OTTOBRE Sewing Stories: Alexandra R.

OTTOBRE Sewing Stories is a series introducing our readers from around the world to each other.  We aim to give you interesting ideas and insights about sewing, fashion and everyday life. Be inspired by others and inspire your fellow readers.

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Our third storyteller is a truly inspiring artist. Alexandra Rasmussen is a stay at home mother from Germany, living in Japan. Apart from her own sewings, knittings, crochetings and quiltings, she still finds time to teach these skills in her 7 year old daughter's elementary school.

"I do all kind of crafts but usually I am making things we actually need. So, although seriously bitten by the knitting bug I am always returning to sewing, to make new dresses when my daughter has outgrown the old ones. Also I do patchwork and like to make little whimsy things for playing or decorating the house. Or it could useful things like coasters, luncheon mats or bags. I love to surround my family with handmade items to make every moment in life special."

And Alexandra's work seems to be special. Her blog Moonstitches has lots and lots of followers. Our readers also fell in love with a dress she made for a strawberry themed sew-along a couple of years ago.

             Strawberry dress is a perfect example of creative way of choosing fabrics.
             Pattern: OTTOBRE 1/2001

"I remembered that pattern from one of my OTTOBRE magazines and thought it was looking just like one giant strawberry if the fabrics were chosen in a certain way.The dress was never meant to be worn - and it has not, for about a year or so after I made it. It was only when a Halloween party was coming up and we were in need for a costume.The following year it got a second outing, but for the rest of its time it was only sitting in the closet, occasionally worn for dressing up when playing. It's so funny that this dress became so popular over on Flickr while almost never being worn.

Slow and simple

As Alexandra does so many different kinds of crafts, it is hard to name the favourite.

"There are times to knit, times to stitch and times to sew. I like to get my sewing machines out when there is the need for new dresses for my daughter. Then the sweaters get too small or worn and I must knit again. Whatever I am making at a time I do enjoy most because there is a purpose for what I am making."

Alexandra tells that also her favourite projects have been the ones most loved.

"My daughter plays with these owls all the time, arrangin and re-arrangin them constantly. You can spell the words with them."

     The owls are made to play with all woolen scraps Alexandra had been collecting.

To find best parts of crafting might come in time. And sometimes less really is more.

"When I started crafting I did too many items of one kind, simply because it was so addictive and fun trying out new techniques and crafts. Now I slowed down and make only things we actually need. I do like the slow and simple life and love getting lost in slow crafting projects."

Inspiring Japan

Nowadays there are loads of wonderful blogs, online photo albums and sites where to look for inspiration. Alexandra also has some ways to inspire herself.

"I think that inspiration is to be found everywhere. In nature, the different seasons, materials, patterns or textures I encounter. Movies I see, French ones or old ones. And Astrid Lindgren movies constantly make me want to sew or knit."

The cutest details are being born when you don't have enough material to sew or knit exactly according to a pattern. Pattern: OTTOBRE Autumn 2005

Living in Japan is inspiring for German-born Alexandra as well.

"Japan really is the country if you are a fabric lover. Japanese pattern books are to my liking too. The Japanese clothes never overwhelm the child wearing the clothes. I love when the children's rosy cheeks are still to be seen and not vanishing behind a festival of colours and patterns. Less is more and simple is the best. I think my perception has become quite Japanese over the years and I prefer simple design for children now more than ever."

Alexandra's blog:
http://moonstitches.typepad.com/

Alexandra's favourite sites:
Bloesem Kids: http://bkids.typepad.com
Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/

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This series is written by our long-term editorial assistant, Anni Kokko. If you feel like you or someone you know could inspire fellow readers, please send an e-mail to ottobre@ottobre.fi and include links to your recent work. Our storytellers will be rewarded!

OTTOBRE Sewing Stories: Katja M

OTTOBRE Sewing Stories is a new series introducing our readers from around the world to each other.  We aim to give you interesting ideas and insights about sewing, fashion and everyday life. Be inspired by others and inspire your fellow readers.

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Our second storyteller is Katja M, who is 30 years old, was born in Minnesota and lives in Washington state. She is a stay-at-home mother of three boys, aged 7, 4 and 2. She sews for her whole family: herself, her sons and occasionally for her husband.

 Bat T-shirt, Summer short sweatpants and Turtle romper from OTTOBRE design 3/2008

"Also, we make most of our birthday and Christmas gifts and items for around the house. I love to make something special for a child that they may not have otherwise, a wool coat in their favorite color with a dragon lining or a Luke Skywalker costume in black linen for a boy who wanted a very 'authentic' costume."


Early projects

Katja started her career in sewing by cross-stitching when she was just 4 years old. As many of our readers she was taught by her mother, who first of all let her take pins out while sewing. She also has scars from her first sewing projects.

"I remember ironing doll clothes on a chair because I couldn't reach the ironing board, and I still have a burn across my fingers from spreading out dolly dress pleats to iron them flat!"

Also Katja's mother remembers well their moments together, while her little girl was sitting on her lap testing a sewing machine for the first time.

"My mother said I made a little soft heart pillow for my new baby brother when I was five that said 'I love you' in embroidery stitches. She thinks that was my first finished project."

Her mother used to be also a very keen sewer, who even entered competitions with self-made garments.

"My favorite was the 'Little House on the Prairie' set my mother made for me at nine with calico dress, white pantaloons and apron. I wore it constantly and by the time she entered it in the county fair, I had almost worn out the seams. She won the Grand Prize purple ribbon that year! Later as a teenager I also entered a dress I had made for myself at the county fair and won a red ribbon for finishing the seams using French seams."

