Ah, sashiko for Spring. This is a bag pattern I reverse-engineered from a cotton gift bag I received while living in Japan. It was given to me while staying at a ryokan, so you can carry a few belongings as you wander in your yukata from breakfast to nap time to the bath and back again. I love the way the two handles tie together — loosely to slide over your wrist or elbow like a handbag, or tightly like a pouch to prevent treasures from falling out. I added some freeform sashiko geometry on one side, and used my sashiko sampler pattern for the other. 
The bag is lined in old nani IRO double gauze, a scrap I had stashed in the depths of a craft box that followed me from Tokyo. Honestly, nothing compliments sashko-in-angles better than a light, floral nani IRO.
Well hello, Spring.
Etsy
Holiday shipping announcement for sashiko kits and gifts
Hello! Just a quick note to share that today is the last day for worry-free delivery by December 24th for purchases from my online shop. There are still many sashiko embroidery kits and a few gift items available, so please have a look if you fancy. Also, use the coupon code CHEER for 10% off your purchase!
Not to worry, express shipping is available until December 17th. Need some help deciding? Check out my gift guide for inspiration.
Happy holidays!
Maker Faire Tokyo Day 2
A few photos from Maker Faire Tokyo, Day 2. First, an early morning trip over the Tokyo Bay.
There were many cool things to look at in the Craft Room. She has no idea that “scarf” is about to swallow her whole…
My favorite thing of the entire weekend – an embroidered motherboard. It took her a year to complete.
And let’s not forget my Etsy friends! Flat Packables and Tokyo Craft Studios – I love these guys. I met them at MAKE last year, and their stuff is lovely.
The super sweet Honey Wine. That frosting looked so real, I’m not totally convinced it wasn’t.
The cutest mountain on the block, from Harukaze Designs.
There was so much more, but the buzz kept me busy at my own table for most of the day. It was fun to meet so many new people, to chat about sashiko (and why a white girl from the US is doing it), and to see so many people excited about making things. Way to go Maker Faire Tokyo! おつかれさまです！
Tokyo Maker Faire this weekend!
Maker Faire has come to Tokyo! I’ll be participating this weekend with a fine group of Etsy crafters. So if you’re in Tokyo Dec. 1-2, come out to The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikain) in Odaiba, battle your way through homemade robots and come say hi. I’m easy to spot — I’m mostly human except for a large metal screw in my elbow from a freestyle walking incident.
The Etsy crew will have workshops all weekend, an open table for makin’ and hands-on crafting, and many holiday gifts for sale. This is a kid-friendly event, the more the merrier. Come and get your hands dirty glittered and glued!
Tokyo Maker Faire: Saturday December 1, 12:00-5:00PM, Sunday December 2, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Location: Miraikan, The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
The Tokyo Craft Party at FabCafe
Thanks again to everyone who joined us at the Etsy Worldwide Craft Party in Tokyo yesterday! It was fun meeting fellow makers, talkin’ shop, and getting our hands dirty in some decoupage. It must be a sign that I was too busy enjoying the party to stop and take photos, though thankfully my trusty assistant (my husband) snapped a few.
My sashiko workshop in-progress:
Never enough pom poms:
Some ladies wore yukata, a cotton kimono popular at summer festivals:
The staff at FabCafe were wonderful. Here, the laser cutter at work:
My assistant and I take a break:
Thanks again, everyone! Hope to see you at the next event!
Sashiko Tissue Case Workshop, The Etsy Craft Party 8/25
As I hinted before, I’ll be hosting a sashiko workshop on Saturday, August 25th at the Etsy Worldwide Craft Party! Email me at sakepuppets@gmail.com to reserve a spot or see below for more details.
It sounds like the event is shaping up to be a really fun night, so I hope you’ll join us. Etsy gatherings in Tokyo are always a great opportunity to meet other sellers, trade advice about our shops, and generally chat about craft life in Japan. I’ve met some wonderful people at past Etsy parties who have since become good friends, so I’m looking forward to this one as well.
This year’s Etsy Craft Party theme is “Wish you were here!” so we’re celebrating what makes summer unique in Japan — festivals! Etsy is sending craft supplies for lots of DIY activities, including a photo booth, laser-cut designs, a photo frame workshop, lots of food and cheap drinks. I hope to see you there! Click this link to RSVP — the more attendees, the more craft loot Etsy sends us! So please sign up!
Saké Puppets Sashiko Tissue Case Workshop
When: Saturday, August 25th 7-8 pm
Where: FabCafe in Shibuya (Access map)
Cost: ￥2000 per person for workshop participants. Entry to the Etsy Craft Party is free and includes snacks, drinks available for ￥500 at the bar
The Project: Make your own sashiko tissue case! Together we’ll hand-sew a pocket tissue case and learn how to use sashiko embroidery to decorate it with fun and modern designs. Choose your favorite fabric, colors, patterns, and embellishments! The workshop will be held in English, but help in Japanese is available.
