Zakka. Do you know what it means? "Cute" doesn't cover it. Zakka is a Japanese term referring to those small everyday items that are both useful and charming, and oftentimes handmade with a simple, fresh aesthetic. Of course, I love zakka style and I love this new book "Zakka Handmades" for giving us the patterns to quickly and easily make 24 more adorable projects. Written with an eye for detail by Amy Morinaka of Chick Chick Sewing, it's a perfect book for beginners and a welcome addition to the arsenal of more advanced sewers.
Amy is practically my neighbor ~ she lives just a few towns over ~ but we haven't met... yet. I do know she makes beautiful handcrafted items, though, and I'm so glad to have her book. For my stop in the Zakka Handmades Blog Tour, I really wanted to make a fabric bucket, or the raindrops tote, the airmail mug rug, or the baby toy and bib... it was difficult choosing which project to sew first because I really could use one of everything. But I chose to try my hand at this Bento Lunch Bag first:
The shape of the sac is just perfect for my Olivia to tote a few toys to the park or a friend's house. So, I dug deep and cut into some of my older (and I'm sure impossible to find these days) Trefle fabric and stitched away. I love how it turned out:
And Olivia loves it, too.
Thank you, Amy, for this book! "Zakka Handmades" includes 4 sections of useful zakka items, so there's something there for everyone.
- Everyday Zakka
- Bags and Pouches Zakka Style
- Baby and Young Child Zakka
- Handmade Kitchen Zakka
Now for the giveaway! If you'd like a chance to win a copy of Amy's book, please leave a comment on this post telling me... what you're sewing this summer. The giveaway is open to all ~ US and international readers. Leave your comment by Friday, July 12th and I will announce the random winner on Saturday, July 13th.
Visit the rest of the stops on the Zakka Handmades Blog Tour to see more from the book and to enter all the giveaways!
7-17-13 - Anna Noodlehead
Good luck to you! xo amy