adorable little girl bolts

My newest find includes six colorful cottons for little girl kimonos. Instead of 12 yards per bolt, these junior bolts measure just four to six yards. ARRIVED.

enchanted

Today I bought my first bolts of silk from Japan. Hand-dyed from the Showa era, the four silks are medium-weight for making haoris. (Haoris are jackets of varying lengths worn over kimonos to keep them clean and dry.) ARRIVED.

rare vintage odori bolt

In Japanese, odori means dance. This hand-dyed odori bolt is for making a yukata worn by a woman dancing onna odori. The pattern changes throughout the bolt, creating a more elaborate dress. Her apparel would include a traditional straw hat and geta wooden clogs. The flat square bolt is completely unique to me. ARRIVED.

east coast connection

Cathy Izzo, owner of City Quilter, NYC

Researching quilting resources in New York, I learned about City Quilter. Opened by Cathy Izzo and her husband Dale in 1997, the shop is a quilting center with 3000 bolts of quality cottons, a full selection of supplies, Bernina machines, and 50 classes every quarter.

I made an appointment for Monday to show owner Cathy Izzo the yukata cottons I import. As a fellow quilter and Japanophile, she was very interested. We struck an agreement and I will be sending her 50 yards to test in the NYC market.

classics

Pine cones and irises. These indigo on white patterns murmur hot summer nights–when Japanese attend community festivals wearing yukatas and stroll along food stalls with okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) under skies filled with colorful fireworks.

These two bolts are coming from Tokamachi, northwest of Tokyo. ARRIVED.

bold by design—japanese-style

These five bolts of vintage yukata cotton are on their way from Japan. Each one, so different from the other, look great together. Like a quilt! ARRIVED

sublime camelias

This honzome-dyed yukata cotton quietly murmurs elegance. The brush-stroke flowers and leaves on the doe gray background are lusciously spaced. This fabric longs to be a table runner for a winter feast. ARRIVED.

bolt gaga

It’s only a bolt of fabric, but I love this one. It’s fresh and sweet—and will look wonderful with other indigo and white vintage yukata cottons. ARRIVED.