Boro Journal Cover

Over the last couple of weeks I have been attending a Journal Making class with

Gaylene. She is a new tutor for us at the shop.

Her first Journal Class for us was to create a Japanese Boro Style Journal Cover.

Boro translates as rags. The Boro technique was used in harder times in Japan

when new indigo fabric was out of the reach of many people. This meant that 

clothes and bedcovers had to be patched and re-patched to keep the family in warm 

clothing and bedding is Japan's rural far north.

This is a piece of actual Boro that I purchased in the Flea Markets of Japan.

Now to the front of my Journal cover - part of which came of that original piece of Boro 

fabric above. My cover is all made with old indigo that I have collected from various

trips to Japan.

This is the back with a 'mon' - family crest added. The crest actually came from a new 

piece of fabric that we used to have in stock at the shop.

And the inside flap with a pocket for a book mark - perhaps I now need a Boro bookmark.

The green fabric is dyed in the same process as the old indigo, but has gardenia seeds

added tot eh indigo dye vat which turns the fabric from blue to green.

I love the effect of the old piece of green added to the indigo.

Most of my pieces are raw edged but you do find patches with edges turned under in 

the original Boro pieces. The patches are 'wild' sashiko stitched in place.

This means that the sashiko stitching is not even as it would have been

traditionally.

New Grape POTC Block

I had a lovely long weekend in Wellington where I got my latest block surrounded 

by the cream fabric.

I love the centre piece of fabric and it worked so well.

And it is so good knowing that now every block is surrounded by the cream fabric 

as it gets made.

Now I am working on a row at a time - this is taking a bit more planning than just 

making blocks as the urge takes, but I guess fabric choices have to be based 

on something so why not what is needed in this current row.

Off now to plan some new combinations.

  

POTC Row Three

I have now got row three on and am still loving this project.

I have had the partial quilt up on the bed and have decided that it needs to be 

seven blocks wide so it goes down the sides of the bed a little way.

It is now five blocks wide!

This is the latest block - only one this week as I am still working on the 

quilt that has a deadline. It is a wallhanging / banner size piece that will 

be part of our Auckland Quiltmakers Exhibition at Minerva Gallery in 

Wellington later in the year. It is in  my favourite woven taupe fabrics so

is quite a change from the 1800s  I am currently working in for my 

Patchwork of the Crosses.

These are Pauline's latest collection of blocks.

She is using a mixture of woven and printed Japanese taupe fabrics.

And I love them.

Back soon with this month's Modern Blocks - we had group meeting yesterday

and there were lots of stunning triangle based blocks made my group members.

July Patchwork of the Crosses

This month has not started well for my Patchwork of the Crosses Quilt. 

I have had so little sewing time this week - lots of long hours at work.

Hopefully this week will be better.

I was hoping to be able to show you row three all joined on.

Instead I can just show you the little joiner squares that I have made!
These are fun to make to and really quick.

But other people have been busy with theirs. These are Barbara's.

Barbara says: " I have been having fun experimenting with different fabric ranges. 
As you can see some worked and some are disasters!! It is all good fun but
I will have to make a decision about which range I am going to use soon."

This month's winner of my fabric draw is Sue from Taupo.

I will get some new 1800s fat eighths off to you during the week.

You can be in to win too if you send in some photos of your current

English paper Piecing Project. 

Just send them to me at work: patchworkpassion@xtra.co.nz

Paula's 100 Modern Modern Quilt Blocks

Paula who worked with us at Patchwork Passion before returning to live in the U.K. has 

finished her Tula Pink 100 Modern Quilt Block Quilt.

She took the book and a starter pack of the fabric that we are using as part of our 

Modern Breakfast Club back with her. 

She did 72 blocks with only a few triangles! 

She wants to make it into a picnic quilt with a vinyl coated fabric on the back.

Isn't it stunning with that brighter indigo blue as sashing strips.

Thanks for sharing the photo with us Paula.