Melanie Uematsu

We met Mammoth!

There is a very cute free paper in Tokyo that you should get, if you are a papa, mama or a kid! It is called MAMMOTH and their main topic is to create a new standard of education. Articles, games, trip advices, various tips and “Play to learn” pages give everyone new hints how papas,…

How much fabric is needed for a garment

In the industry there are many people very busy with lay-outing the garment patterns on the fabric. Of course: waisting the less fabric the better. In ancient times, when fabric was dealed like gold, the tailors didn’t waist any fabric either and there were rules, not to leave more than a hand-full of fabric after…

Architect Shigeru Ban finishes emergency homes at Onagawa

Eigth months and 10 days since the earthquake, the tsunami and the explosion of Fukushima’s power plant shocked the world. Many people supported the people in North East Japan, who lost everything in only a few minutes. Together with my friend Ruri san, who was born in Onagawa (the city where the Tsunami hit) and…

Kid’s Winter Collection

It’s getting cold in Tokyo, today is pooring rain. Time for some warmer shirts and bloomers for the kindergarden. The most important about kids clothes is, the kids aren’t sweating and cooling down suddenly. So I choose sweatshirt jersey and a light wool knit for the bloomers and the top. The shirt had an applique…

A Bento Bag

This is a new students project!!! Sabrina made her own bento bag in only one session! The bottom is finished with the bag technique No. 5 (please view the post bag bottoms) and the cord on the top can be pulled through an eyelet. Autumn leaves and gold fishes The cord is pulled through an…

A Long Shirt with a Long Nose

Tra~ra~, a little elephant. This shirt is made of weatshirt jersey. I colored white jersey with purple dye and the elephant is an appliqué of grey jersey. As you can see: one arm is made of grey jersey only to create a really long elephant nose. Eyes, tusks and feet are appliquéd with white cotton,…

10 Golden Rules to treat your machine nicely

I believe that sewing machines have ➀ a soul, ➁ are moody and ➂ they don’t work well, when they are stressed! So be really carefull that you treat your sewing machine nicely, otherwise you have to anticipate the worst! How often did it happen… I was quasi on the way to a party, almost…

Kindergarden Bag: The Second!

Some days ago I posted Voila! Another Bag , which showed the arrangement for a new kindergarden bag. This bag is finished now and the result is really cute – *I think*… front… back … and the details of the applique. To see another bag, please visit: A Universe Kindergarden Bag If you like to order a…

An elegant Eco-bag

My friend Ruri san, who worked for many years for Tsumori Chisato has started her own brand 01180. She will exhibit these elegant Eco-bags the upcoming weekend at Design Festa Vol. 34 in Odaiba’s Big Sight. I’m sewing the bags ✂ ✂ ✂ I’ll update her booth name later. Please visit if you have the…

Fabric stores in Tokyo: Yuzawaya

About two month ago I wrote a post about fabric stores in Tokyo. That time my focus was on Okadaya, a textile and handicraft chain with two subsidiary brands called Manocreare and Hobby Scramble. The other very visible handicraft chain is Yuzawaya They are even larger with 32 stores from Hokkaido to Fukuoka! Yuzawaya is far beyond…