As the weather warms up a bit here in Japan (maybe only temporarily), I have been out and about a bit with a friend...
Mrs. N and I went out to celebrate her birthday and she introduced me to a old traditional schoolhouse that is now being used as a cafe. The waitress asked us if we happened to like cats... me with my cat shirt and Mrs. N with a cat on her Smart Phone cover...
This is what a country, (really back country!) schoolhouse used to look like, without all the cars of course. As the population decreases in Japan, more and more schools are closing and combining with nearby schools, and schoolhouses are going into disuse. Even in my town, next year two schools are closing down... Anyway, someone figured out how to turn this country schoolhouse into a cafe and an art gallery.
The long wooden hallways still gleam.
The classroom with their chalkboards and single desks
Japaese children still use these leather backpacks though they are available in different colors now and many schools still require students to wear these yellow hats when walking to and from school.
I was inspired to paint some of the students who come to my crosswalk every morning.
Mrs. N has just finished up a quilt which I'm sure you recognize as I have already made this quilt twice. With a few added light fabrics, we squeaked out another quilt for Mrs. N and really made good use of the kit that I had with fabrics and pattern!
Mrs. N always includes a cat in her quilts and she added four corner cats to the center.
Mrs. N has also been making Happy Villages!
Can you spot the cats in these quilts?
She did a great job quilting over some cat fabric here...
Now Mrs. N is asking me to recommend a new cat quilt pattern for her or something that will incorporate cats. Any suggestions? I'm having trouble pulling ideas out of my hat!
That said... I did make up a cute Fat Cat quilt pillow this month.
On a more somber note, yesterday was March 11 in Japan, the anniversery of the Great Tohoku Earthquake. I sent off an e-mail to my friend, Lorraine's family, telling them that as usual on this day I was thinking of her as she was a solid rock to me in the days after the earthquake. Lorraine passed away last year but her family still keeps in touch. My remembrance of that day in my bullet journal with continuous lines with a loosely held bruch pen and some splashes of color.. It looks so chaotic but so was that day...
Mrs N makes such beautiful quilts and adding a cat here and there is not a bad thing!
ReplyDeleteThe old school building has been put to good use and the food looks healthy and delicious.
Yes, 12 years have passed so quickly. I am sure we all remember the horrible tremors of March 11, 2011.
Mrs. N's quilts are beautiful! I love her tradition of putting a cat on each quilt. Wish I had thought to do that when I first started quilting. As far as cat patterns, just search on Pinterest for cat quilt patterns. There are so many that you will surely find several that you both will like. Love the new cafe and your lunches look delicious.
ReplyDeleteWonderful that the rural schools are being put to some use. The hallway picture took me back to the two years I went to school in rural Fukushima Ken, Kinimi Machi. 1962. I still have my red rondoselu (can’t get the right spelling for that!) with my school books and my name tag. I think our building was even older than the one you pictured as the siding was traditional blackened wood.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your posts. Thank you.
That's a lovely use for the old school building!
ReplyDeleteMaybe Mrs.N would like to try the tessellating cats. With graph paper, they can be made in any size. One of my granddaughters wants those cats in blue for her "big girl'" quilt. Might be difficult though if they are all shades of blue.
Delete"Pins and Paws" from Missouri Star quilt company is a cool quilt pattern. And you can get the digital download for around $5 I think. I think it would work well as a scrappy type quilt. Plus there's a YouTube video showing how to make it. (You could probably even easily figure out the pattern from watching the video. )
ReplyDeleteWhat about a collage cat? You could draw her a cat for a wall hanging and she could use scraps to finish it. I think I spied Laura Henine cats in her Happy Village?
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful quilts! Yes, schools are combining and/or shutting down here, too. It's so sad in so many ways. Covid increased home schooling which has some advantages and disadvantages. I've heard of many success stories and some sad stories, too. The question is whether we will have children prepared for adult responsibilities when their time comes.... Hugs from Ohio!
ReplyDeletehttps://hellosewing.com/cat-quilt-patterns-blocks/
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