How to Sew Japanese Patterns eBook

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Cherie

I’m so excited to share an awesome resource with you today! As you probably know, I’m a big fan of Japanese sewing patterns. I love the simplicity and timelessness of their style and their clean lines and beautiful details. Of course, most of these patterns are in Japanese, and for someone who doesn’t read Japanese, it can be intimidating and challenging, even if the diagrams are superb (and they always are). Which was why I created the Japanese Sewing Book Series last year, to try give others helpful tips and tools to tackle these patterns.

Well, if you’re interested in Japanese sewing patterns too, but are still hesitant because of the language barrier, I’ve got the perfect resource for you! It’s an e-book called, How to Sew Japanese Patterns by Rin Gomura-Elkan of Sew in Love.

This book contains a lot of the great tips my awesome guests shared, and much more. It’s 41 pages and covers everything from where to buy patterns and Japanese sizing for men, women, children and babies, to common Japanese sewing vocabulary and all the steps you need to sew up a garment from one of these patterns.

Honestly, I wish I had this e-book when I was first learning how to sew from Japanese patterns! It answers so many of the questions that I had when I was starting out.

I really think Rin did a great job putting together this informational guide to Japanese sewing patterns. She covered so much and organized it neatly in this useful resource that you can refer to over and over again.

The e-book is available for purchase for $15. But Rin also created 2 women’s PDF patterns that you can purchase with the e-book as a set for $25. The patterns are written in both Japanese and English, so it’s a great way to get started with a couple of Japanese patterns to put what you’ve learned to practice, but also have the help of the English translations.

The patterns included in the set are a high waisted skirt with a tie and a dress with a pleated neckline, available in sizes S, M, L, and LL.

Rin is offering 10% off this book for the rest of February with the code “JapaneseBook4Mie.” So go check it out! And I must say, this is a REALLY good time to grab the e-book if you’re interested in Japanese patterns! I don’t have the details worked out just yet, but a lot of people have been asking for a Japanese pattern sew-a-long, so grab this e-book to get ready and stay tuned for something coming up within the next month or two!! 🙂

*This e-book was generously given to me for this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.*

A Little Lavender Geranium

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Cherie

Just a quick post today of a dress I made for Kaya a couple of weeks ago. Remember when we had some family pictures and the girls needed something to wear in purple/gray? Well Yuki got her Skater Dress, but Kaya needed something too. I didn’t want her to show up in onesie or something when I knew everyone else was going to look nice. But it was the night before pictures and I still had to make Yuki’s dress, so I tried and tried and tried NOT to sew up something new for Kaya, especially since she’s a baby and does not need a new dress. But in the end, I couldn’t NOT do it! You guys understand, right?

So I made her a Geranium. The perfect pattern for a quick and cute dress. This is my fifth Geranium! I know this pattern. I trust it. It never fails me.

Anyone recognize the skirt fabric??

Well, if you said it’s from the first Geranium I ever made, the Geranium in Eyelet, you’d be right! And you’d have an impressive memory! 🙂 I had a piece that was just the perfect size leftover from that first dress. And that was back when I tested this pattern over a year ago! The fabric is a dusty purple color, though it looks gray in all of these pictures 😦

The bodice fabric and skirt lining is Dear Stella’s Polka Dot in Gray from their Mercer Line. I love the new Mercer Line and I’ve got some fabric just begging to be sewn up soon!! I just can’t seem to decide what it wants to be yet . . .

The pattern calls for buttons in the back, but since I was running short on time/feeling lazy/making this for a baby who spends so much time on her back, I decided to go with velcro instead. May not look as nice, but it’s sooo easy to put on and I imagine, more comfy for baby too!

So that’s it. Another dress for Kaya. She was able to wear it to a bridal shower recently and hopefully it’ll fit for another month or two. And then maybe I can pass it on to another baby, so it doesn’t go to waste. I don’t think I need to go into details about how great this pattern is – you already know I love it right? If you want to see the others I’ve made, here are #1, #2, #3 and #4.

I’m trying to clear out some of my fabric stash and I have a small cut of this eyelet fabric that I’m thinking about selling as part of a destash sale. I haven’t worked out the details (how, when, where) yet, but I’ll be sure to fill you in if you’re interested in helping me get rid of some of my fabric. I’ll probably do a giveaway too. So stay tuned!

