Vivat Veritas

Vivatveritas.com is up and running!!!!!!

2011-05-12T15:49:00.000+09:00

Hello all.Sorry for the many test posts and delays but finally vivatveritas.com has been fully tested and is working. I will be posting an actual post with new content later tonight after I get back from the gym. So from now on head to vivatveritas.com and check out the blog, store and whatever else gets put up on the main site. You should be redirected automatically but if not just click here or go vivatveritas.com. Also remember to update your bloglovin' and google reader.

See you all over there,
Chie
xoxo

Moving!

2011-05-10T21:49:00.000+09:00

Just wanted to let you know that this blog is moving! The move date is this Thursday, May 12th in JP time. I've had my own website (www.vivatveritas.com) for a while, and wanted to integrate the main site and blog into one. With a help of my dear friend Naoko, I will be blogging from my main site! In order to move all the past blog posts from blogger to the new site, there will be no post tomorrow, Wednesday.
For those who come here (www.vivatveritas.blogspot.com), you will be automatically re-directed to the new site. I'm not sure what happens to the followers through bloglovin' and google reader, so I would appreciate it if you can update your link:)

Tutorial: How to make a poncho top

2011-05-10T13:59:00.000+09:00

Hi! As I promised, here is the tutorial on how to make a poncho top from just a rectangle fabric! I meant to post this yesterday, but for some reasons, blogger wasn't letting me post.

I made some diagrams to show how to cut the fabric and where to sew. You can click the image above to enlarge.

Material needed:
❤ 1-2 yards or fabric, depending on the length of the top/dress. I recommend fabrics that flows well, and avoid stiff fabrics, such as denim, 100% cotton, linen or wool. I used very light weight polyester fabrics for my top and dress. I recommend light weight poly or rayon blend.
❤ thread
❤ elastic band. This is what you use to cinch the waist part. Cut two elastic bands, in length that's half of your waist. For instance, if your waist measurement is 28" around, cut two 14" elastic bands.

I'm pretty bad at writing instructions - so if you have any questions, please post a comment! I will try to answer as much as I can:)
Hope you enjoy this and please do share some photos if you make one!

Little girl's sun dress

2011-05-07T09:59:00.000+09:00

This is something I worked on yesterday - little girl's sun dress! I used a pattern from Japanese website, called "Handmade no kokoro". The website has a bunch of free PDF downloadable patterns for babies and kids. The dresses are for "Pay it Forward 2011" participants, for those who requested to receive kid's handmade clothes...my apologies for taking forever to do this!

The dress has only two pattern pieces: bust part and skirt part. It's really easy to make, and you can make it in so many different variations by using different fabrics or lace trims at the bottom of the skirt. The pattern is for 6 month to 2 year old, and depending on the size of a child, you can adjust the tightness of the elastic band that goes under bust.

Mommy's diary 2

2011-05-06T12:26:00.000+09:00

Thank you for all your advice and encouragement on breast feeding last week! I thought I was the rare one who was having the engorgement problem, so it was comforting to know that other people face the same problem as well. You are right, it DID get better. Although it is not completely pain free, I can see the improvement I made in a week. I think my body is adjusting the milk production to the baby's needs, and also the baby is drinking more, which helps a lot. I read about the cabbage leaf thing for engorgement help while I was doing some research online. I've never tried it since it sounds like a lot of work to prepare, but I read about it all over the place. It sounds like of strange to me that such an ancient method helps!

So here is one of my favorite outfits for Sophia from my father-in-law - lion suit! The suit has a tail as well:p
I can't believe how much she's grown in the past two weeks. I can see her getting bigger by the day.

I gained total of 10kg through out my pregnancy. Two days after the delivery, I stepped on a scale at the hospital, and almost screamed, since I only lost 2kg! It was mathematically incorrect - the baby weighted 3.6kg, plus water and placenta (I'm assuming it to be 2-3kg), and I lost twice as much blood than normal during delivery. I was expecting to see 5-7kg weight loss.
But a week after the delivery, I ended up loosing 8kg without doing much - no change in eating or no exercise. Now it's been two weeks, the last 2kg hasn't come out yet. Once I get the doctor's go-ahead, I'm going back to doing a hard work out, so I can fit in to the dress I made for my self for the 1940's swing dress sew-along!

Inspiration: snidel 2nd collection

2011-05-04T10:51:00.001+09:00

All images via snidel

Last week, I posted about snidel 's collection. When I checked back their website this morning, I saw they released "2nd collection". I love the Summer look of their 2nd collection, it reminds me of board walk, sun hat, beach and pretty bathing suits..

P.S. I will be posting up a tutorial of this poncho tunic/dress soon!

Scrap heap project: Completed 2

2011-05-03T14:24:00.000+09:00

Left: Pale pink dot poncho tunic, Right: Dusty rose poncho dress

I completed 4th and 5th projects from my scrap heap! My 1st through 3rd projects are posted here. I wanted to make something new, but quick until I get up to my speed while I recover from the delivery. These tunics are super easy to make, and you can make them in so many different variations. These tunic and dress are made out of one big rectangle fabric! Can you believe it?

I first made the one on the left as a tunic. While I was sewing the tunic, I realized that it could be a dress by just lengthening the rectangle. I also added a waist sash for the dress version to make it somewhat different.

Is anyone interested in tutorial of how to make these tunic/dress? I can write a simple diagram of how-to if anyone wants to know:)

Weekend recap: Birthday weekend

2011-05-02T22:16:00.000+09:00

April 28th was my birthday! I just turned to 27. This year's birthday was rather low-key, since the baby kept both me and my husband busy. Also my birthday fell on Thursday, so we celebrated my birthday on Saturday instead. We asked my parents to watch the baby while we went out for some dinner and drinks with close friends. Although we both love our daughter, it was so nice to be out as a couple without the baby and took some break.

Andy also surprised me with a gift of pretty lingerie - I did not own a piece of lingerie before this, since Andy likes "white tank top, sweat pants and white sneakers" on women (so strange, right? totally not my style). I never felt the need to own any sexy lingerie. But I love the color he chose (purple is my favorite color), and it will be great to throw on in the hot summer night.

How was everyone's weekend?

Free Pattern Month at Grosgrain

2011-04-29T10:16:00.001+09:00

Are you following the free pattern month at Grosgrain? Now we are on day 4, and I already can't wait to try out their tutorials!

Day 1 featured the Sunny Resort Blouse pattern by the Sew Convert, one of my favorite sewing blogs!
Day 4 featured knot shorts pattern by Elsie Marley, and although the tutorial is for kid's shorts, I think it would be great for adult as well for the Summer.

I'm happy to be invited as one of the contributors for the project! I'm sharing a free pattern on May 18th. I'm working on the patterns and tutorial now, and I'm learning a lot through this, from pattern grading to writing up a clear instruction.

Check out other contributors for the free pattern month here:)

Mommy's diary 1

2011-04-29T10:02:00.000+09:00

Good morning all!
So week one of motherhood has been completed, only 50 more years to go :) A lot has been going on in that area of my life. Most of what goes on with newborns is interesting only for the parents so I won't bore you all with it. But there are a couple things which I just have to talk about.

The first night we brought her home was both exciting and really scary. We had her at the house and she was sleeping well but the thought kept coming to mind "What if there is a problem"? I could not sleep at all the first night. I was constantly listening for her every breath. Any of you have the same experience? Thankfully over the next few days that thought subsided so now I can relax and if it weren't for another problem I would be sleeping quite peacefully.

That "other problem" I mentioned is breastfeeding. I don't know how many of you have experience in this area but I can tell you that it is much more complicated than I thought. I thought you just put babys mouth in the right place and that was that! But apparently there are right and wrong ways to feed. For example the baby must have their mouth not solely on the nipple but around the whole areola or else, like what happened to me, the nipple gets injured. Because I was "doing it wrong" the first day or 2, I beat my nipples up so bad that I couldn't properly feed for a few days after that. Another breastfeeding challenge I have encountered is my milk production is too high. This is not a problem for the baby but for me. My breasts fill up so quickly that they hurt. It got so bad I couldn't sleep or eat or anything. I sent Andy on a mission to figure out what was going on, because it did not seem normal for it to hurt that much. Andy is no doctor but he is a good google monkey and was able to figure out what the problem was. Apparently because I produce an over abundance of milk I have to breastfeed a little differently. I have to use one breast at a time so that the baby drains one entirely, gets the proper nutrition and can get my body to respond to the needs of the baby. When I first started I was alternating between breasts for each feeding. From what Andy was able to find out, that "normal" way of feeding won't work for me. I need to have the baby on one breast for a full 15-20 minutes then on the next feeding use the the other side. Breastfeeding is really complicated. I had a really easy pregnancy but the delivery and week following is where I have been getting my mothering pains!

Outside of baby stuff, I have a couple photo shoots coming up. I will start putting together my Carnival line soon and hopefully will be able to start with some new projects. I wasn't sure how working with the baby would go but so far, it hasn't been too bad. How about you? How do you manage to do things while raising a newborn? Any suggestions?

All for now....time to feed, sew and feed some more!

Made more re-usable nursing pads. I need a lot of those! Tutorial is here.

Inspiration: snidel

2011-04-27T11:01:00.003+09:00

All images via snidel

I found this Japanese label, snidel from my favorite Japanese magazine, "Sweet". I barely buy magazines, and my inspirations mostly come from online sources. But my little sister was kind enough to buy me the magazine while I was bored at the hospital last week. I love the dreamy images above from their collection! It reminds me of fairy tales.

1940's Swing Dress sew-along - progress 1

2011-04-27T10:44:00.000+09:00

Hello! I'm back! I hope everyone enjoyed Sophia's (aka iro iro) crochet color tutorial. As I've written before, I'm not terribly good at crocheting or knitting, but I definitely want to try her collar pattern. I'm in awe of all her petite crochet animals, such as this tiny owl and elephant... so cute!

I'm slowly getting back to normal self again. The delivery was tougher than I thought, and I've been experiencing massive hormonal changes, which are quite overwhelming. But I will save the thought for another time.

While I experience the change in my life, I think it is crucial for me to spend some time, even if it is five minutes, to do things for myself, something that I really enjoy. As for me, it's sewing! So I've been finally working on Casey's 1940's Swing Dress sew-along. I know I'm way behind this sew-along, but better late than never, right?!

I print out the pattern, and instead of cutting my size from the glued pattern sheet, I decided to trace my size as the instruction recommended. By the way, it was a bit frustrating to glue these pattern pieces together, since there was no grid line:(

I traced size 10, which was my pre-pregnancy size...I'm hoping that this dress will motivate me to go back to my pre-pregnancy size..lol.

After tracing the pattern, I made some adjustments:

One of the adjustments was to shorten the skirt length by 9". It was pretty easy, I just needed to take 9" at "shorten or lengthen here" line.

I also decided to go without the sleeves. Although the sleeves on this dress are lovely, I think I would wear the dress more often without sleeves, for nursing purpose, so I can slip on and off the shoulder easily. I also like to wear a cardigan with a dress, so sleeves can be bothersome with a cardigan on. Next time I make this dress, I would like to modify the sleeves to butterfly sleeves or bat sleeves..what do you think?

As recommended at Casey's sew-along post, I used infusible interface for the midsection belt and then underline it to give more structure and stabilization. The fabric I used for the dress is very light chiffon like polyester fabric.

I was terribly confused by the instructions on how to sew shoulder part! Did anyone else have the same experience? I feel like the patterns and instructions can be much simpler somehow. I tried the shoulder part three times, sewing and de-stitching the mistakes over and over. I finally made it (pic above), but if you'd ask me to do it again, I probably won't be able to repeat the same...This will be another adjustment to the patterns I will make for the future.

I was also confused by the instruction 1, about a dart in bodice back. I just could not get it. I wasn't sure where the dart was supposed to start and end. So I completely ignored the instruction.
And guess what happened?! The bodice back and skirt back did not match up. The bodice back was longer than skit back where they were supposed to meet.

So I used a short-cut, and gathered the bodice back so the line matches with skirt back. I kind of like the end result, since the front bodice has a gathered detail, I think back can use one as well:)

Here it is..almost done! I still need to instal a zipper on the side and hem the dress. I think mine looks more like a Grecian dress than a 1940's swing dress. I really can't wait to wear this!

Guest blogger: Detachable crochet collar pattern by iro iro

2011-04-25T09:24:00.000+09:00

Hello! I'm Sophia from 'iro iro' and I'm really happy to be writing a guest post for Chie today, whilst she looks after her own little Sophia. This is my first guest post and to be writing it here is wonderful, thank you Chie!

