Seeing the earth and stars

Whew!  My young friend, M-san, made her first paper-piecing Atomic Star!  I fed her chocolate and sweet cafe latte after she had finished.

Before we began I had sent M-san a You-Tube video showing how to make the stars and I wasn't sure if it would just scare her off or inspire her but she watched it and was surprised that we would be sewing on top of the paper.  I stood over her and directed as she went through the steps.  

"Place a card next to the line and fold the paper back."

"Roller cut 1/4 inch from the paper to make a visible edge."

"Slip the next piece of fabric and line up the edge."

"Check the mirror image of the under fabric."

"Pick it up and carry it to the machine."

"Place the needle first at the entry point, lower the machine foot and sew."

"Fold the fabric flat from the seam."

"Place a card next to the NEXT line and fold the paper back..."

"Repeat."

We messed up once and had to redo one small piece.  Paper piecing allows ONE mistaken seam before the paper is too perforated to continue...  Think the steps through!

And M-san had her completed Atomic Star!  The first of many more (hopefully...)  or she may have decided never to do it again!  She kept saying, 

"I don't think I know what I'm doing.... I'm just doing."

It takes practice and even some attempts that have to get thrown out.  One star a week for her may keep her motivated...  too many and the brain begins to hurt!

As an...  "AHEM", experienced paper piecer, (though I still mess up once each star) I have given myself the goal to make one star a DAY!  I need 30 in all and I do have other projects on the table so one star is about right for my brain too.  Here on my design wall are the 7 black stars that I have made, M-san's blue one, my practice white one and an idea of how the other solid diamonds are going to surround the quilt at a later date.  

Thursday I got a post card in the mail and I was delighted to find that the Tokyo International Quilt Festival Partnership Quilt project committee had sent out post cards printed of the quilt where our blocks had ended up.  It was nice of them to make this extra effort and keep track of who's block was in which quilt and then address all the postcards to be sent.  (When we sent out the blocks last summer we included a self addressed post card so that the committee could let us know which quilt our block was in...  but that self-addressed post card had already been sent back to me at the end of last year.  The quite extensive job of sending the post cards this time is proof of the committee's conscientiousness.) My block is on the right hand side...  in the lower center...  and clearly says LOVE THE EARTH which was the theme this year.  Can you find it?  

As I expected, there were so many circles represented in the blocks...  Carin sent me a picture of her post card and hers was in a quilt with mostly circles too.  It was really hard to express "earth" in the very small square and I think a lot of us quilters fell back to the circle motif...  

What will next year's theme be?  As far as I know, though the 2021 quilt show had to be cancelled, the 2022 show is still on the docket.

For the nation

Even though I've lived in Japan for over 40 years, I have only American citizenship and I will always consider myself American.  Because Tetsu doesn't speak English and doesn't even adjust well to vacations in the States, I will probably never live there again.  However, with both our children and their families living permanently in the States, my heart and thoughts turn daily to what is going on in the States... With Covid and even political concerns.  

Today is already January 20th in Japan and my focus is praying for the United States on the new president's inauguration day and term.  He, and all his advisors need wisdom, courage, perseverance, health, understanding and good hearts.  And God's help.

Praying today.

   

Quilts in Indiana and Japan

Oh dear.  Not too much interesting going on on my side of the world.  I was complaining to Marlene that there is nowhere to go, we don't see anyone and my biggest excitement of a week is going grocery shopping.  

Leiya, however, keeps in touch and sends us videos and photos of Luka so that is always a high point of the day.

And here is Luka under the quilt I made for him!  Yes, it arrived in Indiana maybe two days before he was born...  I had sent it at the beginning of October and it took more than two months to get to Indiana.  But it arrived in time!

So fun to see my grandbaby under a quilt I've made!  

Another picture that we love seeing is the first snow at Tony and Leiya's new house.  Doesn't it look cozy?!  I love that they live with lots of trees around them.  That big wreath on their chimney makes their house look like a puppy dog!  But Leiya said that they are going to take down the winter decorations so it might not have the same animal appeal that it has during the Christmas months...

