Japanese Contemporary Quilts and Quilters: The Story of an American Import

Discover how quilting came to be a favorite pastime for an estimated 3 million quilters in Japan today, as well as a multimillion-dollar business. For 40 years, Japan looked to America and imported quilts for ideas and inspiration. Now, contemporary Japanese quilters, with their own style, seek inspiration, museum shows, and audiences in the West, while modern-day Western quilters admire the distinct aesthetics of their Japanese counterparts. Meet more than a dozen award-winning quilters, including Yoko Saito, Keiko Goke, Noriko Endo, and Yoshiko Jinzenji. Each has a well-defined, individual style, yet they share the impeccable technical standards common to Japanese artists. Learn the inside stories of former painters, seamstresses, homemakers, graphic designers, and manga artists who have all made careers in quilting. More than 200 photographs show the Japanese artists’ quilts and studios, and the antique American quilts that once inspired them.