cocca
“Showa Retro” collection

Redesigned Showa Fabrics with Contemporary Sensibility

In Japan, both the Gregorian calendar and the traditional Japanese calendar with eras based on the reigning emperors have been used. The period from 1926 to 1989 is called “Showa era” corresponding to the reign of the Emperor Showa.

cocca is a textile store located in Tokyo, and has its own brand fabrics and goods. Among cocca’s unique fabrics, we cover “Showa Retro” collection here. The nostalgic fabrics designed almost 50 years ago have just been revived with different color schemes to accommodate a contemporary lifestyle. The amusing patterns and extraordinary color sense in Showa era inspired cocca to create this collection.

Because of the running pattern of small motifs, “Showa Retro” is great for any project, such as apparel or small items. The pattern also fits anyone regardless of age. Isn’t it fun to dress in matching clothes with your kids?” cocca says.

“Showa Retro” collection consists of a various materials like cotton satin and dobby. You are able to enjoy comparing each texture as well as patterns.

koushi　 JGC-100 1A, JGC-1001B, JGC-1001C

This is a glossy fabric using cotton satin. The contrast between colors of hand-drawn “koushi” (plaid) and off-white foundation for spring-summer season is outrageous. The classic checkered fabric works well for clothing.

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Stamped

Versatile Geometric Designs

Here is the fabric collection by Ellen Luckett Baker in Atlanta, who is the fabric designer, author of the blog The Long Thread, and has written several sewing books. Baker says, “The Stamped collection was inspired by my love of simple, block-printed fabric. Although I use a digital process, I wanted to echo the feel of handmade designs.” The secret of its popularity lies in its simple but versatile design for any sewing creation. Baker continues “I hope that quilters will begin using linen blend fabrics in their projects more often. The weight of this fabric is perfect for apparel, bags, and quilts.” Following is the each story of Stamped collection, quoting Baker’s own words.

scallops JG41500-500

This geometric designed fabric is “perhaps the most useful of the collection, blending well with all the other designs for use as trim, quilt binding, or lining fabric. It also stands well on its own.”
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Gathered “Cashe coeur” Bag

Finished Measurement : 45cm(W) x 46cm(L), Handle 55cm(L)

This bag is designed to look like a Kimono’s front. By gathering the material, you can make a round-formed bag to accommodate a lot of your stuff. It will be your own special bag with your favorite Tyrolean trim, lace, or ribbon. The tip to make it more three-dimensional is to gather the fabric at each side and then seam them at the bottom part.

Materials
• Fabric 110cm(W) x 100cm(L)
• Interfacing 100cm(W) x 65cm(L)
• Double-folded bias tape 11mm(W) x 100cm(L)
• Tyrolean Trim 1.7cm(W) x 360cm(L)

Fabric shown for this sample :
KOKKA nunokawa (Frog) f-102 d/#2

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

• After cutting fabric, iron on the interfacing to each right side yoke, wrong side yoke, and binding strips (A).
• Face right sides of binding strips (A) with each other, place binding stripes lengthwise and seam together.

Stitch it up

Step 1. Sewing the bag’s body and yokes
• Sew running stitches 0.5cm from the edge and pull carefully the thread to gather.
• Sandwich the main panel between the right side yoke and wrong side yoke, and then sew with a machine.
• Flip over both yokes then press flat. Sew stitches 0.2cm seam on the right side yoke.

Step 2. Binding
• Fold each binding strip in half to mark the center, and fold outer edges in to meet the center crease.
• Face the binding strip (B) and right side yoke with each other, and then sew with a machine.
• Flip over the binding strip (B). Place the Tyrolean trim in the center of the binding strip. Apply with edge-stitches with a machine.
• Sew the binding strip (A) on the main panels in the same ways as shown in the diagram.

Step 3. Overlapping the front edges
• Overlap the front edges. Sew with a machine to the meet the end point along the bottom of the bag.

Step 4. Gathering
• Sew running stitch between gathering end points, and then pull the threads to gather to 45cm.

Step 5. Sewing around the bag’s body
• Turn out the bag’s body. With right sides together, sew stitches 1cm seam along the body.

Step 6. Bias binding
• Bind the seam allowance with bias tape.

Step 7. Finishing

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

nunokara

Inspired by Fairy Tales

KOKKA has produced a number of unique and beautiful printed fabrics. Among them, the fabric inspired by “Little Red Riding Hood” has been always a favorite. Complying with the popularity, KOKKA design team proudly created a new fabric line named nunokara, which features “well-known fairy tales”. nunokara is a little more mature and with a Nordic taste.
Here are nunokara fabrics from the story of “Thumbelina”.

Along with its theme, the feature of nunokara is 100% organic fabric. While most of KOKKA products are made in Japan, nunokara fabrics are printed in a textile mill in Korea certified by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). There is no GOTS certified mills in Japan yet. It is the KOKKA’s first product from Korea with green aspirations for “Eco friendly, Comfortable, and Sustainable”.

flower

This is the scene that a tiny girl, Thumbelina, who was born from a flower. Thumbelina’s character is less represented in the geometrically deformed flower pattern. Simply using this fabric, your tote bag can be still attractive!

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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?