Are you a fan of Japanese patchwork? I am. And Yoko Saito is one of my favorite quilt artists. She is famous for her beautiful, intricate patterns which I believe are all hand-pieced. I made a couple blocks out of this beautiful book and now I’ll show you…
So when Interweave Press sent me a copy of Yoko Saito’s new book New Classic Patchwork to review, I was excited to try one of her designs myself. I had this small collection of traditional taupe Japanese fabrics from Lecien (Yoko is famous for her expert use of taupe fabrics), but I didn’t dare attempt hand piecing. Isn’t a Japanese sewing machine close enough? (Here’s the only mini quilt I ever hand pieced)
So I threaded it up with taupe and got to work.
I picked this design: the Triangle Puzzle. It was my first time to piece with templates, and I had lots to learn! I was careful to observe Yoko’s color choices… and try to learn from the master.
So here’s mine. It truly did fit together like a puzzle, and when I opened it up after sewing the final seam I laughed in delight! I could hardly believe that I managed to sew a Japanese-looking block. I love the real ones so much.
And that was so much fun that I immediately made another one. I couldn’t wait to try some of my other favorite colors. Here is my second little Triangle Puzzle mini-quilt, this time in red, black and white (& gray).
New Classic Patchwork by Yoko Saito is available {here} from Interweave/F&W Press. It contains 78 block designs and 10 beautiful projects.
Do you want to win a copy? Just tell me in the comments below which block you like best… my taupe one or my red & black one? I love them both and and curious to see what others think.
I’ll close the comments and let Random.org pick the winner on Monday night, April 28th. Good luck!
***Update*** This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to our winner Karen!
disclosure: Interweave Press provided this book to me in exchange for my blog review. I tried a pattern from the book and have expressed my honest opinion. Thanks!
Sew an organizer covered with pockets that you can hang in your closet! This easy sewing project is great for organizing sewing and craft supplies, fashion accessories, bathroom necessities, gift wrappings, and more. There are pockets on both sides plus a big interior pocket so every bit of space is used. I’ll show you easy step by step instructions for sewing this organizer and putting it to use in your home. Get sew organized today.
Are you sewing a Closet Organizer with me? I hope so! This is Part 2 of our free sewing tutorial for an amazing organizer with a coat hanger inside so you can hang it anywhere.
If you are getting started, make sure you start at Part 1 of the free pattern.
Be a basketmaker! Sure, you can sew, but did you know that you can make amazing baskets too using your sewing machine, some fabric and the same materials that you use for your other projects?
Have you fallen in love with Quilt as You Go yet? It’s a fun technique for quilts, of course, but I’m having lots of fun using it for pouches and tote bags too.
I’m so excited to share with you the pattern for our first mini quilt of 2018… Flora! This beautiful little quilt was designed by the very talented Lauren of Molly & Mama…
At my daughter Chloe’s high school (can you believe my baby started high school???), the lunch lines are so long that she has been skipping lunch! She’s always starving by the time she gets home because she doesn’t want to carry a big lunch bag as well as her heavy backpack – poor girl!
Looking for free table runner patterns? I gathered up all my favorites in one place – here are free quilt patterns for table runners for fall, winter, spring and summer!
I am so in love with the beautiful look of simple patchwork quilts with lots of squares. This is the perfect way to use up fabric scraps like I did, or you can make a beautifully coordinated quilt with pre-cut 2 1/2’’ square fabric pieces that come in mini-charm packs.
I’m also in love with the process. If you feel like quilt making is your escape from the world and sitting down to sew for a few hours makes your troubles fade away… this is the quilt for you!
Sew an easy beautiful apron with this free sewing pattern that only uses one yard of fabric! Whether you are sewing for yourself or for a friend, an apron always comes in handy and makes a great gift. This blog post includes a link to a free template that I digitized for you.
Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂
Sometimes I get things right. I mean I really do, and I sew something totally amazing. That’s what happened with these pillows.
It all started when I saw some adorable picture pillows with dogs in the store one day, I said to myself, ‘I can do that – with pictures of our own dog even!’
Basting your quilt is the process of temporarily adhering your layers together so that it’s easy to sew your quilt layers together. This step is incredibly important to avoid puckering and fabric shifting when you go to sew the quilt. The method that we’ll show today literally works so well that you won’t even need a special walking foot for your sewing machine.
