Tifaifai Quilts

When we were in California last week for IQF/Long Beach show, we stayed with Margaret's brother Bill and his wife Susie. They have the most beautiful home in Huntington Beach near the ocean. Susie is such a gracious host and talented decorator that we felt very spoiled by their hospitality.

Many years ago, Bill served an LDS mission to Tahiti. While he was there, he was so beloved that several of the families showered him with gifts, including "Tifaifai" or Tahitian bed quilts.

Susie and Ricci

We each had Tifaifai on our beds. Susie also brought out more that she keeps in her linen closet.

Tifaifai are handmade, and usually crafted from the traditional designs of the island.

Most are made by the matriarchs of "mammas".

They love to use brightly colored fabrics with themes that might include Tahitian Floral motifs such as "Uru" (breadfruit), palm leaves, and ocean life.

Tifaifai is often made with large bold overall designs, and has been around for over 200 years.

Early Christian missionaries taught the Tahitian women the art of quilting.

The style is different than Hawaiian quilting because they do not pad with batting. They have an appliqued pieced front, backed with a complementary colored cloth.

They are lightweight, easy to wash and considered more practical.

The bedsheets are perfect for Tahiti's warm weather.

You can see the stitching on the back shows the beautiful hand applique work.

I tried to get an up close shot of the perfect stitches, and although this isn't the best photograph, you can get the general idea of how well these quilts are made.

Thank you again Susie for welcoming us into your home, and for the delight of being able to sleep under an authentic Tifaifai.

A Day with Dawn and Sherri

This blogging world has brought me in contact with so many wonderful friends. I have been communicating this last year with Dawn (Piece & Love) and Sherri (A Quilting Life), who both live about an hour south of St. George.
Yesterday, we met for some quilting time at my house.
First, I took them on a tour of Superior Threads, where I work.

(Dawn, me, Sherri)
We came back to my house for a small luncheon before heading into the sewing room for the afternoon. I gave both Dawn and Sherri a package of Texture Magic so they could try it in some of their projects. You know how I love Texture Magic. I wanted my friends to see how fun it is to work with this new product now being offered through Superior Threads.

I made Chicken Salad Croissants for lunch. (see recipe below).

The last time we got together, Nanette of Freda's Hive was with us. We were missing you yesterday Nanette! In your honor, both Sherri and Dawn worked on your patterns.

Sherri was making some of your house patterns out of Halloween fabric.

She also made 9-patches out of some very beautiful fabrics.

Sherri brought Show and Tell of her latest quilt.

And Dawn worked on Nanette's pattern "In The Leafy Treetops".
Made me wish I was working on those too!

Instead I began working on a new quilt from fabric I purchased at IQF/ Long Beach.

The fabric line is called Black, White and Red All Over by Windham Fabrics.

I've been wanting to make a red and black quilt for some time. Every time I see these colors I think of Kim of Bitty Bits and Pieces. Knowing her, she has probably made several projects out of these fabrics already!

CHICKEN SALAD CROISSANTS

2 C. diced chicken

2 stalks celery

1/2 diced red onion

1/2 C. slivered almonds

1/2 C. mayonnaise

1/4 C. sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

red grapes (sliced)

1 sm. can Mandarin oranges (drained)

Combine all ingredients and serve in the middle of a sliced croissant.

More from IQF in Long Beach

I have a few more quilts to show you from the Long Beach show. There were so many wonderful quilts, I almost didn't know which pictures to take.

Hoffman Fabrics has a challenge each year, where the participants use a select group of fabrics.

Sorry I forgot to get the names of the designers of the next these two quilts.

I loved the quilting in this one.

I am more drawn to traditional quilts than I am Art quilts, so these caught my eye.

From far away, this quilt didn't look that spectacular.

But, up close it was wonderful in technique!

This one was so bright and cheerful it just made me happy.

Someday I want to do a two color quilt.

As much as I loved seeing all the quilts and vendor booths, one of the things I love to do the most is people watch. The convention was crowded, but it had the most interesting people. I know they had participation from all over the United States. Everyone there seemed excited and happy just to be around beautiful fabrics, and all the products that make our quilting possible.

Happy, Happy Energy.

A few woman were brave enough to bring their children. Some brought their husbands who often waited patiently on the outskirts of the mob. This woman brought her dog.

Complete with pink stroller, and doggie toys.

The craft of this years convention? Hundreds of women were walking around with spools of thread on their heads, attached by a head band.
I looked, but no, those were not from Superior Threads.

*and my favorite people moment: I was approached by Brenda from California who asked me if I was Nedra from Cactus Needle. (She saw my badge from Superior Threads). When I said yes, she commented that she reads my blog every day, and thanked me for sharing my world. Thank you Brenda for coming up and saying hello! It was delightful to meet you!

What It's Like To Travel With The Diva's

Being a Diva is a great experience. We have become the best of friends. A few months ago we made plans to travel to California together for the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach. Out of the nine of us, five were able to attend.
We laugh and laugh together. I didn't even make it out of St. George before I had tears of laughter rolling down my face and lost all my makeup.
It feels great to laugh that hard.

We stayed with Margaret's brother Bill and his wife Susie, who live in Huntington Beach.
On Saturday it was Ricci's birthday. Susie had stayed up late the night before to decorate the kitchen in honor of Ricci.
She had placed a cute birthday banner across the window.


Along with a present, there was a message on the chair. As Diva's we were to write Ricci "coupons" through out the day and stick them in the Birthday stocking.
What a cute idea! Ricci loved her notes from the Diva's.

Susie lives in a beautiful home within walking distance of Huntington Beach. We felt very spoiled. For Ricci's birthday breakfast we wanted to go to Ruby's on the Huntington Beach Wharf. But, the National Surfing Championships were going on, and the crowds were horrendous.

Instead we drove down to Seal Beach and walked their wharf.

They had their own competitions going on.

We watched the women race an obstacle course paddling their surf boards.

And then on to breakfast at Ruby's at the end of the Seal Beach pier.

Ruby's is famous for their cinnamon roll french toast.

*I'm not in any of these pictures because I was busy behind the camera.

Ricci, Jan, Margaret, Pat, and Susie.

This is the first Susie has really gotten to know our group. (And found out how crazy we really are). We fell so in love with her that we voted on making her an honorary Diva. Ricci had Susie make the pledge of Divaship.

(There was so much laughter at our table that our waiter kept checking on us to see if we were OK).

Before heading to the Convention Center we did a little shopping first in Long Beach.

We stopped at a wonderful fabric store called "Woof & Warp".

They mainly carry decorator fabrics, but they do have a quilting section also.

The rest of the day was spent at the Long Beach Convention Center.

In the evening we went to dinner at a wonderful restaurant and then took a walk along the beach.

We went to our rooms and had a show and tell of some of our purchases.

The birthday girl got a new jacket.

Pretty.

That Ricci always is so silly.

Jan got a new Power Steam Pro that came with this nice black bag.

Ricci found a new use for the Power Steam Pro bag that I'm sure the manufacturer never thought of! Ole!

That Ricci!