Workshop by Lynette Anderson

Many of you have heard of or met the very well known quilt designer, Lynette Anderson.

Lynette and Masako were both invited to the first international quilt show in Norway last September. Lynette told us that she was planning to come to the Tokyo Dome Show for her personal enjoyment.

She has had a booth three times at the Tokyo Dome Show and most of our students recognized her.
So we asked her if she would give a workshop for us after the show and she immediately answered yes, with pleasure!


We were wondering how many students would sign up for the workshop because we had never invited any artists/teachers before.
It turned out that sixty-six (66) students wanted to join and we split them into two (2) groups.

Our store doesn't have enough space to have more than thirty (30) students at the same time. So we decided to rent a classroom of FUJIX (the leading Japanese thread company) , which was definitely the perfect place.

The workshops were held on the 29th and 30th of January and each class began at 11 am.

At the show in Norway, we delivered a fifteen minute speech and Lynette brought a slideshow, using her computer. She told us how she got interested and involved in quilting along with her stories of her family.

We liked her program very much and asked her to bring it to our workshop to share with the students.

Small, beautiful applique and stitchery are her specialty. It was a treat to be able to see her sewing up close.

When Lynette gives a workshop, she always prepares a secret surprise for the students.
She brought four stickers (two students for each of two days) and put them under the chairs.
At the end of the workshop, she said "Look under your chair and you may find something." 
They are the lucky students to receive one of her nice gifts.


Day 1

Day 2 

Lynette was kind enough to have brought as many quilts as she could and needless to say, our students appreciated her country style works very much.

She always had a smile on her face and answered every question that the students asked.

Thank you, Lynette, for a great time!


Emi

TOKYO International Great Quilt Festival 2015 : A program on stenciling

Masako delivered a program on stenciling on the 23rd of January at the quilt show.

To begin with, she spoke about how the stencil was developed and how it affected the way of living in America under financially difficult times and circumstances. Many people could not afford wall paper and furniture in the nineteenth century. This type of stenciling emerged from the desire to decorate the interiors of their homes.

Masako also told about an American lady who is now 101 years old and still living on her own on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
We visited her home to celebrate her 100th birthday with Irene,our American friend, and were inspired by her stenciled walls and furniture and hand stenciled quilts as well.

Masako wanted to combine stenciling with quilting and created some templates to make patchwork pattern designs.
It's currently out of stock, but will be available online soon.

Emi

TOKYO International Great Quilt Festival 2015 : Friends

TOKYO International Great Quilt Festival always gives us chances to see our dear friends from all over the world!

From Thailand

An American couple from Okinawa (JP)

Dessy and Yos from Indonesia

Joe from Thailand

From Shang Hai

Lynette from Australia

From the U.K.

Yoko from Ishinomaki

It was a happy reunion!

Emi

TOKYO International Great Quilt Festival 2015

TOKYO International Great Quilt Festival 2015 was held from the 22nd through the 28th of January at the Tokyo Dome Baseball Stadium.

The main feature was the TV program, "Little House on the Prairie" and Masako was asked to make a quilt of Oleson's Mercantile.

(The show info in English is here.)

This store was probably the only one where people could buy goods for daily living. The quilt presents a wide variety of things available at the store by using stenciling, piecing and even actual buttons and handles.

A crowd of people in front of the quilt. I hope many visitors enjoyed seeing it.

Everything started here.
This picture was taken on the first set-up day. Boxes and furniture were unloaded from a rental track.

Many new things came out at the show.

Some new kits, stencil patterns and piecing paper patterns went on sale. 

I always wonder why this show attracts so many quilters living not only in Japan, but many other countries as well.
On Saturday we had more than 42,000 visitors!

Getting back to "Little House on the Prairie", there were large exhibits such as a quilt covered wagon and a log cabin.
It's hard to believe almost everything was made from fabric! Ms. Reiko Washizawa has created this world in her own way.

This log cabin and quilts in it were designed by Ms. Yoko Saito.
Her way of combining color depicts the way of living in the American Old West.

Masako wondered why she had not encouraged her students to enter their quilts in the show's contests.

Two quilts made by students were selected and displayed at the show!

They must have been ecstatic and proud!


Let me share more photos of the quilts which particularly looked attractive to me.
I think this quilt was a prize winner.

Each block is even embroidered. How intricate is that!

When you look the quilt from a distance, you may think what are those dots? Ribbons? 

No, actually they are tiny pieces in the center of a log cabin block; I liked this idea.

If you a cat person and a quilter, these cats would look familiar to you. (Please check the past story)

I'm definitely a big fan of this quilt maker.

Here are some of the framed quilts for you to enjoy.
They contain so many small pieces and details!

Emi