Bag-In-Bag Organizer – Sewing Instructions

This is a bag-in-bag to keep small items such as cell phones, lip balms, hand cream, etc. neatly organized. The featured material is [Layered floral], a fabric designed by egg press, an American printing studio that produces paper items. The nostalgic colors of the hand-drawn style floral design are striking, and the overlapping color changes are interesting, creating a lovely fluffy look. The thin compass fabric is also suitable for clothes making.

Design & Work:Satomi Takei

Fabric shown for this sample:EKXA-5700-1B

Materials:
□ Fabric: 110cm wide x 50cm
□ Fusible Interfacing: 70cm x 30cm
□ Double Fold Bias Binding Tape: 1.5cm wide x 155cm
□ Tag of your choice: One piece (see photo)

Size:15.5cm (l) 21cm (w) 7cm (d)

We interviewed Satomi about her creation:
Kokka Fabric (KF): What did you think of the fabric you used for this project?
The warm red color was so striking that I made it into a fabric accessory that you can keep small items neatly organized in a simple bag.

KF: Can you tell us any special elements or ideas that you incorporated into this creation?
It is designed to stand on its own, with piping and flaps to keep things from popping out.

KF: What are some tips for making this?
Since there is a lot of piecing together, regular or thin fabric is easier to pipe than thick fabric. If you want to make it stand on its own, use a thicker interfacing. Feel free to change the pocket dividers according to the size of the items you want to put inside.

KF: How should we use this bag in everyday situations?
Bag-in-bags are a great way to keep small items neatly organized in a large or simple bag. What is nice about handmade bags is that you can freely create pockets for pens, spare masks, lipstick, hand cream, and other items that you use all the time. Enjoy your winter handicraft time by making your own size bag-in-bag with various fabrics.

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

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Three Piece Set of Tote Bag & Pouch – Sewing Instructions

Why not make a tote bag, a round bag, and a pouch for a new school year with one piece of fabric?　The featured fabric, “Kira Kira Girls”, is a popular series for its pop and stylish illustrations, and the 110cm width contains a variety of patterns, including stripes, dots, and small and large patterns, so you can create bags and pouches with different impressions depending on how you use the fabric. This easy to sew Oxford fabric is recommended for those who are new to sewing.

Design & Work:Kokka Fabric

Fabric shown for this sample:YGQ-99030-2

Materials:
□ Outer Fabric: about 110cm wide x 100cm
□ Lining Fabric: about 110cm wide x 100cm
□ Fusible Interfacing (heavy weight): about 110cm wide x 100cm
□ Dot Button: about 15mm wide x one pair
□ Zipper: 20cm x one piece

Size:
〈Tote Bag〉 about 29cm (l) about 46cm (w) about 14cm (d) (excludes handles)
〈Pouch〉 about 15cm (l) about 21cm (w) about 5cm (d)
〈Round Bag〉 about 25cm (l) about 25cm (w) about 10cm (d) (excludes handles)

◎Sewing Instructions

◎Sewing Instructions (PDF format / A4 size)

Drawstring Bag – Sewing Instructions

This is a drawstring bag that makes the most of the softness of double gauze. The featured fabric is a doughnut pattern from the “MUDDY WORK” series. The doughnuts, drawn with a soft and gentle touch, look like randomly arranged dots or flowers. The more you wash this double gauze, the softer it becomes, and it is perfect for baby items, handkerchiefs, pajamas, pillowcases, and other items that come in contact with bare skin.

Design & Work:Mioko Sugino

Fabric shown for this sample:　(Bag Panel, Shoulder Strap, Drawstring) EKX-129-1A

Materials:
□□ Fabric (Bag Panel, Shoulder Strap, Drawstring): 70cm×1m
(Bag Lining, Opening Fabric): 90cm×80cm

Size:34cm (l) 40cm (w)

We interviewed Mioko about her creation:
Kokka Fabric (KF): What did you think of the fabric you used for this project?
It looks and feels soft and comfortable to hold! I wanted to make a bag that would be cozy to carry, and I designed this bag to take advantage of that comfort.
KF: Can you tell us any special elements or ideas that you incorporated into this creation?
In order to make use of the soft impression of the double gauze fabric, and at the same time to make the bag solid enough to be used as a bag, I used an oxford material for the lining and opening fabric. Double gauze is used not only for the main body of the bag, but also for the handles and drawstring to create a soft and gentle feel.