Find a hospital near you to sew fabric face masks and other protective gear for! I don’t think any of us can believe what uncertain times we are living in. The news is difficult to watch and read, and I…
Do you have a pretty new bundle of fat quarters that you are dying to use? I have that problem all the time! Here’s some of my favorite fat quarter projects to sew – all free!
Sew a bean bag chair that doubles as toy storage! This fun bean bag chair sewing pattern is easy to make and is HUGE – I measured 40” across and it fits at least 30 stuffed animals.
Doesn’t those spools of thread organized in the colors of the rainbow make you happy! It does me! I think human eyes love to see rainbows, there is just something so joyful about them. Let me show you how to arrange your threads in ROYGBIV order!
82 Comments
Love the taupe one the best! Thanks for sharing your experience with making the block, too.
Sandy A
Surprised myself by liking the taupe one best! Thanks for sharing!!
It’s hard to choose, but I’ll go with the taupe one. I would love to try it out myself!
I like the red one…but my three year old boy really likes the green one:)
Love brights so it has to be the red for me.
Like the red with the gray.
I have to go with the Taupe. I have no clue as to why but, it looks amazing. Thanks for the giveaway.
I really love the Taupe – interesting block!!!
I love the taupe block. The colors are beautiful and the effect is so calm and peaceful. -Lynn
I to love the taupe block. Such beautiful fabrics filled with simplicity!
I love the Taupe one, I have seen some of these designs on Pinterest and have been puzzled on how they assemble. I can’t wait to get a hold of this book. Thank you for the chance to win, April Wells sewdarncutequilting@gmail.com
I like the black and red one, probably because black and red are the colors in my house. They look really complicated and I love puzzles !
Red and black for sure!
i
I honestly can’t decide which I like more! The taupe is soft and calming, but the red and black is modern and striking
I love the red, black and dot block because there is so much more contrast of the colors. Thanks for a chance to win! nettiecrain@live.com
I love the taupe one. which is surprising to me b/c I usually go for bright/contrasty colors. something about it is so calming and soothing. :>
I’m a fan of the taupe one – i like the calm,soothing fall-like colors.
bab5313 (at) psu (dot) edu
I go for the taupe one. Those are my kind of colors.
I usually go for bright and funky but I really like the taupe!!! =)
I like the red, gray & black.
They are both beautiful but the red really pops. It looks like a great book. Glad you are enjoying it.
What fun blocks…I like the red one best! Looks like a great book…thanks for the sweet giveaway 🙂
I like the Taupe one best, I do like the red, but today I would go Taupe.
I like the Taupe one. Good job on a tricky looking block!
El q más me gusta es el de colores verdes y marrones, es más del estilo de Yoko Saito y sus telas japonesas.
I like them both, but the taupe one really makes my heart sing. I, too, have been collecting Japanese taupes and related fabrics and am waiting for the perfect project. Maybe I’ll find it in this book.
El q más me gusta es el de tonalidades verdes y marrones (es más del estilo de Yoko Saito).
Love the red and black, great contrast Barbara
I LOVE the red and black one!
The red and black is my favorite!
Taupe and Japanese fabrics. Love em!
Red and black. i like the other one also, but i like the red and black more.
They’re both very pretty but I love red so the red and black is my favorite. Thanks for the chance! ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
They’re both very pretty but I love red so the red and black is my favorite. Thanks for the chance! ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
Love the red and black block. Thanks for the great giveaway
I like the red one!
I like the taupe one the best. I like the color red, but I think the taupe one is more inviting and easy on the eye. Colors don’t jump around so much with the taupe.
I like the taupe one, the subtleness is what grabs me. Soothing to look at!
I think I like the contrast of the red one better. Perhaps I’m just not used to the Japanese way of doing things. Lin lin3841 at gmail dot com
I’m not a fan of muted colors, so I like the red and black best.
It is hard to choose they are both great – but if I had to make a choice I would pick the taupe.
I like the taupe. Well done on making both.
Lately I have logged into Japanese quilting. So it was funny to see your post. I would love to win this book so I could learn. They have such great talent over there.
