skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I just returned from a trip to Japan with my sister. Our love of all things Japanese was instilled at an early age by our father. He had spent a month in Japan as a aviation adviser during the Korean War. I found a small group tour focusing on ceramics for 2 weeks, staying in Japanese Inns, visiting artists and their studios and traveling in the countryside. It was the perfect tour for my sister, Director/Curator of the American Museum of Ceramic Art and gave me a chance to travel with my best friend.
Although most of our time was spent looking at clay, 
we also experienced the culture, were guests in homes,
ate the food,
played with clay,
slept on the "floor",
bathed communally, and rode on the fast trains. I also got to shop for old fabrics
and our hostess invited me to cut a stack of fabrics from some "old clothes" (her great aunt's kimonos).
I promised to make her a wall hanging which is in the works.
My friend Mary, of 30 years, loves to decorate for the holidays. Since I hadn't quilted something for her, I asked if she would like a reversible table runner. She chose Halloween and Christmas.
I asked if she would like me to make a full quilt for the bed but since they live in Arizona, Kathi thought a bed runner would be more appropriate. We went to the local quilt fabric store and picked 3 coordinating fabrics. When I got home, I went to work designing two squares that repeated the flowers in the shams and the art work in the room.
The project turned out to be just the right size to hand quilt on our next cruise. Progress to be updated soon . . .
I have finished quilting the medallions on my Mary Mannakee and am now working on the grid. The boarder will be last. I thank Janet at Quiltsalot for challenging me to do this quilt. It has been such a learning experience.
My daughter-in-law's mother shared this pattern with me after she made it for our grandson.
Click to enlarge.
I've finished Sarah (Niece) and Mark's quilt in time for Christmas. It was taken to the quilter in October for a special deal. My favorite quilter has been training a new person so she offered to do any size for $30! She did a terrific job. The binding is done and ready for my Sister and I to give to this special couple.
(30x38)
Using my miniature American Heritage quilt design as the template, I enlarged the blocks, simplified my choices and machine pieced rather than by hand. I densely quilted it by hand.
Since Mrs. Motani has featured fabric wall hangings from Japan and far abroad in their home, it is my hope that this quilt will find a place as well.
Although most of our time was spent looking at clay, 
we also experienced the culture, were guests in homes,
ate the food,
played with clay,
slept on the "floor",
and our hostess invited me to cut a stack of fabrics from some "old clothes" (her great aunt's kimonos).
My friend Mary, of 30 years, loves to decorate for the holidays. Since I hadn't quilted something for her, I asked if she would like a reversible table runner. She chose Halloween and Christmas.
