Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Tokyo Dome, part 3

I am still struggling to put names and titles on a number of quilts. I saw many foreigners taking pictures and wondered how they plan to use them. Will they post them on a blog without being able to give credit? I wonder how the quilt artists feel about having their quilt pictures flying through cyber-space anonymously. A few years ago when our Gala quilt used a quilt photo from the show for inspiration, it was helpful to be able to locate the quilter and ask for her permission to use her idea.

These quilts were made by some of the 60 well-known quilters and had both titles and names of the quilter in the posted sign.

This quilt titled "American Spirit"
was made by Keiko Ike.

The red piecing set on cream has a great amount of detail and is machine quilted.

















Queenie showed this quilt on her third post. Called "Stories of Ties", by Machiko Miyatani, I was interested because I have been asked a few times to make a memory quilt using a deceased father or grandfather's neckties. I think this would be a lovely solution to the challenge.

Just look at the amazing detail in the stitchery, all hand done.

Also note the designer name labels from the backs of the ties.

How cleaver!







I had to add this one for Debbie over at Woolen Sails.

(Sorry I failed to add a link but you can visit her from my sidebar).

The title is "Because I Like Wool" and it is hand made with crocheted details by Hitomi Hanaoka.















Queenie also posted this one. It is really stunning.

"Wonderful Small Flowers of Japan" is made by Fumiko Miura.

There was plenty of silk and what I first thought to be machine stitching, on closer look was very fine couching.

Just look at all those shades of purple!
And the variety of flowers as well!








Just to show that there was a lot more variety,
I had to add this eye-catcher.


Called "I HOPE" was made by Reiko Nakanuma.
Also a lot of machine applique and quilting.


















"The Evening Sun" is the work of Kiyoko Goto.

She sure knows how to make that machine do her bidding!















This quilt, "Garden Party" by Tomoko Matsuura made me recall a recent post by Quilt Inspiration.

The one they showed was a dinner setting with all the plates in different styles.

I think Queenie posted one of the Junior division quilts that also had a nice selection of obento boxes with a wide variety of food items.






This quilt, "Spring Midnight" by Yoko Sekita really has to be seen in person to be appreciated.


Queenie has a good picture of this on her post.

The Hina dolls usually are seen sitting very properly in a given order on a step stage.

These dolls seem to have taken the night off for a bit of sake and a party.

It was a very popular piece surrounded by smiling quilters and cameras.


I have hardly scratched the surface of the pictures I wish to post.

The original design quilts, the "Wa" quilts and the framed quilts all will need some translation first.

I did want to show you one quilt that got an "Excellence Award"



When I was admiring this quilt made entirely of tiny hexagons and hand quilted a fraction inside each little piece, I got in a conversation with a gentleman and his wife.






I was surprised to learn that this award-winning "Traditional" quilt was made by the very person to whom I was talking.








And here he is, Mr Shingo Nakano!


I don't know about you, but I am impressed!











I can't imagine my husband fighting his way upstream against this mob of women, let alone sitting still long enough to sew thousands of one centimeter hexagons together. Mr. Nakano, you have my admiration!

More to follow ......





8 comments:

  1. Thank you for all your effort to translate the quilt names and makers for your post, it is appreciated but it must be a nightmare! You have featured an eclectic collection of quilts, showing that not everything in Japan is hand stitched in taupe or indigo!!! Lots more machine work than in earlier years, am I right? I love that young people are also quilting, Carin shared a few of their quilts. Well done, Mr Nakano, it is nice to have more men quilting too. As long as we don't end up with the chef/cook thing i.e men who cook are "chefs", women who cook are "cooks" (insert "just" if you like) and are doing what they do naturally! Gripe over!!

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  2. I do love the wool quilt and I do love the tie quilt, beautiful pieces. My grandmother made crazy quilts from my grandfathers cloths since he wore wool pants. I do love working with recycled items, I seem to be more creative when I work with what i have and love the creative use of fabrics and design in the dresdens. I cannot imagine walking through that mob, think I would get too claustrophobic, lol.

    Debbie

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  3. Yep, I was one of those foreigners. I provide as much credit as possible/my Japanese allows, and also research like using some of the quilters' names that you've translated! The lack of English on the signs is my biggest annoyance considering how many foreigners travel to the shows!

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  4. I fully agree with Alyce; we foreigners WANT to give credit to the quilt makers, and be able to google their names to see what other quilts they have made etc, so I really hope NHK will add Roman script on their labels.
    Julie, thank you for this long and thorough post with beautiful pictures. You have added some quilts I did not take a picture of and now of course regret it!
    The crowds just got worse and worse didn't they? 200.000 people are supposedly visiting the show.
    Looking forward to you next post!

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  5. I too agree with Alyce and Queenie. It would be so easy to print just a little information in English - it is after all an "international" show! Thank you Queenie and Julie - having thoroughly enjoyed Queenie's posts I am now relishing Julie's. The crowds look even worse than I'd remembered! So I am somewhat "OK" with enjoying the show from halfway around the world, via my computer! Thanks to you that is!

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  6. Hello Julie,
    thank your for sharing your pictures (and thoughts) on this show. I took the liberty of borrowing a picture from your blog (the overall view of the stands, with the crowded aisles) and posted it on a French quilters forum. I linked back to your blog, of course. I hope you don't mind. If you find this is a problem for you, let me know and I'll erase it.
    PS I first discovered your blog via Tanywa's and today, I've come from Queenie's blog.
    Beatrice.

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  7. Both the hexagon quilt and "American Spirit" are just gorgeous!! I'm so impressed with quilters who can do such detailed work. Thank you for sharing all of the photos!

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  8. I love that tie quilt. I have a box of my fathers ties that I plan on making a quilt with one day.

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