Monday, January 22, 2018

Shibori Dragon, Sashiko Stitching, Kaffe Facett Fabric in Border Units

Beautiful Japanese fabric and Japanese utility garments on display.

Examples of Japanese vintage utility garments collected by the owner.

This is a close up of shashiko stitching on the long jacket.

The Shibori Dragon quilt shop was friendly and well stocked!

The Shibori Dragon Quilt Shop, University Place, WA.

My stitched and pressed units for my improvised border.

Trimming up border units with KF fabric, batik and Tim Holtz fabric.

My butterfly quilt top finished with three borders.

Winter in our neighborhood.


Hello from the Pacific NW, where we are staying with family, helping out and doing a little sightseeing on the side.

Last Saturday we visited  The Shibori Dragon Quilt Shop in University Place, WA west of Tacoma.
I saw their display in a local sewing and craft show last fall and I didn't realize they were so close until I found their web site. The shop is 45 min south/west of Renton, where we are staying. 

There was everything you could want in a quilt shop and a large collection of Asian fabric and Japanese specialty fabric. The owner grew up in Japan, military family, and she had beautiful Japanese dolls and utility garments on display with wonderful shashiko stitching on them in the shop.
I made a pest of myself oohing and aahing and asking questions. If you are ever in the area, you must stop in!

I finished my small butterfly quilt top. As I was finishing piecing the borders I was thinking of working with units as Maria Shell talks about in her book, 'Improv Patchwork Dynamic Quilts Made with Line and Shape'. When I'm improvising, it's easier to get the process under control when I'm focusing on units. She's got good ideas for design.

I'm linking up with Kaja and Ann for AHIQ 29, where sharing of the 'improvising' sort happens.
Stop by for inspiration and to share your projects. Thanks Kaja and Ann for hosting.

That's news from the shire where I'm remembering to share a smile.
Have a good week and I'll be by to visit.



11 comments:

Queeniepatch said...

How can you make a pest of yourself by asking questions about the things on display in a shop?! They are there to be aah-ed and ooh-ed at!
Your new stitched units are more colourful than usual! Way to go, Janie!

Janie said...

Thank you, Queenie.
Color is, after all, the spice of life.

audrey said...

Your Butterfly quilt looks amazing! LOVE the color/fabric usage!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Looks like an amazing quilt shop - and definitely ooh and aah-worthy. I love the border on your butterfly quilt - the extra 'bits' of colour on each side are perfect - just the right amount.

Ann said...

The Japanese displays are wonderful. How fun to see them in a shop. And your butterfly quilt is great. Neat borders that have a bit of an Asian feel. Thanks for linking with AHIQ.

Mystic Quilter said...

What a wonderful shop with a wonderful name! The kimono in your first photograph is beautiful and those soft pinks go so well!

patty a. said...

Your border pieces are lovely! That quilt shop looks dangerous - to the wallet! I can understand why you did a lot of oohing and aahing!

Cathy said...

I love those butterflies!

Kaja said...

Your butterfly quilt is great! And thanks for the pictures from the quilt shop - stunning boro garments.

Mary Marcotte said...

I sometimes feel that I'm a bit of a pest when I go to quilt shops, especially when there are things I don't know much about. I say it's the perpetual learner in me, but truthfully, I just talk too much. :)
I love your butterfly quilt. The borders are interesting. At first I didn't catch that third border, so I had to go back and figure out what I'd missed. It's definitely a reason for a second look. I hope I remember your trick.
I've linked up with Kaja and Ann, too. I really like seeing what others are doing in improv. (Rather than a hodgepodge of everything...though I like that too.)

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

A lovely butterfly quilt, the borders look great! I do think focusing on improv units is a great tip, I must remember that. And, I love the pics of the quilt shop, so interesting.