Monday 22 August 2011

Japanese Pieced Blocks

 Sunday was a productive day in the sewing room - when I probably should have 
been out in the sun pruning the roses!

So happily in my sewing room, I made decisions about the setting of my Japanese blocks - posted last Saturday - and then got some of the pieced blocks made.


I am going to make all the alternating pieced blocks in this design so they unify the quilt. 
Here is a taster. I like the secondary pattern that is being created with these pieced 
blocks running across the quilt.


This block is also from Susan Briscoe's book and is based on traditional kasuri fabrics 
from Japan. Here are some sample pieces that I picked up in theflea markets in Kyoto, Japan.









Kasuri is the Japanese word for ikat. Kasuri is woven from threads that are specially dyed before weaving. As the threads are woven they create the pattern, so imagine the planning and measuring that has to go into the preparation before the hank of thread goes into they dye pot.  You can tell that a piece is genuine by the uneven edges as the dyes soaks intothe tied areas slightly.





3 comments:

  1. Hi Robyn, yep that secondary pattern is pretty cool. What does the kasuri fabric feel like? Is it lovely to handle like the taupes?
    thanks for sharing
    hugs- Miche'le

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  2. I love the way this is starting to look.

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  3. Hi Miche'le - I have made my kasuri style blocks in the same Japanese kimono silk as the applique blocks plus another piece of silk kimono fabric.

    The old pieces feel lovely - they are cotton and have been dyed in the indigo vats in the traditional way and have been used in a previous life probably as futon (bed) covers. They are a slightly more open weave than we are used in the in the modern navy cottons that we get. I will send you a piece. Cheers, Robyn

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