It's so super hot here in Tokyo that an essential handbag must-have is a cut little handkerchief. You're not truly Japanese until you daintily pull out one of these from your Marc Jacobs handbag to pat your cheeks dry every now and then. Extra Japanese bonus points for drying your hands with them after a visit to a LoFT bathroom. I'm still yet to master the dainty Japanese style, but I do my best to stock up on cute new handkerchiefs every now and then. I bought these Vivienne Westwood ones from Kichijoji OI yesterday.
Aren't the textile prints pretty?
Speaking of textiles...I've become a little obsessed with fabric shopping of late. Last week I took two trips out to Nippori fabric town stopping at a few fabric shops in Shinjuku on the way. If you like fabrics you won't want to miss a trip out to Nippori. Before you visit, download the English map here. Tomato is my favourite Nippori fabric shop and they have quite a few branches there (one of which even has an entire floor filled with fabric costing just ¥100 per metre!) Oh My Goodness the fabric in Japan is amazing. They even have liberty floral print bias binding! And look at these oil cloth table cloths I picked up!
Naturally I've decided to take up sewing clothes for myself again and bought a little lemon floral sewing machine online last night. I think my first project will be to sew a cap-sleeve t-shirt from NaniIRO's mizutama fabric!
If you like craft and creating handmade things, it's dangerous to go shopping in Tokyo! It took all of my will to walk out of Tokyu hands without an enitre bookbinding kit the other day! I'd happily stay inside making craft everyday here in Tokyo...if only there wasn't so many other fabulous things to go and see.
When I'm not dreaming of craft activities I've been enjoying things like:
* Hearing things like 'calorie half' and 'price down' in my local supermarket.
* Drinking home made iced-lattes from ¥189 carton of iced coffee.
* Buying a weekly bunch of flowers in pretty pre-mixed bouquets. Think carnations, babies breath and daisies!
* Riding my mamachari to Setagaya-koen and drinking iced-tea.
* Giving presentations (in Japanese eeep) about my favourite Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugito to my Nihongo private sensei.
* Working on VOGUE Living layouts from my mini-me apartment.
* Going on searches in Harajuku for mexican food with my dear friend Gracie.
* Buying strange vegetables in the supermarket and needing to google recipes to cook them with.
* Exploring new to me areas like Asagaya with Hiki-chan.
* Wondering around Sangenjaya and Kichijoji taking photos of patterns.
Happy Friday Sandwiches! Hope you have a lovely creative weekend!
Love Love
Hello Sando
xoxo
Wow Ebony-chan. It really sounds like you're living my dream job! Sugoi ne!
ReplyDelete100 Yen Fabric? When are you going to open an etsy store to share all these goodies?!!
Love your Japanese fabric! Wish I was over there to get some :) While your in Japan you should visit 'Pindot' they have sooo many wonderful fabrics...heaps with polka dots (my fave too)!
ReplyDeletewww.pindot.net- saw this shop in my 'lesson 2: Mori Girls emook :)
xo
I know, the fabric is so amazing in Japan! You're lucky - you live there! It was so hard visiting and being limited by my suitcase and airline weight restrictions! I *must* go back one day soon. Enjoy! I'm very jealous :)
ReplyDeleteOoh I love the fabric - すごいなあ!
ReplyDeleteI want to go fabric shopping in Japan! I was looking at the Nani Iro fabric in a shop in Melbourne yesterday, it is very beautiful!
I want your life :)
ReplyDeleteYes carrying handkerchiefs are SO important in Japan. We are all taught never to forget taking a clean crisp ironed handkerchiefs to school every day when we are little. If you don't have a hanky then you are not a good girl, and you know I'm not that a good girl myself regarding this.... I only carry them when it's sweaty hot! haha. (I LOVE the second one that you got!)
ReplyDeleteSuch a pretty looking table by the way! I see the tiny anzu-shu bottle. :)
Oh I can't wait to hang out with you again!
just discovered your blog, and its really wonderfull, very very inspiring! let us all go to japan!
