i have been experimenting with french seams lately….so i have ended up with some squares of colorful cloth that really..and truly.. are absolutely useless….. If you are a fan of furoshiki then they could be used for wrapping up and carrying things… I have a whole drawer full of furoshiki that I barely use….. or…the size is perfect for a table cloth for a card table….. I think it looks quite nice on a table….
french seam single layer table cover....
that’s a vase from my pottery making days…..can you see the beautiful blue glaze on the inside???
reverse side and view of seams....
the back is so neat and purdy that it doesn’t even need a backing…..
I am not sure what this is useful for…. but it sure was fun to make….
I am planning on either hemming the edges, or sewing on some binding/bias tape…
one more angle, one more view...
the one above is mostly blues
and this one is mostly reds…
I am not yet sure what color to bind them with….subtle or bright…or indigo!!!
red table cover with japanese vase...
the vase was chosen by my mother-in law
to give as a present to each guest at our wedding
at Japanese weddings, the guests leave the party with food and presents.
Oh Brother!!! 
Jun 26, 2009 @ 00:10:19
I use french seams in my garment sewing, but with my machine, not by hand. I’d be interested to see how you do this. Put this on your list of things to show me in August – please.
I know you like aprons. How about making one with one of your “absolutely useless” pieces. The back is already nicely finished.
Love the Japanese vase.
Jun 27, 2009 @ 22:32:31
They look great!Start sewing then selling…
Jun 30, 2009 @ 07:30:13
what IS a french seam?
Jun 30, 2009 @ 08:20:18
wacousin… I will show you what i know…
marianne… i am thinking of selling some of them, would you like to buy one?????
tik tiki… i was reading MAIRURU –in my blogroll—(crafters in Japan) and she gave an excellent tutorial on how to make sew french seam…. it’s sewn twice so that there are no rough edges.. in fact MAIRURU sells these furoshiki in her etsy shop..she makes some really cute stuff!!!!
Jun 30, 2009 @ 12:48:45
Oh yes I would be very interested indeed…
Jun 30, 2009 @ 12:55:54
okey dokey, marianne…
you can pick one of the two already nearly done… or wait till i post photos of the next 3 in progress…. tell me which one you like… send a donation to MUSTARD SEEDS (info in the blog roll) and i will send you one…
excellent… my first sale!!!
Jun 30, 2009 @ 21:54:26
Sounds like a great deal:)
Jul 01, 2009 @ 00:34:58
that sounds really wonderful!
Jul 01, 2009 @ 03:24:52
they are gorgeous, congrats on your sale, look forward to seeing more.
Jul 12, 2009 @ 15:17:31
LOVE your patchwork furoshiki! I think they’d make darling aprons — I’d certainly buy one (I’d be the envy of our Japanese/U.S. cooking lesson exchanges!)
Thank you for stopping by my blog…I’m thrilled to find your blog! I’m not far from Nagasaki, and have visited several times. If you’re ever headed towards Sasebo, drop me an e-mail — I’d love to show you around!
Carolie (at) wordmagix (dot) com
Jul 13, 2009 @ 08:47:06
thanks for dropping by Carolie….. and your apron suggestion (along with Wacousin) is something i should consider…. I guess I need someone who sews to suggest to me a pattern…
i will check with my gurus in the states next week!!!!
Jul 13, 2009 @ 14:23:18
Apron ideas – check. On my list of things to bring next week. See you soon!!!
Jul 18, 2009 @ 00:44:18
do your french seams say “voila” when you finish one?
Jul 18, 2009 @ 02:25:01
no, they say…
“DAMN!!!!! I look goooood!….”
Jul 18, 2009 @ 15:56:18
i’ve always been bad at directions. oui, i cannot figure these things out….the french seams.
Jul 18, 2009 @ 21:44:39
stitcherettethursdays, thanks for stopping by… do you have a blog link for us???
Jul 20, 2009 @ 08:40:51
it’s me — maura tiktiki…we started the stitcherette thursdays blog for our little stitching group…
http://stitcherettethursdays.wordpress.com
and now that i have a wordpress blog as well as five blogspot blogs to care for, life is really pretty dang crazy. i don’t know WHO i am anymore.
have a great trip…where are you now???
Jul 20, 2009 @ 15:15:05
Hi – thanks for stopping by my blog! I finally found my way over here.
I’m up later than I should be, trying to make pickle sourdough bread – this is where I make sourdough bread (also using yeast and even baking powder, too, since I am not good at breadmaking…), and the extra ingredient is the herbs and some of the liquid that is left in the pickle jar when all the pickles are gone. So yummy with butter!
Jul 21, 2009 @ 12:31:36
These are so beautiful!!! You sure have been stitching away. French seams… those are so pretty and quite a bit of work. Glad to see all of your creatitivity!
~hugs from Emily xx
Aug 12, 2009 @ 01:01:16
Jan, please let us know that you and family have arrived safely back home. Looking forward to your posting again.
Aug 13, 2009 @ 20:14:23
I have been checking my BOXES of material and I seem to be missing one, my cheater box? Any suggestions???
Aug 13, 2009 @ 22:32:14
you probably didn’t want me to see it so you tucked it away…
can you remember where you hid it???
Aug 14, 2009 @ 00:38:14
I didn’t take it!!! Come on, Grandma H. You know you hide things (like cookies). Think. It’s sure to be in that place you knew you would remember………
Aug 14, 2009 @ 00:58:14
it was I who hid the cookies so that the kids wouldn’t eat them all…..
and i wish i could have seen those cheater quilts, I might have taken some of them…
I took a stack of Japanese stuff that you checked through and approved….