Wednesday 26 September 2012

Our workshop was on review! Thank you!


We are very excited to find our workshop was actually on this amazing blog: Sunshineandshadowws


They have introduced so many fabulous craft projects. We found some of their Sashiko projects very amazing.

If you like them, please do not forget their blog too.


It is really nice to hear how our customers review our workshop. We would love to hear from you more and your opinion always counts to help us to run a better workshop!

More ideas have been generated for more workshops for upcoming 2012/2013 craftshows!

If you haven't attended our workshop yet, come and enjoy making some nice little projects with us!

The special clips used in this workshop are available here.




Monday 24 September 2012

Please email us once you follow our blog and facebook fan page

It was quite a large response to our previous campaign for collecting fans for our blog and facebook. Thank you very much for those who clicked "like" for us.

Please email us once you have done it and let us know so that we can post you a free pattern!


By the way, we have been busy preparing for the three major exhibitions staring next month with Expertise events.

Craft and Quilt Fair Brisbane 17-21 Oct booth B02 (right in front of the entrance!)
Craft and sewing show Caulfield Melbourne 25-28 Oct booth 146 
Craft and Quilt Fair Adelaide 8-11 Nov booth D04 (again, right in front of the entrance!) 

Workshop schedules have been released for Brisbane and Melbourne shows!

Brisbane: Hime wallet: Craft circle 1 from 10am 


Melbourne: Hime wallet: Make and take 2 from 11am. Cha pin cushion: Make and take 2 from 1pm!

Yes we are going to run this small new project for our second workshops for Melbourne show. We would have loved to do two workshops for Brisbane show.but unfortunately we could not secure the two spots (surely there are heaps of other workshops will keep you entertained).

Do not worry. Kits for Cha pin needles will be available for both shows!
This is very small and easy project and therefore perfect for little Christmas gifts, assuming no one has too much time to spare when everyone has got too many to do for Christmas dinner.

Isn't that cute? You can place those just next to your sewing machine! Note that they are very small (4cm diameter).


New Japanese-print fabrics are used for pin cushion. This time, the texture is so silky!!
These kits are available at the upcoming shows with Expertise Events. Please come and visit to our stand.




Thursday 20 September 2012

Get a special free patchwork pattern!


We have been striving to get our blog going last a couple of weeks. We thought this is great tool to connect with our customers and those who find Patchwork Mariko interesting.

We want to hear from you: feel free to write comments and tell us what you are expecting from Patchwork Mariko!

Mariko's special retro style bag pattern will be sent to everyone who follows our blog and likes our facebook page!

1) How to follow our blog

  1. Go to our blog http://patchworkmariko.blogspot.com.au/
  2. Click the icon "join this site" see the image below.


  1. Pop-up shows up and log in with your google account (or Twitter account if you have) If you don't have a google account, you can create it at this point.
  2. Select "follow publicly" and click "follow this blog" (see the image below)



2) How to like our facebook page
  1. Go to our facebook page (click here)
  2. Create your facebook account if you don't have it. Here is a great youtube site about how to create your account. It is easy and so convenient to make great connections. Highly recommended. You tube video is here
  3. Click "like" on our facebook page (see the image below).


What's great about those websites and how beneficial for you?

This is a great way to connect with you! We can share a lot of information about what we are doing.
We can always hear your opinions about our service and
what you are interested.

Yes we have many new products or unreleased products coming up and we want to show you those to see how everyone feels like it..
The main thing is... it is imporant for us to hear from you even if we live in so far away to each other.. Isn't that great?


Once you completed both, please email us and we will post you a gorgeous pattern!

Patchwork Mariko Japan



























Saturday 15 September 2012

Shop renovation finished



We have been working on renovation of Mariko shop in Japan for last a couple of months. We re-painted the wall of the shop and made a new billboard for Patchwork classes. We also installed new pink cover with our Logo above our entrance.. The logo we are using in Japan is different from Australian one.

New days just started!  I am very excited to see a new apprearence of my shop.

