2001 Nouveaux Modeles de Patchwork by Chuck Nohara

The Sarah Johnson quilt requires 172 'star' blocks such as the above and I just made just over 100 of them so far.

That puts me at the 60% mark. Time to turn on the gas pretty soon and bust the rest of these out.

I didn't to much quilting this weekend since we were on the go and had basically a kid birthday party on each of the weekend days.

My mom was visiting us last week and she gave me her recent copy of Quilt Mania Magazine. This is such a cool magazine - Originally published in French, translated to English but with a clear focus on Japanese style quilting.

There was an ad for this book: 2001 Nouveaux Modeles de Patchwork by Chuck Nohara in the issue I was reading. You can even look through it for a few pages if you check out the link.

This is a reprint of Chuck Nohara's book that she published ages ago that includes her new twist on 2001 traditional quilt blocks.

Looks like Quilt Mania sells the book and ships anywhere, so I have the feeling my copy might just arrive this week. My husband ordered it for me when he realized how excited I was about it. Really, I almost fainted when I learned it was reprinted.

Patchwork Quilt Tsushin #140

When I get a new Japanese quilt magazine, I get very excited. Chuck Nohara even contributed this time.

I got the email from Kinokuniya book store and rushed over there to pick up my latest fix, as I usually do.

As a quick review, this issue has tons and tons of log cabin patterns. Court house steps, sunshine and shadows, all the usual settings along with some very different ones as well.

On p.45-46 Chuck Nohara has a spread of some blocks she designed, along w/ a URL that somehow relates to her work.

Anyhow, it you love taupe fabrics, Chuck Nohara, and or log cabins, this issue is the one for you.

Japanese quilted stuffed animals

Chuck Nohara is one of my FAVORITE (really, I mean it!) Japanese quilt pattern makers and fabric designers.

This book on Japanese plush dolls (bunnies, kittens, puppies...) was on sale on ebay, and I ended up snapping it up. After I got it, I was surprised that pretty much all the patterns are really adorable.

I think I mentioned this link before, that has pictures of blocks from Chuck's 300 block book (Dear Jane-ish). Pretty fun.

Suzuko Koseki Quilts

Suzuko Koseki publishes quilting books in Japanese, and also designs fabric.

She has a background in fashion, and was a student of my favorite Chuck Nohara. You can get a bit more bio info on Suzuko here, as well as see another one of the books she has published.

The lovely and talented Mrs Schmenkman posted about the above book by Suzuko Koseki and I ran off to Yes Asia to pick up my own copy. ISBN 4140311495.

This is the first time I have used Yes Asia, but it worked out very very nicely, and I would certainly order from them again.

The book has mostly pieced flower designs for small quilts and bags and things. Very very pretty. I really want to make some of these blocks.

Japanese Taupe Quilts, Baltimore Albums, and Applique ideas

I decided to make a little quilted example piece for my hand quilting class, the above is the progress so far. Not sure if I will finish it before class or in class, but it is looking very pretty far.

I recently had a bit of an 'early Christmas shopping for self' moment on Amazon (sigh, I am addicted to books) but I must share with you what I have learned:

1) Japanese taupe Quilts by Susan Briscoe:

This book is really amazing. If you like Chuck Nohara's work, or have been interested in her small block quilts, this book is very similar and will not disappoint you. It includes 125 block patterns (nice) and they are all really beautiful. My only regret with this book is that it doesn't include a paper fold out pattern in the back with full size templates for all the blocks. Still, a very nice addition to your library and a 'must have' for those of us who work in Japanese taupe fabrics.

ISBN: 978-1-56836-378-3


2) Beloved Baltimore Album Quilts by Elly Sienkiewicz:

From somebody who is trying to get a copy of everything Elly has ever published, you know I had to have this book. Her album blocks are just incredible, not that I have to remind you of that. I did not get to see the Baltimore album quilts when they were in Houston (did you?) but having this book is a treat, and it includes patterns for some of the blocks used in those quilts. If you love applique, you need this book. Block patterns are very small as compared to her usual blocks. If you wanted to have a larger quilt, you could probably enlarge them and complete them pretty quickly.

ISBN: 978-1-57120-848-4

3) The Ultimate Applique Guidebook by Annie Smith:

If you listen to Annie's podcast, you will know how enthusiastic she is about quilting, and how much she has to share with all of us. This book is really beautiful and instead of giving us block pattern after block pattern she encourages you to design your own blocks. There are tons of shapes in here that help you to go forth and make your own applique blocks. I LOVE this book (and not just because I'm such an Annie fan either). Here talented husband illustrated it for her, that is so sweet.

