storage challenges

When we were building this house, I think I drove the carpenters a bit nuts trying to make use of every tiny space. There is storage under the stairs, accessible to both sides and drawers in the stairs that are too low to put things under.

There is a porch on the third floor roof where clothes are hung to dry and that has been turned into a greenhouse... or maybe solarium sounds a bit more fancy.

That is where I sleep. It is very hot in the summer and cold in the winter but sunny and pleasant on a sunny winter day like today. I decided it would be a good time to put away the Christmas decorations while it is light and warm.

Well, see those doors? As wonderful as the storage space is, the two doors will try the patience of a saint ... and I am no saint! First, my futon has to be folded up and moved out of the way. Then the section on the left is removed by lifting it by the two handles and pulling the bottom toward the room and out of the groove at the top. That takes no time at all.

The things I store in this space are holiday items/decorations. Christmas, New Years, Girl's day, boy's day, Halloween, Thanksgiving,   etc. This is NOT an everyday closet. The reason is, getting those two doors back in the grooves and standing straight is the most frustrating, time consuming project one could imagine! The door to the right keeps rocking over to block fitting the left door in place. holding the door by those handles and trying to aim it into the groove at the top is hard enough but kicking the bottom into the lower groove without getting the top out of place takes a few hundred tries and more luck than I can muster. I also manage to leave several knuckles worth of skin on the door frame. I think if the back part of the upper groove came lower it would be easier to find a position and probably my very talented son-in-law could fix it for me. The thing is, taking it open to show him the problem means picking up my bedding so that there is a place to stand and then putting the whole thing back in place.

Well, the stuff got put back ... I thought ...   and I put my semi-single futon back. My sleeping bag enjoyed an airing in the brisk winter wind.

Now I have come back down as the sun is setting and the room is getting darker and colder, and what do I find???

Two wreaths forgotten on the front gate and garden door.

Well, Hina matsuri is about two months off. Maybe I should wait until then. I have had enough of the storage challenge for today!

The other day I finished the rainbow border on the gift I am making. 

Saturday I bought a roll of 40 weight thinsulate and pieced some yukata fabric for the backing. 

I had plenty of fabric I could have used but I thought a speaker coming all the way to Japan might like something that will remind her of her visit.

I am now quilting the last Kanji (spring) with gold thread. Every time I use this, I say it is the last because it is hard to quilt with even the best metallic thread. I am using Coats, which is better than some others I have tried, but it is not easy, especially if, like me, you like to use a rather long length of thread. I don't think I would choose this other than the panel is printed with gold outlines on the pictures. I will quilt the border in the ditch with white thread. I have a choice of navy or gray for the binding.

Next I need to put a bible verse. Last year's I put "To everything there is a season...." I really have to check with the committee. Trouble is, when Yahoo made the most recent non-asked-for changes, my contact list went bye-bye. Well, all the e-mail addresses are there but how many people use their names as e-mail addresses. It used to be, all I had to do was type in the name of the person and the address went to the out-box. 

Who was it that said, "some kind of help is the kind of help that helping's all about, and some kind of help is the kind of help we all can do without"? Thanks but no thanks, Mr. Yahoo!

And someone else said, "Never do today, what you can put off 'till tomorrow". Guess I'll quilt things now and worry about the rest tomorrow.

Finishing up and starting again

At the start of 2012 I chose "Priorities" as my focus word.

I have to admit it was a good choice and helped me through many decisions I had to make as to use of time and talents and resources.

Those who really know me, know how I hate doing anything at the last minute. I can do "plan A","plan B", and even plans C, and D, but all need to have some end in sight.

I guess that is one of the reasons I really have no UFOs. I do have something like my blue runner waiting in the wings and I do have some ideas in my sketchbook to try out. (actually quite a few things I would like to try after seeing them on other blogs)

The Woman's Conference is the last weekend in January so the gift for the speaker is finished.

The kanji reading top to bottom, right to left, is Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. I sorted through my fabric bits to find two inch blocks that represent those seasons. The outlines of the kanji are quilted with glittery thread. (I always say, when that spool is gone, I am not getting more ... it is so hard to use)!

The lettering is quilted in light blue. Those letters are just 2cm. high and I had to split the verse to fit it all in without too much crowding.

Can you read it? I didn't want it too bright.

