Journal

Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, is a big kimono book with beautiful photography and smart text — a must read for anyone who loves textiles and fashion history. It is the official exhibition book for the V&A Museum exhibit of the same name, which ran from 27 Aug 2020 to 25 Oct 2020. Unfortunately, I wasn’t… Read more: Kimono Book Educates with Gorgeous Photos and Informative Stories

It’s March and Spring is around the corner! When the weather is unpredictable, a perfect accent is a handknit shawl like the Elisabetta Damask Shawl, a light-as-a-feather piece made in fine tussah silk yarn that shimmers in the sunlight. The shawl is knit loosely in a geometric design that adds texture as well as dimension.… Read more: A New Handknit Shawl Welcomes Spring in Style

Is it a coat? Is it a cape? Well, it’s actually a fabulous hybrid — a coat-cape made of felted wool fabric. With its swingy silhouette, stand collar, and lantern sleeves, it is comfortable and easy to wear, yet so stylish. I love capes with their simple style, but sometimes they can be a bit… Read more: A Coat-Cape is the New Piece I Didn’t Know I Needed

Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, author of 1973″s “Farewell to Manzanar”, the classic book about the World War II incarceration of Japanese-Americans, passed away last month. I had heard about the book since I was a child but never had the chance to read it until recently. What a powerful story. Houston’s memoir about her family’s experiences… Read more: Farewell to Manzanar: A Relevant Read 52 Years Later

Camel is a magical color. Timeless and elegant, the color describes the rich shades of a camel’s coat. While it hasn’t been a popular color in my wardrobe, I now have two articles of camel-colored clothing in my closet — my Retro Camel Coat and Connelly Cardigan — so I decided to explore the history… Read more: The Magic of the Color Camel

The Connelly Cardigan is my latest handknit project. This visually stunning design features a twisty cable pattern for the body and a simple 1×1 rib stitch for the elegant neckline and underarm. The resulting fabric is highly textured, ultra squishy, and dense, with a wonderful weight and drape. Worked from the top down, the neckline… Read more: The Hand-knit Connelly Cardigan and its Twisty Cables

My new retro camel coat is the first camel-colored article of clothing I’ve ever owned. Yes, you heard it right. I’ve never gravitated to brown colors — always black or gray. So this new make in such a classic and timeless color is a first for me! Reissued Burda Pattern from 1955 When I saw… Read more: A New Camel Coat with Retro Style

My Obaachan’s (grandmother’s) super secret teriyaki sauce is legendary in my family. It has the perfect balance of sweet and salty and an unparalleled depth of flavor. Despite the tenacious efforts of various friends and family members over the years, she managed to keep the recipe a closely held secret. At least, I thought she… Read more: The Keeper of the Super Secret Teriyaki Sauce

It’s finished! My first project using the Alabama Chanin reverse applique technique is done and dusted! The skirt is made up of four identical panels. Each panel has a slight flare at the hem, giving the skirt a nice A-line shape when stitched together. The hem is left unfinished, as the jersey knit fabric will… Read more: My New Skirt: Reverse Applique in the Alabama Chanin Way

This past week, the Nobel Peace Prize 2024 was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki for “its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.” These efforts strive to maintain… Read more: The Nobel Peace Prize 2024 Shines a Light on Nuclear Taboo

The shirtdress is the ultimate one-and-done garment. It is comfortable to wear, looks pulled together with a few key accessories, and doesn’t require time spent in front of a mirror agonizing whether an outfit “matches”. It is a classic that is always in style. Speaking of classic, who can forget Audrey Hepburn’s iconic shirtdress moment… Read more: The New Shirtdress: Femininity and Freedom are Always in Style

I finished knitting the Woolfolk Pringle Twinset back in June but didn’t have a chance to wear it out until now because the weather has been so warm! As I wrote in a prior post, I love how this set turned out. The Woolfolk Tynd yarn knits up into a soft, drapey, and lightweight fabric.… Read more: Wearing my Handknit Twinset in the Wild

Back in my 20s, just a year or so out of school, I found that I already needed a break from my job as a science writer. While I didn’t have the option of taking a real break – as in, quitting my job – I was able to take a mental one by doing… Read more: Writing a Novel is my Ongoing Challenge

I have to admit that, when Alabama Chanin’s unique reverse applique t-shirts gained popularity in the late 2000s, I wasn’t a fan. Unfinished edges (even though cotton jersey doesn’t need to be finished), uneven hand stitching, and exposed thread tails — the details that others found charming went against my tailored style aesthetic. I couldn’t… Read more: Learning How to Reverse Applique the Alabama Chanin Way

I love looking at old photos, and this is one I’ve seen many times. It remains in my grandmother’s photo album – the one with the blue and green geometric pattern on the cover – because despite my best efforts, it refuses to release from the adhesive-coated page. It’s strange because the other old photos… Read more: Finding Truth and Imagination in Old Photos