ReplyDeleteKate! oooo yes that is a lovely idea! I've been lucky so far here so it's really wonderful at the moment!
ReplyDeleteHi Jenna, Thanks for your comment and letting me know about pindot. I will check it out for sure.
Hi Jodie, ooooo yes I think you need EMS after a trip to any Japanese fabric shop!
Hello Penny, oooo the NaniIRO is just beautiful isn't it! I think it's a great option for my first Tokyo Handmade Outfit! Did you buy any of the fabric?
Hello Louise A, nawww what a lovely thing to say! It's a very happy time for me ;) I feel very fortunate to be able to live here.
Hiki-chan! You don't carry a hanky mainichi? eeeee? bikkuri shita!ooooo yes that's your pretty vase that you gave me for my tanjoubi! I use it all the time!I can't wait to hang out with you too! Hope your design work is coming along well!
Hello Trui Chielens, thank you for your lovely lovely comment! Please come and hang out in Tokyo!
Love Love
Sandwich
I love the second one, much more chic than the flannel Hello Kitty one I picked up at the 100 yen store!!
ReplyDeletewoo this is what I have been waiting for!! This blogpost has made me wiggle my feet an outrageous amount!
ReplyDeleteWe are coming to Tokyo for a Halloween party ... and now fabric shopping!
Oh I loove those hankies, especially that middle one there.x
ReplyDeleteamazing handkerchiefs!!! i can't wait to see what you come up with with these cute fabrics, yay japan!
ReplyDeleteoh wow this are so so pretty!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I didn't get the second plate of enchilada whatever you call it...
ReplyDeleteps: I like the first one..
hello : )
ReplyDeletei LOVE the hankies! & the cute story! i've been wanting to collect vintage hankies, but these are beautiful & amazing!
yes yes yes! japanese fabric is amazing! i make my purse out of Nani Iro fabric. loving it.
ReplyDeletei cannot wait to go the the fabric area!!
im so obsessed with Japan! i cannot wait for next year hope i can find a way to come sooner!!!!
thank you for the map.
you have a dream life! waou!i want to drink ice latte too! heehee i remember spending so much time in tokyu hands too! haaaaaaa
ok keep bringing some photos so i can't calm down!
! )
gini officially addicted to japan.
OMG I absolutely LOVE textiles~especially japanese textiles! I totally geeked at this post :3 Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, that fabric is so pretty. lucky you! i really want to learn to snow.. a winter project! x
ReplyDeleteLove reading your observations and inspirations in your new home in Japan! Always refreshing to look at a place through news eyes; I have lived in Tokyo for seven years and never run out of new things to see and do. (I also love Shimokita!)
ReplyDeleteFun post !
ReplyDeleteHandkerchiefs are definitely a necessity here ;) There are so many cute designs that it almost makes up for the heat (almost...!).
For me Tokyu Hands is like a space/time warp : I know when I go in, but you (and I) never know when I will come out. Love it there.
Great day to you !
Your posts make me happy each time! Thanks!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.etsy.com/shop/victoriousyouth
Hello Catface, ooo the second one is really pretty isn't it! They also have it in another colour way! adorable! I wanted both!
ReplyDeleteMirabel you cutie! wiggling feet! CUTE! You're coming back to Tokyo?! yay! Let's hang out!!!
Hello TeddybearsWednesday! Vivienne Westwood surely knows how to make cute hankies doesn't she!
Hello Lightening Heart! ooo ha ha although I used to have a mini clothes brand before I am not a very strong sewer :( But I'll do my best to photoshop all of the dodgy bits out before posting ba ha ha! just kidding!
Hello Barbara, thank you for your lovely comment!
DA!!! Ha ha yeah it's a good thing we missed out on more plastic mexican food! I like the first one too! I like the cute drawings!!!
Hi Lina, nawww thank you! I want to see your collection of vintage hankies! Do you have a pic of a few you already have? I love vintage hankies too!
