Tiered dress

Burdastyle 5/2010 Tiered Mini Dress. Not a lot to say about this one. Blue cotton fabric, gingham bias binding, silk lining (bodice only), wooden buttons.

Striped jacket

BurdaStyle Asymetric Jacket 03/2012. Really simple jacket. I used a striped cotton, white open-ended zip and white buttons on the wrist. I didn't make any alterations to the pattern apart from not lining it - just used the facing around the neck. Nice pattern, easy to sew... 

Baby jinbei

Made this from a Japanese pattern for a baby gift. It's nani IRO double gauze in 'Little Letter', and it's beautiful to sew with. Super happy with the way it turned out.

Kyoto shopping

So I went to Kyoto during Golden week, and found the most amazing fabric shop: ノムラテーラー (Nomura Tailor). 3 floors of gorgeous fabrics and notions, including an amazing range of Japanese cottons. I picked up a few things - striped cotton drill for this BurdaStyle jacket and some beautiful Nani Iro cotton to make my niece a baby jinbei (casual Japanese style clothing)... it's going to be sooo adorable!

Ashley hat v2.0

A hat for my friend. Details on Ravelry here.

Kimono bag

Here's a little bag I made from a Japanese craft book. It's made from recycled kimono silk, the outside is hand-painted! I love the gold on it. It's lined with more silk, has a hand-stitched flower on the zip.

Saturday

Sleep in + reading Murakami / Flowers from my ikebana sensei / Kyoto sakura chopsticks + sweets papers from Kyoto from my tea ceremony sensei / Coffee + coffee jelly + pumpkin cake from my friend's cafe

Winter beanie

The longest knit everrrrrr, sock yarn and US#1 needles... ugh. But it turned out really nice so I can't complain, really. And now knitting anything else feels fantastically massive and easy! Details on my Ravelry page. 

A replacement beanie for one lost during a night at an izakaya :P 

More Japanese packaging

Spring is coming and the packaging is super cute!

Spring Macaron

I made this Colette Patterns Macaron in December but couldn't really wear it until now. I didn't mean for it too look so similar to the pattern picture, but I happened to have the light blue cotton in my stash. As for the top part, it's actually silk from the inside of an old kimono, I assume hand-dyed. I love ombre! Anyway, it's a really nice pattern. I didn't make any changes to the pattern and am really happy with the way it turned out. It could possibly have done with a lining on the skirt but I didn't have anything at the time and it's not a deal breaker.

Close up of the silk

And in other news... SPRiNG!!!!

Hanami picnic in the plum forest

and MORE crafting

A little bag/purse for my friend's birthday, containing cute Japanese goodies. I bought a little pack with the fabric and instructions from the craft shop, and added a zip instead of the "magic card holder" they suggest.

Crafting!

I've gotten way more into crafting in Japan, probably because I have less room and less equipment for sewing garments. Plus there are so many cute fabrics here. So here's what's been made lately:

A drawstring bag for my DSLR from this tutorial.

Using up my millions of colour scraps with some little coasters.

Using up more scraps and some felt with a needle book loosely based on this tutorial.

Running at night

I love running through the streets and alleys of my town at night. There are heaps of lanterns and awesome stuff to see.

Spring is coming!

I'm dreaming of spring. The plum blossoms are starting to come out and I'm so happy, even going to my first はなみ (flower viewing party) on Saturday, complete with picnic in the plum forest, and umeshu (plum wine) :D Anyway, Japan has the most beautiful packaging, it's so inspiring. I haven't done much design lately, but all the pretty stuff here is making me want to do some personal art... Oh, and the fabric. There's this craft shop a few towns up that is just ridiculous. I just want to go there every weekend. Luckily it's a bike, train ride and walk to ge there unless I coerse someone into driving me there via the coffee shop, either way it's decent trip so I guess it's saving me from myself.

My Minoru: done!

It's finished! It took a while, due to the whole crappy sewing machine/sitting on the floor situation. The machine can't even reverse stitch without catching, so please forgive the sloppy sewing!

That said, I really love it. It's one of the best things I've made in ages.

Pattern: Minoru Jacket from Sewaholic Patterns. I definitely recommend this pattern!

