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translating japanese sewing pattern

Translations and Help with Patterns

Translation Wednesdays!

May 16, 2012


I know that despite the best translation guides and dictionaries, sometimes it is still hard to deciper a pattern especially when you pick up a book like this. Some books provide great step by step picture, but this book gives me a one page “how-to-make”, with no step by step diagrams. I’m suppose to guess what to do with the numbers pointing at the coat? Actually, all the instructions are on the left, but in Japanese. If you have one of these books you probably bought it for the pretty pictures. But given that these books are not cheap, let’s try to make the most of them by actually making something from it!

I have mentioned before that I am not Japanese, nor am I proficient in the language. In fact, I can hardly speak it except for the phrases that recur in dramas 🙂 But I have learnt enough to read and understand, and when necessary, input the characters into a translation or online dictionary for translations.

As a matter of fact, I have just decided to be more conscientious in my learning of the language since I really love it, and it will certainly help during my trips to Japan. So as part of my learning exercise, I would like help some of you translate patterns/sections out of Japanese sewing books. It will be good practice for me, and you can finally make something out of the book!

In order for the translations to be helpful to everyone, I will only do translations for how-to-make pages like the above, where the materials, preparation, and procedures are listed. Alternatively, you are are stuck trying to figure out the meanings on pages where important information, such as sizing/general know-how, I can try to translate it for you too. Please try to restrict the number of pages to 1-2 pages. As that’s the usual number of pages for how-to-makes in Japanese sewing books. Hope you understand that it takes time and I can only handle 1 request a week! 🙂

To send me your requests, please take a clear picture of 

1. The cover of the book
2. The page you wish to translate
Please also provide the ISBN number so that I can find references of it on the internet and link it up so that others who would like the purchase the book can find it.

Email all of the above information to japanesesewingbooks@gmail.com
I can’t promise to be able to translate everyone’s requests but I will try to do one a week and post it up on the blog on Wednesdays. Send me your requests now! 🙂

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Guides Translations and Help with Patterns

Understanding a typical Japanese sewing pattern

January 17, 2012

After posting the dictionary of sewing terms, I shall now go through an example of a typical pattern you can find in the sewing books. Most pattern books follow a similar structure such as this one.

You will usually find something like the above, with the size information as well as the list of materials and procedure, as well as two diagrams. One for cutting of the fabrics and one for the procedure. Let’s break it down into 4 parts to get a clearer picture.

First, determine the size you need. Then locate then pattern (G in this case) and prepare the materials.

Special notes to take care of when cutting, preparation details, and then order of making. (refer to diagram below)

For most books, unless specified, the seam allowance is usually 1cm. The seam allowances are usually denoted by a number and a line/arrow to the seam.

Hope this will help! I didn’t translate most of the section of “order of making” since it is specific to this garment and will not make much sense to another project, but understanding what the individual sections are about and the diagram conventions, as well as referring to the dictionary of terms, it should help you get started.

Just leave a comment if you have any questions.

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Guides Translations and Help with Patterns

How to Make – 作り方

December 28, 2011

A typical Japanese sewing or pattern book usually starts with gorgeous pictures of cute models in the finished projects, sometimes followed by a summary of all the projects available in the book.

At the end of the pretty pictures, before you dive into the patterns+instructions per se, there is usually a page indicating size information and other general guidelines on how to use the patterns. The page is usually titled ” 作り方”, sometimes in English “How to Make”

 

The rest of the text above the size chart are general pointers that are relevant to all the projects in the book. In this particular book it is giving information about the sizes that are provided for in the pattern sheet, and special notes for making the individual garments such as blouses/skirts/hats.

Because this content differs from book to book, I will not delve into the actual details of this particular passage. It is more important to know the terms for the body parts mentioned in the size chart so that you can at least know what measurements to take and what size to make. Also, from the size chart you can see that this book covers patterns for heights from 100-140, in 10 cm increments which means for each pattern there are 5 different sizes.

Important point to note, that the Japanese books use centimetres and meters (i.e. the metric system).

The pattern books are usually published for a range of sizes, usually  in cm for children based on their height, and S,M,L for adults. For children, they sometimes give an estimate of the ages of the child and the corresponding size to make, but do take note that these are Japanese averages, so it is probably better to measure your child’s height/chest measurements and use the corresponding size on the table rather than depending on the age value.

I will be posting a list of frequently used terms in Japanese sewing + pattern books, check back soon!

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