sewing

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In With the New: To-Do for 2013

snowy american sunrise

Yesterday I shared last year’s to-do list and how well I did checking things off. It feels good to keep a list and look back a year later, to see how your year changed from the one you had imagined. I might not have accomplished everything on my list, but keeping an eye on it throughout the year gave a good push to keep trying new things.

I’m stepping into this year tentatively, like I am dipping my toes into water — will it be refreshing? Too hot? Will I turn and run and hide under my towel? We shall see. Here is the list for 2013:

Cook 12 new recipes. I am putting this on the list again, even though last year I failed miserably at it. I want to cook more, and if this list gives me even a little bit of encouragement it will be a positive gain. I’d love to learn more traditional Japanese dishes, so perhaps I’ll even treat myself to a cooking class.

Read 8 books. I’m upping the ante from 5 last year. Recommendations?

Visit 6 new places. This is achievable so I’m sticking with it. If I could go anywhere? The mountains of Chile, Alaska, New Zealand. Where might I go? Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, or a romp through northern Japan. I’d love to find a hike to a secret little outdoor onsen in the mountains.

Sew 6 new garments. My new sewing hobby has me obsessed. I’d like to learn more skills this year, and make a fitted and lined dress, pants, and a jacket or blazer. I vow to not be afraid to cut into expensive fabrics.

Make a gigantic sashiko art piece. A last-minute addition. Why not?!

Publish something. An article or an encyclopedia (dream big!), it doesn’t matter.

2013? Let’s do this.

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Out With the Old: 2012’s To-Dos

明けましておめでとうございます。今年もよろしくお願いします。

Happy New Year, my friends.

I am easing into 2013. My season of travels abroad, visits with friends and family, handmade gifts and home cooked meals is coming to a close, and I am settling in. 2013 promises many challenges and I am gathering the strength to face them.

Last year at this time I made a to-do list. I dislike resolutions, but to-do lists I can handle. Looking back, I feel good about the things I checked off the list. It turns out I cook a lot less than I thought I did but sew quite a bit more. I feel OK with a trade-off like that. Here is my list and how I fared:

Cook 12 new recipes, one per month. Not even close. Though, I probably ate 12 new foods, like natto, coffee jelly, and tom yum. I can’t believe I waited so long for tom yum. What was I thinking?

food

Read 5 books. I remember thinking this was on the low side, that of course I would read more than 5 books in a year. I read 6.

books

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart, Ghostwritten by David Mitchell, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story by Glenway Wescott, The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg

Visit 6 new places. Cities or countries, it doesn’t matter. And walk around these places without a map. 

travels

  1. Shiga kogen, Nagano, Japan
  2. Hijiori Onsen, Yamagata, Japan
  3. Kuala Lumpur & Malacca, Malaysia
  4. Singapore
  5. Sado Island, Japan
  6. Okinawa, Japan

Make a quilt for myself, for fun. I did, and it was fun. I also spent a lot of time learning to sew clothing. I made 6 new garments and 4 neckties.

sewing

Have a conversation with a stranger in Japanese. This really reminds me of how little I could, or would, say before I started my Japanese classes. I was a big chicken. Now I am often faced with having to speak Japanese with strangers, and I’m a little less of a chicken.

2012, I think you did alright by me. I visited lovely new places, I ate a lot and spent quality time with quality people, I learned some things, and even found my face on the Internet (like here and here). Nice work, 2012. Now, can you give 2013 the message?

How did your 2012 to-do lists turn out?

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Clever Clover Pouch Helper

I stop by my neighborhood craft supply shop about once a week, usually to pick up something small like a zipper or to fondle the newly-arrived yarns. Occasionally I talk with the staff ladies because I can’t find something or they need me to pull a box off the high-reaches of the top shelf. The shop is tiny, and if your handbag is too big you’ll inevitably knock all of the knitting needles off the rack. Perhaps I speak from experience.

While on a recent visit, gazing at the dusty top shelf, the secrets of which only I know, I found this — a Clover zippered-pouch template.

Pouch Template Shell: Easily make original pouches! Yes, please.

