I was going to entitle this post “Japanese sewing books for beginners” because if anyone is nervous about Japanese sewing patterns, then this is the book for them! First, however, my jacket. What can I say? I adore it!
Back view first so that you can see the awesome hood. Then a rather untidy front view, but you get the idea. It has lovely pockets, which are bound with bias binding, as are the armholes and all the other edges.
The jacket is supposed to be fastened with snaps but I couldn’t find my little tool thingy so I used some lovely Chinese frogs which I bought at the Perth Quilt and Craft Fair.
The fabric came from Pitt Trading (thanks to Maria and Susan), but I didn’t have enough for the hood so used a scrap of black fleece, which I think works better anyway. Daft photo of me with the hood up…
and even dafter photo of me trying to look badass in a hoodie! Yeah, I can’t pull it off.
OK, now back to the book: It is a really well set out book, with detailed instructions.
It is by Michiyo Ito, and is a bit bigger than the regular Japanese pattern books and has much more detailed instructions, which are provided in both text and graphic form. I think the best bit though is the patterns. There are six pattern sheets in all and each one seems to have just two patterns on it. This gives a clear, uncluttered layout which is so, so easy to trace off. The pattern pieces also fit together nicely, I had no issues at all with making this pattern.
The sizing is more European. I made the small and it is possibly a little large.
The photographs show sufficient detail that you can see what you are going to get. Here is my jacket.
There are a number of patterns in this book that I am keen to make. They all look relatively straightforward and the designs are classic with the usual Japanese edge.
The details: Quilted jacket from Simply Sewn made from quilted fabric from Pitt Trading. Hood was made from a scrap of black fleece. I have worn this jacket a couple of times, first with my “jeans” made from Vogue 8859 (which I have never blogged), and then with my new pencil skirt. I am wearing a grey cashmere and silk jumper which I hand knitted, and PK ankle boots.