My McKenna quilt is now in one piece and I need to figure out how to put borders on at this late date.  That means adding borders (two) adding backing in strips and sandwiching batting before it is ready to quilt...  Or maybe quilt-as-you-go the borders first and THEN put it all together...  This is going to take some brain power on my part today.  

And up on my design wall are three atomic starburst stars...  The white one is my practice star and now I've started making the stars in black...  I think I have 30 to paper piece so that will be my daily goal for a month.  One star a day.  

And can you believe, my young quilting friend is going to attempt this paper piecing technique later this week.  She likes making something that I am working on so that we can sort of compare our colors and fabrics and she wanted to try this.  She is a very dedicated, clever young woman and I've been impressed at how quickly she catches on (to tatting, to quilting, to sewing with a sewing machine) still, this isn't an easy pattern...  I told her to build up her stamina this week so that we can work on her Atomic Starburst stars this Friday.  Gulp.  I hope I'm not throwing her into too deep a challenge!

Cold, crafty, calculating

Yesterday our prefecture was put on red alert for the Covid-19 virus.  We have had a sudden leap in cases and it is rather a surprise that this comparatively unpopulated prefecture might suddenly be classed with the larger metropolises such as Tokyo and Osaka.  Well, I had canceled English for the ladies this month and we have avoided going to the pool and stopped eating out at all.  I still go to the crosswalk every morning but the school is nervously waiting for further instructions from the city as some of the students have younger siblings who attend a pre-school where children have contracted the virus.  

My cold, winter days are filled with sewing and doing computer things...  Takumi set up a new computer for me over the weekend and I am getting used to the new functions!  

Here is my flower applique quilt which I spend my evenings quilting.  I notice how much black DOG fur that it is picking up from the floor as John is usually lounging at my feet.  This is going to need a really good cleaning with a sticky brush as well as a good washing when it is done.  No reason to try to keep it clean now. 

And upstairs I am happy to announce that this morning I finished machine quilting all the McKenna blocks for the farm quilt.  Hopefully this will be the last time to see this quilt in pieces.  I used invisible thread, though at first I had a lot of problems getting the tension right.  Also, I didn't have enough backing to use for all the pieces so all the backings are different!  Either that will be a disaster or it will add interest when the quilt is done.  I now have to figure out how to put this all together in one piece!  (and add borders...)  I have a feeling I'm going to have to put some thin sashing around each block when sewing it all together because it is quilted right up to the seam line...  That's okay with me because I've always thought the McKenna quilts feel a little jumbled because there is no break between the blocks.  How to do it though is going to be another challenge!

This was my sewing room when I started this morning.  I had those last two blocks to do that were still on the design wall.  I've now cleaned up my sewing room (except for all the quilt blocks on the floor!) in order to start a new quilt tomorrow with M-san my young quilter friend.

As long as this is a crafty post I'll show you what I've been doing in my Bullet Journal.  I wasn't going show pictures of what I've been doing there because it is so heavily Pinterest inspired, but it is a very nice outlet for me and I enjoy going back and looking at the artwork I've added (even though none of it is original).  

The only thing original about this addition is the coloring that I did... with a stencil I made!  I have been watching a Craftsy art class video and the artist gave simple instructions for making a stencil with Hot Bond...  with a glue gun!  

So, a simple design is drawn on oven paper (so it doesn't stick) with the hot glue from the glue gun and when it is hardened it can be peeled off and used with sponge stenciling and water colors.  I made a couple of shapes and now that I know how to do it maybe I'll get better and be able to use the technique again.

Another Pinterest inspired entry.

This one made me laugh!

It is rather silly to be keeping a Bullet Journal in these times as there is nothing on our schedules anymore!  But doodling is enjoyable and maybe someday, looking back, there will be good memories to be found...

