Side A looks like Side B. 'Identical Twins.' It all started with cleaning out the basement.
Recollection . Betty Jane Lau
An informal listing of work. Spiraling out from the 'piko'; I weave two quilts that exist as one. Two stories echo, compliment, or debate each other. They are in "syzygy"; forever yoked together. In the tradition of quilts I use thrift store finds, or fabrics gifted to me, or salvaged throw aways; I'm always on the cheap. I question what is considered ugly vs beautiful. And I hope to tease out a story of interest while teasing the eye.
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Sunday, May 28, 2023
#65. 'Japanese Boro / American Patchwork'. 65.25" x 62.25". Silk, synthetic Japanese pieces found at a thrift store, cotton traditional patch work quilt topping.
True to both Japanese and American traditions: I used Japanese fabric to patch over the holes in this tattered traditional American quilt topping. 'Boro' in Japanese means 'raggedy', 'tattered', it also refers to the tradition of patching and repairing clothing; usually with indigo dyed cloth. I wove indigo like blue and white strips on the back, echoing the American quilts design on the front. Patches on the back are exactly placed opposite the Japanese silky patches on the front. Even the binding is pieced together.
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Monday, February 27, 2023
#64. 'Hapa - Nigerian Scot' 64" x 66" This is not a woven quilt because it is 2 ply and has no in-between layer "stuffing". My others have 3 or 4 layers, affording 2 presentable different sides. This has identical sides because the fabric themselves are reversible. I call this "identical twins". Wool tartans, cotton African prints.
Thursday, December 29, 2022
2022.29.12 'Fiber Art Now' vol. 12 / Issue 1/ Winter 2023, 'Excellence in Fibers VIII', curated by Kate Irvin. Sorry, NOT on view at San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Aug. 25, 2023 - Jan. 7, 2024.
Monday, December 26, 2022
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
#63 'Colleen is Tutuvi and Tutuvi is Colleen'. 2022.11 50" x 50" Tutuvi scraps and Hawaiian fabric samples.
Project started with Tutuvi scraps brought home from a trip to Honolulu in September. It was finished by the end of November, just in time to mail it back to Honolulu and Colleen.
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Japanese Lantern / Chinese Winter Cherry
The Japanese Lantern plant, also known as the Chinese lantern or winter cherry, is a popular symbol of ‘life within death.’ It blooms in the winter, but when it dries up in the spring, the ‘skin’ crumbles away, revealing the red fruit that lives inside its ‘skeleton.’

Thursday, October 6, 2022
#62. 'Father/Son, Mother/Daughter, (with lemons)' 66 x 68 no preference. Japanese and English floral prints.
Actually when crumpled and crushed you can glimpse the other side...
Friday, September 30, 2022
Available for purchase at 'FISHCAKE' 307C Kamani St. Honolulu. 'Hawaiian Garden/Kansas Baseball'.
Monday, September 5, 2022
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
#61 'Ukraine: Before and After' 56.5 x 52.5 Hawaii Costco sarong, blue color off Marimekko fabric, children print and various "ugly" fabrics.
Saturday, April 2, 2022
#55 'Juneteenth-20 / Heroics' was accepted for publication and a show.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Thursday, December 9, 2021
#60. 'Waltzing With Bears / Uncle Walter' 2021.12 66.5 x 60 Very lumpy and bumpy. American fabrics. Bears gifted from Missouri.
I was contrasting these dark bears to light flowers and kittens; when I stumbled upon a song.
My ukulele group sang 'Waltzing With Bears', written by Dr. Seuss and later interpreted by other musicians. I was inspired to learn that this song is an anthem for some gays and lesbians.
Our Uncle Walter's not right in the head
He's been that way all his life, my mother said
Its not that he's violent or falls down the stairs
Its just he goes waltzing, waltzing with bears
He goes wa wa wa waltzing, waltzing with bears
Raggy bears, shaggy bears, baggy bears too
There's nothing on earth Uncle Walter won't do
So he can go waltzing, wa wa wa waltzing
He can go waltzing, waltzing with bears