January 26 – Australia Day. Normally spent eating BBQs and pavlovas and meat pies. But this year? What better way to spend it than at the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival 2013 with Danielle, a new friend from Western Australia! Note – most of the name plates were solely in Japanese but I’ve named the quilt and quilter where I could!
Tokyo Dome by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
This was definitely bigger, busier and perhaps better than the 2012 Yokohama Quilt Festival I visited last November. A lot more people, a lot more stalls and a lot more quilts you could photograph!
Blue Jade by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
There was no way I could photograph them all, so I snapped the ones that caught my eye, that were different, maybe traditional, or perhaps a little funny like this one:
Engrish by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
Gotta love Engrish!
Mixed zizag and straight stitch quilting by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
What really struck me from these two quilt shows was the standard of quilting. Not the piecing as such, although of course that was just brilliant, but the actual quilting. The depth and movement and intricacy of the quilting… Just wow.
Keiko Goke Collection 3 by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
These quilters sure know how to use colour in their quilts…
Square Labyrinth by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
There were a few “optical illusion” quilts which are always fascinating to look at up close!
The Starry Night by Fumiko Miura by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
One thing you notice as you walk around is just how much is hand pieced. So many quilts looked amazing from afar, and when you walked closer, you realised it was all made from hexagons. Or maybe diamonds. Or a mixture! All hand pieced, usually hand quilted. The time it must have taken them!
Let’s Go Party by Keiko Ike by SewBlossomHeart, on Flickr
But then there were ones like this one – machine pieced (and appliqued). Yep, all those teeny tiny squares were pieced in.
As for the shopping? I was very restrained in my fabric purchases. Like at the Yokohama Quilt Festival, it was mostly traditional, but with more Hawaiian stalls and even less modern stalls. Moda Japan was there… selling layer cakes for approximately $50 or jelly rolls for $60! But instead I picked up a couple of traditional Japanese silks, which I will share this Sunday for Sunday Stash.
Trying to pick what photos to share here is like trying to pick your favourite child. You just can’t do it. But you can see many more quilt photos in my Flickr set!
Rita Hodge says
Happy Australia Day! What a wonderful way to spend the day. Thank you for taking so many photos for us to enjoy!
Sarah_L_N says
Wow! Just wow! So much work and time has gone into so many of these! I love the hexagon star and flower x flower, the fussy cut diamonds, the rocky mountains is amazing too. Too many to mention! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Marjorie Nath says
Just took the time to look at all the pictures that you posted on Flicker…blown away doesn’t even describe them. Saw so many that I wish I could get patterns for. The time and attention to detail is fantastic. Thank you for sharing your day at the Tokyo International Quilt Festival, what a delight!
Flying Blind... says
I am not sure if that’s my idea of heaven or hell – interesting experience I bet xxx
Kristy @ Quiet Play says
Wow! Looks amazing! So many beautiful and inspiring quilts!
Finding Fifth says
You must have looked more Japanese than the Japanese snapping away with your camera! Plenty to admire and astound me in your Flickr set. Thank you.
Jeneta says
Tokyo Dome is HUGE!! What a wonderful experience – the quilts are amazing. Thanks for the photos.
thecraftyfarmer says
So many talented quilters out there! Wow!!
Jenelle says
Happy Australia Day! I love that first quilt. That’s some intricate piecing. 🙂
MsMidge says
Holy moly!!!!! They are amazing!
Sooli says
What a huge quilt show! Would have taken forever just to get around to everything. There are some amazing quilts there, loads of inspiration – thanks for sharing!
Cynthia@aquilterbynight says
Thanks for sharing! You photographed many quilts I didn’t even see! I hope to get back on Wednesday before it closes.
Aoife says
Amazing! Thank you so much for taking the pictures and sharing them, they’re flabbergasting… I love the Escher-like one, and the Let’s Go Party, and and and!!!! Wow 🙂
Queeniepatch says
Hi!
It was a great show, with too many visitors!, but lots of beautiful quilts. You have some great pictures and I have put a link to your blog on my own blog. I hope that is OK.
Julie Fukuda says
I think this show was the best in the past ten years. I was also amazed at the hand work. Also I think this was the first year I saw “jelly rolls” being sold in Tokyo. Japanese fabric shops still prefer their own version of cut fabrics … each one different.
Marleen Robinson says
I will be attending the 2013 Yokohama Quilt Show and would welcome any tips you have as I will only have two days as part of the tour I will be taking. Are prices for fabric, patterns, etc fixed? Also did you attend any workshops. Thank you for sharing your experience. Marleen