Greetings from Tokyo!

Greetings from Tokyo!
I am writing to you a few minutes before I check out of my room and head to the airport. Sophie and I have had a very busy and wonderful 4 day visit here at the Tokyo Quilt Festival. After many years of traveling to this show, meeting local quilt artists, and photographing the show…we have many wonderful friends here.

As you probably know, Japanese quilts are quite distinctive compared to what we see at shows in the US. For many years the difference had to do with most of the quilts being made by hand. The Japanese motifs and vintage Japanese fabrics (including yukata and silk kimono remnants re-used in quilts) were another part of the distinction. Over the years we have watched the waves of trends here, and I would say the trends of Taupe and even Indigo fabrics is lessening in favor of more colorful and contemporary themes and techniques. That is the evolution of the art form – creative people are always looking for something new to excite their creativity.

As I have written in the past couple years, one of the bigger changes is the expansion of machine quilting here in Japan. In some ways this makes the quilts more similar to the US quilts, but we still delight in the differences…the motifs and fabrics that stand out because they are uniquely Japanese.

In the center panel of the collage above, you see a detail of a beautiful Chrysanthemum applique and embroidery quilt. The variety of fabrics used in the Mum petals is distinctive, and also the white embroidery on the charcoal black background. The essence is still Japanese, but there is a contemporary influence. The name of the quilter was not spelled out, so I have included an image of the name written in characters, to make sure the artist has credit where it is due.

Around the borders I have added some lovely Japanese fabric designs we have in stock now. We are headed to the airport now so watch for my photos in the next week or two, as I have time to edit and post on my photo page. Sayonara to my Japanese quilter friends!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul


eQuilter Classroom:
March 6-8 – MJ Kinman – “Unicorn Rainbow” & “Elizabeth Diamond” Gemstone Workshop
April 13-15 2020 – Susan Carlson – SOLD OUT
June 1-5 2020 – Paula Nadelstern – Kaleidoscopes & Quilts

Luana’s Travel Calendar:
Feb 19-22 – QuiltCon in Austin TX
Mar 18-27 – Wilderness Congress – Jaipur India
June 26-27 – Intl Quilt Museum – Lincoln NE
July 29 – Aug 2 – “Love Your Mother” Gallery in Birmingham UK