Happy Homemade: Sew Chic: 20 Simple Everyday Designs Paperback – September 24, 2013

Ms.Tsukiori presents an excellent set of designs for beginning/intermediate sewists or anyone who enjoys simple pattern lines and doesn't want to pay $20 per pattern. Nothing difficult here, just interesting patterns for all ages when made in fabrics and worn in a manner comfortable to you. I'm a many-years AARP member and don't want to look like I'm pretending to be 30 again but I'd happily make and wear most styles in this book. I leave off frills mostly because I'm not a frilly person but at 5'3", & a curvy 130lbs the patterns work as well for me in size and style as do American patterns, at considerably less cost. Do be aware that plus-sizes can't make these patterns without extensive drafting; if you're near to plus-sized you may need to draft up from the largest size presented herein.To use the patterns I dry-iron the pieces under a cloth to flatten them and use  Bee Paper White Sketch and Trace Roll, 24-Inch by 20-Yards  for tracing. This is not as hard as it might seem if this is your first experience with multiply-printed patterns: these patterns are far easier to trace than are those from Burda!As a side note, I was a professional technical writer for many decades and am deeply impressed with the quality of the book itself, aside from the quality of the designs. Mutsuko Sukegawa writes beautifully minimal instructions, the illustrations are some of the best I've ever seen, and the translations are excellent. The patterns are printed on heavy, good-quality paper and it's quite easy to follow individual pattern lines. In every way an outstanding publication!

I lived in Japan for the last two years and bought a ton of Japanese sewing books. While I cannot "read" them, I am able to figure out the patterns and sewing with the graphics, sequence, and numbers.Sometimes I went to my local Okinawan sewing store and the ladies there read it for me, and helped me with interfacings and such. Overall I really love the straighforwardness of Japanese sewing and craft books. The diagrams are awesome, and the layout if usually very appealing, yet simple-typically Japanese!However, while I love  Stylish Dress Book: Simple Smocks, Dresses and Tops  and  Stylish Dress Book: Wear with Freedom  this one here isn't nearly as exciting. Perhasps I have been spoiled by the two I really like, but for whatever reason seems boring and not very innovative. While this one includes sarouel pants, bermudas and a skirt, I am not fully convinced. A plus is that the sizes run from 6 (30 3/4in bust) -16 (40 1/4in bust) which isn't usually the case with tradiitonal Japanese sewing books. The construction pages are pretty much the same in all the books-you have a sequential numbers, and the coresponding graphics give you a visual on how to sew or finish each step. You gotta love the Japanese for making it simple!Nonetless, I recommend using the look inside function to see whether you'll like it or not. Some might love the fact that there are pants, shorts, and a skirt included, but knowing the Japanese anatomy I do wonder whether they were graded for the European or American curviness and would actually fit me.The two other books of Yoshiko Tsukiori are  Stylish Dress Book: Clothing for Everyday Wear  and  Happy Homemade: Sew Chic: 20 Simple Everyday Designs . While I like the first one better than the second one, I still don't like them nearly as much as the ones mentioned at the beginning of the review. If you are new to Japanese sewing, they are all worth checking out and opinions do differ indeed.

These patterns are very basic. Did I say very? Yes I mean very. Great for the new sewer. And yes, as an experienced one I can modify to my heart's content. Other reviewers of Japanese pattern books have commented on how small the patterns are and I would have to agree with them. The book says it goes up to size 16 so I was encouraged to buy it, but when I looked at the measurements for that size 16, it is really no larger than a size 14 (at best) in Australia, that would equate to a US size 12 .BIG HINT. Buy this book anyway! Check your actual measurements against those for the sizes used in this book. If you are larger (like me) trace off the largest size and cut your traced pattern piece in equal halves length-ways and then width-ways so it is now 4 smaller pieces (the original pattern piece has been evenly quartered). Lay each quartered piece on your fabric with a gap between each of about 1/8th or 1/4 inch, equivalent to the addition you can see is being added on the pattern sheet between sizes and according to whether you want to go up one or two sizes or more. The patterns are basic and forgiving of any minor errors you may make, so this will work!!Now you can add GRADING to your accomplishments! If you are not comfortable laying out the 4 quartered pieces instead of the one you can re-cut the pattern piece before laying it on your fabric. I prefer to lay the 4 pieces directly onto the fabric as I have more flexibility in allowing a little more space here and a little less space there if necessary.

After reading pages 1-4 of the pattern sheets, I've discovered that the tunic front/ back pattern for design B appears to be missing from the list, Not helpful since that was the one I wanted to make, unless it's under a different heading. Any assistance would be appreciated, otherwise it's an interesting book!

A nice book, patterns can be difficult to trace as on different sheets in pale colours.Remember even though these sizes have been adjusted to western sizes the are a little smaller so check before you cut.

Lovely designs. Largest sizes in a book: bust 40”, hips 43”, quite generous and unusual for Yoshiko books.

Designs are great but not traced off yet. Looking forward to having prepared some layout so as to use minimal fabric. Pattern layouts show a lot of space! A lot of difficulty deciding which to make first😋

Thanks