Lots of tales of the past month. Mrs. Ochiai has decided it is safer to walk up 5 floors to her condominium rather than risk being caught in the elevator and so she has gotten a good workout this month. Mrs. Harada (who lives on the 14th floor, closer to Tokyo) doesn't have that option but actually there was very little damage to her home. Something about the newer buildings being built to sway softly with earthquakes. (I have heard this from other friends too who live in high rises. There was NOTHING in their houses broken whereas I was picking up things from my squat little house for days.)
But, as I mentioned yesterday, we all have reacted differently to the earthquake and the following changes in our lives. I spent the time sewing and got quite a lot accomplished, but a couple of my friends said that they found it hard to concentrate and couldn't put their hearts into any handwork. So only half of us who had homework this past month got it finished. The others begged off because they were too rattled to sit down and sew. Maybe more done this month (if the aftershocks would calm down.)
Mrs. Okutomi was one of the handwork people last month and she spent the time machine quilting two quilts for her home. At last month's meeting we were basting these for her and this month she is finished! Such pretty quilts and such lovely quilting. Can you tell that I am standing there trying to get pointers on how to machine quilt a large quilt? I was also trying to get advice about sewing machines because, gasp!, my sewing machine is struggling right now! It seems that in the fall from my sewing table my machine got jarred enough so that the straight stitching dial now points to zig-zag and when I want to do zig-zag (rarely) I have to put the dial at button hole. My poor machine! But at least it sews! Mrs. Okutomi uses a Bernina, top of the line, but I don't think I'll ever have a chance to play on one of those.
And we also worked on more applique leaves for the bazaar quilt... ironing them down in place before appliqueing. Yes, we are on the floor again. I think we should pitch in and buy Mrs. Furui a standing ironing board.
12 comments:
It is so understandable that different people handle events differently.
I just LOVE that blue quilt. Much of my home is blue for an obvious reason: it is my favorite color.
Hugs,
Lois
Our news had quite a lot about the new designs in hi-rises built to sway with the quakes.
Too bad about your sewing machine. Sounds like it just needs an adjustment.
Its good that your quilt group met. Makes life feel like its getting back to normal somewhat, doesn't it?
Hope you can work out the machine problems....but know that you don't need an expensive machine to quilt on...just one that you know well. Love, love the blue quilt (and it's exquisite quilting): my favorite color.
Tanya, I've always wondered if there comes a time when it no longer hurts to kneel a long time. I see that japanese love to do things kneeling, but when I try it myself, I can only sit for a couple of minutes!
Mrs. Okutomi's quilt is beautiful! I got a picture of the border quilting so I can use her idea on my next quilt. The tree of life quilt is very nice too! The first thing I would invest in is an ironing board! Being on my knees was easy in my 20s, 30s, 40s, and part of the 50s. But I have to confess age is starting to catch up and 30 minutes is the max I can take now. Also, I bought a new machine last year. It is the Janome 1600 quilting machine. I love, love, love it. I've heard great things about the Bernina but I couldn't justify that much money for the machine. Blessings to you and Tetsu. Pat McDonald
The blue quilt is beautiful. I hope the day will come when I machine quilt as well as that. Best wishes with buying a new machine; the only advice I have is that if you want to machine quilt with it make sure you get one that quilts well. Most machines are still designed for sewing garments and don't always quilt well.
What a beautiful quilt! I have really appreciated all the posts you have shared with us to tell us about your experiences with the earthquake and want to thank you for them. One of my closest friends moved back to Japan last summer and I have a double interest in what is happening, for her and for you. Good luck with machine quilting, I haven't much experience with it as I do own a longarm, but I think quilting on a domestic machine would be much more difficult than a longarm.
Wow that is gorgeous quilting! Just looking at all those straight lines on the border is enough to intimidate me, much less all the fancy curvy stuff!
Lovely blue quilt! Absolutely gorgeous! Glad you were all able to get together again, I'll bet it felt good to see each other. I can imagine so many women seeing that photo of the kneeling women and having their poor knees just ache with the thought! You wouldn't see a scene like that at my group meeting!
The blue quilt is gorgeous and such beautiful quilting design on the borders! I would have never known that it was machine quilted. Your tree quilt for the bazaar is so delicate - I'm glad your life is getting back to "normal".
Mrs Okutomi, I love the blue, the lines ,the patterns. And I love having a Bernina too.Tanya, if you need to get a new machine, get the best, the one you need and want. my Mum's Bernina was 30 years old ( no repairs ever) when I traded it in for a newer one, that one had only one small repair in 29 years, and now I have an Bernina Aurora 440. Wonderful,will do all I ever need.Mrs Furui's ironing board would need to have extensions to hold her beautiful tree quilt.Lovely ideas that give inspiration to us all. Cheers Nancy J
Stress hits us all differently - I'd LIKE to think I'd sew a lot, but I would probably be too wound up to sew much. That blue quilt is beyond gorgeous. I'm sorry to hear your machine was injured - I hope it keeps plugging away for you!
Post a Comment