My friends and fellow show visitors,
Julie and
Tanya, have written new reports from the show. Check them out, and I will fill in a few gaps.
Framed category
I don't know of any other quilt show where there are framed quilts. A few years ago this category was added to the contest and it was an instant hit. The area is always crowded, maybe because the small quilts contain many fine details to look at closely. For an embroidery nerd like me it is a constant source of inspiration and awe.
This gold encrusted quilt was heavily bedecked with metal ornaments. The patched pieces were joined in a way you hardly could tell there were several pieces of fabric there.
Introspection by Kathy Knapp from USA
This picture brought back memories of my brother's butterfly collection. Can you see how the butterflies have been pinned? How the flat pictures looks 3 dimensional? I love the illusion of shadows!
モティールby Sayuri Takao 高尾小百合
For friends of knots, here is a feast!
Perfectly round and even in size and height are the Colonial Knots in this candlewick embroidery.
Lace & Flowers by Takako Koshino 越野多賀子
'Cute' is a good word to describe many Japanese quilts, especially when there are small animals dressed in clothing doing seasonal things, like in this calendar of the year. I only got this detail, there were too many heads and elbows in the way for a full picture.
By Momoyo Fujimura 藤村百代
Most visitors are well behaved and know they should not touch the quilts, but these smaller items have so many details they probably 'inspire pointing and fingering'. Is that why this sleepy owl is behind glass? Aren't the reflections interesting? Isn't the quilting lovely?
Moonlight by Harumi Mukoyama 向山晴美
Let's move on to the
Original category
Is this a jigsaw puzzle? Are there letters?
The Favorite of Young Charlotte by Yuri Ogiso 小木曽由李
Foaming swirl pools.
Ushihoo by Monya Hiroko 門谷洋子(?)
Entering a quilt in the show is not easy, especially for quilters outside Japan. Some quilters have been successful, though, and here are two entries:
A mosaic picture quilt called My Father by Haifa Al Mughni from Kuwait.
Finding One's Path by Michal Peter-Anderson
Actually while sitting down for a rest in the stands, I was approached by Michal who recognized me from my blog. She is a bubbly American who lives in Norway. It is so nice to meet the quilt makers in person. This quilt was a masterpiece of curved Flying Geese and all the lines in the border are appliquéd.
Michal, you certainly have found your quilting path!
Many quilters make a series of quilts. I guess this is such a quilt as it has II in the title.
The Woman II by Kyoko Ochiai 落合京子
Now if there ever was a crowd stopper it was this Christmas quilt.
Everyone wanted a picture of the whole quilt, as well as of the multitude of details, even late in the day when the venue was emptying.
In it you can see
a Double Wedding Ring border
where each seam of the rings has been appliquéd with bias tape,
each joint has a pieced star,
each centre is filled with a charming scene from Santa's busy life or things associated with X-mas (candles, cake, presents...)
The inner border is made up of
Cathedral Window blocks
Inside that border there is another border with
Pineapple blocks in the corners and
tall fir trees made of Suffolk Puffs/Yo-yos
Finally the middle of the quilt is a
Sampler with various pieced blocks and
an appliqué sashing!
Sorry for the blurred blown up picture, but I think you get the idea of all the work that has been put into this quilt.
What a joy it must have been to make it, to see it being so admired, and from next December onward to display it every Christmas.
I take my hat off to Misako Sano 佐野美佐子 for her Merry Merry X'mas
