It was inevitable that I would be returning home from the Tokyo Quilt Festival with a small suitcase of fabric. With some 200+ vendor stalls there was plenty to choose from and there was something for everyone! Vendors included the big name sewing machine retailers as well as retail booths from Clover Products (notions), Tulip-Japan, Cohana Handmade Tools, bag making accessories, vintage quilts, and many many booths jam packed with fabric (including a booth by Cotton + Steel, Tilda-Japan, Moda Fabrics and Yuwa Fabrics). All kinds of fabric, ranging from vintage and feedsack fabric to traditional Japanese, Liberty of London, and modern quilting cottons.
I had not expected to see so many vendors selling original feedsack fabric and I was fascinated by them! The feedsack booths were a popular attraction and were surrounded (mobbed) by keen shoppers. The fabric pieces - often as small as a 10" squares - all looked in pristine condition, were individually packaged, and were not cheap. I did not purchase any feedsack fabric ... it felt like a slippery slope to start with purchasing even one or two small pieces ... but they were beautiful.
Hexagon Fabrics by Suzuko Koseki for Yuwa Fabrics
Text and Floral Fabrics by Suzuko Koseki for Yuwa Fabrics
Another popular booth was the La Clochette booth which carries many of Suzuko Koseki's books and fabrics, and it was most exciting to meet this popular Japanese designer in person! The latest book and fabric releases were available from the booth and I was happy to stock up on these (see above)!
30's Collection by Atsuko Matsuyama for Yuwa Fabrics
Another booth that I was pleased to stumble upon in the last hour of my second day at the festival was a vendor with all fabrics by Atsuko Matsuyama. I adore these sweet small scale fabrics by this Japanese designer and stocked up on some of the older prints from the 30's Collection by Atsuko Matsuyama as well as some of the more recently released prints.
The remainder of my fabric purchases were from a range of vendors, and include prints by Sevenberry, Quilt Gate, and Yuwa Fabrics. Having travelled from afar, I chose not to purchase fabrics that I would otherwise be able find online - like Liberty of London. I also had my eye on a beautiful Hexagon Vintage Quilt in excellent condition, which was going to have quite an impact on my cash purchases. I spotted it on my first day at the festival but decided that I needed more time to think about this purchase. When I returned to the festival on my second day, the quilt was gone. It wasn't meant to be and I think I was pleased that the decision had been made for me. I may just have to make a similar quilt myself.
NOTES ....
- Eftpos and Credit card facilities are not available at the festival (and lots of other places!). All transactions are CASH only - and that goes for on-site food/drink purchases also. Bring cash!
- It makes sense that at such a busy show the fabric selection available for purchase is limited to pre-cut pieces rather than custom cut yardage. Sizes vary from small (fat eighths) to larger 1 meter pre-cut pieces. Traditional fat eighth and fat quarter cuts are based on cm rather than inches.
- Bring a small backpack to carry your purchases - this makes navigating the crowds much easier, frees up your hands to take photos ... and browse through the many displays of fabric.
- Bring some coins with you to hire a locker for the day to store your coat. Lockers are available immediately upon entry to the Tokyo Dome, and for about $5/$6 a day you'll be grateful not to have to carry your coat.
Country Floral Collection by Nakamura
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Yuwa - Sunflower print by Junichi Nakahara
Enjoy Sunday!
Rita
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