If any of you have stumbled across my blog before, you may have noticed a recurring theme: collars. I love 'em. Sweet peter pan collars..long bow-tie collars..vintage lace collars. They can completely change the look of an outfit. So let me not disappoint, here is a little tutorial to make your very own collar.

This is a simple crochet detachable collar I made the other day. It is made with standard DK yarn for a more chunky look than those delicate lace ones found stashed away in vintage shops. And don't worry, it takes a lot less time to make too. You will only need scraps of yarn: it didn't even dent my 100g ball. Mine is made with acrylic (it was on hand..) but I think a cotton yarn would make a good alternative.

Ok, you will need:
- Yarn (see above)
- 4mm crochet hook
- Small popper (for back closure)

Abbreviations: ch - chain, sc - single crochet, dc - double crochet, sl st - slip stitch, tog - together.

Let's begin: ch 72 (72 chs)

Row 1: ch1, sc in every st (72 sts)

Row 2: ch2, *dc in st, 2dc in st* repeat to end (108 sts)

Row 3: ch2, dc in every st (108 sts)

Row 4: ch2, *dc in 3 sts, 2dc in next st* repeat to end (135 sts)

Row 5: sl st 1 st, *5sc in st, sl st 3 sts tog* repeat until 2 sts remaining, sl st 2sts. Pull yarn through loop to finish off.

To complete your detachable collar, sew a popper at the back and enjoy wearing it!

This is not only my first time guest blogging, but also writing out a pattern like this, so please bear with me. Hopefully it will all make sense, if there are any problems please leave a comment below or send me an email (iroirocrafts@yahoo.com).

If you have never tried crochet before, I recommend taking a look at these easy instructions or popping onto youtube. It's a really fun hobby to have that you can pick up anywhere - I often crochet on the bus to college! Thanks for reading ^.^

❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤***❤ ***❤***❤
Be sure to check out her etsy shop full of cute crochet goodies!

VV girls

2011-04-22T12:08:00.001+09:00

Hi! Thank you for your comments on my yesterday's 40 weeks post:)

Just a quick update today - I wanted to share some images of the girls wearing Vivat Veritas clothes.

❤ Right: Rachael from oriental fifty wearing Kimono cardigan
❤ Left: Kate wearing baby doll dress for her baby shower

If you had purchased from me and want to get featured on the blog, please send me a photo of you wearing Vivat Veritas clothes to chieduncan@gmail.com!

40 weeks - baby is here!

2011-04-21T19:44:00.000+09:00

Hello everyone! I'm happy to announce that my baby is here! She was born on April 17th morning, all healthy. It was a day before the due date, and the delivery took 12 hours...I will share the birth story sometime when I'm more settled down. We stayed at the hospital for 3 nights after she was born, and I decided to leave one day early. I felt like I had enough of hospital life, and I'm much happier to be back home, with my husband:) Thank you all for prayers and thoughts!

Thank you for those of you who gave me advice on what to bring to the hospital - it was really really helpful! Lots of drinks, lip balm, and socks were my friends while I was suffering with contraction pain.

Now I feel a bit sentimental that my pregnancy is over (you can read my week-by-week journey here), but I'm thinking of continuing the series as mama series on Thursdays perhaps? Any suggestions?

P.S. Hope you enjoyed the guest posts by Anna and Nette! More guest posts coming in the next few weeks...:)

Inspiration: Theme desert

2011-04-20T15:56:00.000+09:00

All images via Liebemarlene Vintage

When I am making clothes for a photo shoot, I like to come up with a certain "theme". In February, a photographer Amelia and I worked on a shoot with a theme "Secret Garden". My next upcoming photo shoot's theme is "After the carnival", where I want to capture some images with bright sky, and Ferris wheel in the background with bright solid color clothes, such as juicy orange, bright yellow, or sky blue. At dusk, I want to have some photos taken with some melancholy feel, with a bit of sadness that the carnival is over. As props, I would love to incorporate balloons, big lollipops or cotton candy...

I just read at Riannon's blog that she was planning a shoot with a theme "Heroines in the desert", and I thought the theme is so cute! I love the inspirational images she collected.

Guest blogger: Free PDF downloadable bag pattern by Nette

2011-04-19T16:11:00.013+09:00

Hi everyone. My name is Nette and I am from Germany. It is so nice to meet you! Usually, I write a blog over at nettevivante all about my sewing projects and other creative output. Anyway, you might wonder why you do not get to read anything by lovely Chie?! That is because she asked me to write a little guest post for her readers, while she is taking a break welcoming her little baby girl!

Having been inspired by Chie’s beautiful dresses for a long time already, I was really flattered to be able to jump in for her! Thank you Chie! ❤

This is a double premiere for me. Not only because this is my very first guest post, but also because I intent to keep you busy during Chie’s absence with my very first self drafted epattern and how-to.

So today I am presenting you a pattern for a simple, yet, highly versatile tote bag. I made several versions of it for ‘Pay it forward’ and am so glad that Chie is going to use hers for the baby! ;)

As you can see, this bag is just full of endless possible variations and I hope you are going to enjoy letting your mind wander and making one!

If there are any questions, leave them as comments here or on my blog, I would love to help you out then. AND if you really are making a bag, I would love to see your versions! Have a lovely day everybody!

❤Download PDF Eva bag instruction here.

❤Download PDF Eva bag pattern here.

Guest blogger: Freehand machine embroidery by Paunnet

2011-04-18T15:44:00.000+09:00

Hello, everyone! I’m Paunnet (but you can call me Anna) and I’m very happy to be here while Chie takes care of lovely little Sophia.

Today I’d like to talk to you about a technique I was introduced to about two years ago and that has been inspiring me a lot, lately. It is called freehand machine embroidery (if you’re a quilter you probably know it already) and it allows you to put your designs on anything you want without an expensive embroidery machine.

This is what you’re gonna need:

1. A darning foot (sometimes called quilting foot): mine didn’t come with my machine, but I bought one for a few euros at my machine dealer. This allows you to move the fabric while you sew and to stitch in any direction you want.

2. Water soluble stabilizer: it’s a plastic-y film on which you can draw you design. When you are done, you just wash it and will dissolve. I used Madeira’s Avalon, which comes in a roll of 5m x 25cm.

3. A permanent marker: make sure it’s water resistant or the ink will bleed on to your fabric when you wash it.

4. Tape: to tape the stabilizer on the fabric, so that it doesn’t move around.

5. (Optional) Embroidery thread: I had some in my sewing box, but regular thread works great too.

Now you can choose your design and transfer it or drawing it on the stabilizer. I chose this sketch of three little girl dresses that I found a long time ago on the Internet.

The next step is to prepare your machine: put on the darning foot, set a low thread tension and lower the feed dogs (my machine has a button on the back, check your machine’s instructions if you don’t know how to do it).

Now start following the lines of your design. You’ll need some practice to adjust the movement of the fabric and the speed of the pedal, but it’s not too hard to get a good result. If you really can’t figure it out, there are a lot of Youtube videos in which you can see the machine in action, which might be more useful than my written explanation.

In the picture you can see I finished the the first part and I left a long tail before cutting the thread and moving to the next little dress.

Once you have finished, turn your fabric, with the help of a seam ripper, pull the threads on the wrong side and knot them, so your design won’t unravel.

Now you’re almost done! Rip the stabilizer and wash away the remaining.

I used my little dresses to make a zippered pouch (and I made a matching pencil case with an ice-cream design that I found here).

Aren’t they cute? They are for sale in my Etsy shop.

I also decorated a plain t-shirt with some butterflies going from the front to the back.

I hope this little tutorial will inspire you to create something beautiful. If you try it, I’d be delighted to see your results!

Scrap heap project: Completed 1

2011-04-16T11:02:00.000+09:00

So I finished three dresses using my scraps - as you can see, these are not really scraps at all, since the fabrics were big enough for me to make dresses for an adult:p Sorry the design of the dresses are nothing new, but I wanted to make something easy and fun to sew for the time being. More new designs are coming up soon...:)

I love the white flower buttons I used for Project 1 and 2. I found them on etsy, a shop named "Forsythe Company Store". The shop has a good selection of vintage buttons and other cute stuff, and I found the prices to be very reasonable.

Navy blue floral back cut out dress

Pale pink and daisy back cut out dress

Gingham check back cut out dress

I listed these items for sale on my etsy shop - and for my lovely blog readers, I set up a coupon code "SCRAPHEAP" for 20% off of all items listed in my shop:) The deal will last until I finish the scrap heap project!

39 weeks

2011-04-14T19:10:00.000+09:00

Hello All!
Week 39, oh boy! Its a strange feeling to look at my bump and think that soon it will be gone. Some days I waddle downstairs and think that I can't wait for this thing to be gone and other days like today I think that I am really going to miss this big watermelon.

In the first picture I wanted to see how many items I could get to balance on Kiko. It was harder than I thought and I only was able to balance 2.

Below is the stuff that I have packed and ready to go for the hospital. In the States they recommend having a "Go Bag" but in Japan you dont have to bring anything because it is all provided, even the toothbrush. But, because I like my own stuff I am bringing my own bag. This seems particularly important because here in Japan I will be in the Hospital for 4 or 5 days. I can't imagine wearing hospital pj's for 4 days. I packed some clothes for the baby, some clothes for myself, reading material and makeup. What did you guys have packed in your bag? Any recommendations for things to do with my 4 days in the hospital?

xo

Inspiration: Art & fashion

2011-04-13T14:00:00.001+09:00

Erdem / Olle Olsson-Hagalund – Flowers in vase

House of Holland / Lennart Jirlow – Still life with flowers

Jonathan Saunders / Sigrid Hjertén – Flower still life

Missoni / Karl Isakson – Still life with geranium and pitcher

Vivienne Westwood Red Label / Ivan Ivarson – Höstblommor

Erdem Pre-Fall / Leander Engström – Still life in blue vase

All images via Miss Moss: Fall vs Spring

I thought how Miss Moss compared the art still images and her favorite collections was so interesting. She made great matches! I'm not really a big museum goer, but her post inspired me to look into art as a source of inspirations for clothes designing.

Braided hair tutorial

2011-04-12T21:47:00.000+09:00

I've been doing different hair arrangement using braids lately. I like this one since its easy yet looks like I spent more time on it than I actually did :p I hope you like the tutorial!

1. You need two elastic bands and a couple of hair pins.
2. I like to start by curling my hair slightly with a curling iron, but this step is totally up to you! I think this braided hair is great with straight hair, wavy or curled, as long as your hair has enough length to wrap a braided piece around the back of your head :)
3. First part your hair in the center. Then take a strand of hair right above your ear, leaving your bang, if you have it.
4. Then braid tightly.
5. Braid till the end, and tie it with the elastic band.
6. The side will look like this.
7-8. Do the same for the other side.
9. Take the braid, and wrap it around the back of your head and pin it right behind your ear. Make sure to hide the end under your non-braided hair.
10. Do the same for the other side.

And tada! It's so easy and takes less than 3 minutes:)

Scrap heap project: Progress 1

2011-04-11T18:19:00.000+09:00

I wrote about the scrap heap project that I will be working on during my maternity leave. Actually, before I start my leave I already jump started the project:p It's coming rather slow, since I'm trying to experiment different techniques that I usually avoid when I'm busy, such as pin tucks, and lace insertion.
I got the idea for the lace insertion from this Colette Pattern post. I made a lace insertion on the skirt hem, just like Sarai did for her dress. I think it turned out lovely, but was disappointed after I completed the skirt, because the zipper I used was too short and there was no way for any skinny person to put her butt in! This is what happens when you are pregnant and can't test the project as you sew.. So I asked Andy to take out the zipper for me (He is great at doing it! I hate de-stitching seams), and tried again with a longer zipper. And guess what happened? The zipper broke while I tried to put the skirt on my dress form. Ha. So I gave up! The skirt is still incomplete:(

Anyway, going back to more positive side - I love Colette Patterns blog! I am always inspired by their ideas and introduction to different techniques. I think Sarai's post on surface cording, piping, bias binding and layers of lace is so pretty!

What did you guys work on this weekend?

Have a great weekend!

2011-04-09T18:55:00.000+09:00

Hello! I could not squeeze in the time for Friday blog post yesterday, and I know I usually do the inspiration posts on Wednesdays. However, I thought this pretty Nadinoo SS11 Lookbook will complete the week and I could not wait until next Wednesday to share these lovely images! I'm always so excited to see what this UK designer comes up with!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend:) xo

38 weeks

2011-04-07T21:42:00.000+09:00

38 weeks! I can't believe I only have 2 weeks or less to go. It could be tonight that baby Sophia Kiko decides to pop out. It's a weird feeling, exciting, but strange!

My little sister (4 years my younger) and my parents came over to my place, and we snapped these photos right outside of our house.

