How to Sew Japanese Sewing Patterns

If, like me, you lurrrrve flicking through Japanese sewing books and drooling over the adorable designs, yet your brain turns to mush when you so much as glance at the instructions, then these e-books might be for you. 

Rin Gomura-Elkan from the blog Sew In Love sent me her e-book, How to Sew Japanese Sewing Patterns, plus its accompaniment, Easy Japanese Sewing Patterns. They promise to help you navigate Japanese sewing pattern books and decipher both the language and diagrams. While seriously cute to behold, some of the features of Japanese sewing books can lead to a bit of head-scratching if you haven't used them before. Distinctive features include diagrams representing multiple steps, very brief text instructions, and no seam allowance. Oh, and if you buy a Japanese original, then the language may prove tricky too. That's where Rin steps in... 

How to Sew Japanese Sewing Patterns provides useful translations of common sewing terms such as "stitch", "waist" and "right side", into both English and Romaji (which is Japanese written in Latin script). It outlines the process of sewing Japanese, from navigating the structure of a typical book, through sizing and tracing your pattern, to deciphering symbols and diagrams so you can sew them together. It also includes further resources and links, such as books, blogs and shops.

The second e-book, Easy Japanese Sewing Patterns, then helps you put what you've learnt into practice. It comes with two print-at-home sewing patterns for a cute skirt and dress, with Japanese instructions so you can test out what you've learnt, followed by English instructions in case you get stuck. Such a great idea! Adeline from The Sew Convert made this adorable cat print dress using the book - isn't it cute?

Mercifully, more and more Japanese sewing books are being republished in English these days, including Japanese Sweet Dress Book (reviewed here), Happy Homemade: Sew Chic (reviewed here), Feminine Wardrobe and Stylish Dress Book (reviewed here). But if you fancy getting your hands on a Japanese original and are up for the challenge of deciphering the Japanese text, then these e-books will lend a helping hand.

Happy Homemade: Sew Chic + Sew Chic Kids

A couple more Japanese sewing pattern books to drool over - Happy Homemade: Sew Chic by Yoshiko Tsukiori and Happy Homemade: Sew Chic Kids by Ruriko Yamada. If you're familiar with Japanese sewing books (if you're a regular reader of this blog you will be by now!), they're exactly what you'd expect in terms of the one-page-per-pattern instructions with technical illustrations and minimal text, and the garment projects being mainly loose-fitting smock tops and dresses. Some seriously pretty smock tops and dresses, in fact. The kind of garments which make you feel like standing around gazing into your cappuccino like you're in the Toast catalogue.

The kids version features the cutest little munchkins I've ever seen! As usual, I'm coveting children's outfits more than the adult versions, but alas the patterns in this one only go up to 9 years old. These patterns are for boys as well as girls, so if you've got kiddos to sew for you're bound to find something just darling here.

Question for you. Under the "Basic Tools" section, of the 15 essential items of equipment listed are not one but two "bodkins". I'd never heard of a bodkin, but apparently it's used for threading elastic through a casing. Tell me, do you own a bodkin? Am I missing out?!

[Soundtrack: 'Grounds for Divorce' by Elbow]

Japanese Sweet Dress Book

My obsession with Japanese sewing books continues. Is this the best one yet? Quite possibly. Will I actually make something from it this time rather than just drooling over the images? Hold the front page - I just might!

Sweet Dress Book, written by Yoshiko Tsukiori and published in the UK by Laurence King, includes six sewing patterns from which you can make 23 different designs by mixing up the pieces. My favourites are the tie-back tunic from the cover, a sweetheart bodice gathered dress and a pleated bodice dress. As with most Japanese pattern books, the instructions are stripped down to minimal words and illustrated with technical diagrams. Half way through the book there's a cupcake recipe. Random! Oh yes and there's a kitty in some of the photos. What more could you desire?

[Soundtrack: 'Dig This Record' by Jesca Hoop]

Japanese Sewing Books

Don't you just love receiving a surprise parcel in the post? Particularly when they contain Japanese sewing books. Laurence King sent me these lovely books a few weeks ago and I thought you'd like to join me in drooling over the pictures (not literally, that would be hideous), with the pretty colours, covetable hairstyles, rabbit-in-the-headlights facial expressions and great line in clogs.

Above images from Feminine Wardrobe by Jinko Matsumoto

Above images from Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori

These are slimline paperbacks, with simple construction instructions, annotated diagrams, and a pull-out sheet in the back with full-scale patterns in four sizes (xs, s, m, l) to trace off.

Now, while I love a good smock (in fact, I'm wearing a smock-style blouse as I type this), and while they look just darling on these cute-as-a-dolly models, I do believe that if I wore one of these dresses I would look even more teeny-tiny than usual. Yet I really do love these designs - particularly that bow-front dress, the black embroidered peasant top, and the blue utility smock in the last image. What do you think? Shorten the hemlines and maybe the sleeves a little? They're just so cute!