WIPW - Dorset Buttons

It is time for a progress report, Work In Progress Wednesday.

Freeform Embroidery
Holbein Stitch, Double Chain and Alternating Double Chain are the three additions here.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I am now working on row 29.

Dorset Buttons
In a craft shop I found these rings with a loop - perfect for making pendants. So I made a number of Dorset Buttons as gifts. I really love making these in all sorts of forms.

Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival 2020 - Part 5 - Original Quilts

What is the opposite of  Traditional? Well, Modern would be a good word. Unfortunately there is no Modern category at this show. Original Quilts, would be the nearest, I guess. This category is where you should enter your quilt if you have made the pattern or design yourself. It is the most creative of all categories. Of course, sometimes they are on the border of Traditional or Wa (Japanese style). I have selected those that I found most unique.

 安岡嘉代子＊Kayoko Yasuoka dreams of a letter-box in the sea.

These are the chores and duties of the caring mother and humble housewife according to 小長谷美智代＊Michiyo Kohase

After doing the laundry, the washing has to be hung in the sunshine.
福島千代＊Chiyo Fukujima had a lot of washing in her basket.

上野智佳子＊Chikako Ueno makes a beautiful quilt ever year, as well as a framed quilt and a bag.

 This quilt didn't photograph well. The colours were MUCH better to the naked eye.

金子とき子＊Tokiko Kaneko celebrated spring with sunshine, magnolias and... what is that bird, Julie?

遊佐みどり＊Midori Yuza's quilt is fun and colourful.

Can you see in the close-up below that she used crinkly fabric. It is a kind of interfacing that you iron onto the back of your fabric, stitch all over and then spray water on it till it crinkles up into this very textured fabric.

Here my friend Tanya takes a good look at 浦川和代＊Kazuyo Urakawa's embroidery, then uses the camera as a notepad to take a memo of the stitches. 

(Can I expect to see some embroidery on your log cabins next year, Tanya?)

There are so many beautiful stitch combinations here.
My guess is that in the picture below, the pink thread on the white fabric is Cable Chain Stitch. In every other joint there are small French Knots and Straight Stitch radiating from the other joints.
On the pink fabric,  Chain Stitch and Cable Chain Stitch were used.

Below Feather Stitch with French Knots and Stem Stitch. On the white background there are Chains and Satin Stitch.

This is a beautiful example of how quilting and embroidery go well together.

Nam Kyung Sook from South Korea made this quilt called Happy Village.


I have several blogging friends who dye their own fabric, often with rust.
Bae Sukin from South Korea used the same technique, then added stitches to make shapes and movement.

田尻信子＊Nobuko Tajiri pieced together these fantastic 'fluffy' balls of small pieces of fabric.

Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival 2020 - Part 4 - Traditional Quilts

Going to a show on your own is OK, but together with friends, you see so much more. I am delighted to have had the company of Julie, Tanya, Cynthia and Pamela.

Let's begin todays report with the Traditional Quilt category.

I wonder how many reds
牧野さとみ＊Satomi Makino
needed to collect for this quilt. It was difficult to find duplicate prints.

 杉松子＊Matsuko Sugi made a very tidy crazy quilt.

The embroidery was mainly Sheaf Stitch and French Knots.

谷口由紀＊Yuki Taniguchi's quilt is so light and crisp in blue and pastels.

Another light blue quilt with accents in beige and soft reds was made by

清田澄枝＊Sumie Kiyoda (?)

日比野香代子＊Kayoko Hibino (?) made this fantastic piece of black lace in reverse appliqué.

You need to do a lot of calculation on a graph paper to make this ocean, then add the detailed ships and the charming borders.
細見千恵子＊Chieko Hosomi managed very well.

Traditional quilts are often floral medallions, in 'sweet' colours, and impeccable stitching/quilting.
笹野千恵子＊Chieko Sasano gives us a good example.

Music is also very popular in Japan, and here it has been incorporated in the quilt by
金山真理＊Mari Kaneyama

岩井さとみ＊Satomi Iwai
used red, white and a little bit of pink.

Here is an alphabet and block pattern sampler by
和田さとみ＊Satomi Wada

Have a look at the H-section. There is a (School) House block, a Heart, a Hen and Hourglasses. I don't know the name of the remaining block. Do you?

Updated: Sarah Aldridge told me the block is called Honey Bee.

In the UK they are called Suffolk Puffs, in the US you call them Yo-yos. I guess you really need to love them if you are going to make a quilt like this one.
It took 寺田矢枝子＊Yaeko Terada 1 year and 7 months to make 17.566 yo-yos (15 mm) and turn them into a floral quilt.
It would have taken me longer! Or rather it would have become  a UFO!
A message to Julie, you did get a yo-yo maker, didn't you? Are you planning to make a copy of this quilt?

More flowers, by 藤原順子＊Junko Fujiwara

 and an embroidered butterfly.


One more floral for good measure
扇畑洋子＊Yoko Ogihata

or is it a star?


Well this is a star,
with extensive hand quilting.
久保真由美＊Mayumi Kubo




Following are a few traditional quilts with a modern twist.
西岡洋子＊Yoko Nishioka
played around with the Clam Shell pattern

while 山田町子＊Machiko Yamada
added houses inside her enlarged Double Wedding Ring



The areas of pointed strips in the background is an illusion - it is a print.


本多佳江＊Yoshie Honda made her quilt out of triangles and her grandchildren's drawings.




I was quite drawn to this quilt, both geometrical and floral at the same time.
明石瑛子＊Eiko Akaishi made a very accurate quilt.

There were plenty more quilts, but I will end the report on Traditional Quilts with this one, that drew attention from all my friends, as well as me. Well, the details are interesting, Tanya and Julie are good at piecework and quilting, Pamela loves hexagons, Cynthia blue and I, well I love Colonial knots.
野呂清美＊Kiyomi Noro made us a show stopper!


(Don't you just love Julie's quilted jacket - another REAL show stopper!!!!)