Canon by Keiko Hasegawa

Every year I am intrigued, amazed and in awe of the quilts created and shown by Japanese quilters.  This year was no exception.  The quilt featured here is titled "Canon" and was made by Keiko Hasegawa.

This quilt was in the exhibit "Prize Winning Quilts from International Quilt Week Yokohama 2011", an exhibit sponsored by the International Quilt Week Executive Committee.  For another close-up of this spectacular quilt, click here.  Scroll down to the photo of a dime being held up to the quilt.  The hexagons are smaller than the dime! 

 Canon

by Keiko Hasegawa

of Ikoma, Nara, Japan

This quilt uses pieced, appliqued and quilted techniques with a design source listed as simply "Hexagon".

Keiko states:  "I've made a series of hexagon quilts.  We had a baby named Canon in 2011 and this is for her.  Listening to music, canons and singing along, I sewed this quilt."




Keiko Hasegawa hails from Ikoma, Nara, Japan.  The city of Ikoma was founded on November 1, 1971.  The Takayama district in the far northern section of the city is known for its bamboo products, including tea whisks, tea utensils, and knitting needles (knitting needles!  I love my bamboo knitting needles!). For more information on the city and its folklore and culture (including the culture of bamboo), click here or try  http://www.city.ikoma.lg.jp/en/

A First Birthday quilt

A first granddaughter is such a wonderful blessing.  This gorgeous quilt (visually striking up close and from a distance) was made in celebration of the quilter's first granddaughter's first birthday.

Happy Birthday by Harumi Asada

The quilter is Harumi Asada who is from Higashiura, Japan.  What a delightful quilt she has made!

Look closely and you will find photos of her precious granddaughter tucked into many stars circling the quilt.  This baby is truly loved and treasured!

This quilt was in a special exhibit, Hands All Around 2011.  Here are a few more details about the quilt as shared by the quilter Harumi Asada.

Hint:  If you Google this quilter, you will find that she has made many other gorgeous quilts -- but alas, I cannot find a blog or website that I can share with you.  Instead I will share names of her other beautiful creations:

The Breath of Life featured in a 2008 Quilt Market exhibit
Gems of Thirty Years (looks like an Anniversary quilt, perhaps?)
Family, Flower and Music  (happy memories with her family)
Open Up! Your Dream Flower  (inspired by an 1870 Bengali embroidered quilt)

I am sure there are more -- please share any that you know of with me.
Harumi, if you are reading this, please know that you have another true fan - me!

Quilt family....

Every year, when the Quilt Festival rolls into town, quilters unite with their friends and families to enjoy the fabulous show.  Myself, I eagerly look forward to my good friends M.B. Hayes, the creator of Thangles, and her sister Wanda Hayes Eichler, of Graywood Designs, publisher of quilting and knitting patterns.

Here is the 2010 Graywood Designs team, starting with Wanda herself on the left, next to Lori, myself and Danielle.  We kept busy selling both our quilt patterns, knitting patterns and yarn and multiple bolts of Daiwabo and batik fabrics.

Here is Patrick busily demonstrating the easy, efficient technique using Thangles to make half-square diagonal pieces.

Somehow I never snapped a photo of Mary Beth this year, but here she is examining various quilts as she and I wandered in the exhibits before the show's closing on Sunday.

A view of one of the Japanese quilts - sadly, I cannot remember the maker's name ...

Viewing Bohemian Fireworks, by.... hmm, another missing quilter's name.

Examining Fantasy in Lace by Mary Buvia of Greenwood, Indiana.  The battenburg lace is most intriguing!




I always look forward to seeing my friends every year here in Houston during the International Quilt Market and Quilt Festival!  Of course admiring new displays of quilts is fabulous too and I won't even mention the shopping!

IQF Group quilts

Time to feature five favorites from the Group division at this year's International Quilt Festival.

Tulip Mania

by Shannon Shirley and her friends:

Marianne Gravely, Jane Miller, Beth Wiesner, Allison Wilber, Mary Kerry and Kathie Buckley

of Woodbridge, Virginia  USA

In Shannon's statement, she explains that she split her photograph of tulips into 7 vertical sections and gave them to six quilting friends, asking each to interpret their portion in any method they chose.   I love the diversity of their work and how they are united by the one commonality -- the red tulips.

