cas holmes

Looking Forward All too quickly the year turns and we are New Year's Eve again, however, when calling 'home' to Norfolk  family still ask what I am doing for 'Old Year's Night'. It's a time of beginnings, but also one of endings.  I remember my gran saying we need to see the Old Year out of the back door and the New Year through the front. Many of her generation on Old Year's Night clear all the rubbish out of the house, wash all dirty clothes and bed linen and generally welcome the New Year in afresh, I am drawn to remember 5 years ago I was preparing for my fourth trip to Japan under the invitation of the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival with Art Textiles Made in Britain. Cleaning the home ahead of New Year (Oshogatsu) usually occurs in late December in Japan. A time for beating the dust out of the tatami mats and disposing of old and broken household items. The idea is that you’re removing last year’s dust and dirt so as to not carry it into t...