When I learned sewing in School for the first time in later primary school year in Japan,
I used a ” Ashibumi- Mishin ” – “Foot step operated sewing machine” at school.
I believe it was Singer foot pedal sewing machine like the picture above. ( Pic from Pinterst )
I need to feed the leather belt to operate,
Then put both foot but right foot slightly forward than left then turn the Stop motion turn away from you and Balance Wheel turn toward to you while first step is going,
otherwise, feed going backword…
It was great fun, when you can sew smoothly, and you don’t want to stop it at all!!
But you really needed to practice first to get going for pedalling and threading ! 🙂
I got newsletter from Japan House in London the interesting article about knitted fabric history in Japan.
And I saw the image of Meiji period kimono ladies are sewing rather elegant way! ( Pic below )
So I remembered my first sewing was when I was making doll clothes with my little fingers
sewing dress with yellow cotton fabric with thread and needles,
and I think I put 3 big green buttons with sticky tapes in front for my finishing touch 🙂
And I send it to my Grandma with letter to Tokyo, and she was the Kimono dressed lady because of her occupation as well,
She was a tea ceremony master of Urasen-ke style.
She replied to me, ” You are so great in hand work, you should try to be a fashion designer! ”
So I tried 🙂
https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/discover/stories/meriyasu/?dm_i=4RMY,FVR6,HRR88,1VHAD,1
Machinery used for Tabi ( Sort of Socks for Kimono) factory Osawa-shoten in 1918 Image Courtesy from Gyoda City Museum pulled from Japan House Webstie.
Post card is showing machine for cutting process for Tabi making Image courtesy from Gyoda City Museum pulled from Japan House Website.