Official Japanese Sewalong

[Lizzielogs]

Ooooh, my bag feet have arrived- need to play catch up now,

[Hachi]

Same here, I finally got my lining fabric in the post. Washed it and ironed it last night.
I hope everyone's project is coming along well!

[Lowena]

My project was started, finished, found to be ineligible and discarded all before I got the banner, but thanks anyway Fran. Hope you're feeling ok now 

[Zigzag]

I have attached the Japanese Sewalong banner to my signature.  It is really pretty and I hope that I am eligible to have done this.

[Iminei]

Just watched .. The Kimono ... part of BBC 4's Japanese season .... Amazing!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p054mclh/ad/handmade-in-japan-series-1-2-the-kimono

[Hachi]

Thanks for the link, Iminei! Just watched it too.
I grew up in Japan but never new what "tsumugi" was until today, let alone what Oshima tsumugi was. Thanks to the sewalong, I am less ignorant about Japanese culture today
I might just have to go to https://hyperjapan.co.uk/ 

[Lilian]

Just watched .. The Kimono ... part of BBC 4's Japanese season .... Amazing!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p054mclh/ad/handmade-in-japan-series-1-2-the-kimono

Thanks Imi, I just downloaded it On Demand! 

[Iminei]

I grew up in Japan but never new what "tsumugi" was

One of my early wall-hangings was a kit I snaffled off fleabay, that was called Tsumugi boxes ......



https://goo.gl/photos/oAm86CbbqvzKriNbA

I wonder if that was  the material in the kit ???? It frayed like billyo!

[Hachi]

That is very pretty, Iminei.

Tsumugi kimono is made out of yarn-dyed silk, and the silk thread is not wound, but rather just pulled out and the patterns are created by weaving. (Thus tsumugi is typically earthy toned, as opposed to the vibrant colored ones with flowers and fans painted on that are woven from undyed silk.) Because of the way the thread is pulled by hand (and the fibers are shorter), the fabric will have knobs or small dots in it.

The grey and dark blue fabric in your tsumugi box might well be tsumugi!

[Sandra]

I've got that kit to make.

 Bought two? years ago from the Festival of Quilts. The packaging says...'traditional Japanese tsumugi cottons and a choice of Japanese cottons for centres'.
Mine are black and an earthy brown, so that sounds right...and it's a bit slubby too.

I love the Japanese stalls at FOQ. They have some lovely kits. I love the little fabric packs they sell too.

Sandra.
xxx

[Iminei]

I've got that kit to make.

Make it then!!!!

Spray starch the fabric to cut down the fraying, and don't cut what you won't be sewing within 1/2 an hour!
It is a very effective hanging...everybody comments on it when they walk in to our kitchen diningroom

[Iminei]

Ladies, I'm back in the ring!

That Doughtys Japanese reversible fabric that Brenda sooo craftily waved under our noses earlier this week
(you naughty lil minx Brenda!!!  ) is just too gorgeous too resist and rumagging through the old trunk from my years gone by, guess what I found ???



So I'm going for it...



Questions;

There's tons of pattern pieces for facings but I want to make this a simple reversible Jacket....

Am I being stupid here, it has occurred to me that armhole seams might not be easily made neat.
I was thinking of french seaming and then stitching the french seams flat on sides seams etc. ... thoughts???

Should I cut another facing for the neck/shoulder area (see how fluent I am in the rag trade lingo ...NOT) out of the fabric  and stitch it down flat rather then leaving it flapping around

I see some of you are actually covering up your eyes in disbelief now...and was that a "Oh Good Grief" I heard from the direction of the North East??????

Don't worry about the fact the collar thingymies are not on the seam, they are in my eyes ... I mean how was I to know they printed different collar patterns for all the different sizes???

Also how long should the sleeves be...If I measure the pattern piece for the sleeves it comes out as 24 3/4" !!!!
I must be a midget or something as my arms from shoulder to wrist is about 20"!!!
What should a 3/4 length sleeve measure ???

https://goo.gl/photos/gmR3qo7eTDfnfDDH7

Any help, tips and advice would be gratefully received....

[Lizzielogs]

Ladies, I'm back in the ring!

That Doughtys Japanese reversible fabric that Brenda sooo craftily waved under our noses earlier this week
(you naughty lil minx Brenda!!!  ) is just too gorgeous too resist and rumagging through the old trunk from my years gone by, guess what I found ???

Any help, tips and advice would be gratefully received....

Iminei that looks amazing - tips and advice from me?? Absolutely-flippin-not!  WELL beyond my capailities!!

[Lizzielogs]

For a Newbie, could someone in the know advise please?
WHEN said article for the  OJS is finished how do I send it to Francesca - is it by PM??
Ta frightfully.

[Missie]

Can we have a "Voyeur" banner for the sewalongs please.  I would so love to join in but I have so little time that I just wouldn't complete them within the timeframe.  I'm therefore doing them vicariously and think I should have a little banner as well 

Loving some of the fabrics and ideas!