Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Bring me colors!


These two of jersey tops are my latest creations. They were no big sewing, and they don't look too sassy either, but I'm so happy and excited to bring them into my wardrobe. I love those colors and they really brighten up my days!


Hope you are doing great!

Talk to you later,
yoshimi

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Blue high neck top
pattern: Fujiko top from TAMANEGI-KOBO (PDF)
fabric: Tencel65/cotton35 rib jersey, deep turquoise blue, bright color, thin, soft, very stretchy, clingy, well-hanging
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Pink V neck pullover
pattern: 7Ketcha pullover from anneeduex* (PDF)
fabric: double layered jersey gauze, (right side) cupro70 wool30/(wrong side) cotton100, deep raspberry pink, matte color, stretchy, spongy, soft, warm, light
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

cargo mimicked

Hello everybody, I guess I'm on stream of pants-making!

 I made another pair of jeans in a grey stretch denim, mimicking the famous "Skinny cargo pants". Though I've never liked (sorry...if the words are too strong) the traditional and wide cargo pants on me, I was very curious to see if I liked them when they were not so authentic. I imagined that those stretch skinny pairs could look better on me than the authentic ones with no convincing reason, and I was too optimistic to hesitate to have a try!

For them, I used my self-drafted pattern which I used for this pair before, and redrew the lower legs much narrower. I added pockets, extra zippers, and every detail that I had in my mind. And of course I cut the knee pieces separately. I added the lines of diagonal seams above and below the knees too. I'm quite satisfied with how they turned out, because I think the result reasonably resembles to those pairs that I wanted to mimic, I hope you agree with me! Said that, I'm not sure if I would like to wear them everyday, because I felt very shy and a bit uncomfortable in them. ...i dunno... Maybe I'm just a silly stubbornhead who cannot accept anything new. It is surely fun to own a pair like these, for a change, though.
By the way, I like these diagonal seams at knees very much. I might reproduce them again on another pair in the future. If you are interested in making your pants similar to those Skinny cargo, I would say yes and go on, because it's easy AND fun. I'd recommend 2-way stretch denim or other thick fabric to you, too. (I used well-stretching 1-way stretch and I think it's one of the biggest reasons of having so many creases all over my pants. 2-way would do a better job for achieving a smoother look, if you really love to get something seriously similar to "the originals".)

I hope you are doing very well!

much love,
yoshimixo

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

a blanket jacket

I made an interesting jacket on its pattern-release day. For making it, I used a synthetic fluffy white fabric, which was quite resembles to faux-fur ("fake faux-fur"??).

Although the pattern recommended thinner and softer fabrics for better drapes in the front neckline, because I wanted to make the jacket look more cloak-y and very warm, I used a thick and hairy fabric which was probably suitable for overcoats. It made this jacket very voluminous, and also made it seriously eccentric. Actually, that's exactly the kind of result that I wanted, despite its pattern creator's probable wish, which was likely for a light and casual jacket. Though I'm feeling slightly guilty about it, I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Now I'm so looking forward to the cooler weather.

This jacket looks a bit unconventional and you might think that this kind of garments are difficult to wear rightly, even if you could like them. However I find that, because there is no right way to put them on stylishly, we don't have to worry about how we wear them. You can wear them in any way you like, and you'll look perfect&right just because you are smiling in it. And I also find that this jacket is pretty cool because I don't have to pull it off when I squeeze myself into a car. The back length is technically too short to sit on the garment, and there will be no ugly creases created by buttock-pressing at any situation. I love it.

The pattern was Rebecca from TAMANEGI-KOBO, which is currently my most favorite pattern shop, and I got it in PDF format. I have to say that, for this time, it may be a bit confusing to assemble this jacket without reading Japanese in the instructions because of the unusual construction. However I write that, if you are interested in the pattern and are also good in space perception, I'd be happy to recommend you to try the jacket because the sewing itself is technically very easy and quick. This is a jacket which is pretty fun to make and fun to wear. You can refer the technical drawings for Rebecca here as well.

Happy sewing!

love,
yoshimi




We had a long field walk in a highland today, and it was a great fun!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

my resolution

We have fall everywhere.
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I don't remember if I've mentioned my this year's resolution here. It's that I allow myself to sew as much as I would love to, unlimitedly.

Sounds funny?
Yes, I think so too.

Before telling my this year's resolution, I think I should have explained that my new-year resolutions were always "I sew as less as possible." I start sewing my clothes some 6 years ago and I absolutely loved it from the beginning. However, at the earlier stage I also realized that I could easily end up with just abusing the resources on our planet by my casual and careless projects which generate useless results, for the sake of my temporal sewing pleasure. I didn't like that and took it seriously. So I've been trying to tell myself that I need to be very careful and should take a long time for planning rather than actual sewing, to avoid feeling sorry for myself creating unwanted objects in the end. I wanted to commit a minimal number of projects and wanted them all perfect.

It's not my intention to oppose anybody who actively enjoys sewing or whatever other activities and creates a big number, but I hope some of you understand what I'm trying to tell you. I assume that I unconsciously wanted to sew more freely without any number limitation or garment type restriction, but I never allowed it to myself, because of my policy.

Said that, I had my mind changed slightly last year. That is, I had a hard year last year. So many sorts of problems and evil thoughts visited me from all angles without warning. Everything came from outside but I didn't know how I solve them because they were, in short, not actually my own problems. However, they lasted long and discouraged me much both physically and mentally, and eventually I lost more than a stone after many wakeful nights. And then my back went wrong because of my radical losing of muscles and it tethered me in the bed for a while. However, I could stay somehow sensible but never drawn into the dark side, because I had my wonderful family and truly lovely friends around me, and I had SEWING too. I realized that I was truly positive, optimistic, constructive, calm and happy while sewing. Making things was a much more positive activity than I had thought. It surely helped me to be a better and healthier person, and I thought that it was fair enough to "consume" the resources a bit. I already knew that sewing helped me a lot to dress myself, but I had to agree that it also gave me much more than the garments. Some people say that sewing is the outlet of their creativity, but I'd say my sewing is the intake of my positiveness. Oops did I say too much?

Consequently I decided to allow myself to sew unlimitedly for making me stay happy on the first day of this year. For a year only. I wanted to see how I behave when I discharge myself from the stupid self limitation. I wanted to check if I waste all fabrics in the whole world and if I yell at myself by regretting what I have done on them when I have no limit. So far it is not likely happening, though. I'm sewing more than I would really need, but it's not beyond my expectation. And I'm happy much more than I wished on new year's day. I guess I can happily reduce my projects to a reasonable number next year. I'll have more time to visit others' and your blogs, and it will be more fun!

I had 3/4 year gone, and have 3 more months to go!

I sew as much as I'd love to.
I sew what I'd feel like.
I sew nothing interesting.
I sew what is not likely useful.
I sew for volunteering to people who are in need.
I sew what doesn't look promising.
I sew what makes me just curious.
I allow myself to sew stupidly as long as I'm enjoying sewing.
I trust myself.

And I sewed another pair of basic pants in my favorite fabric and took my husband out for chatting under the trees on an autumn day.
I'm so happy.

Have a great day, everyone!

love,
yoshimi



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pattern: pants "Joker" (PDF) from TAMANEGI-KOBO
fabric: cotton stretch, PU blend

The post for my first Joker, in wool fabric is here.
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