The baby moved when my sister touched my belly - she is so active..always kicking, punching and stretching. Except when Andy touches my belly, then she freezes! I think she is shy.

Look how flat my sister's belly is! I hope to get back into shape once the baby is born.

And she can fly...like a bird.

I barely made it off the ground. My belly is just too huge.

This blue dress was my recent vintage find from "Sanbiki no Koneko" (three kittens) in Shimokitazawa. I bought it for 600 yen (about 6 bucks). I really liked the bat sleeves, and elastic waist, so I decided to take this home with me.

One problem with the dress was that it was too long for my liking, down to mid calf level. I decided to hem it shorter. But, having learned the lesson from my hemming experience of this polka dot dress a few weeks ago I decided to readjust my approach to hemming. If you hem a dress or skirt in the traditional way while you are in your third trimester, the center front of the skirt will raise more than expected because of the big belly. So, you must compensate!
So, this time I cut the front center of the dress 3 inches longer than the side and back.

From the side view, you can see that there is a slope - front center is longer than the side and back on dress form. Once the baby is out, I can hem the dress again to even out the front:)

Doing this will make allowance for the expanding pregnancy belly and make it so that the dress will not rise too high.

By the way, I was asked about maternity tights and leggings by one of the blog readers recently. I thought my answers might help some other pregnant ladies out there, so I decided to post them here.

1. What about Comfort and Durability (will they last the whole pregnancy?):

Maternity tights are super comfortable. I can't live without them now. The maternity tights have a longer length allowance from crotch to waist, and they cover the whole belly. They seem to stretch more than regular tights. As for durability, I guess it depends on how often you wear them, just like regular tights! Mine are still wearable, no holes or other such wear and tear yet!

2. In regards to fashion, what sort of things can they be worn with?

I pair them with everything! Dresses, long tops, shorts etc.

3. What are they like compared to standard tights (eg differences)?

As I mentioned above, maternity tights has longer and stretchier in the torso in order to cover the big belly!

Inspiration: Sessun x Urban Outfitters

2011-04-06T21:08:00.000+09:00

images via Sally Jane Vintage blog

A collection of clothes by Sessun is now available at Urban Outfitters.I love the vintage inspired lookbook above, and the bicycle! Their clothes are unfortunately still out of my price range though..:(

Pay it Forward 2011 - CLOSED

2011-04-05T18:55:00.001+09:00

Guess what I found in my mailbox today? A handmade gift from lovely nette!
This truly made my day - all the cute stuff pictured below was handmade by her. A couple of weeks ago, nette posted about "Pay it Forward 2011". It's a chain mail about friendship and sharing, and, as I saw on her site the first 5 people who commented on her post would receive handmade gift from her. I was the lucky enough to be number 5! It must be admitted that Nette did allow me to cheat, because although I posted, I did not post about "Pay it Forward 2011"thinking that there had already been 5 people ahead of me. But Nette kindly let me know that it wasn't the case and allowed me to be the 5;)

I'm just truly amazed by her craftmanship:
I received a stuffed elephant for the baby, a small mirror with my initial cross stitched on, a pale pink mini bag, and a pin.

I haven't bought diaper bag yet, and I'm not sure if I will - but this mini tote will be perfect to hold a couple of diapers, wipes, bottles and other necessities. I will be using this along with my regular bag to go out! Oh I'm so excited.

I know Nette intended this cutest elephant for my baby, but this little guy is way too cute - so he will stay in my bedroom for a while!!

This is how "Pay it Forward 2011" works, a quote from Nette's blog:

"The first five people who comment on this blog post will receive a handmade gift from me.

The only requirement in return, you must FIRST write a blog post explaining 'Pay It Forward 2011'.
Then, about the most exciting part, make and send a handmade gift to the first 5 visitors who comment and commit to do the same. "

So here is the fun part:

I would love to extend this cause, but modify it a bit. My version will work so that the first 3 visitors who comment and commit to do the same, "win". I'm cheating by not using 5, but making handmade gift s for 3 people is what I'm capable for right now..sorry! The gift will be a combination of the following: vintage pattern, Japanese fabric , notions, and some handmade goodies.

Looking forward to seeing the comments from you all! xo

Weekend recap

2011-04-04T21:29:00.001+09:00

Let me say this, Spring weather in Japan is so moody! Its worse than pregnant women! Saturday was beautiful, it was the warmest day we have had in months. My parents and sister came over to my place, and we had a lunch together. We went to a place called Volks, nothing fancy, it's just a Hamberg restaurant. Many of you may be unfamiliar with the ways of Japan will not know the Hamberg but suffice to say we Japanese took the classic American hamburger and made out of it our own creation. Volks is nice because it comes with a salad, soup and bread buffet. This time, I went little nuts with the bread bar - I'm usually staying away from bread because of the high calorie count, but on Saturday I allowed myself to enjoy as much bread as I wanted :p My family is excited for the arrival of the baby..maybe in less than 2 weeks now!

But getting back to the weather, Sunday unlike Saturday was miserably cold. Spring weather needs to make up its mind. Andy and I went to church, had people over for the Bible study, and I cooked dinner for the first time in months. I used to cook dinner every night, but for the last couple of months I have been so busy with sewing and work that Andy kindly took over that duty and has been cooking as one of his reular assigned duties. But Sunday I really wanted to feel like a good wife and cook nice meal. In fulfilling this urge I decided to make lasagna. I used to make lasagna a lot when we Andy and I were first married living in Philly, but we havent had it since we moved to Japan. So in preparation for dinner we went to a grocery store to get ingredients, but for some odd reason lasagna noodles in Japan are expensive to the point of being obscene. It was $6 for a tiny box of lasagna, and I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much for noodles that in the States cost $1. So, I ended up getting regular pasta, meat sauce, and cheese, but here again as with the lasagna noodles I was met with resistance. The store didn't have ricotta cheese. I was irritated but not to be defeated, I improvised. I used crushed tofu mixed with salt, pepper, and cheese as a replacement for ricotta cheese and regular spaghetti noodles as a replacement for lasagna. Below on the left is a picture. It wasn't quite good-old Italian lasagna, but Andy and I were both satisfied :) Below on the right is a picture of our $2.95 wine! I had a taste and Andy had the rest. It wasnt great but it was better than the boxed wine we used to drink!

As for is weekends sewing, I finished this custom order dress - a cut out dress in gingham check. I love how it came out and I think I'm going to make one for the shop as I still have some fabric left over.
I also finished the last batch of bridesmaid dresses before I go on leave. I'm happy with how the dresses turned out, all have a lovely pearl vintage button in the front :) The same dress was featured on Washiongtonian.com, Etsy Stylist.

The weather was moody, my cooking attempt was weird but satisfying and the dresses were finished and I am pleased with the turnout. Nothing eventful but not too bad of a weekend. How about you guys?

Oh if you are interested, check out the interview I did with Girl With a Satchel! I'm also offering special discount at Fabulously Frugal.

Five lovely things.

2011-04-01T17:35:00.000+09:00

It's Friday! I'm so happy..Hope everyone has lovely plans for the weekend:) Here are five lovely things that I would like to share:

1. I love this shop I found on etsy the other day: Flapperdoodle. She has the cutest prints ever! The shop also has a print for Japan earthquake relief.

2. Oilcloth storage bin tutorial at Design Sponge. I personally dislike sewing oilcloth (I think oilcloth is really hard to sew!), so I might use regular fabric with thick iron-on interface instead. I need a couple of these small storage bins to hold my notions, lace, buttons etc and also for to hold some diapers and cute headbands for the baby's room:)

3. Anarchy Street back lace cut out shirt
I've been eyeing this shirt ever since I saw Aime of Song of Style wearing it. Unfortunately it's sold out now, but I'm thinking this can be made with a thrifted white shirt with lace?

4. Rucksack in Cinnamon Brown
Another find from etsy. I want this so bad, but $162 is a bit out of my price range... This would be perfect to hold my 15 inch screen laptop.

5. Longer length pleated skirt & flats
I don't think I own this between knee, but not quite maxi length skirt. Natalie styled it up so nicely and I can't wait to imitate her outfit above. As much as I try, I don't think this style works well with my huge bump:p

Have a great weekend!

37 weeks

2011-03-31T20:43:00.000+09:00

I went to my 37 week checkup yesterday. I'm almost there! I'm still not dilated, but because of the doctor's schedule etc, I'm tentatively scheduled for induction on the 14th of April. That's exactly two weeks from now. If the baby does not seem to be ready by the next appointment, which is a week away, the doctor might change the date to the 20th of April. The doctor told me to do a lot of squats so that the baby will drop... I am pretty convinced that doing squats, walking or jumping as a natural induction effect is a wives tale. I don't think the doctor realizes how many squats I do.. but I decided to shut my mouth and ignore her comment.

Oh thankfully, no nipple pinching from the midwife this time. Thank goodness! Thank you again for everyone who gave me the advice on my last post about breast massage and breast feeding. It was so helpful! It seems pretty common to do the breast massage in Japan, and everyone talks about it here, but I'm glad to hear that it is not necessary or makes all that much difference at this point. I'd much rather leave my breasts alone now.

The weather is warming up here in Japan, and I'm glad to be able to use light weight dresses and cardigans without bundling up with heavy coats and scarves. I got this 50's vintage gown from badcollavintage on etsy last Summer. The shop has a great collection of vintage night gowns, which can be worn as dresses, so I check out her shop often. I bought this one before getting pregnant. I can still wear this comfortably because the fabric has a stretch to it. Plus, maxi dresses are great for times when you don't feel like showing your legs or are feeling bloated.

Last Sunday, Andy and I stopped by a small thrift shop located right close to our church. The place has all kinds of junk - washers, dishes, kimono fabrics, antique pins etc. I love going there from time to time to treasure hunt. You don't know how excited I was when I found a used stair master and weights! I went to Sports Authority the day before I found these treasures, and the cheapest stair master they had was 5000 yen (about $50). I was so glad I didn't pick it up on impulse. I actually haggled the price with the guy at the shop, and ended up getting both stair master and 4kg weight set for 1000 yen ($10).

Since my belly had grown so big, I adjusted my workout routine a bit. I used to do a lot of Bass Ruten's fighting workout (Thai boxing), but I can no longer kick comfortably, so I stopped doing his CDs. I still do regular boxing workouts, but this stair master and weight combination will be a nice new addition to my routine.

Here is some short video that Andy put together about my week 37 workout routine :) Hope you like it! xo

Inspiration: After the Carnival

2011-03-30T23:33:00.001+09:00

Source: Sally Jane Vintage blog

Source: Insensivel Garota on we heart it

Source: The Beautiful Delirium on we heart it

Source: Thesepictures from we heart it

I am tossing around some ideas for an upcoming photo shoot in mid May. I definitely want to use balloons as props, and I want to incorporate bright solid colors such as sky blue, yellow and orange for the clothes. I like to have a "theme" for the shoot, instead of just naming it as "Spring collection" or "Summer collection". When I told my idea of using balloons for the shoot to Andy, he said, "How about "After the Carnival" shoot?"

I am thinking that I like the title! What do you think? Now I am imagining things like Ferris wheels, big lollipops, cotton candy and a big bright blue sky...

These images above are some inspiration photos that I've been collecting for the shoot :)

Spring makeup goodies

2011-03-29T22:09:00.000+09:00

Spring has come! At least for today. It was sunny and warm during the day today, about 15 degrees (c) which made me really happy.
On top of that, I received a package from my best friend, Kaitlyn with some make up goodies. She put together a lovely package of all Springy make up items..I love them all!

I usually spend less than 5 minutes on my make up, and I've had the same routine for years now - a little bit of powder, blush, eye brow, black eyeliner and mascara. But it's always fun to experiment new items and different colors of eye shadow and lip gloss. After the two photo shoots I did in February, I have become more motivated to learn about make up and how to use them. It really can make a huge difference! Anyway, here are the items I used today in getting ready to go out to lunch with my friend:

1. Dolce and Gabana eye shadow quad in eden This is so pretty and Springy, comes with pastel green, white, pink and bluish gray. I used the gray (left bottom).
2. annapie perfect veil, souvenir from Korea
3. Kevin Aucoin sensual skin enhancer this concealer is amazing! A little covers a lot. I tap this around my nose and under my eyes.
4. Trish McEvoy sexy petal
5. Estee Lauder DayWear sheer tint release
6. mally evercolor starlight waterproof liner
7. Maybelling the Magnum volume express super film
I think this version might be availabe in Japan only. This super film form is really easy to remove. I only use hot water to remove it, and it comes off very quickly. Best part, no black circle under my eyes! I will most definitely buy another when this one is finished!