Adults' Day

January 11, today, is Adults' Day in Japan.  

From age 20, young people are legally considered adults and that is the voting and drinking age.  To celebrate the big day, usually the local towns and cities will have a ceremony in which the mayor or someone high up, will offer congratulations and emphasize the responsibilities to all the 20 year olds that gather.  Often the ceremony becomes sort of a reunion for the young people who dispersed to different high schools and groups of new adults will go off to party (first time with alcohol?) and catch up.  The girls especially will dress up, sometimes in chic outfits but more often in elaborate kimonos.   For parents, and grandparents, no cost is spared to give the girl in the family a chance to have hair, kimono, make-up done up professionally to be photographed for family history.  For the young men, occasionally they too will wear dark kimonos but more often they will wear their first dark suit purchased to wear at interviews with their future employers.

Alas, with Covid rampant, most of Japan's Adult Day ceremonies have been cancelled and there will hopefully be very few gatherings of old friends for the spreading of news and viruses...  But especially girls had planned to wear kimono, had for months made appointments with hair dressers, kimono dressers (yes!  One doesn't just throw on a kimono.  A professional dresser is needed to wear one of these elaborate outfits with decoratively tied obi belts) and in many cases, reservations are made to rent kimonos for the day.  And of course, the professional photographer has been reserved also.  

Yesterday I had a sudden visitor and I hardly recognized her!  N-chan, all dressed up in kimono for Adults' Day.  It was so nice of her to think of me and want to show me how lovely she has become!  N-chan probably started English when she was in 2nd or 3rd grade, and she came to my house weekly until she went to middle school.  And now she is 20 and will begin working from April!

First, N-chan's kimono.  

Her mother (who came with N-chan) said that this was her own kimono that she wore when she was graduating from college.  When a girl wears a kimono for graduation, the lower half is covered in wide black kimono "pants" and there isn't the fancy tied obi.  N-chan has two older sisters so I'm thinking that they too must have worn this same kimono for their own Adults Day ceremonies.  That's at least four good uses that this very expensive kimono has gotten!

It is interesting to me how girls' fashion has changed even wearing kimono these days.  When I first came to Japan it was unheard of for a girl to have dyed hair but N-chan sports an ombre dye these days.  She also wore fresh flowers in her hair whereas traditionally crepe handmade flowers would cascade over the forehead.  Also, one would never wear jewelry with a kimono and watches, bracelets, heavy rings and earrings would be removed when wearing Japanese attire.  Not anymore!  And if you look closely, N-chan had her nails done with a bright green manicure (with glittering jewels too!)  But it all pulls together into a modern Japanese girl's style.

A traditional brocade obi with traditional beads...  but the side tie of the obi rope is new to me.

Where it really gets fancy is how the brocade obi, which is quite lengthy and stiff, can get tied into such a beautiful bow, and then is held together with utilitarian ties and all that is hidden under the decorative obi ropes.

As we chatted and as I took pictures, I asked N-chan what her new job from April would be and she said that she is just finishing up veterinary nursing school and she will be working at a veterinary clinic in a few months.  WOW!  Do I respect her and anyone who can do veterinary work!  Ah...  N-chan always loved our cats when she came for English and I asked if she remembered Mi-chan and any other of our animals.  She could reel off Vel's name (gone now) and Cleo's and Toi's.  I brought Mi-chan outside to show N-chan but wouldn't let her hold the kitty.  Think what cat claws could do to that kimono!!!  N-chan would always run for Mi when she visited and spent many hours with Mi on her lap as she studied English. 

I was so glad to see N-chan and hear about her new life.  After we said good-bye and I brought Mi-chan back into the house I whispered into her furry ear, 

"You may have had something to do with N-chan's career choice.  You were always her favorite and I'm sure her love of animals grew just because you were in her life."

   

Family update

I need to thank you all for the good thoughts and the prayers that I asked you to send for Takumi.  He seems to be over the worse of whatever it was that laid him low and for so long.  

