Two Pieces of Obi Fabrics

I've found these two obi fabrics a while ago. The colors are totally contrastive but somehow I couldn't pick only one. What should I make? pouches? purses? hmmm... so many to think of.

By the way, I scanned the fabrics at home but it turned out slightly different from the original. Although photographing might have been better than scanning, I hope you can see the colors well.

Thanks for reading!!

New Pouch and Tote

You might know that tap water in Tokyo is a little tainted now. Babies under 1 year old shouldn't take tap water said the government. As some people already know we live in Kawasaki, so the water is still safe.

Today I saw a sad scene at the grocery store nearby. Even though the tap water is not harmful at all for ADULTS, even though we are in Kawasaki, lots of adults who don't seem to have babies or infants bought many bottles of water. Don't you think adults should stay calm and let moms with babies buy water? My daughter is 1 year and 7 months old now, but just in case I bought two bottles of water. Even I didn't buy lots. It was a sad scene to see...

Anyway, let's talk about new items! It's more fun to talk about!

Here is one that I made.

height: 12cm
width: 23cm(the widest part)
depth: 5cm

This is the same combination as the other tote and the coin purse.

Instead of a clutch, I attached a red zipper for this pouch.

Here is a tote. This looks exactly the same as the tote I made before.

height: 22cm
Width: 22.5cm

The both items will be listed on my Etsy shop soon.
Please visit!

New Hand-Sewn Tote

I want to thank lots of people for sending me nice messages or comments since the earthquake hit. Luckily our family and all of my friends are safe! but we've lost so many people... The magnitude 9.0 earthquake was too big to handle and broke down the nuclear power plant. I heard the plant was damaged not by the strong wave but the tsunami. It left damages on some generators to send water inside or something.

Anyway, the power company decided to have the scheduled blackout to prevent from sudden blackout. My area is in group 4 but never had a blackout yet. It'll take 3 hours each time said the company but they suddenly change the schedule... We don't know what's going on yet...

When the earthquake hit, I was sewing this tote because my daughter was asleep. Last night finally the tote was done! I wonder how fast I can sew with a sewing machine... but it'll make some noise, right? hmmm... But hand-sewing leaves less damages on the fabric than machine-sewing for the needle goes through the fabric diagonally. Yes, those two reasons keep me away from getting a sewing machine. And what you feel after you complete hand-sewing is so much better than using a machine. I feel like convincing myself not to buy one...haha

Anyway anyway anyway, here is the tote!

I was going to list it on my Etsy shop, but the pocket size should be modified. I just wanted to write about it. I like polka dots. Somehow I often get fabrics with polka dots!!!

The Earthquakes

It was a horrifying day yesterday. We are fortunately fine here but scared.

We live in Kawasaki, which is a few hundred kilometers away from Miyagi and Fukushima, where the severe damages are left. Still, the waves made me feel it would be the last day!! You know if a quake occurs right underneath mantle plate, the wave goes up and down which gives severe damages to houses and buildings. However, if it occurs a distance away, the wave is more horizontal.

The waves were horizontal, so I knew the epicenter is somewhere different. But it was still big enough to scare me. The first wave and the two secondary waves were long. I mean it was about one minute but I felt longer. My daughter and I stayed under the dining table.

During the first wave we lost electricity. It went out! and we didn't have water either! We got power back at night.

We lit candles at our dinner table. My husband and I were ok but our 1 year and 6 months old daughter was scared of darkness! But she went to bed quickly so that it wasn't a big problem.

So, I didn't have anything to do without lights, so I just took pictures of some candles.

Purse for My Friend

My best friend's birthday is coming this week, but I had no idea what to get for her. Every year we exchange a card and some gifts. We don't know when we started this but it's fun to pick something nice for her!

This year, I didn't get a chance to go gift shopping. So, I decided to make a purse! I used oil cloth for exterior and cotton for inner fabric.

Two Great Books on Kimono

I found two cool books on awesome kimonos at the library. Even if you don't read Japanese, the photos are eye-catching. So, you'll enjoy the contents a lot. What I like them is that those photos in the books aren't anything traditional or high class. I often get sick of kimono shops who try to sell me super expensive kimonos or keep calling me!(Actually one shop called me up in this morning...Ouch!)

Anyways, young women in these days tend to wear secondhand kimonos and cheap but cute kimonos. Antique ones are easy to get and also cute. Especially kimonos made in the Taisho era (1912-1926) and in the early Showa era (1926-1989) are pretty and beautiful.

In the book, Omoshiro Kimono Gara (written by Lunko Nagata) you can find some photos of kimonos from that eras. The most interesting photos of kimonos are that have helmet motifs, war planes, or anything supported WWII. No one would put on such kimonos nowadays though... This book, however, shows antique kimonos, amasing motifs of kimonos and more.


"Lunko のオモシロ着物柄" (Lunco no Omoshiro Kimonogara)

ISBN 4-12-390078-X C0077



On the other hand, this book written by Mamechiyo shows lots of photos of kimonos in the modern styles that mixed with international tastes or other motifs like polka dots and etc. The author Mamechiyo has stores in Tokyo. I'd love to visit some day soon! Anyways, you'll love this book too.


"豆千代の着物モダン"(Mamechiyo no Kimono Modan)

ISBN 4-12-390058-5

Tubular Bind Off (twisted 1 x 1 rib) Tutorial

Tubular Bind off is always hard to remember. I learned this technique from my teacher the other day, but I can easily forget it. It's a little complicated for me.

Here, I want to share this with my great readers, and also it is a good note for me.

This time I knitted 1x1 twisted rib stitch for a few rows.

K2 P1 K1 P1 K1 P1 K1 P1 K1 P1 K1 P1 K1 P1 K2 (17sts in total)

1) Cut the yarn after knitting and use a thread needle. Insert the needle from left to right and take 2 stitches at once.

2) Pull the yarn.

3) Insert the needle into the 1st stitch from left to right.

4) Remove the stitch from the knitting needle and keep it on the thread needle.

5) Skip the 2nd stitch and insert the needle into the 3rd stitch from right to left.

6) Pull the yarn.

7) Insert the thread needle into the 1st stitch from right to left. Move the stitch onto the thread needle. The needle goes behind the 2nd stitch.

8) Now the stitch is moved to the thread needle. Insert the needle into the second stitch from the right side as if to knit. The needle comes from behind and insert it as if to knit.

9) Pull the yarn.

Repeat step 3) to 9) to last 2 stitches. Please remember that you always have one stitch on the thread needle during working.

Steps 3)to 6)are for knitted stitches and steps 7) to 9) are for purled stitches.


Last 2 stitches

10) Insert the thread needle from left to right. Two stitches together.

11) Pull the yarn.

This is how it looks like.

I hope it is clear enough.

New Purse with the Strap

It took a while to finish this project. While I was working on this purse I started making something else and went back to this purse...back and forth... Probably the reason is that the oil cloth is hard to sew with hands, and especially it takes my time and concentration on the top stitching.

Anyway, it's my first sample and I have to modify some parts to make it better. The strap can be a little shorter than this.

I came up with this idea because in the winter I put my wallet and keys in my pocket on my winter coat to go to the park or a grocery store with my daughter, but in the summer time I need a small purse to carry my stuff.

The exterior fabric is oil cloth and the inner fabric is cotton. The size is 24cm(w)x 13cm(h).

Now, I can carry my stuff in the purse!