I forgot to take a picture of this, but I also used NARS angelika blush. It's a pretty blue-toned baby pink with some sparkles...I love this item! I don't think I had any items that I didn't like from NARS.

Interview: Meet Amelia Aventine - The photographer behind the "Secret Garden" lookbook

2011-03-28T20:25:00.001+09:00

Hello! I hope everyone had a nice weekend:) Mine was very relaxed - I'm taking things slow now as I'm anxiously waiting for the baby's arrival. Andy and I finished watching Boardwalk Empire season one this weekend. I really enjoyed the show, and can't wait for the second season to come out!

As I wrote before, Amelia was the photographer/stylist/make-up artist and creative inspiration behind the Secret Garden collection and lookbook. I was utterly inspired by her work, and wanted to share with you more about her. I'm so sad that she went back to UK after her short term visit to Japan...
Anyway, here is Amelia:)

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1.Can you give our readers a quick self introduction?

I'm Amelia, a UK based photographer. Recently my focus has been on fashion, but I enjoy all type of photography that involve people.

2.When did your interest in photography start?

It actually didn't really start until I graduated University 2.5 years ago and found myself unemployed. I had in the past thought that photography might be fun, so I decided to use my new found free time to explore it. I started off with self portraits, then also started to use friends as subject matter, and eventually in January last year I started to shoot fashion with local models and creative teams.

3.What was the first shoot you did? How did it go?

It was a bird themed fashion shoot. I found a local model on ModelMayhem, had a artist friend do the make-up, borrowed some lighting equipment off another friend and collected the props myself. I was very nervous and probably a little too shy, but the end results weren't too bad.

4. Where did you learn about photography and who are some of your influences?

I learnt photography mostly from just taking photos. I also picked up tips from books, internet forums and friends, but definitely a lot of trial and error.
Influences are definitely people with huge creative vision. People like Tim Walker, Annie leibovitz and Kirsty Mitchell. For me photography is about creating something from the imagination, a world more beautiful than is really there.

5.How do you find models and other people to work with?

I mostly use the networking site ModelMayhem. It is fantastic resource, especially in the UK where there are thousands of creatives on there. I am also lucky to have talented friends to use, and when it comes to models there is always the odd person who you see on the street who would be great to shoot.

6.You live and work England but recently spent time building your portfolio in Japan, How long were you in Japan? Why did you choose Japan? How was your experience working here?

I was there from January to March 2011. I actually ended up in Japan because my partner (also a photographer) was given a work opportunity in Tokyo.
I had an amazing time – both traveling and working. Tokyo is full of so many talented people and I was luck enough to get to meet and work with some of them. Every one is so enthusiastic and skilled, and as a result I have ended up with some incredible additions to my portfolio. I feel the whole experience and improved my confidence and fueled my excitement for photography a great deal.

7. You and I recently worked on the Secret Garden photo shoot. How did you come up with the idea?

As usual the path to the final idea was convoluted and involved many small pieces of inspiration. I saw your designs which gave the initial feeling of where the shoot should go, and I also looked through the inspiration posts on your blog and saw that there was a definite feel that linked them all.
I was then out exploring Tokyo and stumbled across the beautiful location we ended up using. It instantly made me think of of your designs and so the idea began to take form. I then started to look around online for images liked to 'Secret garden fashion' and other whimsical fashion images using nature as a backdrop. From there I found a model I thought fitted the look, and formed an idea of the styling I thought would work – and then just let it all flow.
This is a pretty usual situation, in the way inspiration came from many different things and the idea evolved over time and changed as new components were added.

8.What would you say is your biggest strength as a photographer, in what area would you most like to see your work improve?

I think my main strength is my creative ideas. As I said in the previous question I get inspiration from many different mediums – books, paintings, emotions, nature. I am a very visual person and I find myself taken by a particular element of these mediums and then daydreaming about the visual representation of them.
I often find myself frustrated that I can not produce what I see in these daydreams however, so I would say the area of improvement is definitely my technical abilities. In particular I would like to improve my knowledge of studio lighting, and also my skills in directing models to show the emotion of the ideas.

9. Do you have any up coming projects?

I head back to England at the beginning of April and I hope to keep the creative momentum I have gained in Japan. I would like to continue to build my fashion portfolio (I always have more ideas than time to execute them), and I would also like to explore other areas of photography. One of these is a more art based project, focusing on the visual representation of happiness – and how it is different for everyone.

10.Do you have any people in particular that you would like to work with in the future? Why?

I am always on the look out for enthusiastic and creative people to work with. My Japan trip was the first time I had worked with designers, and shared creative control of the shoot. I enjoyed this so much - it was great to have another person to give input and bounce idea around with. I was very luck to collaborate with people who had a similar vision for the end result, and so the process flowed wonderfully and the final images were just what we all wanted.

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Check out more of her work on her website, or follow her on twitter❤
Entire Secret Garden lookbook can be viewed here.

Scrap heap project

2011-03-25T23:03:00.001+09:00

Look at this mess. This is my fabric stash in my closet. sigh...
I don't know what happened. I thought I cleaned it up pretty nicely when I moved into my current place last August. I love fabric. As I wrote in the guest blog post over at the cupcake goddess, visiting fabric shops became a hobby in and of itself. I always buy way too much, but in my defense, the majority of left overs come from pieces bought for custom orders. The reason being that I don't like to worry about not having enough fabric to fill the order, and so I often end up with much more than I need.

I am going to be on maternity leave soon. I'm excited and nervous at the same time about this. I'm excited for the obvious reasons - to have some vacation time and time to spend with the baby. I'm nervous because I am a bit of workaholic. I get jittery if I'm not busy. So, as soon as I get out of the hospital and am able to get up and move again, I want to start a project called "Scrap Heap". For this project I will make something from this fabric mess. I plan to make one item a day, Monday through Friday for a month. I think this will give me some schedule so I won't be sitting in front of my TV wearing pajamas all day long. Have any of you done something like this? Has anyone found a post pregnancy, maternity leave hobby?

During my leave sabattical, I also am thinking of learning how to create patterns on computer. Does anyone know any good software for that?

By the way, thank you so much for those who commented on my last post - I feel so relieved that I don't have to pinch my own nipples! I will leave my nipples out for the time being:)

P.S. Check out my interview post over at Willow Would..thank you Amber!

36 weeks

2011-03-24T22:14:00.000+09:00

Hi! I'm 36 weeks this week! I can't believe this "pregnancy series" is coming to a close. I really enjoyed documenting my pregnancy. I'm thinking, maybe I can continue the Thursday series as something related to the topic of motherhood, baby stuff, and crafts related to being a mom (nursing friendly clothes?) and baby craft stuff. Any suggestions or recommendations?

This polkadot dress was another purchase from the vintage shop, "sanbiki no neko" (three kittens). if you remember I posted about shopping there during my baby moon a few weeks ago. As soon as I saw this dress, I knew I was going to take it home with me. I love polkadot prints, and the front button design works perfectly for nursing. I shortened the length, because the original form was calf length, which I thought was a little too long. But now, looking at these pictures, I think I hemmed it too short. I didn't take into account that the length would raise an additional 3 inches because of my huge belly.

With the dress, I'm wearing a white cardigan my mother gave me and a Forever 21 skinny belt. I picked this belt up for 280 yen (about 2.5 USD), and it has turned out to be the second most frequently worn item from my closet. Second only to my black opaque tights. I like to wrap it around my waist. This effect gives me some recognizable shape other than shapeless blob!

On Wednesday, I had a doctor's visit. The baby is healthy, and is estimated to weight 3100 grams.
I had some weird pelvic pressure a couple of nights before the visit, so I thought I might have started to dilate, but the doctor said I'm not dilated yet.

At the Dr. office I had a weird experience, the midwife gave me a nipple massage. It really hurt! Basically, she took out my breasts, shook them a couple of times and started to pinch my nipples hard. She said if I do this everyday, I won't have problem producing breast milk for the baby. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? It's painful and I really hate the idea of pinching my own nipples..:(

Up to this point in my pregnancy, I haven't had any pain from pregnancy , but this week I've been having aches in my pelvic bone area. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be going away. The midwife told me it's a good thing since the pelvic bones are opening up for the baby. This, however, does not give me any solution to my aches and pains. At this point, I kind of feel like an old person. I struggle to get up and have pain taking my first step. I will look forward to this little trial being over with. Any thoughts on how I can alleviate this?

Inspiration: Blue dresses

2011-03-23T18:22:00.001+09:00

1. Spring/Summer 2011 Family Affair dress worn by Erin on calivintage, 2. Beautiful one shoulder dress from The Sew Weekly, 3. Sweet heart neckline dress from weheartit, 4. A summer dress with unique back detail, from Flashes of Style via lookbook, 5. Vivienne Tam 2011 Spring dress via weheartit, 6. Blue floral dress via remarkablemadness

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday. I had a post planned, but sometimes the life gets in the way..yesterday was one of those days. I will post that some other time instead:)

I keep a folder named "inspiration" on my desktop of PC, where I save different images that inspire me. I checked back my inspiration folder today and found all kinds of blue dresses.

I love how Erin styled up the Family Affair dress (#1), and the way she took the photo reminds me of Mary Poppins! I think the combination of black and white polka-dot print and pale blue is awesome. And the big buttons and vintage ferragamo bow flats. I just won something like that in cream color from ebay!

Weekend recap & DIY links

2011-03-21T20:27:00.001+09:00

Hi lovely readers! Hope you had a nice weekend. Mine was rather quiet. I haven't had such a relaxed weekend in a while. I guess this is the bright side of the earthquake, more time to relax...because I wouldn't choose it on my own:)

1. My Bible study friends threw me a baby shower on Sunday:)
2. My father-in-law is already crazy in love with his grand daughter! I receive a package from him almost every week now
3. More lovely clothes for the baby and Weleda rose oil for stretch marks
4. Last but not least, I won a giveaway over at not enough time for everything! Yay! This handmade jewelry case and knotted bracelet arrived from Portland, Oregon. Thank you Haruna!

❤ This DIY floral crown from Bleubird Vintage blog is so cute! I think it's great for weddings as well.
❤ Casey has a great tutorial on how to make a fabric covered belt.
❤ Awesome tutorial on how to make detachable collar.
❤ Have you been following Grosgrain Bedroom Makeover Week series? In this post, Katherine shares how she saved on buying less designer fabric to make curtains for her bedroom.
❤ This DIY floral wall instillation is so pretty!

35 weeks - MN1003 Wrap around maternity top variation

2011-03-17T21:47:00.002+09:00

I'm 35 week pregnant this week! I can't believe how fast my whole pregnancy has gone. I only have 5 more weeks (or less) before baby Sophia Kiko will be born. By the way, I plan to avoid the subject of earthquakes and the nuclear power plant situation in this blog on purpose. I'm not a news reporter (although my major in college was Broadcast Journalism..I'm such a bad writer!) and constantly dwelling on the whole situation makes me really nervous. So back to the good stuff, sewing and fashion, and the bright side of life here in Japan.

This week, I finally made myself the Meg Nielsen Maternity top variation. The original top looks like this. I think the top is great for the third trimester pregnant body. So, I decided to do a Chie remix of the dress for a couple of reasons. First I do not have jeans that fit me comfortably any longer so I needed to find a way to cover my bottom half. Also I wanted to make it a bit dressier because I planned on wearing this on my baby shower, which had to be canceled....because of the earthquake (I guess I couldn't completely avoid the topic). So using Meg's pattern, I made some alteration and turned it into a dress.

I used two-way stretch jersey in peach color. After finding out that I'm pregnant with a baby girl, I find myself wearing more pink - Not sure why, but I want to feel girly in pink and peach and all that pretty colors of Spring.

I love how the dress turned out, and I've already worn it once. It's so comfortable! I think the criss cross front might work well for nursing as well.

When I wore this dress, Andy made a confession - he said one of the most unflattering pieces of clothing I own is a pair of black opaque tights. I was shocked. That's my uniform! Since I barely wear pants, I wear black opaque tights almost every day. I had no idea he thought they were ugly. So I decided to switch to half sheer gray tights to pair with my new dress.

So here is a tutorial on how I turned Meg Nielson wrap around maternity top into a maternity dress!
There are 3 pattern pieces to her original top: Front, Back and Sleeves.

1. Alteration on front pattern piece:

2. Alteration on back pattern piece:

3. Alteration on sleeve pattern piece:

This step is not necessary, I lengthened the sleeve just because I wanted the dress to have long sleeves, but if you prefer the elbow length sleeves, you can just use the original sleeve pattern piece.

