The Sewing Place

Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi

WildAtlanticWay

Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« on: January 07, 2022, 12:36:17 PM »
Has anyone bought any of the Japanese design Pattern Magic books?

I’m thinking of buying one using my Amazon gift voucher received for Christmas but from the scarce info. provided online, it’s not really clear to me what the books include. I’m wondering if the designs can be reproduced and maybe used in bag making and other accessories?

Iminei

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2022, 13:24:19 PM »
No idea from me Im afraid but I do have a couple of Japanese books with patchwork and projects incl. bag making ...
They are beautiful books, but not cheap and not in English but do have good pictographs and measurements ...

Just for your intrigulisement Linky here ....
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Ohsewsimple

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2022, 13:30:38 PM »
I have the original books  1 and 2 in Japanese!   They’re now available in English. 
They’re only for clothing.  No bags etc. 
Fascinating books and pattern cutting for clothing. 

mudcat

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2022, 18:42:22 PM »
I have all four of them: Pattern Magic, PM 2, PM 3 and PM Stretch Fabrics.  They don't include patterns and instead suggest using the Burda bodice sloper. If you have your own sloper already then of course that would be ideal.  They are cool books and show you how to manipulate the sloper into asymmetric designs. The downside is the pictures are mostly black and white and a lot of the pictures only focus on a detail rather than the full garment.  Unless one has experience with pattern making they could be difficult to recreate.

You have reminded me that I should work with these because one of the downsides of the pattern making book we used in the pattern design class is it doesn't focus much on the asymmetrical type of things I like.

I also have Drape Drape, DD 2 and DD 3 which are different but include the patterns. I think they are more accessible.

I've added some photos from Pattern Magic so you can get an idea of what's in it.

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« Last Edit: January 07, 2022, 18:44:20 PM by mudcat »

mudcat

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2022, 18:45:33 PM »
More photos


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mudcat

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2022, 18:49:34 PM »
one last photo that goes with the first picture in my first post ... i was having some weird "invalid" errors.

One other thing to mention is these only show you how to make the pattern. There are no sewing instructions so one needs to have some mean skills.  :thinking:

And yeah it's all garments.

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« Last Edit: January 07, 2022, 18:53:36 PM by mudcat »

Ohsewsimple

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2022, 22:25:04 PM »
Ooh you have the English version @mudcat.  Very posh!   :laughing:

WildAtlanticWay

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2022, 12:43:46 PM »
@mudcat

Thank you for posting some photos from the books and your thoughts. That’s really helpful.

May I ask which book these 2 pictures came from as I’d like to have a go at the design on the right and incorporate it into a simple panel to be used in a bag initially. I think once I have a better understanding of how it works, I might then try making some clothing. Also, I have a bit more experience with bag making.

Do you think that the books were designed to be read in sequence so that the designs become slightly more complex in book 2 and then 3 is very tricky or are they just collections of different designs?

Many thanks. x

mudcat

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2022, 21:41:55 PM »
All the pictures came from the first book (Pattern Magic).  I'll take a look at the designs in the other books to see if they look progressively more difficult or if it's just offering more design options.

sewmuchmore

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2022, 13:30:42 PM »
I may have the first book some were in the sewing room, i did try to sell it but got no takers so it may be in the deep dark recess, i will go and look for it. If i still have it you can have it.
I disliked the book because everything is in miniature, the manakins are only about 4 inch and it seemed like too much effort to scale everything up.
It's not easy being this perfekt

Janet

sewmuchmore

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2022, 16:50:33 PM »
@WildAtlanticWay sorry can't find the book so it probably went to the charity shop. If it is fabric manipulation you want to do rather than apply it to clothes have you considered Jennie Rayment? I have quite a few of her books and even if you don't make anything the entertainment value is good.
She has her own site and you can pick up her books new and second hand on  Amazon
It's not easy being this perfekt

Janet

WildAtlanticWay

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2022, 18:05:25 PM »
@sewmuchmore

Oo, that’s looks very interesting. Thank you. 

I’ve been re-watching previous series of the Sewing Bee and the episode where they had to produce Origami inspired garments got me thinking about shapes and fabric manipulation. I’ll take a look at the books you’ve linked to.

Don’t worry about not finding the book. Hopefully, someone else will have a little thrill of excitement when they spot the book for sale. I love a charity shop book bargain myself so I wouldn’t want to deny others the pleasure.   :)

mudcat

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2022, 21:04:04 PM »
Yeah @sewmuchmore  it's the nature of the books. I think it assumes the reader has some pattern making/design experience.  In class we worked with 3/4 or 1/2 size slopers always.  We were learning the concepts of manipulating the sloper and drafting facings and other smaller patter pieces based off the sloper measurements.   I feel like I learned enough to make one of these patterns once my sloper is perfect (it's not yet, sadly).

I have a bunch of other Japanese pattern books. Some come with the full sized patterns and others only provide measurements of the pieces for one size that you'd then still have to modify to fit yourself.  Not for the faint of heart nor inexperienced but if you love the Japanese sense of style they can be a lot of fun I believe.

I also have the Madeleine Vionnet book which is similar to these but with even crazier shaped pattern pieces. 


sewmuchmore

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2022, 09:50:22 AM »
Yeah @sewmuchmore  it's the nature of the books. I think it assumes the reader has some pattern making/design experience.  In class we worked with 3/4 or 1/2 size slopers always.  We were learning the concepts of manipulating the sloper and drafting facings and other smaller patter pieces based off the sloper measurements.   I feel like I learned enough to make one of these patterns once my sloper is perfect (it's not yet, sadly).

I have a bunch of other Japanese pattern books. Some come with the full sized patterns and others only provide measurements of the pieces for one size that you'd then still have to modify to fit yourself.  Not for the faint of heart nor inexperienced but if you love the Japanese sense of style they can be a lot of fun I believe.

I also have the Madeleine Vionnet book which is similar to these but with even crazier shaped pattern pieces.

I never really did get why students had to use 1/2 size slopers. I am afraid i went against the grain when i taught basic pattern making to beginners and always got them to make full sized slopers, so much easier to work with. Plus you didn't have to do everything twice i.e. make a miniature and then scale up.
It's not easy being this perfekt

Janet

Ohsewsimple

Re: Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2022, 11:16:20 AM »
I’d never fit into their sizing but it’s given me the shapes I would need to work with.  I really must get round to using them.  :thinking:   Really like the bamboo one.  Curious as to how these styles would be washed and ironed.  :laughing: