Making handmade zakka from Japanese tenugui ♪ 100円ショップの手ぬぐいでいろいろ作ってます♪


Now the summer is in full swing in Tokyo, and we're striving to survive the unbearably hot and steamy weather with temperature reaching over 90 F with high humidity... The worst part is that the rainy season isn't over yet, so we must prepare ourselves with sudden rain and changing weather at any moment. 

東京は梅雨の真っ只中で今週は35℃以上の猛暑日も続きすっかりバテバテの私です💦 あじ~よ~(汗)



Image taken at our local 100 yen store

Today I'd like to show you what I've made so far using traditional Japanese hand towels, or "tenugui " (手拭い)which is perfect to use during hot summer days in Japan. Tenugui are made of thin 100% cotton and it's great for summer because of its super absorbency and fast dryness.

こんな暑い季節にぴったりの手芸といえば手ぬぐいリメイクですね~。久しぶりに帰国した日本では近所の100円ショップを覗けば可愛い手ぬぐいがたくさん売っていてついつい手に取って購入してしまいます(^^);


100円ショップ セリアさんの手ぬぐいコーナー。


Tenugui can be purchased at specialty stores, or nowadays you can find them at local 100 yen stores, or Japanese dollar stores, everywhere in Japan during summer. And that's where I purchase most of my tenugui collections! lol

そんなわけでお手頃価格の手ぬぐいを使っていろいろ作ってみました♪




The tenugui measures approximately 36" x 14", or 90 cm x 35 cm, and they come in various designs and patterns. Besides using them as handkerchiefs and towels, I've turned these into several zakka items around our house such as...

100円ショップの手ぬぐいを使って、主に家の中で使うものを例によってミシンでダダダ~と仕上げています。お金もかからず一人でストレス発散できて良いです~。笑


 

A cover for our cutlery/chopstick case. Love these polar bears.

手拭いを短くカットして端を始末し、食卓に置いている箸入れのカバーにしてみました。



The tenugui cover keeps the dust away from chopsticks.

埃よけになるし、すぐに洗えて便利です。



Then I turned these thin cloths into tiny curtain for our kitchen shelf (more polar bears!)

キッチンの本棚のミニカーテンにしたり…。



I also made hanging tissue box covers in various tenugui fabrics.

ティッシュカバーも柄違いで縫ってみました。



We live in a small apartment in Tokyo and these hanging tissue box holders are great space savers. I like to hang these tissue boxes all over our house!

狭いマンション暮らしにはこんなふうに吊るせるティッシュは重宝しますね。





Then I stitched up a mini tote bag using one of my favorite tenugui designs - black and white floral prints.

白黒のお花柄の手ぬぐいはモダンな雰囲気がお気に入り。こんなふうにミニトートに仕上げてみましたがどうでしょう。






To add sturdiness to this otherwise thin fabric, I added layers of batting and backing cotton to the tenugui and machine-quilted three layers altogether.  

薄手の手ぬぐい生地を補強するために、手拭いにキルト綿と裏打ち布を重ねて(3枚重ねにして)全体をミシンキルトしてからバッグに仕立てました。




For lining, I used pre-quilted gingham check fabric and added internal pockets to the mini tote.

内布には市販のギンガムチェックのキルティング地を使用。使いやすいようにポケットも付けました。


For the pattern of this mini tote, I basically followed my Insulated Bento Lunch Bag pattern from my book, and made minor changes here and there. For example, I installed zipper top instead of drawstring opening and added D-rings on both edges of the tote opening to attach adjustable shoulder strap.

バッグの型紙と作り方は拙著の「お弁当バッグ」の作り方をアレンジしています。例えば、今回のミニトートは巾着仕立てではなくファスナー開きにしたり、バッグストラップを付けるためにDカンを二つバッグ口の両側に縫い付けるなどしてみました。


I'm happy with how this mini tote turned out. Lately, I've been carrying this mini tote wherever I go.

完成したミニトートです。ななめ掛けにもできるので、ご近所へのお買い物など普段使いに重宝しています。


From my earlier makes...


Here's more tenugui sewing from previous seasons. These are kids' summer pants I stitched up for my young niece and nephews last summer, mainly using tenugui fabrics (Minnie mouse pants are not made of regular cotton but the rest are made of tenugui).

他にも過去の作品より。昨年の夏には可愛い姪っ子甥っ子たちに手拭いを使った短パンを数枚作りました。(手前のミニーマウス生地は手ぬぐいではないですが。。。)



 For this one, I added crocheted edging to the lightweight tenugui towel and turned it into summer scarf. This tenugui was fairly larger (or longer) in size. I remember that it measured approximately 48" or 120 cm long instead of 30" or 90 cm in length.

これも過去の手ぬぐいリメイク作品より。薄手で長めの手拭いにかぎ針編みの縁編みを加えて夏のスカーフに仕立てました。→☆


BTW I purchased this tenugui scarf in Kyoto few years back. Surprisingly for me, this one is not from 100 yen shop but from a tenugui specialty shop! As you may know, Kyoto is one of the traditional and historical cities in Japan, quite different from the metropolitan Tokyo.

この夏用スカーフには以前京都で購入した手ぬぐいを使いました。私にしては珍しく100円ショップではなく手ぬぐい専門店で購入した手ぬぐいですのよ奥様、おほほ。(笑)



More tenugui from my collection...

I guess I shall continue making more stuff from these beautiful Japanese tenugui, especially during hot and muggy summer days in Japan❣

Happy tenugui sewing❣



他にもまだまだ手持ちの手ぬぐい在庫はあるのでこれから夏本番に向けて手ぬぐいを使ったリメイク作品は増えそうです☆ 

ハッピー手ぬぐいソーイング♪ 皆さまも良い夏をお過ごしくださいね。

**Amy Morinaka***

Find me on Facebook (Amy Morinaka) →☆
Follow me on Instagram @chickchicksewing →★





2 comments:

Susan said...

I look forward to buying some of these when I come to Japan in October. Hopefully the weather will be more conducive to travel then! Love your tote- very cute! Stay cool.....

elnorac said...

Love, love, love your adorable tenugui makes, Amy! Your apartment must be so charming with all of your zakka touches!

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