slow (but steady, hopefully)

Hello!
I've been in the reading phase of internet sewing. I mean, I've been busy at reading your blogs but having no time to write. You around the world have so many interesting things to tell! I'm trying to avoid staying forever in front of my computer though, it takes so much time for even just checking all my big RSS list each day. Yes, it's lovely to know that there are many like-minded people on our planet indeed. However, maybe it's time for me to know that I shouldn't try to find them all. The thing is, I knew that for long. But it's a bit difficult to behave.

I've finished some small sewing projects. I like these two and I hope you find them interesting.

Venus skirt

When I saw the fabric, I had to buy it. I didn't know which pattern I could use for it, but thought that I had to keep it in my stash. That said, the fabric was transformed into an interesting skirt in a day after arriving at my house. I really love it! The only thing I regret is that I made the waist slightly larger to intend dropping the waistline a bit. I shouldn't have done that. It lowered the waistline successfully, but I don't think it fits better. I don't think it's prettier either. I can hide the waistline of this skirt for ever anyway. I love the whole package of this imperfect skirt as always.

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pattern: Venus bustle skirt, from Tamanegi-kobo
fabric: off-white lace and pale grayish green wool jersey, layered as single fabric
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Hatoto bag

I wished a hairy bag. Before the winter ends. You may laugh at me and the bag, but seriously we are in love with each other. You'll never been able to explain why/where chemistry exists!

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pattern: Hatoto bag by yoshimi
fabric: Wool jersey, probably synthetic blend
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Happy sewing!
xoxo
yoshimi

a good relation

Hello, dear my readers!

jersey cardigan jacket

You might already know that I have a teen-age daughter. She is a kind of girl who would admit PJs sewn by her mother are the best in the world, but that's all of what she would say. She is not interested in my sewing in any ways. Some days ago, I casually spoke to her "See, now another one is done, Darling", showing a dress form which was wearing my latest beige cardigan jacket. Though I didn't expect her specific reply for my call, that day she smiled at me slowly, and said "Mama, you seem quite happy with your sewing these days, and I see quite a perfection in it. I think the jacket is gorgeous too. You're doing so good. I'm very happy for you."

Of course she was not telling that her mother's sewing skill was improving. She mentioned that I was in a good balance of something... avocational. Because I sew what I really love and as much as I love, without feeling intimidated, I'm generally staying cool in my spare time. And she is happy with me like that. My sewing is something that rest of my family wouldn't be involved in almost at all, but I felt it was great for them too if my hobby could make my family happy in an indirect way.

I'll be sitting in front of my sewing machine with a happy soul in 2012 too. Sew with me!

Happy New Year!

yoshimixoxo

glove holder

body briefer

long jersey skirt

warm pullover with flared hem

and

PJ for daughter

the longer skirt

I'm practicing photography lately, a wee bit, by myself, and this is me in yesterday's morning.

It was a calm and beautiful Saturday morning. We decided to take a walk to our favorite Italian restaurant for lunch. As there was a plenty of sunlight, I was so happy to annoy my company with stopping at every flower on the way for releasing my shutter to fix the beauty in my camera. The restaurant had a stretch of pretty private path which was very much taken care of with lovely plants, and I had to take thousands of pictures of flowers by the pavement when we were almost there. My DD and DH ended up being kept waiting for me before entering the cozy inside for delicious pizzas. I'm lucky to have a pair of very patient company in my life, I really appreciate it! They made fun of me with taking my photographs of photographing too.

I guess they were talking about the weather, like a harmonious elderly couple.

I made another long skirt. I love this blue skirt that I made in October very much, but I have one thing that I regretted... It should have been longer in my first plan. I'm happy with it in the end, but I needed one more and that has to be one or two inches longer using the same pattern in more hanging fabric. Nerd.

I used a flow-y rayon/linen fabric, with kitten embroidery. The kitten pattern looks kinda humorous and I think the fabric is pretty wearable. I really like it.

Have a very good day, everyone!


Love,
yoshimi

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pattern: Jade midi skirt, from Tamanegi-kobo
lengthened much, size 42(2size bigger than my usual size, to make the waist line lower).

fabric: rayon/linen denim, white and beige
kitten embroidery in black,
flow-y, slightly heavy, hanging, matte
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Flowers on my cardigan

I made a cardigan with a nostalgic flowery print.

Don't worry, I agree with you, that the print looks "out of days" to me too! And guess what, I'm very happy in this cardigan, and actually you might see my feeling in the pictures.

I have to say that I really love this outfit on me. I think the colors suit me well.

