Sewing and Surprise from Japan

This summer I have been taking a sewing class through UNLV. I've made a t-shirt, pants, and skirt, but for my SILs bday, I decided to go with something simple- an apron out of Amy Butler's In Stitches book. Unlike the classroom, I don't have 2 long desks all to myself, but have a kitten that is a jerk.


I didn't finish my apron because one thing I didn't learn in sewing class: wash fabrics. I will have to do some re-cutting. I also planned to make another project that day, but -- OK thankfully only 2 people read this blog-- and I am one on of them, because this is embarassing: I was working on this very popular pattern from Nancy's Quilt Shop. Even though this pattern has been out for a couple of years,and I have been sewing a couple of months, I saw something that didn't make sense and proceeded as if it was a pattern mistake. AAAAHHHH! Whatever. I need to get more fabric. I know. I'm awesome. I did find a little comfort in blaming Sprinkles. Yes, I am the type that would blame a kitten. I'm a bad bad person. Though just as I realize Sprinkles' cutting error, a Japan box arrives to calm down my cursing at and blaming of kitten for what clearly is her fault.

The box is bittersweet because it is my last Tokyo box since LaFujiMama as of this writing is now LaTheOCMama. Sprinkles decided to help me with the opening of this box too. Thanks kitten.


A Bento box with all the accouterment:


Random stuff:



The Pashmina shawl she picked up in Cambodia. I love the wooden doll that I plan to introduce to WHN's Chinese head that sits on our mantle. I have to admit my fav though is this adorable bracelet. I hate taking it off! She says she saw it a craft fair and it looked like something I would like. How well she knows my likes! The book on the right is especially fun, combining both knit and crochet projects. I love Japanese craft books. They are always well-diagramed and have a key to help with code. I will definitely be making some things out of this book.

A lovely farewell Tokyo box that arrived at the perfect time. Sprinks agrees too.


Here is the doll with the head on the mantle. The brown thing is an amber trinket WHN picked up on Ebay for $2. I have no idea why. He has a knack for finding the most random stuff. The diodes (that's what they are called right?) because WHN likes cracked opened rocks. And the the milagro is mine, because I LOVE milagros!


As a thank you, I am making a sun dress for Baby Fuji.

The top, was a pain-- physically and mentally. The yarn has to be pulled really taught to get the smocking. I thought I would have enough red for the dress, however, I won't, no matter how much I try to will it to be so. I originally bought both these colors because one day LFM said she wanted me to crochet some random basket she saw online for her. I thought how mindless, I could crochet this quick thereby setting the precedent of pointing something out and receiving it. So my plan is do the same to her when I find something horribly complicated and miserable that I don't want to make, but want. I know CLEVER CLEVER!