Even though I consider myself a contemporary quilter with modern leanings, I love the traditional block. Beautiful work
Love the taupe block; it really speaks to me.
thanks for the opportunity to win. I have a stack of her fabric waiting to start a project
I vote traditional Japanese taupe. nice work!
Love the taupe block!! They are both very nice though.
While I do like the taupes, I love that you tried it in modern, bright colors. I think I’ll have to try some of her other blocks in modern colors.
I like the red and black one! Just because I’m not a fan of neutrals!
I love them both – and would like them both! The pop of red would bring such color any kitchen, but the neutrals would work to keep the earth tones balanced. Great work !
My favorite is the taupe however they are both pretty
I like the red one the best as it is nice and bright.
I like both but the taupe one is the winner for me!
I like stars and puzzles so I pick Triangle Puzzle. Looks like this book would be fun to follow.
I need to say the taupe hit my fancy. Although blue is usually my favorite color
I like them both – but the red one really "pops"!
I like the taupe one 🙂
I love the puzzle triange balck!!!
I too am a fan of Japanese patchwork and love the taupe block. This would be a wonderful book to have!
The red one!
I’d love to win a copy!
I like both your blocks. The taupe is for when you need calm and the red for when you need excitement ! My dream is to one day make Yoko Saito’s patchwork town.
My favorite colors are the red and black, but my favorite block is the taupe, I think because of the lower contrast between the colors, it makes my eyes spin around the block. Thanks for the giveaway!
I like the taupe one better, but both are nice.
I like the taupe one best…I have a small collection of taupes that I’ve been saving, and your block tempts me to start using them.
I like the taupe one best…I have a small collection of taupes that I’ve been saving, and your block tempts me to start using them.
Lyn (catalysttx (at) satx (dot) rr (dot) com )
Although the taupe is wonderfully mysterious I prefer the red and grey because the contrast of the colors make the pattern pop!
mynadala(at)gmail(dot)com
Love them both but I think I like the subtle tones of the taupe better.
I love the red and gray one! And, I’d love to win the book 🙂
I like the bright colors for spring!
i really like the red – it seems to make it pop with the black. i like the taupe also, but the red stands out a bit more!
I like the red one better! I just love how the color really pops compared to the more neutral background 🙂 I agree with you though, both are pretty!
I like the taupe quilt block. The subtleness brings my eye in to see what is actually happening in the block.
Very cute! I like the taupe colors best.
I love the red and black one.
Red & black-just cuz I like bright colors!
I like them both, but if I had to pick one, it would be the neutral color one.
Love the taupe one the best! Thanks for sharing your experience with making the block, too.
Sandy A
Surprised myself by liking the taupe one best! Thanks for sharing!!
I like the red and black one best.
I also like the red and black one best. 🙂
craftyccain@gmail.com
Sorry, I love the red! : ) Jeannine jeanninesims_1999@yahoo.com
It’s hard to choose, but I’ll go with the taupe one. I would love to try it out myself!
I like the red one…but my three year old boy really likes the green one:)
Love brights so it has to be the red for me.
Like the red with the gray.
I have to go with the Taupe. I have no clue as to why but, it looks amazing. Thanks for the giveaway.
I really love the Taupe – interesting block!!!
I love the taupe block. The colors are beautiful and the effect is so calm and peaceful.
-Lynn
I to love the taupe block. Such beautiful fabrics filled with simplicity!
I love the Taupe one, I have seen some of these designs on Pinterest and have been puzzled on how they assemble. I can’t wait to get a hold of this book.
Thank you for the chance to win,
April Wells
sewdarncutequilting@gmail.com
I like the black and red one, probably because black and red are the colors in my house. They look really complicated and I love puzzles !
Red and black for sure!
i
I honestly can’t decide which I like more! The taupe is soft and calming, but the red and black is modern and striking
I love the red, black and dot block because there is so much more contrast of the colors.
Thanks for a chance to win!
nettiecrain@live.com
I love the taupe one. which is surprising to me b/c I usually go for bright/contrasty colors. something about it is so calming and soothing. :>
I’m a fan of the taupe one – i like the calm,soothing fall-like colors.
bab5313 (at) psu (dot) edu
I go for the taupe one. Those are my kind of colors.
I usually go for bright and funky but I really like the taupe!!! =)
I like the red, gray & black.
They are both beautiful but the red really pops. It looks like a great book. Glad you are enjoying it.
