Frequently Asked Questions

Is it ok to link to your blog/tutorials?
	I'd love it! Thanks!!
Can I use your images on my site?
	If you want to use the images of completed projects from my tutorials for the purpose of introducing my tutorials on your site, go for it! (And Thank you for doing so!) If you want to use other photos (including images used in the middle of steps of tutorials), please ask me for permission first.
What kind of a sewing machine do you use?
	I use Janome DC4030. It is a small sewing machine with just basic functions. I bought it from a sewing machine store in the US for approximately $500 USD in 2011. It works great and has every function I need to make my projects. It is a great choice if you'd like to make small projects.
Can you translate this in Japanese?
	I do know that the online translator has a limitation to its quality and sometimes it is not the most helpful thing. Or you may have a couple of words that you want to make sure that you have the right Japanese translations for. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail with those words. I'd be more than happy to help you with a few words or sentences ;)
Can I sell items made from your tutorials?
	I have had very many people asking me if they could purchase the license to sell their projects based on my tutorials. You are more than welcome to sell as many projects as possible if they are for fund-raising/charity purposes, but if you'd like to sell your projects for your profit from your small business, (an example would be selling up to 20 fabric baskets a month in your etsy shop.), you can purchase the license from the button below.
	License to sell - 1,000 JPY (approximately $12 USD)
Do you sell your paper-piecing patterns?
	As of April 2012, I don't have any paper-piecing patterns available for sale, but I have a few free paper-piecing tutorials available for you: Juice glass block tutorial - instruction and pattern Kitchen stove block tutorial - pattern only Japan in Japanese block tutorial - pattern only
Can I use your tutorials in my sewing classes/quilting retreat?
	Of course! As long as you can mention that the tutorials originate from this blog, I'd be happy ;)
Can I translate your tutorials in other languages and show the translation in my site?
	Sure! The best thing about the Internet is how we can all connect and communicate with each other all over the world. I want many people to enjoy my tutorials without language barriers! As long as you can link to my blog and state that this is where it's originated, I'd love it. (In this case, please use your own photos to show the process. Please do not copy my images except for an image of a finished project.
How do I print out your tutorials?
	The only tutorial I have a PDF file for is the fabric basket tutorial. (You can find the link at the end of the tutorial post.) If you'd like to print out other tutorials, please use the "print friendly" button shown at the very end of each post.
How do I enlarge the fabric basket pattern?
	I know lots of seamstresses have made enlarged versions of the fabric baskets, so I know it will work fine if you enlarge a little bit;) The original fabric basket is pretty small (approximately 5 1/4"(width) X 3 1/2"(height excluding handles) X 4"(depth)). If I were to make it 1.5 times bigger, I would enlarge every single piece by 150%. For the fabric basket that measures 7 7/8" (width), 5 1/2"(height), and 6"(depth), I would cut out pieces as follows: Each square patch: 3" x 3", linen (the bottom part) 9" x 15 1/4", box corner 2 5/8", handles 3" x 15 3/4", linear fabric 18" x 13 7/8" One day, I want to make fabric baskets in several different sizes;)
Where do you buy your fabrics?
	Since I live in Tokyo, most fabrics I use for my projects are my local finds here. Now Japanese fabrics are readily available at many fabric stores online across the border (yay!). If you search "Japanese fabric" on etsy, lots of fabric will show up there! A lot of fabrics I use are Japanese designers (such as Suzuko Koseki and Kumiko Fujita) fabrics. I sell some of my favorite fabrics in my shop every now and then ;)
How can I buy fabric from Japanese-only online shops?
	This is a question I get very often from those folks who have something they want to purchase from Japanese online shops but have not been able to figure out whether the shop ships internationally or accept any credit card payment. From my experience, most shops are willing to ship internationally via Express mail(EMS), which can be very costly but is the fastest shipping. It usually takes only a few days for your package to arrive from Japan. As for payments, I have found that many small online shops do not have a credit card payment or a paypal payment system set up in their websites. This means that they accept only one type of a payment which is to made directly to their bank account in Japan. So in order to shop from those shops, you'd need to ask someone in Japan for help. If you are confused about anything, I recommend that you send them e-mails in Japanese. (They may not reply to an e-mail in English if they don't read English.) Here is a sample message you might be able to use for the purpose. Hello. I have something I want to purchase from your shop, but I live outside Japan. Can you accept a Visa credit card payment and ship internationally? If these are possible, what's my next step? I'd appreciate it if you could reply in very simple Japanese or English since I will use an online translator to translate your e-mail. Thank you. こんにちは。このショップから購入したい商品があるのですが、こちら海外在住です。ＶＩＳＡカードでの支払い、それから国際配送は可能でしょうか。もしこれらが可能な場合、どうしたら商品の注文ができるか教えて下さい。こちら、日本語は分からないので、簡単な日本語かもしくは英語でお返事をいただけたら幸いです。日本語のメールはオンライン翻訳サービスを使って翻訳する予定です。　宜しくお願いいたします。
I'm going to visit Japan. Where can I find fabric there?
	If you are a serious fabric addict like me and are ready to load up your suitcase with tons and tons of fabrics, go to Nippori Textile Town which is within a walking distance from the JR Nippori station in Tokyo. There are lots of fabric warehouses there, and the fabric is pretty inexpensive compared to other retail stores. Most stores in the textile town has a minimum one meter purchase policy though. Tomato probably has the biggest selection and is super crowded at any given time (Don't be surprised to see 30 people lined up to get their fabric cut!) Nippori Textile Town offers a wide variety of Kawaii (cute) quilting weight fabrics and other materials. If you are into designers fabrics, you'll want to stop by fabric chain stores instead. As for chain fabric stores, I really love Yuzawaya. There are several locations in Tokyo and some other prefectures. It is always located by a major train station, so it is very tourist-friendly ;) I recommend Yuzawaya in Kamata, which is the headquarter of the store and it is the largest of all. Okadaya is another big chain store in Shinjuku and Machida. If you are interested in Zakka-shopping, you might want to check out Tokyo Shopping Guide that Marceline of Asking for Trouble has created ;)
	Here is a sample day trip for fabric shopping in Kichijoji, Tokyo. Yuzawaya located in Marui by the JR Kichijoji station --> 5 min walk to Cotton Field (US fabrics & Brand fabrics) --> 14 min walk to A-Materials (US feedsacks and vintage fabrics) --> back to the station.

Do you have other questions? E-mail me if you do;)

Thanks for reading!