More Tokyo Dome show

Are you getting tired of this show? I have hardly begun to scratch the surface.
There were so many quilts that caught my eye.

I have only been to one quilt show in the States, and though I saw a lot of creative quilts, I also saw many quilts made from patterns I had seen in magazines or on other blogs. I have to say that other than the partnership quilt blocks, most quilts were much more the creation of the quilter.

Many quilters used these rather quiet colors such as in this "traditional" quilt ,

"Spring Breeze" by Ishihara-san.

This has a few bright colors but the basic tones are quiet.





"Wish"
By Tomoko Matsuno.

"Bloom" By Harumi Okawa









What a lot of work in each of the borders, let alone the center picture.

"My Garden"


by Masae Utsunomiya.

The title of this is "Pyrotechnics "

But those look like the quietest fireworks I have ever seen.

The designer and quilter is
Chieko Ishizue.







The lower half was in the shadow of the opposing wall.
(Unfortunately there were quite a few poorly lit quilts)

Roughly translated ...
"Longing-ness"




This quilt by Sachiko Chiba.







(Yes, I might long to make a quilt like this)!

This "White Amaryllis"
is the creation of Kiyomi Takahashi.



Note the trapunto setting off those beautiful flower arrangements!

Another quiet quilt,

"Gift of Spring Breeze"
by Takako Nakamura.

Just look at the detail in the applique and quilting!

"L'espoire" by Sumiko Tachibana

And a detail shows there are bright colors but they don't take over the quilt.

"Mille Fleur" (The title was in katakana but that doesn't help me much)

This is by Kyoko Takemoto. and another detail to enjoy!

These were all from the "Traditional" category. 

Even the "Original" quilts had a few neutral toned quilts.

This "Twilight Scene" (roughly translated) is by Ishinami-san.

Another "Original" ... "Snowy Day" by Ando-san

Well, this is a lot of calming eye-candy to view. There were plenty of colorful quilts ... still on my camera and waiting for another post.

The Gala quilt is basted and waiting beside me ... with a DEADLINE ... so I'd better stop playing with my lap-top and get down to quilting. 

Tokyo Dome show, part 5

On our trip through the exhibits, I was interested to note a number of repeated themes.

One of those was spider webs.

I am sorry to say that I did not get the name of this quilter, but it was among the 60 well known quilters and I think those names were in English.  Maybe Queenie has the name because she bought the catalogue.

Here is another one...

Also by a quilter I cannot identify.

The title of this quilt is "Queen of the Night" and the quilter is Kashizaki-san.


This quilt was among the Original Design Quilt Category.

I am not sure if the "queen" in the title referred to the spider and her catch or this little fellow farther down on the quilt.




There were some amazing details to be enjoyed on thispiece of work.

This is just a detail of a quilt among the Corporate Awards
by Kido-san.

The title, "As the Wind Blows".

There were plenty of leaves swirling around in that quilt but also note the spider and some webs.

Even the framed category had it's share of spiders.


This quilt by Hosomi-san called "Hide and Seek" includes a spider on a web plus ants and some caterpillars.


There was at least one other framed quilt with a spider in a web, and I think another full sized quilt.

I would have to say, the spiders were well represented at that show.



Queenie noticed quite a few cat quilts. The framed quilt category alone had at least four.

This one by Kojima-san is called
"Sweet Sixteen.

Another cute framed quilt of a cat playing with a ball.

This one is by Kanda-san.

This quilter, Suzuki-san, has a quilt in the show for at least the past three years. They are always fused, raw-edge machine applique and full of black and white cats.
This one "In the garden where the agapanthas  blooms" This was among the Original Design quilts.

And this bag, called "Happy Birthday" by Nishimura-san had cats all around and that birthday cake, candles and all, is made of fish.

I'll bet walking around with that bag on one's arm would draw a lot of attention.

(And this was not the only bag with cats )!

Even the Junior Category had a cat quilt.


I hope you enjoy the critters. I still have a few more posts to make ... if I can get my act together.

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

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 ......

Tokyo Dome part 2

Still on day one, after looking at the large collection of traditional quilts, Queenie and I decided to check out the "Partnership" quilts. Queenie has written a wonderful post about these quilts and after all, it was her information that connected me with this project.

I had been seeing these group quilts for years but didn't have much of an idea of how they had been assembled.

Queenie mentioned that she had participated each year and shared the information on how to go about taking part.
In early July I posted a picture of my contributing block. The theme was "Flowers" and the quilts were assembled by Kathy Nakajima and her crew.

It must have been quite a task because they assembled and quilted 86 quilts, all but two with 130 blocks per quilt.

Toward the end of the summer, I received a post card with the information that my block would appear in quilt #17.
You can see it in the top row, just right of the center, a basket of roses. Beside each quilt is a little chart telling the names and locations of each donor. This quilt seemed to take many yellow blocks and arrange them getting lighter toward the center. It was difficult to get a picture here because this was a busy pathway with shops on the other side crammed with shoppers. Queenie and I looked at many of these quilts, trying to figure out how which blocks were selected for which quilt.  With something over 10,500 blocks, it must have been a monumental task! I stopped by Kathy Nakajima's shop to thank her for all that work.

After taking a look at #17, we hunted down #28 to find Queenie's block.

And here is my dear friend, celebrating opening day in her Swedish costume.

Her block has a white dove in flight carrying an olive branch and trailing a Swedish flag.