Clever Clover Helper

The kit includes a plastic template and instructions for making various zippered pouches. The tracing wheel reminded me a little bit of Spirograph, but without the ripped paper and 7-year-old-style cursing.

the templates

7 patterns for 7 pouches

Using the template, you can easily and beautifully draw 7 different patterns.

Drafting difficult curves with the template is easy and fast! Accurately draw a 1 cm sewing allowance.

pouches. pieces.

I feel like I have unlocked the secrets of the pouch-making universe.

Each pattern (A-G) is matched with an appropriate length zipper and template pieces, which you trace around and mark onto your main fabric and lining. The templates include marking points for pinning zippers, pleats, and pockets. The green tracing wheel creates a 1 cm sewing allowance and cutting line.

tracing

pieces

I started with pattern A for a standard pouch. About an hour later, I had a little zipper bag in adorable Kokka Dutch Door Press fabric from my friend Miss Matatabi.

pouch

pouch

Open wide and say pouch.

Admittedly, the lining could use some work. Hopefully by pattern G I’ll be a pro.

On to the next pouch I go!

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Birthday Suit

birthday shirt

It would take many birthday tequilas to show you that birthday suit.

birthday suit

I recently turned 30-something, so I made a birthday shirt. The pattern is from the August issue of Burda Style magazine. Listed as an intermediate level pattern, I thought it looked simple enough. I learned an intermediate sewer I am not. It took some Googling to help me understand the invisible zippers at the cuffs. They are a cool detail and I’m glad I persevered. My zippers are not so invisible, but they are bright yellow so I’m glad they peek out a bit.

I could have botched this pattern completely and it wouldn’t have mattered because this fabric is lovely. It feels soft and light and is covered in almost-neon yellow dots. Happy birthday to me.

ps. previously mentioned in this sneak peek.

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A shirt and a sneaky huntsman

I made this shirt and I don’t love it.

I loved making it, but wearing it is another story. This is one of my hesitations with sewing clothes — what if you spend all that time making something, and in the end it’s not meant to be? I know that alterations can help, and with experience I will hopefully learn how a garment is constructed and can change it to fit my shape. But until then, I have this shirt.

It’s not terrible. I put it on and I still smiled. After this photo was taken I was going to change into something else, but forgot and had to dash off to class. Both me and the shirt survived.

This was actually a practice shirt for some lovely Nani iro flannel I bought from Miss Matatabi, a fabric seller here in Japan. This practice fabric is some cotton I bought for cheap in Fabric Town, only because it has sneaky huntsman.

The pattern is Wiksten Tova, and the fit wasn’t quite right for me. It is a perfectly decent pattern with easy-to-follow instructions, but I learned that this style of shirt isn’t for me. I might be the only person in sewing-blog land to say that. Sorry everyone out there. Maybe I’ll try it again someday, but I’ll be ready to try some alterations. It’s not you Tova, it’s me. Let’s just be friends.

Have any of you made this shirt? Did you alter the pattern? I’m curious to hear!

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Tied.

Does everyone know how much a necktie costs in a Tokyo department store? Let me help you – about ￥10,000, which translates to USD $127. For a basic, silk-ish boring striped necktie.

I haven’t bought my husband a new necktie in years because I couldn’t stomach paying that price for something I knew I had the skills and resources to make. This meant he had no neckties. I experimented with making ties using Liberty of London cottons, but the ties proved too flimsy. A good tie needs some heft, and the fusible interfacing in these made them more like wispy bits of cardboard hanging from a shirt. Recently, I tried again with wool.

The thicker wool and sew-in interfacing allow these ties to swing freely. Because we know men like their accessories to swing freely. I altered Burda pattern 3403 to create a skinny 2 1/2″ tie rather than the fat 4″ as instructed. The fabric is a Pendleton plaid with cotton shirting lining, and cashmere blend herringbone lined in red silk.

With more practice I think I’ll be able to master better points. More practice means more ties, and a way to lure someone into fabric stores with me.

During this photo-op Dan informed me he would never wear this outfit in public. He would obviously need to wear a suit jacket with a tie. Such discerning taste.

And yes, that is a baseball bat tie clip.

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Lady Liberty

Riding the high of my two handmade shirts, I decided to try my hand at embellishing an otherwise plain tank top. Just jazz it up a bit.

