J is for Japanese fabrics

Japanese fabric has become popular in quilting circles of late. At first the Japanese fabric that was to be found in shops and online featured traditional Japanese motifs. My earliest fabrics featured little girls in kimonos, parasols, temples. However with the modern quilt movement and the fresh clean aesthetic of many designs and fabrics there has been a change in the Japanese fabrics available as well. 

I have been collecting cat fabrics for a while with the intention of making a quilt for a dear friend. I was going to make it for her 60th birthday but things got busy and I had put it off. Then to our delight and surprise (hers too I might add) she met a wonderful man and in November, shortly after her birthday, they announced that they were to be married. So exciting and totally delightful. Now the planned cat quilt wasn't to be just a snuggle quilt for the loungeroom. It needed to be for a queen bed. Something really special. I needed a lot more fabric.

Massdrop was my rescue (Downfall??) They had a fat quarter bundle on offer - featuring cats...

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It was called Neko by Hyakka Ryoran it was perfect for my friend. Her husband to be has a daughter (a very good friend of ours) who teaches Japanese.

The problem was... the cat fabrics I had already collected didn't really go with the fabric in the collection. I needed a few more fabrics for the pattern I had chosen and I felt that I needed more Japanese fabrics to complement the gorgeous nekos in the fabric (Neko is Japanese for cat) Massdrop was again my rescuer... downfall. They released another drop also by Hyakka Ryoran featuring designs inspired by traditional kimono prints.

I made an error when placing my order and accidentally ordered 2 bundles so I ended up with heaps of fabric.

The quilt made from Japanese fabrics Dash That Cat, wedding gift for my friends Suzy and Stan

I ended up making 2 quilts from the Japanese fabrics and I still have quite a few fat quarters left.