Work In Progress Wednesday - A Little More on Several

I had another good week working on several projects, a little on each.  

I have now finished the ten petals on the stumpwork project. Next I will get back to the butterfly.  I started one and didn't like it, so I started another one and don't like it either. Do pansies really need a butterfly?

I did two more lengths of thread on the kogin project.  

I also worked on the paisley pocket.  I really want to start working on the real paisley purse. Should I start it before I finish the pocket?  I'm so much better at starting things than finishing.  

Yes! Progress on my 17 in 2017 projects.

Bad Weather Sunday

Bad weather days are perfect for staying inside and stitching.  Typhoon 21 was on its way and it was a bad weather day.  Not even ducks wanted to play outside, so we were happy to stitch inside.  I finished my crazy quilt bag, so I worked on my kogin project, while the other stitchers worked on their crazy quilt bags.  We continued laughing about secret belly button money.

One person finished her bag on Sunday and it is gorgeous.  She made handles with cross stitch motifs on them.  The inside has two large pockets, plus smaller hexagon pockets for scissors and a pen.  The felt strips hold needles and pins.  It folds and four snaps hold it closed.

inside

outside

These ladies are so creative! They have made so many wonderful details on their bags. Here are the other almost finished pieces. I think I will be able to show finished pieces next time.

Our next project will be a small kogin piece - they will each decide whether to make a coaster or coin purse or card or something else. They think it is funny for me to be teaching them how to do a Japanese technique.  I said I am nihonjin.  A joke!

Monday Morning Star Count - Typhoon 21

This is the week of rain, leading up to Typhoon 21.  Hurricanes in the US have names, typhoons in Japan have numbers and this was the 21st this year. It was classified as a category 4 typhoon. Seventy thousand people in Japan were advised to evacuate and 5,000 ordered to do so. More than 300 flights were cancelled and rail services in the south and the west were interrupted. Sunday was also election day across Japan.  I don't know how much the storm affected voter turn out.

Week 25 of the temperature quilt
October 15 - 21 
59, 55, 59, 64, 54, 61, 63

Sarah at Sarah Did It!  is hosting a link up on Wednesdays for those making a temperature hexagon quilt.  Check it out and think about joining in.  You can start at any time. 

This is my temperature/color (Fahrenheit) scheme: 

100 + Brown 

90-99 Red  

80-89 Orange 

70-79 Yellow  

60-69 Green  

50-59 Blue 

40-49 Purple 

30-39 Pink 

20-29 White 

10-19 Black

Happy Snowman Ornament Finish

Happy Snowman was designed by Tina Herman. It is a free chart available here.  I used 28 count linen and DMC floss, not the called for fabric or threads. The cording is made from DMC perle #5.  I also used a snowflake bead I had in my stash.

Japanese Imperial Family Update

I can't help it, I'm fascinated by the Imperial Family. 

Did you know that the members of the Imperial Family are known by only one name each (no family name)?   Another fact I find interesting is that they are not allowed to vote (or to hold office).

Emperor Akihito is the 125th Japanese emperor.  The title passes to the male heir. Men born into the Imperial Family marry and stay in it for life.  When women in the Imperial Family marry, they lose their imperial status and become commoners.

In July, a law was passed by parliament that will allow Emperor Akihito to abidicate the throne and retire.  This will be the first time an emperor has abdicated in about 200 years.  I read just yesterday that this will take place on March 31, 2019, with Crown Prince Naruhito ascending to the throne on April 1, 2019.  I don't know why it takes so long.  Why can't he just retire right away?

Yesterday was Empress Michiko's 83rd birthday. Her husband the Emperor is also 83 years old. His birthday, December 23rd, is a national holiday in Japan.

Princess Mako, the twenty-five year old first grandchild of the Emperor and first child of the Emperor's second son announced her engagement in September.  I think it was in May that it was announced that she would announce her engagement later in the year.  There will be another announcement later about when the wedding date will be. So many announcements!

Twenty-two year old Princess Kako (second child of the second son of the Emperor) left Japan in September to spend a year studying in England at University of Leeds. She will study performing arts and psychology as an exchange student from the International Christian University in Tokyo, where she is a junior. Her older sister Mako also spent a year studying abroad at University of Edinburgh in Scotland. 

That's all for now about my favorite Japanese family. If you are interested in the Imperial Family, check out the Imperial Family of Japan blog.

ABC Sampler Finish

I started this when I was on vacation in August and now the stitching is finished.  It was an old kit (pattern said 1985) with 28 count linen and Danish Flower Thread.

I'm not sure what I will do with it now. Ironing it would probably be a good thing.

Izu Peninsula Part 2 - Dogashima

After visiting the gold mine, we took a bus south along the coast to Dogashima. The road was narrow and we had some nice views out the window.

First we took the boat ride where we saw some views of the coast before going in a cave that had a hole in the top.  

This is the cave entrance

After the boat ride, we took a hike and saw where we had been.  

It was a hot day, so we had ice cream cones.  I was surprised to see that it was Hokkaido ice cream!  

There was a giant clock near the bus stop.

We took the bus then the train to Mishima, where we ate dinner at an Italian restaurant.  I forgot to take a picture, but I had a wonderful seafood pasta dish.  

After dinner, we returned home by train. It was a fun day with friends.