a couple weeks ago, i got an email from Frances of the online Japanese fabric shop, miss matatabi, asking if, by chance, i might want to participate in a little celebration of nani IRO she was putting on in June.  to me, nani IRO fabrics are some of the most beautiful and interesting designs on the market, but i’ve only sewn with them a couple times…largely due to cost/selection constraints.

i happened to be out of town when i got her email, with only my phone and a spotty cell signal – plus i believe it was almost midnight – but i couldn’t tap out a YES fast enough!

when one is offered free nani IRO fabric, one says yes.  and then one requests enough to make herself a shirt with it.

i chose sen ritsu – b, a lovely neutral floral with metallic copper accents on some of the flowers (didn’t know that part until the fabric actually came, what a perfect surprise!)  sen ritsu – a has neon accents and more springy colors, also great.  many Nani IRO prints (designed by Japanese textile designer Naomi Ito for Kokka) have a hand-painted quality that makes them unique – i keep finding surprises within the print itself that make me happy.  i love the romantic quality of it, and especially the fabric it’s printed on.  the famous Japanese attention to detail is evident in both the fabric and the pattern. Continue reading →