We proudly displayed the 13th Quilt Japan exhibit here at The National Quilt Museum in January!
Since the 5th Exhibition, it has become an international contest and one of the most prestigious. The 13th competition drew 341 quilt entries from 12 countries. Judging took place in November 2015, and 79 quilts in both traditional and contemporary categories were selected for display at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in April 2016. This traveling exhibition features 35 of these stunning quilts, all by Japanese makers.
The history of JHIA starts in 1964, when Tadanobu Seto founded the Vogue Handicraft Consulting Association. In order to perpetuate the handcraft culture in Japan, it was essential to educate highly-skilled craftspeople to teach. By 1969, the completion of instructor education was highly regarded, and it was accredited by the Minister of Education and Cultural Sports in Japan. That was the time when Vogue Handicraft Consulting Association changed its name to Japan Handicraft Instructors’ Association.
Forty-four years have passed since then, and JHIA continues to educate instructors and promote handicraft activities. Currently, the number of instructors is over 12,000, consisting of eight specialized divisions: knitting, embroidery, lace, patchwork quilt, painting, hand weaving, leather craft, and flower art. Within the membership, 6,000 are quilters.
More information on this exhibit
