Thursday 11 September 2014

Sew Japanese series: tunic and spring coat



Shino, who writes the blog Nutta, provided me with the perfect excuse to do some sewing when she invited me to be part of her Sew Japanese series, which started on September 8. In this five-day series she is looking at the different styles of Japanese sewing book authors, accompanied by guest posts from bloggers sewing clothes from their respective books.

I chose one of my current favourites which I always think of as 'A Sunny Spot', but which turns out to be called Girls' Fashionable and Pretty Clothes (R's long cardigan and jersey/cotton dress, which I blogged about recently, are from this same book). For Shino's series I made a tunic in the loveliest blue linen, and a 'spring coat' (very apt, as spring has just begun here) in organic Cloud 9 canvas. Click on over to Nutta to check them out! I'll also be putting up some extra photos in Flickr.

Also, I have a couple of fun things coming up in the next month or two. I think I can reveal the first one, since I've already put the button on my sidebar: I'm going to be a contributor for the Kids Clothes Week blog! This season's KCW has a brilliant theme: storybook. If you haven't already, you might want to subscribe to the KCW blog just so you can see me make an ass of myself be inspired by my contributions. In the meantime I'd be interested to know - in my official capacity, of course! -  what kind of sewing does 'storybook' suggest to you?

16 comments:

  1. Oh Marisa. Firstly, your Spring coat is divine.
    I'll go gawp at the other things on Nutta in a moment. Congratulations on being part of the sew Japanese series.
    And Kid's Clothes Week???!!! Yay!!! I was delighted when I saw your name on the contributors announcement.
    The storybook theme really appeals to me. I'm not sure there isn't a book that can't somehow be put on a t-shirt, right?! I am constantly getting ideas for sewing from books (the Cat's Pyjamas is currently itching in the back of my head), both kid's books but also novels. Hey, I just made myself a t-shirt out of fabric that's covered in type print, so I'm on theme too!
    Congratulations on the blog gig. I look forward to seeing your posts

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comments about the coat. You'd never know that one button was being held on with sticky-tape for the photoshoot, would you! Somehow my machine-sewn buttons never stay on as well as my hand-sewn ones... I guess I should stop being lazy and sew my buttons by hand in future. As for KCW, I'm following in your shoes and they are big shoes to fill (hang on - that sounds like it could be an insult, so I think I'll just drop the shoe metaphor and say that your posts were extremely well-written and entertaining!).

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  2. Congrats on your KCW contributor gig! Just saw the theme so I will have to think about it. Pretty excited about this theme as there are SO MANY possibilities.

    Will go check out the Sew Japanese series now, I didn't know about it!

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    1. Yes it's a great theme, isn't it. I didn't quite know what to do with the last one - I think I prefer my kids' art and my sewing to be separate pursuits. But storybook is a theme I can definitely run with!

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  3. How fun to see your post on Nutta's blog! I sewed up the very same pinafore for my youngest for KCW this summer. Although I love it (and it came together so easily!), I too should have sized down as it's pretty voluminous on her. I guess both our girls can grow into it:) Love your fabric choices for both the pinafore and the coat. That coat rocks!!

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    1. I think I saw yours - it was the stripey one, right? Really lovely. The style is a very loose fit, though, and it doesn't help that my daughter has narrow shoulders... also the straps worked out a little big and to take them up I'll have to ruin the lovely clean look of the binding. Never mind, like you say, I'll just wait til she grows into it!

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  4. Fabulous outfits Marisa :) I also was excited to see your name among the contributors for KCW! Congrats :)

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  5. I'm so glad you were part of Nutta's Sew Japanese series. I love finding great (new to me) blogs to read! Now I'm off to add you to my Bloglovin' feed so I don't miss any more cute outfits :) And I look forward to seeing what you have in store for Kids Clothes Week!

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    1. Thanks Teri, I was happy to find your blog too!

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  6. Ooh, congratulations Marisa. And what a great theme that is. I love what you have made for Shino's blog. I have the book, and now very much want to try out the same.

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    1. Thank you Asmita. Will you be sewing for KCW? I know you've got your hands full at the moment, but maybe some sweet little baby clothes...?

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  7. wow - so much exciting sewing stuff. I can't wait to click on all your links. Storybook makes me think of an amusement park by me called Storyland which is nursery rhyme themes. It also makes me think of classic vintage clothing.

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    1. Thanks Christine. It's a great theme with lots of possibilities, I think. That said, I still have no idea where I'll go with it! Clothes inspired by vintage storybooks is a nice idea :)

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  8. Congrats for being a contributor to KCW and what an exciting theme, Storybook! My 16 months old twins loved the Gruffalo and Wendy the wide mouthed frog. So these books are going to be my main source of inspiration ;) By the way, I love your coat! I'm terrified to sew from a japanese book as I don't understand a word. Great job!

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  9. Thanks Albumine :) I love the Gruffalo, but don't know Wendy. Look forward to seeing what you do with them! With the Japanese books, if you want to give them a go, start with a translated one such as Sew Chic Kids (Happy Homemade vol. 2). That way you'll get the general idea of how they work, and then it's not so hard to move on to one where you only have the diagrams to go on.

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