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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Switching Things Up: A Quilt

December 9, 2013

So. When I start posting things from the past, we all know what that means. Take this quilt, for example. I made it three years ago or thereabouts. Possibly the easiest quilt to make as it's two large rectangles sandwiching batting, then stitched with random diagonal lines. I read about this method online somewhere (here, I'm pretty certain). It was a birthday gift for a friend's son, and I was smitten with that Kokka car fabric. The backing is my usual grey linen-blend that is my default fabric ... Read more

Filed in: sewing • by sanae • 12 Comments

Sewing for Me: District 12 Dress

December 5, 2013

I'm a little bit obsessed with the Hunger Games these days. I mentioned in passing that I went to see Catching Fire last weekend, and lamented not having the time to create a Katniss-inspired outfit for K. It so happens, as I worked on my own dress, I realized that it sports a rather District 12 vibe. The more I think about it, the more I'm certain I belong in that fictional dystopian world -- at least sartorially. Give me some drab, downtrodden colors and I'm in my element. I made a knit ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for me • by sanae • 38 Comments

Monday Outfit: Redux

December 2, 2013

Good morning! It was a busy weekend that didn't leave a whole lot of sewing time, but I managed to stitch up this long-sleeved top and pants knowing that K needs more of these. It feels like she's going through a major growth spurt so I decided to start cutting out the 130cm size, which roughly corresponds to an American size 8. Alas, she's swimming in the clothes and it was one of those projects that refused to cooperate. I was also in the mood to use up some fabric that I've had on my ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for K • by sanae • 14 Comments

Sewing for Me: Turkey Day Tunic

November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating this very food-centric holiday! When I lived in Japan for a couple of years, a bunch of ex-pats and I would gather together to re-create Thanksgiving with the works: turkey, yams, pumpkin pie. We had to special order all the ingredients and we doused ourselves in nostalgia as we gorged on astronomically expensive Western food - good times. With my mom here this year, we're going Japanese style all the way and noshing on sushi. K isn't the biggest fan of ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for me • by sanae • 40 Comments

Monday Outfit: Quilted Jacket + Boho Dress

November 25, 2013

And I'm back! Not quite 100% but a whole lot better, and feeling nourished by my mama's homemade food. My mom is visiting for six weeks (!) so I am going to be very well-fed for the next month and a half. And K is on cloud nine with all this Ba-chan attention. So let's talk about this week's outfit -- a bit of a departure for me, wouldn't you say? Well, at least the dress feels a little more globally-inspired and decorative than my usual style. I'll tell you a secret: it used to be a ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for K • by sanae • 20 Comments

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Happy almost Valentine’s Day! I designed some pr Happy almost Valentine’s Day! I designed some printables for @creativebug that are free for members. I love these little foldable cards and boxes that are fun for non-V-Day occasions too!
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