Japanese Quilts at NEQM

detail from Under the Eternal Starlit Sky by Makiko Nakamura 

Just under the wire last week I finally got over to the New England Quilt Museum to see Quilts Japan - I mean, wow!  One of my favorites: 

Under the Eternal Starlit Sky by Makiko Nakamura 

detail from Under the Eternal Starlit Sky by Makiko Nakamura 

detail from Under the Eternal Starlit Sky by Makiko Nakamura 

detail from Under the Eternal Starlit Sky by Makiko Nakamura 

And, in the classroom, be prepared to have your socks knocked off by the quilts of Gladi Porche.  This is up until April  28th so you have some time to get over there to see her amazing quilts.  There are several inspired by Japan, and one is more amazing than the next.  Love. 

Gladi has blogged a lot about the Quilts Japan quilts - click here  and also peruse her other posts - very inspiring and if you've missed Quilts Japan, reading Gladi's posts is the next best thing. 

Both exhibitions so wonderful - colorful... just amazing! 

x 

Cynthia 

Kiku sashiko project class

Yesterday the time flew as I taught a fourth sashiko class at Cobblestone Quilts.  Five ladies, each with her own connection to handwork and either a new or a developing interest in sashiko stitching.

We explored this timeless motif - the chrysanthemum - or kiku - which represents long life and rejuvenation or energy.  The Chrysanthemum was adopted by the Imperial Family of Japan as the Imperial Flower and has become a symbol of Japan itself.

We see it everywhere -

I love these vintage bits of indigo katazome (stenciled patterns)  featuring kiku: 

You can start to see the "fan" appear as the motif gets more simplified:

So when you see something like this, go ahead and think "fan", but know that its origins are in the hearty and elegant chrysanthemum!

A piece like this might be made into a pillow, but a more classic use (lined, or unlined) would be as a furoshiki, or traditional Japanese wrapping cloth.  The braided stems are perfect for this use.

I wish I'd taken more photos!  Isn't it always a balance between being in the moment and documenting the moment...

In other news... this was yesterday morning.  Come on, April, stop with the snow!

x
Cynthia

Doll quilt exchange

I am participating in Lori's (Humble Quilts) doll quilt exchange again this year.  You know, little quilts are so fun to make.  We were to make a reproduction style quilt using 19th century style fabrics.

I sent this off to Melissa in Washington state yesterday.  I hope she likes it...

I used scraps from the old Stars in a Time Warp, mainly.  A sweet pink backing to feminize the quilt a bit. Very narrow single fold binding - totally sold now on single fold! 

I was expecting some happy mail from Vermont Quilt Festival yesterday in the mail, but alas, my quilt was not accepted into the contest.  Boo.  Oh well.  I need to be more on the ball next year. Their acceptance window was 5 days long.  Of course I had spaced it and rushed at the last minute to reach that deadline window.  My application got there on day 5, but they had filled their quota on day 4.  Doh!

Japan part 3 - Indigo and wabi sabi

The main highlight of my week in Japan: a field trip to David's coworker's family indigo operation in Saitama Prefecture.  I'm going to be cryptic about names and places because I don't know if they want their info "out there" - I think this was a rare tour, and they aren't in the business of selling their fabric.

This all started months ago with David mentioning to a coworker that he wanted to find me some indigo dyed woven cotton; his coworker gave a surprised look and said "my family owns an indigo factory and we weave fabric!" Wow, serendipity.

This is the real deal and there are only a couple of indigo factories in the area still doing the whole dyeing and weaving process from start to finish.  They are fifth generation and take such pride in their work.   They source their indigo from Tokushima, in Shikoku (southern Japan), where conditions are ideal for growing indigo.  

Trying our hand at a little shibori as we prepare to tour the factory:

Giant skeins of cotton awaiting the indigo dyeing process:

This indigo is alive:

Tending to the vats:

Repeated careful dips of our tied bundles:

A good rinse:

Voila:

Cloth woven on vintage looms:

The cloth is sewn into kendo uniforms and thus a fifth generation business lives on. 

We had such a nice discussion about wabi sabi - older means deeper and more beautiful.  How indigo is alive, alive, alive.

Look at this gorgeous continuum of indigo and consider the darkest shade on the right.  Our guide explained that although what we see on the surface is the darkest indigo shade, inside of the fabric, all of the other lighter indigo shades exist.  The darkest fabric actually contains all of the shades.  With time and use, those lighter shades appear.  What a lovely wabi-sabi idea.

Check out our shibori bandanas drying in the sun:

Even the painted exterior of the factory was an inspiring example of that elusive "wabi sabi" aesthetic:


The whole experience - from the smell of the indigo... the cool feel of the indigo dye as we dipped our cotton pieces, to the deafening rhythms of the looms (reminding me so much of the Mill Girls in Lowell), to the beautiful and even touching explanation of the soul of indigo and its connection to wabi sabi... all of it was just wonderful and I felt so grateful for the experience.  I dare say it was worth the 13 hour flight and jet lag;).

x
Cynthia

Japan part 2 - fabric shopping and friends

First priority in Tokyo was fabric shopping and the best part was being able to meet up with old friends and get all caught up.  First up, I met Julie Fukuda (My Quilt Diary) at the train station and we headed for Yuzawaya (sprawling fabric and craft store), in Kamata. I love keeping up with Julie via her awesome blog, but there's just no substitute for an afternoon together to talk, shop, talk, eat lunch, talk some more.  

Great price on this adorable bear fabric designed by Naoya Hata, a Japanese illustrator.  We still sometimes call Tommy (our 20 year old) "boo bear" and he loves bears, so, ya, bears holding umbrellas!

Back at the hotel, mission accomplished.  Tired feet, jet lag, worth it.

I was doing some fabric shopping for my sister in law too.  I love spending other people's money, ha ha.  She wanted a sampling of taupes, novelties, and just Japanese stuff hard to find in the U.S....

Also found plenty of sashiko supplies and with Julie's help, just the right woven fabric for teaching my beginner sashiko classes.  

On another day, I went back to my old neighborhood Azabu Juban,

and met my sashiko buddy Kazuko Kawachi there. (Kazuko also has a blog but, google translate doesn't help me much;).  We stopped in to Blue and White where we both took sashiko lessons in the past from Kazuko Yoshiura.  Sadly Yoshiura-sensei is no longer teaching. This is Kazuko on the left and the stylish outgoing store clerk on the right:

Blue and White is a gorgeous shop, a gallery really.   Everything is so special there.  Pricey too.  I did spring for a length of cotton indigo.  Here are some lovely bits of sashiko:

If you are familiar with Blue and White over the years, you will notice that they have moved, just upstairs, into a light filled modern space, accessible by an outdoor escalator.

Another shop I adore in Azabu Juban is a bakery called Mont Thabor, very near exit 4 on the Namboku Line.  Oh... the many days I'd stop in here to buy round loaves of sweet milk bread for my kids' after school snack...

We ended up in "the Juban" several times to eat.  It's a quiet neighborhood that still feels like home.  We even bumped into some sweet friends we knew from church.  Five years melt away with a hug and a smile!

And to round out my fabric shopping, I did manage to get myself to Nippori (fabric district).  Same as from five years ago, except that the Nippori train station has been completely renovated - so nice!

The real destination at Nippori is Tomato, a fabric store spread out over several buildings.  The main building is where the goods are.  Especially on the fourth floor:

This is the point where I'm thinking ya, I would live in Japan again. ;)  I mean look at this fabric!

Found some really nice wovens suited for sashiko: 

First floor discount floor, impossibly crowded:

Next up, the fabulous field trip we took to an indigo factory!

x
Cynthia