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Custom Wedding Dress & Kimono Upcycled Clothes | オーダーメイドウェディングドレス&着物ドレス

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/ Archives for sewing tools

sewing tools

Sewing Tips To Make Your Life Easier

June 22, 2017 By Chie

Besides the obvious sewing items like scissors and pin cushion, there are two items I keep on  hand at all times. They are masking tape and tracing paper. Here are some ways they can make your sewing process easier.

Tracing Paper

I use it when I sew clear elastic band (to avoid fabric from over stretching) , laminated fabrics or leather. For clear elastic (pictured above), I layered the strip of tracing paper on top of clear elastic so the clear elastic does not stick to the sewing foot. I sewed lace, clear elastic and tracing paper together. Once you are done with the seam, just rip the paper to remove it. 

Masking Tape

1. Use it to mark the right side of fabric.

Some fabrics are hard to tell which side is right and which side is wrong. In order to avoid mistakes, I cut a piece of masking tape and put it on the right side of the fabric as I cut the pattern pieces. 

2. Write down the needle size

I often get confused with what needle I’m currently using. I change the needle and keep using it, completely forgetting if it’s 11, 9, or a ball point needle. Sewing needle sizes are hard to tell from just looking at the needle. Now I have a solution. Whenever I change a needle, I write down the needle size on a masking tape and stick it right above the needle so I know exactly what I’m using.

3. Cover the edge side of bones

Instead of creating a bone channel, I use a plain white masking tape to cover the edges of bones and sew it directly on fabric. This only works for plastic bones like the ones shown in the picture, not the steel bones. 

More tips? 
Tips on Sewing Tulle Dress
Tips on Sewing with Kimono Fabric
How to Attach Facings with an Invisible Zipper(No Hand Sewing Involved!)

私が良く使うソーイングアイテムの紹介です。

まずは100キンで買うトレーシングペーパー。
レザーをミシンで縫うときもこれさえあればちゃんと縫えます。
他にはラミネート加工された生地や、透明ストラップを縫い付ける時なんかにも。
一緒にトレーシングペーパーを縫い込めば、ラミネート生地などのべたべたした部分がミシンの押えに引っかかって縫い目が乱れることを避けることができます。
縫い終わったら、ゆっくりピリピリとペーパーを剥がすだけ。

マステも常に傍にあります。
布の表面と裏面を印つけるのに使ったり(私は表にマステを貼ることにしています)、ボーンの切り後の始末にも使います。
あとはいつも使っている針番が分からなくなっちゃうので、針を取り換えたら番号を書いたマステをミシンにぺたり。
Find me elsewhere:

 

Filed Under: blog, blogs, sewing tools, 日本語 Tagged With: sewing hack, tips, tools

Rental Sewing Space in Tokyo

May 13, 2015 By Chie

tokyo rental sewing space vivat veritas

“Co-working spaces” have been popping up all over Tokyo these days. It is a great place for someone like me who works from home to work, to meet new people and network. I’ve signed up for one place near Tokyo station and have been enjoying the new environment. Little did I know that a co-working space for sewers and crafters existed. Recently, I saw a facebook post that my friend made. The place is called “coromoza” and it is where you can sew, print fabrics, use a CAD  laser cutter and hang out with like-minded people.
Some of my expat friends here in Tokyo sew, but have a problem finding space to set up a sewing machine or find the length of their stay prevents them from investing in a machine and other equipment. Coromoza seems to be a perfect place for them!
I decided to check out the place one afternoon.