Sailor collars, crisp stripes, tie closures, and shiny buttons — sailor style is having a moment and I’m all in! I’ve always been a big fan of sailor collars and nautical style. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in the 1980s, when sailor style was enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to Princess Diana. Or… Read more: Sailor Style is One of the Most Enduring Looks

A peplum moto jacket seems like an odd combination. After all, moto jackets are tough while peplums are so feminine. But there’s something about marrying the two that somehow works — kind of like how opposites attract! My version has the requisite hardware of a moto jacket — visible zippers in the front and on… Read more: A Peplum Moto Jacket Marries Opposites for Edge

From dramatic to demure, the peplum makes a statement. It’s a style that’s been around since 500 BC and, despite ups and downs throughout fashion history, continues to fascinate. But it can be a rather divisive style. Today, camps of peplum lovers and haters are either celebrating or bemoaning the fact that the style appears… Read more: The Peplum is One of Fashion’s Most Enduring Styles

The moto jacket — or motorcycle jacket or biker jacket — is one of my fave styles. I love the details, such as the notch collar, exposed metal hardware, bold stitching, shoulder epaulets, and prominent zipper closure. It has a flattering silhouette that just skims the body. When made in traditional black leather, it definitely… Read more: The Moto Jacket is Always Stylish and Forever Cool

The new Floaty Knit Wrap is elegant and as light as air — making it the perfect accessory for summer. Handknit with a luxurious silk, cashmere, and merino wool blend yarn using large knitting needles, the resulting fabric is airy, drapey, and light enough to squish into an already-full beach tote. Just having a Titanic… Read more: Wrap up Your Summer in the New Floaty Knit Wrap

Fresh off the knitting needles is my take on the classic twinset — a new twist on the nautical look that is super popular this season. The sleeveless shell is a mix of stripes — wide and narrow — that plays on the traditional mariniere look. The cardigan is a solid navy blue but with… Read more: A New Nautical Twist on the Classic Twinset

The DVF Wrap Dress is truly a classic. I just completed a version in a beautiful fuchsia and gray viscose knit fabric and love the result! The Details For this version, I used a stretchy knit fabric as the dress is cut and fit to hug the body in the bodice. This fabric is a… Read more: A New DVF Wrap Dress in an Edgy Floral Print

Regardless of whether you think the twinset — a knitted shell and matching cardigan — is fashionable or frumpy, it is an iconic style that is 90 years old this year! For my generation, the twinset entered our style consciousness in the early 2000s when J. Crew debuted the style in a splash of bright… Read more: The Twinset Turns 90 and is Still New and Cool

The DVF wrap dress, designed by Diane von Furstenberg, debuted 50 years ago and remains a classic. Like a peak on a seismograph, its popularity spikes every few years — and somehow always seems new and fresh each time. Image from here I was too young to be in tune with fashion when the original… Read more: Fashion Friday: The DVF Wrap Dress is New Again

Cozy hand-knits and charming chihuahuas are made for Saturday mornings and farmer’s markets! Oscar is outfitted in his Puppia harness and armed with his most enchanting chihuahua smile, while I am wearing my latest hand-knit — a cozy “throw on and go” cardi with a bold houndstooth pattern. I think we make quite a team!… Read more: Hand-Knits and a Charming Chihuahua Make Saturdays Extra Special

I have an old haori jacket hanging on my dress form. This lovely piece has been there for quite a while now, its beautiful print showcasing a bright spring color palette tempered by a plain jacquard weave silk lining. Its distinct woody smell, retained from the antique dresser it was stored in, reminds me of… Read more: Remaking a Vintage Haori is my New Project

This cozy wrap sweater — with its giant shawl collar — is a statement piece! Kim Hargreaves’ Devote sweater pattern was the starting point. I made a few tweaks, such as using a different yarn and incorporating some style changes, and ended up with a deliciously cozy wrap sweater with a gigantic statement-making shawl collar.… Read more: A Cozy Wrap Sweater in a Fresh New Color

April — what a glorious spring day here in the San Francisco Bay Area! Blue skies and temps nearing 70 — can’t get more perfect than this. Time to get out and about! Here’s what I’m excited about this month! Renegade Craft San Francisco Spring 2024 With more than 250 creatives represented, Renegade Craft San… Read more: What New Things I’m Excited About in April

I love a beautiful cape — even if Edna disagrees! They exude elegance and drama. Voluminous ones can swing around the body for a cocoon-like effect. Tailored styles have a modern and sleek look. Knitted versions are so soft and snuggly they feel like blankets. Oversized collars, flounces, ruffles, gathers, trims – capes can be… Read more: Everyone Needs a Beautiful Cape … Despite What Edna Says

I love traveling with a hand-knit scarf or cowl — especially one that is lightweight, colorful, versatile, and easy to carry. While my Chunky Twist Cowl is a handy piece for winter travel, the other three seasons of the year call for something a bit lighter. I think the Lacy Silk Scarf works well for… Read more: A New Hand-Knit Scarf Made of Vibrant Silk