Q. Ms. Iida, you have been active in various fields. What made you interested in creating Quilts?

First, when I was in the 5th or 6th grade of elementary school, my grandmother who lived with me, was a person who was doing everything in Japanese dressmaking! She did sewing on cloth and also kimono. It was the first time that my grandmother gave me a sewing needle in the upper grades of elementary school. It was the first time for me to have some interests in sewing when she taught me how to put on a button. By doing that she praised me a lot and it encouraged me so much to have confidence. When I grew up, I got married, had a child and after that had some free time! I went to a bookstore to take up the needle and sewing again. When I went to the bookshop, I saw one quilt book. It was a small accessory, so I thought I could do it, so I bought it! I’ve liked hand crafting since I was student, so I had all the materials such as fabrics. I started to do patch work with the small fabrics by learning from the book and imitating the appearance – – in between caring for my children. At that time, I found much joy in making quilts because it was not so difficult for me through the instruction of books. Quilting fit my taste and character. That’s when I realized quilts are the right thing for me! Now it has been 30 years since then. Of course, I started doing quilting in earnest even later; but it started as my hobby.

Q. What is your personal appeal in quilts?

What I’ve learned now is that quilts can express personality. I found that it was to express the character of each person. Even if I have not met the person who made the quilt, I understand the character of the creator from the use of color and fabrics. When I see the quilt, I can imagine that he or she is more daring, bold or delicate. It brings out the individuality of the quilt maker. Then, I recognized that I was so attracted by the quilt, which expresses our character very much. Then, people can understand my character by looking at my work. You can understand the individuality without meeting and it can appeal to the people. It is a creative place. When I was looking at quilts in Japan (only), I had never thought about individuality. I just looked at what I liked or didn’t like. However, it was 2014 when I saw the individual character of the creator for the first time when I went abroad. If I did not look at the quilts overseas, I would not have thought about the character of the creator in their works. When I went to the 2014 Houston, Texas Quilt Show in the United States and saw these overseas works, I was already shocked! It’s too different from the quilts that I have seen. The images of the overseas quilters changed tremendously. When I saw their works, it really impacted me since the works are quite different from ours (including the ones I have seen in Japan.) My image of the quilters of overseas has changed a lot. You know, the Japanese quilt is hand sewing and it needs delicate attention and lots of patience to sew tiny pieces to connect them. The colors are also different. Ours are more soft colors to be matched to the Japanese house. When I saw the quilts in the USA, most of those are made by sewing machine. The colors are much more vivid with unique color combinations. Quilts like this, I have never seen in Japan all displayed and lined up at a venue like in Houston, Texas USA. I was so overwhelmed by the scope of quilts I saw. That was culture shock. I was so impressed by the freedom, no fixed way of thinking in their work.

Q. You are making mainly Hawaiian Quilts. Why do you like the things related to Hawaii?

As I mentioned earlier, I was doing a little patchwork at first, but I just like to sew with needles. However, patch work needs to start with color coordination and requires more time to think about the colors, while my favorite process of actually sewing became less and less. There was a place where I was gradually asking myself, “Is this right for me?”When I thought so, my friend said, “I want to go to Hawaii,” so I agreed to her proposal! As soon as I arrived in Hawaii, I sensed a different atmosphere and suddenly I fell in love with Hawaii. Even though I did not know anything about Hawaii, I just liked it. Then, it comes up in my mind… There are Hawaiian Quilts. I was so curious and thinking of it. Then, I went to the shop to see it. It looked really simple and an easy quilt to make. I thought that maybe I’m better off here? With two color combinations, I can continue to sew… Yes, it is quite right for me. After returning to Japan, I searched for a classroom that would teach me Hawaiian quilting and went there. There was curriculum there, which I did not really like, but I learned a lot and got the certification as an instructor. During that time of learning, I thought that I obtained every technique and that it would be useful for my future… Then, I was really absorbed in the Hawaiian Quilt from there!

Q. The sewing box I saw on your blog was very nice. It looks really beautiful. That is quilting, but not the wall hanging type. It is a small box but, it was really chic.

Thank you so much. That’s right! Yes, Hawaiian quilts were originally for the bed cover, tapestries and cushion covers. And, it was thanks to Ms. Cathy Nakajima, Hawaiian Quilts spread in Japan in the accessory category! For Japanese people, we like the useful practical things. Nowadays, many people are making many things with lots of ingenuity. Among them, I have the class and teach the people how to make the Hawaiian Quilts. I think that it is my big role to teach the students all of the techniques I have of Hawaiian Quilts and provide for them my design, too. I went to Houston, Texas USA in 2014, and this time I became interested in sewing machine quilts and contests. So, I was interested in the contest because it’s a very simple thing that you can make a miniature in a small size (laughs)! That is why I created by hand sewing for approximately 3 years. But, when I looked at the overseas miniature quilts, it’s really fine. It’s really delicate and detailed. It was so fine that I couldn’t catch up just by hand. I realized that the sewing machine can really do fine work. But, it was hard to start with a sewing machine from the beginning. It is not possible to do such a thing by hand sewing. From there, I switched to a sewing machine. I started to enter my sewing machine quilts and miniature quilts into the contests. With the experience of making machine quilts, I was able to make the accessory sewing box you saw in my blog.