Can you believe it’s February already!?

KCW Day 5 – Burnout Raglan Tee

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Cherie

Ok, so technically today is Day 6, but this tee was made mostly on Day 4 and finished and photographed yesterday, so we’re calling it Day 5, ok? OK!

The pattern is the Oliver + S Field Trip Raglan T-shirt which is now available as an individual PDF pattern! I’ve had my eye on this raglan shirt pattern for awhile, but couldn’t fork over the cash for the set, knowing I’d probably never make the cargo pants. But Oliver + S have started offering some of their basic pieces as separates! And a good raglan pattern seems like a staple for any collection. This one doesn’t disappoint and I already have several ideas for more raglans and remixes that I can’t wait to try.

I made the shirt in size 3T and it is a little large for Yuki, which isn’t much of a surprise considering her petite size. I probably could have gone down a size, but this is great because I know it’ll fit her for awhile. It’s definitely a looser fitting shirt than the Flashback Skinny Tee, which, of course, is supposed to be a skinnier/tighter fit. I had to shorten the sleeves a bit.

The biggest adjustment I made to the pattern was adding color blocking to the sleeves. It was super simple to do and I love the finished look. I also decided to finish the sleeves and bottom with bands/cuffs instead of just hemming it and omitted the pocket.

The main fabric is a suuuuper thin and soft heather red knit. It’s so heathered that it looks pink. I bought it from the remnant bin at Discount Fabrics awhile back. I picked it out because it is really soft and comfortable, but I don’t think I realized just how thin it is. I wasn’t sure if it’d be stable enough or opaque enough for a shirt, but it worked out fine, it just isn’t very warm. But definitely soft and comfy. The color blocked shoulder, neckband and arm cuffs are actually two layers. An ever MORE suuuuuuuper thin and see through, burnout tissue knit in white on top of the heather red knit. I don’t even know why I bought this burnout knit since it’s pretty impractical on it’s own (unless you can pull off the see through top look, which unfortunately, I cannot). I actually had thrown it in my “get rid of” pile because I didn’t think I was going to use it, and then fished it out for this. Turns out, it looks great layered!

You can kind of see how see through the top is here, over Yuki’s striped leggings.

I knew that these knits, being as thin as they are, were going to be a bit of a challenge to sew. In fact, they were a challenge to cut! They are so stretchy that if you’re not really careful, your pieces can come out a little misshapen. I tried the stretch stitch with a ballpoint needle and my walking foot, but even with all that, the fabric was getting sucked into the machine and stretched out. I probably could have busted out the tissue paper trick and been fine, but instead I switched over to my serger and it sewed up so easily. So I constructed the entire top using only my serger – this is my first time doing that – and I loved it! The only time I used my sewing machine was to topstitch the neckband down with a stretch stitch. I would have used it to hem the sleeves and bottom, but since I finished those with cuffs instead, I didn’t need it. SO EASY.

Doing a color blocked shoulder panel/sleeve is a very simple pattern adjustment, but if you’re not sure how to do it, I’ll tell ya!

First, I cut out my sleeve pattern in the appropriate size. Then I drew a line horizontally across the sleeve where I wanted to add the contrast fabric. My line is 1/2 an inch below the bottom of the armhole.

Place a piece of tracing paper on top of your sleeve pattern piece and trace the top of the pattern up to the line you created. You’ll want to add a 1/4 inch for seam allowance.

On a separate piece, you’ll need to do the same for the bottom part of the sleeve. Trace around the bottom of the sleeve up to the line you created and then add a 1/4 inch for seam allowance above the line. Now you have your two sleeve pieces!

The first thing I did after cutting out my fabric was sew the two sleeve pieces together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance and press. Then I followed the rest of the pattern instructions as directed! An easy alteration that makes a pretty big statement 🙂

This Oliver + S pattern, like all Oliver + S patterns, is really well written, with clear directions and diagrams and helpful tips. I can never speak highly enough of their patterns. They are just so reliable and . . . GOOD. The shirt comes together really quickly and is a great first-knit-project, if you’re looking for something to get you started. It’s a great basic for boys and girls and now that it’s offered as a separate pattern, there’s no reason NOT to get it.

