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?

Finally- the pictures of the finished product..

The darn memory stick lost my pictures!  So I had to buy a new one and now I have new pictures to share.  Unfortunately- I lost the pictures of my daughter's photo shoot she modeled for.  I am so bummed!  They did her hair all crazy- the pictures were so much fun! 
So here is the dress I made from the Japanese pattern I was so excited about.  It was pretty easy to make- even without being able to read the directions.  The pictures were sufficient though I am sure I did a few things differently- that's ok- turned out as it should. :-)

(Don't let the picture fool you- she likes the dress- she just didn't feel like modeling it at the time...)

If you heard someone cursing at their sewing machine it was me!  I practiced buttonhole after buttonhole.  After I got it just the way I wanted- I tried making one on the dress.  All I got was a big ball of thread on the underside.  I finally realized my machine didn't like sewing through the linings (I really should have remembered that from past experiences!)  It has been so long since I have made buttonholes- it felt like I was learning all over again.  Eventually I got it to work by pulling the fabric through with my hand.

My next lesson to learn was that old seam rippers should be replaced!  I did not realize how dull the two I had were.  I ended up ripping a hole the fabric from pushing too hard.  Sissy didn't mind- bless her heart.  I think I could make a little patch to cover it?

(The big rip.  As you c n see I had to make the buttonholes over the seam.  That was due to not using the same seam allowance and not being able to calculate and/or decipher the instructions.  Of course that is why my machine got stuck there..)

But at least the my first fabric covered buttons turned out pretty darn cute!  I used a Japanese kit and it was so easy- why haven't I tried this before?  (Maybe because I have avoided making buttonholes?- lol)  I used a different little birdy from the skirt fabric for each button.

I may try making another one in a different fabric.  The fabric used on this dress is  from the Alexander Henry Collection.  It is really meant to be a quilting fabric- but the two prints were so darn cute and it was on sale!  It is a little thin however- so maybe I will try a cute polka dot next time.

I do have a new seam ripper now.  I bought it here locally and it has Snoopy on it.  And it is sharp!

Back on the machine

Last month I cut out the pieces for the dress I am making for Sissy.  It is from the Japanese pattern book I mentioned previously.  I FINALLY got a table for my machine so I was able to sit down and get started on it last Sunday.  I am nearly done- just need to finish the armholes, make buttonholes and hem the skirt.  Yesterday (Monday) I had to finally put it down as I was getting mad at my machine.  I was sewing in the bias tape into the armhole and the stiches were just all over the place.  I was wishing I never got rid of my old machine (and just had it fixed after my cats knocked it on the ground)- and bought the machine I have now.  It is a Singer like my old machine- but it is not made as well (plastic vs. metal for one thing.)  My aunt gave my previous machine when I was 13 or 14.  I made my ASB Ball and Senior Prom dresses on it.  I used it to sew my garments for my clothing construction class I took in college.  I loved that machine.  I was so wrong to think that something new and shiny would be better.

I have decided when I get back to the states I am going to invest in a good machine (and maybe steal my mother's old Kenmore from here while I am at it- tricky tensions knobs and all.)  So far Berninas are sounding good to me.  I just have to decide what kind of machine and what features I want.  Oh- I am going to commission my Hubby to make me a proper sewing table as well.  We have talked about it in the past- just never got around to it.

After I put the dress down and shut my machine off I noticed that it wasn't threaded correctly.  Doh!  Maybe that's why it was not giving me nice stitches.  I laughed at myself then.  It is kind of funny the that serger's thread was also a little out of whack as well.  I  think maybe Sissy was checking out my equipment- though she denies it. :-)  I am going to give her a go on my mini machine soon- she is eager.

I still want a new machine of course.

My first Japanese patterns (I am so excited!)

I finally got my scanner to cooperate with me, so I thought I would share some pictures from the beautiful patterns I bought. 

The first is a simple pattern for baby britches.  I have seen Japanese babies wearing these and thought they were just adorable.  The cool thing about the pattern is that it is an iron-on.  It is printed on what feels like freezer paper- you just cut out and iron on to the fabric.  It probably would be a little difficult with darker colors, but it is nifty nevertheless.  Notice it says Simplicity on the back?

The second is a pattern book.  The little girl in the pictures totally sold it for me.  Isn't she beautiful?  I love the outfits- they are simple and feminine.  I didn't realize until I got home that the book also includes patterns for mom too.  Bonus!

The third is another pattern book.  This one is for me.  There are some cute summery outfits in there (the second one I must make), perfect for the hot humid summer here in Japan.  It also has a recipe for the cookies as well.  I can follow the patterns ok, but I will have to have the recipe translated for me if I want to be able to use it.  I did decipher the sizes and measurements- using my Hiragana workbook and my Japanese-English dictionary.  I need to study up more on the Japanese characters, I am starting to recognize a few though!

I ordered some dotted swiss fabric from fabric.com- I think they will be perfect for some of these patterns!  The only drawback here is that now I need to trace the patterns- they have printed the patterns full size- but on both sides of the paper.  So I need to trace my size out and add the seam allowance.  I am not looking forward to THAT part. I'll keep you posted! *smile*

Babies!

My sweet friend I met this summer had her baby.  They thought she was having a boy- so imagine everyone's suprise when a beautiful baby girl was born!  Poor thing had to go take back ALL of the boy clothes she bought- it was quite an ordeal.  (I said poor thing because of all the hassle- not because she had a girl!)
I am excited since I have some really cute baby girl patterns.  I love sewing baby things.  I must had made a million blankets for my daughter expecially.  My kids still love blankets to this day.
So far I have made a blanket and cap made from a lavender fleece that has been hanging around in my stash FOREVER.  I love how easy fleece is to sew and how soft and comfy it is.  I just hate how it pills and looks bad after being washed one too many times.  But I had an idea when I was working with the fleece how that would be a good starter project for my friend who just bought her first machine.  (I am still thinking about offering classes- but I haven't worked out the details in my head yet.)
With the left over fleece I made sister her own cap and a scarf.  In hindsight I realized I should have made them for my friend's older daughter- so she can match her new baby sister.
I wish i had pictures- but I can't get the pictures to download from my memory stick at the moment. *enter un-smiley face*
Currently I am working on a zip front hoodie for Sister.  I cut it from the beige paw print Minky fabric I bought from Fabric.com.  I also have it in pink and baby blue (I intended the fabric for baby blankets and the like.)  I used the pink to line the pockets and the hood.  It is about 60% done right now.  I probably would be further along if I didn't have things like feeding my family and laundry to worry about! ha!  (Oh I could get my behind off of Facebook too- how sad am I?)
I had a ball cutting out the pieces for the hoodie.  Sister (who is 7)- was really into it.  I explained to her how the pattern pieces are laid out and how important it is to cut the pieces out neatly.  I think she totally got it.  I LOVE IT.  She told me she likes watching because "watching is a good way to learn."  This weekend I am going to put together a project for her to work on with some felt- I just need to think of what?
Once I get the pictures on my 'puter I will post them for all to see.
Oh- I bought my first Japanese patterns.  I AM IN LOVE.  Since I can't get any images up- I will save my comment about my patterns for next time.  I can't wait to show you the cute baby britches pattern I found- very simple and so darling!
I have another baby to sew for as well- one of Hubby's sailors that worked for him just became a dad.  I will disappoint Hubby greatly if I don't crank out another baby blanket.  This one will be made from the Minky fabric.  I love that stuff- I can't wait to get to it!