Weekend Review: Making Clothes for Your Dog

 

Making Clothes for Your Dog / Jisu Lee
trans. from the Korean by New Design Originals Corp.
East Petersburg, PA: Fox Chapel, 2013, c2010.
142 p.

This is a funny little book for anyone who loves their small dogs. I'll admit, I don't have a dog and have no plans for one, but couldn't resist taking a look at this cheery craft book by a Korean author. 

It includes both sewn and knitted outfits for dogs (all small dogs). There are a variety of styles, from knitted capes to bridal wear. There are t-shirts, button down shirts, and a sweet apron and bandana combo. My favourite outfit is the traditional Hanbok for a one year birthday -- they are absolutely adorable, and the idea of having a birthday party for your dog made me laugh too. 

If you are into this kind of thing there are tons of ideas here. The book starts with an outline of supplies needed, and also gives a page of 'bios' of all the dog models in costume. Each project is outlined as a concept and with pattern sketches, and then has a series of step by step instructions with lots of photos to accompany it. Any actual patterns needed are included in an envelope in the back of the book. 

There are also many cute dog pictures so if you just want to look at it for entertainment, it works well that way too! I'm never going to sew for a dog but still enjoyed this book. It's interesting to see the perspective of a young Korean craft blogger; you get a sense of that part of the world through the projects she chooses and how she shares them, and via her intro of course. A delightful little book!

Weekend Review: Creative Dressing by Kaori O'Connor

 

Creative Dressing / Kaori O'Connor
Boston, MA: Routledge & Kegan Paul, c1981.
192 p.

This is a book from 1981 that I found at a thrift shop - I don't think it would be published today, due to the items included being on the cultural appropriation spectrum. However, it is an interesting look at what was "designer" influenced in the late 70s, and does give some insight into more traditional items of clothing and the fact that many of them are zero or low waste by design. 

It's made up of about half sewing and half knitting patterns -- I'm only commenting on the sewing ones, as I have no knowledge of knitting so can't judge those ones other than by appearance. The sewing patterns include items like a basic mock-kimono, poncho top and skirt, Balinese trousers, Indochinese jacket, Ottoman Kusak Dressing Gown, Indian shirt dress, fabric shoulder bag, Singapore Pyjamas, Tartar Khalat Coat, Chinese jacket and side slit skirt and Translyvanian Peasant Shirt. 

These are all presented on graphs ready for scaling up - that tells you how straightforward most of the pattern pieces are. Alongside these are copies of 70s chic designer outfits like a sundress, t-shirt dress, or bodysuit (among others) as well as the insertion of a few nightgowns & historical outfits. This book covers it all. 

The styling of these are so 70s and mostly really out of date; the traditional designs are of course timeless but in lovely 70s fabric and photography so you really have to look past that to the style lines. There are a bunch of designs offered by a variety of other designers in addition to the traditional items I was most interested in. But, the sizing is TINY. I think the biggest waist size for skirts & trousers was 28" as far as I could tell. And most of the items are one size, for a bust between 34-38" if they are voluminous at the waist.

If you take this as a visit to the past, it can show you a lot. And the basic outlines of classic patterns were interesting to examine. I was particularly interested in the Peasant Shirt, as the basic shape is similar to a Ukrainian vyshyvanka, which I'd like to make for myself this year. However, other than as a 70s redux I'm not sure that this book is actually all that practical for modern sewists. Also, the wholesale use of designs across multiple cultures is a bit cringe-worthy these days.  Still, I found it weirdly compelling - all that 70s glamour... Rather eye dazzling. This is one to flip through for its retro interest, but not to truly recommend.