There is a new quilt shop in town called “Pretty Quilt”! It is the first quilt shop in the expat community of Nichada Thani, a suburb north of Bangkok. Nicole Park, one of our local quilters, owns this creative and fun shop. There are fabrics from Korea, Japan and Indonesia, kits, fat quarters, thread and cotton batting. The store is located on the 2nd floor of Oasis shopping center, next to the entrance for the Nichada Thani neighborhood on Samakee Road in Nonthaburi. Open Monday through Friday from 09:00 to 18:00. There are two quilting teachers and you can take classes in hand quilting and machine quilting. Go see the Kaffe Fassett fabric and all the cute quilting fabric and supplies.

The quilt show at International Quilt Week Yokohama is held every year in November at the Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall, Minato-Mirai 21, Yokohama, Japan. It is a fantastic show with wonderful artistic quilts on display, and plenty of shopping at the hundreds of vendors. Vendors are at the right, and quilts at the left side of the large hall. There are 3 days. On Thursday it is open from 10:00 to 6:00, Friday 10:00 to 6:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 5:00.

I just got back from the show which took place from November 11 – 14, 2009. I ordered tickets ahead in the mail from the website International Quilt Week Yokohama and the tickets arrived in the mail. It’s also easy to buy the tickets there. One ticket is good for one day. You may go out and re-enter on the same ticket after getting it stamped, so you may go outside for lunch. Inside at one corner there is a refreshment stand selling bento boxes (lunch boxes) and beverages. You can sit there or take the boxes outside and eat. The quilt show is on the ground floor. On the upper floor there is a curry restaurant which is good. You can get beef curry with cheese among other things.

The show was crowded but getting there at 10:00 or a little after 10:00 is OK as the crowd quickly enters and disperses throughout the large hall. The weather in Yokohama at this time of year is mild fall weather. People are wearing winter clothes, such as jackets, sweaters, long pants, boots and scarves. Inside the hall it is very warm. You’ll feel great in a tee shirt, jeans and sneakers for inside the hall.

The quilts on display were inspiring and beautiful. There were quilts from Russia, the U.S., Australia and other countries. There were quilts embellished with metallic fabric, buttons, and sequins. There were quilts done in a round robin by a quilt group. Some interesting techniques included fabric leaves sewn scattered across the quilt and other 3D effects. There was a huge quilt hanging from the ceiling that took 2 years of hand sewing to complete, done by a Japanese quilt group.

Most of the quilts have a sign for ‘no cameras’. You can buy a magazine with many of the quilts pictured. You can take a picture of the miniature quilts and a few quilts in sections that don’t have the no camera sign.

The vendors have Japanese fabrics. Look around for good buys on fat quarters and small squares packaged in convenient packs. There are kimonos, kits, marking pencils, thread, kimono fabric, needles, and clothing. There weren’t any classes on quilt techniques, only craft type workshops.

The vendors only take cash. It’s nice to have a backpack or rolling carry-on suitcase for purchases.  We felt there was enough to keep us busy for 2 days of the quilt show. Yokohama is a beautiful port city. Shops close at 8:00 pm but restaurants remain open late. Our 3rd day in Japan we spent in Tokyo taking a city tour. All in all it’s well worth a trip.

Silver Spot Shop - used machines are shown here on tables, new machines up on shelf

Silver Spot Company Limited
13-15 Chakrawat Road, Bangkok

tel. 02 222 5535, 02 223 9337

This small shop is located in Chinatown near the intersection of Charoen Krung and Chakrawat Roads. On display are Janome, Singer, Mitsubishi, Penguin and Iron Man. These are your basic machines, under 5000 baht. They’ll show you new machines at really low prices too.

They also repair sewing machines.

Chakrawat Road

Here I am in front of the shop.

Many hands have joined together to make a beautiful king size quilt to raise money for Our Home. The project was initiated by Faye Vawdrey, who harnessed the energy of her quilting friends from many different countries, who were all living in Thailand in the Chonburi and Rayong provinces.

Despite having now returned to her native Australia, Faye completed the quilt top and passed it to the young women of Our Home in Rayong, who hand quilted it.

Our Home was established some years ago by Khun Tiew to provide a safe secure place for displaced women to live and earn money, while learning the quilting trade. Their exquisite hand quilting is exemplified by this fan quilt. If you would like to support these young women, please consider using their completion services for your next quilting project or buy a raffle ticket today!

One raffle ticket is 100 baht, or 6 for 500 baht. Please contact me if you want to buy tickets and I’ll put you in touch with Khun Tiew. Thank you!

Enter your quilt in the challenge! Deadline is February 10, 2010. The Australasian Quilt Convention (AQC) Challenge is on again. The theme for quilt entries is “Remember” and the winners will be announced at the Convention.

Royal Exhibition Building located on Rathdowne Street in Carlton Gardens.

Date of quilt show: April 29 to May 2, 2010
Place: the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, Australia
Prize money: First prize $5000, Runner-up: $2000, Age 18 and under: $500

The theme is “Remember” with prizes awarded based on the interpretation of theme, excellence in design and craftsmanship.

The Australasian Quilt Convention is a world class event and the largest of its kind in Australia. Entries are again expected to be generated from all parts of Australia as well as international entrants. It is sponsored by the Australian Patchwork & Quilting magazine in conjunction with Expertise Events.