KF: What are some tips for making this bag?
The making process only requires simple straight stitching, so even beginners can try it with confidence. When sewing the folded down part of the top opening fabric (the part where it becomes the opening for inserting the drawstring), align the folded portion along with the stitch line that you sewed first, so the stitch will not be revealed on the lining side, and you will get a beautiful finish.

KF: How should we incorporate this bag into one’s styling?
You can carry it with pale gray or white-colored outfits for a bright one-tone look, or you can use it with all black styling as an accent. Switching the gauze drawstring to a rope is another way to enjoy this bag.

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

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echino 15th Anniversary – Message from the designer and kokka fabric

This past October, echino celebrated its 15th anniversary. In commemoration of this special occasion, we designated October as the month of echino, featuring interviews of two popular handicraft artists, Yuki Inomata and Mioko Sugino, and introduced craft & sewing projects with echino fabrics all throughout the month. We hope you enjoyed our special celebration.

2006 – the year that echino started
Pattern ideas from the designer, Etsuko Furuya – the very concept that started echino
These patterns were dyed directly on the fabric by Furuya

echino Catalogues

echino – Traveling Around The World

2006 First Exhibition Booth – Houston, USA

Nantes, France

Cologne, Germany

Seoul, South Korea

Many memories over the last 15 years come to mind.
We know that it was not always easy for Ms. Furuya to constantly be creating attractive designs. For that we are truly grateful and we feel fortunate to have been able to work with her for all these years.
With the love and support of our fans to echino’s fantastic design, we have been able to continue to this point. Thank you to all.

The journey of echino will continue – Stay tuned for more to come.

Lastly, here is a message from echino’s designer, Etsuko Furuya.

As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the echino fabric collection, I would like to thank everyone who has picked up echino fabric and everyone who has been involved with echino.
I would like to reiterate how happy I feel that this series is loved by so many people around the world.

It was fifteen years ago that I first met the textile manufacturer, KOKKA.
During that time, working with KOKKA and their team who have been actively involved in the development of various textiles, was very reassuring. They were willing to try new things and it was very encouraging to see how they valued new approaches and development of projects that appreciated the uniqueness of echino. And above all, they worked with me to pave the way with the notion “to have a good time together, and to enrich our lives together.” I am deeply grateful for all these years.

The number of original fabrics that I have designed for each season amounts to over 200 patterns. If we include fabrics in different colors, materials, techniques, and methods, we have over 800 kinds of textiles…

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary, I had a chance to look back on these textiles that I love. The memories of the various times I experienced and unexpected emotions came back to me, and it made me realize that “the textiles are indeed interesting!”

I am determined to keep working on expressing the world of echino in the form of textiles and create attractive materials. I hope you will continue to enjoy my work.

I look forward to getting connected with you through the fabric of echino! Thank you for your support.

echino / Etsuko Furuya

Three-Piece Set for School – Lesson Bag, Shoe Case and Gym Clothes Bag – Sewing Instructions

A three-piece set of a lesson bag, shoe case and gym clothes bag, created with fruits 100% fabric series. Featuring a large-sized fruit motif, this cotton 100% Oxford is easy to sew, a perfect fit for sewing beginners.

Design & Work:Kokka Fabric

Fabric shown for this sample:YPA−29010−1D

Materials:
□ Outer Fabric A: about 110cm wide x 80cm
□ Outer Fabric B: about 110cm wide x 30cm
□ Lining Fabric: about 110cm wide x 70cm
□ Fusible Interfacing (medium weight): about 90cm wide x 70cm
□ Flat Tape: 25mm wide x 100cm
□ D Ring: Once piece (25mm wide)
□ Round Cord (medium): 150cm

サイズ：Lesson Bag: about 28cm (l) x about 40cm (w) x 4cm (d) (handles excluded)
Shoes Case: about 28cm (l) x about 23cm (w) x about 4cm (d)
Gym Clothes Bag: about 35cm (l) x about 30cm (w)

◎Sewing Instructions