Japanese fabric love

I know- it is silly.  I have been here over a year and only just recently bought fabric!  I was intimidated by the whole language barrier.  Last week I FINALLY got brave and grabbed a couple of bolts and took them to the cutting table.  I was at my favorite store- Yuzawaya.  If you have read my other posts you know I absolutely love that store!!  And I am not sure if it is just that I hadn't noticed before- but the fabric selection has become plain heavenly!


My intention was to buy some black satin to make a quick bag to take the Navy Ball with me.  So I found the sale section and picked up a beautiful black brocade- just beautiful.  I also picked up the cutest cotton border print with lovely little geishas on it.


I handed the brocade bolt over first and informed the man I wanted two meters.  He then proceeded to ask if I was sure- after all the price was about $30 a meter.  OOPS!  I must have been looking at a different tag.  Smart man, he knew I didn't want to pay that much!  I was mighty embarassed as I couldn't explain to him what had happened due to the language barrier and all.  gah


Yuzawaya has 5 floors of loveliness.  So I travelled upstairs and proceeded to find  another  lovely pattern book to my collection.  Have I overused the word "lovely"?


On my way back down I checked to see if the same man was still working the cutting tables.  He was not.  So I found another black satin with a dragon design (this one only $11/meter), and had two meters cut by the nice lady that had taken the man's place.


I ended up not having the time to make a bag.  I think deep down I knew that would be the case.  I was just using it as an excuse for fabric acquisition.  Whatever works, right?  I am still deeply disturbed at how much money I have spent at Fabric.com, and how little I have to show for it (meaning finished projects, not the overflowing closet of fabric.)


Why can't I be more prolific at this whole sewing thing?  Of course I do have a busy life!  While in Japan I am trying to monopolize on the fact that I don't work full time- and use that extra time for sewing.


I did finish the cherry limeade coat (pictures to follow in my next post), and now I am working on altering a friend's dress.  After that I need to get moving on my own dress for the Khaki Ball next month.  Hubby is actually excited that I am making it.  I feel now that I can't let him down!


On top of that, I really want to make Sissy a quick new costume as well.  She found some kitty ears and matching tail the other day.  The kitty ears have an orange satin witches hat attached to them.  How cute would it be if i made a quick little skirt made from black and orange sating to match?  She could wear it with black tights and a black top.  Easy peasy right?  I think tomorrow may be another Yuzawaya day.  I will be more careful about checking prices this time...


Don't you just love this print??  It is a cotton woven with little bits of a sort of swiss dot texture to it.  I am sure there is a name for it- I am not that well schooled in textiles apparently...

I found another pattern book as well.  I LOVE these patterns!  And in it I found the perfect dress for the geisha girl fabric:

front cover, I swear these pattern books could double as coffee table books...

back cover- this little girl is just too cute

I think this will suit the geisha girl fabric perfectly, don't you?

all the patterns included in the book- love love love...

So- I need to learn how to get by without sleep or how to add more hours into my day.  Any ideas?