I spotted some Liberty of London bias tape on sale at Yuzawaya and couldn’t pass it up. Normally around 600 yen for 2 meters, it was half price. And I got an additional 30% off but don’t ask me why because I have no idea. When a woman wants to give me money back, I just smile and nod at her.

My face is making a very deer-in-the-headlights sort of expression, and thus the crop.  Perhaps it was because the neighbor was peeking at me, wondering why a strange girl is smiling at her wall.

In truth this project posed a bit of a challenge because I’ve never sewn knit fabrics before. I know you are supposed to zig-zag, turn in a circle, jump up and down and sing a song in order to sew correctly with knits, but in the end it was easier for me to hand stitch. A DVD movie marathon later, I had myself a new tank.

I love the little bit of pizzazz the bias tape gives the tank. It’s not too much color. I know it is summer, but let’s not get crazy!

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I made a shirt.

I totally did. I turned a piece of fabric into something wearable.

Ignore the wrinkles and the pink belly button dot. If I can’t see them then you can’t see them. That’s the way it works, right?

And no, I’m not going to model it. I thought about the idea, but really… guys, I’m an awkward lanky goof, and when there is a camera involved it’s a hot mess.

But back to my shirt. My shirt! A friend was wearing one she made, and when I commented on how much I liked it she bullied encouraged me to try sewing one for myself. I ordered the pattern online that same evening, and with speedy, instant gratification it was sent via PDF five minutes later.

All I could think about was sewing this shirt. I was possessed. I bought fabric the next morning, brought it home and washed it and watched it air dry, drumming my fingers, telling it to hurry up already.

It took me 4 hours to make, start to finish. Everything that could possibly go wrong did. I sewed the pocket upside down, then the side seams inside out. I had to rip out all the stitches but I didn’t mind. I was making a shirt, yo.

And then it was finished and I was in love. I put it on immediately, which was easy to do because I was wearing only my underwear solely in anticipation of the moment when I could put on my bespoke top. Bespoke — la tee dah!

Then I sat down and sewed another one.

I told you, I was possessed. The second one has a hand-sewn pocket. I used more expensive nani IRO fabric (I was ready!) and it only took me an hour. I’ve already worn it twice.

What shall I sew next?! Do you have pattern suggestions? Please send them my way! I’m giddy! I want to sew all the shirts!

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English Craft Club 7月8日: Flying Geese Quilts

The next English Craft Club class meets Sunday July 8th in Shinjuku Gyoen! This upcoming class is part of the American Quilt Series, and up this week is the Flying Geese block.

This block was fun to put together, and can be arranged in a variety of ways to create some interesting patterns. Come try it for yourself!

Finished quilt blocks can be used to create a placemat, decorate a tote bag or cushion cover, or save to add to a larger quilt. All project materials and light snacks are included. Cost is 5000 yen per person, or bring a friend and get a discount! The English Craft Club is open to everyone — men, women, both native speakers and those learning English. If you are interested in joining the class, please send an email to sakepuppets@gmail.com to register. Hope to see you there!

You can find more information about upcoming classes by clicking the links below. Thanks!

Sunday July 8th: Schedule
12:55  Meet at the Okido Gate at Shinjuku Gyoen
13:00  Class begins! Choose fabric and begin project
14:00  Break for snacks and refreshments
14:30  Class instruction ends, but feel free to stay until 15:00 to finish your project and chat with instructors and new friends

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キルトを学びます。型紙の写し方、キルトのステッチをお教えします。キルトはテーブルに置くコースターか、トートバッグの飾りとして使えます。

計画
12:55 新宿御苑の大木戸門で集合
13:00 レッスンを始めしょう！ 単語集を習ったり、ご自身で布を選んで頂きます。
14:00 休憩
14:30 ワークショップ終了。15:00までは講師が残っています。

含まれる材料：ご自身で選んだ布、糸、型紙、レッスンメモ

『The English Craft Club』は楽しく英語を勉強するクラブです。毎回のクラスごとに、皆さまに各自で作品を作って頂きます。クラフトをしながら、様々な表現や英単語を楽しく勉強していきます。

『The English Craft Club』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）sakepuppets@gmail.com