Zakka Handmades

Zakka Handmades: 24 Projects Sewn from Natural Fabrics to Help Organize, Adorn, and Simplify Your Life  By Amy Morinaka       Paperback Book: 128 pages     

This is a how-to make small household items, and gifts that are great for organizing, simplifying chores and great gift items in the Japanese style of crafting.    Author Amy Morinaka was born in and grew up in Japan but now lives in California with her husband, Ben and their 2 daughters.    By day Amy is an accountant but by every free moment she is a crafter of Zakka items.    Zakka is a Japanese term for items that are small but useful in helping to simplify and organize.   Things that are very simple to make from bits of material, easily found among scrap bits of materials.    The items are functional and so cute.   Here in the States we would likely call them country crafts things sewn from calico, gingham, etc. here, but linen and other natural fabrics in Japan.   Such cute things and such clever ideas.   Like making this little carrier to take silverware from the drawer it is stored in to the kitchen or dining room table and back,  really cute little baby shoes that are reversible,  baby teething rings, rice eye pillows to ease and rest the eyes after a stressful day, which actually seem like they would be heavenly and relaxing.     She has one craft project that makes a fabric bucket to hold items such as yarn or they would make terrific cat or dog toy holders, even baby toy holders along with the buckets, she also has a name tag holder project that looks really cool attached to the bucket so when you store it you can see by the tag what is in it.   She has a cute nesting dolls project to use as a key fob cover to keep your keys from scratching your cellphone or any other thing you would not want scratched inside your purse,  and the cutest little coaster she calls a mug rug to sit your coffee/tea/hot chocolate mug on.    She also has Sashiko style coasters that crafters can draw designs on for that personal touch, then,  hand stitch them for that added element of true from the heart looks like something lovely made with the skills of a real person not one of a thousand punched out by a machine giving the appearance of something lovely created like folks once did, by hand.   An art that should never be lost.    I especially like the Insulated Bento lunch bag, too.   Insulated with fabric and it works!   I’ve seen people carrying them in films and documentaries but here Amy Morinaka shows you how to make your own.    So clever this lady, and knowing my lack of skills, she gives clever and beautiful ideas for totally useable items in easy to understand and follow directions.   I am no sewer, I like making crafts, but, my skillset requires that it be as simple and easy as it possibly can and Amy offers crafting projects that even I can do.   Cheers for Amy Morinaka!  Loved this book.    I recommend it very highly to anyone looking for a hobby that makes it look like you are amazingly skilled when Amy lays everything out so understandly that anyone can become a Zakka master where Amy does everything but make it for you.    Big  WOO WOO! To Amy Morinaka for her book.

 - Shirley J.