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.

Japanese Block Arrangement

Now that the sewing for the Hamilton Quilt and Craft Fair is pretty much done and I am back

 in my sewing room progress is being made on some outstanding projects that have been 

on hold for a month or two.

I have had my Japanese Blocks from Susan Briscoe's Book "125 Japanese Quilt Blocks" 

laid out on the floor and have finally decided on the layout for this quilt. 

The blocks need to go on point I think, but that will mean taking off the circle in the central 

block and turning it slightly so the scene sits up the right way.

Obviously I need one more block, but I actually think that I will make four more so I can create another row to make the quilt rectangular rather than square. I think this quilt will go on a wall and I prefer longer quilts for walls.

Now I need to go back to the book and the fabric and see what I am going to do in the alternating blocks. This is going to a bit limited by the fabrics that I have available. I want to continue using my Japanese silks and some of them I only have small pieces of. This is not going to be that helpful for pieced blocks. So watch this space to see what I come up with.

I will also be offering small prizes over the next few weeks to encourage all you guys that are following and commenting in person, but not online. So go ahead - it is easy to post a 

comment and you just might win a prize. 

 I will be making the prizes match the posts - so if you win by commenting on a Japanese

block you would get some pieces of Japanese silks or if you comment on the 1800s 

project some Reproduction fabrics and so on.

I have chosen some lucky numbers so try and be that one each week!!!!!

1800s Basket Block

Progress has been good on the 1800s blocks. This one is a basket.

And here is the collection so far - I think they look so much nicer altogether than one by one.

They won't quite be laid out like this when the quilt is made but almost. 

There are some bigger blocks to go in amongst these.

1800s bird and snow

Well, the snow has continued in Wellington and so has the sewing

 - it hasn't been very inviting to go out and about. Although we did you out in the snow to 

take some photos.

My sister-in-laws garden complete with snow - in the Lower Hutt hills.

View out the apartment window - central city Wellington - look at that snow falling! 

But not enough to be thick on the ground here yet.

Now for the new block design - I am liking these simple folk arty style appliques. 

And making four of each is so manageable.

Snow and the next block

Well it is official - the polar blast has hit Wellington - we have light snow

falling in the central city. If it gets dramatic enough I will post  a photo!

But here is the next 1800s block

And here is the collection so far

1800s Block 2

Here is block two of the new 1800s project - these are such fun to make as they are

 small and manageable and it is fun choosing which colours to make each block in 

so that they are all different.

The sun is shining in Wellington and the weather is mild - so nice. But with the paper

headline reading: "Hunker down for Polar Blast" it seems this will not last.

So it will be lots of good sewing time over the next few days.

New 1800s Project

The sewing is all done for the Hamilton Show so now I can start something else 

- isn't it a great feeling - that starting!

But do check out our stall at the Show for all the new sewing and the new look.

It is on at Claudelands from 8 - 11 September.

Now for the new project  - this is an 1800s design and is made from our range of 1800s Reproduction fabrics. This the first block of many.

I need to make four of this block and then four of another 15 designs,

but they are quick and fun to make. They are small - 6" finished.

Then there are some bigger blocks to intermingle with the smaller ones. 

When it is finished it will be a Block of the Month, so start finishing off a project 

or two so you are ready to join it in about 4 - 6 months.

And stay posted for more progress - I hope it will be daily for a week or so as I am down in Wellington looking after my lovely Mum-in-law who is in recovery mode at the moment.