Kantan Sashiko

I found this book at Mariya in Sapporo.  The title Kantan Sashiko caught my attention.  Kantan means easy.  I also bought a meter of the indigo sashiko fabric.  The book is in Japanese and back to front, but there are good diagrams, so maybe it really is Kantan.

As soon as I get started on one of these easy projects, I’ll post pictures.

Sing Your Head Off

Recently, when I was walking in the underground walkway in Sapporo, I came across this headless singer and couldn’t resist snapping a quick picture.

Work in Progress Wednesday - Hussif Progess

After finishing my table cloth a few days ago, I went back to work on my crazy quilt hussif.

 

The hussif is a Work in Progress Wednesday challenge at Pintangle – check out the progress other stitchers are making on their big projects.

How to Make a Point Card Holder

The “After Japanese Class” stitchers are making little point card holders.  One of the stitchers is leaving Hokkaido to go back to her country before having a chance to finish her project, so I took pictures of the process to send her.  I decided to post the pictures today. (The stitching can be done by hand or by machine.  The original was entirely hand stitched.  I used the machine for some of this one, but it was difficult because the pieces are small.)

Using a one inch square of card board as a template, I cut out 30 squares from little scraps I had saved from other projects.

I stitched sets of two squares together across the diagonal, then finger pressed them open and trimmed the extra, making 15 squares.

 

I stitched the 15 together into a strip. For the original, I placed the triangles to make a pattern.  For this one, I randomly placed them as I picked them up.  I think I like the original deliberate pattern better. The outside of the little pouch is made from a 6 inch by 10 inch piece of kimono fabric. I cut the fabric lengthwise off center and stitched the strip between the two pieces.

 

 

 

Using the outer piece as a template, I cut the same size piece of cotton print fabric as the lining and pinned them right sides together. Leaving an opening, I stitched the two pieces together.

 

After trimming the corners, I turned it right side out and stitched the opening closed.

 

After deciding where the fold would be, I turned the pouch inside out and stitched it together, catching the black outside fabric with the stitches. I put a couple of extra stitches to reinforce the upper edge.

 

It could be finished at this point, but I made a thin twisted cording with one piece of six strand floss. I needed about 28 inches of cording, so I cut a 75 inch piece of floss (rounding 28 up to 30 inches and multiplying that by two and a half). I used a single strand of the same floss to stitch the cording to the pouch, tucking the ends in the seams. The original point card holder had black cording.  I used purple on this one because I thought it would show up better in the photos.

 

 

 

I added two snaps to hold it closed and it’s finished.

Monday Morning Star Count - More About the Little Bag

This is the shape and size. Can you guess what I’m going to do with it?

 

I’ve put a small section of thin batting at the bottom to give the bottom some shape.  I need to make more hexagons for the inside edge.  I hope to have more done to show next week.

 

Linking up with Life Under Quilts.

Margaret is giving away a Fabric Bomb - leave a comment on this post if you are interested!

Needlequest Kitchen Towel - 20 July

The July Needlequest Theme is Tableware and Crockery. My July project is finished!

 

For more information on Needlequest, check out Sew in Love.

Tablecloth Finish

I’m very pleased with my newly finished tablecloth!  If you are interested in doing one of your own, it is made by Zweigart and is called Madrid.  The size is 90 cm. x 90 cm. I used three strands of DMC 791 for the cross stitch.

Traveling Pattern Winner and Sew Sew Art Give Away

KimM of Wisdom with Needle and Thread is the winner of the traveling pattern.  Please email me your snail mail address and I’ll get it posted to you!

 

Beth at Sew Sew Art is having a giveaway for one of her beautiful fabric pieces.  Check out her blog – she does some incredible things! (Remember the sketch book she sent me recently?)

Summer Festival

Our town held its summer festival last weekend.  One of the highlights of the festival is the evening parade – people wear their summer festival clothing (yakata) and dance to our town’s music.  It’s a wonderful Japanese event!