Sashiko quilting

I bought a few indigo fabrics from a riverside market in Takayama, Japan, last year. I've made them into a simple strip quilt top and backed it with a Kona solid in indigo. I'm slowly hand quilting it in a sashiko design in white. I so love the contrast of the white on the indigo that unfortunately I don't even look at the japanese fabrics on the quilt front any more. No doubt when it's finished, though, I will flip it from side to side to give both sides their time in the spotlight.

Japan - It's all in the details.

One of the many things I loved about Japan was the attention to detail. These were just a few of the gorgeous manhole covers we saw on our travels throughout Japan:

Miyajima

Tokyo

Hakone (technically not a manhole cover, but still beautiful)

Takayama

Arashiyama

Takayama

More to come!

Images of Japan

I'm back! Here are a few images selected from the many hundreds I took :)

Jo-san

Bamboo Grove, Arashiyama

Bamboo Grove, Arashiyama

Takayama

Shinjuku

Imperial Palace Tokyo

I really enjoyed Japan. The people are absolutely lovely, so sweet and helpful; the public transport system is easy to use and oh-so efficient; and all the places we visited to were so clean and tidy. Stay tuned for more detail.

::57::

More bee blocks - forgive my laziness if you've seen some of these before - I can't be bothered checking old posts.


Big blocks for Sheridan:
Smaller blocks for Liz:

Orange blocks for Amber:



The Japan plans are coming along nicely. The airfares have been paid for, accommodation booked (just waiting on my tax return to pay that off), and we start learning Japanese through CAE tomorrow night! Only 57 sleeps til departure :)