ISBN: 978-1-60705-005-6

Cherry blossoms

Here's a TINY cherry blossom that I made with the clover plastic template. I tacked it onto that humbug bag, just to spice it up a bit. Too much fun. Super tiny. I think I need to practice some more, and that maybe non-solids will look better, as solids show any and all imperfections.

My Japanese friend, Nancy, has turned me onto this awesome web site, where a quilter has decided to make all 300 blocks by Chuck Nohara in traditional Japanese fabrics. These blocks are sort of an extremely detailed Japanese version of the Dear Jane blocks. Wow - how pretty.

Patchwork Quilt Tsushin #142

Issue number 142 of Patchwork Quilt Tsushin is really out of this world, I must say. One of their best yet.

Tons and tons of quilts with traditional looking Japanese red fabrics, and brightly colored florals.

Several cute bag patterns (page 47 & 94 if you're following along here - taupe! Yum).

Pages 34 and 35 have some examples of this a block by Chuck Nohara that form this pattern that look kinda like the letter "Q" to me. This pattern is adorable. It looks like a good bit of work, but I think it would make a very cute kid's quilt.

Ok, so you know it is always my dream to visit Tokyo in January to visit the Tokyo Dome quilt show. Well, of course I didn't make it this year, but other bloggers did, so that's good for us.

Moving Hands blog has been a long time favorite of mine. Her flickr set of pictures from the show is not to be missed.

Of course, we're expecting!

Well, you all of course guessed it right, our family is expecting our 2nd baby.

Thanks for all your kind well wishes! You really warm my heart.

Interesting enough, the due date is only 2 days off from our son's birthday, so could be birthday cake all around depending on how things line up.

Babies of course show up when they darn well please, and I've found them to have complete disregard for their due date as a blanket generalization.

I think we'll find out the sex of the baby in another month or something, so no starting the baby quilt until I know if it's flowers or race cars.

On a totally different topic, I picked up the latest Patchwork Quilt Tsushin #142 and it's lovely. Some taupe patterns by Yoko Saito (my favorite) as well as some log cabin block ideas from Chuck Nohara (my other favorite). Overall this issue is very nice, and I'd put it up there with my favorites in the last year or so.

In a desperate maneuver of shopping therapy, I broke down and purchased an amazing hair decoration from Atelier Kanawa's Etsy shop. We have a wedding to go to in another month and a half, so maybe I'll wear it then, or maybe just out to a nice dinner. Either way, Atelier's classical Japanese training and her amazingly beautiful creations are not to be missed.

Lecien

I have a fair few fabrics by Lecien even though they aren’t super easy to find in the states. Their colors and textures are just out of this world. There are some new collections on this web site and I have no idea where to get them (especially the Chuck Nohara treasure box ones) but that could be a good thing since I have more fabric than I can hope to store.

The above block is one that I made for the Baltimore album quilt…looking at it now I can hardly believe I completed this. I think I must have been nuts.

How far will you drive?

Yesterday, I drove 1 hr each direction to visit Thimble Creek quilt shop.

It was awesome in that I found some fabric by Japanese designers Chuck Nohara, and Yoko Saito. It was also a bit sad since I had not visited their new shop since the moved and the old shop was so much larger, brighter and nicer.

I did find my favorite thimbles there, however, and finally figured out how to buy them online. These are really the only ones I use for hand quilting, so check them out if you don't have one already.

Anyhow, it got me and our almost 2 yr old son out and about for a while so my husband could work on his car.

My mom and sister went on a quilt shop hop yesterday of their own and hit 7 quilt shops (that's a lot for 1 day). Hopefully they bought me tons of little goodies along the say..he he..

The above pens I picked at Kinokuniya. I previously have only used the permanent pens by Pigma, but these seem interesting. Not as many color options, but the tips work well for my label making.

Lisa of the doll quilt swap will soon be enjoying a little thank you gift I made using these. Thanks again for creating the doll quilt swap, and keep up the good work Lisa!!

Japanese Quilting Blogs - in search of

My mom's antique 1890's indigo and white mini-quilt is getting quilted little by little.

I spent some time with my monthly weekend quilting friends last weekend and progress was certainly made.

Recently I have been trying to look for Japanese quilting blogs out there.

I know there have to be tons (zillions?) of Japanese quilters who work in taupe fabrics, love Yoko Saito, love Chuck Nohara, love Suziko Koseki.

Where oh where do I find links to these sorts of blogs?

I even resorted to translating "Taupe Quilts" into Japanese, copying that into search engines...I must be doing something wrong here. Oh, bother.

Anyhow, my knitting/quilting club is about to come over tonight so off to feverishly scoop some toys up off the floor.