Chinese Spoken Here

I take Japanese language classes in Sapporo.  The students in these classes are constantly changing as people move in or out of the area, or regular students have to miss classes because they are on vacation or have part time jobs or other reasons. Who comes to class also determines who stitches after class.  As it turned out this week, everyone who stitched could speak Chinese, except me.  I’m so fortunate to be exposed to so many cultures and languages here, even if I don’t always know what is going on.

Here are a few pictures form this week’s stitching group.  If you’d like to make your own point card holder, check out this post, where I explained the process.

 

Two Finished Candlemats

The “After Japanese Class” stitchers have been very enthusiastic about their candlemat projects.  Two of them have finished and emailed me pictures.

 

Wonderful stitching, don’t you think?  Our next project will be point card holders, like this one I made for Ted.

Work in Progress Wednesday

The tablecloth is coming along.

You can see the progress other stitchers are making on their large projects at Pintangle.

Candle Mat Progress

The after Japanese class stitch group is continuing with their candle mats.  Chew San is making great progress!

After Japanese Class - Starting the Candle Mat

The little stitch group after Japanese class decided they wanted to make a bigger project and chose this felt candle mat from projects I finished.

 

Last week we went to Kayariya to choose and buy materials.  I would have liked to take some pictures of this process but no photos are allowed in the store.  They were amazed by Kanariya and I think they will be back.

This week after class, three of the five met and cut out the mat and circles and started stitching the small circles to the big circles.

 

Stitching wasn’t the only discussion topic and it was probably pretty funny for someone listening in – with Chinese, Japanese, and English spoken. One of our group members speaks all of these languages (and more) so she was stitcher and translator. We will continue next week.

Japanese Class Needlebooks

Every stitcher needs a place to keep her needles, so last week after Japanese class, we made felt needlebooks.

 
Next week we are going to talk about starting a bigger project.

Japanese Class Pinwheel

Last week after class, we had our second little stitching project – a pinwheel with a yo-yo as decoration. (If one is going to be a stitcher, one needs little toolie things.)  We stitched a yo-yo, then attached it to the pinwheel fabric with a button.  The two pieces of fabric were gathered around two cardboard circles.  The two circles get stitched together with a ribbon in between for a hanger.  Pins are pushed in at the seam, between the cardboard.

 

Three stitchers finished at our afternoon session and the one who had to leave early finished later in the day at home, emailing me the photo.  I think our next project will be a felt needlebook……

Japanese Class EPP

If you’ve been reading my blog on Mondays, you know how much I am enjoying EPP (English Paper Piecing). It is so much fun for me, I think everyone will like to do it.  This week after Japanese class I stitched with four of my classmates and one of my teachers.  The project was a coaster made from seven hexagons backed with stick-on felt.  I think everyone enjoyed the project.

 

One person took hers home to finish, one just needed to cut away the extra felt, the others took home finished coasters.

I am very happy to have more people to stitch with!

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.