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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Happy Friday + Grecian New Look 6297

November 11, 2016

Happy Friday and today is the day to honor our veterans! What a week, right? I don't talk politics in general and don't plan on starting now, but I do want to acknowledge how heartened I was by the groundswell of positive solidarity that came out of the election results. I voted, of course, and I am a concerned citizen. Yet, at the end of the day, I feel very strongly that what we do as individuals on a daily basis matters far more than who we end up appointing as heads of states. We all have so ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for K • by sanae • 17 Comments

Happy Friday + Power to the Unicorn

November 4, 2016

Happy Friday! Hello everyone, K here! Every year there's a Halloween party at my school. Everyone dresses up in their Halloween costumes and comes for food and games (the fifth graders make a haunted house too). This year my mom made me an awesome unicorn costume with a rainbow mane and horn. I can't wait for next year!!! Haiku by K Rainbow horns and mane! Power to the unicorn... Happy ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for K • by sanae • 8 Comments

Happy Friday + Faux Fur Pillows

October 21, 2016

Happy Friday! Earlier this year when I did a little giveaway, I was poo-pooing the whole concept of faux fur pillows. So naturally, I decided to make them 9 months later. I'm not sure why. In fact, I rarely have a rational explanation for why I make things. I guess I might be classified as an intuitive sewing enthusiast who is completely guided by my whims. If something stops feeling good or right, I tend to quickly abandon projects these days (unless it's a shirt for M). Life is too ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for K • by sanae • 16 Comments

Sewing for a Fifth Grader!!

September 7, 2016

Holy moly, what is going on with time?? I used to crow about my time management skills, but I've got nothing to crow about now. So summer is officially over, and K is a fifth grader! In the Seattle public school system, the new year begins the Wednesday after Labor Day (except for kindergartners -- they start a few days later). K's been nervous. About a month ago, she asked me to make her a school bag. This caused me to do a double-take because she doesn't ask me to make her stuff anymore. ... Read more

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

The “Unicorn” Pillow

August 1, 2016

Remember all the hullabaloo about which top I should make with the pink ponies silk for K's birthday? Well, when 11pm rolled around the night before her 10th b-day and the fabric hadn't even been ironed, I knew that I was in trouble. And then I remembered that Shelley had left a brilliant comment about embroidering a unicorn horn, an idea with which I became obsessed. She also suggested wings, but that was beyond my mental and embroidery capabilities at the literal 11th hour. So I came up ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for K • by sanae • 12 Comments

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The word that incites terror in most newbie sewing The word that incites terror in most newbie sewing enthusiasts: zippers. Now that I have a few years of sewing under my belt I’m less cowed by them, but there’s something about long, separating zippers that still makes me nervous. I powered through, however, and made this versatile twill hooded jacket originating from a @patterncouture_ zip-up hoodie pattern meant for knit fabrics that I modified a lot. I blogged about it! Link in bio if you’d like to see the different versions I created. 

To skip zippers altogether and make a truly summery garment, swipe and check out my NEW @creativebug Tiered Dress class (link also in bio!). Back to sewing more hot weather stuff because I’m going to Japan for a special trip next week! 🇯🇵🇯🇵
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