-Wow, oh that’s it!

That’s Right! Yes, most of materials are obtained in the USA. Of course, I love USA cotton fabrics, but we do not use the USA cottons for Hawaiian Quilts. Mostly, we use USA cottons for the back side as a lining fabric. After that, I really looked forward to going to Houston to select those fabrics very much. That box was made by the materials I bought in Houston last year. There is some batting, which is available in Japan and we put the batting in between and arrange the quilting by sewing machine. In USA, however, I found the batting, which is not available in Japan and bought it. I used this for this sewing box. I really love making small items/accessories like this!

Q. When you design such a small article, how do you come up with the idea? By the fabrics you selected or the design itself?

Well – – It is all my inspirations. Really, it is inspiration and by the intuition. In case of that sewing box, I really wanted to make the sewing box for sewing machine quilts, so what should I do with the cloth? Then, I looked for the fabrics. I have the stocks of my all favorite fabrics. Since it would be quite disappointing if I found there were no materials. Then, I selected the fabrics and decided the size dimensions. I am not the type to lay-out from the beginning. It’s not the type of project that starts by designing everything from the beginning, but instead…let’s make it this size, then cut the cloth and sew it on the sewing machine. Just cut the fabrics and sew. If the size is a little bit small, then, I change the size again and gradually customize to make it. It’s always like that! I also say that there is no plan (smile & laughs). Hawaiian Quilt designs are often like that!

Q. Having heard your story, is it the most fun and enjoyment when you are sewing?

Yes, I really enjoy my time most by sewing. But, it totally depends on the time. For example, I was asked by a student to make the design of a Hawaiian Quilt. You know, the Hawaiian Quilt has the design of 1/8, 1/4 pattern. One pattern design is to be expanded symmetrically in the vertical and horizontal directions. Therefore, designs can be done in such a small space. It was quite simple. Therefore, I asked the student to cut the piece and put it. Then, when it is opened, it is a dramatic show time reveal to really find out what it will actually look like. It is said that the whole picture can only be understood by expanding it. That is the most exciting time for all of us.

Q. At the time of creating, do you design with a theme such as the ocean or the sky… when you begin to design the quilt?

The Hawaiian Quilt has a tropical plant as the motif. There are things that are a little different from plants, such as plants and dolphins, sea turtles, corals, etc., but in general they are often requested by themselves (from the students). It is most likely that my students request me to design with one article. For example, please design a hibiscus or pineapple. Or please put everything as many as possible. In that way, we respond to all students requests. So that’s all there is to it! When you say theme, it is very easy and clear. It is a hibiscus. There isn’t a depth of theme within the landscape.

Q. I see! Then it is easy to understand!

Yes, it is quite clear. There are no difficult themes, which require explanations, in my case… (smiles & laughs)!Just see – – and you got my theme. It is quite simple.

Q. You are also active in various quilt shows overseas. (Outside Japan) What kind of things do you keep in mind when creating your work for overseas? And contests?

There is nothing special for me to think of. My image is that overseas quilters are very colorful, have a combination of motifs, and are truly unique, with free ideas. They have quite a free spirit to make the quilt… That is my image. Then what are the different features of the Japanese quilters?I wonder if they can create with the Japanese delicate and fine techniques. Every year, Japanese hand quilters are wining some prizes in the USA contests. When I was in the Houston show, it was said that Japanese quilters are wonderful. I was so happy and thought that our Japanese delicacy would be very admirable from other countries. Then, it is my role to incorporate such unique Japanese originality and technique into my quilt. I believe that there are many ways to express it. For example, if we put the image of Japan, it would be Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms. But, for me it is not. The flow of my theme is all about tropical plants, and I also make miniature quilts. Therefore, I am trying to keep that kind of Japanese image aside and I would like to make a quilt which is not the same as others, while using the Japanese fine techniques and my ingenuity.

Q. Is that part of your future activities?

Yes, I would like to challenge the contests in Japan and also other countries to see my work… and I would be happy if as many people as possible could see it. So I would like to take on challenges as much as possible.

Q. Do you have any upcoming news or information about your future activities that you could share?

Thanks to you, the classroom will celebrate its 10th Anniversary of my class “Puanani” in April next year. So we will hold a 10th Anniversary Quilt Exhibition in June!

Q. What kind of creations will you be presenting at the exhibition?

The works of my students… The exhibition venue will be the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Theater in Ikebukuro. We will use the gallery and there are so many walls. We can utilize such a wall with the tapestry that they made. The works will make full use of the wall surface. It will be wall hanging types and the size would be 1M. Along with my students’ works, I’m going to display the Hawaiian Quilts that I’ve made so far, including all the miniature quilts I’ve created by arranging them about 1M from the students.

Of course, we are not sure if we can do workshops because of the current health situation. But, I would like to ask some teachers (in various fields) of hand crafts to have workshops during the exhibition period.

In the Quilting category, it seems the number of young people interested in that category is decreasing. Therefore, interest can begin from the hand crafts. As a starting point, I would like to see the exhibited works in places like hand crafts to say, “Let’s try Quilting” and “Let’s use a sewing machine.” I wish I could create a little place like that.
I would be very happy if they become interested in sewing machines and quilting. This is very small thing…but, that is my hope.