We met on Sunday for another great get together. Unfortunately, one stitcher wasn’t able to join us.
We had an interesting discussion about American television shows in our youth. The start of the conversation was the Michael Jackson movie at the local Movix theater. That led to the songs of the Jackson 5 and the Osmond Brothers, then American shows that were broadcast in Japan. We were born around the 15 years post WWII, when Japan was transitioning from a war ruined nation to a rising economic power. They were watching Ben Casey, Lassie, Bewitched, and other shows I watched. Japanese people were seeing blond curly hair, beds, and people eating dinner at a high table with chairs, when they had straight black hair, slept on futons on the floor, and ate at low tables. I never thought of any of that before!
They are making wonderful progress on their gorgeous gardens.
Tea time - we had some great treats.
I took some of this home and it was all very good.
As a surprise, I was also sent home with a big tub of hand scooped mint chocolate chip ice cream!
I used a small hexagon flower to make a repair on this bag. It was the perfect size.
I also cut more scraps of fabric and made more small (16 mm) hexagons.
Many people I know in Japan aren’t fond of the taste of chocolate mint. I’ve heard people say it tastes like mouthwash or cold medicine. I think of York Peppermint Patties or Junior Mints, when I hear of chocolate mint (nostalgic, right?) Maybe, you like it or you don’t.
7-11 convenience stores recently came out with a new chocolate mint sandwich. I haven’t tried it, but I think it sounds good. Crushed chocolate chips and mint are mixed with whipped cream and thickly spread on chocolate bread. It sells for 198 yen, plus tax and was released on August 7th all around Japan except Hokkaido and Okinawa.
I visited the Verkehr Museum last week for a fabulous Kokeshi doll exhibit. Usually, photographs are not allowed in the second floor exhibit area, but I was happily surprised to find that they were for this exhibit. At the end of the photos, I’ve used google translate to change the Japanese program into English, so be sure to go through the whole post.
Exhibit program
My own Kokeshi doll (purchased at the flea market)
The exhibit runs through September 6th, so I might go to see it again.
I am very happy with my finished sashiko cube bag! When I first saw these square sashiko panels, I had the idea to make this. I used a square of batting for each panel to give it some body.
