Harumi's Japanese Cooking

Very useful Japanese food recipe book for people who live overseas. Harumi Kurihara suggests to use basil to replace shiso, tahini or unsweetened peanut butter to replace sesame paste.

For dinner, I cooked "Warm Aubergine Salad", "French beans and Asparagus Chilli Style" and "Chicken Saute KariKari Style". First two vegetable dishes can be served "warm" (not hot), so no need to juggle many things before serving.

Pray for Japan

Sewing Machine

My sewing machine and overlocker are finally checked in for repair. It usually takes up to 2 weeks and I was going to rent one while waiting, but realized that additional $25 can make it "express repair". So my machine should be back on Monday. I have a day off on Tuesday !! I can devote whole day for sewing !!!

Helpless

I feel so helpless. My country is suffering so badly, all I can do here in Sydney is donation. I read that British Red Cross mentioned that the donation to Japanese Tsunami Appeal could be used for other humanitarian disasters in the UK. So I donated to Japanese Red Cross directly.　

My feeling never clears. I was going to have body massage and hair cut etc...but when I think of Japan, I think that I should save up those money for donation. Although donating money doesn't change my feeling...

The Rest in Noise

We went to Opera House today for some good music.

THE REST IS NOISE:

Takemitsu - Nostalghia

Britten - Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge

Stravinsky - Apotheosis (from Apollo)

Webern - Five Movements, Op.5

Xenakis - Voile

Strauss - Metamorphosen

Inside the hall. It's funky.

Earthquake in Japan

Thankfully all my family is fine. It's so scary though... Mum was shopping in the city, went into a nearest restaurant and went under the table. She needed to walk all the way from Ginza to Shinagawa to pick up my niece (her granddaughter) from day care, then walked back home with 3 years old. My sister was cleaning all the smashed wine glasses when I spoke to her. Dad was in tube (apparently tube is quite safe if not moving). Luckily it was stopped one station before his stop, so he walked home. Quite few of my friends are staying in their offices as there is no way to go home.

Thanks everyone for checking about my family in Tokyo !

Gold Bracelet

Beautiful bracelet from Satomi Kawakita Jewelry.

Did she read my mind ? This is exactly what I want !

Marimekko Dress

This is my current project. It meant to be simple 2-hrs project but it's taking me looong time. I fell in love with this Marimekko fabric. The dress pattern is so simple, I thought it is nice to use some cheerful fabric.

Not yet completed. Last night I made a critical error on one of the shoulder strap. It's stiched twisted. It can't be covered by fiddling or pretended as a cool complicated design.... I was rushing. Sewing shows your personality...

New Project

New pattern, Pew fabric.

The fabric is Charcoal Cat(Japanese, 35% cotton, 65% Polyester)

Frustration

I am enjoying sewing so much and supposed to be very happy but why am I so frustrated ?!

2.5 hrs class a week is not enough to satisfy my obsession for sewing. I don't like Wednesday because I have to wait SIX more days until next sewing class !!!

Renting a sewing machine is pricy. You can actually buy one for 1 week rental. (I've got a machine which needs to be fixed but awaiting for mum to visit me....it's complicated !)

Then I thought about the idea of "Sewing Cafe" like "an internet cafe". I googled. Someone else also had the same frustration as I do. I found it in London, Paris and Berlin but NOT in Sydney!

Please someone make one or should I start one ?

in London...

http://www.homemadelondon.com/blog/homemade-london-introduces-sewing-cafe

in Paris... Their mantra : "Less buying - more trying!"

http://www.sweatshopparis.com/newssweatshop.html

A new cafe in Paris with a definitely new twist- renting sewing machines by the hour. How brilliant and innovative! I for one would make good use of this as I always seem to have trouble with my sewing machine that gets dragged out of the closet every few months - or years in some cases. Do I remember how to thread the bobbin? What is the little trick I need to remember so the thread doesn't break? Is it at the correct tension? The list goes on. And there are many things I would sew if I could scoot off to the Sweatshop Cafe and not have to fret over my own machine that probably needs oiling, cleaning and other things I do not want to deal with for a one hour sew.

Cotton Wool

Liberty Melly Pink

Liberty Melly Green

Liberty Melly Blue

Art Month

Happening ....

Inspired by fabrics

Beautiful silk, next in line !

Just bought a new pattern from Cynthia Rowley.

Love fabrics

I love fabrics. I love sewing !

I got this beautiful Liberty Ayse Red for winter skirt. I want to use scraps of this fabric for hem of next dress project. This will add some colours to basic winter black / grey.

This Liberty Melly Pink is also new. I think this will look nice for a large surface like a dress and tunic.

Wallpaper

Plan pattern wallpaper in a new cafe in Mosman.

1920s

Sweet post sign I found in Mosman.