4. In addition to front, back and sleeve pattern pieces, you will need to draft an I-line skirt pattern yourself.
I used the pattern I drafted for the front cross dress from my Spring collection, and added 3 inches to the top to give it a high-waisted look. Perhaps you can try this tutorial to draft your I line skirt pattern, and omit the darts, because if you use stretchy fabric, you won't need darts.

I cut 4 pieces for the skirt: 2 for front and 2 for back. The reason for this is to layer (or line) the skirt because the fabric I used was rather thin, and I was afraid that it might be sheer.

I would love to see your version of the dress! I think this is a great addition to a wardrobe even if you are not pregnant. I'm already planning on making another one for myself...but only if I can finish the 12+ custom orders I have to waiting before Sophia Kiko comes!

Inspiration: papercup Alphaville look book

2011-03-16T21:48:00.000+09:00

All images via papercup blog

Today's inspiration comes from papercup. This is a New Zealand label which makes handmade clothing. I'm a big fan of their clothing, as you can see from me previous posts on their collections. These pictures are from their latest winter collection (I sometimes forget that countries in Southern hemisphere have the opposite weather from Japan and the U.S.).

I love the use of bright color, especially because we all tend to wear darker color such as gray, black, brown etc in the winter. Also love the big scallop hems, with use of velor fabric.

Secret Garden Lookbook

2011-03-15T23:56:00.000+09:00

Credit:
Photographer, Make-up, and Styling: Amelia Aventine
Model: Yurie Nakatomi
Clothes: Vivat Veritas, available here.

Hi all! Late night post today. We had a black-out in my area today, which limited my pc use because my 15 inch screen laptap battery only lasts about an hour without charging. I want to write more, but will have to keep it short so I can get some sleep!

Here are the mood shot of the "Secret Garden" collection I posted yesterday. What do you think? Which picture do you like the best?

I really really love how every single picture came out! It was hard to pick the ones I posted here. When I have time, I will post more pictures on my Flickr page.

Back in February, Amelia contacted me to do a photo shoot with a theme of "Secret Garden". When I saw her website, I was immediately in love with her work. I have a short interview post of Amelia coming up soon so you can get to know her better. After we agreed upon the theme, I started making clothes. As I said before, I did not make any new patterns for this range, just used some old ones and fabrics I can find from my stash. So most of these dresses will be one-of-a-kind or few-of-a-kind. As much as I love working on bridesmaid dresses, I really enjoy making one-of-a-kind pieces. I take random fabric from my stash and see what it takes me. I also found out that I work better with some concept or theme in mind, instead of random "Spring" or "Fall" collection. Amelia was super fun to work with, and so was Yurie. I think she looks gorgeous in these photos, and even more so in person!

Anyway, it's almost midnight here. Gotta get some sleep to tomorrow. xoxo

Something cheerful...

2011-03-14T21:51:00.000+09:00

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your concerns, prayers and encouraging words on my last post about earthquake. We are still experiencing some aftershocks, possible power shortage etc, but all my family and I are safe and okay.

I wanted to post something quick, and something a bit cheerful in this hard times. I talked about working on a photo shoot with a theme "Secret Garden" a couple of weeks ago, and I think I can show you the lookbook pictures soon (possibly tomorrow!). But before that, here are the dresses on dress form I made for the shoot. I used some old patterns here and there, as you can see from the cut out back dress and sweet heart cut out dress. I am in love with the fabrics I used, especially the Eiffel tower one (last pic)! Don't you think it's so adorable? I found the fabric in Nippori, and I really had to take it home. Anyway, I'll talk more about the inspiration and the shoot itself tomorrow.

Earthquake

2011-03-11T20:53:00.000+09:00

Hi! Just a quick update today.
Thank you for those who sent me a message and twitter..I really appreciate your concern! I'm okay, safe and at home now. I was out with my friend for lunch when the earthquake happened. We just got off the elevator to go outside, and I was so glad that we got off, because otherwise I would have stuck in elevator for hours...
It was really scary and so far the biggest earthquake I've ever experienced in my life.

All the trains and subways were (and still are) stopped, so I walked home. I stopped by at convenience store to use bathroom and noticed that some people stole stuff from the store. Bread, make up products etc were missing, and convenience stores here are never ill-stocked like that! People must have taken some stuff when the lights were out and security cameras were off. What a shame!

34 weeks - trick on wearing non-maternity clothes

2011-03-10T12:00:00.018+09:00

Hi all! Remember I mentioned that Andy and I went thrifting in Shimokitazawa last Saturday? This is the skirt I scored for $6. Satomi's post about color evaluation (her blog is in Japanese) got me thinking about the color I use to create my wardrobe. According to her, she went to a therapist where she was told what color best best suits an individual depending on their facial features, skin tones, hair color etc. I do not have money to blow on the therapy session, but I revisited my closet to find out that my wardrobe consists of...mostly black, gray, purple and blue. I do not have anything orange, or yellow. Orange and yellow are not my favorite colors, but I felt like a such a boring person wearing purple all the time. As for yellow, I'm consciously avoiding to wear yellow, since I feel like it matches with my skin tone too much. But perhaps I can go for different shades of yellow, such as lemon or mustard? Anyway, so when I found this bright orange skirt with yellow and teal tulip print on it for $6, I had to jump on it!

A problem I soon discovered was the waist size. It measures out as 66cm. There is no way that I fit in this skirt comfortably being 34 weeks pregnant! Although, on a side note a 66cm waist is the measurement I want to get back to after the delivery.

After some more deliberation I decided to wear it as a dress. My trick is to make a loop with an elastic band, and attach it to the skirt using safety pin. I threw on a cardigan to hide the opening part in the back. I felt like I'm wearing a moo moo with just that, so I added a belt under bust. Now I have a baby doll style dress:)

And, last but not least for today's post. My darling friend Kaitlyn sent me the precious clothes! I can't wait to dress up my babe with these clothes!

Inspiration: SS11 Family Affairs

2011-03-09T18:44:00.000+09:00

Images via Family Affairs

You might have already seen this lovely Spring/Summer 11 lookbook for Family Affairs?

Of course I love the clothes, but I also love the dreamy and airy look of the photos. I'm greatly inspired for my next photo shoot!

Family Affairs is a mother and daughter team, made by Nina and Kaya Egli, based in New York. I'm dreaming perhaps my daughter and I can be a team to have a little sweat shop at our house in the future...:)

Tutorial: How to make a reversible paper bag skirt

2011-03-08T18:29:00.000+09:00

I'm gust posting at Meg Nielson's new website, DIY maternity, where she shares DIY ideas, tips, tutorials and sewing patterns for making your own maternity and nursing wear! I wrote a tutorial on how to make a reversible paper bag skirt.

The skirt is super simple to make, and the great thing is you can wear it whether you are pregnant or not. I just love elastic waist skirt, because it's such a no-brainier piece. If you make the skirt using the tutorial, I would love to see some pictures of it❤

Babymoon

2011-03-07T21:41:00.001+09:00

Hello all! How was the weekend? I had a great weekend. I finally got to go on my "Babymoon". I had never heard of a babymoon until I read Hanamik's blog post about her's. After reading her blog post, I kept telling Andy that we need to have one too. Sadly, until I explained it to him, he had no idea what it was.

According to Wikipedia,
"A babymoon is a period of time that parents spend bonding with a recently-born baby.
More recently the term has come to be used to describe a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn baby. Babymoons usually take place at a resort that offers appropriate services like prenatal massage."

Andy and I have been busy every weekend since January. One thing after the next. Finally, last Saturday, we made an entire day for ourselves and went on our babymoon:)

I first suggested that we go to a rural resort called Hakone. It is an onsen (hot spring) resort about an hour from where we live. But, Andy told me that he thought I would prefer living it up in Tokyo more than relaxing in the country side. I was skeptical at first, but he was right. I really enjoyed wandering around places in Tokyo that I have never been.

We started the day breakfast. Andy made his (almost world famous)homemade french toast... yum!

Then went to Shimokitazawa for for some thrift store shopping. I have complained in the past, somewhere on the inter-web, that Japan does not have good thrift shops. I was wrong. If you are looking for a good thrifting experience in Japan, you should check out Shimokita!

My new favorite place is called "3 biki no koneko" (three kittens). They have a 630 yen section (about $7 bucks). There I found a really cute tulip print skirt and a great polkadot dress! The polka dot dress opens with front buttons. the buttons themselves are glass. This dress is perfect for nursing. I will post some pictures soon!

Above you can see my favorite picture of the day "Andy and fish"! This snack is called "Taiyaki" in Japanese, and it's like a fish shaped waffle with sweet vanilla custard filling. Beyond delicious!

I was happy to find a store that sold Tootsie Pops. I was surprised to find them for sale at this coffee shop pictured below. You can't usually find Tootsie Pops in Japan.

After our time in Simokita we walked to Shibuya, and took a break at my favorite coffee shop, Ningen Kankeion a street named Spain Valley (Spain zaka).

After that we walked to Omotesando, and walked around small shops and checked out possible photo shoot locations. We then walked to Shinjuku. We ended up walking 15km in total. How crazy is that? lol But the weather was nice, and Andy and I just kept walking while talking about all kinds of stuff.

Finally we ended the night at the New York Grill. Have you seen a movie "Lost in translation"? The movie itself was terrible, I thought, but I really liked the bar that the main character frequented during the movie. The New York Grill bar is where I took Andy on the day he proposed me, 5 and a half years ago. It was nice to think that we ended our babymoon night at a place where our marriage life started. They have a live jazz music from 8pm. If ever you have the chance to go, it is located on the 52nd floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel. The view is just indescribable!

The winner is....

2011-03-04T18:38:00.000+09:00

Thank you everyone for entering into my first giveaway!

I used RANDOM.ORG to pick the winner.

The winner is.. the comment number 20, Jasmine from wit and glitter!

Jasmin, I'll email you to ask your shipping address:)

Thanks again for participating in the giveaway! I would love to do something like this again in the future. Any request or suggestion for what you would like to see in the giveaway? Another clothes, fabric, pattern...?

Have a great weekend everyone!
xoxo

33 weeks

2011-03-03T23:05:00.002+09:00

Hi! Last week I posted about getting pregnancy photos taken by our friend Photographer Will Robb. The photos are ready now and I wanted to share some here! These were taken when I was 31 weeks. I have 100+ more photos but the ones above are my favorites:)

Andy and I both enjoyed the photo shoot. Will and his wife, Sue came over to our apartment with all the equipment, and set up a shop here. Obviously I'm not a professional model so I usually get pretty nervous in front of camera, but I really felt at home while he was taking the pictures. The shoot lasted for about 5 hours, but the time flew!

I love how the photos came out and it is really nice to have something to remember this time in my life.

So, I've been reading a book called "Making children mind without loosing yours" by Dr. Kevin Leman for the second time. The book was passed down from my grandmother-in-law to my mother-in-law to me. I read it when I was about 18 weeks, and now I'm getting close to the end of the pregnancy, I decided to read it again. So whenever I take a long bath, I take the book with me and read it in the bath.

I've noticed that I have a different feeling reading this book for the second time now. For instance, in the beginning of the book, Leman talks about how his doctor gave him advice about leaving the baby with a baby sitter for a couple of hours every week in order to take his wife on a date without the baby. He discusses how this system worked worked well for both he and his wife, and (amazingly) the baby in the long run. He writes that it was really hard for him at first, but it helped a lot in order to maintain a strong love relationship between he and his wife. This, in turn, helped both of them to become stronger parents. Quality time alone as a couple leads to quality time together as parents.

Leman wonders what would have happened if he did not take the advice given him and instead restricted his entire life around a little baby... He strongly holds that if he had done this that the baby would not have grown up to be as responsible and disciplined as she is now.

When I first read this, I was thinking, "leaving a baby for a few hours? This won't be hard for me! I want to go out and take a break sometime and I can have my mom come over to watch the baby". But now when I re-read the same thing, I wonder if I can actually do this. I feel so attached to the baby already and leaving the baby just for a few hours sounds like a real big deal. It's strange how my feelings and attitude have changed over the past couple of months. I feel the baby move and I'm looking forward to her coming every day.

Anyway, although it may be hard for me, I want to try to leave the baby for a few hours each week to go out with Andy. I plan to make a conscious effort to do this even if it feels scary. Perhaps starting on my birthday, which is 10 days after my estimated due date. It will be hard I am sure, but I think it will help my whole family in the long run.

Any opinion? If you are a parent, do you find it hard to leave your baby to someone else?

P.S. Last day to enter t he cut out dress giveaway! The winner will be picked and announced tomorrow:)

Inspiration: DECADE illustration

2011-03-02T10:00:00.022+09:00

Images via DECADE blog.

In the past, I wrote how I like water colors and have a fond memory of art class in elementary school where they taught how to water color. So there was no surprise how I was drawn into the illustration of Bernadette Pascuca, a woman behind DECADE.