I will add a sleeve in case the speaker wishes to use it as a wall hanging. Since our house is short of wall space, I tend to make table runners rather than hangings.


The finished size is just over 22 x 34 inches if I count the binding.

When I took it out in the sun for a photo, I saw there is a lot of dog hair yet to be removed.

And while I am finishing up the year, I am enjoying the lovely songs of our newest family member.

"Piper" is a pied canary and was a Christmas gift from my husband.

My daughter thought it a rather poor name as the pied piper lured away the children in the tale. Well, he also lured the rats and I am a rat-year person and I probably would have followed along with the children.
Then, since I play the bagpipes, I am a piper too.

What a wonderful way to end and begin a year with song!
Warmest wishes to you all in the coming year.

A finish and another fuzzy picture

This week I finished quilting the border of this year's Women's  Conference banner.

It was a bit sad to quilt along each signature and realize how many of those friends have left us since January.

On the other hand, there is hope to add more names as next years conference gears up.

I used variegated blue pearl cotton and large stitching on the water. That was my first attempt and I held off to the last to attack it. I don't think this is my favorite technique.

My husband says the water doesn't look still enough but too still might equal stagnant.

I also added "Psalm 23" to the lower corner. I hope by hanging this in various international churches, along with the information for next years retreat, we will attract more participants to share this weekend of inspiration and Christian fellowship.

Take-along-work

Six one-hour train rides equals progress. With the runners in the post, it is back to other take-along work. The signature piano-key border for the Women's Conference hanging had been waiting since the end of January to be completed. The lettering and about half the blocks are quilted in the ditch. The water will get some sashiko stitching in blue, then the border will be quilted and it will be turned into a hanging. My idea is to make a second hanging for next year's Conference that will be a pair to this one and use this after it is completed to advertise for next year, hopefully making the rounds to assorted churches in the area.
In addition, I am back to the x and + blocks. These make it about 172 blocks total. I wish I could see a larger dent in my stash as a result.

Saturday's outing to the Life Safety Learning Center was fun for the kids. They learned how to put out fires using an extinguisher, Saw a movie about what to do in case of an earthquake and tsunami, got all shook-up in a simulator, and crawled through a smoke-filled maze.

The funniest part was the "rain room" where they got to experience a typhoon. Dressed to the nines in rain gear and boots they got blasted with water and wind. Two brave adults gave it a try too. Me? I didn't want to get my camera wet. (my excuse and I'm sticking to it).

The Moms had their cameras at the window as the fake storm kicked in.

The funniest part was that exactly the same weather was going on outside. Every single scout lost his cap at one point or other on the way from the train station and I have never seen so many dead umbrellas within just a few blocks! The trains were stopped because of high wind, causing delay at the meeting point.

Today we are having a second, bigger helping of the same weather. School was called off to get the buses off the highway and home before the blast set in. The view from my window looks about the same as Saturday's view, minus the scouts. Strange time of year for a typhoon.

The magnolia trees on the North side of the street leading to the train station are in bloom but the petals will probably be scattered by tomorrow.

Luckily, the trees on the South side are in the shade and still in bud so there will be something left to enjoy.

The camellias were very late to open and I saw many flower heads rolling down the street even before the storm got going.

And ... Happily tucked inside my little green-house/bedroom, my tiny orchid has two more little flowers and a few more buds coming out. The hummingbird is something I carved out of wood and the wooden flower was carved by a friend at the BSA Jamboree. I thought of painting that bird but since there are no real hummingbirds in Japan, I had no good model. Now I am thinking that the wood is better and he can be any breed he feels like at the time.

A Banner Day!

Have you ever heard the expression, "Busier than a one-arm paper-hanger"? Well, that seems to describe my week so far. Monday began with the usual wee-hour start for rice patrol, then putting my gear back to the car. ( had put baby seat and camping gear into the house to make room for passengers to the conference). Then a date to meet a friend for most of the rest of the day. Tuesday was a work day on the auction quilt and my English class. Meanwhile, when I returned from the conference, the fridge was making lots of noise and though it stopped or got less from time to time, I asked my husband to call the repairman. The fridge has reached the 13 year point and after 9 years they stop making parts. If we wait too long to have it fixed, we might have to pay to have it replaced instead...so... That visit being set for Thursday, I decided to take in the Tokyo Dome quilt show while I had time to spend.