So that’s a wrap for my Kids Clothes Week. I made two things, this and the Knit Baby Vest. Back in the day I might have tackled 6 projects, but I’m just not that same young sprightly thing I used to be! 😛 I love both of the things I made and that makes me feel happy.

How did your week go? I haven’t actually had a chance to do much browsing of other people’s projects unfortunately, but maybe that’s what I’ll do today and tomorrow. But if you sewed along, leave me a link to your favorite project from your week and I’ll be sure to check it out!

*This pattern was generously given to me for this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.*

KCW Day 3 & 4 – Knit Baby Vest

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Cherie

Well I woke up sick yesterday and nearly threw in the towel on Kids Clothes Week, but I’m chugging along slowly just to see what I can get done. I started out with a possible 6ish projects for this week and that list has quickly dwindled to two. If I can finish two things, I’ll be psyched.

Neither of my daughters really need any new clothes. Yuki’s drawers are overflowing and Kaya’s are too, plus she grows out of everything so fast. So naturally I was drawn to the least practical thing ever.

But seriously cute, no?

It’s the Knit Vest from a Japanese sewing book, いちばんよくわかる赤ちゃんと小さな子の服 (Easy to Understand Baby and Little Kids Clothes). You can see more pictures from the book in this post here.

Frankly, I surprised myself when I picked out a project from a Japanese sewing book. I have so many that sit on my shelf, usually passed up for a more user-friendly PDF pattern in English. But it was calling to me, so I just went with it. Since my kids don’t actually NEED anything, I might as well use this as an opportunity to practice new sewing skills.

The fabric is a really loose sweater knit that I’ve had in my stash for a long time. Really soft and comfy, but very tricky to sew with. Definitely helped to use the walking foot for this one. And I couldn’t get my buttonhole foot to work on the thick layers of folded knit, so I had to do some zig zag hackery on that buttonhole. The tricky fabric made this a little difficult to sew up and honestly, it’s not my finest work (don’t look too closely at my stitches!), but really, who is going to notice? Especially when it’s on this little one!

BAM! Bet you don’t even notice the vest at all now, huh? She makes me feel all gooey.

Haha. Anyways, the pattern itself was fairly straight forward and easy enough to figure out with all the great diagrams and tips I learned during the Japanese Sewing Book Series.

I made size 70 which, according to the book, is for 3-10 months and 65-75 cm in height. That’s a little bigger than Kaya is, so I assumed it was going to be too big for her. It fits her, but is still a little big thankfully, so she can wear it for . . . I dunno, two more days maybe!? (they grow so fast!)

It was fun making something for Kaya. She’s wearing practically all hand-me-downs, so it feels good giving her something that was made just for her. But seriously, after I sewed on that tiny detailed lil pocket, I couldn’t help but ask, “what the heck does a 4 month old need with a pocket!?”

Alright, I’m off to the Kids Clothes Week site to figure out how to upload my first project! Then maybe I’ll make a shirt for my other daughter. And then sleep.

Ahh yes, sleeeeep.

How’s your week going!?

KNITerview on Made by Rae

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Cherie

Hey! Have you following along the KNITerview series on Made by Rae?

It’s a really informational series all about KNITS – how to pick them, where to get them, and how to sew them – and today I’m over there as a guest! I was admittedly a total knit-phobe when I first started sewing and I sometimes still get a little anxiety about it. But over the last year I’ve really learned a lot about sewing with knits, so I’m happy to be sharing a little bit about my experiences in an interview style post.

Now knits are my fabric of choice when it comes to garment sewing. Nothing can beat the comfort and ease. So head on over to check out my KNITerview with Rae.

And I’m off to try and get a little sewing done. With knits, of course 😛

KCW Winter 2014: Day 1 & 2

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Cherie

So things are off to a pretty slow start over here, in terms of Kids Clothes Week. No actual sewing going on yet, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot. That counts for something right?

Processed with VSCOcam with m5 preset

I think I’ve finally picked out a few items I want to work on and last night I did some tracing and cutting and taping of patterns. I’m even busting out a Japanese sewing book, so I’m using Meg’s awesome trick for adding seam allowance. But seriously, getting my patterns ready has taken me 2 days and I haven’t even finished yet. Oy.

