Quilty 365 update

Its day 30. I started Jan 1 and I'm ahead. 72 blocks.

2016 Tokyo International Quilt Festival-UPDATED

Schooled! By a Japanese quilter in the art of the log cabin block. Respect! I think this is my favorite quilt this year. My apologies for not posting quilters names..I do not read kanji. 

I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Tokyo Quilt Festival 2016. This year I am not attending so I am living vicariously through other bloggers in blogland. I've gathered links to this year's festival so you can also enjoy the quilts if you weren't able to attend.

Alyce B has a extensive album of the festival quilts on flicker.

Pink Caramel's video link is especially good. Enjoy! Or see it directly through YouTube.2016 Tokyo International Quilt 

Queeniepatch has been attending the Tokyo festival for several years now.  I always love looking at her pictures.

Barbara Brackman blogged especially about the William Morris exhibition at this years festival.

Taniwa is another attendee gracious enough to share her festival pictures.

Michele  also focuses on the William Morris exhibit and will hopefully share the Beatrix Potter exhibit in her next post.

And saving best for last...

Maria has posted her festival pictures public for everyone to enjoy. And there are absolutely tons!

Bravo! For all the talented Japanese quilters at this year's festival!

Cold blue northern light

Its a cold blue northern light coming through my windows these days. I'll have to do with waves of warmth from the wood stove. There is ice and there is snow, and not gentle Hollywood snow, that doesn't exist here. In Norway, it snows horizontal, blown in gusts, swooping around the houses, chasing the animals inside to duvets and hearths. The dog lies as close as possible with a stacked log as her pillow and the cats with their rich thick coats sleep under the bathroom sink on the heated tiles, ever greatful that the kids never rember to hang up their bath towels.

And then there's the abandoned Swan. It is not a baby but is not fully grown. It still has the brown young feathers of youth. And its been sitting still out on the ice for days, conserving its energy while it recovers from illness or injury.  The parent swans seemed so devoted, always traveling in a tight knit group , Yet now, it feels bitterly cruel of them having abandoned one of their own in this bleek icey situation. I see the three of them swimming back and forth and I know the 4th is it the end of the lake sitting quietly alone with only ducks for company.

Practice makes perfect. My quilted circles are coming along splendidly. Why did it take so many years to start needle turn applique? Because I hadn't caught on to the wonderful virtues of YouTube learning.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, God Bless You Tube! And thank you Jude Hill of Spirit Cloth for a great video lesson.

Now I know Audrey of Quilt 365 suggests picking out your fabric each day but I like to have them ready so I can step on the gas when I get a free moment and inspiration strikes.

Quilt 365 - day two

Much improved applique. I tried to remember Jude Hill's tutorial on applique and guess what? It really helped! Thank you Jude!

If you haven't seen Jude's work, do yourself a favor. Her critters and beasts have inspired faces. Her work is soothing.

Jude Hill Spirit Cloth

And her very helpful YouTube tutorial:

Spirit Cloth Applique tutorial

Let's try one more time

Quilt 365.  Quiltyfolk have caught my attention. 1 a day. I tried this the last time we had a leap year...with building houses from scraps, got a little further than half way and burned out big time. The circles seams much simpler, perhaps I have the stamina for this. With the little houses, I was always trying to get a head, instead of just quilting one a day in twenty minutes I was tried for an hour....or to get five done. Slow and steady wins the race. Lesson learned.

So I am starting this circle adventure on Jan 3rd, here is a link to the project...Quiltyfolk Quilt 365.

My first block, far from perfect, what a good way to practice applique.

But I would dearly love to try and and make a hour glass quilt like this one featured on Barrister's Block.. So maybe I will try to do one-a-day of these hour glass blocks also.

This post of her's was so inspiring! I guess I lean towards more traditional antique quilts than I thought. So many lovelies!

I tried making some little hour glass blocks to see what I could get out of a two contrasting 6" pieces.

Turns out I could get 8 little ones easily.