So, here I am, the week more than half gone, and yet to report on the Conference class.

I am so grateful for the advice and also the encouragement from my blogging friends. The class went fine and you can see on the left, all the work that got done. I didn't count the attendees but it seemed there were perhaps more than 15 or so. Some were real beginners at sewing and maybe some could have taught the class. I let them select any colored strips they wanted to put together. It seems the total effect is balanced enough. We managed to get signatures of all and two borders have been added. I plan to finish off the top and bottom border, binding, and quilting and we will hang it at next years conference.

The day started off with snow and the weekend was cold, gray, and rainy. I usually take advantage of the location to pick "Sugi" flowers. Pollen from the male Cryptomeria flowers is wind borne and responsible for severe allergies each spring. I pick the flowers and make a tea by boiling them. I do not have that allergy but my husband has gone from great suffering in the past, to barely a sniffle, even last year which was a boon year for pollen.

The rain stopped and a hint of sun emerged as we left the conference. Suddenly Fuji-San appeared and I was able to pull off the highway so everyone could get out and snap a few photos.
I must have tons of pictures of Fuji but couldn't resist one more.

Wednesday I set off to the Tokyo Dome. Here is a shot taken from the upper deck where one enters the arena. Look at those crowds!

I found there were fewer restrictions on picture taking this year.

Then, again, look at the challenges faced when trying to get a picture!

How many cell-phone cameras can you count?

I was holding the camera up above the crowd. I never did get close enough to see what they were photographing but a lady in the back told me it was a quilt with a connection to some celebrity.

Although this is supposed to be an "international" quilt show, there were very few labels with any English at all (other than international entries). If I show a picture, I would like to give credit to the artist and some I copied down the names in kanji and will ask my husband to read them for me before I post.

In general, it was a better arranged show than former years. I understand I selected the most crowded day, according to some friends with vendor stalls. It was HOT. (over-heated to the max) There is a lot of walking and though I stayed until the visitors thinned a bit, my back was just too tired to walk another step.

I took the train the long way around the loop just so I could sit on the way home. No view of Fuji, I had my nose in a book on Hawaiian quilts ... yes, I broke down and spent the money my husband gave me for a snack on a book I don't need... quilt history... just jumped off that shelf and I had to pay or get caught shop-lifting.

The plot thickens

Thanks to the help of my blogging friends, a plan is falling into place. This past week I have been sewing the three inch blocks together. On Thursday and Friday I marked letters on white fabric and basted them on to the blocks. By Sunday night I was able to snatch enough time to finish appliqueing the letters in place and add a one inch border.

Linda, of "Eat Sleep Quilt" has suggested piano keys for the signature blocks. I have toyed with a few other ideas but I think she is right and that would be easy enough for beginners to do and give plenty of spaces for people to sign.
My plan is to cut the pieces to be used on the border and mark them with pencil.

Next I need to find something in my stash large enough to use as a backing.
I really do not want to make any purchases for this banner. I have found a few pieces large enough but not really suitable...One a big dark blue batik with elephants from East Asia and of questionable colorfastness.

My plan is to assemble the banner with backing large enough to take in the borders, add a thin batting and baste the sandwich. That way, the borders can be added as they are finished and the members of the class can also practice quilting and sashiko. Depending on the size of the group, we can add the borders to sides or just top and bottom. I can finish the remaining borders and binding later. There will be enough done to hang the work in progress.

I am really a plan-ahead kind of person and, until I can see the end in sight,
I become rather anxious. Today is cloudy and dark so the picture, taken on my sliding door, is not as bright as the hanging actually looks.

As to Pack meeting activities, I ended up with two games and, although the turnout was small, those that participated had a blast.

I have had several packs of construction paper on my shelf for many years. It was badly faded and aged to the point that it really had no use as art. Still, I hesitated to throw it out. Then a PLAN fell into place. I divided the group of boys into two teams and assigned each group one adult. Since I had three colors of paper, I made a group of mothers and siblings.

Each group got 30 sheets of paper. The object was to see which group could build the highest tower. No glue or tape, just by folding.
These guys got right to work. Interestingly, the youngest Tiger Cub
came up with an accordion fold which worked so well that the other teams, taking note, followed after their plan didn't work as well.


