More From The Long Beach IQF

You must have long-range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures.  

~Charles C. Noble

Hot temps just seem to be continuing.  This week we are predicting we will be above 100 all week with our lows only dipping down to the high 70's.  YUCK!  I guess I won't be venturing outside much this week.  But that's okay.  I'll just stay inside quilting and stitching under the air-conditioning.  We were able to watch some of the Olympics this past weekend.  It is emotionally hard to watch these for me.  I get all weepy with the emotions of the winners.  It doesn't matter which country has won, just seeing the happiness on the winners faces gets my tear ducts working.  I'm such a sap!
(For some reason, I can't change the type size or color of the above paragraph so I apologize if it hard to read)

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Gymnastics

Every two years we are privileged to watch some of the best athletes in the world, alternating between the summer and the winter Olympics.  How about some history on gymnastics.

* Gymnastics has been around for over 2000 years but as an competitive sport it is a little more than 100 years old.

* Gymnastics as a sport evolved in ancient Greece It was started as a beauty and fitness practice during those times. Initially, the skills of mounting and dismounting from a horse formed part of this great sport.

* Gymnastics became a full fledged sport after it was separated from the skill required by circus performers.

* In 1830s, the sport of gymnastics was introduced to United States and its school systems by such immigrants as Charles Beck, Charles Follen and Franci s Lieber.

* The first large-scale competition was the 1896 Olympics in Athens, Greece. There Germany have been the dominant team by almost sweeping every medal. Five countries have participated in this event. Men's competitions included horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, rings, and vault.

* During 1924 Olympics in France marked the beginning of what they are today. In gymnastics, men started to compete for individual Olympic titles in each gymnastic event.

* The first women's gymnastic team debuted during the 1928 Olympics. The first women's event during 1928 Olympics was the team combined exercise, where it was dominated by Netherlands.

* The first U.S. women's gymnastic team competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany.

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INTERNATIONAL QUILT SHOW CONTINUED

Here are a few more photos from the Long Beach International Quilt Festival....

It's A Puzzle created by Becky Grover of Ann Arbor, MI, for the Hoffman Challenge.

This quilt combined two things I really like to do - quilting and putting together puzzles.

Hanami Ribbons and Blossoms by Nancy Adams of Annandale, VA.

Another gorgeous creation for the Hoffman Challenge.

Springtime In The Garden by Mary T. Schneider of San Jose, Calif.  

This quilt combines raw edge applique, hand applique, bobbin work, and free motion quilting.  Mary worked with a pattern, In Spring, by Kellie Wulfson, and did some modifying to make the piece her own.

Gardens by Susan Brooks of Louisville, Colorado

This is actually 3 different panels and all raw edge applique.  Susan used images from her own garden to produce these beauties.  These were some of my absolute favorites at the show.

Flower Garden by Lynn H. Woll of Tacoma, Washington

This is all raw edge appliqued with beading and embellishments.  The photo doesn't show all the vibrant colors in this beauty.

Harmony In Nature by Harumi Asada of Higashiura, Japan

This amazing creation is hand pieced, hand appliqued, and hand quilted.

Here is a close up of Harmony In Nature so maybe you can get an idea of the detail.  I could have spent hours looking at this one!

Flourishes by Pat Kroth of Verona, Wisconsin

Hand-dyed, fused applique, and machine quilted were the techniques used to create this.  There were several types of this quilt and seems to be becoming quite popular.

Artists Village

This was a collection of 3D quilt buildings created by Kathy York, Jane Davila, Judy Perez, Leslie Jenison, Jamie Fingal, Connie Hudson, Sherri McCauley, Barb Forrister, Naomi Adams, Laura Wasilowski, Frieda Anderson, Melanie Testa, Frances Holliday Alford, Susan Else, Lisa Call, Pamela Allen, and Vickie Hallmark.  Perhaps you recognize a few of the names.  

The Quilt Show by Carole L. Corder of Kettle Falls, Washington

This adorable quilt was hand and machine pieced, needleturn applique, and hand quilted.  Carole said all of the small quilts were inspired by her grandmother's traditional quilts from the 1980's.

Here is a close up of one of the small quilts.  The entire quilt was truly a work of art!

I hope you enjoyed the quilt show tour.  There were so many more quilts that I enjoyed and wish I could have shared with you.  I'm already looking forward to attending next year's IQF.

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FINAL THOUGHT