American Country 14, designed by Masako Wakayama

"American Country" is the fabric line which Masako designs every year and now the 14th collection has come out!

The theme of the panel is "stitching". It looks embroidered, but it is printed.
It also could be a sampler for those of you who want to practice, embroidering along designs. Every color used in it is matched up with COSMO threads by Le cien that we always use. You do not have to worry that you would go over the lines!
75x110cm 

30870-70  980JPY/p

30870-30  980JPY/p

30871  1,300JPY/meter
How unique this design is! It has dots on both ends. You can either use the dots alone or as the fabric is. 

This is a sample to show the design. This color is not available.

30872  1,180JPY/meter

It is the first time in the some years to have a fabric in multi-color, which is 30872-10.

30873  1,180JPY/meter

Floral prints are always popular. It would be perfect for making not only quilts but clothes as well!

Do you know one of Japanese quilting magazines called "Quilt Japan"?
The fabrics and works using them appear in the new issue.

Here is the magazine's website and click here to browse!

Masako Wakayama & CRIB QUILT exhibition 3 ~ Frame works~

I'd like to share some frame works with you today.

A beautiful embroidery work.
The maker works for CRIB QUILT and teaches some of Masako's students embroidery .

I like this combination of colours.

Eco craft might not be popular in your country, but it is in Japan.
This image comes from our actual shop.

She even made this too!

Each piece is so tiny but really well done.

Cross stitch with a Scandinavian touch.
I'd like to hang it on the wall of my room when Christmas comes!

Emi

Masako Wakayama & CRIB QUILT exhibition 2 ~ Table arrangements~

It was our new challenge to organize table arrangements with quilting!

Masako had students from one of her classes make place mats with actual dishes using fabric and other craft items!

How is it possible to find a yellow fabric which really looks like a pumpkin?
It seems to be made for this! The broccoli were done by punch needle.

It was made by an eco-craft artist as well as one of Masako's students.
Look at the wine glass!

3D work looks more realistic.

The berries are made of glass beads !

This is very special. Some of you might know this dish called "Sukiyaki" which is a feast for Japanese people.

Bon appetite!


Emi

Masako Wakayama & CRIB QUILT exhibition 1 ~ Masako's works~

Our annual exhibit held at the Tokyu department store in Shibuya, Tokyo, took place from the 15th to 20th.

Please come in!

This is the place where Masako's latest quilt and her new works using her new fabric collection "American Country 14" were exhibited.

The quilt was first showed at the Tokyo Dome Show.

There were also some works with her new fabric!

I personally like this frame. The dried flower arrangement makes it look much prettier.
This is a part of her new panel fabric so that you don't have to embroider on your own, as it is printed!

Another part of the same panel fabric is used to make this cartonnage (card and fabric) box.

Masako asked her students who came to our shop in Kawasaki to make a small work to put into a white wooden frame.
This is the one that Masako made as a sample.
Lots of antique things such as threads, lace, buttons from her personal collections are used in it.

Emi

The first trip to Jakarta #3 Heavy traffic

It goes without saying that heavy traffic in Jakarta is legendary.

I was secretly thinking it must not be that bad ... but actually it was worse than I thought! 
I am used to public transportation, trains and buses, because almost everyone here in Japan uses them.
No trains run in the city of Jakarta so many people drive cars or motorcycles.

Sometimes it takes us more than an hour to get to a place which is in our sight.

Like other tropical countries, they often have a sudden shower in the evening.
Motorcycle drivers go to the side of the road and change their clothes.
When the sky gets grey and the thunder groans, it makes sense.
It is too hot to wear a rain coat all the time while driving in Jakarta.

The first trip to Jakarta #2 Workshop

Masako and I had never been to Indonesia.
Dessy and Yos, a married couple, visited our booth at the Tokyo Dome Show at the end of January and decided to arrange a workshop for the beginning of April! 
There wasn't much time but we were able to schedule two wonderful workshops.

The workshops were held on the 5th and 6th of April and we taught different techniques each day.
On the first day we did trapunto. 
Most of the students had never done it before, but they seemed to understand.
Using cotton cord is much easier than the traditional method of stuffing from the wrong side of the quilt.

First Dessy introduced Masako.

On the second day we taught punch needle.
Punch needle is always very popular wherever we go.

The students were more experienced than we expected.

Some finished the flip of the project during the workshop! 

At the end of the workshop we gave each student a certificate.
We had one male student! 
He told us that, since he was a child, he liked drawing and doing collage.
This was his first time quilting but he had done embroidery, beading and painting before.
He did a wonderful job on his punch needle project!

Day One

We didn't know where we should look with too many cameras!

Day Two

Yos, Masako, Dessy and me.

We hope to see them there again!


Emi

The first trip to Jakarta #1 Kopi Luwak

In one of my favorite Japanese movies, "Kamome Syokudo", the owner of a cafe gives a charm to make good coffee, saying "Kopi Luwak".
I am not a coffee drinker so didn't pay much attention to it.
But I found the special one in Jakarta.

Have you ever heard of it?
Kopi means coffee and Luwak is an animal who eats coffee beans.
Once coffee berries go into their stomachs, they are fermented and only beans are evacuated.
Then farmers pick and roast the beans!  That's why it is said to be the most expensive coffee in the world!

How could we ruin this opportunity? We tried a cup of 100% Kopi Luwak!

Believe it or not, a cup of coffee costs about 1000 JPY (Almost 10 USD!)
In order to see the difference, we had another cup of coffee which only included 5% of Kopi Luwak coffee.
It was so plain to see the difference between the two tastes!

A little luwak on the cup.

If you have a chance to go to Indonesia, please give it a try!


Emi