Auction quilt - finished and on display

Wednesday we celebrated the finish and hanging of the 2011 quilt. It will be on display in the stairway of the Early Learning Center until next weeks "Gala".

So, what is the quilt worth? Certainly, in the past, the auction quilts have brought in quite a bit of yen to the American School. When that check is written, however, it is written as a donation to the school and that parent would probably be making a big donation anyway with or without the incentive of a quilt.

Each of the quilts we have made is a one-of-a-kind quilt. Each quilt has had a large cast of characters (I say that with a smile) involved in the planning and making. Sometimes we spend money on fabrics and sometimes we dig into our various stashes. It is usually a combination of both.

It would be difficult to count the hours spent as many blocks went home with someone between sessions and not all the work was done in the group. I would be willing to wager that should all the hours be added up, the planning, the shopping, the marking and cutting, the piecing, and the quilting and finishing, and the price figured at the minimum wage x the total of each person's time, no one could afford this quilt.

Then we get into another aspect of values added. Those most certainly include the dedication of the women themselves, organizing, coming to help, offering a place to meet, giving advice or encouragement, and the warm friendships made here.

I once looked at some quilts on consignment at a quilt shop in the states. I was shocked by how low the asking prices were. I could not even buy the fabric in Japan for what was being asked.

Even if they had been pieced by machine, many were quilted by hand and must have taken months to complete. I think of those quilts often when my husband suggests I sell some of my quilts to pay bills. I think of my grandmother's quilt and my mother's quilt. I would rather give them away to someone who would love and cherish them and skip the meals they might buy.

So ... what is the value of this quilt? I'm certain at the end of the auction it will go home with a new owner. Even with a struggling economy it will be enough to cover the fabric and supplies. It will remain a good reminder of someones time lived in Japan and spent at the American School. What else? We never know.

The quilting is done .or. many hands make light work!

Today the last stitches were put into the Auction quilt. Next week we will finish the binding and sleeve and hang it at the Early Learning Center so it can be enjoyed by all for a week before the "Gala" on March 12th.

Although many put their hands to the task of piecing and quilting, these smiling faces were on hand for the final stitches. They are also the reason I enjoy, so much, putting time and energy to this project each year. Each of the group has children in the school and is involved in many aspects of life in not only the school but the foreign community as a whole. This is the generation that will be running the world when I am too old and decrepit to make any difference at all. Rest assured, the world will be in good hands and I am very blessed to have known each and every one.

Soooo, stay tuned 'till next week for the last shot and guess what the final finish will be.

Tuesday progress

Today we basted the quilt. We had to lay it out on the floor because the school multipurpose room was not available. I did not take pictures of six or seven mothers on their knees in an apartment kitchen getting that sandwich together.
I'm sure anyone who has done that task can figure out what it looked like.

Now the quilt has followed me home and I will work on the crests in the plain blue blocks and maybe finish the quilting on the middle blocks that will be more difficult to reach when we meet next week around a table.

The batting is thinsulate which is easy to quilt but a bit thicker than I might like. I wish I had not started in the middle as I am finding it hard to adjust the stitch size so that the design will show well. I do not think my usual sized stitches will go through with enough regularity. If we have enough time at the end, I may do some of this over.

Our master piecer joined the borders so perfectly. I am in awe! ( and ironed all the seams.) Kendra, you are a wizard! So ... off we go ... five weeks ... is that right?

ASIJ quilt progress

Today we finished sewing the top together and decided the borders.

This is the time of year I start looking at what we have done and counting backwards from the finish date. I have not yet hit the panic button. Next week we plan to baste and will begin to quilt. Each of the dark blue squares will have a crest quilted in white. (my homework) The little kimono blocks will be quilted in group sessions (in the ditch)and the border will have a simple quilt design as yet to be decided but most likely with white in the diagonal white squares.

We have had very good turnouts of willing hands. Some are new and a few are "old timers" having helped with one or more quilts in the past. Gambaremasho!

Kimino Quilt 2004