MOONSTITCHES

Quilt WIP, ninth part

I am a little scared of preparing the sandwich in order to quilt it. Because I am not... ready for quilting. The top is, the back, too, and I have made a large enough piece of batting. I's my first large quilt, so naturally I am not too certain it will go smoothly. Then I still haven't decided which pattern would suit. So, I rather sit here, showing you the latest developments of the quilt instead of bringing it forward.

From strips I had left over after making the leaves, a 16 cm wide, long row was pieced, bringing two parts of backing fabric together. The quilt measures about 135 cm x 227 cm, so I had to piece the back to make it wide enough. The backing fabric's colour is something like this, called indignant over there, which I cannot quite see though, calm is what comes to my mind when looking at it. As a reoccurring element the dots are making their appearance on the back, too, but that's all. Quite simple.

Hope you'll be having a lovely day!

Back from that other planet...

... called Golden Week. I don't remember any Golden Week with such bad weather like this year (as far we here in the Kanto area are concerned). Rain, too chilly, unsteady or not enough wind for the giant kites... Of course the sun came out again when everybody had to go back to work, really too bad.
So, with the child back to the kindergarten and the husband out of the house again as well, this blogging girl is resuming course, too. Hi!

Here a few photos from the day we went to see the kites...

Very much longed for kakigori (shaved ice) season has kicked off.

A kite.

Back with new photos of the leaves quilt soon!

... and Quilt WIP, eighth part

It's Golden Week here in Japan, and today, Sunday Edit: tomorrow, Monday (I thought it was the fifth already) it's kodomo no hi (Children's Day), a holiday on which Tango no Sekku, the Boy's Festival is celebrated.

Samurai dolls like this (photo taken earlier this week while we were in the Yokohama area) are displayed in the houses and carp streamers hung from balconies or mounted on huge poles in the gardens to pray for the families' sons' health and success in life.
If you happen to live somewhere in our area, there's the Giant Kite Festival at the Sagami River, lots of carp streamers, said giant kites and festival food... worth a visit.
Three favourites from Monday's walk:

And the update... all but six circles are attached, joyously. I liked the appliqueing by hand and also it's so nice to see the whole thing is actually coming together. Next step after finishing the circles will be stamping a label. Or embroidering one. Not sure yet.

Enjoy your weekend!

Windows, 28

Yesterday we had a national holiday here in Japan (midori no hi - Greenery Day   Edit: Showa Day, things changed last year, as I just learned, Greenery Day is now celebrated on May 4) and spent a long day in the Yokohama area, walking a lot and riding the train, too, of course, and even a Ferris wheel.
Above photo I took on yesterday's walk.
Resembles in a way what I have begun this evening - appliqueing  little spots of Liberty on the quilt top that got sewn together this morning.
Thank you all so much for being here and over at Flickr to see how the leaves are doing. I am really back on track with the Liberty quilt now and very much looking forward seeing it finished. And it's so much fun doing this together with you!

As for the Month of Windows, I think I will just keep posting photos every once in a while because I have much more I'd like to share with you. The same goes for the numbers I have been collecting during last year's December - ever since, actually, never stopped.
If you have anything you would like to see me photographing here in Japan to show you, please let me know.

See you tomorrow!

Quilt WIP, seventh part

A quick update on the Liberty Leaves!
All leaves have been sewn (and in a not ironed state photographed), the fun part can begin. Haven't yet decided how they will be coming together and how much of the white background will stay, but that won't take long.
After sewing together the quilt top, round patches of Liberty will be appliqued (by hand) in random places. That part, I know, will be highly enjoyable.

I hope my idea for the quilt top will work out the way I picture it. If all goes right it may turn out playful and fun. If not, things might be more on the goofy and silly side... let's hope for the best.

Have a lovely day!

Cassie, Cecile and Mirjam

Wonderful, wonderful mail lately.

So very generous, well chosen, beautifully made and given from the heart - I am so lucky. We are, because my little girl got some great things, too.
Thank you Cassie, Cecile and Mirjam!!!

To begin with... there was a Thank You  for a Thank You I had send to Cecile for this present (we could go on like this, Cecile, could we?)

Then there was absolutely delicious fiber (a lot of!) from Cassie, who also indulged me by knitting this cozy scarf... it is soft like heaven. Cashmere from Posh Yarn *sigh*
The pattern is Stitch Marker's Cream of Spinach, really pretty. And although it's almost May, it is just the right thing to wear these days, rather awful spring weather here around this year.

I can't possibly show all yarny gorgeousness here, suffice to say I truly am in yarn heaven now and would love to start a bunch of new project. Which would be the reason why I, in the midst of two patchwork endeavours, picked some yarn from my stash and decided it was time to finally try toe up socks... to tame the urges.

Cassie also sent us Tasha Tudor's The Springs of Joy. Dagny is so delighted by the enchanting illustrations - and I pretty busy explaining the quotes. This book is such a moving and heartwarming treasure.

Here a little bit of yarn...

And then Mirjam from the Netherlands, who had been a winner in my two years blog's birthday drawing some time back, pleased us immensely by bestowing us with a load of fabulous gifts of all sorts (again, here are only a few of the gifts shown). Crafty (new bag for my girl!), cute, vintage-y, delicious, fun... including a Kleintjes Strooibaar from  De Ruijter and soap bubbles (non Japanese style, therefore even more exciting) ... and something else soapy, too... :)

A girl and its new bag...

Cassie, Cecile and Mirjam, you are just too sweet.

Thank you!

Windows, 27

A restaurant's window.
Bowls in anticipation.

Windows, 26

Love this curtain. Don't love sssp, so it seems. Had to rip the First Half of the heel because I could not quite understand how the Second Half was to be knit. Trying this now.
See you tomorrow!

Edit: It worked!

Windows, 25

A day late, but since many of you are a good deal behind my time, I hope I can still catch you in time for wishing you a lovely weekend!

Ours started with lots of rain and it was rather cold. The Laburnum sock is progressing, slowly, I am working on the heel right now, first time short rows... very curious how it will turn out.
Bye!

Windows, 24

Big time repair.