the force of nature displayed again

Yet another unbelievable disaster this week with the earthquake in Japan. We have visited twice and loved it, and feel very much for the Japanese people. We travelled to Hokkaido by train 18 months ago, through the area affected, and in some parts in the north, the train line runs right beside the coast. The devastation we are seeing is heart rending, and the impact unimaginable. Here is a picture of part of the harbour in Hakodate, as we saw it under much happier circumstances.

I am still busily stitching little squares and strips, but yesterday had time out to attend the SA Quilters' Guild Country Forum. It was an inspiring day with Lyn Uppill talking about Japanese indigo and sashiko, Rachelle Denenney her World of Beauty winning quilt and Pam Holland about embellishment. If someone could hand out more time it would be good! Well done to the girls who ran it.

Visited Cape Coast Textiles today and had the very difficult, but enjoyable, task of choosing some of the wonderful fabrics from Ghana. No projects for them at the moment on my part, but some is for a vest for Max, and I have promised to revise some sewing skills to make a shirt - since discovering patchwork I have only made vests. Also couldn't resist a metal pangolin (an African anteater which grows to about a metre in length) made in Ghana. He will go with the echidna collection, which could more correctly be called the spikey creature collection. I will get around to photographing it soon, but thought instead today, I would show that I am not the only collector in the house -