MOONSTITCHES

Hunting Books

Some last squares before I've put the hook away to finally start with my calendar pages a few days ago. I've been weaving in the loose ends and they are now four cozy coasters, very, very thick ones because that shetland wool is such a heavy one... inspired, as all my granny square crocheting by this photo and pattern from Cotton & Paint.

This post is mostly about my new treasures I found last weekend when I was out in the woods for hunting books. A lot of pictures, few words. The ISBNs of the books are given in the descriptions of the photos over at Flickr. Just click on the photos to get there.

Look there, a crocheted skirt!!! Isn't that adorable? I'd love to wear it and water my plants in front of the house all day long.

Last year I found this magazine and although I wasn't much into knitting back then I bought it. Just in case...

... I would ever be able to make myself this adorable cardigan.

A nice, little book with pretty ideas for basics as mufflers, caps and mittens.

A very charming idea from Oshare Jikan, which I bought already a few weeks ago.

If you ever doubt whether to buy one book of the Oshare Jikan series... just buy it, if you can. I think they are always very inspirational and nice to look at.

You also never make a mistake by going for one of the reasonably priced kikkake hon. This one includes patterns about a beautiful flower belt, as well as bags and mufflers. These books look kind of insignificant and you might think that there can't be put in much for 280 Yen but you'll be surprised  how much actually can.

Also purchased some time ago when I first attempted to conquer crochet country... glad I can finally make full use of it.

Brandnew, not only to me, this beauty.

This book really is spelled beautiful and by the way traveling pretty soon...

Not a crochet book but a brilliant book anyway: The "Japanese Crafter's Companion" as I would put it. Introducing 50 crafters, peeking into their studios, lots of links and also patterns included. Too bad reading the texts would take away all my precious crafting time... oh, those Kanji!

And finally one book and magazine that are on my shelves for some weeks.
First this super beautiful fashion magazine called shortcoco that's full of interesting photos, featuring Marimekko and giving lots of information about shopping Scandinavian goods in Denmark and Japan.

Some links that can be found in shortcoco

Casalinga

CINQ

TREUER HUND

EIN SHOP JIYUGAOKA

campagne

And really bringing this avalanche of photos to an end, the cover of the latest Stitch idees which is as always a good choice. Cross stitching is getting more popular, it seems, and also this issue is looking pretty colourful. Nice book. I like it very much.

The calendar pages are almost finished, there are only three millions of loose ends of thread to sew in... dreadful. But I'll make it on time. So excited to see those pages from all over the world landing in my mailbox soon...!

Almost December, girls!!!

Have a great day.

PS: And don't cry. At least you can buy "Quark" at the grocery store and your bathroom might have even a door... *sigh*

Ma nouvelle Tasse et des Fruits

Autumn in Japan is a wonderful time. The air is clear, the sight of the mountains is great and the colours are just beautiful. Unlike in summer, when all seems to be covered with moist and the plants are growing like wild and everything appears to form a dense mass within breathing sometimes is really difficult... Now is the time to take a deep breath and feel fresh again.

Quinces, another pleasure of autumn...

   

Yesterday I made quince marmalade. I guess I have boiled it a bit too long, turned out rather solid. But the taste is great.
The same goes for those scones... why are mine always looking so depressed?

As you know a criminal always returns to the scene of the crime I don't have to tell you I couldn't resist going to that lovely, new fabric shop in Machida again for ample exploration... of course I brought home some more fabrics, but really only a bit. Really a bit. I don't know what's the custom in other countries, but here you normally have to buy at least 50 cm of a fabric. That can be a lot if you can't decide which. Not so at Okadaya. There they are able to cut even 10 cm from the bolt... this opens up great opportunities.

Lingonberry jam and butter on bread

 

When I was walking back to Machida station last week I stopped at our favourite  bakery for fresh "tastes like home-bread". It's the only place to find bread as I know it from home: dark, heavy, nice crust and seeds. Japanese food, if you're open to new tastes, makes you miss almost nothing. But I love bread and really prefer the bread how we make it in Germany  over the soft white bread that's so popular in this country. So I am very happy to have this bakery just around the corner. Edit: Meanwhile the bakery closed and reopened a couple of months later in the basement of Tokyu vis a vis Lumine... the bread lacks a bit of its old quality, I wish I knew where the former baker went, I'd love to have my beloved bread back!

By the way, does the rest of the world also assume Germans would eat sausages and drink beer all the time? Sometimes these cliches are just annoying me.

In the same building as the bakery is in you can find an international supermarket that has just stocked up its seasonal sweets... mmmmmh, Marzipan is here again!!! Edit: The supermarket closed, too, a new one in our area opened in Hon Atsugi.

And to confirm that that day was indeed a day of serious shopping it felt alright falling in love with the dotted cup and bowl at  Quatre Saisons, a few floors up in the very same building...

Oh my, as I was just checking Lumine's floor guide I discovered there is an ABC Cooking Studio on the eighth floor! Gosh, I'd love to take a cake class there. Suzy from floating world views had made some nice things since she started going there. Hm... will see if I can afford it. Should stop going to that certain place for a while, might help...

 

One final red and white thing to show and tell about:

The new Cotton & Paint is out and again so sweet!

And inspiring. I bought it yesterday and practically while flipping through I was urged to reach for my crochet hook to start a new project... yes, me, crocheting! Such a fun, finally. Got a fantastic instruction for crocheting flowers about ten days ago and am SO hooked now.

But that's a story to tell tomorrow.

Have a nice day!

Go ahead, eat it all up!

Hm, I am observing an increasing appetite... soon it will all be eaten up. What will happen then? Will I be sent on a blogging vacation till the next month starts with a fresh ration of bandwidth?

As I told you before I got my new edition of Cotton & Paint last week and it is really a very nice issue. Very soon I am going to be an aunt for the fifth time, so I particularly like the sweet ideas for baby toys and a bip (patched entirely of Nani Iro fabrics!). And of course the cute felt sweets created by erikarika-san. And then all that mushroomy stuff... I would have been so inspired by those if I had not already made my mushroom bottlecap pincushion!

More photos here.

Don't order them now, please

That was mean of me, you have my apologies.

Leaving you with the covers of the mags and then vanish into thin air... I will soon say something about the content of the three books, show pictures and tell you why I bought them. I am sure my criteria are different to yours and since you have to spend more money for Japanese magazines than I you should not  get nervous when I am posting some nice covers and go and order right away.
See, now I got nervous, too, because I don't want to be responsible for disappointing purchases. Sometimes, you know, I am fond of a mag because of just one pattern or a nice photo.

Have to hurry into the kitchen, my master just got home and is hungry...

Another Crush

And this one, I am sure, I do share with many of you:

Japanese Craft Books.

The only way for me not to add more of them to my collection is to not enter a book store at all. But this is difficult... I am passing (or rather NOT passing) one with a very nice crafting section almost everyday when I go to the train station... This week these three went home with me.

Cotton Friend - Soingu Book
Craft Cafe - Special: Linen & Cotton ISBN4-529-04261-8

ONDORI - Organic Cotton ISBN4-277-72243-1

After I got a bit of sleep I will feed my Books-Set on Flickr with some pictures from these three books.