Thrilled to share photos from the exhibition in Osaka 2

We set the theme, "Garden Party", a year and a half earlier at the exhibitions.
We had our students make class projects especially to be shown at the exhibitions. 
They are these mushrooms and house shaped sewing boxes!

We chose the fabrics and the patterns for the students, but the embellishments were their own designs!

Emi

Thrilled to share photos from the exhibition in Osaka 1

I meant to write a story about the first exhibition in Tokyo which was held from the 14th to 19th of May. But many photos of exhibited quilts are duplicated, so I chose to write about the one in Osaka in detail.

As I mentioned, the main theme of the exhibitions was “Garden Party”. We asked the very well known flower arrangement artist, Sara Hanamura, to have fresh flowers decorate the quilt exhibition.

At the entrance to the exhibition, there was a signboard filled with beautiful flowers. The exhibition was held on the 9^th floor of Hankyu department store. 

You are now entering our quilt garden party.

The white birch house welcomes you!

The house was made by a friend of Masako’s who is a carpenter living in the country.

He carefully selected suitable blanches to form this house. Some were twisted and some were large. So I can imagine it was hard to pick the right ones, especially the folk shaped ones, for poles.

It is based on an idea of a garden tool shed. The quilts which surround the house are some of Masako's quilts symbolizing "Garden" and "Forest" that go well and reflect the theme.

Emi

Masako's new fabric collection "American Country 15"

The main theme of the new collection is "stencilling".

The designs come from what Masako actually stenciled.

The main panel of fabric (31100-10,-70   \840+tax/p)

A panel of fabric measures 60x110cm.

We carefully chose the material to give it an American country look.

It's made of cotton with a rough texture.

The second panel of fabric 31101-10,-30,-70,-71,-77   \1,400+tax/m

The same material as the main panel of fabric are used for these second panels.

We made dresses and aprons with them; so please come to visit us in Osaka!

31102-20,-22,-30,-70,-71,-77 \1,200+tax/m

I find this design very unique. Masako stencilled those patchwork patterns which were then applied to the fabric!

31103-10,-70,-71,-77,-80,-90   \1,200+tax/m

Masako uses a lot of solid fabrics recently, especially for stencilling, embroidery and applique.

They have tape measure design for the border on both sides of the fabric.

Dots 31104-20,-30,-70,-71, -72,-77  \1,100+tax/m

Checks 31105-20,-30,-70,-77, \1,100+tax/m

Those dots and checks are our signature designs. 

31210-01,-02,-03, \1,500+tax/m

31211-01,-02,-03, \1,500+tax/m

31212-01,-02,-03, \1,500+tax/m

31213-01,-02,-03, \1,500+tax/m

Our yarn-dyed fabrics are always quite popular.
I highly recommend the 31212 and 31213 series because those designs are created by weaving.

For this reason, these designs will always be straight on the fabric grain.

Click this and this to get further info!

Emi

Workshop information for our two exhibitions

Our annual exhibition in Tokyo will be held from the 14th to the 19th of May.
Another exhibition, which is always held every other year in Osaka, will take place from the 28th to the 30th of May.

Exhibiting quilts with fresh flowers is the new twist.
That's why it has a subtitle of "Garden Party".

Our students are making mushrooms using wool and felt, and house shaped boxes of fabric as well as quilts.

For those of you who cannot make it to the shows, I will post photos to share with you later.

There is one more thing the students are making small tapestries.

There are some challenges, or I should say, limits. It's called a"Challenge Quilt" here in Japan.

1. Only the same Moda pre cut fabric set may be used.
2. The tapestry must measure 30x30cm.

Many kinds of quilts, using different patterns, will be exhibited.
There will be no duplicates!


A wide range of workshops will be held each day during the shows.

TOKYO

OSAKA

For the first time, we have invited a woodwork artist to make small houses and a red doll.
It's too dangerous to use an electric saw at the show. So we are having the artist supply the finished wood shapes and participants will paint them.


Hope all sounds tempting to you!


Emi

Mark your calendar!

Did you know Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival committee will hold its first autumn quilt festival in September?

The venue is not Tokyo Dome, but in the building called "Prism Hall" which is right next to the Tokyo Dome.

Number 1 is the Tokyo Dome and Prism Hall is number 7 on the above map.

The space is limited compared to the Tokyo Dome and it will focus more on commercial areas rather than exhibits.

CRIB QUILT will have a booth where we will sell new fabrics and kits for the winter vacation.

It will take place from the 16th to 19th of September, so please save the dates!


Emi

A trip to Paris 2015 "l'aiguille en fete"

"l'aiguille en fete" is a handcraft show which is always held in the heart of Paris in the cold month of February.

(Thank godness, this time it was not as cold as when we were invited to the show in 2012. )

"I'aiguille en fete" means needle festival in English and it is literary the festival of any handcrafts using a needle.

There were a lot of vendors who were selling yarn for knitting and kits for embroidery and quilting.

Aimee is the owner of the store called "L'Oisive The" and gives you a wide choice of beautiful yarn coming from all over the world!
She brought the good news that she will be opening up her second store in Paris!

Rosa from Apliquick patchwork.

She sells wonderful rods with which you can applique, no matter what shape, even if you have struggled before.

Have you joined a speed knitting contest? 
If you were there, you would not believe how fast they knitted!

Every time we visit Paris we always ask Claire and her friends if they have time to join us for dinner. They all took part in a project called "Patch for Japan " which sent quilts and crocheted blankets to people living in Ishinomaki who were affected by the tsunami in 2011.

When handcrafters get together after the show, they always share what they bought with each other. 
Masako gave them a mini workshop at a bistro! 

Emi

"Sutekini Handmade" February and March issues 2015

In January I wrote about the magazine, "Sutekini Handmade", where Masako's works would appear for three consecutive months.

Here are some photos from the February and March issues.

Apart from the basic patterns of the tapestry, a bag with a sewing machine block was the creation of the month for the February issue.

Finally, readers can finish the tapestry over the three month period. There are many pictures which explain how to assemble each block by crocheting. How helpful those pictures are in this finishing process.


Emi