Sewing at Helsingin aikuisopisto

In Autumn 2025, I enrolled in an advanced sewing course at Helsinki's adult university. I'd sewn before, but wanted to immerse myself in Finland's handicraft culture—practicing using patterns, new machine functions, and navigating instruction in Finnish.

My inspiration came from Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John—she writes about girlhood amongst lush Caribbean landscapes, wearing handmade dresses with peter-pan collars, mud-caked shoes, dodging snakes and afternoon thunderstorms. I also referenced the preppy, tropical Miu Miu S/S 2003 collection and my vintage Kenzo wrap shirt with an intense Japonisme print I couldn't shake.

I sewed a mid-length halter dress using 1998 Fujiwo Ishimoto for Marimekko woven cotton. The pattern called for stretch fabric, but I wanted to experiment with a rigid silhouette that skimmed the body. I sized up to allow it to slide over the shoulders, and used white thread throughout for a graphic, punchy look that felt sporty and retro.

In crafting the dress, three mantras percolated in my mind:

1. Color is king

2. Textiles shouldn't be over-engineered

3. A good silhouette won’t need stretch to fit well

One of my favorite details on the piece was adding a teeny-tiny monogram along the edge that skims under the shoulder blades. It felt like my quiet exclamation about good clothes— when something is really amazing, you want it to be yours, forever.