Images above are DECADE's collaboration with Stylecaster editorial.

P.S. 2 more days to enter my cut out dress giveaway! Please note this giveaway is open to people outside of Japan as well. Also if you are following me on blogger, twitter or any other method, comment back for an extra entry to increase the chance to win:)

Strawberry Koi Dress!

2011-03-01T22:46:00.001+09:00

Photos via Strawberry Koi, Thom Lennon Photography.

Hello:) Al little late posting today. Went out with mom for lunch and a movie today on my day off:. It felt like such a luxury to be out to see movie during the day on weekday, when everyone is working! We saw the Wall Street movie. It was recently released in Japan. I enjoyed it but felt it was a bit too long...

Anyway, what is worth mentioning is the release of the Stawberry Koi dress that Aya and I worked together. I really enjoyed this whole project. Hop over to Aya's blog to see more photos:) She also posted a short video which is so cute!

As you can see from Aya's design draft, her style is much different than mine. Hers is much more vintage inspired, and that was exactly why I wanted to work with her to add some different taste/style to my shop.

I usually naturally go for sleeveless dresses, whereas Aya added cute cap sleeves. Aya also included PIN TUCKS and pleats...pin tucks is a technique that I had not incorporated in any of my previous creations, because I find it hard to master and time consuming to make! I'm just too lazy to come up with these on my own, so I'm glad this project helped me to advance my skills:p

Pin Tucks on the hem were bad, but Pin Tucks on the sleeves were even worse, because I had to sew tucks on curve. I had to try it a couple of times to get it right.

I decided to go for a solid color to make this dress so the pleats in the skirt and pin tucks stand out more, instead of using my favorite pattern, floral print.

By the way, I love Aya's hand drawn design sketch! I like how the drawing of the dress includes the girl's head, with hair :)

Now the dress is available in my shop for made to order:)

Behind the scenes - "Secret Garden" photoshoot

2011-02-28T17:59:00.000+09:00

Hello! Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

We had a photo shoot on Saturday with photographers, Amelia Aventine and Adam Rowney, visiting from UK. "Secret Garden" was the theme. Amelia found this amazing spot on a man-made island in Tokyo named Odaiba. The spot she found was secluded, almost isolated from the rest of the island. Best part, it had no security to bother us! We were left to our own devices without any distraction for hours.

I was afraid that it would rain on Saturday, but thankfully, it was sunny and dry through out the day. Regrettably, it was one of the coldest days in February. Our model Yurie Nakatomi had to stand in 6 degree weather for 7 hours...I felt so bad for her :(

The weather has been crazy here lately..On Sunday, it was 20 degrees, and super sunny, then today, it switched and went back down to 6 degrees. I can't wait for Spring to come!

Anyway, it was a lot of fun shooting this"Secret Garden" theme. Amelia came up with the whole story board, and I made dresses to match. I love how the clothes came out, and how Amelia styled the photos. We were really on the same page! It might be a little while until I can post the lookbook pictures and get the dresses up on my shop. In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scene photos and a little video!

Cut out dress giveaway! - CLOSED

2011-02-25T21:26:00.002+09:00

Happy Friday everyone! I'm running my first blog giveaway today. I just realized recently that I've never had a giveaway on my blog and I should. I really appreciate all of you for reading, commenting and supporting this small diary of mine, and wanted to give something back.

So, I'm giving away this cut out dress! I made this to wear to my friend's wedding last April, and it's only been worn once. It's made out of poly satin in gray, and perfect for weddings, cocktail parties..etc. I really like this dress, but I am not am not sure with the baby soon to arrive when the next opportunity will be for me to wear something dressy. No reason to have this sitting in the closet waiting on death row.

Here are the measurements Length 34", Bust 32", Waist 25".
I know the size limitations makes it a bit hard, but I hope this dress will find a nice new home:)

To enter, just leave a comment on this post!

For extra entry, you can do the following and comment back with the link:
1) blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveaway with a link to this post
2) follow this blog by using "blogger" button or "bloglovin" button on the side bar
3) follow me on twitter

The giveaway will be open until next Thursday, March 3rd. Enjoy❤

32 weeks

2011-02-24T17:12:00.001+09:00

I snapped these photos after I came back from running some errands today. Thank God for the easily accessible self-timer and remote! I lost my remote a while ago, but happened to find it under the couch while I was cleaning. I'm happy that I didn't rush and buy a new one :p

While I was running some errands, I could not resist the temptation to stop at Mister Donuts. I don't know if you have Mister Donuts in your country, but it's awesome. I like Crispy Creame and Dunkin Donuts, but they cannot even compare to Mister Donuts. Mister Donuts' donuts are not too sweet and have a terrific soft chewy texture. Some of them are really fun, they come in the shape of bears or lions And most come have a whipped cream filling and are covered in chocolate. As I said, I picked one up today and was chowing down while browsing through a shoe store. Then..... I saw myself in the mirror. I really looked pregnant! Round face, big belly and a donuts in hand. It was quite comical.

I had a doctor's check up earlier this week, and the baby is doing well. She is estimated to weight 2200 grams now. Since she got big, she cannot fit in one screen for the ultra-sound, and her picture has to be divided in two.

We received some gifts for the baby from our excited family:
My mom made this cute pouch with strawberry zipper charm. I think it would be perfect to carry some small items, like pacifiers?

From my mother-in-law: some head clips and head bands in different pastel colors. I love little baby girl's head bands, especially on bald head babies. I wonder if my baby will be born with a lot of black hair like other Asian babies, or be bald..

More clothes...

I finally put up the castle decal on the wall. The nursery still does not look all that exciting. Hopefully Andy and I can get some more decorating done.

Finally here is a short "behind the scenes" clip from our maternity photo shoot. We had the photos taken at 31 weeks, and are waiting for the finished products - I really can't wait to see them myself and show you here!

Inspiration: Sretsis/Autumn Winter 2011

2011-02-23T10:11:00.014+09:00

Images via wikifashion

While I was busy preparing for Spring clothes for my shop, isn't it crazy to see some designers are already ready for Autumn Winter 2011?! I can never think that far ahead!

For some reasons, this Sretsis Autumn/Winter collection strikes me as more of "Spring" collection, perhaps because of the light weight fabrics and pinks. I love the 70s inspired feel to this collection, especially the top left one!

Strawberry Koi Dress Project

2011-02-22T23:13:00.000+09:00

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Many of you might know the lovely blog, Strawberry Koi run by Aya Smith but if you don't, do yourself a favor and give it a look-see. I am a huge fan of her blog. I love her vintage inspired outfit posts and how-tos, such as this bow tutorial. She also runs an etsy vintage shop.

The reason I mention her now is because over the past couple of months, she and I have been collaborating on a creation of "Strawberry Koi Dress". I contacted her a while back about the idea of her designing a piece that I would then bring to life. She agreed and we have been working on this ever since. I am happy to announce that the project has just been completed and I will be unveiling the dress soon. She will be modeling and posting the project on her blog soon. I can't wait to see hear wearing the dress!

I am so excited for the final release of this piece. It's outside my normal design range because Aya has a different creative eye than me but that is exactly what made this so much fun.

For today, here are some pictures from the early creation process:)

Belated Valentine's day post

2011-02-21T10:00:00.000+09:00

It has become our tradition to do gift exchange with $20 spending limit on occasions like Valentine's day and Christmas. I think this tradition had started one Christmas, when we decided that it was just too much money to do something special for our wedding anniversary (12th), buy each other Christmas gift (25th) and buy our family and co-worker Christmas gift all in the same month of December.
Although it started from a practical reason, we ended up really enjoying doing this. The spending limit forces us both to be creative:)

For this Valentine's day, I bought Andy push-up bars (not pictured) and made him a handmade T-shirt. I used his favorite Rocky T-shirt as a base. I didn't even make patterns for the T-shirt, but just placed the T-shirt on the fabric and cut. Men's T-shirt is so much easier to make than some woman's clothes! Having no darts or zippers is wonderful. I finished his T-shirt in about half an hour. I added a patch pocket on the left with black and white stripe fabric, and added "Vivat Veritas" fabric tag in the back.
What do you think? Should I start men's line? :p

Andy knew how much I love Knap jewelry, and surprised me with her handmade earrings and matching necklace. The color is beautiful, it's a mix of purple and blue, and depending on the light, the color changes.. I've already worn them 3 days in a row! He also made me a handmade peanut butter cups. If you follow me on twitter, you might know how much I am obsessed with Reese's peanut butter cups.. The reason for my obsession is not only because they are delicious but also we cannot buy Reese's peanut butter cups in Japan. I searched everywhere for this. Different import food stores etc. I guess Japanese people are not so into the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, because I don't really find those combination in any chocolate stores. So I was thrilled when he made me handmade ones...He made them so big they were almost like a cake! lol.

Interview: Meet Jason!

2011-02-18T23:00:00.002+09:00

Happy Friday! Recently I have had the opportunity to collaborate with some amazing photographers, models and other crafters and I am planning to showcase them to you from time to time via interviews...let me know what you think:)

First, let me introduce you to Jason Weddington. He is the photographer who shot my 2011 Spring Collection. I wasn't sure how shooting with someone I did not know would work out, and I was a bit nervous. In the past, when I did photo shoot, people I worked with was either friends or friends' friends. But it turned out that I really enjoyed working with Jason.

One thing I have to mention is the speed at which Jason works. He shot, edited and finalized the pictures in 72 hours. He served in the Marines which is where I guess he learned that work ethic...he does their reputation proud. Simply Amazing!

I was 100% satisfied with Jason's work.. and would love to see what he is going to work on in the future.. If only Andy were able to use a camera like him!

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Can you give our readers a quick self introduction?

Hmm, let's see. I'm 33 years old, I live in Tokyo, and I've been in Japan for about 9 years. I spend too much money on camera equipment, but this year I'm going to do better. I'm also going to lose 5 kg. (It's good to have goals, right?) I shoot travel scenes, street photography, portraits, event photos, and fine art. I like pictures that tell a story, or show something inspiring like a scene of natural or man-made beauty.

When did your interest in photography start?

I've had a camera at various times throughout my life, but I became seriously interested in photography (rather than simply taking snapshots) around 2000 or 2001.

What was the first picture you took after you decided that you were a “photographer”?

I don't think it really works that way. At least it didn't for me. I became a photographer slowly over time, and I still don't introduce myself as a one. For a while I was "interested in photography." Then I was "into photography." Then for a while I told people that "photography is my hobby." Now I tell people that photography is my passion, but I still don't introduce myself as a photographer.

What has been the best shot you have taken?

I have many favorites across several subject areas. I can't really pick a best shot. The images in the portfolio section of my site are some of my current faves, but I'll probably change my mind in a few months.

What has been the worst shot you have taken?

No idea. Whatever it was I've long since deleted it and never looked back. I shoot digital and delete on the spot if the image is a failure.

How do you define your role in the creative process when working independently versus when part of a team?

When working as part of a team I see my role as that of a consultant. I try to understand the client's vision, and sometimes help them take that vision from abstract to concrete. Then I try to use the knowledge, skills, and tools available to me to create images that match that vision.

When I'm on my own it varies. Sometimes I have a specific idea that I want to try. Sometimes I just wander around with a camera and shoot whatever looks interesting. Sometimes I wander around with a camera and don't shoot anything at all. Those are the hardest days.

Do you enjoy the collaborative process?

I enjoy working with models. When I'm able to develop a rapport with a model we tend to feed off each other and the ideas just keep coming. It's great fun to release the creative energy and see where it goes.

Where do you see photography as an art medium heading in the future?

The tools are getting better. With modern DSLRs there are very few technical limitations left. If you've an eye for composition and can learn how to see light, there are fewer barriers between you and that perfect image than ever before. It's a great time to pick up a camera, and more people seem to be getting into photography as a hobby.

Will you look to stay on the cutting edge of the photography medium or will you try and buck the trends?

I just bought an 18 year old lens, what does that tell you? It's all about the right tool for the job. I do try stay current on the digital workflow side, because those tools are changing very quickly. I used to spend hours in PhotoShop on editing tasks that I can now complete in just minutes in Lightroom. So it really pays to stop of the latest trends in workflow.

Do you have any upcoming projects? If not do you have any short term goals you are working towards?

I'm doing some portfolio shots for a lovely model from the UK in a few weeks. In the spring I'd like to make it to Kyoto to shoot more of that amazing city.

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Check out more of his photos on his flickr page and his website❤ He also sells his prints here on RedBubble.

31 weeks

2011-02-17T19:12:00.000+09:00

31 weeks:)
I love reading other pregnant ladies blog posts in the world wide web. First of all, I want to say congratulations to Hana, who gave birth to a beautiful baby boy last night!

