A surprising Japanese presence in a traditional American craft

A grand part of the tradition of quilting in America are its annual quilt shows. These evolved from county fairs but are now huge stand-alone events. Alongside the meticulously stitched quilts, submitted for prizes, are everything hobbyists might need for their efforts. That includes not just thread and yards of colourful fabric, bundled up into “jelly rolls”, “fat quarters” and “layer cakes” (all of which can help a quilter produce distinctive works), but also $12,000 movable long-arm quilting machines, the size of dining tables, which enable the user to quilt designs as easily as they might paint a canvas.