Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Projects for the Household (Stc Craft) (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Author), Yoko Inoue (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The phrase “Made in Japan” once conjured images of assembly-line production, but now it connotes well-made products that are unique and ingeniously designed—sometimes elegant, sometimes cute, always charming. And none are more charming than the graceful, functional, sewn objects called zakka.

 

In Japanese, zakka means “household goods,” referring specifically to hand-sewn items for domestic use—tableware, kitchenware, containers of various kinds, even simple clothing. Therese Laskey and Chika Mori were enchanted by the many clever pieces they saw online but disappointed that directions and patterns were solely in Japanese. They knew they had to put together an authentic zakka book for English-speaking crafters.

 

To do so, the authors enlisted the help of some of the best zakka makers in Japan to create 25 projects ranging from utterly simple (an appliquéd pot holder, flower-shaped coasters) to ambitious (a house-shaped camera cozy, an adorable pair of comfy padded slippers). Each project includes easy-to-follow instructions and how-to illustrations. The lovely photos of finished pieces were taken by New York–based Japanese photographer Yoko Inoue.

About the Author

Therese Laskey, a marketing consultant for such companies as Disney, Scholastic, and Nickelodeon, is author of Softies and the upcoming Softies Kit. See www.softiescentral.typepad.com.

 

Chika Mori is an illustrator/designer for Warner Bros. and creates original softies sold at Anthropologie, museum stores, and online retailers. (See www.chikagraphy.com.)

 

Yoko Inoue is a New York–based photographer whose clients include Domino, Readymade, and Martha Stewart Living magazines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584797207
• ISBN-13: 978-1584797203
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,494 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally!, September 19, 2008

By	L.A. in CA - See all my reviews

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If you are addicted to those adorable Japanese Craft Magazines, but find yourself frustrated by their lack of instructions in English, then you should check out this book. There are 25 projects here - from the very simple such as potholders and book covers to the more complicated such as comfy room shoes.

The book is beginner friendly with a section on simple sewing techniques, and descriptions of tools & materials needed. A person with more advanced skills may find some of the projects too simple. And some may wonder about the necessity of projects like covered tape measures or corsage pincushions. Still, other projects hit home. For me, the slippers are a must-do. These are nearly impossible to make if you have to rely solely on Japanese instructions. Other favorites of mine are the sashiko projects and the bird pillow. There is a list of helpful resources in the back.

Cute! I hope this is the first of many more English language zakka books to come.

34 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice to have something in English, but..., December 2, 2008

By	lc (CA United States) - See all my reviews

For my birthday, my friend gave me Zakka Sewing. The book is a delight to look at, but in my opinion, not accessible for a beginner.

First off, you get this book, and unless you improvise, you really can't make anything from it right away. Why? Every pattern that I am interested in making requires that it be enlarged 200-250% (depends on the pattern). Furthermore, there are no tips on enlarging the patterns. If you photocopy them, you need paper larger than 8.5x14. I was eager to make the squirrel teapot cozy on the cover, and I had to free hand most of the pattern using my french curve in order to get immediate gratification.

Next, the materials list for the teapot cozy says, "thick wool felt." Well, I used thick wool felt and after completing the pattern as the book instructs, my cozy is floppy and won't stand up, never mind that it doesn't fit on my teapot. I will need to improvise, use interfacing, and I think I will even add batting to insulate. That's all okay, but c'mon, for the hard earned $24.95 that my friend spent, I expect a little more! If the purpose of this book is to make Japanese style patterns more accessible to those who do not read Japanese, why do I feel like I get so much more from the Japanese craft mooks that give me full size patterns and excellent drawn instructions (though, admittedly I can read enough Japanese to help me along) for the same price?

Follow up to other reviewer who commented on what I wrote:

Please note, that the directions in the book say to reproduce the patterns on a photocopier, there are no directions or notes anywhere in the book that suggest tiling pages. Furthermore, the materials list for the tea cozy states, "Thick grey wool felt, 15"x24"". If I am to purchase 1/4" thick grey wool felt, then the directions should state that.

The point of my review was that this book aims to be easily accessible for the English speaking audience; it falls short.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, September 30, 2008

By	K. Johansen "eatwell" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Full of great sewing projects that are unique, well explained and useful. I found several that I look forward to making, including the bunny wallet and bunny pencil case. Very unique, high quality projects.