Gini lovely!!! I can't wait for the time you arrive here! We are going to have sooooo much fun together! OMG! Come soon!!! let's drink ice lattes together!!!
Hello Biscuit! Your comment was so cute!!! Thank you!
Melanie lovely!!! You would be able to sew! (or snow as you call it!) Anyone can do it! Do you also knit or crochet? I can just see you sitting on the couch with your cute red lippie knitting with a cup of hot chocolate beside you!
Jennifer Hello! Thank you for your encouraging comment! Wow you live in Tokyo too! Hopefully I will see you around the fabric shops sometime soon ne!
My crafty ways! Thank you! I hear you about Tokyu Hands! Danger Danger! Actually I think I'm on my way there again today! So if I don't post for a few days you'll know I got stuck in there. Or LoFT!
Thank you Victorious Youth for your kind words about Sandwich! I hope you can continue to enjoy Sando in the future.
Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo
Hello, I've just found your blog and I'm loving it! Those fabrics are so cool. Your blogs so cool. You're so cool! xx ps so funny about the handkerchief protocol.
ReplyDeleteoh i loved the handkerchiefs and even more i love your list!
ReplyDeleteI like the vivienne's and the second one, they could be good as a bag as well :-D and i love that watercolor dots fabric, very cute and airy. so envy of you seeing many nice things there, haha. thank you for being our eyes there, please keep on posting lovely things, ne sandwich san.
ReplyDelete:-)
ohoh, I wish i could be there ! You are so lucky!
ReplyDeleteThose little hankies are fabulous! I've been carrying around one of two little Liberty hankies I own for a few years now. They are definitely better for blotting my New York perspiration "glow" than using a tissue (no little white tissue fluff left on my face!).
ReplyDeleteOooo sounds like you are having a lovely time in Tokes. That's a wonderful love list there :)
ReplyDeleteCute hankies!! One of my friends just gave me a double-sided sakura hankie. I love it and feel SO Japanese pulling it out of my purse to dry my hands. :) Did you go to Fashion's Night Out in Omotesando?? Sounds totally up your ally!
ReplyDeleteLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOUR BLOG.KISSES FROM SPAIN!
ReplyDeleteCiao E-chan!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you're doing great in Tokyo!
Last week I finished up my super duper laptop case I hand sewed together with the above "b) オマシリ ドロップ" pattern. Just wanted to let you know what a small world it us for us people with wonderful taste!
Let's ride bikes soon!
Thank you for sharing the wonderful things you come across!
ReplyDeleteI've always liked the Japanese hankies. Pretty and functional. sounds like you are having a great time in Japan, living in a different country is full of excitement I know.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog, living in Tokyo sounds like so much fun! I really hope I can visit one day :D
ReplyDeleteHello Dear Olive, shucks that's a sweet thing to say! Thank you lovely!
ReplyDeleteMette! Hello! How are you? ha ha thank you for your sweet comment!
Hi Sun, oh yes good idea, they would look great as a bag! Very cute!
Hi eye-snacks, nawww you should come to Tokyo too!
Hello Jennifer, oh yes the spotty tissue face is not always the best of looks right! haha!
Hello Astrorainfall, yes it's the most wonderful place for me to be right now. I'm really happy here!!!
Hello Marigirl, Oh no I didn't go to FNO Tokyo! I did see the email but sadly didn't head over. I heard it was great fun though!
Hello Latacones! THANK YOU for my KISSES FROM SPAIN!!!
Mr Jordon, Hello lovely! おひさしぶる！You like mizutama too? cute! I want to see your laptop case - and I want to commission you to make me one! Hand sewn! How adorable! When shall we go bike riding?
Hello Sarah! It's my pleasure treasure!
Lavender playground, pretty and functional indeed! oh yes but I've heard this is just the honeymoon period! eeeeps! I don't want this feeling to end!
Hello Principia, thank you for your nice comment and I hope you can come and visit Tokyo one day soon too!
Love Love
Hello Sando
xoxo