Here is the last layer going on to the winning tower. Good thing to have a tall dad. The boys celebrated so vigorously they almost knocked it down.

The dark blue group had to re-build several times but came in with a respectable seven layers,

And, the mothers, using a triangular fold did a respectable finish too.

This was really a lot of fun for all and kept everyone engaged. I think we might have a few future engineers in the group.

We really didn't need the second game but tried it out anyway. It involved rolling golf balls to see who could get closest to a target ball. The floor, it turned out, was not level and this would have worked better on a carpeted floor. We may try again later.

I always say running a Pack meeting is something like hanging, it feels so good when it is over. There is a challenge of keeping the boys engaged for an hour. The activity has to be interesting enough to hold the older boys yet safe enough and not too difficult for the younger ones. In my group, language ability can also be an issue. I love the way this group listens to the rules so attentively and eagerly attacks the
challenge. These youth are our future. I really think they are off to a good start.

When is a flower a weed and when is it knot?

I had an interesting break from my sewing today. In the early afternoon the doorbell rang and when I went to answer, there stood the owner of the local flower shop with a piece of paper in her hand.

On the paper, written in phonetic Japanese was the word "porikonamu".

The week before Christmas I had taken a little flower to the shop to see if anyone could identify it. I know I had seen it sold in one of the local shops. I took it to two shops in the neighbourhood but both said that it was a weed and their shop had never sold it.

At our former home, a neighbor along our street had this flower bordering their drive and I had been given a cutting for my own yard. When we moved back to our own house, I brought some cuttings and planted them along the edge of the wall. Our "street" had been no more than a dirt path for many years. Our "garden" is really a set-back until the time all the homes are rebuilt and the city can get enough of each property to make a real road large enough for a car to fit. The path is lightly paved but with no drains so becomes a shallow pond each time it rains. The flowers not only soften the wall but soak up the water after a rain.


Although they are considered by some to be a weed, they are low growing and very easy to control. They don't mind the hot summers and die back after a few nights of frost.

Guessing at the name from the Japanese, I was able to find the flower with a few clicks of the computer. (I had looked in all my flower books and nature study books with no luck).

Polygonum capitata, or Pink-head knotweed!

The flower shop lady told me she saw it being sold at another shop in the area and remembered that I had asked her.

She had written the name down and brought it to my door.

My husband was most surprised and asked how she knew where I lived.

How funny. Our house has been known as the Gaijin house (the foreigner house)
all the years it has stood here, including those years when it was occupied by my Mother-in-law. Each time I walk out, I have to leave extra time as I am usually stopped along the way. "I saw you going out in your Scout uniform yesterday. Where were you going"? Yes, I did have a Pack meeting. "I haven't seen you for ten days", Yep, I was at Scout camp. From the early '60s I was very careful to be a good American because there were lots of people watching and judging and I felt responsible for any impression I might leave. Oh yes, they not only know where I live but all my kids names and ages and all the grand kids info too. (and I suspect they share info with each other)

Plans for the Conference banner are coming along. Saturday my granddaughter spent the day and helped me go through the 3-inch tin to find bits to put together.

I decided to sew them together as the seam allowance varied quite a bit on the sample blocks.

I spent all of Monday on the copy quilt, thinking the blocks would be needed on Tuesday. As it turned out, they won't be needed until next week but at least they are out of the way and I could begin work on piecing.

After two days this part is together. I plan off-white letters appliqued in the blocks and a one-inch off-white inner border. Then I need to come up with a plan for the outer border that the class can sew together. I am thinking of solid color fabrics that can be signed by those attending the conference. I have no idea of how many people will attend the class or how much might get done but I hope to have something that can be hung the last day and finished up for next year. I might sandwich the quilt and leave space to add the borders. That way we could try a bit of quilting and sashiko in the water area. I will have two days to think over a plan while I am getting ready for the Bible Quilt class and my Pack meeting. I have no idea what to do for an hour with a group of active 6-10 year olds this month but I doubt quilting is an option.

Any ideas for a simple effective border would be welcome ... as well as ideas for boys to have fun. Oh boy, how do I get myself into these things!?#

With a little help from my friends....

I am sorry I have not responded to comments lately but that does not mean that I am not reading them. To the contrary, I have received some good suggestions and have been figuring out how to make use of them.

