When we were on our recent trip to Japan a few weeks ago one of my goals was to find a fabric shop that carried the beautiful Echino Japanese linens. I had a feeling it wasn’t going to happen due to the fact I wouldn’t know how to ask for a material shop in Japanese and that Tokyo is such an enormous city that it could well take days and many trains to actually find an address.
So it must have been destiny that I just so happened to walk by a fabric shop in Kyoto with the exact Echino fabrics I have been eyeing for years hanging in the window. I still can’t believe my luck.
Then to make the whole experience even more perfect my husband left me there alone with a wallet full of money for over 30 minutes. Yes, he is a saint. And he did this not once but twice while we were in Kyoto.
The shop had everything on my wishlist for a Japanese fabric shop. The Echino linens, pattern for Japanese-style apron and a huge selection of other Japanese and non-Japanese designer cottons. And get this…the prices were even quite reasonable.
The famous Echino fabrics. The two rolls are a plasticized material which I’ll use to make toiletry bags.
A few more purchased fabrics. My good friend suggested I scour the local 2nd hand shops for a white chair like the one in the red fabric and then make a pillow out of the fabric to put on it. I love that idea. Then I’ll also have to buy a little yellow bird as a pet to hang around on it.
I’ve always wanted to make a little purse with one of these snap enclosures and I found a few different sizes in the fabric shop in Kyoto. I assumed the directions would also be in English (because there is English on the front of the package).
Guess what? They’re not. Any suggestions or advice out there?
Jillian In Italy 
Oh my gosh!
I love all the fabric!
What a fun, fun find.
Can’t wait to se what you do with it.
Love from,
Greta
These are gorgeous. Will be watching to see the results of what you do with them.
I’ve already started my first project with a few of the fabrics. And I think it’s going to be pretty nice!
ugh, so jealous. Which one is mine? 😉 Love ’em all!
I knew you would! You would have loved this shop!
Here’s is one set of instructions: http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2006/12/purse_frames_de.html
If you google you’ll find lots more.
I’m just back from a trip for sewers to NYC. I saw these purse frames in many sizes in several of the notions shops in the garment district. I didn’t buy any but one of the other gals did.
Thanks for the link. I’ll go check it out now. And by the way…a trip for sewers to NYC sounds absolutely amazing!