The place is a bit hard to find, unless you have Google Maps or exact direction to the place. It is about a minute walk from the exit 7 of Meiji Jingu Mae (明治神宮前駅) station (Fukutoshin line or Chiyoda line). The outside looks like an ordinary apartment building without any distinguishing sign. The name of the building is “Jingu Heights(神宮ハイツ)”. I double checked because it felt as though you are going into someone’s apartment without permission. Coromoza is on the 4th floor of the building. Coromoza outside view Vivat Veritas BlogHow to get to sewing studio coromoza

The place is smaller than I expected, but is well equipped with professional sewing machines (the speed and power are somewhat between that of home sewing machine and industrial sewing machine), surgers, CAD, vacuum iron, embroidery sewing machine, fabric printer and more. The price is 270yen per 15 minutes for non-members (so it costs 1080 yen per hour) or 3780 yen for a day. More details here (Japanese only).

tokyo rental sewing space vivat veritas blog1 tokyo rental sewing space vivat veritas blog2 tokyo rental sewing space vivat veritas blog3 tokyo rental sewing space vivat veritas blog4 tokyo rental sewing space vivat veritas blog5 I hope this review is useful, and feel free to email me if you have any questions.

P.S. My review on Japanese online sewing supply stores here.

Coromozaという、明治神宮前にある服作りに必要なものが揃っているレンタルスペースに行ってきました。
職業用ミシン、ロックミシン、刺繍ミシン、CAD、レーザーカッターや布プリンターなど、家庭には置けないようなものも揃っていました。
場所は駅近ですが、ちょっと分かりずらいかも。
外見はふつうのアパートの一室です。

家に使えない機械を試したりと、今後活用したいと思います!

chie sig2Find me elsewhere:

Filed Under: blog, blogs, every day life, sewing tools, 日本語 Tagged With: coromoza, rental sewing space, tokyo

Got New Scissors! Video Review

July 23, 2014 By Chie

scissors thumnail 630This will be boring if you don’t sew. I tried to share my excitement over my new scissors (I can’t seem to get the spelling correctly unless I google it everytime) with Andy, but he gave me a blank stare.. He wasn’t tying to be rude or anything, but he just did not get why I spent 7000 yen (70 bucks) for scissors. I had him try my cheap plastic scissors and the new expensive one, and asked if he could tell the difference, but he just laughed! So if you are not into sewing, don’t watch the video because I’m sure you will react the same way Andy did.

The scissors are from Okadaya in Shinjyuku, but you can also purchase them from Amazon (Cloth cutting scissors (NCS-240) 36-222 (japan import). Mine are 24 cm in length, but I kind of wish I went with 21 cm. They are quite heavy and I think they would have fit in my hands better if they were a bit smaller. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy the video! If you have any video requests, please let me know.

Filed Under: sewing tools, shopping, video Tagged With: clover, ncs-240, new classic shears, sewing tools, stainless, ハサミ, 洋裁, 鋏

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和のかたちを、新しい日常へ。 一本の帯を丁寧にほどき、普段づかいできるワンショルダーバッグへと仕立 和のかたちを、新しい日常へ。

一本の帯を丁寧にほどき、普段づかいできるワンショルダーバッグへと仕立て直しました🌸

見た目からは想像できないほどの収容力。ハサミや糸、リッパー、ペンチ…制作道具もすっぽりまとまって収まります✂️✨入れるのは私だけだと思うけど😆

内側の裏地も可愛い♡

一本の帯が、誰かの日々をまとう相棒に生まれ変わりますように。

From tradition, into everyday life.

One obi, carefully unstitched and reborn as a one-shoulder bag for daily wear🌸

It holds far more than it looks — scissors, thread, a seam ripper, pliers… all my sewing tools tucked neatly inside✂️✨ Though I’m probably the only one who’d pack it like this😆

The lining inside is a little secret I’m quite fond of♡

#帯リメイク #着物リメイク #DIY #アップサイクル #制作動画
金色に輝く森は元は着物の羽織でした👘 漆黒の地に、金彩の木立が幾重にも連なって
夜の神秘的な森を歩 金色に輝く森は元は着物の羽織でした👘

漆黒の地に、金彩の木立が幾重にも連なって
夜の神秘的な森を歩いているような、静かで奥行きのある一枚🌳

水着の上に羽織れば、そのまま街へ歩き出せるビーチカバーアップにも。

お揃いのキャミソールは既に素敵なお客様の元にお嫁に行きました👰‍♀️
 
Photographer @capturetokyo
Model @kumabeeesan
Make up and hair @mami_hmua

A forest of gold, once a kimono jacket👘
L
ayer upon layer of gilded trees on jet-black silk. A quiet, deep piece, like walking through a mystical night forest🌳