Normally I think of Takumi as a very healthy young man but what with the situation in the Los Angeles area I just didn't feel that he was getting the medical care that he needed during this pandemic.  He made numerous trips to Urgent Care, when he finally talked with a regular doctor it was all online which my old-fashioned brain mistrusted... He has seen a doctor in person now and as he had demanded more tests to figure out what was wrong back at the end of the year, those tests are being done finally now.  The bottom line is that the doctor has no answers for why Takumi was so sick but as he is better now they will just keep the situation in mind.

Tetsu and I are so relieved to get messages from Takumi and hear that he is feeling better.  Yesterday Julieta sent me a picture and explanation of the Mexican tradition of Rosca de Reyes... for Three Kings' Day.  We are just happy to know that Takumi and Julieta are with her mother and brother and that all of them are supporting each other through hardships. There is Takumi in the middle of the lower photos, between Julieta's mother and brother.  So happy to see him well again!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

Leiya and Tony and Luka have support again too as Tony's mother is now visiting Indiana and will be with them for a couple of weeks.  Finding time to sleep seems to be a challenge as is breastfeeding but with another set of hands (maybe not... Tony is on rotation at the hospital this week) life can continue smoothly.  Most of Leiya's photos of Luka are of him sleeping!  

I love seeing how motherly Leiya has become!  All the cooing and kisses that she gives Luka.  Leiya is really enjoying her new identity!

An outing or two

For someone who didn't want to buy a new car, Tetsu is sure having a good time with it!  He claims that it is all because I got annoyed with his wishy-washiness and snapped,

"Just buy the car!  You've spent all these weeks pouring through websites and visiting car lots.  Just do it!  Next year we're going to have to think about our other car and then you'll have TWO car purchases to worry about!"  

(In Japan there is a mandatory inspection every two years and it comes down to it is cheaper to buy a new car after a certain age than do the inspection again.)

He calls me from his car phone now for no other reason than to tell me that he is calling from his car phone.  

When out, he asks me every couple of minutes if the seat warmer is too hot for me or to let me know how comfortable he feels.

He is overjoyed that the car beeps if he goes over the center line and tells him he is drifting.

He likes backing into parking spaces because he can watch him maneuvers on the car screen.

...I have yet to try and drive the new car.

A couple of days after New Years, Tetsu was begging to go for a drive somewhere "to try out the new car" and so we headed into the mountains in hopes of finding an onsen where there weren't many people.  If you remember, Tetsu's favorite past-time has always been onsen and hot baths but I've nixed all possibilities of overnight stays or traveling.

"Are you crazy!  The government is telling us to stay home!  We are NOT going on an overnight trip anywhere."  

But we headed up the mountains to a far away spa and did enjoy a couple of hours there where we met very few people.  The onsen of course now has hand-gel at the entrance and now require us to sign in with name and address in case there are any reported Covid cases. 

Snow! 

The mountains were beautiful and the onsen was very hot and relaxing.

There were only two other ladies in the women's bath and the water was so hot in the outdoor bath that I stood naked and alone looking over the mountain and river.  We really hope we'll someday soon get a chance to spend a night or two at an onsen this year...

Yesterday I had hoped to spend most of the day quilting the McKenna quilt.  YES!  I have started!  and more importantly I have decided to quilt this in blocks and then sew the blocks together (somehow!) at a later date.  I just couldn't image wrestling a big, stiff quilt in my domestic machine and so I've started with four center blocks, that I'd already joined.  This is probably a smart move on my part because even the four blocks seems like an endless project... 

... And so when Tetsu suggested we go for ANOTHER drive yesterday, I was partly relieved to get away from the endless sewing and partly annoyed for being taken away again.  We visited a new library in another far away town and then went to see if the swans were visiting a countryside marsh.  There have been years when the marsh was overrun with swans but none when we got there... 

Ducks.

But here come some swans!

Back to my sewing.