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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

September 9, 2013

Monday Outfit: Endless Tunics

Good morning! I had a productive weekend including consigning some fabric at the stash place I’ve mentioned before and organizing K’s room. How was yours? I have quite a few thoughts on the stash place which was so very interesting, and will expand on them at a later date!

For today, I have yet another tunic for you – with my class coming up, I’ve been “practicing” to be able to provide clear instructions so I’ve been making this tunic over and over. It’s a good thing K loves this style!

Of course, I always like to try things a little differently, so instead of a facing, I tried a bias binding for the neckline. I know that just rocked your world, it’s such a significant modification. I actually think the bias binding looks too pucker-y, and wish I had stuck with the facing. Oh well.

This is the ever popular Anna Maria Horner voile (Little Folks Pastry Line). Such a charming fabric! I purchased it forever and half ago, and though I love voile, I find that I have a hard time getting wrinkles ironed out, and it was very uncooperative when it came to button holes, so I just added snaps.

These tunics are the best. And when it’s made in K’s favorite color, is comfortable and stylish, well…you can’t go wrong. The pattern is from this book, and because the largest size for this book is 120cm, I better get cracking on all the patterns I haven’t tried yet. K will be outgrowing this size soon! I suppose I should also learn how to grade up…

Incidentally, K whipped up that little ribbon wand as a prop. It’s made out of a chopstick and some discarded ribbon from a gift. Resourceful, that girl.

I also made a 90cm (approximately 3T) in a beautiful natural linen with embroidered brown polka dots as a sample for the store – it is so stinking cute:

I painted a li’l illustration last week, but realized I haven’t shown you my very first attempt at covered buttons. It got a bit hairy at some points, and I wouldn’t call them stellar, but I love the way they look with the tunic. Happy, happy!

 

 

sewing, sewing for K 22 Comments

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Comments

  1. Mae says

    September 9, 2013 at 6:11 am

    LOOKS GREAT! I especially love the grey&brown number you made for the store. Covered buttons are something I haven’t made time to try. Maybe I’m just hesitant about buying another kit from the sewing store to add to my ever growing sewing supplies. 🙂

    Mae

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:09 pm

      Thank you, Mae! The covered buttons seem like they would be straightforward, but it was tricky for me to get a smooth finish. By about my sixth one, I was starting to get the hang of it though…they add a fun touch for sure!

      Reply
  2. Meghan says

    September 9, 2013 at 7:30 am

    I love the tunics! That Anna Maria Horner fabric is so pretty. Probably a silly question but did you make K’s leggings too? I like the cropped look and the color of the fabric. Great outfit!

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:11 pm

      I did make the leggings! I used this thicker ponte knit to make them a few months ago, and they’re awesome except K is really going through a growth spurt so she said they’re a bit too snug. Thanks for your sweet comment, Meghan!

      Reply
  3. gita says

    September 9, 2013 at 8:00 am

    These are wonderful! And yes, I *love* the sample tunic you made. I wish I could take your class! Have fun and good luck. I’m sure it will be a blast.

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:12 pm

      Thank you, thank you Gita! I wish you could take my class too 🙂 I know that it’s going to be so much fun – deep down inside, I had a feeling that I would try my hand at teaching sewing one day (except I imagined I would be a lot more accomplished than I am right now…).

      Reply
  4. Lucinda says

    September 9, 2013 at 8:09 am

    two new skills nailed: covered buttons and bias binding! Nicely done:) Both tunics are, of course, just perfect. That polka dot linen . . . love it! And it makes the cutest looking tunic. This class of yours is going to be so amazing:)
    Eager to hear your thoughts on the stash store. I think it’s a great concept, though I suspect I would be purchasing more than consigning there. Most likely it would become my “I’ve had a rough day . . . perhaps I should head down to the stash fabric store for some fabric therapy”:)

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:14 pm

      Isn’t that polka dot linen fabulous? I just love embroidered details and I also made an Ayashe blouse using the cream/gold polka dots colorway. Love this stuff! The stash store was great and I was regretting declaring my fabric fast enormously! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Bernadette says

    September 9, 2013 at 11:31 am

    I love that fabric. I usually prefer a facing or lining too, because of the puckering. I suppose it’s probably as much in the way I sew it lol

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:16 pm

      Thanks Bernadette! I do think my technique could have been better with the bias binding since I’ve done it enough without the puckering but the voile was not ironing out nicely for me. Oh well. It’s always helpful to try new things 🙂

      Reply
  6. Maria says

    September 9, 2013 at 1:03 pm

    Great job Sanae! It is so good that you are trying new techniques, it is amazing how different could look the same outift if you use different finish details. The people attending your class are very lucky!

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:17 pm

      Thanks so much, Maria! Well, let’s hope the folks taking the class feel like they’re getting their money’s worth 🙂 I’ll certainly have a lot of tunics because of this class!

      Reply
  7. tara says

    September 9, 2013 at 1:46 pm

    whoa lady! these are adorable!

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:17 pm

      Oh, thanks Tara! I’m just a tunic-making machine here in the Pacific Northwest. 🙂

      Reply
  8. marta doguincho says

    September 9, 2013 at 3:05 pm

    Lovely tunics, as always!
    I have that same striped fabric on my wish list…

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 9, 2013 at 6:18 pm

      The Pastry Line comes in coral too, and it’s so cute! I would want to make myself something with the coral, I think…ugh, fabric fast…

      Reply
  9. Lightning McStitch says

    September 10, 2013 at 4:27 am

    You know when you type ‘natural linen with embroidered brown dots’ I almost pass out with envy?!
    These tunics are beautiful and I love the cropped leggings too.
    Coincidentally my kids have been amusing the cats with a homemade chopstick and curling ribbon toy!

    Reply
  10. erin says

    September 10, 2013 at 5:05 am

    ah, AMH pastry line… my favorite fabric! I love how you cut the fabric for the yoke going the other way… very smart.

    Reply
  11. ashley says

    September 13, 2013 at 8:32 am

    i have the same voile in the same color! it’s one of my few purchases without an intended project–i just loved it so much. what a lovely tunic! and i know how comfortable it must be, too.

    Reply
    • sanae says

      September 13, 2013 at 10:51 pm

      It’s a fantastic fabric and one of my all-time faves! Can’t wait to see what you make with it!

      Reply
  12. rachel says

    September 16, 2013 at 8:04 pm

    wow, i love this so, so much. must buy the book! 🙂

    Reply
  13. Gretchen says

    July 19, 2015 at 8:30 am

    I’m in love with your endless tunic! Love it all!!!
    I tried connecting to the book including the pattern w your link but I can only see it on the Japanese version of amazon. :-/
    Can you tell me which book so I can order on the English website?

    Can’t wait to try it!
    Thanks so much!!!
    Gretchen

    Reply

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I’ve been sewing a lot and have noticed that now I’ve been sewing a lot and have noticed that nowadays I sew the way that my husband buys clothes: the same things in different colors. Once I find a pattern that I like, I’ve developed a habit of whipping out multiples. I’ve made a bunch of these simple woven tees (1st 2 images) and about half a dozen knit batwing tops (3rd image — a turquoise one is in the wash right now). I’m now working on several leggings. Soon, though, I’m going to move onto spring dresses! Excited!! #isew #handmadewardeobe
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