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sew using japanese patterns

Free Japanese Sewing Patterns Links Free Patterns

Free Japanese Sewing Patterns – lecien.co.jp

March 26, 2012

Today’s free patterns come from one of my favourite Japanese fabric brands. Lecien Corporation  is a manufacturer of fabrics, handicrafts as well as ladies clothes and even lingerie. I’m sure most of us who sew will recognize their brand as a manufacturer, given that they produce so many pretty fabrics.

On their website, there is a hobby page with free patterns of bags, zakka items, quilt patterns and even embroidery patterns. Click here to view full list of free patterns. What’s interesting is that there are some garment patterns for adults and kids. But the pattern requires some construction as it is not possible for most of us to print out large size pattern paper. It takes a little work but it is a free pattern after all, so no pain no gain 🙂

Some of the patterns provided.

Quilt patterns!

Example of the pattern and the diagram to show how to construct the pattern. Note that the units are in cm!

That’s it for today! I will be posting my book reviews on Thursdays from now on due to a change in schedule.

Happy Sewing!

 

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Book Reviews Japanese Sewing Books Ladies Sewing Patterns

Book Review – Sewing Recipe

February 8, 2012

 

Today’s book is the adult version of one of my previous reviews – Sewing recipe for Girl’s

It’s by the same author, but with designs, lessons and techniques catered to adult wear. This book covers 6 basic styles (as shown above and below)

When I saw styles 5 and 6, the collars on the shirt-dress and shirt just threw me off. I’ve never attempted a collar before. Not that there are no girls’ patterns with collars, just that I’ve never tried. Wondering if it’s too complicated to do.

Above is an example of a “how to make” page for each of the basic styles. Seems rather short and lacking in instructions, it follows the usual format of diagram + procedure in numbered steps. Description of the numbered steps is also in point form. So, how to make???

Thankfully, the rest of the book covers all the basics and advanced techniques you need for the steps in all the garments included 🙂

Starting from basics, and I really mean basics…. like how to thread your sewing machine!

After covering the basics, she moves on to cover Techniques. The pictures below shows the process of making gathers.

Not all the lessons are in photographs though, some are in diagrams, but as you can see below, it is pretty clear cut. I would say most of the time I don’t have to reach for my dictionary to understand it.

Oh, and for those of you (like myself) who have a great phobia of zips, there are a few good tutorials showing you how zips are inserted in a few ways. The one below shows the way to insert zips into a skirt.

There are also techniques for inserting side pockets, collars, yokes, all the baffling sewing techniques for advanced sewers, but showing in step by step photographs. Armed with this knowledge, you can build all 6 garments showin in the contents page!

This is a great book for learning everything from basics to advanced techniques. And a great beginner book to start making clothes of your own.

Book Title : Sewing Recipe
Author : 月居良子
ISBN : 978－4－579－11180－0

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Guides Translations and Help with Patterns

Understanding the instructions – working example

January 27, 2012

It’s been a quiet week on the blog, because we are celebrating Chinese New Year over here in Singapore. Only two days of public holidays but many people have taken leave because there is so much partying to do. 🙂 Will be back in full force next week.

In the meantime, one of my friends needed help translating a pattern. She borrowed a book which doesn’t provide step by step photographs, but do not be afraid of buying these books, especially if you really like the patterns in it. I’m going to show you how to understand the instructions, simply by using key words from the dictionary of sewing terms

The pattern is from this book called Girly style wardrobe.

The instructions included the material list as well as the list of steps on how to make, seems like not quite enough information when you are just given the following.

So I asked her to look for the words 作り方 (How to make) which is always usually under the 材料 (Materials) list.

Note that the instructions usually consist of nouns and verbs. If you can make sense of these, everything is easy peasy 🙂

So the english translation for this pattern is

  1. Sew shoulder seams
  2. Sew side seams
  3. Make frill (for sleeve) and attach
  4. Cover raw edges of armhole with bias fabric
  5. Sew side seams of skirt
  6. Sew bodice and skirt together
  7. Sew the back middle portion, attach the fastener (zip)
  8. Cover collar with bias fabric
  9. Make the frill for the hem and attach.
  10. Attach the loops for the belt cord
  11. Attach hook and eye loop for back of dress
  12. Make cord and pull through loops.

* For instructions on covering armhole, refer to pg. 50 (garment “h”),
For attachment of fastener (zip) pg 80 (garment “s),
For attachment of cord loops, refer to pg 56 (garment “k”)

 

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