Space is limited so please email me at sakepuppets@gmail.com to sign up. Thanks! I hope to see you there!
開催日：2012年8月25日（土）
開催時間：19:00 〜 20:00
場所：FabCafe 渋谷（アクセス）
参加費 :１人￥2000 、Etsy Craft Party は無料、お酒と飲み物は￥500
作るもの：ポケットティッシュケース
いつもバッグの中に入れておくものだから、手作りのティッシュケースだと楽しいですね。
ワークショップでは刺し子作りなどを通じて、楽しく英語を勉強できます。ワークショップ = 手芸 ＋ 楽しい英語!
英語では難しければ、日本語のヘルプもあります。
ワークショップに参加をご希望の方は、以下のアドレスまでご連絡下さい。ご質問もお気軽にどうぞ。（英語・日本語どちらでも結構です）
連絡先：sakepuppets@gmail.com
LOVE, handmade.
It was a lovely weekend at the Etsy-hosted LOVE Handmade Market in Ginza.
You can see a few photos of the event on my Facebook page. I meant to take more, I was just too excited by meeting, greeting, eating, crafting. Thanks again to everyone who came out!
LOVE Handmade Market, this weekend in Tokyo!
Join Saké Puppets and other Etsy artists this weekend as we gather to share and showcase our craft. I’ll be there to talk about sashiko, and will be selling kits and some handmade gifts. I’d love to see you there!
January 20, 2012
Reception Party, 7pm-9pm
January 21-22, 2012
Free to attend! Open 11am-5pm
* * *
Come and enjoy a showcase of lovingly handcrafted items created by local Etsy sellers and their friends! Make some crafts with the Etsy community, find gifts for your valentine (or for yourself!) and talk with the artists about their inspirations and techniques. It’s a weekend to celebrate our LOVE for all things handmade!
Etsyに参加しているメンバーとその友人たちによる、手作りの品々の展示会を開催いたします。あなたの大切なひとたちや自分のためのギフトをさがしたり、ワークショップに参加したり、出展者と話したり。
あたたかな “LOVE handmade” の週末をご一緒しましょう！
Location
Gallery 7 東京都中央区八重洲2-11-7 一新ビル7階
Tokyo, Chuo-ku, Yaesu 2-11-7 Ishin Building 7F
Google map: http://g.co/maps/3asxw
Say Hello to My Etsy Friends
I spent the weekend keeping shop at the Make: Tokyo Meeting 07 with a group of top-notch Etsy shop owners.
Maker Faire, as it’s known in the United States, celebrates all things DIY and hosts major gatherings in New York and San Francisco every year. Tokyo’s version is smaller and focused a bit more on robotics, but the craft scene carved out its niche.
Each person in our Etsy group had a small box to decorate and fill with our shop goods, and during free time we gathered around a big common table for craft shenanigans. There were monsters, markers, and disassembled computer parts. It was heaven.
As an Etsy shop owner and a (somewhat) new arrival in a foreign land, I sometimes feel a bit isolated. So it was fantastic to spend the weekend with others who are also passionate about making things, who I could talk shop with, who were creative and inspiring, and who were just plain fun to be around. And so, I’d like to introduce you to my new Etsy friends!
From My Atelier: Yuki-san’s embroidery is beautiful. She hand-dyes her own embroidery thread using indigo from her grandparents’ yard. And her wrist warmers are rad.
Harukaze Designs: All weekend Sarah was whipping out adorable drawings of monsters. Monsters on frames. Monsters on buttons. It was awesome.
Necocoa: Neko (cat) + cocoa = so darn cute. Necocoa is hand drawn in a variety of leisurely poses. Darn cute.
Flat Packables & Tokyo Craft Studios: The quality is amazing. Flat Packables are all made from solid wood using a laser cutter and fit into little boxes for easy shipping. Partner shop Tokyo Craft Studios makes lovely porcelain tea light holders and lighting. So nice.
sushifactory: These handmade silver charms are so. incredibly. detailed. I don’t know anything about cars, but these tiny silver ones looked just like the photos of the big ones.
The House of Lau: Lulu’s cheeky screen printed underwear was a bit too much for the old folks, so she switched it up with t-shirts, aprons, tags, jewelry, and all sorts of great holiday gear. This gal is seriously talented.
Do me a favor and show them some love — check out their shops on Etsy.com. Not only are their handmade goods all gorgeous, but they are some of the nicest people I’ve met.
Handmade for the holidays, hip hip hooray!
A Peeky Sneak
A teeny, tiny peek at what I’ve been stitching…
More peeks to sneak, coming soon!
Saké Puppets 