I thought the last pregnancy post at Seabird was really neat, and decided to imitate her a little Q&A.

Total weight gain:
Last time I checked, which was a week and a half ago, I had gained 7 kg (16 lbs) in total. I gained a lot around 6 months, since it coincided with Christmas and New Year. I ate way too much around that time, and my appetite didn't seem to be satisfied no matter what I ate! It was crazy. I was really obsessed with food. Recently, I've noticed some change in my appetite, I think there is less room for food in my stomach because the baby is getting bigger. I used to check my weight every day, but stopped it, because I worry about it too much.I'll check my weight at the next doctor's check up.

Maternity clothes?
My friend gave me some maternity clothes (seen here), but I have not bought anything myself. I own many jersey dresses and comfortable pieces that I was able to continue wearing through out pregnancy.
I made two items with maternity in mind: this paper bag skirt and bandage dress. I have been wearing them a lot lately, since they are so comfy! My next creation will be this top, using Meg Neilson's maternity wrap pattern. I already bought the fabric for it:)

Stretch marks?
I've gotten one straight line right in the center... I hope they will go away once I give birth?!

Sleep?
Depends on the night. Most nights I'm tired enough, and I sleep pretty well. Even if I get up for bathroom in the middle of the night, I go back to sleep right away. It had been a challenge to sleep on my side, until I got used to it, because I used to sleep on my back before getting pregnant. Now my belly is too big, that I can no longer sleep on my back.I think exercising is helping me sleep better at night.

Movement?
My little Sophia moves a lot! I can feel that she is practicing using her joint, kicking, and punching. I am not 100% sure, but I feel like I'm feeling her little feet against my belly. I feel her move a lot when I'm sitting down, working on computer, and sometimes she moves so much she overwhelms me! :)

Food cravings?
I guess I'm wanting more sweets and greasy stuff than I used to. But nothing too noticeable. I love any kind of food:)

Belly Button in or out?
My belly button used to be in, but now it's completely out! and flat! I wonder if it goes back to normal after giving birth.

Birth plan?
The birth will be planned, although the exact date has not been decided yet by the doctor. My husband will be in the delivery room with me. I will be in the hospital at 9am of the day of scheduled birth, and they will induce the baby.
If water breaks and the contraction starts before the date of my scheduled date, I will just have to go with the flow and give natural birth.

Breast or bottle?
Breast. I hope I can do this without problem! I made some reusable nursing pads, and bought Medela swing breast pump so my husband can help me feed the breast milk to the baby.

Something I can't wait to do:
Wear heels! I'm sick of wearing flats, but don't want to take a risk of falling wearing high-heels now.
I also want to take some vacation over seas, Maybe Thailand or Bali again with little Sophia. I want to go somewhere hot.

Heartburn?
Oh man, I've never experienced such a terrible heartburn before pregnancy. It just started last week, and I have had really intense one twice in the middle of night. Both nights, I had something greasy for dinner, one night, thick Ramen noodle and the other night, pasta. It was a really terrible feeling to be waken up in the middle of the night because of this.
I have to be careful about what I eat now, and how much I eat, because even if I feel fine while eating it, it comes back to me at 3am in the morning..

Wedding rings?
Still wearing them! Thankfully, I haven't had any swelling problems at all.

Working out?
Yes! I love working out, and I'm glad I made a habit of working out before I got pregnant. It must be hard to start it after, since your body changes so much.
I go to gym 2-3 times a week, and do 30 minutes of elliptical and lift some weights. Once or twice a week, I do 40 minutes to an hour of the Pit workout. I like the Pit, since I can do it at home.
Rest of the time, I use Bass Rutten's MMA workout CD. It's a short 30 minutes work out, and also can be done at home.
I stopped running outside, because I'm afraid of falling, and also people staring at me. Maybe I'm too self-conscious. Also it's just too cold to run outside right now!
I work out almost every day..sweating makes me feel better and I can sleep better at night:)

Inspiration: Photos by Steven Chee

2011-02-16T12:00:00.002+09:00

Images via The Vintage Valley

Today's inspiration comes from photography by Steven Chee. These are something that I want to be wearing this Spring - gingham check, waist marked dresses and higher neckline. Those outfits are so classy!

2011 Spring Collection Lookbook

2011-02-15T17:28:00.000+09:00

❤ Vivat Veritas 2011 Spring Collection Lookbook❤

Credit:
Photographer: Jason Weddington
Models: Sarah Feinerman and Ayumi Ikeda
Jewelry Designer: Knap (Keiko Okamoto)
Makeup and Hair: Naoko Kadota (Sarah Hair), Mayuko Nakamura (Sarah Makeup), Miyuki Kazama (Ayumi Hair), Natsuko Kurosawa (Ayumi Makeup) from K-two make&nail School

Yay! The Spring collection lookbook is here! I'm so happy with the result. I can't add these images to my main website until early March, since my main website is under construction but here are the finished photos!

My husband and I worked hard for this...many late nights sewing and pattern-making, coordinating for the shoot with photographer, models, jewelry designer and make up artists but it was a great experience. I want to send special thanks to everyone who made this possible, Jason for amazing photos and fast turn-around, Sarah and Ayumi for modeling in cold February weather, Keiko for making lovely jewelry to match my clothes and last but not least, the makeup and hair artists for doing their magic!

An added point of interest for this shoot came because of my collaboration with a local jewelry designer, Knap. I have been a fan of her dainty, glass jewelry for quite a while first spotting her on etsy. She kindly let me use her jewelry for the shoot, and designed some new earrings to match some of my clothes.
Unfortunately, only one out of two models had ear pierced (my fault for not checking ahead of time..) and we could not shoot as many photos emphasizing the earrings as I initially planned. Also in terms of photo shot prep, I planned for clothes, not for jewlery. In other words, I was at a loss when Jason asked me what kind of shots I wanted for the jewelry. This I want to improve for future collaborative efforts.

Beside being freezing cold on the day of the shoot, we had a difficulty finding a place to shoot that was security guard free. The first couple of photos were taken near a government building in Shinjuku. I had no idea we needed permission for this. Thankfully, we had some nice shots completed by the time the security guard kicked us out. We then moved to a park in Shinjuku, but again, some security guards bothered us. I assumed shooting at a park would be fine since it's public property... I was mistaken :(

In the end, everything came together nicely. I learned a lot for future shots and will be well prepared for a "Secret Garden" fantasy shoot I have coming up in a few weeks. Take a look at the video and tell me what you think! I'd love to hear about any experiences you may have had with a similar project or recommendations you have for the future.

Weekend recap

2011-02-14T15:58:00.000+09:00

Hello! Hope everyone had a nice weekend:)
Mine was a lot of fun, busy and as always went too quick. Here is my highlight of the weekend:

1. I worked on some bride's maid dresses order - I love sewing bride's maid dresses! I usually don't like making same things over and over again, but for some reasons, I really don't mind the repetition for making bride's maid dresses. Perhaps it's the excitement of someone getting married.

2. Wrapped up Valentine's day gift for my husband♪　I have a ton of scrap fabrics that I can use to make gift wrapping pretty. I cut out a piece of left over fabric in a heart shape, glued it on top of gift box and tie the boxwith yarn.

3. My husband and I had a pregnancy/maternity photo session with our photographer friend, Will Robb. Will shot my A/W2010 lookbook in the past and is an amazing photographer! Can you believe he is a self-taught photographer?!
The photo session lasted five hours, but it felt like it was only half an hour. I can't wait to show you the finished photos soon!

4. Finally I started working on Casey's 1940's swing dress sew-along. I'm soo behind! I printed out the patterns, and will be assembling them tomorrow, whereas Casey and others already made muslin, and about to cut the fashion fabric. I really need to catch up!

How was your weekend?

By the way to celebrate Valentine's day, I am offering 15% off for blog readers and twitter followers at my shop! Please use a coupon code "Valentine15" at check-out. The coupon code is valid only for today and tomorrow!

30 weeks - The Daddy Chronicles Part I

2011-02-10T10:00:00.014+09:00

The Daddy Chronicles

A letter to my unborn child:

Any hip hop fan will note the reference in this blog posts title to a song by the same name by Tupac Shakur. It may seem odd to reference a Tupac song in this instance but, as chance would have it, the song recently turned up on my MP3 player while I was working out. The song lyrics got me thinking about the my baby's coming birth. What do I want to tell my daughter now If am not able in the future? What are some things I want her to understand about the time of her birth and her fathers thoughts on the matter? It is in that vein that I write this letter.

To My first child Sophia Kiko Duncan
On the day of your birth, I plan God wiling, to be in the front row holding your mothers hand welcoming you into the world. What my initial reaction will be, I do not yet know. What will go through my mind as I first lay eyes on you I cannot yet conceive. Yet, as I sit in this rocking chair penning this letter, I can think of three things that I would like you to understand.

First, as your father, I must say now on the day of your birth that I make no excuses for the many failures I will commit. I will not be the father I should be because I am not the husband nor man I should be. For this you have my sincerest apologies. Your daddy is a sinful man and deserves more criticism than he receives in regards to how he lives, what he does and what he does not do. I see perfection and know all too well my own short comings. It is my duty to to be perfect and as God as my witness I will look to be be the perfect father, husband and man I should be. Yet, as you read this, you know I will never have been able to meet this standard. Nonetheless, from the day of your birth, it is your job to hold me accountable as your father, to show me how to love, serve and honor you in the ways I should.

Secondly I do not want, for one second of your precious life, for you to believe that I have ever worried about you. There is no fear in this man in regards to you. Doubt, concern, trepidation all vanish from this man when you enter his mind. You were conceived in love and given as a part of this family at the perfect time and in the perfect way. The timing and plan of our Almighty Father continues to awe me. The grace I have received and the love you conjure completely outshine any darkness that otherwise haunts me. Although, I should be concerned with the many things that will come with being your father, I am not. I have no fear for you or about you. You are a gift entrusted to your mother and I for a time. As I think about you how could I have any feeling but love, confidence and hope.

What I do need to express before this letter comes to completion is utter joy in the present and tremendous anticipation for your arrival. I have nothing but hope for you. Sophia, your mother and myself as a family are a family. Only thoughts of appreciation and gratefulness enter my prayers of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father. Christ is the leader, head and base of this family. Because of that I can wait expectantly on you birth and life. In all, your mother and I, feel ever expanding fulfillment as you enter our lives. You Sophia Kiko Duncan are loved more than you know. Your father and mother eagerly look ahead and imagine who you are and what you will become.

Every year on your birthday you will receive a letter. I pray that they will remind you of the love we share, and the hope. Let these letters spur you forward for a life of glory. A life in which you glorify Him and are glorified in Him.

Your Father
Andrew William Duncan

Inspiration: Rachel Antonoff S/S Look Book

2011-02-09T12:01:00.000+09:00

What a fun, and different lookbook! Sheet music, piano, trumpet, bed and stuffed animals are such cute ideas.

I love the red shorts, with white piping (or bias tape?) detail. Piping in contrasting color is something that I want to incorporate in my clothing this coming seasons.

Rachel Antonoff via Liebemarlene Vintage blog.

Spring Collection Preview

2011-02-08T17:16:00.000+09:00

I hope you are not sick of me talking about the Spring collection and photo shoot because here is another post! I promise I have other topics that I will be posting on soon :)

Anyway, the collections mood shots are not ready yet, but here is a preview of my mini Spring collection on body form. More detailed photos are posted on my flickr set, here.

I came up with three different dress designs: Sweet heart cut out dress, Choker dress and Front cross dress. All three dresses have focus on unique necklines. A few months ago I was working out at the gym and, (as you may know if you're a workout freak like me) while hitting the treadmill, random thoughts come and go. I was thinking about how, in the near future, I won't be able to wear a necklace. This is because once I have the baby, my new darling will want nothing more than to pull, play and chew my neck wear. While thinking about this coming difficulty, it dawned on me, how about a dress that focuses on a particular neck detail that acts almost like a necklace!

These dresses were also inspired by my husband's comment about how he loves chokers on women. He kept saying that I should design something that has choker-like wrap around in the neck. He even drew some pictures to describe what he meant...well this was almost two years ago, but I finally put that into a shape.

Although these dresses are not suited for nursing, I'm pretty happy with what I came up!
So my inspiration came out from some practical point of view - where do you usually draw inspirations from?

I only posted Gingham check sweet heart cut out dress on my shop now, but the rest will be uploaded through out this week.

Behind the scenes - make up session

2011-02-07T17:02:00.001+09:00

As I mentioned last week, I had a photo shoot of my Spring collection on the weekend! The shoot went very well, thanks to an amazing photographer, Jason Weddington, two lovely models, Ayumi and Sarah, and four make up and hair artists. I was really nervous about the shoot, and looking back now, I have a lot of things that I want to improve for the next time.