Next step is “shopping” in my bins-o-knit. Yup, this is pretty much my entire knit stash (though I did just break my fabric shopping diet and buy some knits online yesterday. *guilty face* I couldn’t resist!!)

So tonight I’ll finish preparing the patterns, pick out some fabric and hopefully get it cut. Maybe even do a little sewing? Probably not. Most of the sewing will probably happen on days 3 & 4. And if all goes well I might even have a garment or two to show you before the week is over. I still need to figure out how to use the KCW website too.

Where are you with your KCW plans? Been more productive than me, I hope?

And though this isn’t really KCW related, here is my dining table today.

Ahh yes, the life of a blogger 😛

Can’t wait to see what you’re making!

Bess Top in Ikat

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Cherie

So if you’ve been following along the blog recently you know that I’m trying to sew more for myself, but since I’m nursing, anything I make has to be nursing-friendly. I’ve got a few different styles going on, but honestly, my uniform has been button up shirts with a nursing tank or camisole underneath. My absolute favorite shirt right now is a Converse One Star top that I got from Target and it has a placket with snaps in the front that extends below the bust for easy opening. It’s not meant to be a nursing top, but it’s perfect for it. AND it’s really cute (sorry, I couldn’t find a picture or link). Then I realized that it closely resembles the Bess Top!

So when Rachael of Imagine Gnats and creator of the Bess Top pattern asked if I would be part of her pattern tour, I was psyched to have the opportunity to recreate my favorite store bought shirt!

So the main alteration I made to the pattern is adding a placket to the front. I used this great Continuous Placket Tutorial by Melly Sews. Otherwise, I sewed up the pattern as directed.

My favorite feature of this pattern is the super unique way the sleeves come together. The back piece of the shirt wraps around to the front to create sleeves instead of attaching them as separate pieces. SO CREATIVE. I love how you can use two contrasting fabrics, or just one, depending on what look you want. If you use two different fabrics like I did, you only need a little bit for the front, so you can use something special you’ve been hoarding, like this woven ikat fabric.

Ok, I have more to share about the pattern, but can we stop to talk about this fabric for a minute!? I bought this ikat from Michael Levine back in June when I was in LA for the Fabric Shopping Weekend and I’ve been saving it for something special because it’s reeeally gorgeous. Ikat fabric is made up of threads that have been dyed before it’s handwoven. Bindings that resist dye are applied to the threads before they are dyed with one or multiple colors (kind of like tie-dying, except tie-dying is done after the fibers are woven into fabric and this method dyes the thread first before being woven). The bindings are then removed and the threads are woven creating really unique and intricate designs. The fabric has a looser weave which gives it nice drape, but it also means that raw edges fray very easily. Michael Levine has a lot of other gorgeous ikat fabrics in their online store, if you’re interested!

*Edited to add – I forgot to mention that the fabric that I used for the back is a black shot cotton I picked up from Stonemountain and Daughter. It’s got a similar feel and weight compared to the ikat – I really like them paired together.*

Where were we? . . . Oh, right! The pattern! It comes in women’s sizes 2-20 and in three lengths, top, tunic or dress. There are two necklines to choose from and a hi-low hemline. I appreciate how the top fits loosely over my mid-section – it’s meant to flatter a range of body types. The neckline, sleeves and hem are finished with knit, which is something I’ve never done before, but really liked! It’s like finishing with bias, but I feel like it’s a bit lighter in weight and softer too.

The trickiest part of the construction is attaching the yoke and sleeve. I can’t help but feel like one of the markings is a little off, but I followed the pattern and fiddled with it and it turned out ok. I might play with it a little more the next time I make this top. And yes, I do think I’ll make another.

Here are a couple of awkward selfie chest shots for you. I wanted to show what the placket looks like open, and OH SNAP! Yes, I used snaps instead of buttons. I wouldn’t have though of it, but that shirt I love so much has snaps and it’s so genius. When the baby is hungry, I can pop my shirt open with one hand in one second. And snapping it back up is a cinch too. Oh, how I appreciate anything that can be done with one hand instead of two! I only wish I had used black snaps instead of silver, but this is what I had.

