Chatchie's Whisper

Long Silence

2006-10-10T12:49:00.001+09:00

I haven't been quilting for a long time. Because my mother had been ill since last December. My parent house is located near Kobe in the Kansai region. I often went there. So I have been so busy this year.

And she passed away on July at last. I was confused by many things. I was really too tired to do many things. Therefore I had a bad condition for several mohnths. I had forgotten about Quilting for a while. I didn't feel like doing anything, but I feel much better everyday.I decided not to think about many things like my near future, or my job, management of our firm and so on.

I took a long silence. I enjoyed quilting so much again. And I have almost completed Round Robin Quilt!! Center block is mine, and the second border is Janet, and third border is June. I did this project together American members. Anyway, Quilting makes me happy!!

Hina Doll Festival on March 3rd.

2006-03-03T23:29:00.000+09:00

Today is Hina Matsuri. It is an occasion to pray for llittle girl's growth and happiness. Most homes with girls display Hina Dolls for this day in March. My daughters grew up and I don't live together and I am always busy, so I didn't display Hina Doll this year. I remenber of this festival long time ago.

They are my daughter, Ryoko and Miho. She was 2 years old and 1 years old. I baked strawberry cake and cooked sushi for children. It was good memory for me to spend with children. They were so cute, right? We enjoyed Hina Doll festival every year.

Here you can see some dolls dedicated to this festival. There were many kind of Hina dolls. They were displayed very beautifully. Full set of Doll's: Setting at the top center are Emperor and Empress. Empress is wearing twelve-layered ceremonial robe called jyuhni-itoe.At the next step three court ladies stand. At the 3rd step five musicians are plying. On the lowest two steps, miniatures of table ware to serve these people

Anyway I'm glad to introduce Japanese culture today.

Quilt Block

2006-03-01T08:40:00.000+09:00

It was very hard on my job last month. I felt a relieved at the safe end of February.
Time Flies!!! Tomorrow is March. It will get warmer and warmer day by day. I hope Spring comes soon.
I was piecing some block for few days. It is faster by sewing machine than by hand. It is relaxing for me. Also, I have to say another pleasure. I received e-mail from Istanbul in Turkey through my website. I think it is useful to upload my quilt website. I can easily to get contact with many people who love quilting.

Her mail was written in Japanese. She was good at Japanese. She told me that she have been learning for 3 years. Only 3 years!! I have been learning English for many years, but I don’t write and speark quite well. Why…? And Sigh…… I envy her.
I wonder how many years does it take to master another language.

When the internet was becoming increasingly popular, I wanted to contact and exchange e-mail with many people out of Japan. But why? My friend told me that I had better to look for quilt friends through internet.When I came into the chat room for the first time, I met many quilters. But it was very hard to keep up with them in English. I continued chatting for a lot of days.

I had made friends with some people from chatting or swapping or my website, my guest book….etc.I think it is strange chance that we met there, but there was necessity for us to met through the internet. My quilting world spread out limitlessly

Landscape

2006-02-09T22:16:00.000+09:00

Ｉ join quilting project this year, too. I made a lot of friends through the Internet. This is my block. I finished to take for a long time. This theme is “Landscape.” I have been thinking to image and design since December.

My town is near the sea, and it is located along the Sea of Japan. It is so nice and landscape is beautiful. So I imaged a sail ship.There is a park and a sail ship near here. This was a training sail ship of the mercantile marine school. A citizen put up hoist the sails once a month as a volunteer. It is so beautiful when it is in under full sail.

Lastly, My appliqué skill isn’t good but I enjoyed making this block. I want to be very skilled at my work. I will learn something much more from their blcoks. Also I’m glad to share and communicate with many quilters worldwide. Dutch friend said to me, "Quilt is to make friends." I think so. I hope they like my blocks and I’m looking forward to getting their blocks.

A lack of workmanship

2006-02-01T14:27:00.000+09:00

I didn’t want to do anything as usual in January.
I didn’t know why my tension was low.
I have had to much busy and snow in January.
New year has just started now.
A good beginning is always important, and yet…

I have forgotten our quilting project. It’s Round Robin Project 2006.
I have to finish the work by the appointed day.
But it’s almost impossible, and I noticed 3 days ago.
I can’t meet the deadline. besides it takes about 7 days to the US.
The deadline was the end of January, besides it takes about 7 days to the US.

I sent a mail to my friend to be late.
She adviced me about last project I joined last year.
The mail is to do the very best workmanship you can.
I’m sure my sewing skill is poor and my work is rough piecing.
She did have to take off and resew every border that I added during the last round robin I was in. It is very important I sew with 1/4”seam so that all seams line up correctly, no points get cut off and that borders turn out to be the righ size.

What do I do if I was in her position?
I sould do much careful and do it my best as possible as I can.
Her advice motivated me to do my drive.
I hurried up to make my center block yesterday.
And Finished!!!

Sewing Room

2006-01-25T12:56:00.000+09:00

I’m busy on my job cause of coming the end of moth. I haven’t spare time at all. But I sewed after a long time.

Here is my sewing room, little space for my privacy.
I feel relieved and calm down to be in here. And especially BGM relax me. I like listening the music with sewing.

There are a lot of fabric here and there.
The room is always in disorder, but I don’t think to arrange these fabrics. I know where the fabrics I wanna use is. So I don’t need to arrange.
Here is my favorite place really.

And I put up a map of the US on a wall.
For my near future…..
Quilt Show, Museum, Quilt lecture, class or visiting Amish village….etc.
My dream spread in my mind freely.

How stressful.....

2006-01-18T10:20:00.000+09:00

I am boring lately.
Do you think what is the cause of my boring?
Biorhythm or.....?

Probably I am tired of this bad weather.
I grew up where is on the Pacific side, and it is a warm climate area.The sun was shining brightly in winter.

We had much snow this winter. This is the heaviest snowfall we have had for the past.
I think Toyama is the best place except winter season.
So snow sometimes bored me.
Really strange weather!!!

And I received a call today. It was from my friend.
She always talks for a long time when she makes a phone call.
Moreover, she complained about her job.
I am tired of hearing her complaints.
It is so boring. Sigh.....

I have to get rid of stress.
I have to do something enjoyable.
YES!!! I know. Quilting!!!
Quilt always makes me happy!!!

Quilt Magazine

2006-01-09T22:07:00.000+09:00

I subscribed these magazine from America. It is exciting and fun and interesring for me. I prefer Amreican magazine to Japanese one.
I can get a lot of imformation from it. Fabrics, patterns, and Books are different from Japan. It always inspire me to make something new.
Also I often have a sudden inspiration through it.

I have a strong wish to go to the USA for learning the Quilt. I will take some lectures and classes and seeing Quilt show, meeting my friends. Especially I would like to go to "The Internarinal Quilt Festival in Houston, TX."

I belive dream comes true. So I have to learn and practice English much more. I want to progress day by day.