New Fabrics from Japan

My fabric order from good-ness , a shop on Etsy which is located in Japan, arrived yesterday and it is YUMMY. I ordered three different cotton/linen fabrics, two with french sayings, the other polka dots, and a pattern book "Basics for Girls - Japanese Sewing Book" which is just beautiful, exactly what I wanted except, now I need the same for babies and boys!



The photos in this book are exquisite, it's like an art photography book, except there are also instructions (in Japanese) and patterns! I may need a teeny bit of translation help here and there but basically, the instructions are pictorial, it just bugs me not being able to read EVERYTHING. I can't wait to try something. Anyone reading this who wants to try, Moving Hands blog has a section on how to use Japanese patterns.

Also, the shop owner of good-ness sent me several fun little gifts including the floral fabric on top in my photo, some little paper bags and Japanese candies, all bundled in a beautiful piece of paper with a sticker.



I also thought I'd include a photo of my sewing table. I recently was able to use an old pegboard that I had used in craft shows, propping it up on the table with some hooks to hang things. I need more hooks and should probably hang this on the wall though it is pretty heavy. Anyway, long way to go before I have a "studio" that I feel is well-organized.


In addition to sewing, I have a separate area and table where I do prints and painting. Then I have all the cupboards and closets and shelves where I store fabrics, notions, paints, dyes, etc., etc. My laundry room shelves have a few devoted to the dyes, auxiliaries and fabric inks. The spare bedroom in the basement is my photography studio (and it houses fabrics as well!). I wish everything were in one area devoted to my arts and crafts and that all supplies had a nice neat little place to be stored! Ah well, what would I wish for it I had this already?

Yellow and Oilcloth

I discovered "oilcloth" at a market a few weeks ago. Actually, this is vinyl tablecloth fabric, vinyl that has been printed with a pattern, versus cloth with oil in it which is where the term came from. Here's a definition and you can read all about the industry here.

My reason for the yellow is that I want to make rain coat for my pups! I finally came up with something practical I can make for my furballs! This will keep them dry for my purposes really, they don't mind, but when they come in after a walk in the rain or snow, it's really messy. That's my excuse at least. I'm going to use the bright colored fabric to make a tablecloth for my patio table.

Actually, all you have to do is cut this. It won't fray so no need to sew a hem. I'm going to pink the edges.

Enough blabber, here's the fabric!

Oh, I was so excited about the selection at the store that I snapped a cell phone photo in the store:


YELLOW

And MORE fabric!!!

I love fabric. I found some interesting linen on eBay recently and it came in the mail yesterday, how fun! Nothing like a good find.



Then, on my way home from work yesterday I stopped at a little boutique that is closing and they were selling their fabric samples from the House Inc. bedding line so I snatched up six pieces in coordinating colors, very shabby chic type color line, which I also love but isn't that popular right now. I think it will make adorable baby clothes! I'm even thinking of incorporating the marker names written on the fabric. Each piece is about the size of a fat quarter, 18x20 inches. They were $3.00 a piece so I didn't buy more than six.