Boston's Fenway Park

by Bobbie Sullivan and friends:

Lynne Conover, Betty Crowell, Anne Marcin, Sandy Gregg, Geri Barr, and Penny Myles

of Scituate, Massachusettes, USA

From Bobbie's statement:

The sun sets, the lights come on, and there's excitement in the air when they yell, "play ball!"  This 'slice' quilt captures, with a variety of innovative techniques and embellishments, a night at the park.  Can't you just hear the crowd? 

This is a fun quilt to examine and admire.  The judges thought so too as it won Third Place in the Group category.  It is also a favorite of my baseball loving family, even though we root for the Houston Astros.  Go 'Stros!! 

Group Conversations

by Sherri McCauley and friends:

Frances Holliday Alford, Jean Dahlgren, Barb Forrister, Pearl Gonzalez,

Connie Hudson, Leslie Jenison, Diane Sandlin, and Kathy York

of Lakeway, Texas, USA

According to Sherri:  As the Austin Art Quilt Group transforms, so does the art we create.  By working on the blocks independently and then re-grouping to compose the quilt, many conversations took place.  These ongoing conversations, along with way too many buttons, led us to the creation of this group quilt.

Don't you wish you can participate on a project with this group?  I can only imagine how many buttons constitute "way too many."  Good work!

The next quilt is in two photos, upper portion and lower portion ...

 

My Quilt Room

by Yasuko Ito and Oharibako

of Chiba City, Chiba Pref,  Japan

This quilt won Second Place in the Group Category.  The intricate detail that each member of this Japanese quilting group used to create each "room" is delightful.  It is another original design (as are all the quilts above in this post) and uses a variety of techniques and materials, including clay.

This photo is perhaps my favorite of all the rooms in this fabric-lover's home:

It looks just like my studio, but without the extra clutter that I own!

This last quilt does not show a full view  since my own Art Quilt Group, Beyond the Borders (BTB) has embarked on a challenge with the same theme.   I did take a few close-up photos and will share those.

Le Souvenir de Alice

by Misako Tsuro and friends:

Usada Kazue, Kawai Kiyo, Kimura Yasayo, Kunii Hideko, Komachi Tomoko, Sakurai Keiko, Taguchi Masumi, Tamai Chikako, Tunoda Yasuko, Kiguchi Yuko, Huzinara Emiko, Maruta Motoko, and Mikami Kimiko

of Machida, Tokyo, Japan

In her statement, Misako expresses her hope that "you recall your own memories (of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) with this quilt."  I am sure these images recall favorite scenes from Alice's arrival down the rabbit hole, to meeting the Cheshire Cat ... and ....

... painting the white roses red,

or the courtroom scene...

... or playing croquet with flamingo mallets

and the flying flurry finale of the playing cards.

This group quilt was inspired by Lewis Carroll's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.   Stay tuned for photos/stories/updates of my BTB group's version of this classic child's story .....

A Japanese favorite

The quilters in Japan are meticulous in their art, creating wonderful works often crafted by hand. Today's featured quilt from is from the IQF exhibit of Prize Winning Quilts from International Quilt Week Yokohama 2008, sponsored by The Quilt Week Executive Committee. This quilter, Shiori Yamada, is from Shimane, Japan.

Flower Calendar
by Shiori Yamada

It is a sampler quilt -- each block is different -- and features both pieced and appliqued components. I believe it is hand-quilted. In fact, I am wondering if this quilt is all stitched by hand, as several Japanese quilts are entirely hand-sewn.

Here is a detail of two blocks. Note the finely pieced sashing and borders. These pieces are quite minute in size, perhaps that is why I admire this quilt..... it is a large quilt made of many miniature ones.


Another detail photo. I love the tilted basket filled with embroidered flowers. The quilter has added beading with the embroidery for additional texture and detail.



One last view of her block of spools and flowers.
In her Artist Statement, Shiori lists her design source as being "Basket and spool blocks" adding further:

Seeing the basket and spool blocks I made before,
I decided to make a quilt with them.
I added flowers in baskets to get warmth.
Beads gave this quilt unity and a cheerful look."

I find Flower Calendar to be quite delightful. The more I look, the more I see, and the more I see, the more I want to look!

IQF Detail shots ...

Last week, I worked as a Quilt Angel hanging quilts to convert the cavernous George R. Brown Convention Center to Quilt Fantasy Land. One of my absolute favorite quilts spied while working that day is this one by Karen Stone.

