More Tokyo Basket Quilts

Four more wonderful basket quilts from the Jan 2007 Tokyo show. Along with the basket challenge quilts (see previous post) there was a special show of American basket quilts along with Japanese basket quilts.

This first quilt brings back deep memories from my childhood in Indiana, where Marie Webster patterns began. I don't know exactly where the connection is to my past, perhaps it was at one of our neighbors, Vernice McLary, where I really learned to sew (as compared to Home Ec class where I learned to hate ripping out stitches), or on the bed of a childhood friend, whose mother was quite the seamstress and quilter. Oh but it is one of those wonderful warm fuzzy memories that fills me with joy! Marie's home in Marion, Indiana is now the location of the Quilters Hall of Fame http://www.quiltershalloffame.net/

The third quilt is "Baskets and Bloom" by Linda Bradley. The other two are not identified in the books from the show. Remember to double click on the photos for a better look at the wonderful details!

Tokyo Basket Quilts

Time for May Baskets! Jan's recent posting (Bemused) http://bemused.typepad.com/bemused/ ) reminded me of the 80 basket quilts made of challenge blocks at 2007 Tokyo Show. You purchased raffle tickets and dropped them in the box beside the quilt you wanted to win. Oh, how I wanted to win one! There were all kinds of basket blocks, traditional, pieced flowers, 3-D flowers, embroidery, animals, hexagons and all kinds of great creative interpretations. This is just a sample and I'll post more soon.

Yesterday, in a moment of insanity, I decided to finally redo the front planting beds at my house (8 ft x 18ft). The contractor had placed rhodies in full sun, where they were baked all summer long. So, 4 yards of potting soil and lots of new plants, the transformation has begun. The rhodies are relocated to a shady spot in the back and the front bed is being prepared for all the new plants. It is wonderful to have strong teenage boys hang out at our house. I knew there was a reason I've been feeding them! They are great dirt movers!! All of this to say...no quilting this weekend at our house. However, I am having significant withdrawls and know I need to return quickly to my sewing room!

Tokyo Quilt Show--Mother's Day Butterfly quilt

Today, I celebrate mother's day remembering my mom's love of butterflies. She passed away in 1998, but whenever my sister, niece and I are together, butterflies seem to appear. This quilt is from the 2007 Tokyo Quilt show, titled "Fairy of Spring" by Keiko Takahaski. I loved the colors and the quilting. The border is very unique...Look carefully at the very wide metallic shimmering border.

Tokyo Quilts

This quilt "About a Hollyhock". by Masako Tsuada is 196x224 cm, is another of the prize winners at Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival in Jan. 2007. Today it is 80 here and soon the hollyhocks will bloom in Oregon! Don't you just love these huge flowers! Click on the image to see some of the incredible details of the quilting, which includes many bugs, butterflies and birds!

Tokyo Prize Winning Quilt

This quilt entitled "SHE" by Tomoko Matsuura was one of my favorites and a prize winner. The incredible detail of the Lilly of the Valley flowers was overwhelming.. The dragon fly is on the back of the quilt. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

It's been a busy week or so, not much time sewing. The tulips are still on the design wall...the red batik is perfect! Spent last Saturday, at an all day Scrapbooking workshop. I managed to complete 14 pages of my Okinawa trip last August. Then I worked on border designs last night and again this morning.

I've realized that scrapbooking is similar to quilting...cutting shapes, rearranging them and putting it all back together. Once again, I love the color choices and design aspects.

I've been learning to use the Memory Manager software by Creative Memories to edit pictures for this blog. Check out Joanna's website for more details on this great tool! www.mycmsite.com/joannahaugen

Oregon Quilt Shop Safari Final Stops

The red tulips are up on the design wall. I'm still struggling with border triangles. I don't like the solid black triangles...trying the green and the red tulips in the upper corners.

On Sunday, we continued on the Safari with one stop in Dallas, Oregon at Grandma's. This is a great shop with lots of 30's, batiks, orientals, bright childrens prints and just about everything else you can imagine.

On Tuesday it was a quick stop at Quiltwork Patches in Corvallis. Found a great red batik to try in the boarder triangles. Can't wait to see how it works in the daylight!

The last stop on the Safari will be on Thursday at Jani Lou's in Philomath on the way to Mary's River Guild meeting. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Oregon Quilt Shop Safari

Quilters ADHD---starting a new project before finishing the one I started last week. I think I am bored with the yellow and blue project...too many little triangles that all need to meet...I get bored easily when I am not making up the design as I go...so much for following patterns! The first five rows of the blue and yellow quilt are all together, only four more to go then the borders go on...but now I am working on the red tulips!!

On Saturday, I continued on the Quilters Safari, this time stopping at four shops in Junction City, Eugene and Springfield. Our first stop of the day was the best! Thimbles and Threads in Junction City, has it all...great fabric variety, friendly & helpful staff, easy to find and lots of great ideas. I came home with more Asian fabrics...someday the birds (see below) will be finished!

Next we went on to Eugene, to the Quilt Patch. Another great shop with way too many choices. Wonderful selection of Oriental prints, batiks, traditionals and everything in between. A special thanks to the folks that offered for us to follow them to the next shop, rather than try to get directions. We are so thankful, as we would have been quickly lost!!

In Springfield, we first went to Quilters Junction. It was there that inspiration struck...I've had a piece of fabric from Victoria, B.C. last summer, just waiting to be used...It had a dark background with bright red tulips...called Ruby Tulips, by Michael Miller. There was a similar type fabric used in a 9-patch Pizazz pattern. See the blocks in the photo in the top of this posting.

Last stop--Something to Crow About, also in Springfield. Lots of Americana, country and period fabrics. Even my friend Karen caved in and had to some of the wonderful star fabrics.

We are so blessed in Oregon to have so many wonderful Quilt shops!