Marlene suggested the 23rd Psalm. Yes, "restore" is certainly one of the theme words and the others are also implied.

Sara suggested watery blocks. I am not too sure about new hand-sewers doing curved piecing but I do have lots of blues and greens in my stash. There are straight pieced blocks that look like curves or even paper piecing might work.

Cindy suggested embroidery and writing in the blocks. I like that idea too.

Lis suggested some flowing sashiko. I like that idea too. After all, this is Japan and there are sashiko patterns for water.

I found this book of Colorwash Quilts on my book shelf and that gave me an idea of using some of the cut blocks in my tin. I have lots of two inch but that would be a lot of work because two inches is rather small. Making a grid of three inch blocks 10 x 19 would give a 30 x 57 inch banner and a border would make it respectable size to hang.

I doubt we could put this all together in an hour but if I applique the letters before-hand, it might be possible to assemble the flimsy. I have no idea how many participants there will be and there are many interesting workshops to chose from.



I am also thinking it might be fun to collect signatures for use in the border. I have been attending this conference for many years and most, if not all, of the original attendees have retired and left Japan. It would be so nice to have some memory of those friends that remain. (and it might be possible to collect some messages from past participants).

Karen has encouraged me with the reminder that God keeps his promises always. Certainly He has sent me caring friends, ready to share their ideas.


Two weeks from today I will be on my way and hopefully prepared for a good weekend of rest and refreshment. Any further ideas will be welcome too.


And now, a picture of the national bird of Japan. The Crane!

Yesterday I took my car in for a pre-inspection ... supposed to save money at the real inspection. The Toyota place is in my old neighbourhood so Nikko and I took a walk to the park and back, enjoying the brisk cold day.

It is amazing how quickly the area has changed in three years time. The parking lot that faces the main street had a high fence all around it and signs posted announcing a "mansion" being built on the site. It will be over 28 meters tall ... 8 storeys or so?... and block out all the sun to the south on the street where we were living. I can't figure out how the building codes work in Tokyo. Our own house was subjected to all kinds of rules regarding height and floor space but it is OK to put a huge apartment building right up against a row of single homes. I guess we are lucky to have moved. Although the building to the south of us is blocking most of our sun, it could be much worse.
My "word" for the new year is "priorities". I guess I'd better get off the computer and back to work!

A new year in Japan, with new challenges or opportunities

Last post I showed the wimpy little "Kadomatsu" decorating our gate. If you walk down the narrow street you will see a pair of these on nearly every front gate. (some of the gates on our street are back gates because the homes extend between two streets) Sunday we met at church to serve a traditional New Years meal to the homeless. There were many volunteers to help with the serving and I spent my hours at the sink on wash-up duty. I went to the worship service with the cleanest hands in the congregation , I am sure.

Our church is along a grand shopping street, as I have mentioned, but many shops will be closed for the first three days of the new year. Many items of the traditional meal are things that can be assembled before the year end and are packed into nesting boxes, stacked in a cool place, and brought out to serve family and friends that come to call. Today there are 24hour stores and many stores do stay opened but back in the early 60's, the colorful pickled stuff was what you ate and part of the preparations for the holiday.

The above picture is one of the pair of fancy kadomatsu outside the Oriental Bazaar. This is very traditional and well suited to the store which has a design resembling a temple.The pine is believed to serve as the dwelling place (yorishiro) for the god who brings good luck at the beginning of the year and the bamboo, growing straight, represents consistency and integrity.


Another shop along the street had a pair of decorations that were arranged in an original manner.

This shop had a very traditional kadomatsu of a smaller size but inside you can glimpse "O-sona-e Mochi" This is a very fancy version of what people display in their entry-ways at New Years. It has two stacked mochi (pounded rice) with all kinds of decorations, seaweed or "kobu" representing "yorokobu" (to be joyful) and a big crab wishing you to live a long life until your back is bent like that crab, two green leaves with white backsides showing that no matter what color you show, your mind is pure. Pine leaves are tied straight across to show constancy. I guess after paying for those fancy decorations, you might need a bit of luck in the new year. I came back home in time to rescue Nikko from a scary earthquake, I guess it was lucky it was not a worse one.

