190 Adorable Felt Animal Mascots - Japanese Craft Book Review

[glittersniffer]

Gets a big boo in my book. The girl who sold it to me didn't represent it well at all. She showed only full color photos and not how the patterns are printed, giving me the impression it was all color photos. It's all in Japanese which I could have figured out IF she had noted that there were no pictures to go along with the patterns. It's also pretty small, not a hardcover, which it appeared to be, and the pattern paper is very flimsy...

Not impressed, I was super excited and now I'm just pissed.

[pixidance]

That's interesting.  I have this book and I love it.  The papers that the patterns are on are cardstock paper (about like an index card)  I just trace onto regular paper cut out and go!

My book is also about the size of a regular magazine, but a little bit narrower.  I wonder if there are a couple of different printings?  my ISBN is 9784391117585

as far as the pictures not being with the patterns...the pictures have a number next to them which corresponds to the number on the patters   that way, you can poke through the book and find the right pattern.

I hope that helped you out a little bit

[christinacoghill]

I also have this book and love the patterns in it  Get some tracing paper to use to trace the patterns onto  and them put them onto card stock paper.   pixidance is right the photo's have numbers by them and you need to look to find the pattern pieces. it is a bit confusing compared to how patterns are done in the USA but with some searching around you can get used to it.  I found I had problems with the crochet patterns in some books, since they use parts of another pattern in the pattern and you have to really dig to find them.  But once you get the hang of the japanese craft books they are super cute and sweet and make great items.

[glittersniffer]

Thanks alot gals! I feel like an arse for not realizing that sooner! Also, with them being so tiny, how do you make them come out decent looking? Good felt? Extra seam allowance? Awesome scissors? Thanks again for helping me, I feel really silly now 

[My House Boutique]

They're sooooo cute!  I bet you can enlarge the patterns to your desirable size.  And use fabric shears; I bought a pair and haven't looked back.

[pixidance]

I hand sew mine.  I can imagine if you were using a machine that you'd want to enlarge the pattern.

here's a link to a finished project from the book.  It's one of the larger horses, not the tiny mascots.  My little ones have turned out just fine too.

https://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=203541.msg2170453#msg2170453

This horse is hand sewn and exactly the same size as the pattern in the book from page 93

Don't be afraid to play around with the patterns either, I've had so much fun with this book that I bought 3 more japanese craft books!  I'm hooked!!

[gilowyn]

I don't even trace the pattern, just more or less cut it out... and I don't sew them the way they say, just using my own way.

I have used thick acrylic felt in the past, so I am using a blanket stitch from the outside, then just stuff whenever I am almost done. That doesn't work with tiny arms etc - you really need thin wool felt for those critters.

I like the book, it's fun when I don't feel like doing socks... And it does annoy me that there are people selling the exact same critters as their "own" designs on Etsy.