Happy quilting

Mariko Ikeda

Friday 14 September 2012

Country fair in Kumamoto Japan: new Shikaku bag

A month ago, I exhibited at a small craft fair in Kumamoto (my hometown in Japan).



For this show, I made a new bag with Kaffe fasset. This is a new version of Shikaku Bag.

Compare with our popular original Shikaku bag.

What do you think?

The above is slightly diffrent compred to the original Shikaku bag, using less squares with a little bit sharp triangle kind of shape. It sits well when you put it on somewhere flat.

Who wants us to sell the kits for new version of Shikaku Bag?

Please let us know your opinon. Your opinion counts.






Wednesday 12 September 2012

What I brought back from Australia

As I probably mentioned before. I spend most of my time in Japan, running my little patchwork shop and teaching quilting.

I come to Australia about three times in a year for big craft shows. In 2012, I have been to AQC (Melbourne), Sydney Craft and Quilt. Now I am looking forward to going to Brisbane in October.


One of the most exciting things for me is shopping at craftshows. Have a look what I bought there and broung back to Japan.




Are they familiar to you? 

I love craftshows in Australia. I always come back to Japan with new inspiration!

Happy quilting

Mariko

New bags available 2: Bright Sankaku Bags

White bias tapes

What do you think about this white bias tapes?


This bias tape is fusible and mainly used for stained-glass quilt.

Have a look at the image below..





Do you think these squares were sewn together? Actually these were not sewn.
This fusible bias tape will let you make this bag without piecing ths squares!!

Do you want to know more about this nifty way of making this bag?

We are going to talk more about it perhaps somewhere in our blog. However, if you want to know how to make this bag, our patterns call tell you all.

We know white bias tapes are not everyone's cup of tea. At the moment, we don't have any white bias tapes in stock. Please let us know if you want us to bring them to craftshows.

Mariko

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Magic Materials: Herita Kawa Bag




Kawa Herita Bag: be creative with minimum effort!!

This new design gives you more room for creativity compared to Taki bag (vertical one)


Since Herita strips are sewn holizontally, you can play with the seams more freely. Now there is a lot more room for your creativity when you design your bag. Play with your seams and just finger pressing the seams will create a unique form!!

Can you see some parts of the seams were finger-pressed open but the other parts are just pressed to one direction (or the other). For example, have a look on the 2nd image above, counting the seam third from the top. One third of seam from the left was opened but the rest of the seam (right part) was closed. Like this, you can create your own artistic design with just minimum effort!

Have you made this magical Herita bags yet? Once you made one, surely you will want to make another one because it is easy to make and takes only one whole day to make this bag.

All you have to do is just sew the strips down and finger press the seams open. You won't need to finish the seams because the strip is already edged! Experience this magic because this materials are different from others!

Rolls (with instruction) and kits are available here. 

Trust me, it is easy to make!


Mariko


Monday 10 September 2012

Cold cold Winter is almost over?!

Patchwork Mariko Japan are back in Melbourne to show you lots of New things! 


1. New size push spring clasps (available here)

                                   


What is new?? The length is just 10cm. The previous ones that we had were 12cm:( available here).

Responding to many customers' demands, we took a serious search for this smaller clasps!! The quality is guaranteed too. Now you can use it for a sunglass cases like the image shown below!




Limited numbers available. Be quick to secure yours as these are perfect for Christmas gifts!

You can buy those face to face too, because

we are coming to show in CRAFT AND QUILT Brisbane and our quilt artist Mariko is coming from Japan! 

We are having workshop from morning 10m.
This time our stand is right front of entrance B02 so no need to run! (but please come to early as so far our workshop filled within 10 mins and this is not a joke!)
Just simply come to our stand on the day and secure your seat!

   Hime wallet (using special closure for this wallet) 



EVENT DETAILS:
Craft and Quilt Fair,
October 17 – 21, 2012
Wednesday to Sunday
http://www.craftfair.com.au/wp/Brisbane2012/

 The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre is located in the South Bank precinct. From the CBD, pedestrian access is over Victoria Bridge, a 10 to 15-minute walk from Queen Street Mall.

See you all there!

Patchwork Mariko Japan