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Ellen Baker

Garden Fabric collection.

The Forth artist we feature is Ellen Baker. Last month she participated in the Quilt Market in Huston as a designer for Kokka. Here is a short interview she shares her enthusiasm with her next collection.

Kokka-Fabric.com(KF): How did you prepare for the brand-new collection before the show?

Baker: For the recent Quilt Market in Houston, I made samples from my new book 1, 2, 3 Quilt using the Garden fabric collection, including pillows, a tote bag, clothing and home decor items.

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【NEWS】Third Annual Kokka Textile Contest “inspiration” now in the process of the selection!

Third Annual Kokka Textile Contest “inspiration”

All applications of this award closed on 31st of October.
We received 161 applications. Thank you so much.
We are now in the process of the selection stage.
The winner announcement is on 18th of December, 2013.　
You will find the detail here

Inspiration file 27
A kid’s beret with fluffy pom-pom

In Japan, it is said that fall is the season for harvest, reading, sports, and the arts. In addition to athletic meets and school festivals, craft shows are held all around Japan during this season.

Masumi Saito, who had presented the Usaron’s frilly apron for our Craft & Sewing column, participated in a craft event. The event “24h@craft in Tokyo”, which 14 crafters collaborated on, was held from Oct.25 through 28, 2013.

“Since my oldest daughter was born in 2008, I have made handicrafts as time permits while I have been a stay-at-home mom.” Saito says. She has 5-year-old and 2-year-old daughters. She produces children’s clothing and fabric accessories from her brand named “sinafuku”. The brand name is a blend word from her daughter’s name “Sina” (pronunciation /SHEE-nah/) and “fuku” which means clothes in Japanese. Saito continues, “I want to bring nostalgic feel but also childlike sprightliness into my creations. By using mainly retro-inspired and pop-feeling fabrics of U.S. cotton or German cotton, I have made ‘one of a kind’ products.”

The girl in the picture is Saito’s younger daughter. She looks so lovely in her mom’s handmade beret with fluffy pom-pom. Saito describes the beret, “Since I rarely knit, I used a pom-pom maker to make such a big yarn pom-pom.”

Some of Saito’s original creations were also displayed at the event site, which came out of her experiences of raising children. “One of my products, the baby chair harness, can be placed on a regular chair when you cannot find a baby chair or a booster seat on an outing. The washable cotton breast pads were actually so helpful for me while breastfeeding. I also made a cover bag so you can wrap your bulky and awkward baby carrier. They are definitely convenient! I want more people to try them!”

Saito used to perform in a theater company when she was single. The way to express herself changed from the plays to the handicrafts with fabrics. In whatever she undertakes, there is no difference in the joy she feels.

You can see the blog of Masumi Saito at http://ameblo.jp/kittenishgirl-sinafuku/

etocoto

A tiny story for a happy everyday life

Today’s featured fabric is etocoto designed by an illustrator, eto. The etocoto series consists of five different designs, with animals and plants used as its design motifs. etocoto is made from different materials including cotton broadcloth and cotton/linen canvas to match each design’s artwork and theme. eto says, “The theme for etocoto is ‘Bringing a little more happiness to women’s everyday life!’ My design has these three elements; bright color tones, enough cuteness and stories of tiny little people. I hope you can sense these elements through this fabric. It makes me happy if touching these fabrics and designs could bring out your creative inspiration.”

Sweets Border　JG 36000-1 Cotton broadcloth

The wide borders on this textile look as if layers of cake were transferred over. This textile’s design inspiration comes from various kinds of cakes. Colors reflect such delicious flavor combinations as chocolate and framboise, custard and strawberry, and café au lait and berry. How tasty! When you look at the designs closely, you can spot small objects like tiny people, doors and keys. A girl’s one piece dress will definitely be a choice for this fabric’s creation.

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Inspiration 26
A pendant necklace in the motif of mushrooms

Fall has reached its climax. Edible mushrooms are a feature of the fall season in Japan and there are a variety of mushrooms in grocery stores. Matsutake mushrooms, which are recognized as one of gourmet foods in Japan, are regally displayed for sale in extravagant wooden boxes. Shiitake, Enoki, Shimeji, and Maitake which you may know as hen-of-the woods are also lined up. Indeed, it is exhaustive collection of mushrooms!

Since mushrooms are a popular motif with crafters, it attracts more attention especially in fall. The toadstool pendant necklace in the above picture was made by the jewelry maker named “hirokoto-no-niwakara”. The chain is combined with a metallic piece of squirrel motif. She says, “I used an acrylic film to transfer the image of toadstool for the pendant. It’s the scene where a squirrel is looking at poisonous mushrooms.”

Her website “hirokoto-no-kusojikkenshitsu” includes web content of mushrooms. The site features pictures of various mushrooms and items & fabrics of mushroom motif. Check it out if you are a mushroom lover!

For more info about the projects by “hirokoto-no-niwakara”,
go to http://www.country-season.cside.com