Wednesday 1 September 2010

Japanese quilters coming to the Great Northern Quilt Show


With six hours to go on their BA flight to Heathrow, my friends will be somewhere over Siberia right now. I'm meeting them at Manchester Airport this evening and they will be demonstrating sashiko for three days at the Great Northern Quilt Show. Reiko Domon, Yukari Domon, Chie Ikeda and Aiko Sakuraba came to the first Festival of Quilts in 2003, where we had the "Magic of Sashiko" exhibition. They are joined by Koto Domon and Mitsuko Ishikawa.

Reiko Domon set up the Peaceful Heart Quilters/Quilt Group in Yuza-machi about twenty years ago. They have had lots of exibitions in Japan. Many of the quilters have been exploring ways of combining the local sashiko traditions with contemporary patchwork and quilting. Some of their work is being shown at the Harrogate show.

In the last few years, Reiko and Chie have started Yuza Sashiko School - a course for passing on the traditional patterns of Yuza Sashiko - and it has been very successful and popular. As a something special for the Harrogate show, they are bringing the Yuza Sashiko thread and fabrics for sale, plus copies of their sashiko books - more book pictures here.

2 comments:

magsramsay said...

Seeing these quilts reminds me I've still got those challenge fabrics to do something with.....
I have however used some of that kasuri in my 'Breakthrough' piece.
Do pass on my very best regards

Susan Briscoe said...

Will do!

Yep, I still haven't made mine - know what I'm going to do tho (it involves a small furoshiki and a souvenir towel of Mt Chokai). We will have to get something made up for their next exhibition and send them over.