Clam Session
by Karen Stone of Beaumont, Texas, USA

I was so pleased to discover that she won the prize for Mastery Award for Innovative Artistry, sponsored by Maywood Studios.


Today, I am looking closely at the minute details of the biggest prize winners, including detail shots of their quilt art below.

The detail below is from the World of Beauty award-winning quilt.

Hearts and Garlands
by LIZ JONES
of LEOMINSTER, HEREFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM

Garden of Dream
by FUSAKO TAKIDO
of SHIZUOKA SHI, SHIZUOKA KEN, JAPAN

The quilt above won the Founder's Award.

Best of all are the two detail shots from the Best of Show quilt:

On the Wings of a Dream
by CARYL BRYER FALLERT
of PADUCAH, KENTUCKY

I love the quilting through-out this piece. See how her quilting alone continues the flow of fabric waves across the leg.

Sorry to be sharing the same quilts as yesterday ... I will try to broaden myself by taking photos of other quilts tomorrow!

Preview Night 2009

Excitement as the count-down ends...

... and the shopping begins ....

This is a view down Vendor Aisle #1400. Look carefully all the way to the end of the row ... oops, too far ... come back about 2 or 3 booths and Surprise! On the left is Graywood Designs.

Danielle and Wanda are ready to answer all your questions about quilting and/or knitting. I can answer some questions too, but I'm just beginning to knit (after a long siesta away of many years). It is rather fun, but more news on my knitting another day.

At the other end of the vendors, in the first aisle, you will find the "It's A Party" gang, including Thangles. Spend $25.00 in any of the participating booths to earn a chance to win a wonderful quilt (or other prizes too). While you are in the area, stop by the Thangles booth to see ....


... a demonstration by Mary Beth or Patrick of how to sew half-square triangle blocks the Thangles way. Other fun, sponsored by Pokey Bolton and her Quilting Arts team, includes raffle chances for classes at the Make It University or swapping ATCs with other attendees. To find this group, look for the Make It University sign on aisle 1200.




Of course be sure to go and admire the prize-winning quilts in the 35th annual International Quilt Association juried show. Here is the 2009 IQA World of Beauty Award winning quilt.

Hearts and Garlands
by Liz Jones of Leominster, Herefordshire, United Kingdom

Another top prize-winner is this quilt, winner of the 2009 IQA Founder's Award.

Garden of Dream
by Fusako Takido of Shizuoka Shi, Shizuoka Ken, Japan

Be sure to see the exquisite workmanship of this quilt, winner of the IQA Best of Show Award for 2009.

On the Wings of a Dream
by Caryl Bryer Fallert of Paducah, Kentucky

To see full views of these quilts as well as all the winning quilts in the 2009 IQA Show, click here for the official Prize Winners of the 35th International Quilt Festival.

IQF Three weeks later...

Congratulations to Sharon Schamber for Spirit Of Mother Earth. Her exceptional quilt is the Winner of the Handi Quilter® Best Of Show Award at the 2009 International Quilt Festival. Sharon is seen above standing with her quilt and answering questions asked by admirerers. If you wish to learn more about Sharon and her artwork, click here.

Another winning quilter is Rita Steffenson who won The Fairfield Master Award for Contemporary Artistry for her quilt, Twilight. Here she is greeting admirers and answering questions.

To see more of Rita's lovely artwork, click here.


There were many Japanese quilters exhibiting their quilts in Houston this year. One of my favorites is this one, also a big prize winner. (stay tuned, as I need to re-futz with my photo for better clarity).

The Three Sisters are totally enjoying the spotlight as they laugh with everyone stopping to gaze on their lovely quilt.


Gail Thomas, Annette M. Hendricks, and Helen Godden's winning quilt Seasonal Sisters won the IQF World Of Beauty Award, sponsored by TheQuiltShow.com
To learn more about these three light-spirited friends and their award-winning quilt, click here.

I do occasionally take the standard "stand in front and smile" quilt-&-quilter photos, as seen below. But I think I prefer the candid laughter captured above better. Don't you?

From left to right, these three quilting sisters are Helen Godden from Canberra, ACT, Australia, Annette M. Hendricks from Chicago, Illinois, USA, and Gail Thomas from Vernon, British Columbia, Canada.