Casual coat from OTTOBRE woman 2/2007 – now a raincoat, made with cotton laminate and lined with green stretch poplin!

Time to sew!

Katja is kept very busy by her three sons. In her everyday life there are special things she wants to share with other sewers.

"Today my oldest son received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. He is very high functioning and I think knowing what's behind the behavior will help us get the help he needs both in school and the world. But it is tough to hear it, instead of just wondering. On the other hand summer break just started for my first born and I am looking forward to a summer of laidback days and no hustle and bustle! Plenty of time for all of us to craft and play and read!"

Like other busy mothers, she tries to find at least a little time for sewing almost every day.

"It gives me something to look forward to each day in the small snippets of time that I carve out for sewing. I like waking up each morning, thinking: What will I sew today?"


What will she sew?

Katja often user our more basic patterns as she is a relatively new OTTOBRE reader.

"I found OTTOBRE a year ago and I especially like patterns which use the same basic pattern pieces to make different styles. You could make a little boy a whole set of school pants with just one pattern set. Even though I love tracing patterns, I only choose ones which I can use at least twice. This saves me time and money."

 Ottobre tank top (free pattern, pdf), 
shorts and hat from OTTOBRE design 3/2009 

These days Katja sews almost all of the garments in her household.

"I love that I haven't had to go to the shopping mall for over 1 year. 'We only go for shoes' my husband says!"

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Katja's favorite blogs and sites:

http://www.soulemama.com/
http://www.purlbee.com/
http://www.oliverands.com/

Katja's favorite fabric shops:

http://www.chezami.com
http://www.sewbaby.com
http://www.janeas-world.com

All photos used in this article are ©violetvata (aka Katja M), all rights reserved. Used with permission. You can view more of Katja's OTTOBRE projects on her Flickr set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37884656@N03/sets/72157618920185194/

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This series is written by our long-term editorial assistant, Anni Kokko. If you feel like you or someone you know could inspire fellow readers, please send an e-mail to ottobre@ottobre.fi and include links to your recent work. Our storytellers will be rewarded!

OTTOBRE Sewing Stories: Annika from RuttuNuttu blog

OTTOBRE Sewing Stories is a new series introducing our readers from around the world to each other.  We aim to give you interesting ideas and insights about sewing, fashion and everyday life. Be inspired by others and inspire your fellow readers!

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Our first storyteller is Annika N.  from Oulu. Oulu is where OTTOBRE design originated and is located on the seaside of Northern Finland. Annika is a mother of four; she mainly sews for her kids, but occasionally for herself as well.

Pattern from OTTOBRE design 3/2007. Appliqués by Annika

"I also sew some interior decorations, but my hobby originated from my love of beautiful and unique children’s clothing. When my last born was a baby I decided to buy an overlocking machine and after that I realised how simple it was to create beautiful kids' fashion."

Annika explains that she started sewing in her childhood. The first garment she sewed was a shirt for her Barbie doll.

"My grandmother taught me two things: how to drink coffee with milk and how to sew by hand. Apart from crafts lessons in elementary school I haven't studied sewing; I have learnt everything by trial and error. Even today I try to avoid reading detailed instructions. Thinking a project over and finally understanding it adds a lovely spice to sewing! It's wonderful to suddenly realise how something was supposed to be done and how laboriously I had done it before."

Annika also describes her favourite and least favourite parts of sewing.

"Stitching appliqués is definitely my favourite part of sewing. It is so miraculous to create something new stitch by stitch. It's also wonderful when a garment is ready and you see from your child's face that right now this piece of clothing is the most lovable and fine thing in their world. On the other hand, drawing patterns is a bit boring.

My least favourite part is when I am at a crucial moment of a project and just then I realise that time is out. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day. I wish I could be beautifully creative all the time!"

 Free hat pattern from www.ottobredesign.com. Pattern modification and prints by Annika.

Favourites and inspirations

We asked Annika who her favourite designers and brands are at the moment.

"My favourite designers are all the everyday sewers who make different creations from their passion for sewing and love of handiwork. They are a real source of inspiration."

A big part of Annika's sewing hobby is updating her blog. In her blog she shares ideas, photos and hints. She also wants to advise other sewers as much as she can.

"Almost every day someone asks about sewing zippers or hoods, or for advice on how to finish edges with rib knits. I think it would be useful if the OTTOBRE blog would cover these sorts of simple instructions even more. It would be wonderful if the blog could also give hints about how to use sewing machines or overlockers efficiently."

Annika would also like to see more links to nice fabric shops.

"I buy lots of fabrics on the Internet. I also visit local shops regularly. Most of my creations are made of velour or tricot and I wish that there were better and more versatile supplies of those fabrics. Because of a lack of nice fabrics, I started to make my own prints when I was on maternity leave. Unfortunately, now that I'm back at work, I don’t have enough time to print."

Apart from sewing and her children, Annika enjoys the simple things in life itself.

"Today the sun is shining and my aunt from Sweden sent me a parcel of fabrics which I was able to pick up from the post office after work. These two things make me feel very lucky."

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Annika's blog (in Finnish):
http://ruttu-nuttu.blogspot.com/

Annika's favourite fabric shops:
http://www.sampsukka.com/
http://www.ikasyr.fi/

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This series is written by our long-term editorial assistant, Anni Kokko. If you feel like you or someone you know could inspire fellow readers, please send an e-mail to ottobre@ottobre.fi and include links to your recent work. Our storytellers are rewarded!