“We are expecting thousands of quilters from around the country and several from overseas to once again visit this fantastic event and with such a thought provoking theme: “Remember”. We have high expectations of the quality and number of entries for the AP&Q AQC Challenge in 2010”, said Judy Newman of Expertise Events.

For Challenge Rules and Entry Form please go to Australian Patchwork and Quilting and click on RULES AND ENTRY FORM. Go here to sign up for a once a week email about the show Australasian Quilt Convention.

The JCC Shop, on Narathiwat Road near intersection with Surawong Rd Tel. 02-234-6564, 02-234-8861, 02-235-7773, 02-235-7896, 02-235-9109, 02-235-9215

The JCC shop carries the Olfa brand rotary cutters and accessories. If you take the BTS Skytrain, get off at the Chong Nonsi station. Walk out exit 4 onto Narathiwat Road. Walk straight ahead and the JCC shop is on your right before Narathiwat Road ends in an intersection with Surawong Road. If you are driving, you can park behind the shop. Unfortunately, the sign for the shop is hidden under the awning. It is almost impossible to see! Just remember it is on Narathiwat Road near the intersection with Surawong. The window of the shop has a giant stapler and stationery items.

Prices

Olfa rotary blades come in boxes of 6 blades and are labeled Olfa spare blade RB45-1. Wholesale price, if you buy several dozen, is about B120 per blade.

12″ X 12″ cutting mat

36″ X 24″ cutting mat B1200

6″ X 12″ quilter’s ruler

6″ X 24″ quilter’s ruler

There’s a little shop along Sampeng Lane in Chinatown, Bangkok, which sells sewing notions of all kinds. They have pom poms, net, zippers, ribbon, buttons, metallic yarn, beads, hair clips, lace, sequins, cord, lace collars, bias tape, and feathers! You can order printed ribbon here, like printed with your school logo or something. Also they have generic printed ribbon like hearts and other designs.

#89 Bangkok Thaviwat shop

Thaviwat business card

Sri Song Swad shop is a shop on Sampeng Lane which sells everything for babies and that includes quilt batting. The owner speaks English and he said that a wholesale roll of batting will fit in a taxi, so it is possible! He said it’s small enough but when you open it, it explodes and expands.  Haven’t tried it yet.  The only type of batting available in Thailand is polyester, so that’s what our quilt group uses for charity quilts.

The ladies in our quilt group are busy sewing quilts for kids in need.  Recently Linda sent 5 of our quilts to a newly built orphanage in Phrae, Thailand. It’s called Ban Meata which means House of Mercy. They take in children and babies who are in risk or crisis situations or have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Financial support for Mercy International’s operations comes from individuals, clubs, businesses and churches in Australia and other countries. They run three orphanages in Thailand in Khon Kaen, Petchabun and Phrae.

Wendy from Mercy International tells us, “Additionally, if you are interested in supporting one of our other homes in the future, it is based in the province of Petchabun and currently they have 90+ orphan kids in care there, ranging from 18 months thru to 16 years of age. I am sure they would treasure a quilt each too!  Thanks so much for blessing the kids in our care.”

Finished size 42″ square.  Download as a word document here offsetframe

The center squares are a good place to use large scale novelty prints. This is called the focus fabric.

Cut strips across the full width of 44″ fabric. Kit contents:
Color number 1 – focus fabric: One whole and one half strip 6-1/2 inches wide for centers. Four 2 1/2 ” strips for the borders.
Color number 2 – first frame: Three and a half strips 2-1/2 inches wide
Color number 3 – second frame: 4 strips 2-1/2 inches wide
Color number 4 – sashing: 7 strips 2-1/2 inches wide

Sew on two borders: Measure width of quilt. Pin top and bottom borders to quilt, right sides together with quilt, short edges extending a bit beyond quilt. Sew with a 1/4″ seam, then trim ends to match the width of the quilt.
Sew the next two borders: Repeat with two more strips.

Making the quilt sandwich: Press the fabric to be used for the quilt back. Lay out a piece of batting the required size (should be 44″ square) on a flat surface.
Place the pressed piece of backing fabric RIGHT SIDE UP on top of the batting.
Place the completed, pressed top WRONG SIDE UP on top of backing. RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER!
Smooth the wrinkles and center the top on the batting and backing. The top will be slightly smaller. Make sure the backing and batting are the same size or a bit larger than the top. Pin around the edges, through all the layers.
Starting on any edge and about one third in from any corner, sew 1/4″ from the raw edge of top around all four sides, leaving an opening of about 10″. Start with backstitching, pivot at each corner, and end with backstitching. Trim seams and clip corners. Turn carefully to right side, pulling corners as square as possible. Press lightly and stitch opening shut by hand or machine. Topstitch around the outer edges to make the quilt more durable. Use a decorative stitch if you wish.
Tying the quilt: Use all 6 strands of embroidery floss threaded through a needle. From the top of the quilt, push the needle through and back up 1/4″ away. Pull the thread, leaving about 4″. Wrap the threads in the right hand not once but twice around the other thread. Pull tightly. Tie again, wrapping the left thread two times around right. Repeat this in a pattern over the whole quilt. Every 3″ to 4″ is good coverage. Trim floss ends to 1/2″ to 1/4″.
OR machine quilt.

Your Offset Frame kids quilt is done!