Hello! I'm Alyce Blyth, and I'm an Aussie currently living in Japan. You may also know me as Blossom Heart Quilts! I am a quilter, a blogger, an author, a designer, a quilt math nerd, and iced latte addict.
As I mentioned, my family and I are currently living in Japan. We've been here for 3.5 years, and will be returning to Australia at the end of March next year. I started quilting a few months before we came here, but it wasn't until we were here that I really started to get serious. Quilting became my focus and my sanity in the midst of adjusting to a new country. And as I only got to see fellow foreigner mummy friends once or twice a month in person, online quilting friends were my daily source of English and friendship, especially as they really got what I was so in love with!
One of the first quilts I finished here, using a machine I
borrowed until we bought a transformer for mine.
borrowed until we bought a transformer for mine.
While I started quilting to make my kids a quilt of their own, it quickly evolved into an outlet for both sides of my interests with the puzzle of quilty maths and designing, and the creativity of fabric and colour. Having dabbled in a lot of random crafts over the years, none of which ever truly stuck, I believe this is why quilting hooked me hard - working out quilt maths like a puzzle, and the playing with colours. It makes both sides of my heart and brain so happy!
'Eternity': My Bright Sky pattern + the most FMQ
I've ever done on a quilt = my favourite quilt
I've ever done on a quilt = my favourite quilt
The further progression of my quilting journey was then using my primary school teaching background and applying that to quilting, with teaching via tutorials and quilt patterns being the obvious next step for me. I get so excited when I see others learning and creating for themselves, I can't wait to get back to Australia and be able to teach real, in-person classes! My "high tourist level" Japanese doesn't quite extend to quilting classes... it's a little bit more complicated than going grocery shopping! So I guess you could say that my love for quilting is one third maths, one third colour, and one third teaching. And if whatever I'm doing involves all three, then I'm the happiest!
Most definitely the peak of my quilting so far was releasing my first book, DIY Block Design, in August. In it, I teach you how to design and make your very own quilt block designs, from sketch book to quilt! This really is the culmination of all my quilting loves - design, teaching, and writing. In fact, I've been holding a blog hop and design challenge all month long, called My DIY Block Design. Essentially, I'm trying to bribe you with awesome prizes to get over your quilty math fears and make your own designs at last. You can do it! There's still a few days left to whip out a quilt block, as the linky opens on Friday, plus there's giveaways on Instagram too.
I'm so excited to be able to share my quilty life here in Japan with you all this week!
I'm so excited to be able to share my quilty life here in Japan with you all this week!
Where you can find me
Website: Blossom Heart Quilts
Book: DIY Block Design
Instagram: @blossomheartquilts
Twitter: @blossomheartq
Facebook: Blossom Heart Quilts
Post by Alyce - Week #44:
Alyce started quilting in 2011 when her husband bought her a $100 Elna and said to stop reading about quilting and start doing. So she did. And she hasn't stopped since! Alyce moved from Australia to Japan in 2012 and ever since quilting and blogging at Blossom Heart Quilts has given her something to focus on while adapting to living in a new environment and culture. You can find Alyce on instagram at @blossomheartquilts
Alyce started quilting in 2011 when her husband bought her a $100 Elna and said to stop reading about quilting and start doing. So she did. And she hasn't stopped since! Alyce moved from Australia to Japan in 2012 and ever since quilting and blogging at Blossom Heart Quilts has given her something to focus on while adapting to living in a new environment and culture. You can find Alyce on instagram at @blossomheartquilts
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