Slow Progress - but progess none the less

More squares completed over the weekend, so I decided to sew one of the panels together to see how it looks beside the applique.  I like it!  I have another 6 squares to make (which I then cross cut to give the set-in triangles), and a little more applique on the other panels, so to work I must go! 

The original quilt is Growing Up by Wendy Williams, which I started in a class at Precious Time in Toowoomba last September.  I'm making my quilt larger - to fit my own bed, and I decided to add the little squares because I saw something similar at the Quilt Show in Japan.



A Little More from my trip to Japan

Day 4 of our trip Melanie & I headed to Nippori or Fabric Town.  What an experience, shop after shop (the map lists 86 separate shops) with rolls and rolls of every imaginable kind of fabric, shops full of buttons, trims, furs, leather and lace.  Everything I could ever possibly want - I knew I was in trouble with limited luggage space. 

Proceeding with caution (although Melanie couldn't help herself) I made it all the way to Tomato Select before I found fabric that just had to come home with me.  Actually there's five separate Tomato shops in Nippori, each totally different from the others with several floors of  amazing collections of just about everything sewing related.  But back to Tomato Select, upstairs is a wonderful collection of  Japanese fabrics - lots of beautiful, romantic Yuwa that has that wonderful soft feel, Echino, gorgeous designs from Joshiko Jinzenji and many more.  Stupidly, I now realize I don't have a photo to share, because the fabric I purchased was a gift for my Mother - who loves it.

From Tomato Select we continued our way down the street, totally enthralled with the experience.  These trims were purchased from Tomato (Notion).  Aren't they lovely?  At about 700yen ($8.50au) a metre, I thought they were a bagain and am now quietly planning how to use them!

I can't remember the name of the shop, but these Echino fabrics cost 1680yen for 2metres - about $20au, a real bargain!

My final fabric purchase was actually at the Quilt Show.  I really loved all the fabrics on the Yuwa stand, but these three had to come home with me.  The top two are voile and the bottom a linen blend.  I have 1.5m of each, so these will be added to the stash until I decide what to do with them.

Have I convinced you that a trip to Japan is a must and certainly a trip to Nippori - a truly enjoyable experience.
Enough for now, but if you would like to see more about the Tokyo International Quilt Show 2012, I found this blog - Jan has attended the Quilt Show many times and I've really enjoyed all that she's written.  Be sure to check it out!

Regards, Bev



  

Been a While.......

Seems to be a storm brewing here today, it's hot, humid and I am struggling to stay interested in anything at all.  Mind you I was flicking channels on TV before and an episode of Anne of Green Gables was on so that very pleasantly passed an hour or so!

I'm sorry I haven't shared much from my trip to Japan yet - I had a wonderful time, thoroughly enjoyed myself and the Tokyo International Quilt Show was even more than I expected.  I have over 300 photos to edit, so I will get around to it - just not today.

I've been working on a quilt for some time now - lots of hand applique, which I'm slowly getting through, with 9 patch blocks in between.  I did get all these blocks made through the week and now I've got to decide what to use for the set in triangles.  This is what I've been doing today -

I started with 1 1/2" strips and it's really been a challenge to keep away from the creamy, yellowish fabrics I have in my stash.  I didn't realise how many I had!  I need to cut this diagonally twice to make my triangles, and then I need to make another 9....mmm I think I'll have to go shopping tomorrow, I know I don't have enough of the lighter fabrics I need.

I love the 9 patches - here's a couple already in place on the design wall -

Hope you are enjoying your weekend

Bev