***
Funny idea though, I cunningly feel that it's more effective to put on uncool/nothing-cool kind of clothes that suit the person very well than to put on trendy clothes that equally suit the wearer, when she/he would really love to pretend to be looking good. People are all looking good in each one's way and it's silly to measure the values anyway, however, I think that it happens often that uncool clothes are making more concrete impressions of the wearers. I mean, if people catch the sight of you smiling beautifully in the insignificant clothes that actually suit you, they would mostly feel that it's you that is beautiful above all and the impression lasts for good. I love thinking cool clothes and it's very fun indeed, but I also think that if we can be happy to be careful when we pick up the most uncool/boring clothes once in a while, we will be successful to pretend that we are the best. I hope you'd get what I'm trying to say...

I know it may seem a wrong idea and you may see a silly logic in it though, I've hoped this feeling to be written in words for some time. You may think I am using the terms uncommonly, too. I'll try to be better in explaining if ever I get a second chance. Until then, please excuse me for giving you such a confusion!
***

I used Fujiko body briefer pattern for making the cardigan. I omitted the lower part and added a front opening and it's done. I also wear an white high neck pullover from the same pattern in the cardigan. The white high neck was made from a silk jersey which is heavenly smooth on the skin...I really love both Fujikos. Happy sewing, everybody!!

Love,
yoshimi

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Flowery cardi
pattern: Fujiko (body briefer) from Tamanegi-kobo
omitted the lower part and added a front placket and buttons.
fabric: mohair/wool/acryl blend, less stretchy, fairly bodied, warm, soft, flowery print

White high neck pullover
pattern: Fujiko (body briefer) from Tamanegi-kobo
omitted the lower half, narrowed high neck
fabric: silk jersey, not very stretchy, thin, flowy, sheen, soft, off-white
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pants Avy

Hello, hope you're very well!

As for me, I hate these tweed pants... because they really don't show their pretty texture, figure, lightness, and loveliness in my pictures. And what is more, I imagine that you can't even find the pants in the pictures because they are melting in my usual background. Mmm!

Yes, I admit I am too upset, I shouldn't have forgotten to mention that I really love my new invisible but playful gaucho pants in the first line. I apologize to you.

I lengthened the pants quite a lot, they are much longer than the length which the pattern originally calls for. Since I'm feeling like roomy and flowy clothes right this moment, they are so very perfect to me. They're fun! I'm so happy with them.

Gaucho pants from the same pattern: photographs here

Orange brown sweater: store-bought

Cream yellow pullover: photographs here

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pattern: gaucho pants Avy from annee-pattern (not PDF), lined, lengthened.
fabric: wool tweed, light beige, almost coat weight.
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Happy sewing!
xoxo
yoshimi

mohair and silk

I wanted this very long.
I wanted that very red.
And I wanted both very simple.

The skirt in sky blue is made of silk twill. Shimmering. Long. Flow-y.

The red pullover is made of mohair knit. Red(i said it twice). Soft. Short. Hairy.

They're too simple to describe, sewing-wise, as you can see everything at a glance. The only truth that you don't get from the pictures is that I laundered the skirt twice before hemming it. I wished to give the silk skirt a casual look before finishing it by washing it like a cotton denim skirt. A sewing extravaganza, eh? ... oh... I see your grin, trying to let me know that you had recognized my extravaganza by those creases before I said anything. Then I really have nothing to report today. Oh well.

Love,
yoshimi


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Skirt
pattern: Tamanegi-kobo Jade skirt
lengthened very much, top stitches, over-sized.
Fabric: silk twill, light sky blue, drapey, fairly heavy, shimmery.

Pullover
pattern: Tamanegi-kobo Wilma Tunic dress, scooped neck(B)
shortened everywhere.
fabric: mohair knit, red, loose, soft, spongy, warm.
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green joker

Joker is the name of the pattern, for these pants.

I've been very keen on green pants since this summer. I envied every one of green pairs I encountered in the magazines and the fashion web sites, but I was too inefficient to do anything other than looking at. I only stared at them because I believed that no green pants would suit me in this world. There was absolutely some psychotic silliness as well as depression around me, because it was nothing but my preconception that was preventing myself from the beautiful color. Eventually and successfully, I encouraged myself to upset the queer balance, and materialised my pair in this subdued peacock green. Yes, I am no longer a person with a meaningless jealousy. Problem solved, personality ameliorated. I'm secretly improving.

Much love,
yoshimi

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pattern: Tamanegi-kobo Joker pants, B belt (high-waisted)
lengthened, back patch pockets

Fabric: wool georgette, matte, green, drapey, soft, fairly bodied
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high-waisted