Learning to Quilt

In American English we speak of making quilts. The Japanese talk about patchwork. It's really both - you piece the patches together for the top, add batting and backing, then you quilt. Quilting is the stitching you do to connect the layers.

Stitching, of course, in the quilts of long ago was done by hand. Many modern day quilts are stitched by machine. Since my patches were hand stitched my teacher said that machine quilting would not be appropriate. So, I've spent a lot of time in the last two weeks hand quilting my Japanese Memory Quilt. My finger tips are tender in spite of using a thimble and a special finger cap. Some days I have to give it a rest.

It needs to be finished by about June 20th, my teacher has scheduled an exhibition for her students' work. Yikes!

There are some "in process" pictures on Picasa. Click on a picture on the right. I'll post new ones when I finish.

Another Busy Season

Does your life continue to get busier? Mine has been pretty busy lately with getting ready for summer teams in Serve Japan, regular duties at the Guest Home and visitors. The weather has had some wet and cool spells, but the last two weeks were filled with sightseeing and visiting with an old friend, and today another couple is in Ichikawa and we may be able to get some time to chat before they head back north tomorrow evening.

The picture is of a door at Meji Shrine featuring a carving of the kamon of the Kiri or Paulowina flower.

If you haven't seen enough cherry blossom pictures, here's one from Hakone in the mountains with the bright clear sky behind it. Japan is certainly a beautiful place to be in the spring.