Quilted Hanging

This quilted hanging is inspired by the Japanese hanging scrolls known as kakejiku.

The central image is a recreation of a drawing by my granduncle Kiyoshi Kikuchi, who, along with my grandmother and other members of their family, spent time in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. The drawing is a map of the Minidoka camp in Idaho where my family lived and was likely completed as an assignment while Kiyoshi was studying architecture at the University of Michigan.

The piece used a combination of hand and machine sewing along with inked elements in the spirit of the original pen drawing. Certain areas of the image show the interior spaces of the camp and these are illustrated by applique and reverse applique.

More information about the Minidoka Naional Historic Site can be found here.

Original drawing	Sewn interpretation	Work in Progress One of the reverse applique sections before being added to the larger piece. A combination of hand sewing for the two people and machine stitching on the lantern.
Finished reverse applique Interior images were done by reverse applique to create a window like effect.	Guard tower close up Surrounding the entire camp are guard towers and a barbed wire fence. Here you can see some of the different stitches which were used to create different textures and effects on the fabric.	The camp entrance The combination of ink and stitching gives different textures to the various elements in the piece.
Closeup Interior scenes in the reverse appliques give a snapshot of daily life at Minidoka.

QUILTED HANGING

Original drawing

Sewn interpretation

Work in Progress

One of the reverse applique sections before being added to the larger piece. A combination of hand sewing for the two people and machine stitching on the lantern.

Finished reverse applique

Interior images were done by reverse applique to create a window like effect.

Guard tower close up

Surrounding the entire camp are guard towers and a barbed wire fence. Here you can see some of the different stitches which were used to create different textures and effects on the fabric.

The camp entrance

The combination of ink and stitching gives different textures to the various elements in the piece.

Closeup

Interior scenes in the reverse appliques give a snapshot of daily life at Minidoka.