Make your own chef’s jacket and sommelier apron

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

My favorite source for oddball crafts books is Kinokuniya Book Store in Little Tokyo, a few blocks from the Los Angeles Times building, where I just picked up “Book of Aprons for Men” by Ryuichiro Shimazaki ($22.40). How could I resist? It’s illustrated with German photographer August Sander’s photos of workers in aprons, and includes patterns for a “garcon”—or waiter— apron, black sommelier apron, cook’s jacket and apron, a sakaya apron, which I believe is a sake master’s apron. There’s also a walking apron (which would replace a fanny pack), camper, painter and gardening aprons, etc., all with scale drawings of the pattern pieces and enough detailed drawings that you could figure out how to make one with or without knowing Japanese. A very handsome book with elegant photographs and drawings.
Note: The exhibition “August Sander: People of the Twentieth Century” continues through Sept. 14 at the Getty Center; www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/sander/.
Kinokuniya Book Store, 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka, Los Angeles; (213) 687-4480; www.kinokuniya.com

—S. Irene Virbila