Here are some behind the scene photos and a video that my husband made. I can't wait to show you the finished product!

Guest blogger: Studio tour by Megan Nielsen

2011-02-04T14:39:00.001+09:00

Happy Friday! Today I'm having an Australian designer, Megan Nielsen as a guest blogger.
I always admire people with well-organized sewing studio, and when I saw her post on her blog about her sewing room, I knew I had to ask her how she does it! My sewing room is such a mess, and I really needed some advice on how to organize it well before the baby comes.

In addition to having a successful clothing line worn by Jessica Quirk of What I Wore and Kendi Lea of Kendi Everyday (two of my favorite daily read!), she is a wife and a mother of two young children. She also sells sewing patterns, including some maternity clothes sewing patterns. I've been wanting to make her wrap maternity top so bad!

Enough with my rambling, and here is Meg ❤

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Hi everyone! My name is Megan Nielsen, but you can call me Meg! I’m an independent Australian designer, and Chie has asked me to share a little with all of you on how I have my studio set up.

I’ve worked hard over the last few years to hone my studio arrangement to it’s most efficient point. It’s been such a journey, and I’ve gone through so many iterations that it’s kind of hysterical – but I finally found what that works perfectly for me! You see I have 2 small children (both under 3), so the time I get to work on my sewing projects is limited - which means I need to be able to find everything immediately when I get a second to work. Added to that, sewing equipment is pretty dangerous for little kids, so everything needs to be out of reach, and I need to know exactly where it all is so I can tell if it’s missing! Actually you’ll find a lot of the way my room is set up (and the fact that it’s neat at all) is because I have little ones running around!

This is the basic arrangement:
I have a very long desk against one wall which has my sewing machine and my serger/overlocker. On that wall I also keep my peg board (which is like, the best thing EVER!). On the peg board I keep all the dangerous stuff, scissors, pins, needles, small buttons, rulers etc . It works really perfectly for me, because as I’m sewing on my machines I can reach up for whatever I need – but things are also well out of reach of little hands.

I then have a smaller desk round the side that houses my little office area – computer, printer, stationary and shipping supplies. Packing up orders to ship can sometimes take a while, so it’s really great to have a designated area. Above my computer screen, is my inspiration board. I normally keep my main sketches for the current season, as well as the fabrics I’m use and whatever inspirations I’m drawing on – it really helps to keep me focused!

In the middle of the room I have my cutting table – it’s really perfect here because I can access it from all angles, but also means that while I’m at my sewing station I can easily swivel my chair around and work on my cutting table. I keep a huge self healing mat on here at all times so that I can use my rotary cutter really easily. I like to use this table for pattern drafting too, since it’s so big and I have the grid underneath.
I keep my patterns in plastic drawers, organized by season, or type, whichever is more appropriate – and each pattern is housed in a large zip lock bag – just in case sticky little hands get access!
On the other side is my ironing board, which is always set up. I think anyone who serious about sewing will always have their iron on when they sew! I honestly think the difference something looking amateurish or professional.

You may have noticed there isn’t any fabric anywhere – that’s partly because I don’t want it any place that my kids can get to it, and partly because I have so much that it needs it’s own room to be stored (if fabric hoarding was a disease, I’d be a terminal case). There’s nothing fancy there, just lots of large plastic tubs and shelves.
The last things in my room are my 3 dress forms. Which are generally just scattered around depending on what I’m working on!

So there you have it!! That’s just a little bit about my studio space, and why I have it the way I do – it works so well for me, and I hope you’ve enjoyed my little tour!
XOXO

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I was also inspired by her blog post "how I do it all" - full of wisdom for a mother-to-be, like me. Her "Meg's maternity wear survival guide" was very helpful as well.

29 weeks

2011-02-03T10:00:00.036+09:00

29 weeks! My husband and I snapped this photo with camera placed on an ironing board with a self-timer, so it's a bit tilted to the side..sorry! The bump is getting bigger, and I think calling it a mountain is more fitting than a bump. Strange thing is though, I have not gained any weight for a month although the belly seems to be getting bigger. Not sure why.

I have a doctor's appointment scheduled in a couple of days, and am excited to see the baby's growth in ultrasound. After this appointment, the visit will be every 2 weeks, instead of every month. I feel like the end is near!

I am blessed with wonderful friends who generously passed me down some of her maternity clothes, baby goods such as milk bottles, baby bath etc.

So to show my thanks, I made a little baby dress for my friend's 3 month old baby girl. I used the same pattern as these dresses. It is made of green corduroy (seen here also), and I lined it with some cotton stripe fabric. I also added cream color crochet lace at hem. I hope she'll like it!

Inspiration: silk tie-dye

2011-02-02T08:03:00.001+09:00

Images from Shabd Simon-Alexander

When I was in elementary school, I used to love water painting lessons at art class. Something about mixing colors and spreading them over a white sheet of paper was so soothing and relaxing to me as a kid. One time I drew water color cherry blossom trees and got many compliments from the teacher..maybe that's why I remember the class as a fond memory.

Anyway, these silk tie-dye reminded me of the elementary art class. Each piece is so unique and some of the details are handsewn! Wish I could own one, why does it cost $500 a pop...

From my mail box

2011-02-01T17:39:00.000+09:00

Image via weheartit

I've recently received two similar inquiries, looking for an advice on how to be a fashion designer. I was really flattered that I was asked. Although I don't think I'm in the position to be giving advice on this, especially because I don't really consider myself as a "designer" (I'd like to be called "seamstress":) )I tried my best to give my honest response to the girls.

This might bring some controversial discussion, especially regarding my opinion on fashion degree (I'm sure some of you will hate me..), but I decided to share it here. Any opinion and comments are welcomed! ❤

In addition, I really recommend reading Gabby from Hopeless Lingerie's "Starting from Scratch" series. I 100% agree with her opinion!

P.S. the girl's name has changed for privacy purpose. I do have her consent to share her email.

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Hi,

My name is Christina, 14, and I was looking through some of your collection, and pieces online and I absolutely love them!
I hope to be a fashion designer when I am older and was wondering if you had any tips on how to improve.
I have made a few pieces, but your style is exactly what I love.
If you have any free patterns that I could start off with, that would be great too.

Kind Regards,
Christina

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Hello Christina,

Thanks for contacting me. I am flattered and humbled by what you said....very much undeserved. Any way I can encourage or help you is my pleasure. I don't have any patterns but there are many online, for instance, burdastyle.com is a great site to go for sewing tips and some free patterns.

First let me say I do not do this full time. I have a full time job. Secondly, I never studied fashion. Thirdly, good tools are important. Fourthly, patience is key. Lastly, Practicing the craft is the only way to produce quality fashion.

-On my first point, my company has been experiencing growth recently but it is certainly not something that could support me. I hope someday to do it full time but I am not sure how feasible this is.....in other words plan on doing this as a hobby/part time job in your free time as a start. Find regular employment that will keep you fed and let fashion pay for your vacations :) That is what my husband and I do. We both work and my Vivat Veritas money keeps us in the black with enough extra money to enjoy vacations and fun things like that.

-Secondly, let me be quite honest about degrees in fashion or majors in fashion, I really do not see the point. At a fashion school you are not be taught anything that google tutorials cant teach you. I have known many who have gone to fashion design schools, and many of them ended up working at a coffee shop. I recommend training yourself on how to make clothes. If you are interested I can provide you with links and sites for self teaching. I don't mean to sound harsh but I would recommend studying something like chemistry, law, math, education anything that can get you a good full time job upon graduation....fashion jobs are few and the vast majority do not pay well.

-Thirdly, I recommend that as you have the ability buy good tools. Invest in a good sewing machine and good serger.

- Fourthly, I have been at this since 2008 and I didn't sell much of anything for the first 6-8 months. Even now there are times when sales are just dry and all my stuff sits on the shelf. That is how business works. when sales come, be happy, when they don't, be patient and use the time to expand your collection and market.

I think opening an etsy shop would be a great idea for you to practice and see what response people have to what you make. Criticism is your best friend. Get making things, take criticism, define what you want your style to be and have fun doing it. Study blogs you like, try to find ways to stay ahead of trends:)

Hope this helps any more questions feel free to ask. I wish you all the best and will look forward to seeing how you grow, learn and expand over the next few years!

Chie

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Photo inspiration for Spring collection shoot

2011-01-31T09:01:00.000+09:00

The photoshoot of my mini Spring collection is coming up this weekend! I am busy sewing, preparing and coordinating for the shoot, and really excited to share the result here sometime next week. I am working on a fun collaboration which I can't wait to share with you very soon..

Here are some of the photo inspirations that I've collected for the shoot. All the top photos are from Liebemarlene Vintage and two bottom are from That's Chic.

We are aiming to catch the soft light from the background, and the main shoot will be done right before sunset..I'm really hoping that it won't rain this weekend! Wish me a luck❤

Friday shop update and some thoughts on international shipping fee

2011-01-28T10:00:00.002+09:00

Happy Friday!
Here are some things that were recently added to my shop. Lots of prints!
Top left: Black and White stripes scarf, $12
Top right: Black & White rose kimono dress, $50
Bottom left: 50's inspired plaid dress, $90
Bottom right: 50's inspired floral dress, $90

A recent purchase I made online got me thinking about the cost of international shipping fees. I found a dress I liked for $10, and the listing said it includes domestic shipping fee within the U.S. So, I emailed the seller to ask how much the shipping fee be to Japan. It was extra $10, so the total would be $20. Double the price?
I decided to ask her to ship the item to my family's address in NY, so they can forward the item to me, which in the end, will cost me less money. Honestly, it does not cost $10 to ship a light weight summer dress to Japan from the U.S. I know because I ship world constantly!

Granted, I have only lived in the U.S. and Japan, and have most of my experience working within those countries but, I often feel like etsy and ebay sellers are overcharging the international shipping fee. I don't know if they are including the so called "handling fee", but many times it makes me feel that they are trying to make money by overcharging on shipping fees. I understand higher shipping fee cost if you are getting a wedding dress in a big box, or industrial coffee maker but honestly, it really turns me off to see sellers charging exorbitant for no reason.

I usually charge $5 for orders from the U.S., and $7 for other countries. I charge a standard $5 for U.S., shipping even though, many times, I end up paying a slight difference out of my pocket. The way I see it, most of my customers are from the U.S., and I do not want the shipping fee to be deterrent from ordering from my shop. Also as I see it, the seller should be quick to refund if they cost is less than had been previously expected.

Just my two cents.....what is your take on shipping fees?

28 weeks

2011-01-27T15:50:00.000+09:00

28 weeks! I officially started the third trimester of pregnancy. It's crazy! Everything is going so fast. Not much change from last week..just having some sleeping problems time to time. I don't sleep well 2 nights out of 3. I wake myself up trying to change sleeping position...

So I'm wearing my first self-made maternity clothes! I did not intend it to be maternity dress, but it turned out the dress is so comfortable and has some slimming effect because I used black jersey for skirt part. I made this to be part of my mini Spring collection, and the photos on models (not pregnant) will be up soon! But in the meantime, you can see more pictures on mannequin on my flickr page here. It will be available in white &black and solid black.

I like the dress because I know I will be able to continue wearing it even after the birth..I'm just not a big fan of some Japanese maternity dresses, that makes you look obviously pregnant and shapeless.. like this one or this one.

Last week, I spent one night sewing up two little baby girl's dresses - aren't they cute?! I love how they turned out! I simply used some left over fabrics from making adult clothes, and I thought it was a great way to use up my left over fabric stash.

I used the pattern downloaded from a Japanese website, called Handmade no Kokoro. They have many patterns download for free in pdf file. If you are used to using BurdaStyle patterns, it will not be a problem figuring out how to use them. The only thing to note is to add seam allowances. I used pattern no. 12 dress for these dresses.

Inspiration: Primark Spring 2011

2011-01-26T11:51:00.000+09:00

Primark Spring 2011 via calvintage.

Wow, I love this collection so much. Everything looks so fresh and new after gray and black dominant winter collections.

I am inspired by the top left dress, and hoping that I will be able to find similar fabric to make a dress like that sometime!
I also like how conservative and classy these clothes are - the neckline is higher and those pink and beige pleated skirts have moderate length. It seems a bit hard to pull off the below knee length skirt, but I certainly want to try this Spring.

Wide leg pants are in my to-sew list as well. I think Bella pattern from Burdastyle fits the bill. I already have pattern downloaded and cut out. Unfortunately high waisted design is not really working for my pregnant body, so I have to wait for a bit until I give birth!