Thursday 31 January 2019

18th Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival 2019 - 4 Framed Quilts and Bags

Let's have a look at the

Framed Quilts
at the quilt show in Tokyo Dome.

This is a unique category I think. Do YOU know of any other quilt show where framed quilts are part of the contest?

Before we start, I would like to mention that I might have read some of the names incorrectly.
We non-native, and in my case, not-so-good-at-reading-Japanese, suffer. The organizers WILL not add the phonetic script (red) or Roman letters (green) like in my example here, for the names on the labels. My friend Julie has pointed this out on the questionnaire many times. It is such a pity as we really would like to give full credit to the makers of these quilted items.
So forgive any mistake I have made.

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Next year the Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo and Mie Totsu (戸津美恵) made some of the Olympic Rings. Look at the details and fine stitching.


Ikuko Onishi (大西幾子)

 A well-known brand of shampoo, toothpaste and soap is called LION, and maybe Tsuyako Takayama (高山津矢子) got her inspiration from those products.


I have seen Kazuko Tanaka's (田中和子) framed quilts at previous quilt shows and her work never fails to charm me. Look at all the Mountmellick embroidery stitches.

 Chieko Yamamoto (山本千エ子) used kimono silk.

This is the second time I have seen the beautiful work of American artist Kathy Knapp. I hope she made it to the show this time, to experience the crowds gathering around to see her fine details.



Ever so charming Mola, by Ayako Yamamoto (山本有紀子)

 Fine hand quilting and trapunto by Yoko Ohishi (大石容子)




Look at this charming giraffe! The artist is Chikako Ueno (上野知佳子) and a good friend of my friend Julie's. Although I have met Ms Ueno many times, I was amazed that she managed to find me in the crowds.
She also had a larger quilt at the show that I will let you see in another blog post.

Sumiko Mori (森澄子)

 Mariko Kosuga (小数賀眞理子) made a beautiful peacock.


I guess many UK residents or visitors to Bath can recognize The Royal Crescent.
Miyuki Humphreys (ハンフリーズ深雪)

 Yuki Tajima (田嶋由紀)

 Yukiko Yanagida (柳井田ゆき子)



I like this fluffy style by Takako Makino (牧野孝子)

 Chizuko Kojima (小島珠子)



 Some tourists in front of La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, maybe the artist, Eiko Maeda (前田栄子)

3rd prize of the framed quilts went to Mitsuyo Akita (秋田光代), I guess because she made good use of the printed fabric.

I am sure you noticed how much embroidery there is in these framed quilts.


Now let's move on to 

Bags

Why are quilted bags so popular in Japan? Julie, Tanya and I had a discussion once and came to the conclusion that bags are smaller than bed size quilts, so easier to make in tinyJapanese houses or flats. They can also be carried around and shown off officially.

Here are some of the bags from the contest.
Ms?Sakane (坂根羊有子) made a mola bag


Woven bag of kimono silk by Yuiko Kawakami (川上結子)

Here is another woven bag.
 For the lover of hexagons and sequins, made by Miyoe Masumori (増森みよえ)

For lovers of smocking.

Hiroko Narita (成田弘子)


 Japanese crepe is called chirimen, and this bag was made out of small loops of chirimen that had been twisted into shapes often seen on  Korean pojagi, I guess.
Kiyoe Kataoka (片岡貴代枝)


The next bag does come from Korea!
 YoonKyung Kim.

Naoko Odera (小寺直子) used leather for her bag.


 A cat carrier won 3rd prize in the Bag category. The winner was Keiko Fujita (藤田けいこ)


































































18th Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival 2019 - 3 Teachers' Quilts

Every year at the show, there is a section where the famous quilt teachers, 'sensei', can show their work.

Among the many beautiful quilts, I selected these, to share with you.

 Yoshiko Kurihara (栗原淑子) makes portraits of geometric shapes. This title is Carnival in Venice.

Michiko Shima's (島道子) trademark is bias tape. Her appliqué shapes are always edged with bias tape, often metallic.


 Emiko Yoshino (吉野恵美子) calls her quilt Having Started with Log Cabin.
I think she made a really beautiful quilt from this very classic pattern.

The blue and the white silk squares are not Log Cabins but they set off the Cabins well.

If anyone can tell a story with a quilt, it is Yoko Sekita (関田陽子). Her quilts are full of tiny details, fun and charming. Here she is showing scenes from famous children's stories. Please notice the amount of fine details.


 Among them you can see a scene from The Emperor's New Clothes.

and here is Sleeping Beauty



 I don't remember Megumi Mizuno (水野めぐみ) from previous years. She made a quilt with charming Japanese 'kokeshi' dolls. These wooden dolls come in many forms and decorations depending on the region. They are much loved interior decorations.




Another popular item in Japanese homes are wind chimes. These are made from glass. The quilter is well-established Suzuko Koseki (小関鈴子).

Wednesday 30 January 2019

WIPW - 2 x Completed!

For the Work In Progress Wednesday today I have TWO completed projects!!!!

Crazy for Crazy
The navy blue and pink crazy quilt block is now completed.
I added Fly and Thorn Stitch and some Ribbon Roses.


Cathedral Windows
Finally, and just in time for the Show 'n Tell at the quilt show in Tokyo Dome, I have completed the Cathedral Windows bag.
Front (or back):

Back (or front):

After the show, where I used it as a tote bag, it was happy to return home and take a rest on the daybed stuffed with a cushion.

It will be fun and refreshing to start a new project, or do I have a UFO lurking somewhere?
One new project will be the new challenge for next year's Show 'n Tell with Julie and Tanya.