Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Photos and Tissues

I had a lovely time chatting with Mrs. Ochiai yesterday. I hadn't seen her since before summer vacation. We showed each other our summer pictures and look at what she's been doing since she got back home! (besides appliqueing all those leaves on the Carolina Lily quilt I showed a couple days ago.)

Mrs. Ochiai and her family went up to Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan and enjoyed the wide open spaces so unlike the rest of Japan. (Too many mountains). Tetsu and I went on our honeymoon 17 years ago, but I haven't been back since. While in Hokkaido, Mrs. Ochiai found some pretty little tissue holders (at exorbitant prices) and bought a couple thinking "Hey! I could probably make one of those!" And look what she made! She used scraps of hand-dyed fabric and ironed them to some fusible interfacing and then hand appliqued it all down. She even used her own pictures of Hokkaido as a pattern! Now that's artistic! Can you even tell which ones are the tissue cases and which ones are the photographs? I think I'd like to try my hand at this. Not too big a project don't you think?

12 comments:

dot said...

Those are great. What a clever idea.

mereth said...

That's fascinating, what a great idea. The hand dyes I'm working with in class would make some wonderful skies and fields, so the scraps might get turned into these little cuties.
I love seeing the japanese view of patchwork , they are so clever and just see things differently to us. I'd love to buy some of their craft magazines, but I've only ever seen them in Sydney, and at exorbitant prices. (One magazine was $70, most are $30.) I'll have to keep visiting your blog for inspiration. Oh and the 'pear post' was great reading, I'd like more articles like that please!

Quilt Pixie said...

very clever... lovely little postcard like creations...

anne bebbington said...

Lovely - and very clever adaptations of the photos

Helen said...

These are really great, lovely little landscapes and beautiful colours.

Laurie Ann said...

Very clever!!!

marisa said...

Wonderful these postcards.

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

Those are great, wonderful souvenir reminders as well as something useful. Perfection!

Luna said...

Wonderful, this project. Are this also tissue holder ? It is a good idea for a postcard.
It sounds interesting to go to Hokkaido.

teodo said...

Wow! They are great!!!
could they be sent like postcards too??
They are very lovely......
ciao ciao

jovaliquilts said...

Wow, really nice -- I'd be afraid to put that tissue holder in my purse!

atet said...

I think it would be a wonderful project to use as gifts! And, if you didn't want to do hand applique, you could try some fusible -- similar look and even faster!