Festival of Quilts 2010

I've posted about my visit to the Festival of Quilts at Online Quilting, both about the wonderful quilts I saw exhibited there and about the various purchases I made (well, it's rude not to isn't it?) and here I want to share the Japanese goodies I brought home from Birmingham.
My first stop was at Susan Briscoe's stand where I bought some lovely vintage kimono fabric pieces which I am going to use for some fabric postcards, all gorgeous autumnal leaves on a sashiko background (hopefully).

I've never made a doll but I couldn't resist this kimono-clad doll kit from Step By Step Patchwork Centre.

And I negotiated for two free FQs with the purchase, I feel a bag coming on!

There were other trade stalls selling Japanese fabrics but I have to say I was surprised at how much variation there was in both price and quality.  It was worth having a good look (and feel) around before settling on what to buy and I'm very happy with what I brought home.

I enjoyed seeing this Japanese-inspired jacket in the exhibition, I hope you can see the detail in the photograph.  The garments, "Gifts 'Round the World'" by Elizabeth Shapland  included curved piecing, applique, beading, hand-quilting with speciality threads and Japanese-style knotted insert strips.

A great find came at the very end of the day, just as I was heading towards the exit.  A stand filled with Japanese fabrics, all half metres, all £3 each.  On the stand were a young couple from California who come over to Festival of Quilts each year.  A shop in Chichester also stocks some of their gorgeous Japanese fabrics.  It's The Eternal Maker and is, of course, on my must visit list now.

It was difficult to select just a few fabrics (and they could only take cash so I was limited) but I was inspired by the indigo and terracotta quilt on display on the stand and so I went for these: