Fantastic sashiko exhibition in Yuza-machi!

Reiko Domon has sent me some photos of their second exhibition this summer, this time at the Yurari, Yuza-machi - click this link to see her website. Go to the menu on the left of the page and click on the "2008" titles - the first one shows photos from the exhibition at Shonai Airport (click each image to see a larger version) and the next two show panoramas from the Yurari exhibition.

As the second panorama scrolls to the right, look out for the "tansu" pocket hanging from "Japanese Sashiko Inspirations" (its the little bright blue piece hanging on the screen just after the fourth "pillar" from the left). "O-neesan" and "Kyoto Dreams" are also visible towards the far right.

The exhibition looks amazing! If you like indigo and white, sashiko, patchwork and old Japanese textiles you will love it.

This is a new work by Reiko - with a Houhou (Chinese Phoenix) at the centre. In legend, the houhou appears to herald a time of great peace in the world. Reiko works with a lot of recycled fabrics, including old kimono that are beyond wearing.


Sashiko workshops at the exhibition (you can see my Kimono wallhanging from my lastest sashiko book wrapped around the pillar on the right) -

Here's my twin "Koi Scroll", also from "Japanese Sashiko Inspirations", on the left of this triple group of hangings (below). The two koi leaping up the waterfall, in applique & sashiko, is one of Reiko's creations, made to celebrate the birth of her first grandson. The sleeveless patchwork hanten (with red patches, on the board at the right) is an antique piece.

My sashiko table runner, "Mihon" (sampler), includes squares inspired by a wonderful old jacket at the Chido Museum, Tsuruoka City, near Yuza. You can also see my little book bag with marumon (circular motif) designs. Don't the framed sashiko samples look great? I love the way that even the smallest piece of sashiko can be turned into something interesting.

Here is my "Japanese Fans" quilt (scroll down on link page), with two of the new "Yamagata" quilts in the background. Way back in 2006, when I visited Yuza with my quilting friend Margaret Ramsay, I set Peaceful Heart Quilt Group a challenge - on the theme of "Yamagata". These quilts are coming to the UK soon - I'll update more information here. The two shown below feature the Mogami river, which flows through Yamagata and was the major trade route to the coast in Edo times, and Mt Chokai, fifth highest mountain in Japan, right behind Yuza-machi. The creative use of tenugui souvenir towels is interesting on the second quilt, one with Mt Chokai and another showing the sixteen disciples of Buddha, carved on the rocks at Fukura, Yuza-machi, around 200 years ago.

I made fabric bundles for every member of the group, including a shaded fabric (from blue to purple) that was printed for a Quilters' Guild challenge, a lovely blue cedar forest print (from Dot Sherlock's Quilter's Needs) and a Kona Bay print with pines and golden cranes (not visible in the bundles unfortunately).

Here's more info about the Yurari. The exhibition hall is on the right of the spa hotel complex. Checkout the blog too - looks like the manager has just got a kitten! (I put these page through the Outlook Express auto translation, so the English might be a bit strange! Right click will bring up the auto translate menu, if you use Outlook Express - a very useful feature. Mostly I'm using Firefox these days, which doesn't have it).

It is an excellent venue. In July 2006, Peaceful Heart Quilt Group had a party for us at the Yurari - the food was delicious! Here's some photos -
- and Margaret with her "travel shawl" (the perfect travel project - pack some threads and a needle and add some more stitching whenever you like, and you have some instant evening wear too).
Chie Ikeda, who taught me sashiko, is on the right. Here's a quilt she made using some of the blocks from "Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix and Match", shown at the Shonai Airport exhibition in June/July 2008 -


The blocks are based on Kurume Kasuri designs from the early 20th century - the second block invites you to add something in the centre, doesn't it?