Wear it over a swimsuit and go straight from the beach into the city as an effortless cover-up🖤

The matching camisole has already found its way to a wonderful new home👰‍♀️

#着物リメイク #ラップパンツ #kimonoremake
Furisode — the long-sleeved kimono young women tra Furisode — the long-sleeved kimono young women traditionally wear once in their lives, for their Coming of Age Day ceremony (Seijin Shiki) at 20 — often gets worn just that one time. I actually wore my cousin’s furisode for mine, so hers got a second life. But most don’t. They live for one single day, then disappear into the back of a drawer, unseen for decades 😴

But beautiful silk doesn’t have to end there.
From a once-in-a-lifetime ceremonial robe to something you can wear again and again. This piece — butterflies mid-flight, flowers in bloom — deserved a new season. So I remade it into an i line dress.

振袖は、生涯でたった一度しか袖を通さないことが多いです。

私自身は従姉妹の振袖を着たのでその振袖は二度人に着られたけど、成人式の日だけを生きて、あとはタンスの奥で眠り続ける😴誰にも見られないまま、何十年も。

でも良い生地には、終わりがないんです。

一度きりの晴れ着から、何度でもまとえる一着へ。蝶が舞い、花が咲くこの1着に、新しい季節を与えたくて、マーメイドラインのドレスに仕立て直しました。

#kimonoremake #振袖リメイク #upcycledsilk
オーストラリアからのお客様がオンラインで着物を選び、オーダーしてくださいました✂️ まずは仮縫いを オーストラリアからのお客様がオンラインで着物を選び、オーダーしてくださいました✂️

まずは仮縫いを郵送でお届けし、Zoomの画面越しに丈や身幅を確認しながら、少しずつドレスは形になっていきました。

桜の下で、鳥居の朱色の中で笑う二人の写真が届いたとき、 遠く離れた場所からでも、確かにこの手で紡いだものが誰かの人生の一部になったのだと感じて嬉しかったです♡

A customer from Australia chose her kimono online and placed an order✂️

I first mailed a mock-up, and little by little, checking the length and width over Zoom, the dress took shape.

When the photos arrived of the two of them smiling under the cherry blossoms, in the vermillion red of the torii gate — even from far away, I felt so happy knowing that something woven by my hands had truly become part of someone's life♡

📷@whoshotthephotographer
👰‍♀️@cscambary 

#KimonoUpcycled #MadeToOrder #BridalCouture
#着物リメイク #国際オーダー
このシルクの軽さ、暑い季節にちょうどいい🫠 一枚の着物から、ワイドパンツを作りました✂️薄手のシル このシルクの軽さ、暑い季節にちょうどいい🫠

一枚の着物から、ワイドパンツを作りました✂️薄手のシルクは風を通して、歩くたびに裾がふわりと揺れます♪

後ろ姿には、着物の袖だった部分を使っていてお尻の部分の花柄が上下逆さまになっています👻最初は迷ったけれど、これはこれで面白いなと思ってそのまま残しました🫶🏻

一点ものなので、この一本だけ。気になる方はプロフィールのリンクから見てみてください♡

This silk is so light, perfect for the hot season 🫠

I made these wide-leg pants from a kimono✂️ The thin silk lets the breeze through, and the hem sways softly with every step ♪

The back is made from what used to be the kimono sleeves, so the floral pattern on the hips ends up upside down👻 I wasn’t sure at first, but honestly it grew on me, so I left it as is 🫶🏻

One of a kind, just this one pair. If you’re curious, the link is in my profile ♡

#着物リメイク #kimonoremake #正絹 #一点もの #和柄 夏の装い ワイドパンツ
数年前に制作したシルクのドレス。 今回「Released. Reimagined.」というコンセプ 数年前に制作したシルクのドレス。

今回「Released. Reimagined.」というコンセプトに合わせて、@redyeingproject さんに黒染めをお願いしました。

Helen x Vivat Veritasのイベントにベンダーとして出展してくださったご縁から生まれたコラボレーションです。

「服を捨てる前に、黒染めという選択肢を。」
色あせた服を、グラム単位の染め直しで蘇らせる——そんなコンセプトに強く共感しました。

天然素材のシルクスカート部分は深く美しい黒へ。
シャンティレースの部分は、少し緑がかった表情のある色に変化しました。

一着を長く着続けるための、小さな選択。
Before / Afterの写真、ぜひご覧ください🩷🖤

A silk dress I made a few years ago.

