September mini - Bears with Boro raindrops

For this mini, I appliqued some vintage indigo 'raindrops' onto this adorable Naoya Hata bear fabric.   It's for my son Tommy, who loves bears, and indigo.  Lots of rainy days in August and September while I worked on it, and lots of Netflix too.  My initial idea was just to applique various indigo circles onto a background.  While searching my stash for a background, I thought ah ha! ... indigo raindrops for these delightful bears.

The striped borders are from some contemporary tsumugi from my stash.  Cornerstones had to be... of course... bear paws!

I cut the single fold binding 1 1/8 inch wide.  For some reason I machine stitched it to the back of the quilt, not the front, which meant a less than perfectly smooth finish on the front when I hand tacked it down, but, no matter.

The backing is leftover from the 4-patch Tommy took to college.

Will link up HERE with Wendy at The Constant Quilter when she posts the September mini links.  Thanks for the push Wendy.  Deadlines are useful!  Now...... what to do for October's mini??

xo
Cynthia

Indigo at Blue and White

The other day, I visited Blue and White where they were celebrating a boro "matsuri" (festival).   

Gorgeous lengths of vintage indigo from their vendor: 

How to choose, how to choose....

Meanwhile they dressed me up in this Boro coat - "men's size" they assured me.  Mmm.  It felt heavy and serious.

I picked up this beautiful length of vintage katazome - from an old futon cover - estimated to be 90-100 years old.  I suspected the gray was really fugitive persimmon, but still - I knew it would be perfect for David's log cabin. 

 Took home my prize -

Many, many many washes in the sink - tested some light fabrics in the inky water - no problems there. 

A final big soak/rinse in the tub (breaking all kinds of rules I'm sure) -

Air drying -

Kiku (Chysanthemum) and sakura (cherry blossom) patterns: 

I've done about 50 blocks of the 80 needed for David's indigo log cabin. 

I used a bit to mend a hole in this old quilt just now - who knows how long it had been there.  This vintage patch will remind me of Japan, and could be the first of many on this quilt in years to come -

If you are local, and love indigo, you will love this tiny exquisite gift shop, the iconic Blue and White - I actually went back a few days later to get one of these charming pins -

 And, another length of vintage indigo:

xo

Cynthia

200 Years of Solid Color Quilts: A Quilt Study - it's available! and curry

I participated in this project - and the book has been published, hurray!  The proceeds benefit the American Quilt Study Group.  Get your copy on Amazon!  So many wonderful quilts by quilters much more sophisticated than I will ever be!  Ya, I was blown away to see mine on the cover;). 

I just got my book and can't wait to read every page.  At first glance, my thought is WOW.  Wendy and Barb have stunning quilts in it.   It's really fun to read all the essays too.

Meanwhile here in Tokyo..... I'm going gangbusters on David's indigo Log Cabin quilt.  I need 80 blocks and I have just tipped the scales, with 44 finished.  I'm in a good rhythm making four blocks a day.

Today I walked to the post office and grocery store.  On a mission to make "Kare Raisu" (curry rice) tonight.  It is the ultimate comfort food - cheap, filling, the best.  Massive curry section: 

The brand we like is called "Vermont Curry".  Trying #3 medium, tonight. 

If you happen to subscribe to New York Times Cooking, you will have seen this amazing feature about making homemade Japanese curry bricks from Sonoko Sakai.  Ironically, here in Tokyo I absolutely do not have room for so many bottles of spices, a spice grinder, etc.  We will stick with Vermont curry for now!;).

Saute chicken, onion, add in some apple.  Meanwhile in a separate pot simmer carrots and potatoes in some dashi (broth).  Combine all together, and add in a few curry bricks.  Stir, stir, stir, and voila, you have a thick savory-sweet Japanese curry.  Serve over Japanese rice, so good!

xo
Cynthia

Stepping Stones finish 2019, typhoon, baking

My first finish in Japan.  Another Stepping Stones quilt - to be given to a "graduate" of an orphanage here in Tokyo.  This is a "Helping Hands" project now organized by Japanese members of our church across greater Tokyo. Some of us Westerners help out year by year as we are able.  We started this back in 2012 or 2013 when I lived here the first time.  We team with the Franciscans, who provide a futon and a rice cooker to each graduate.  A Stepping Stones quilt is a nice touch and a warm hug as a young person begins to take "stepping stones" into independence and adulthood.

I started it in the US before we moved, so all of the fabric is from stash and Quilted Threads.

I like to include a butterfly print of some kind, since the butterfly is a subtle but powerful symbol of Christianity in Japan.

The pattern is Bonnie Hunter's free "Sticks and Stones" quilt and can be found here.

Very simple grid quilting.  Monofilament thread in the needle, walking foot.  Loving my Bernina 475QE - a small, solid machine, perfect for my space here, permanently set up in the living room.

For binding, this time I simply trimmed the backing to 1 inch, folded and brought it around to the front, stitched it down.  Fast and practical.

I pretty much take over our whole living space when I make a quilt;).

The green you see outside my window is Hinokicho-koen (koen = park).  We love the park for so many reasons.  It's David's twice daily dose of zen, as he walks to and from the bus stop.

I personally take a lot of comfort seeing the several giant old trees in the park.  Reminds me of home in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  Here's one of my favorites:

And imagine our dismay when we saw that it fell, during Typhoon Faxai Sunday night.

How sad, but what a good long life that tree had. 

On a completely different (and happier) note, you guys.... I figured out my mysterious Japanese combination microwave/oven! 

Banana streusel muffins, from King Arthur Flour, via NYT Cooking:

To give you an idea of the small space I'm working with, here is my drying rack! 

xo
Cynthia

MORI art museum, sashiko mending, Stepping Stones

We visited MORI art museum with Tommy before he left to go back to the U.S.  There was an astounding exhibition there -The Soul Trembles - by artist Shiota Chiharu.  Her work is just so strangely beautiful and immersive.

Shi

All done with red yarn!

There is an overlook of Tokyo on the same floor as the museum.  This is just a slice of a view of such a massive concrete jungle. 

I have three quilts going right now -

1.  David's indigo log cabin.  Pat of Amity Quilter sweetly sent me some fish fabric for it - thanks Pat!

2.  My latest Stepping Stones quilt (for Mormon Helping Hands) to be given to a graduate of an orphanage in Tokyo.  I'm at the quilting stage, which I love.  Simple straight lines with the walking foot.  Almost finished!

Loving my little machine, the Bernina 475QE, for sure! 

3.  And my third quilt is a simple mini involving circles and vintage indigo.  Almost finished with that as well!



I *love* beginning new projects but I'm forcing myself to keep my ongoing projects to three.  I just don't have the space for more than three messes at a time;).

However,  I'm always happy to be interrupted to mend something.  David and I are the "advisors" (mostly meaning that our apartment is a hangout on Tuesday nights) for the "Young Single Adults" in our church congregation, and one of them new to Japan, asked me to repair his jeans.  He gave me artistic freedom (or, at least I insisted on it, ha ha).  I used a spare Bear Paw piece as one of the patches. Vintage Japanese indigo, free motion machine stitching, and sashiko stitching.  So fun to do, and wabi-sabi in action. 

xo
Cynthia