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Wednesday 25 September 2013

WIPW - Does this qualify as progress?


First of all, WIPW stands for Work In Progress Wednesday, and you can read about it here.

What qualifies to report on 'Work In Progress Wednesday'?
Well, if shopping is a kind of 'progress', then I have to report that I have bought wadding for the Kafferepet quilt. At least a small step towards completion!

Finding wool batting in Japan is hard, buying such from overseas is expensive, so the choice is between cotton or polyester wadding. Both are sold in pre-cut sheets, but usually the width is 90 or 100 cm, and the length 100 cm. I find it an awkward size; if you want the quilt to be 1m square you have NO margin whatsoever. Should you need, say 60 x 60 cm, you have strangely shaped left overs. Stitching together lots of these odd pieces for a new quilt is a kind of patchwork craft in itself!

This time I followed Julie Fukuda's advice and went to Yuzawa-ya to buy thinsulate from the bolt. It is 130 cm wide and I got my 110 cm cut, (and the little bit left on the roll for free). It appears that I will have some strangely shaped left overs anyway!

Now for some REAL progress. I have let the TAST #56 Sailor Stitches sprout on the cushion. You see them on the left.

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19 comments:

  1. margaret25 September 2013 at 14:26

    your cushion is coming along a treat Queenie, the stitches look so delicate on the denim.
    I will be looking for wedding shortly for my Tula quilt, I expect I will pester Jennie Rayment for her advice as to what to use

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    1. Queeniepatch25 September 2013 at 23:13

      How thick you want your wadding to be, how easy to quilt and how strong at withstanding constant use and abuse are some of the factors you need to consider.
      I am sure Jennie Rayment will help you, she is one of the most generous quilters I know.

      Delete
  2. Julie Fukuda25 September 2013 at 18:28

    Oh Queenie, I do hope the thinsulte works well for you. I have great frustration looking at all those packages of wadding with nothing other than the size written on the package and no way to know the texture or thickness.
    Your cushion is progressing beautifully.

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    1. Queeniepatch25 September 2013 at 23:16

      I hope so, too!!! Well you remember when we went shopping in Asakusabashi and discussed the prepacked blocks of wadding - impossible to know what is in the bag.

      Delete
  3. carorose25 September 2013 at 18:56

    This is going to be a beautiful cushion, I jut love it as it is. I thought I was the only one who had problems with supplies, No, it looks as though there are different issues in every country.

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    1. Queeniepatch25 September 2013 at 23:19

      What you see in the picture is just a quarter of the cushion - there is plenty of WIPW to report on in the future!
      Supplies are hard to get. Most things you order online from the US or Europe will be double due to P&P cost. Try to make do with what can be found in the country you live in, or 'shop till you drop' while on holiday!

      Delete
  4. Annet25 September 2013 at 23:06

    Love the sailor stitches on your cushion! Strange shapes leftovers from batting are great for embroidery. Just put them behind your fabric and see what happens to your stitches! I also use it for fabric cards and ATC's. The tiny leftovers are great for stuffing pincushions or amigurumi.

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    1. Queeniepatch25 September 2013 at 23:24

      Thanks for your advice. I will have to experiment with wadding behind an embroidery. A lot of my smaller pieces of left overs are stuffed into stumpwork heads or ornaments.
      About the Sailor stitches, I think I will add some detached stitches (Berry, Bullions or similar), or fill the Sailor stitch circles with some filling stitch. They way the stitches are right now is a bit boring, don't you think? Why didn't I use a variegated thread?!

      Delete
    2. Annet26 September 2013 at 00:09

      Your stitches are never boring!

      Delete
  5. Juno26 September 2013 at 00:16

    Your cushion is looking gorgeous. You can always zhoosh up the Sailor Stitch with filling the circles with stitches in variegated threads and maybe adding some beads between the spikey bits of the Sailor Stitch.

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    1. Queeniepatch26 September 2013 at 07:39

      Thank you for your suggestions! You see what I see; the stitches need some more spice. As this is a cushion I don't want to add any beads or 'hard' items, but French Knots would work, don't you think?

      Delete
  6. Pamela26 September 2013 at 15:52

    The cushion looks great! I'm impressed with the way you've put together so many of the TAST stitches.
    Thank you for posting the information about the thinsulate and quilt batting. I hope to finish my hexie quilt and will be looking for batting then. I see there is one Yuzawa-ya in Hokkaido.

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    1. Queeniepatch26 September 2013 at 21:25

      The TAST stitches are so varied, you can soon see which are good for lines or stems, which are perfect for leaves or flowers.
      The Thinsulate™ is still in the shopping bag, I'll report on the 'quilt-ability' when I have sandwiched and basted the quilt.
      Yuzawa-ya's main shop in Kamata is near my home and was until recently a gold mine for crafty things. Unfortunately they have opened a lot of smaller shops all over the place and streamlined the Kamata HQ to fit the others. Very sad for me! Anyway, if you haven't been yet, I suggest you go and check out the Sapporo branch (or the one in Ashikawa if it is more convenient). Iäll be interested to know what you think.

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  7. Isabelle26 September 2013 at 17:22

    if shopping is a kind of progress, then I make a lot progress :oD.
    your work on the cushion is very nice and colorful.

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    1. Queeniepatch26 September 2013 at 21:16

      I just hope you are not like me, buying more than you will use, (the wadding is still in the shopping bag...)

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  8. Anonymous26 September 2013 at 18:33

    Your cushion is looking lovely, your choice of stitches are always the right ones. I always have trouble buying material, that is why I haven't done much in the way of quilting. only a few years ago you could take your pick of shops but now there is only one left!

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  9. Queeniepatch26 September 2013 at 21:13

    I am glad there are so many different looking TAST stitches; some are suitable for lines, stems or borders, others are perfect for flowers or combining with other stitches.
    Real shops disappear as more and more shop online. As long as I can, I want to go and look, touch and then buy. Online shopping can also be so disappointing; you wait and wait for the goods to arrive and by the time they do, you have no longer the need or interest for them... Sigh!

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  10. J Honda27 September 2013 at 03:27

    lol - yes shopping in Japan qualifies are a WIP - thank you always for your encouragement and visit to my blog.
    the cushion if blooming beautifully, and your use of different stitches (as revealed on your blog post) is a great help to me and others :)

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    1. Queeniepatch27 September 2013 at 08:17

      Thank you for your kind comments; I am glad if I can help, but it is Sharon B of Pintangle we all have to be grateful to for her inspirational and educational TAST and WIPW. Through her network I have learned SO much.

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