For this ""Released. Reimagined."" concept, I asked @redyeingproject to dye it black.

This collaboration grew out of a connection made when he joined the Helen x Vivat Veritas event as a vendor.

""Before you throw it away, consider black dyeing.""
His concept — reviving faded clothes through by-the-gram redyeing — really resonated with me.

The silk skirt, a natural fiber, transformed into a deep, beautiful black.
The chantilly lace took on a subtly greenish tone.

A small choice, in service of wearing one piece for longer.
Take a look at the before/after photos🩷🖤

黒染め
@redyeingproject

Photographers
@nothing_special_88
@japanphotographer_

Model
@sienna.christinaaa

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up and videos
@glam_by_jyoti

#黒染め #RedyeingProject #ReleasedReimagined #着物リメイク #サステナブルファッション
これを着て、カフェに行ったら絶対目立ちそう😆☕ アップサイクルで生まれた、新しいファッションの形。 これを着て、カフェに行ったら絶対目立ちそう😆☕

アップサイクルで生まれた、新しいファッションの形。
コーヒー豆袋のジャケット × 着物リメイクのセットアップ。

一枚一枚、生地の柄合わせから縫製まで、すべて手で仕上げています🪡🧚
実はこの着物、裏地にも別布を仕込んでいて、羽織ると初めて見える色があるんです♡

ヴィンテージ素材に眠っていたストーリーを、
もう一度誰かの日常に届けたくて作りました。

If you wore this to a café, you'd definitely stand out 😆☕

A new form of fashion, born from upcycling. A coffee bean sack jacket × a kimono-remake set-up.

Every single piece is finished entirely by hand, from matching the fabric patterns to the sewing itself 🪡🧚 Actually, this kimono has a different fabric worked into the lining too — there's a color that only reveals itself once you put it on ♡

I wanted to give the stories sleeping in vintage materials a chance to become part of someone's everyday life again.

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Model
@emorylove33

Jewelry
@viviange

Make up
@elanoramua

#アップサイクルファッション #着物リメイク #サステナブルファッション
実はこのお洋服、今回のショーに入れるか自分では迷っていました。結構前に作った作品だったので。でもヘレ 実はこのお洋服、今回のショーに入れるか自分では迷っていました。結構前に作った作品だったので。でもヘレンと話す中で、これも一緒に見せようと決めました。

ヘレンと3週間近く一緒に準備を進める中で、コレクションの作り方、見る人を楽しませる魅せ方、ルック全体の組み立て方など、本当にたくさんのことを学びました。自分一人だったらこのルックスを入れる決断はしなかったと思う。誰かと一緒に作ることで見えてくるものがあるんだなと、改めて実感しました。
ヘレン、ありがとう♡

Honestly, I wasn't sure whether to include this piece in this show. It was something I'd made a while back. But talking it through with Helen, we decided to show it together after all.

Working with Helen for almost three weeks to prepare for the show, I learned so much — how to build a collection, how to style looks that engage an audience, how to put together a look as a whole. I don't think I would have made the decision to include this piece if I'd been on my own. Creating something together with someone else really opens your eyes to things you wouldn't see alone.

thank you Helen @designerhelen♡

Model @izumi_nishida

Photographer 
@nothing_special_88 

Jewelry
@viviange

Hair 
@angh0
@sho_kanaida
@iam__little__boy

Make up
@glam_by_jyoti

#KimonoUpcycled #SustainableFashion #DesignerCollab #着物リメイク #ものづくり
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