tiketiketic

Fabric panels with sewing motif designs

Today we are pleased to introduce you to a fabric panel called tiketiketic. In French, tiketiketic means the sound of a sewing machine. Favorite sewing-related motifs such as torsos, sewing machines and small buttons are tightly gathered in a single fabric design. Large panels are perfect for making bags, while small panels are great for creating handy pouches. Depending on how you select and cut the fabric, the tiketiketic fabric presents endless possibilities. To make a bag for example, you can use the main panel for the outer side, borders for the bag’s handles, and the remaining motifs for the side gusset. Creating sewing related small articles such as a sewing notions case and pin cushion will add more fun to your crafting moments.

Torso　P25000-500 　　Oxford (Ox)

Large single design motifs like sewing machines and torsos allow you to use these panels as design accents. The borders with English words are perfect for a bag’s bottom portion or side gussets, and this allows for different design combinations created from a single fabric.

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【EVENT】International Quilt Market Houston 2013

October 26_28,2013
International Quilt Market Houston 2013

Place：George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas USA
We introduce echino and Ellen Baker’s brand-new fabrics, and more…! Please visit us at booth no.962, 1062.
*Trade show only. Not open to the general public.
You will find more detail at http://www.quilts.com/

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When the embroidery of everyday scenes turns into the art

Sewing and knitting are collectively called handicraft. But speaking of handicraft, don’t forget about embroidery. Recently, we see more impressive embroidery works which deserve to be called artworks or designed products.

The works in the above picture, titled “Ribbon-less Gift”, were created by the embroidery artist Naoko Takamine.

Onions, butterflies, crayons… The motifs in each palm-sized wooden frame are commodities of everyday existence in our life. Such commonplace items are depicted vibrantly by Takamine with embroidery threads as well as acrylic paints. With the exquisite balance of outline and fill, her colorful embroidery works are full of fun.

The works contain a message from Takamine.

“I have received a lot of little presents since I was a child. It’s not about special ones for my birthday or Christmas, but more ordinary things like onions in a paper sack or seashells with sand. Such a little gift without a ribbon is a bit precious and always comforts me. I will be so happy if my work can be integrated into your everyday life, not treated as the special one.”

I am just wondering… Once the embroidery depicting her daily life leaves the creator and fits into new surroundings, it may not be part of everyday life but become “art”. And, the art may create more affluent living space. What do you think?

Crafting or sewing for us is usually to make clothes or practical items such as bags and pouches. But don’t you think that the scope of your handcraft projects will widen by adding “making the art” to improve your living space?

For the site of Naoko Takamine, go to http://www.pomponet.net/

echino decoro

A fabric that is perfect for decoration.

Following last week’s introduction, we are featuring the echino series again. Today’s textile is called decoro and its designer, Etsuko Furuya says, “decoro’s design inspiration came from the idea of decoration – to decorate space, a person or time. The underlining theme is that this is the kind of textile that makes you want to use it for decoration. A vibrant color, realistic looking animals and a collection of patterns depict a tranquil yet interesting design. echino is a series that you will love and enjoy as time goes by.”

rhythm　JG-99550_50　　cotton/linen broadcloth

The name of this fabric is rhythm. The design spreads all the way to the edge of this 110cm-wide fabric. The plants and birds design, which reminds you of classic wallpaper, with systematic and unsystematic elements and a geometric pattern, are seamlessly connected with a rhythmical tone. Using a wide design section of the fabric can create a bold look. Taking advantage of the width of the fabric, this textile could be used for a tapestry or as room divider. Combining different color patterns will make great fabric panels or a lampshade.

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Tiny tote bags 123 ♪

Look closer at the tiny totes in the above picture. 1, 2, 3… These number appliquéd items were made by the handmade craft artist neige.

For those who love the handmade products as well as surfing through blogs and social networking services on a daily basis, neige’s blog “Living with the handmade” is well known. She is a popular blogger who is always ranked at the top of handmade category by the biggest blog ranking site in Japan.

neige has updated her blog almost every day since April 2005 to show her linen and knit creations . The simplicity and the rustic vibe from the combination of fabrics of her creations keeps fascinating the handmade craft lovers and attracting more blog readers. She sometimes demonstrates how to make items through her blog, and that is one of the reasons why there are so many fans. The posted pictures are incredible, too, because the presentation makes the items look pretty.

The bags in the picture are what she made at the end of summer. The display and photography were also done by neige. Can you believe she discarded these cute creations?

neige wrote about it in her blog as follows.

“I made countless prototypes, spreading them over the table in the living room… Among the items I created, some satisfied me but others did not. I wondered if they would look better after my mood changed, and I changed the display to give them a different perspective. But still I could not compromise myself…”

neige says that it is difficult to show how small her items are. To display these tote bags, she used a case with partition from Natural Kitchen in Japan which is a retailer with household items for 100 yen apiece.

“Hopefully people can see how tiny the totes are by comparing with the pin cushion made of a walnut. Looking anew at them, I am getting interested in the totes again. Isn’t it funny?” neige ended the episode in her blog.

By revising your display, the item which once did not appeal to you, may look way nicer and become a precious item for you. Have fun in the process of reviewing, coordinating and presenting your creations beautifully.

neige will give you soon the tutorial for one of her creations in the craft & sewing column of this site. Don’t miss it!

For neige’s blog, go to http://yunyuns.exblog.jp/