GARDEN　Butterfly case

Size (roughly): 16cm (l), 22cm (width at top opening), 6cm (d)

Today’s project, made with Ellen Baker’s GARDEN series fabric, is perfect for this time of the year, a time that we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. From the series, a lovely butterfly design was chosen for a small case with a zipper top. Yumi Kanaya, the creator and an expert of embroidery, came up with a cute case of butterflies with stitch embellishment.

Design & work created by：Yumi Kanaya, Y*RT2 HANDMADE

Fabric shown for this sample:

(Outer fabric A, C): GARDEN JG41700-6 (C)
(Outer fabric B, Lining fabric): GARDEN JG41700-5 (B)
(Bottom outer fabric): GARDEN JG41700-5 (C)（ C）

Materials:
□ Fabric (Outer fabric A, C): 50cm×20cm
(Outer fabric B, Lining fabric): 30cm×40cm
(Bottom outer fabric): 30cm×20cm
□ Fusible quilt batting : 30cm×40cm
□ Torchon lace: 50cm (2.5cm width)
□ Leather tab: One piece – 6.5cm×3cm
□ Zipper: One 20cm zipper
□ Embroidery thread #25: White and Brown, One skein each

We interviewed Ms. Kanaya about her creation:
Kokka Fabric（KF): What did you think about the fabric you used for this project?
YK: It is a series called GARDEN by an American designer, Ellen Baker. It is very attractive with a natural and smoky color combination. Since the different designs come in the same color tones, I decided to pair them up to do a patchwork.

KF:Can you tell us about any special elements or ideas that you incorporated into this creation?
YK: Butterfly motifs are placed as a main design element with a gray and yellow color combination. The fabric is accented with patchwork and embroidery. Since the fabric has lots of embellishments, I intentionally kept the case’s design simple. It is a case with depth and a zipper opening.

KF:What are some tips for making this case?
YK: When cutting the fabric, I paid extra attention so that the butterfly motif will be centered in the design. Since the texture of the fabric itself is tight and solid, I added only fusible quilt batting to give it thickness and softness. The zipper is attached in between the outer and lining fabrics. This way it is easy to sew and keeps the blind stitches minimum.

KF:How should we use this case in everyday settings?
YK: While I made a little case this time, the fabric’s look is suitable for making kitchen items like coasters, placemats and tea pot covers. The ideas keep flowing.

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

GARDEN　Butterfly case

1.

Cut the outer fabrics.

2.

Cut the torchon lace matching the size of the fabric.

3.

Piece together outer fabric A, C and B and press down the seam allowance using an iron. Make two pieces.

4.

Attach lace to the fabric created in step 3, 5mm inside from the edge.

5.

With front/outer side facing each other, sew together the pieced outer fabric (from Step 3) and bottom outer fabric. Stitch inside the stitch line created in Step 4. (This allows the lace to be exposed most and look consistent)

6.

Attach torchon lace on both sides and press them down using an iron.

7.

Adhere fusible quilt batting to the back of the outer fabric (from Step 6). Following the butterfly pattern, apply embroidery (using six strands of threads). For clews, use a French knot stitch. White cross uses a back stitch. A rough running stitch is applied to the outer bottom.

8.

Cut the lining fabric. With front/outer side facing each other, piece together outer fabric and lining fabric, with a zipper in-between. After the zipper is attached, turn it over and press with iron.

9.

Fold a leather tab in half. Baste it 1cm below the zipper. (The tab should be placed to appear on the left side of the outer front fabric).

10.

With reverse side showing, open it so that the zipper is located in the center. Sew both sides, 1cm from the edge. On the lining fabric, leave an opening for about 5cm so that the case can be turned inside out later.

11.

Cut off the four corners (fold line of top and bottom) for 2cm (l) x 3cm (w). (This becomes the gusset).

12.

Open the four corners so that it creates a triangle shape. Sew the gusset. Turn it inside out using the opening to look like the picture after turning.

13.

Close the opening on the lining fabric.

14.

Voila!

Click here for Sewing Instructions (PDF format / A4 size)

Inspiration file 45　 Cosplay*1) dresses with fun fabric

Soft double gauze fabrics from Joielinne collection, which we recently featured in our Textile Story column, are perfect for any apparel. One in this collection named “stripe patch”, that is the striped textile look with various patterns, is especially popular among sewing lovers.

I received an exciting mail that read, “I made something straightaway with that fabric!” The mail was from Masumi Saito who uses the pseudonym “sinafuku,” and she is well known to you since her items are frequently featured on this website. The girls in the picture are her daughters.