What fun blocks…I like the red one best! Looks like a great book…thanks for the sweet giveaway 🙂
I like the Taupe one best, I do like the red, but today I would go Taupe.
I like the Taupe one. Good job on a tricky looking block!
El q más me gusta es el de colores verdes y marrones, es más del estilo de Yoko Saito y sus telas japonesas.
I like them both, but the taupe one really makes my heart sing. I, too, have been collecting Japanese taupes and related fabrics and am waiting for the perfect project. Maybe I’ll find it in this book.
El q más me gusta es el de tonalidades verdes y marrones (es más del estilo de Yoko Saito).
Love the red and black, great contrast
Barbara
I LOVE the red and black one!
The red and black is my favorite!
Taupe and Japanese fabrics. Love em!
Red and black. i like the other one also, but i like the red and black more.
They’re both very pretty but I love red so the red and black is my favorite. Thanks for the chance!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
They’re both very pretty but I love red so the red and black is my favorite. Thanks for the chance!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
Love the red and black block. Thanks for the great giveaway
I like the red one!
I like the taupe one the best. I like the color red, but I think the taupe one is more inviting and easy on the eye. Colors don’t jump around so much with the taupe.
I like the taupe one, the subtleness is what grabs me. Soothing to look at!
I think I like the contrast of the red one better. Perhaps I’m just not used to the Japanese way of doing things.
Lin
lin3841 at gmail dot com
I’m not a fan of muted colors, so I like the red and black best.
It is hard to choose they are both great – but if I had to make a choice I would pick the taupe.
I like the taupe. Well done on making both.
Lately I have logged into Japanese quilting. So it was funny to see your post. I would love to win this book so I could learn. They have such great talent over there.
Even though I consider myself a contemporary quilter with modern leanings, I love the traditional block. Beautiful work
Love the taupe block; it really speaks to me.
thanks for the opportunity to win. I have a stack of her fabric waiting to start a project
I vote traditional Japanese taupe. nice work!
Love the taupe block!! They are both very nice though.
While I do like the taupes, I love that you tried it in modern, bright colors. I think I’ll have to try some of her other blocks in modern colors.
I like the red and black one! Just because I’m not a fan of neutrals!
I love them both – and would like them both! The pop of red would bring such color any kitchen, but the neutrals would work to keep the earth tones balanced. Great work !
My favorite is the taupe however they are both pretty
I like the red one the best as it is nice and bright.
I like both but the taupe one is the winner for me!
I like stars and puzzles so I pick Triangle Puzzle. Looks like this book would be fun to follow.
I need to say the taupe hit my fancy. Although blue is usually my favorite color
I like them both – but the red one really "pops"!
I like the taupe one 🙂
I love the puzzle triange balck!!!
I too am a fan of Japanese patchwork and love the taupe block. This would be a wonderful book to have!
The red one!
I’d love to win a copy!
I like both your blocks. The taupe is for when you need calm and the red for when you need excitement ! My dream is to one day make Yoko Saito’s patchwork town.
My favorite colors are the red and black, but my favorite block is the taupe, I think because of the lower contrast between the colors, it makes my eyes spin around the block. Thanks for the giveaway!
I like the taupe one better, but both are nice.
I like the taupe one best…I have a small collection of taupes that I’ve been saving, and your block tempts me to start using them.
I like the taupe one best…I have a small collection of taupes that I’ve been saving, and your block tempts me to start using them.
Lyn (catalysttx (at) satx (dot) rr (dot) com )
Although the taupe is wonderfully mysterious I prefer the red and grey because the contrast of the colors make the pattern pop!
mynadala(at)gmail(dot)com
Love them both but I think I like the subtle tones of the taupe better.
I love the red and gray one! And, I’d love to win the book 🙂
I like the bright colors for spring!
i really like the red – it seems to make it pop with the black. i like the taupe also, but the red stands out a bit more!
I like the red one better! I just love how the color really pops compared to the more neutral background 🙂 I agree with you though, both are pretty!
I like the taupe quilt block. The subtleness brings my eye in to see what is actually happening in the block.
Very cute! I like the taupe colors best.
I love the red and black one.
Red & black-just cuz I like bright colors!
I like them both, but if I had to pick one, it would be the neutral color one.