Paper Pandas

My friend in Hokkaido sent me this great set of origami pandas.  Thanks, Alicia!

Sullivan's Square Ornament

This is an Eileen Gurak design called "Sullivan's Square".  I received the chart at the Chicago 2007 EGA National Seminar and tucked it away for 10 years. I used DMC floss in 115 and 500 for the red and green cross stitches and DMC perle #5 in white and 500 for the twisted cording. I stitched the cording to the ornament with invisible thread.

Heavenly Wind Concert 2015

Saturday evening, my friend Alicia and I attended the annual Heavenly Wind Gospel Concert.  One of my adult English students is a member of the group.  Alicia and I also attended her concert last year. 

We sat in the second row and could see my student – she was gorgeous, her dance moves were perfectly timed, and her English spectacular.  It was a fabulous concert.

Cameras weren’t allowed, but I did snap this of the stage (without flash) before the concert started.

 

The guest performer was Butch Heyward, with the Harlem JP Choir. Mr. Heyward is a large, older, black musician from New York City – I’d love to know how he got involved with a Japanese Gospel group in Hokkaido.

I thoroughly enjoyed the concert.

Alicia's Fob

Alicia and I usually stitch together after classes on Friday.  She has been diligently working on this little cross stitch piece and was able to finish it into this cute little fob.

Happy Birthday Alicia!

After class this week, Alicia and I went out to lunch to celebrate her birthday. We went to a sushi place called Hanamaru.  It was delicious and inexpensive. We both chose the sushi bowl setto which was only 810 yen.  It came with a clear soup of vegetables and fish and three bowls of sushi rice and sashimi, plus Japanese tea. 

Next week we will meet to stitch after class.

Gift from Alicia

Thank you so much!

Ted's Away

Ted’s been away this week – first at a conference in Tokyo, now on a rock climbing trip with students in Nagano.  He’s sent a few photos and it looks like he’s having a good time.

 

Before he left, he gave me this panda fan (purchased at the hyaku en store), just in case it gets hot in Hokkaido. So far I haven't needed to use it.

 

Friday afternoon my friend Alicia and I worked on a photo album.  Another friend, Vicky, joined us after her work day and we all had dinner at the Indian restaurant, then attended a cello-piano concert at the university.  The cellist is my upstairs neighbor and a university music professor. 

 

 

Saturday, Vicky and I continued stitching on our ornaments. They will look nice on our trees, come December, don’t you think?

Stitching with Friends

I stitch with two little groups each week.  On Friday afternoons I stitch with another English teacher from the university.  We compare notes on our classes and students while we stitch.  Sometimes we work on hexagon paper pieced flowers and I was happy to hear she is teaching this to her neighbor. This week, she worked on a cross stitch fob and I worked on my moon dragon. 

 

There are four of us in the other group, but one had a baby recently and is taking a little break from stitching.  We are all working on canvas knot gardens.

 

It’s not the same as my stitch groups in the US were, but nothing here in Japan is the same.   I am happy to have stitching friends.

Monday Morning Star Count - 268

On Friday afternoons, Alicia and I stitch together.  She has been working on her own hexagon flowers and stitching them on pot holders.  You can enjoy epp without making a big old quilt.

I made six new flowers this week, making a total of 268! I think I’m getting very close.  This week I want to try to move the furniture and lay it out to see how much more I need in the way of hexagons.  After that I can make some decisions about border and backing and binding.  Yes, I think I’m getting very close.

 

I’m linking up with Jessica’s epp show at Life Under Quilts.  Check out the other epp projects and join in yourself!

Flower Beaded Necklaces

About two weeks ago I noticed one of the Japanese language teachers wearing a simple beaded necklace. I asked her if she had made it herself and she said no.  I was thinking I could make something like it, so I did. First I made this one to give as a gift.

When Alicia came over to stitch I taught her how to do it and she made a necklace and matching earrings.

 

I made another necklace and a little fob.

 

It’s fun and not at all difficult.  I might make more.

August Calendar

Stitching Circles

This is a good time to do an update on my stitching circles (groups).  The Japanese teachers are continuing to work on their perforated paper with beads and cross stitches necklaces at their own pace. These pictures were taken last week when two of them had finished the pouch part of the necklace and were beginning the necklace part.

 

The University wives are taking a break from their beaded necklaces for a couple of weeks while my neighbor’s son is on a summer break from kindergarten and is joining us. This week they finished felt snowman ornaments with no counting involved.  (They will add the photos to the snowman bellies at a later time.)

 

I’ve made many of these little snowmen and have given some away as gifts.  Here are two that are on our tree every year.

 

Alicia and I stitch together on Friday afternoons and lately she has been working on a crazy quilt penny purse.  Last week she finished the embellishing and used this cotton cloud fabric for the lining. After making red twisted cording, she is ready to stitch it up and finish it with two snaps.

 

I’ve been teaching in Sapporo the last few days and have only put a few stitches in the kingfisher at night, and made a few hexagons between classes during the day.  Look for those soon.