We’re sick of winter and looking forward to spring, so this month on the podcast we’re talking about some Japanese fabrics that are so delightfully bright, they remind us of walking through a botanical garden.
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Artist Patricia Belyea collects vintage Japanese yukata cottons, which are hand-dyed and feature large-scale motifs, such as dragonflies and irises. Patricia sells these fabrics online and in her Seattle shop, Okan Arts, and she also makes them into absolutely stunning quilts.
I talked to Patricia about where these fabrics come from, her quilting practice and where to go fabric shopping in Japan. Here are some photos of these glorious fabrics, and Patricia’s even-more-glorious quilts!!!
Meet Patricia Belyea, artisan quilter and vintage Japanese yukata cotton evangelist!!!Vintage Japanese yukata cottonVintage Japanese yukata cotton, featuring a dragonfly motifPatricia’s quilt “Floating World,” made with vintage Japanese yukata cottonsPatricia’s quilt “Wabi-Sabi”Patricia’s quilt “Healing Garden”Patricia’s quilt “Hope Full”A playful toy motif on this bolt of vintage Japanese yukata cottonIndigo is a common color in vintage Japanese yukata cottonsPatricia’s shop, Okan Arts, which is located in the basement of her home in Seattle. It’s open by appointment, and she also sells her vintage Japanese yukata cottons on her website.Bolts of vintage yukata cotton in Patricia’s shopThere is actually a neighborhood of Tokyo called Fabric Town. I must go there!!!!The fabric selection at Blue & White, one of Patricia’s favorite shops in Tokyo.
