floating world

bird textiles

(photo from the Bird website)

I visited a gorgeous new fabric shop for the first time on Thursday: Bird Textiles sell beautiful handprinted fabrics, original clothing designs and a range of homewares. AND they support sustainable design. Their Sydney store is in Surry Hills in the most divine old pharmacy - it still has all the original fittings and is heritage listed. For anyone in Sydney I definitely recommend a visit, and for everyone else their stock is available online - have a look. It's expensive, but very cute.
 

good things from far away

Wool from Uruguay, via New York. To be made into a vest for Ali.
Chocolate from Spain. Destined for brownies.
A book from Japan, via San Francisco. To provide inspiration for gocco prints and patterns.
Buttons from Paris. I'm not sure what they'll be yet, but they are beautiful to play with.

 

tokyo mart

When I taught at Nova, if I ran out of lesson materials before the end of the class or was in the conversation lounge I used to ask the students what I should cook for dinner, and then ask them to explain how to make it. It was a great way to fill in time, because they could practice giving instructions, and I learned how to make simple Japanese dishes like gyu-don, oyako-don and yakisoba. Since we moved back to Sydney I haven't cooked any of them, but I was near Tokyo Mart today and stopped in to pick up some basic ingredients. Even though it's a very small supermarket it made me all nostalgic for Japan! I do miss my local Peacock, especially the ready made bento boxes and the seasonal foods, although not so much the prices.

wardrobe refashion

Wardrobe Refashion signups are open now, and I'm going to sign up for 2 months. That will mean no shopping for new clothes for December / January (see here for a full list of the rules). I'm interested to see how hard it will be. I got out of the habit of clothes shopping when I was pregnant because maternity wear was so foul, and now that I'm able to wear my pre-maternity clothes again after a break it almost feels like they're new again. I'm hoping it will push me into doing some more clothes sewing and trying slightly more challenging patterns. I bought Sew U a while ago, and haven't used any of the patterns yet, so this will be a good opportunity. Trying to find clothes and materials second hand will be fun too. I've been enjoying clothes shopping less and less over the past few years, so I'm wondering if I'll miss it at all.

ikea mission

As much as I love the idea of furnishing my home with carefully scavenged vintage pieces, the reality of traipsing through second hand stores and markets with a newborn is not so easy. I've been wanting to get a little chair for the corner of Ali's room - he's rapidly outgrowing his moses basket and will have to move into the cot in his own room soon, so I want somewhere that I can sit for nighttime feeds now, and then use as a story time chair when he's older. This Ektorp Tullsta chair from Ikea ticked all the boxes - not too big, not too high, and with removable covers so I can wash off baby sick and cat hair. I'm going to make a new cover for the cushion.

Today was rainy and grey, so perfect weather for Ikea. I try to plan some kind of mission out of the house with Ali every day, and in wet weather it's a bonus to be able to park undercover. I met my mum over there and she helped with pushing the stroller and loading the car. Plus, as an added bonus, I got to eat cheap meatballs for lunch... I really love the Ikea canteen food, I don't know why.

I'd picked out this chair months ago, and was going to go and buy it the week that Ali was born, but then he turned up early and then it was out of stock, so it's good to have it at last.

I've decided to take on the NaBloPoMo challenge and try to write something every day in November. Blogging has been sporadic at best recently, so hopefully this will get me back in the swing of things. But be warned... life with a baby is not always super exciting, so there may be some mundane posts!

playmat of doom

Before Ali was born I was determined not to get too much baby stuff. We bought a stroller, cot, change table and car seat, and I decided that that was Enough. The one non-essential I allowed myself was a moses basket and stand, because I wanted to have him sleep next to us for the first few months.

My minimalist policy lasted about two weeks, at which point I went out and bought a Baby Bjorn, bouncy chair and baby monitor in one swoop, and they have been in constant use ever since.

I was challenged again this week. Pre-baby I had a particular loathing for playmats and baby gyms. I thought they were much too big and cluttery, and that they wouldn't be used for long anyway. But, after Ali was born I started to have doubts. There's a playmat at the baby health centre where I go for mothers' group, and all the babies smile and coo when they lie on it. And when I visited one of the girls from antenatal class last week Ali seemed entranced by her baby's play gym. I started to worry that because of my snobbery about lurid toys he was missing out on something he would enjoy. And so, on Tuesday I bought him a playmat. It didn't look too bad in the shop, and I reasoned that it could be folded up when not in use.

It wasn't until I got home that I realised I had bought The Playmat of Doom. It was huge. It took up half the floor in Ali's tiny nursery. It was completely lurid, and had so many flashing lights that I feared it would induce epilepsy. It was made out of scratchy polyester and had a scary chemical smell. It played tinny music and depressing "nature" sounds. And, worst of all, Ali didn't seem remotely interested in it.

And so yesterday I packed up the horror baby gym and took it back, and felt so much better as soon as it was out of the house.  I've ordered this rattle instead, and I'll jiggle it for him while he lies on his sheepskin. Much better.

[Disclaimer: no offence intended to playmat / baby gym owners. I am convinced that I inadvertently bought the ugliest baby gym in the whole world, and I am sure there are plenty of much less offensive models out there]

towering

Before I lived in Tokyo, London was home for 18 months. It feels like so long ago, but I really only left at the start of 2004. For most of the time I was there I lived in a tiny flat near the north end of Portabello Road, and I loved that area so much. It's not fancy, like the Notting Hill end, but had lots of character - there were halal butchers, Portuguese bakeries and grocers that sold exotic ingredients for Afro-Caribbean cooking. The Notting Hill Carnival started outside our flat, and we woke up on the first day to find people selling jerk chicken on our doorstep. The whole neighbourhood was dominated by the Trellick Tower, which I love... it has such great lines, and I used it to navigate by when walking home (I have no sense of direction) or to work
out where we lived when looking out at the city from tall buildings.

