I went to Kinokuniya the other day. I hadn’t been out there or purchased any Japanese crafting books for a long while, so I guess I was due. I frantically sifted through the books (I was with my mother, and I didn’t want to make her wait for hours), and while having lunch at the adjacent Japanese restaurant (Hakatamon–best udon noodles in town), I narrowed down my choices. I came home with three books:
OTAMA LIFE
ISBN: 4-04-853744-X
This is a totally random book full of these little crocheted round things in strange locations and poses. There’s something really appealing about that to me. Check them out:
The other two books are about embroidery. I must have some fantasy about embroidering. It’s completely delusional, because I don’t embroider and probably never will, but hey, a gal’s gotta have dreams, right?
Design Collection for Kids:
ISBN: 4-529-04204-9
Very cute designs and good graphic explanations of how to do the stitches (imperative for a non-embroiderer like me):
point
ISBN: 4-277-31148-2
My mother thought I should limit myself to just one embroidery book, but I think you can see why I could not choose between them! Here’s one final otama shot for you:
I can’t wait to see those books! They are beautiful.
Those books are fab! I think you find better ones than I do. I love the little otama guy’s thought bubble on the front page. I guess Japan IS great!
Oh, Otamas! I found a website pretty much dedicated to those a year ago. I’ve been wanting to make some too, but I haven’t found a pattern yet. I might have to get that book, too. They’re rather odd, but I find them kind of appealing to. I get the feeling that the Kinokuniya in Portland has a better craft book selection than the one in Seattle, or maybe it gets picked over less often.
aWWW love them!
Fun books! My son LOVES the udon at Hakatamon!
aw, gnashing teeth in a jealous fit!
i want the otama necklace to wear when i’m posing like the hip hop kanye imitator. which is ALL THE TIME, right DH? 🙂 ha ha ha ha ha ha…. they are the cutest things ever!!
That second book is really too adorable. Do you think that someone who doesn’t know a lick of Japanese could use it?
Those books are so darn cute, I’m beside myself!
The Japanese have an endless supply of cuteness, it boggles my mind how they do it!! Thanks so much for sharing.
I bet you could do embroidery–it just takes a little practice and planning. The supplies (floss, hoops, and needles) are cheap, and it would be a great way to personalize the cute tote bags you make.
Great books, the japanese know how to do a lot of things so well.
I love the little motifs in the “Design Collection for Kids” book. Cute!
And I left a comment down on your post about Tebo’s restaurant.
Damn ISBNs!!!!!
And why doesn’t my Kinokuniya have these cool books (maybe they do—must check! but then I’ll come home with more stationary with weird words–would that be bad?).
xoxo Kay
did the bookstore have anymore of the kids embroidery books? It looks so awesome (unlike most embroiderly books). I’d love to add some little designs to my daughter’s jeans and pants (she complains about pants that don’t have any embelishment.)
Thanks for posting! I can’t get me anymore Japanese craft books so I have to be content with perving on them through other people’s journals. Thanks for sharing! I really love the photos in that last on. Does it have instructions on making the bags etc. or is it just the embroidery on them?
These things are so cute! I bet they would be a big hit in stores if the right person saw them. They remind me of buns (the round faces with lines kind of like Kogepan), but maybe that’s because I spend too much time eating sweets.
Wanting those books very muchly.