And here it is styled differently. 90s-ikat-denim love anyone!??

The Bess Top pattern can be purchased here. And be sure to check out all the other stops on the Imagine Gnats pattern tour showcasing all of Rachael’s patterns!

*Edited to ALSO add that Rachael is offering 20% off all of her patterns through the end of January with the code “januarytour” so if you’re thinking about buying the pattern, be sure to buy it now with the discount!*

Inder Loves Folk Art / mon petit lyons / Sew Delicious
la inglesita / Miss Matatabi / Rae Gun Ramblings
Welcome to the Mouse House / Casa Crafty
Make it Handmade / Made with Moxie / Buzzmills
girl like the sea / just me jay / Play Crafts
Sew Well Maide / Sew Charleston / Mingo and Grace
Caila Made / Sewbon / do Guincho / call ajaire
Alison Glass / a.Amelia Handmade / Bored & Crafty
you & mie / Stitched Together / things for boys
fake it while you make it / Sanae Ishida
Behind the Hedgerow / I Seam Stressed / Charming Doodle
The Crafty Kitty / Siestas & Sewing / Figgy’s

Have a great weekend, everyone!

*This pattern was generously given to me for this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.*

Her New Favorite Dress

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Cherie

I finally got around to sewing up a Skater Dress for Yuki. The pattern is by Amanda of Kitschy Coo and it is awesome! I’ve been meaning to sew one since the pattern came out but other things kept cutting in front of it in my sewing line. Well, last weekend was my mother-in-law’s birthday, and as a present, my sister-in-law had the great idea of getting pictures taken of Grandma and her 4 granddaughters at a photo studio. We wanted to coordinate their clothes and decided on gray and purple. Yuki didn’t have anything appropriate, so naturally I had to make something new 🙂

I made size 18M/2T for my petite 3 and a half year old. I was a little skeptical about going with a size meant for a kid so much younger, but I went with the measurement chart and it fits really well and will probably fit for quite awhile, especially since it’s made of a stretchy knit fabric. I already had this gorgeous fabric called “Silver Pin Dot and Charcoal Grey Cotton Lycra Knit” picked out for my first Skater Dress, so I’m glad it fit with the purple/gray colors we picked for the pictures! I bought it from Drygoods Design but they don’t have it anymore and I can’t seem to find anyone who carries it online anymore. Bummer for you! It’s so pretty!

As you can probably tell by the title of this post, Yuki LOVES this dress. In fact, she wore it three days in a row and would have worn it a fourth, but it was in the wash. Then she wore it again the next day!

I asked her what she loves so much about the dress and she said the silver dots and her silver shoes. The dots are definitely awesome, but I love the dress because it’s super comfy, casual and fun. I can imagine this dress would be perfect in pretty much any knit fabric!

I used a really pretty violet knit, that has a tiny bit of a shimmer to it, to finish the neck and arm holes. I actually bought this fabric to make something for me and I already have a Plantain tee cut out (I can’t wait)! I also have quite a bit of this silver dot fabric left over, so I’m hoping to make something for myself as well. Then Yuki and I can be twinsies! 😛

I do already have plans for at least one or two more Skater Dresses. It’s a really fast and simple dress to sew, and such a practical piece for your kid’s wardrobe. The pattern comes in four sizes, 18m/2T, 3T/4T, 5Y/6Y and 7Y/8Y, so I know I’ll be able to use it for years! Amanda‘s directions are great and she is really a master at sewing knits, so there are some great tips in the pattern and HERE on her blog. And I love the design of this dress – a simple fitted t-shirt like top with a semi-circle skirt. I really recommend this pattern!

Check out this ‘tude. I swear, this girl is 3 going on 13. Sometimes I feel like I have a teenager already.

Ooh, are you participating in Kids Clothes Week? It starts next Monday on January 27! I am looking forward to sewing along for the first time in awhile since I missed the last two. I haven’t figured out exactly what I want to sew yet. Honestly, there are so many patterns I want to make, but Yuki doesn’t need any clothes – she has tons already! So I’m a little stuck on what I should do. Have you made plans yet? I can’t wait to see what everyone makes – it’s always so inspirational!