Because I have such a soft spot for the Tower, and it reminds me of the great time we had living nearby, I love these things from the very cool People Will Always Need Plates. I bought the tea towel (on the left) about a year ago, but haven't been able to bring myself to use it yet. I looked at the site again today, and saw that they now have mugs, badges and shopping totes too. I'm thinking that the tote might make a very nice nappy bag...

super kawaii

What could be cuter than a burmese kitten?

Perhaps a burmese kitten sitting on a pile of fabric from Cloth?

This is Momoko doing her attacking thing, which is what she does when she is not doing the cuddling thing. Her favourite toys in the whole world are a paper bag and a 10cm piece of elastic, but she like cloth and knitting wool too.

The fabric is from the Cloth clearance sale, I went last Friday and (after exercising massive restraint) ended up with enough to cover a chair and a lamp and make some cushions. You can't tell from the photos, but as well as gorgeous prints the fabric is beautifully textured - all nubbly. I am determined to clear the sewing / knitting backlog in the next few weeks, and hopefully I can finish up work in mid-August which will give me time to indulge in some serious crafting and nesting before the bub turns up in September.

online goodness

Some beautiful things that have caught my eye lately:

• These necklaces -  I've wanted one for ages, and finally crumbled and ordered the Passion colourway. I figure that since I'm going to be wearing lycra sacks for the next 4 months I might as well have something pretty and sparkly to distract from them.
• The BoyGirlParty shop. A couple of years ago I had a pair of Susie G's prints framed up for our flat in Tokyo, and they still make me happy every day. On my list is this for me (beats those green bags for the supermarket!) and this for the new bundle-to-be.
• I am slowly getting less superstitious and letting myself buy some baby things. This bunny onesie was too sweet to resist, and a bit different to the things in the shops here. I'm also very tempted by this organic cotton baby wear, and these super-cute retro things. And, from the US, these screenprinted things are just gorgeous. And my Small Object t-shirt just turned up from Art Star - it is adorable.
• Egg Maternity, for non-hideous maternity wear (I finally found a less-than-frumpy denim skirt and some acceptable jeans)
• Kpixie, which is feeding my new knitting obsession. I love the Blue Sky Alpaca cotton, (and their bear pattern). I'm also stalking Tapestry Craft's website when planning what to knit next, although I prefer to go there in person to buy stuff so I can check out the colours.

fabric shopping in tokyo

I've been getting a few emails from people wanting tips about fabric shopping in Tokyo, so before I forget my way around the city I thought I'd do a post with as much information as I can remember in one place.

 

I did most of my fabric shopping at two places, Marunan in Shibuya and Yuzawaya in Kichijoji. I lived in Ebisu, so these were both really handy for me. Marunan is at Shibuya crossing, so it's easy to get to no matter where you're staying in Tokyo. Take the Hachiko exit from the JR station, and then you get to a huge pedestrian crossing with a big Starbucks opposite. Cross over the road to the left, towards the 109 building, and you'll see Marunan on the left, with some rolls of fabric outside. There are about 5 floors, with notions and ribbons at the top, and printed cottons for patchwork in the basement. It is not incredibly cheap, but much cheaper than Japanese fabrics are overseas. This shop is really good if you have limited time in Tokyo and want to buy fabric without going too far out of your way.

Yuzawaya is a chain of big craft stores, and the Kichijoji branch is the only one I ever visited, although I know there are lots of others. The easiest way to get there is to catch the Inokashira line from Shibuya - the line goes from Shibuya to Kichijoji so it doesn't matter which train you get, although the express is quickest. It usually takes about 20 minutes to get there. When you get off the platform, go through the ticket barriers and head up a flight of stairs to your right, past a Starbucks, and you end up in Yuzawaya which is actually in the station complex. You will enter on a floor that is mostly thermal underwear, but do not be peturbed - crafty goodness is just upstairs! There are floors and floors of fabrics, wool, beading, kits and all kinds of things, and then stationery in the basement. It is possible to spend all day here, as well as lots of money. If you want to venture out and explore Kichijoji it is a great area - Kat has some excellent links to other local crafty stores and businesses (scroll down to "Let's go Kichijoji"). And if you are overwhelmed by fabric shopping you can go rent a swan boat and chill out in Inokashira Park.

The other big area for fabric shopping is Nippori, which is in northern Tokyo up near Ueno. Catch the JR Yamanote line to Nippori and then follow the signs to "Nippori Textile Town". If you end up in a big graveyard you've come out the wrong side of the station, but not all is lost because you are on your way to Yanaka which is my very favourite area of Tokyo and well worth an excursion anyway. If you want to go to Yanaka you can visit here and here and have coffee here as well as pottering around the old wooden houses, shops and shrines, but for fabrics you should head back to the Textile Town, which is a street full of smallish fabric stores except for the huge and impressive Tomato. It has a fantastic range of fabrics, especially cute cotton jersey, printed cottons and oilcloths. Be warned - bring cash! They don't take cards.

Vintage kimono and obi can be bought cheaply at most fleamarkets, especially if you are buying them to chop up and don't mind a bit of damage. I found them at the Togo Shrine market in Harajuku and the Hanazono market in Shinjuku, but they seem to be a fixture at all markets. There is more information on Tokyo fleamarkets here and here.

So, those are my tips for fabric shopping in Tokyo, but they are very much based on my own experiences, and since my Japanese is not so good I mostly relied on word-of-mouth recommendations and places I stumbled on. If I've got anything wrong (directions are not my strong point) or you have other suggestions please leave links and comments below!

Update: for knitters, Kat has a great list of yarn stores.