Monthly Archives: January 2016

PUSH PIN* × KOKKA

New designs of popular characters are here!

A new collection for the PUSH PIN* × KOKKA is here! This collaborative project is developed with PUSH PIN, a manufacturer of the original general goods. The design features a variety of unique characters such as Lolo, a mischievous black cat, Kurokof, a black bear looking as if he were coming straight out of a picture book, Ryuka, a piggy and an old-man wrestler that brings a smile to your face.

“Every year, a new collection for PUSH PIN* × KOKKA is introduced. At the request of Kokka,
the artwork is redesigned and rearranged to suit the fabric using select motifs out of many PUSH PIN original characters. For Kokka’s fabric, two designs are particularly popular and we come up with new designs yearly. One is a fabric for boys called, “Hello My Friend!” and the other is the “November Books” series which is based on a wide range of stories from all over the world. Lately, you see a lot of items featuring cats, and we incorporated “Lolo, the Black Cat” for the first time in a long time. Lolo, the Black Cat was inspired by a vintage stuffed animal, and it was one of many characters that were created at the time. Since it got to be popular, we named the cat Lolo and created a story. It is a house cat living in Germany and is a little mischievous. It has been over 10 years since it was first introduced and is still being loved by many.” says Hamada, a PUSH PIN* designer.

Lolo, the Black Cat “Going for a walk”   HG2303-1  Oxford (Ox)
kokka-fabric.com H2303-1_1kokka-fabric.com H2303-1_2

The design features mischievous Lolo – such scenes as Lolo giving trouble when the owner is getting ready for a Paris vacation or Lolo wandering out into town.
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Fluffy Shoulder Bag  

Size: 22cm (l) 32cm (w – top opening) 6cm (d)

This shoulder bag is making full use of the soft feel of the double gauze fabric. The featured fabric is obiko’s Birds and roses. The most noticeable characteristic of this bag is the bottom gusset. Mioko Sugino, the creator of the bag says, “By tucking the usual straight gusset, it can create a soft and feminine look.” The shoulder strap is just the right length for you to carry this bag over a thick winter coat.

Design & Work: Mioko Sugino


Fabric shown for this sample: obiko JG50510-1 (A)


Materials:
□ Fabric (Outer fabric, Shoulder strap): 70cm×70cm
(Lining fabric): 50cm×60cm
□ Fusible interfacing: 10cm x 15cm
□ Button: one piece (2.2cm diameter)

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We interviewed Mioko about her creation:
Kokka Fabric (KF): What did you think of the fabric you used for this project?
I got the impression from this fabric that it is light and gentle. Somewhat nostalgic, the flowers and birds as accents are lovely and well balanced so I wanted to feature them for a large surface. The design uses the double gauze’s soft and gentle texture to its best advantage.

KF:Can you tell us any special elements or ideas that you incorporated into this creation?
The most noticeable characteristic of this bag is the bottom gusset. By tucking the usual straight gusset, it can create a soft and feminine look. This treatment allowed the simple straight stitches to have a round look overall.
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KF: What are some tips for making this bag?
The design is rather simple and it should not be difficult to make. If you are not comfortable with the button hole process, instead you can use a thin rope or ribbon to secure the button on the flap.

KF:How should we use this bag in everyday situations?
While this material and color are perfect for spring/summer clothing, it will also look lovely if you coordinate it with a lighter color coat or sweaters in fall/winter. Carrying it with something in white in winter is nice, too. The shoulder strap is just the right length for you to easily carry this bag over the sleeve of a thick winter coat.

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

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