Monthly Archives: October 2014

kirigami

Stylish succession of motifs like a paper cutout

The name of this fabric, kirigami, stands for the Japanese Kirigami, the art of papercutting. The aligned animal and tree motifs remind you of mobile décor paper cutouts. Doesn’t it look lovely like a Scandinavian wooden toy? With a simple design and limited use of colors, this thicker cotton/linen canvas fabric is perfect for making bags! Since the design idea originated from the mobile, a cut out of each motif will create a chic fabric mobile as a room décor item.

zou　P32000-200 Cotton/Linen Canvas

The zou features an elephant design, the most popular Scandinavian motif. The elephant, which looks like a paper cutout, is adorned with flowers on the body to create a cute look. With unbleached color as a base, simple color combinations of this fabric make it more versatile.

Continue reading →

Inspiration file 57
Super cute! Tiny Bag

Sometimes used for keeping coins, sometimes for carrying accessories…. A palm sized tiny bag tickles girl’s hearts; and no matter how many we have, we want more. Kaori Sawa, handicraft creator aka. Caunes+KaOriRi is among the diehard fans of such cute bags.

Above is a bag made from pink linen decorated with suede flowers. It’s an extremely lovely figure! A pop-arty flower print can also be found the inner lining of the bag.
“This size is suitable for point cards and credit cards. We can also use this as a name card case.” (Kaori Sawa)

This card case is inspired by the aesthetic of presents. Pale pink cotton with a purple velvet ribbon is used, with handles added in the same ribbon. We can create various designs dependent upon season and situation.

Sawa’s creation theme is ‘simple and kawaii (cute)’. Apart from ‘the tiny bag series’, she creates quite a few other sized bags and accessories. Each creation is made from unique fabrics and materials she is fond of collecting.

The bag shown in the photo above is made from mangle cloth; German antique linen creates a gentle atmosphere by adding an old doily. The shape of this bag is the same as the mini purse with a drawstring bag we introduce in the craft and sewing column.

The photo above shows circle shaped brooches which made of gathering fabrics. Brilliant pompom flower like colors would be fashionable accent for a chic and simple dress.

You can see Sawa’s creations at:

blog 　http://ameblo.jp/caunes
Facebook　　https://www.facebook.com/caunes

Pumps Shaped Small Case

Size: 8cm (w) 20.5cm (l)　

What a fashionable zipper case in the shape of pumps! #11 canvas material is solid yet easy to sew with a household sewing machine. A perfect fabric for making small items.
Today’s project is by Yui Tamaki, a creator of popular small handmade items filled with her stylish ideas.

Design & work：Yui Tamaki

Fabric shown for this sample: P30100-100 (A)

Materials:
□ Fabric: (Front outer fabric, back fabric) 25cm×30cm
(Lining fabric) 15cm×30cm
(Toe outer fabric) 15cm×10cm
□ Coiled fastener (zipper): over 16cm in length – one piece
□ Ribbon of your choice

We interviewed Yui about her creation:
Kokka Fabric (KF): What did you think of the fabric you used for this project?
It feels modern with a crisp look, so I thought of something cool in mind: a pair of pumps.

KF: Can you tell us any special elements or ideas that you incorporated into this creation?
I was selective as to which part of the fabric to cut since I wanted to include as many colors as possible. It does not take a long time to make this piece as the edges are finished with a faster process using French seams.

KF: What are some tips for making this case?
Please be careful and sew slowly as most edges are curved. The design is asymmetrical, and please pay attention to sewing the correct sides of the fabric and pattern.

KF: How should we use this case in everyday situations?
It is flat and does not take up a lot of room in your purse. It is perfect as a pen case with a couple of pens inside.

KF: Thank you very much, Yui! Here are sewing instructions along with step by step photos from her. Enjoy crafting!

Continue reading →

Lighthearted 2

Enjoying a variety of color combinations

Continued from last week, today’s column features a retro and bright print fabric, Lighthearted. This series consists of various designs including culinary-themed illustrations, small flowers, polka dots, alphabet letters, biased check and small dots. These designs are then put into three groups based on their colors, and not by their patterns. Following last week’s tangerine orange fabrics, the color groups of mint green and tricolor are featured today!

Mint Green　HFG_105 B Cotton Broadcloth

This group uses mint green as a base color with the opposite color, rose pink as an accent. The idea behind these color selections is to propose that it can be interesting to incorporate contrasting colors. With either mint green or pink featured in each fabric, it looks pleasing when matched even with other fabrics in the same group.

Continue reading →

Lighthearted

Retro and bright print like the designs from 1930s

“Lighthearted” means fun, cheerful and interesting. As the name depicts, this happy and fun print fabric reminds you of the thirties in the US with its retro design and crisp color tones. Based on the tones, the series consists of three color groups – orange, mint green and tricolor. Using fabrics of the same color group creates a consistent look. Border designs with English alphabets and lace motifs are suited for handles and design transitions. The possibilities are endless. Today’s columns features the first group, orange toned fabrics.

　HFG_105 Cotton Broadcloth