Images of Japan - Block 3

This month I receive the final pack in the Images of Japan quilt series. And so far, I have managed to actually get round to making three of the 11 blocks! Here's the latest ...

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Cross stitching latest

Still getting through the Oriental-style cross stitch flowers. 

Here is Iris finished.

 

This week I also put together the second block for Images of Japan.

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Still embroidering for Images of Japan

Just a quick update on the Images of Japan project. I received the kit for block five in the post last week ... and I have nearly finished making block two.

The second block has some butterflies and leaves ...

Cherry blossom ...

And cranes ...

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Images of Japan - Block 1

I have now finished the first block in the Images of Japan quilt. It came together rather nicely I think and I really enjoyed getting back into a bit of hand embroidery, even with the seemingly endless miles of blanket stitch around each appliqued piece!

Anyway, here is block one done. Yay! Ten more to go! The kit for block five is due to arrive next week so I'm still playing catch-up.

 

Some highlights ...

Detached chain stitch flowers with seed beads in the centres and some spangles.

More seed beads in one of the flowers. There is also some stem stitch detail as the veins on a couple of the leaves.

The wave with a gold lattice work section and glittery blue thread.

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Images of Japan - Some embroidery

At the Knitting and Stitching Show last year I saw a beautiful quilt called Images of Japan. It is a block-a-month programme run by Village Fabrics.

After umming and aahing for a while I signed up in February and have now received the first four packs, all complete with fabrics and instructions.

Last week I decided I had better make a start on this project, so out came all the bits for block number one. It features a geisha, wave and flowers, and was a rather tricky one to start off with!

The images are all built up using applique, so out came the iron and the Bondaweb. It was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together and rather frustrating at times but I have all the pieces in place now. I finished the wave off first, adding in some embroidery and sparkly threads.




The geisha and flowers are at the just bonded stage and ready to be embroidered and embellished.

 




I am very pleased with this project so far as it allows me to explore hand embroidery, something I have been neglecting in favour of patchwork recently. However, as I am blanket stitching round each applique piece I may soon tire of that part!

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