Japanese quilt

A friend in my stitching group is having a significant birthday next month.  So we're making her a Japanese style quilt.  Loosely based on one that another friend received as a wedding gift.

Starting with Kona Indigo cotton, the plan is each person makes three 9 1/2 inch (unfinished) blocks.  One is Sashiko stitching on the Kona, the other two can be a combination of pieced, applique or Sashiko. 

I've started out simply, maybe my third block will be a bit more challenging.

NSW Quilt Shops

Even during holidays I can manage to visit a quilt shop or three.  I don't tend to buy a lot of patchwork fabric - I'm more interested in dyeing, painting and altering fabric.

Old Post Office, Glenbrook, Blue Mountains.  I've finally managed to get to this shop.  During our previous visits to the Blue Mountains this shop has been closed, either we were there around Christmas/New Year or driving through Glenbrook at the wrong time of day.  It has an interesting display of more traditional quilting fabrics - not really what I'm interested in at the moment - who knows this may change.

The Stitching Post, Katoomba.  I've been to this great shop several times now.  The only problem is each time I've been limited in time - if I stay too long I get retrieved when those waiting in the car consider I've had enough time there!   The shop is in a converted house, so each room is a treasure trove, lots of interesting patterns.  They also have embroidery fabric, threads and patterns.

Picklemouse Corner, Leura.  Another interesting shop in an old house (shared with a vintage clothing shop).  So far I've always had enough time to browse and poke around in this store.  Why? because they also sell a great range of fudge - it takes ages for the kids to decide what flavour they are going to buy!

I also enjoy checking out art shops.

Colourart, Springwood.  has a great range of art supplies and they were open on Boxing Day.  When nothing, not even shopping malls in Penrith, were open.  I discovered and purchased Ezy Carve printing block (like lino) that I'd only seen via overseas mailorder.  I've carved a piece and its just brilliant and easy.  I would have bought a supply but they are a bit heavy and as I needed to carry/wheel my bag through train stations I was refrained.

Springwood used to have a nice quilt store between a lawnmowing shop and curtain shop.  Its been closed for a couple of years now.

Ti Kouka

Ti Kouka

Documenting some of my older quilts.  The name of this quilt is Ti Kouka which is the Maori name for Cabbage Tree.  The quilt is based on the photo (below) that I took several years ago.

The storm clouds were gathering further north.  Moeraki and Oamaru missed this particular storm but Ashburton and Christchurch didn't, as we discovered we when drove through both places later in the day.

This wall hanging was created from a range of felted fibres.

Using a large piece of acrylic felt I created the background by felting the fibres using my trusty Janome Xpression.

The grass, trunk and leaves were felted the same way, each piece cut then machine appliqued to the background.  Machine quilting was then added.  The seeds were freemotion stitched onto dissolvable, washed, then attached giving a slightly 3D effect.

The quilt is 60cm * 40cm and was entered into the Remarkable Quilt Symposium, Queenstown in 2011.

Original photo taken near Moeraki, South Is.