Ginkgo O Ginkgo

The Ginkgo (銀杏) is one of my favourite trees and I wish that I could have one in my garden. However, I am a brown thumb and the only things that tend to grow in my garden are the undesirables termed as 'weeds'.
It is close to a year since I was last in Japan, there the Ginkgo trees are found in lots of places, as street trees where they are young, contained, pruned and grow quite straight.

In temple grounds where they are ancient specimens,  propped up, fenced off and protected.

 I love the fan shaped leaves and the colours as they turn in Autumn.

I love how easy it is to use it as a motif in design.

There is this talented textile print studio, Ink and Spindle in Melbourne that has translated this motif so well...... 

I have been making cushions out of their 'ginkgo' range, some for presents for friends living overseas and one for myself to keep! I have inserted invisible zips in the seam and sewed up the corners to create the box shape. Easy!

It was time...........

My pushy cat, my Queen of Sheba.
Earlier this week she went to sleep forever, finally free of pain and diseases, 
and hopefully, dreaming of chasing rabbits, catching mice and gawking at birds.
I miss the the greetings, the chattering and even the stubbornness.

But this is not all I have left of her. I have happy memories and friends made because of her,
and I will treasure them forever.....

P2P2: the big reveal

Finally, the piece is completed, washed and photographed.
The image:

The yarn:

wool, cashmere, silk stainless steel

Before wet finished:

After wet finished (in the washing machine):

The finished item:

I am really pleased with the finished piece and I only wish that you can feel it through the screen as the slightly felted cashmere and wool are gorgeously soft.......
Thank you Meg for all your work in organizing this and to everyone else for participating.
It is really interesting to different design process and results!


Apologies for the really dark/shadowy photo of the piece but it was already dark by the time I got home from work and can only use the flash!