And, here is a bit closer view.


We discussed the blocks selected for this quilt and thought many of them had been selected because they contained various birds and animals ... in addition to the floral theme.

 Here is a quilt made of all the same block in different color selections but with blue backgrounds.


The NHK TV program about the making of these blocks used this pattern and was taught by Kathy Nakajima.


Some of these quilts seem to have blocks made  as a group effort.

On some of the quilt information posters, there is also a picture of a group of women ... perhaps those who assembled and quilted that particular quilt?

A variety of patterns and colors
were used in this arrangement.

And yet another quilt made from the same block in different colors.

Inside walls and walls around the outer edge of the stadium were used to display these many quilts.

They were listed as "charity" quilts and are to be raffled off. At a booth near the entrance, one can purchase a ticket for 500 yen.

Half of the ticket has a place to write your name and phone number. That half you tear off and drop into the box next to the quilt you would like to take a chance on.

The other half, you keep ... just in case you are lucky enough to win the drawing.

Well, Sunday, while I was out with the Scouts, Nikko ate most of the ticket stub. She did manage to leave the edge with the numbers on it. Wouldn't that be funny to win and turn in a chewed up ticket?

I am still trying to put names with my pictures or decide to just post the pictures and let the blog-world guess who made what!

Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival 2014 (Tokyo Dome show) part 1

Long awaited with much anticipation, the week-long show has begun.
For me, it was as much about friendship as it was about quilts.

"Queenie" and I had plotted and planned for weeks ahead to meet for the day, beginning with the opening ceremony. Because of her work behind the scenes and connections, she as able to supply me with free tickets so I could really enjoy the show more than once.

The opening was attended by the organizers, The ambassador and his wife from Finland, and even an Imperial Princess. In this picture after all the speeches were made they are cutting the ribbon in the opening ceremony. NHK was busy filming assorted aspects of the show and later my husband watched events on TV at home.

On opening day, there was a bit of time to view the show before the general public was let in.
Who needs a princess when you have a queen to shadow?  We set off to view the "traditional" Quilt Category.

One of my frustrations of the past 12 years is the practice of putting all information  ... title ... maker's name ... and other details in Japanese ONLY. This year was no improvement. Even the catalogs of the show are all in Japanese.

I am certain every one of these participants knows how to write her name in "Romaji" or Roman script. It is difficult enough to translate the quilt titles into English, but names are a challenge even for Japanese. (whenever you fill out a form of some kind, there is a space above the written name to note the pronunciation ... since many characters can be pronounced more than one way) Even so, s simple common name like Sato could also be written Satoh. Only the person possessing the name would know.
There were very few foreign quilts so where are the "International" aspects? Only in the public that attends?

This "Flower Garden I long for" was made by Michie Arai.

Here is a detail of the hand applique and embroidery.

Although machine quilting is beginning to make inroads to Japan, the traditional category was mostly hand pieced or applique and hand quilted.

It is hard to imagine the amount of time these quilts would take to complete.

This "Wreath and Small Birds" is the work of Sachiko Serizawa.

Each of these little birds was carefully appliqued in a different combination of fabrics.




Note the fine hand quilting.

"Blue Forest" by Sawada-san uses those same types of "Japanese Taupe" fabrics and is a masterpiece of detail in piecing and quilting.

This "Everybody Shining"

was made by a person whose name could be read either Shioya or Shiotani.

Even the Japanese viewers probably don't know her name by reading the kanji.

At any rate, it is a quilt with quite a lot of work involved.


Note the poor lighting caused shadows on many of the quilts. I guess I shouldn't complain because it has only been in the last few years that photographs have been allowed.

"Moment of Heightened Pleasure"

is a simple Amish style quilt that is anything but simple.


Created by Satomi Makino, it is closely quilted in trapunto.

Check out this detail!!!

Here is a detail of  a quilt called "Heart Compass"

By Masako Yoshihara.

Look how she fussy-cut the fabric on each of those rays!

And if you like sunburst or compass patterns, here is another detail of "The Sun of Tenochtitlan"

The center star has a huge Aztec figure and you can see smaller figures embroidered in the corners.

Note those tiny mola border blocks and fine quilting.

This is the creation of Miki Kanno.

"Cool Breeze of Highland" was another quilt with fine detail.



This one was made by Kazuko Ito.

Loosely translated title of " Harmony towards Reconstruction"


Well, even titles like names are sometimes difficult to figure out.

This quilt with many tiny pieces was made by Chieko Kudo.























By this time in the show, the thundering hoards had arrived and it became more and more difficult to take pictures without heads and elbows or whole bodies covering them.

For many years I had given up trying to see these shows with other members of my quilt group. It is hard to keep a group together under the crowded conditions and many people are interested in only parts of the exhibit or shopping in the stores. It has been a joy to go along with Queenie to more than one show. We move at about the same pace and both of us notice different things even in the same quilt. Often her observations give me cause to take a second look and find things that attract me in quilts I might have otherwise passed by. She is also a font of information so please pop over to her posts queeniepatch.blogspot.com . Also check out my friend,
Tania bytaniwa.blogspot.com, who met with us the following day. (Yes, two days so far and I have only covered the first hour spent there).

For now, this is probably enough to whet your whistle. Tomorrow after church, I will be doing nature study with the scouts. (my other life) My camera took quite a while to down-load so you can imagine there is a lot more to come.