.

 

 

The gorgeous fabrics are called Past Endearments by Judie Rothermel, and were supplied to me by Marcus Fabrics.  You can see the whole line HERE.  I think it's time for a blue block next!

Here's a breakdown of the components in the block.  It began with a square in a square in the center.  Now this block looks like it contains many triangles......but it doesn't.  The only triangles are in the square in a square.

 

I LOVE intricate blocks.  To me, intricate = interesting.  I also get more chances to add in additional color.

 

The square in a triangle measure 2 inches unfinished.  Pretty tiny, but adorable since they finish at 1-1/2" when sewn into the block!

You might be wondering what I'm up to....another quilt maybe? Well, I'm adding possibilities to my Patchwork Math class. I'm also working on additional segments for The Quilt Show.com  I begin filming five segments in July.  This could be the beginning of a sampler quilt.

Thelma & Louise, (Gail & Lynn) hit the road again next week.  We will be traveling to the Valley Quilt Guild in Marysville, CA.  I really enjoy the guild lectures and workshops since I get the opportunity to spend more time visiting with quilters. 

Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  Safe travels.

Soon,
Lynn

The Grapevine Quiler's Show Part Two

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Here is just a very small sampling of the quilts from last weekend at the Quilts In Bloom show in Ukiah.  Gail and I had quite a nice view from our booth.

 



 

 

All wool....beautiful work.

 

Love the shoes!

One hot air balloon didn't make it!

The Log Cabin blocks were 4"!!

I'm sorry I couldn't include pictures of all the quilts.  To see the work from the talented ladies of the Grapevine Quilter's Guild, you will have to go with me to the show next year!

Thank you again ladies for taking such good care of Gail and me while we were at the show.  You girls are delightful!

Soon,
Lynn