Inspiration file 02
Playing with colorful felt mobile

Kuniko Kitamuki is an artist of felt crafts who makes small accessories such as Matryoshka, the small Russian shaped dolls. The felt mobile shown in the picture is the one Kitamuki created to display at her exhibition. It is a spectacular mobile and is adorned with strikingly beautiful and multicolored felts. It would be nice to have such a mobile in a child’s room.

While the needle felting is now more popular, the sheet felt is the ideal material to work with and is so versatile.

Walking in a local fabric store, you may see 1.5cm diameter felt circles. These are perfect to create display items.

This mobile was made up with felt circles, by sewed together on a sewing machine. The cord between felts is just by continuing running the machine. Upper and bobbin threads tangle each other, and then it can be like a cord. The pieces of cotton, which are made by cutting out and then interface right and wrong sides with each other, can become decorative accents among felt pieces.

You can enjoy the color variation, which is the felt’s distinctive feature, by coordinating in similar colors, tones or gradations.

This felt creation hung over small windows would be like a café curtain. It could be also become a mobile by hanging from the ceiling. That is a fun play!

Brilliant and radiant colors can revitalize you as if vitaminswork as boosters for your mind and body. Don’t you want such an item in your room?

echino
fabric collection 2013

echino ~ Fascinated by vivid colors

The first featured article in this series is “echino”, the fabric line by textile designer Etsuko Furuya. Since echino came on the textile scene in 2003, Furuya has released a new collection each year. Many of her fabrics are made up of multiple layers of vivid colors which fashioned the name “echino color”. That is the biggest charm of echino! The vibrant and catchy fabrics are great for any projects: clothes, bags or even home décor such as curtains and cushions. echino fabrics are beloved in Japan as well as all over the world.

The theme for the 2013 echino collection is “capture the color”. “I designed the 2013 collection with colorful images that would jump out at you. I wanted to approach the project from the colors. The insect, bird, animal motifs in this collection are background characters as the color design is the main attraction.” Furuya says.

For any textile projects, Furuya develops her idea of coloration with consciousness of how to present interesting angle, a little playful unnaturalness, and mysteriousness. The new collection features multicolored motifs, not by tone coloring. A variety of colors create a different picture even with the same design. That is why echino fascinates you. It shows that the textile has infinite possibilities.

acacia JG95800-800

This is a scene of animals gathering, while curiously coming and going, around acacia in echino color. It seems as if the animals are magnetized by the brilliant colors of trees. You would love to make fabric panels or small animal-shaped pillow, after cutting out your favorite scenes or animal motifs.

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Melody Miller

I Love 60s & 70s Vintage!

The first featured artist in this series is Melody Miller, who has been active as a fabric designer in Atlanta. Melody’s retro and stylish fabrics have attracted public attention since she released her first collection “Ruby Star Rising” in 2010.

Melody Miller

Q. Can you tell me a little about how you got started designing textile?

Several years ago, I was trying to decide what to do next as a designer, and I thought I might like to design a line of baby bedding. I decided to design all of the fabrics for the baby bedding. After I spent several months designing fabrics, I thought that I would take my portfolio to the International Quilt Market in Houston, and see if I could show my work to Kokka, as they were my favorite fabric company. I was very excited when they wrote to me 2 weeks later and asked me to design a fabric line.

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Inspiration file 01
Prologue ~ Pleasure to create “own” logo

To celebrate the start of our website, KOKKA has created custom ribbons with the URL “kokka-fabric.com”. How exciting it is to make “a part of the site” into a thing, leaping out of the Internet world! This is like the first child of kokka-fabric.com.

Thinking about logo or trademark design….. It is such a pleasure to develop an idea for our own brand as well as craft creation. How will it be in the future? Will it attract attention? Starting something new always takes ambition and a dream for success.

Put your own logo on a new creation, and it will look much more worthy and legit. Having your own tag or ribbon, may give the impression that your handmade item is a “commercial” product.

As you can see in the picture, we were so excited about the project and made too many ribbons. With so many extra ribbons, we could wrap the ribbons around fabric scraps for sale, or perhaps we could make a ribbon bow and staple it on a paper bag?

Speaking of an original item, Chanel’s own ribbon, which was not for sale, was listed on Japan’s auction site, Yahoo! The ribbon started at 500 yen and was sold for 550 yen. The ribbon measured 1.5cm in width and 105cm in length.

Wondering if the ribbon of “kokka-fabric.com” would be auctioned and sold with premium price??? Ah, this is called “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatch”.

Anyway, we dream that “kokka-fabric.com” may thrive and prosper.