I have enjoyed a bit of relaxing quilting. After a large selection of blocks, I treat myself to a few flowers on the border.

All the while I am thinking of some projects and challenges looming on the fringes of the month.

First, there is homework for the auction quilt. We have been given the nod by the sensei to copy her quilt. I wish I could say I am relieved but for some reason I am still not too happy. I know the group needs my help. I love this group of young women and working with them but I just wish the project was anything else.

Next challenge is a new class ... facing the unknown. In 1998, the Women's Conference, a group of Christian women, many of which used to be missionaries, had the theme,"Bloom Where You are Planted". One of the workshops I attended was patchwork evangelism, taught by Sandy Shigeno, who went on to put together a nice booklet on Bible Quilts. Since that class I have made a few bible quilts and hangings. Now I have been asked by two friends to teach a class for women of their church. I think the plan will be to make a bible quilt for a fund-raiser. I have passed on the information about supplies and we will all meet for the first time in just a few weeks. I have taught the quilt-as-you-go style many times using Japanese designs for foreigners wanting to make a quilt of Japanese fabrics and design. This will be a first time to teach Japanese women to make Bible inspired work.

Another spin-off of the 1988 class (Thank You Sandy) is that the Women's Conference has asked me to teach a patchwork workshop this year.
The theme is, "Relive, Revive, Restore". The speaker will be a survivor of the 1945 atomic bombing in Hiroshima.

Perhaps there is someone out there who can help me come up with a plan. I do not know how many people might meet for a one-hour class. I will need to make all the plans and take what I need with me to the retreat. I am thinking that rather than have each person try to make something, to do some kind of a cooperative banner that could be hung at future conferences. I have lots of 2 and 3inch blocks that could be assembled into some kind of mosaic design. If I were to have each person make something, what could it be in just an hour of hand-work? I am open to any suggestions that are out there. I just don't want to do something that will be a waste of fabric and time.

So ... that is what January has in store... The comfort of making progress on the batik quilt, overcoming the obstacle of the auction quilt, teaching a new class to new women, and coming up with an idea that will be more fun than challenge by January 20th. I haven't even looked at my calendar beyond that weekend!

Refreshed and moving on to the next project

This weekend was theWomen's Conference in the lovely hills of Izu Southwest of Tokyo. This yearly conference was started many years ago by missionary wives from all denominations all over Japan for a bit of relaxation, renewal and inspiration. Though not a missionary, I have been a hanger-on to these conferences over the years and as the years rolled by, many have retired and left Japan and many more non-missionaries have joined. This year the planning committee had movers and shakers from our sub-group which has almost become the majority.

The theme this year was Health and Healing Mind Body and Spirit. There were too many workshops to choose from and friends to do them with. The new banner as well as it's companion banner and the banner made a few years ago were all hung.

Although I did not go into a lot of detail about this year's banner, it had it's beginning years ago in a friendship forged at this conference. Carol Sack, a missionary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America since 1982 is involved in the field of Pastoral Harp through a project called Lyra Precaria. She and her colleagues offer prayerful presence through harp and voice, mainly to persons who might be ill or dying. For many years she has been asking (suggesting/nagging) me to make a banner of David. When I began to think of making a banner for this conference, I came across the printed Psalm fabric and thinking nothing could be better for healing than the Psalms, (and perhaps God was doing a bit of nagging as well) came up with the banner I have been working on the past few months.

Needless to say, the women, but more so, Carol were very pleased. Now Carol is doing classes and lectures all over Japan and was very happy to take over custody of that banner and it's companion. It seemed that was a better solution for everyone than having one more banner rolled up on a shelf most of the year. It will get used and enjoyed by many and if I ever have need of it, I know where it is. She has a class on the Psalms this week so the banner will not have to be stored at all. If it comes back to the conference, I do not have to bring it.

Of course there was take-along-work. I took a challenge to complete the blocks for the batik quilt and finished the last one this morning so I could lay them all out on the floor where there was a big space and no dog hair. There seems to be one orphan block left over. I have decided to finish this quilt for my Yonbanme. (fourth daughter) Just before leaving for the conference I learned she will be visiting in March so I did not spend a lot of time arranging the blocks. She will do a much better job of it than I ever would.

Now refreshed in mind, body and spirit, I have returned to finish the on-going projects and find more take-along work.