Saito said, “I was supposed to make a face mask with the fabric. But just after receiving the fabric, I got tickets for the Charan-Po-Rantan’s concert.*2) I then made a project change to sew costumes for my girls.”

Since introduced by her friend, Saito has been a big fan of Charan-Po-Rantan and dreamed to go the concert with her children cosplaying as the music duo.

Tada! These are the costumes Saito made with “stripe patch” fabric to go to the concert. Besides the colorful apron dresses, she made pointed hats by copying Charan-Po-Rantan’s costume. Now, to the show venue! What happened at the concert? Her two young daughters’ “cosplay” fashion won Charan-Po-Rantan’s favor, took pictures with the duo, and got their autographs on their hats. It was an unforgettable day for Saito and her daughters.

The theme of Joielinne collection is “the fabric everyone enjoys with”. This fabric indeed brought Saito the fun time with her children dressing as her favorite artist.

Saito posted about the concert on her blog at http://ameblo.jp/kittenishgirl-sinafuku/

*1) Cosplay is short for “costume play”, in which people dress up as their favorite characters.

*2) Charan-Po-Rantan is a sisters’ duo in Japan. Young sister is the vocalist while the older one plays an accordion.

Small case with metal clasps in the GARDEN fabric

サイズ：14cm (w), 8cm (l), 14cm (d)

Today’s project is a small case with metal clasps, using Ellen Baker’s GARDEN series of fabric. The square design gives you plenty of room to carry things as the depth of the case is as deep as the width in the front. When piecing together two outer fabrics, make sure to press the seam open using an iron for a clean finish. Repeat the process for the lining fabric as well. Once the clasps are placed, use a nipper to hold the clasp so that the fabric will stay in place. To avoid the nipper from scratching the clasps, place a piece of fabric in-between.

Materials

□ Outer Fabric A: 20cm (110cm width)
□ Outer Fabric B: 20cm (110cm width)
□ Lining Fabric: 20cm (110cm width)
□ Interfacing: 20cm (90cm width)
□ Metal Clasp: One piece (9cm (w) x 7cm (l)

Fabric shown for this sample:(Outer Fabric A)GARDEN JG 41700-3 (A)
(Outer Fabric B)GARDEN JG 41700-5 (A)

Click here for Sewing Instructions (PDF format / A4 size)

nunokara×Etsuko Furuya

The world of Alice in Wonderland

nunokara is a fairy tale series of fabric that has appeared several times on Kokka Fabric’s website. Today we are introducing the Alice in Wonderland inspired design created by echino’s designer, Etsuko Furuya. Expressing Furuya’s unique world of design, this 100% cotton series is somewhat unique.

Alice　HFG 100-1　#10 Canvas

“The Alice fabric was first designed with nunokara’s collaboration theme ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in mind. In this story there are many attractive characters besides Alice, who is the protagonist. These various motifs are gently expressed as a silhouette in the images of this story. It is a classic design combined with botanical motifs. This creates both a cute and mature look depending on the color combination or the way you use the fabric.” (by Furuya)
This arabesque design with casually placed Alice and rabbits are suited for making interior décor items such as pillows and small cases.

Continue reading →

Inspiration 44
A snowman with vintage pearls

Just back to the memory of a snowy day in Tokyo.

On the day we had the record snowfall, a lot of pictures related to snow were posted on Facebook and Instagram: a school playground covered with snow, a train stuck in the snow, and even grown-up people enjoying a friendly snowball fight. The picture here is what I was most fascinated by. It is the one posted on Instagram by a jewelry designer Kaori Sato.

Sato commented in her Instagram, “The snow piled up a lot on the balcony of my house and flowerpots were completely under the snow. While digging up one pot, I started playing; shaping snow into a snowman, placing eyes, mouth, arms and the pot for a hat, and then pretending to rescue the snowman from the deep snow. Well, to be honest, I had to rescue the vintage pearls used as his eyes since they were the gift from my friend in Paris and very precious to me.”

With vintage pearl eyes? How stylish the snowman is! His eyes are seemingly uneven, and is it just an optical illusion? Or, is each of the vintage pearls actually unequal in size? Anyway, what an exquisite presentation with gold “merci” necklace!

The ways to have fun vary with the seasons. This Sato’s project made from natural snow was not her regular work but very enjoyable sideline. While the snow on her house’s balcony has all gone, the pot from the snow is now ready for planting spring flowers. And, the vintage pearls which once became snowman’s eyes are now beautiful jewelry by Sato.

For further information about Kaori Sato, go to http://scintillerk.ocnk.net