Flavour horizons – Homemade spice blends

December 15, 2016 by nadel&gabel

 This year, my Christmas presents – yes, almost done – are a bit more on the (online) store bought side than on team DIY. Not by concept, it just happened. Nevertheless you won’t find a gift guide on this blog. I don’t think anyone needs another one. What you’ll find here – like every year – is some inspiration for homemade Christmas presents. One of my homemade presents is this set of spice blends. I chose three of my favourite […]

Categories: around the world, craft & DIY, dairy-free, digital design, freebies, gluten-free, In the kitchen, paper, spread, sauce & spice, vegan, vegetarian • Tags: african, arab, Asian, blend, coriander, cumin, dukkah, exotic, flavour, furikake, gift, glass tube, hawaij, hazelnut, homemade, japanese, jewish, kitchen, label, mix, oriental, present, recipe, seasoning, sesame, spice, taste

That certain something – Petal pouches in japanese blue

September 8, 2016 by nadel&gabel

For me Anna von from Noodlehead is the goddess of pouches and bags! One reason perhaps is that I learned the basics of sewing mostly with her pictured tutorials. Thanks to her I can sew any kind of zipper … and I am still more familiar to English sewing terms than German ones 😉 It is also, because non (really NON) of her tutorials and patterns (free or for purchase) has led me down at any time. I would say they’re foolproof. […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, Asanoha, blue, clam, easy, fabric, graphic, indigo, japanese, noodlehead, pattern, petal, pouch, rounded, traditional, zipper

Attention – Japanese style comfy trousers

August 18, 2016 by nadel&gabel

In being confronted with the contingencies of the real world, “the world beyond our head”, f.ex. in concentrating on crafting we can gain back some autonomy in the modern world of omnipresent distraction… that’s the thesis of Matthew B. Crawford in his thoughtful and inspiring new work. One of Crawfords examples is the concentrated, coordinated work of a professional chef. An example that absolutely makes sense to me. I’ve always felt that working with my hands, making things – concrete, touchable […]

Categories: garment • Tags: attention, chambray, clothing, comfy, concentration, culottes, garnment, japanese, matthew crawford, modern, Nähen im japanischen Stil, pants, pattern, sewing, Shufu To Seikatsu Sha, simple, simple modern sewing, the world beyond our head, trousers, wide

Wholesome – Onigiri with tuna filling

November 29, 2015 by nadel&gabel

“Muss ich immer alles müssen, was ich kann?” (Do I always have to do things cause I can do?) – No, I guess, we don’t have to. Too often we think, that there’s no other way, we feel obliged to people, traditions, to-do-lists. But when we pause, when we refuse all the must’s, ignore the pile of work for a while, postpone tidying up the apartment and decorating for christmas, when we do mostly nothing, or only the things we […]

Categories: around the world, autumn, grains & legumes, In the kitchen, snacks & small dishes, spring, summer, Uncategorized, winter • Tags: gari, ginger, japanese, kimchi, korean, nori, onigiri, recipe, spicy, sushi, triangular, tuna

Modern tradition – Seigaiha tote and pouch

October 25, 2015 by nadel&gabel

When I first came across “kiseki” on DaWanda I was looking for masking tape and this shop had an overwhelming selection… I had a hard time to decide. And then I realized that Juliane, the shop owner, also sells fabrics! Imported from Japan “kiseki” offers a great choice of stunning traditionally patterned Japanese fabrics. Asanoha, Samekomon, Kanoko, Seigaiha … each of them so gorgeous! Some of the patterns are even available as oil cloth. I ordered a stack … and as always they […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, supplies, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, Asanoha, blue, clutch, denim, fabric, gingham, handle, Handmade Style, Japan, japanese, Kanoko, noodlehead, pattern, pouch, rivet, Samekomon, Seigaiha, sewing, tote, traditional, zipper

Indigo shibori dyeing … and a tote, a clutch and a pouch

June 5, 2014 by nadel&gabel

I really do enjoy sewing. After a long break when I used my sewing machine only to trim new trousers, I realized this again. If you watched me while I am sewing you would probably not always  assume this – not seldom it is accompagnied with screams of annoyance when I’ve (again) attached two pieces of fabric just the wrong way … but then, when I finally hold a finished project in my hands, it’s all forgotten and I am […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, craft & DIY, fabric, supplies, wallets & pouches • Tags: bag, binding, blue, case, clutch, colour, Craft, dye, fabric, geometric, indigo, itajime, japanese, pencil, pouch, print, resist, sewing, shape, shibori, tie, tote, tutorial, zipper