Tokyo Dome show - part 4

As I mentioned in the first post (and maybe those leading up to it) The quilt show was as much about friends as it was about quilts. From Day 1, Queenie and I met to "do the show" together. I continue to be amazed at how much more I enjoy the show and how much more I get out of it when I am with her.

We met again on the second day of the show ... this time, with the ultimate goal of meeting up with Tanya. We had some time before the set meeting, so went off to look at some exhibits we had missed the first day. We had hardly gone past two or three quilts, when there was a group of quilters calling my name. Oh, wow, it was part of the new quilting group I had visited for the first time the week before!

Finally, the time came to work our way over to the proposed meeting spot to meet Tanya. She was the first to spot us and it was nice to meet her group of friends. I really think, when it comes to quilters, friends of friends are friends too ... and many I have known bits and pieces of through Tanya's blog.

Do we look happy to have met at last?

You bet! We had a visit in the bleachers that was all too short but after all, Tanya had come a long way to see the show and you can't see much other than the crowds from the bleachers.

And if the meeting was not enough, Tanya brought both Carin and me a little mini quilt.

Oh, I had nothing to give in return! Carin hung hers on a wall at her home and mine is now in front of me on my coffee table next to another wonderful piece Tanya made for me a few years ago.

What a great reminder of our friendship!

Three foreigners, married to Japanese, living a long time in Japan.

Yes, we are all working on the blooming part.

(In fact, it was a Women's Conference in the 80's with this theme that got me back into quilting).

Tomorrow I am off to that same Women's Conference again. I have prepped for a quilt class and packed up the quilted gift for the speaker. I still need to bring my car nearer my home and remove the camping gear (and a ton of dog hair) so I will be able to fit in passengers.

I have more posts to make on the show but still need a bit of help with the translation.

If you read my posts about the Yokohama show, I mentioned I had met a quilter who recognized me as having posted a picture of her quilt in last year's show.

Following that meeting, we exchanged e-mails and Ueno-san told me she had submitted a bag in this year's Dome show and was waiting to see if it was accepted.

Later I heard from her that it had, so I went to take a look. Great job, Ueno-san! I love all those Japanese taupes and the title is so creative.... "Get a Handle on It".

There were about 39 bags in the show. For quilters living in tight quarters, sleeping on futons rather than beds, what better way to make and share their craft than with bags. Many of the little shops specialized in bag accessories and patterns.

I also had a visit with Mary Haunani Cesar who comes each year from Hawaii, bringing her little shop. Hawaiian quilting is very popular in Japan and every year there are more aand more shops offering fabrics and patterns. Mary is an expert on traditional Hawaiian quilting and  friend I love to welcome each year.

With all the train riding, I was able to complete 8 more blocks for the Gala quilt. Yesterday we met to see what we could do with all those blocks.

Here they are, laid out on the floor. We had a few extras to play with and a few late-comers so this is not the final arrangement.

It is fun to work with a group and try to satisfy everyone. We did it, though and the blocks are now together. The deep red will be the inner border and the outer border is being purchased today.

Next week we will meet to baste it ... and then the hard work of quilting it begins. I have to admit I was not sure we would be able to meet this schedule. There is still a lot to go and I know it will be spending days between sessions at my house (and probably collect a lot of dog hair in the process).

Please check out Carin's and Tanya's posts on the show while you are  at it . queeniepatch.blogspot.com and http://bytaniwa.blogspot.jp/2014/01/quilt-show-impressions.html