Part of my ongoing plan this year, and the past couple in fact, has been the process of eliminating and consolidating. In the past I went through much of the house, but of course, the difficult things have been left to last, and one of those areas is the area I call "the dreaded piles". These consist of piles of boxes of patterns, piles of sewing and knitting magazines, and generally piles of stuff that I thought I might use someday, but for which someday has yet to arrive. It also means that I am trying to stop piling everything that "I can't get to but hope to someday" on my sewing table or in my sewing room. This may not sound like much, but if you are a person of many enthusiasms it is amazing how quickly they get out of hand.
And so I have been cleaning off the cutting table, but I have been trying to do it in a thoughtful way, not just shoving things aside into another pile to be dealt with another day. I have found many things: the travel jewelry pouch with my favorite heavy sterling silver ring, a pair of slacks that needed mending, the patterns I took to San Francisco in September. In fact, I found everything I took to San Francisco in September. I apparently got busy, stacked the contents of my suitcase on my sewing table, and left it there, where it only formed the foundation layer of ever increasing piles.
I also found the remainder of the order of Japanese Sewing Books I received the week before last:.
The Green book, titled Pattern Drafting, is one of my favorite sewing books. My mom gave me this one and I remember watching her use it when I was a child. I do not have ISBN information on this book but my copy is 8th edition printed in 1969). Even though I have many other books, I am always amazed at how much help I get from the little book and it is one of the first books I turn to when I have a pattern fitting or drafting question. It has a section on fitting problems, and also patterns for some basic garments, which are granted, somewhat dated but still interesting. Here a couple of sample pages:
The green book inspired me to get the red book called Pattern Making (ISBN4-579-10714-4) . It does not have English translations, like the green one, but I can see that it too is going to prove very useful. The day it arrived I spent a fair amount of time looking through it, and I took it with me today after unearthing it this morning. I can certainly say that I was the only person in the waiting room at the doctor's office reading a Japanese pattern book. Here are a few sample pages:
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I also purchased two books about sewing jackets and I am thrilled with both of them and they are quite different. I had not been certain when I ordered them what the differences would be but I am so glad that I went ahead.
The book on the left (ISBN4-579-11016-1), is basically about drafting patterns for jackets and other garments. It explains, in a very visual way how to draft a base pattern and then it goes on to build an assortment of patterns, including the ones on the cover from that base. The layout of the book is very methodical. There is also a pattern sheet that includes the base pattern from bust sizes 30 to 42. I think this will help me with many pattern alterations and with working from my collection of Mrs. Stylebook magazines. Here are some sample pages:
The second jacket book, the one on the right with the orange and brown jackets on the cover (ISBN4-579-10962-7), is not about pattern making at all, but is about constructing jackets, and it looks like it is a treasure. You might wonder how a garment construction book in Japanese would be any help at all. I don't read Japanese. But this book is fully illustrated, almost like a picture-guide to building a jacket. Here is a sample:
I am sure there are important details that I am missing by not being able to read the text of all of these books, but there is also much to be learned just from the fabulous illustrations and photos. There are times when I am reading sewing instructions where I can't really wrap my head around what I am supposed to do until I actually see it in front of me. These pictures, and the great illustrations in the pattern drafting book really help me with that. Even though a lot of the techniques illustrated are for things I already know, I have made jackets before, there is always something new to learn and these books look very promising.
** Edited on 1/29/2008 to add ISBN information.
Hi, I am Nasir Khan from Karachi Pakistan working as free lance pattern maker specially for leather garments industry.do you have this book with English translation?.
BR,
Nasir Khan
Posted by: Nasir Khan | April 08, 2025 at 12:40 AM
That green book!! My God! My mom used that 35 years ago. I grew up having that book laying around while my Mom saw my dresses. And this was in a small town of a small island in a Southeast Asian country. I have to check with her if she still has it... I'll claim it!! :D
Posted by: miauw | July 15, 2010 at 11:35 PM
pls what's the name of the author for the green book?
Posted by: eloho | October 09, 2009 at 08:24 AM
thank you so much!
Posted by: eloho | October 09, 2009 at 07:52 AM
I am looking for a pattern for a Japanese
Zabulon....preferable on line....
I know it is really fairly simple and have from other
entries ...that traditionally we are working with a
21" X 21" square with cotton batting and some
polyester...
W/ a muslim liner with zipper....
any other suggetions....your pattern books are
interestig...
are you old enough to remember the Bishop Method of sweing? not unlike some of those pictures....
Posted by: Patricia woodbury | September 01, 2009 at 06:22 PM
oh, I'm interested. Living in the middle of the country doesn't provide a lot of opportunity for acquiring or perusing Japanese books. These look great!
Posted by: marji | January 19, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Your books look wonderful. I have amassed a small collection of Japanese pattern books as well. Unfortunately, my neighbor/friend/Tupperware lady/fellow crafter who reads Japanese has moved back to Hawaii. She has this weird idea that she should raise her children near their extended family. Who will translate my Japanese patterns now?
Posted by: Grace | January 19, 2008 at 12:44 AM
Do you have the ISBN for the Pattern Drafting and Pattern Making Books?
Posted by: Rhonda | January 18, 2008 at 09:22 AM
DOH. I've been looking for the red book but thought the title was also Patter Drafting. Thanks for the insight!
Posted by: Cidell | January 17, 2008 at 09:44 PM