The Yamagata Quilt

2020-2022

118cm x 118cm

“This wall-hanging quilt is a love letter writ large to the scenic and mountainous region of Yamagata, in northeastern Japan. This quilt is a journey through the landscape and natural bounty of Yamagata Prefecture, where I lived from 2014 to 2018. The pixelated patchwork image includes the three mountains of the Dewa Sanzan, the Mogami River, and the fields of the plains. While this is legible from a distance, the hand-stitched quilting - including motifs of trees, clouds, fruits, and flowers - requires closer attention and invites touch. It is assembled from 95% repurposed cottons, supplemented by new cotton in certain colours, and the batting is a natural cotton/bamboo blend. Completed over a two-year period, this piece brought me back to making meaningful work and is a repository of precious memories.” - Lisa


Materials

• Various light- and medium-weight woven cottons; approximately 95% repurposed including pieces recovered from old garments and an aunt’s vintage sewing stash, and new cotton as colours required (new, vintage, recycled, natural)

• Batting (the soft insulating layer) is a cotton and bamboo mix (new, natural)

• Cotton quilting thread (new, natural)

Techniques

• Patchwork - the cutting and piecing of various fabrics and/or colours to create a pattern or image

• Hand-quilting - using a needle and thread to sew through all three layers of a quilt, in lines or motifs

• Hand-stitched binding - using a needle and thread to finish the binding around the edges by hand

• Designed, cut, and sewn in Dublin

Use & Care

• Hang The Yamagata Quilt by inserting a dowel or bamboo as a mount into the corner slots on the reverse. Make sure the mount is exactly the right length; too short and the quilt will sag, too long and it may damage the quilt. Suspend the mount from at least two points, such as hooks or nails.

• Avoid hanging in direct sunlight as this causes the colours to fade and the fibres to become fragile.

• To avoid dust building up, regularly take down the quilt, remove the mount, and shake well outside. Do not use a vacuum cleaner on the quilt as this may pull threads or damage the fabric.

• The Yamagata Quilt is intended as a wall-hanging art quilt, but it will stand up to cosy usage if you wish to wrap yourself in these mountains.