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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Happy Friday + Randomness

November 21, 2014

Happy Friday! A truly random bit of info: almost every Sunday, M has what we call "DDT" or Daddy Daughter Time. He started this tradition when K was about a year old, and takes her out on a date each week. Their time together ranges in activity: bike riding or a scoop of ice cream or just lounging around. It's a win-win all around because while they bond, I get to sneak in some extra work (or fun) time. And almost every Sunday, I go to the same coffee shop and every once in a while, there is a ... Read more

Filed in: digital, illustration • by sanae • 6 Comments

Sewing for Me: Simplicity 1538

November 19, 2014

If you had told me last year that I'd be able to get the print of plaid fabric to match up for a button-down shirt, I would have laughed you out of the room. As it turns out, if I cut each pattern piece individually, I can get very, very decent results (i.e. cutting every piece from a single layer instead of folding the fabric to get two sleeve pieces at once, say). Not perfect, mind you, but pretty darn good. This is Simplicity 1538. And the cotton fabric is from Drygoods -- I hear this ... Read more

Filed in: sewing, sewing for me • by sanae • 37 Comments

Monday Outfit: The Scarf Sweater (by Bachan)

November 17, 2014

Good morning! We had such a lovely, lovely weekend filled with friends and good times, but alas, that meant I couldn't squeeze in any sewing. However, the Guy Fawkes party alone was well-worth the sacrifice (I have a good friend who is a Brit), and I indulged in a little mulled wine and quite a few "Sticky Parkins", which tasted a little like gingerbread. A cozy group of us bundled up in winter gear and gathered round a fire pit with techno colored flames. Fun, fun. So instead of a sewn ... Read more

Filed in: life • by sanae • 22 Comments

Happy Friday + Randomness (a grey polka-dotted shirt)

November 14, 2014

Happy Friday, friends! I try to be a stickler about my blog schedule and meant to post this on Wednesday, but you know how it goes. Though I had a completed shirt, with the waning light situation (and oh, it's so frigid these days), I didn't have decent enough brightness to get photos until yesterday morning -- I jumped out of the shower and snapped a few quick pix while I toasted a couple of slices of bread for breakfast. Details, details: Pattern: Pattern m from Basic Black ... Read more

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

Little Kunoichi: The Ninja Girl

November 12, 2014

I have some exciting news today...my children's book is in production as I type this! Although it won't be officially on bookshelves until May of 2015, it's available for pre-sale on Amazon!!!! To say I had a freak out would be the understatement of the year. I don't think I actually believed it was going to happen until I saw that little thumbnail on the Amazon page. I'm thrilled that I'm publishing through Sasquatch Books, the publisher for the Pacific Northwest with a stellar staff that made ... Read more

Filed in: book • by sanae • 66 Comments

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I just realized that this week marks 10 years sinc I just realized that this week marks 10 years since my first craft book Sewing Happiness was published. I’ve sewn literally thousands of garments and other textile projects in the last decade! I included a Sashiko primer in the book, and I’m delighted that this humble Japanese embroidery practice has stood the test of time - if anything, I’ve noticed that there’s an ever growing enthusiasm for hand stitching. Fun news: I’ll be teaching a virtual Sashiko workshop for @tatterbluelibrary on Thursday, April 30th at noon ET. Link in profile! Would love to see you there! 💙💙💙💙💙
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