Monthly Archives: June 2013

Inspiration file 04
The One & Only Doll on Earth

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Originating from her passion for handmade craft, the doll creator mimiwn started her own doll series “una-na” in 2003. una-na is a rag doll made from scraps of her favorite fabrics and dresses. Her recent creation “knitted una-na” has been featured in the Japanese knitting magazine named “Keito-dama”.

Stylish Parisienne, Hawaiian girls…. mimiwn has created each with its own unique characteristic. It is truly one and only doll on earth.
The reputation of una-na, which mimiwn plugs away at sewing with pleasure, has spread by word of mouth. In fact, hundreds of una-na dolls have already gone to her customers. mimiwn sometimes receives a request for a custom-made doll using the customers’ own favorite clothes.
mimiwn says, “ ‘una-na’ is the only one for you in the world. While picturing the receivers’ happy faces in mind, I delve into sewing and knitting”
Don’t you have a dress you once loved and cannot wear, but you hesitate to throw it away? Isn’t there any fabric or button waiting to be used? Isn’t it wonderful that such a “useless but favorite” thing may come back to you as a doll?
You will soon prepare for different set of clothing for the coming summer. If you wonder what to do with your well-worn clothes, how about using them as materials for handmade crafts? You might discover “treasures” you never expected.

You can see the blog of “una-na” at http://yaplog.jp/una-na/

“Moku” double gauze

Let’s make summer wear

It is early summer. The sun is getting stronger day by day bringing out a slight sweat. This time we introduce the double-gauze named “Moku gauze”, which is absorbent, breathable, soft and gentle fabric. “Moku” is from “mokuito” in Japanese or mock twist yarn in English when a few different color threads are spun together.

While its texture is same as a regular double-gauze, the mock twist “Moku gauze” looks like Dungaree. The color is deeper and more muted than the regular double-gauze, “Moku gauze” works for children and adults as well. Your clothes may look reversible and more stylish when you roll up the sleeves because the surface and reverse side have different prints.

The patterns, such as low-key dots or small items, are not eye-catching so “Moku gauze” can be used for making clothes. The fabric’s material color affects the coloration for this line. If you are not sure if you are able to make a dress, why don’t you start with an easy sewing project like a scarf? Just by attaching race ribbon or sewing buttons on the fabric, you can create your own stuff.

hana-batake (flower garden) H4850-50

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Small flowers gradationally spread all over the fabric. The floral pattern will look differently as you cut the pattern in a different way. Isn’t it pretty if the part of flowers packed comes to the hemline of your dress or skirt as shown picture here?

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Inspiration file 03
Daily Scenes through Pictures

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One day, an array of pineapples was outside the front of a fancy grocery store. “How pretty!” I spontaneously grabbed my smart-phone to shoot the scene. This picture is one scene of my daily life.

While the smart-phone market share is expected to increase, the Japanese mobile phones that had been dominant in Japan are now mockingly referred to as “Gala-kei”(*). Indeed, a smart-phone is convenient to take pictures. Moreover it is easy to share your pictures via smart-phone to social network such as Twitter or Facebook. Thus, taking pictures become more enjoyable as well as seeing photos posted by others.

Instagram is one of most popular apps to view photographs. As Twitter is a text-based social networking, Instagram is a photos based network. You are able to share your photos with friends to see and follow your favorite posters’ photos.

Crafters like to post their own products on the net to attract public attention. In fact, using such a photo site is very effective to cultivate your taste and sense.

Photos posted from around the world give you ideas you have never had before. By collecting the photos that attract your attention, you will create your own idea notebook.

Photographs can be shared with people in the world even if you don’t understand the language. Perhaps you can be inspired by other people’s daily lives.

(*)
”Gala-kei” is the coined word created from a Japan-born word “Galapagosization” and a Japanese word “keitai” (= cellular phone). “Galapagosization” is a Japanese business term that refers to isolated developed products especially for the domestic market which causes a major hindrance to the global deployment. Because the phenomenon is just like the Galapagos Islands with isolated flora and fauna in which led to Darwin’s theory of evolutionary, the word “Galapagosization” was born.

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“Showa Retro” collection

Redesigned Showa Fabrics with Contemporary Sensibility

In Japan, both the Gregorian calendar and the traditional Japanese calendar with eras based on the reigning emperors have been used. The period from 1926 to 1989 is called “Showa era” corresponding to the reign of the Emperor Showa.

cocca is a textile store located in Tokyo, and has its own brand fabrics and goods. Among cocca’s unique fabrics, we cover “Showa Retro” collection here. The nostalgic fabrics designed almost 50 years ago have just been revived with different color schemes to accommodate a contemporary lifestyle. The amusing patterns and extraordinary color sense in Showa era inspired cocca to create this collection.

Because of the running pattern of small motifs, “Showa Retro” is great for any project, such as apparel or small items. The pattern also fits anyone regardless of age. Isn’t it fun to dress in matching clothes with your kids?” cocca says.

“Showa Retro” collection consists of a various materials like cotton satin and dobby. You are able to enjoy comparing each texture as well as patterns.

koushi  JGC-100 1A, JGC-1001B, JGC-1001C

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This is a glossy fabric using cotton satin. The contrast between colors of hand-drawn “koushi” (plaid) and off-white foundation for spring-summer season is outrageous. The classic checkered fabric works well for clothing.

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