Her Gai

This quilt represents a Japanese geiko. There are two types of geisha: the maiko and geiko. A maiko is usually under 20 years of age, and her hair, accessories, kimono, and obi are very elaborate. The geiko is more experienced and no longer wears the "over the top" regalia of a meiko. This quilt represents a more subdued geiko from behind. Techniques used are machine embroidery (the hair), needle-turned applique, raw-edge machine applique, hand painting, and free-motion quilting. It is important to note that the bamboo stalks in the background are done with Prismacolor pencil.