I can’t avoid crafts. The art of craft-making is patient, detailed and precise, and that lures me in every time. Yesterday, a few of my dorm mates and I made a trip down to Fukiage Hall where we checked out this handicraft fair, named Art & Heart 2014.
Funny tidbit: The demographic was largely elderly women. I felt a little awkward being there, but after awhile, it didn’t even matter cause there were so many crafts to admire.
The best part of the fair was that, for 500円, there were crafts to try out for yourself, and you get to bring them back! I chanced upon this little booth where they featured 5 different crafts. One was an alarm clock decorated with something similar to food samples. It looked like this:
But I decided to go with this one instead, partially cause buttons seem to be much more useful maybe? I loved the felt texture too.
It seems rather easy to make though. First you sew the thread into round pieces of cloth, probably cut up from a huge piece, and then cover a round metal button with it. Next, you apply some super glue in the middle and press the other side of the metal button on it. Add a piece of leather, before adding a metal pin to it, all using super glue. Of course, I’m being kind of vague here, because I don’t actually know what they were called, but hopefully you get the idea. Up close, it looks like this:
Now I know how they are made, and that they don’t take too long to make. Of course, I took 5 minutes for the first button, but subsequent ones were much faster thank goodness. The next exciting thing? I was able to follow the instructions given by the teachers! They were using words that I just learnt, like 糸、結ぶ、選ぶ, and I was on the verge of hopping up and down when I understood what they were saying. Other new words were like “ボンド” (Super glue), ”リッボン” (Ribbon). Katakana is hard. Like they are not always obvious, but it takes some getting used to (慣れる).
Another really interesting thing I wanted to learn, was how to carve soaps. I was tempted to join in with Vimy, but I was watching the money in my pocket haha.
Mm. I would love to try it out some day. Another challenge? Would be to try making these:
Nagoya is indeed a place for crafts, and there are plenty of shops to show for it too. I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for more.
NINJA WANDERER: Tales of Travels 
i love the elephant button so much :’D
“The art of craft-making is patient, detailed and precise…”
YES! Not just arts and craft. From my experience in grad school: Take our work and make it into a craft, be patient, detailed and precise with it.