Friday 14 October 2011

Japanese Block Quilt

  My Japanese Quilt Block top is finished. It has been so much fun choosing blocks from 
Susan Briscoe's book "125 Japanese Quilt Blocks". All the applique blocks and the 
repeated pieced block came from the book.


I have used old kimono fabrics  It all started with a roll of kimono fabric that I picked 
up in the Flea Market in Japan several years ago. This roll had never been made into a 
kimono but had been around for a while. This is how you buy fabric for a new kimono -
 in a 13" - 15" wide roll of about 13 metres. All through the project I wondered if I was 
going to have enough and look plenty left over - thank goodness.


But the other fabrics were all from scrap bags or smaller pieces that I had been 
given or collected over the years. And they too kept running out - what a fun challenge this 
quilt has been. I do think that sometimes having to make decisions like this when fabrics 
run out often makes the quilt more interesting - if a little stressful at times.


 

This is the fabric that I started with for making the blocks and if you look closely you can 
see that it didn't make enough blocks.

So this was added to surround the central block and a few random pieces were 
added to the border units..



Then of course that ran out too. So this was added to make the border units. 



Oh what fun, but I am really happy with how it turned out. It has been so good to get into 
these fabrics that I have been putting away for years to make something special and now
I think I have done it.

Now it is on the pin basting and quilting - I think the quilting will be a combination of machine 
and hand. Machine quilting in the ditch of the blocks and them hand quilting were it really shows. 
I am hoping it is going to be easy to hand quilt, but I suspect it may not be the best - it is a pretty tight weave, which made it great to machine piece with and hand applique onto it was fine, but hand quilting - we will see.

5 comments:

  1. I felt determined to figure out how to leave a comment so here goes!!
    This quilt top looks amazing - I really like the 'antique' look of it. I have enjoyed watching you post the blocks so its great to see it all together.

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  2. Robyn, you have made a wonderful job of the quilt, it really is just beautiful. Congratulations.
    hugs - Miche'le

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  3. Having been in the quilting wilderness for a few months, I was looking for some "shot in the arm" inspiration. Thought I would check out Patchwork Passion's website to see what Robyn was up to and was excited to see that she has been busy with a blog. Curled up on the sofa under my favourite old quilt and have just read every entry from the beginning. I want to make everything! Just off to the sewing room to find some hand work - will just listen to the rugby! Thanks Robyn it's all as lovely as ever. Alison W

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  4. the quilt is amazing. it has been great seeing the individual blocks up close as you made them.

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  5. Wow, it's beautiful! Such a great reuse of that vintage kimono tanmono bolt. I'll link your blogpost to my blog.

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