Stepping Stones finished

We've had such cold snowy days...

And it was so nice to spend some of that time in my sewing room... finishing up a Stepping Stones quilt for an orphanage "graduate" in Tokyo. I was assigned to make a green and blue quilt for a young man.  I used fabric I'd purchased in Japan with lots of bits from my scrap bins.

On with the walking foot for some stitch-in-the-ditch to anchor the quilt:

Followed by binding:

And then I went back for some free motion within each section:

I zigzagged the perimeter squares and then used this stencil and just marked with a chalk pencil, section by section as I went:

Not perfect, but really fun to get back into free motion quilting! 

All set to send to Japan with David the next time he travels there on business! 

Stepping Stones

It's that time again to complete a "Stepping Stones" quilt - to be given to a graduate from a Tokyo orphanage.  I have been assigned Hiroki, who likes green and blue.

I purchased lots of the fabric in Japan... supplementing liberally from my stash of green scraps at home.

The pattern is Bonnie Hunter's "Sticks and Stones" - and for our purposes we call it "Stepping Stones". You can find the free pattern here.

Although the finished quilt looks like it is made up of four patches and narrow sashing, it is actually constructed as a nine-patch with the sashing "built in":

Twenty out of thirty scrappy blocks completed!  Feels so good to (finally) get into the sewing room and feel productive there.  It seems like it's taken weeks and months to settle back into life back in the U.S.

Besides... after going completely off the rails of Weight Watchers over the past few weeks, I am thinking it's time to concentrate on fabric and sewing once again, rather than this kind of stuff:

But... one last batch of cookies today....

How I wish I could talk to Grandma Mary Lou about cookies and quilting once more!  I do feel her close though... especially in the kitchen and in the sewing room.  

So thankful for this crew... (my how the years fly!): 

Happy New Year fellow quilters out there in blogland.  Hold your loved ones close! 

xo

Cynthia

Stepping Stones

 

Last week a small group of us visited two orphanages here in Tokyo - to deliver the Stepping Stones quilts from Mormon Helping Hands, and gift certificates and futons from the Franciscans.

Orphanages are more like group foster homes here, with the teens transitioning into more independent settings (college dorms, group homes, apartments, military service) once they turn 18 and graduate from high school.

As Julie presented the quilts to the graduates (or to their caregivers) she explained that when we made these quilts, we put our love into each stitch.  We hope that this warmth and love will be felt as the quilts are used.

Sekiguchi-san gave each student a beautiful card as well, which translated into English reads:

We are a group called “Stepping Stones”.

In a Japanese garden, it means Fumi-ishi. As our name implies,

our hope is to be stepping stones for you as you make a new step in your life.

We have made a quilt for you to symbolize our wishes.

The pattern of the quilt is called sticks & stones. The small 2 cm squares in the quilt represent stones which will help you spread your wings and fly high.

We hope that the quilt will keep you warm in body and spirit and remind you that there are people who wish you happiness.

May your future be bright! March 7, 2013

With Love,

*** Stepping Stones*** 

Here's this year's lineup of quilts - each the same size and from the same pattern (fairness and uniformity are highly valued in Japan), but personalized according to each teen's favorite color.

By Cindy G, Utah, who started the Stepping Stones project last spring!

by Julie W, Tokyo, who took over for Cindy

by Laura H, Tokyo, who also long-arm quilted some of the quilts.

by Vanalee C and Susan L, Utah

by yours truly, Cynthia, Tokyo

By Sandy T, Utah

By Anny W, Oregon

This was such a fun and gratifying project.  I hope this is the first of many years for Stepping Stones!

I first blogged about this project here.  The pattern is Sticks and Stones from Bonnie Hunter and can be found here.

And just for fun - here are the mealtime rules posted near a table where 3-4 year old boys were eating lunch, during our tour of one of the orphanages.  No translation necessary!

Sticks and Stones, Stepping Stones

We are expecting snow tomorrow... and with last month's big Tokyo snow still fresh in our minds:

Snowy days are perfect for quilting... and last month I got out these cheery yellow squares again .... to work on the "Sticks and Stones" quilt.

The pattern is by Bonnie Hunter and can be found here.  Note that the pattern is free to use by individuals.  Check out Bonnie Hunter's website here for more free scrap patterns.  Awesome!

A little chain piecing... taking over the dining room table for a few days....

I bought most of the fabrics at The City Quilter  in New York City last summer and over the Christmas break:

A group of ladies from my church has started a quilting initiative for "graduates" of an orphanage  here in Tokyo.  In Japan children are fully released from orphanages at age 18, and they often need a lot of support finding an apartment and securing basic necessities and perhaps a few luxuries.

The graduate I'm sewing for is Erika (yes, that's a Japanese name!) and her favorite color is yellow.  And these fabrics are (bright) YELLOW!  Not my usual palette, as I wouldn't consider myself a "modern" quilter, but I have to admit, it was fun to work with these cheery fabrics.

I finished the blocks side by side with Tommy as he studied for final exams.  Sure glad I wasn't the one working on physics:

Julie W suggested "Stepping Stones" as a name for our little initiative - I love that.  A step up, a step forward, a step perhaps over trouble, and into a promising future.

In any case, we hope that this project will become ongoing even after most of us have returned to our home countries.

I hate to admit how long it sat on my floor before I put on the borders - ugh.  It took Downton Abbey and several movies to motivate me through borders, sandwiching, and basting.

And then ... some quilting in the ditch:

I hope wherever you are in the world... that your year is off to a promising start!
Linking up with Plum and June, and with Quilt Story. :)

Cynthia

p.s.  On a few blogs... and on Facebook... I've seen this idea of picking a focus word for the year.  I LOVE this idea.  I'm still thinking about it... but we're in February already.  I'd better pick a word soon - otherwise it will be "indecision" by default. :)

ASIJ Gala Auction quilt

The ASIJ (American School in Japan) Gala quilt group has been meeting on Tuesday mornings to work on this year's quilt, which features a background pieced from kasuri, and three striking carp pieced from silks and chirimen.  With the March deadline looming I'm trying to join in as much as possible.

This golden carp needed to be pieced/ needle turn appliqued.  Satisfying work especially when the basting had already been done, and when stabilizer had been used.  And time flew as we chatted away.

The fish were designed by master quilter JulieF of My Quilt Diary - check out her blog for more detail about this awesome quilt.  The fabrics were chosen so very carefully.  Stunning!

These finished fish...

await their placement back into the water -

These ladies set the bar high!  It promises to be a stunning addition to the Gala auction, and will hopefully command a high price to benefit the school.