Super Yuki to the Rescue!

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Cherie

My main Christmas present to Yuki was this superhero dress up costume, and honestly? Best. Gift. Ever. For two reasons – 1. it was all suuuper simple and fast to sew up and 2. she absolutely loves it. Can’t get much better than that!

SUPER YUKI! Oh man, I get a pretty good kick out of this costume too, I must say! I first got the idea to make her a cape awhile ago when Yuki started pretending that she was a magician. But recently, she saw a few episodes of the 1980s show, Spider-man and His Amazing Friends, and got really into the character, Firestar. She kept asking if she could be her, but she looks like this and I wasn’t going to make that costume for her. Luckily, details don’t matter much to a three year old and as far as Yuki is concerned, she is totally Firestar.

So there are a ton of great cape patterns out there, but this one was made with this free pattern/tutorial because I really liked the shape of it. Though I used velcro instead of magnets and I also shortened it quite a bit. The cape is reversible and one side is made of some sort of shiny red fabric with the felt star “logo” top stitched on.

The reverse side is black cotton with silver stars hand stamped on. This side is supposed to be the magician side. She hasn’t actually used this side since she’s much more into being a superhero, but I imagine that if I get her a hat and magic wand, she might be inclined to put on some magic shows as well. I love that this cape is reversible and easy enough for her to put on by herself.

The mask and arm cuffs are made of felt (the red is a glittery felt) and are technically both reversible as well, though these are just yellow on the other side. I used this template for the mask and this pattern/tutorial for the arm cuffs, though I shortened my cuffs to fit Yuki better. I started by top stitching the yellow stars on the red layer and then sewed the yellow and red layers together close to the edges. Sandwich the elastic in between the two layers for the mask and it’s done. The arm cuffs close with velcro. I think I finished these in one nap time!

I love how she falls into character so quickly when the costume is on. All I have to do is give a Green Goblin cackle and she’s after me like the world is depending on it!

Stealth mode.

I just love her imagination right now. Everything she does is so creative and intensely real and meaningful it is to her. Sometimes it gets tiring to play the same games over and over again with her, but I also know that I’m going to miss this stage when it’s gone. She is just always 100% in that moment. I envy that.

OOF – she’s just too powerful for me! Super Yuki saves the day once again!

What was the best present that you gave this year? This would definitely be it for me, hands down.

Pajamas for Four

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Cherie

Christmas pajamas have never been a family tradition in our house, but when I was trying to figure out what to give my nieces for Christmas, my sister-in-law suggested pajama pants for the middle schooler. And then, since I’m crazy, I decided to make matching pajamas for my both of my nieces and both of my daughters. Finished them the night before, but they were a hit.

The cousins are 9 and 11 and we let the 11 year old pick the fabric. I went to Joann‘s to pick up some flannel and it was on sale for $2.80 a yard! Score.

For the three older girls, I used the Parsley Pants pattern, though I had to grade it up for the 11 year old. I was pretty nervous about the fit because I had no idea what I was doing, but it turned out great! I basically added about 1.5 inches to the top, and 2 inches to the bottom and then cut the entire pattern along the tuxedo stripe line and added an inch to the width. Love this pattern for pajama pants!! I’m thinking of grading it up to make a pair for me!

For the baby, I made Rae’s Basic Newborn Pants (free pattern) with a little added length. Of course, she’s already almost outgrowing her pajamas.

The older girls got shirts from Target and Kaya is wearing a store bought onesie. I just added the yellow pocket to match the yellow on the pants and had to do some altering on Yuki’s shirt since it was way too big for her.

Yuki claims these are her favorite pajamas now and I’m certain that it’s because her cousins have the same ones. She absolutely ADORES her cousins and think they are the best. And they are.

So Christmas pajamas weren’t a tradition before, but maybe they are now? I admit, it was pretty darn cute seeing them all running around (or just lounging around, in Kaya’s case) in their matching PJs.

Check out my second shooter!

Do you guys do Christmas pajamas? Where did this tradition even come from? Worth continuing? Apparently some of Hideko’s high school students totally dread it. Haha! Were you blessed with (or a victim of) matching pajamas as a kid?

you and mie

let's make things