Supplies: Fabric is all from Tomato, in Nippori, Tokyo. Fur and zips are from Okadaya in Tokyo. Buttons are from an old jacket, and happened to match the fabric perfectly.

Pattern adjustments: I lined the hood, added pockets with faux-flaps and buttons, added straps on the wrists and took a couple of centimetres width off the cuffs coz they looked too puffy with the thick fabric. I don't really like the exposed zip on a jacket look, so over the zip I sewed a placket on top, with button loops, and sewed buttons to the front left side. My zip goes right to the bottom, because Japan has bizarre sizing in zips and I could only get super long zips... and I like it better that way. Oh, and in regards to the lining, I wanted it to show on the neck lining so I used the lining fabric instead of the outer fabric on the inside collar piece.

I think that's all! It's super warm, and I love wearing it. Awesome pattern, good sizing, flattering cut.

My Minoru

I've been wanting a parka for ages now (something along the lines of this All Saints parka that retails at £395.00!), so once I discovered Sewaholic's new Minoru Jacket pattern, I thought it would be a good one to use and alter slightly to make my jacket, as the basic style is perfect.
I bought some great thick brushed cotton in Nippori fabric town, Tokyo, plus some red plaid brushed flannel for the lining, as well as some faux rabbit fur and chunky metal zippers from Okadaya Crafts in Shinjuku Tokyo (OMG, go there, it's 2 buildings with 6 floors each of sewing and crafting heaven). But I digress. The changes I plan to make are:

1. Add pockets. Easy, sew on top pockets with a decorative flap and button or metal snap, once I figure that one out. 
2. Faux fur (narrow) around the hood. 
3. Add wrist straps with buttons or metal snaps... I have no idea what those wrist bits are actually called, but I love the look and put them on my last coat. 
4. Add flap over lay to the front with buttons. I'm not a big fan of exposed zipper on jackets, and I want a bit more detail. 
5. Probably make the waist a little less cinched.

 The Minoru Sew-along starts tomorrow, so I better get myself sorted today. Can't wait to sew this thing!

Tokyo winter hat

Nice little winter knitting project for my trip to Tokyo this past week! Details on Ravelry here.

Leathercraft

I've always wanted to learn leathercraft, and I had the chance this year. It's very satisfying, and quite simple. It's nice doing the handsewing and not having to use a machine. And, using tools :) Here's a satchel bag I made from a basic pattern, using a dome, D-rings, clips and some twisted ropey stuff for the chain. It was supposed to be actual chain, but I couldn't find any [down here in the country]. It's pretty good for a first effort I reckon.

I'm super stoked on it now, and have plans to make another one asap! I think I'll make a camera case, coz my dslr really isn't getting treated very well right now. Here's my inspiration for it.

Leica camera case / Lope Lope camera bag / Orla Kiely bag

Patisserie Lesson

We had the best girls' afternoon at Arona&Michoco, learning how to make Mont Blanc cake at an "Atelier de Patisserie", drinking tea and making the most of having a decent kitchen to cook in (and an OVEN!!!)

Colour Wheel Quilt

I finally finished the Colour Wheel Quilt. It was originally based on a pattern from Last Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. It was a full sized quilt and I wanted to make it for a baby so I just made it a lot smaller. It also was supposed to have double the number of colours... but 64 pieces of fabric are hard to find when you're in Japan without your sewing stuff! But I made the pieces twice as wide, and managed to get by with some cute Japanese fabrics plus a lot of donated fabric from my local quilt guru, Chikako. I did it all by machine except the binding which was finished by hand. The binding was actually silk from a vintage kimono! Anyway it's pretty cute.

Gorgeous niece Luella approves!

Crafting up a storm

I've been trying lots of different crafts recently, and loving it. My friend, who teaches the special needs class at school, has a classroom that has heaps and heaps of awesome tools, supplies and facilities for crafts, and she teaches lots of them to the students. There's even a loom in the classroom! She very generously lets me hang out in there when I don't have class, and helps me out with different things. I've tried weaving, see below, and leathercraft, which I am really interested in. So far I've made a leather bag tag and a notebook cover, and currently am making a handbag... so fun! More on that to come. Also, here are some napkins I made as a gift, from Japanese cotton.