Batik

Since today I wore a batik blazer made two years ago, I thought why not I blog about it. BTW not a Malaysian batik but China batik. :)

I purchased this batik during my trip to Beijing in 2002 because of the bold pattern and colors. As usual it took me many years to decide what to do with it; cushion cover, wall deco, skirts, shirt or blazer. I  chose Nehru collar blazer and omitted buttons to wear with black sleeveless maxi. The thick cotton was so delightful to cut and sew.

I think the blazer turns out OK for Thursday-casual batik office wear-when u don't have meeting day.

Scraps

these cuties are super fast. and i finally get to use the hair clip and brooch pins that i got while ordering cotton batting from MayMayshop. as well as glue gun.... they will adorn my table full of old books of fiction that i'm letting go at RM2 at my office's jumble sale today and tomorrow. no craft item for sale because:
- i need to clear the book to make space for the fabbies....
- for now craft/sewing is more for fun...
updated at 03:10pm:
*i wore the beige one and the pink and yellow were grabbed by a customer quite fast... 66% of success rate, i might say... haha
**only 5 more books left and they were asking for more...

mybotang reversible bucket bag sew along

time line: 1st feb - 14th march

Dear Sue,

thank you for organising it

i am so glad to participate in this project for its opportunity to challenge me in so many ways:-

:: i've never been in any sew along party before. the duration given is perfect for me, and maybe next sew along i will follow the time line for each stages... :)

:: i've never sew a bag with a base before. mostly tote bags. i had a hard time attaching the exterior bag to the base. Although i pinned and basted prior to sewing it, it still didn't came out pretty...i almost gave up...

:: i've never use batting before, in fact i never seen one before... haha. now i love it... but the fusible batting didn't give a smooth finish.... why eh?

and best of all, i'm so glad to learn from others who were doing well with their bag and knowing that i'm part of it too...

Regards,

--- newbie ---

Sewing Taboo

I have one, inherited from mak.

"NEVER cut  fabric on Tuesday and Wednesday, avoid Friday and always cut the fabric on Monday and Thursday"

She says:

Tuesday and Wednesday: you might make mistakes during the cutting process which tend to destroy the fabric/the fitting of the garment or you make a lot of mistakes during the sewing phase which involve A LOT of unpicking or rrrripping....

Friday: since it is a blessing day, the cut fabric would remain cut fabric...

Monday and Thursday: none of the above, or in another word; SUCCESS!!!!!

:: first baju kurung in 2011, cut the fabric on Monday, sewn during CNY

:: first attempt of jahitan mata lalat; a malay variation of bullion embroidery on baju kurung neckline.

A bit wonky... but I like it.

:: second baju kurung, cut on Tuesday (Maulidur Rasul) and completed last night.

:: during sewing process, found that each of body panel was short of 3 cm, ahem....

:: WIP: a much better jahitan mata lalat

p.s. both baju kurung have pockets

easy peasy sewing

Made these pants two weekends ago using pattern from AS&E Issue # 45, 1998 size 18 months. Very roomy for 15 months. The stripey BW pants was made from my favourite POLO shirt.

This boy can really sit still while camera was pointed at him... while standing up, all I got were blurry images... :)

grey on cream

just a sneak peek of completed shirt. Sewing this shirt was a breeze and enjoyeable. I made a few changes from the basic shirt; elastic gathered sleeve and elastic band at the the back near waist area. Taking full pic of the shirt will be a challenged for an amateur like me because I couldn't capture the details. I will upload the pic once I'm satisfied with the result.
To avoid fraying buttonholes due to frequent washing by machine, I use this is fusible web.

the ruffle shirt

that all i manage to sew during CNY hols.... it take me hours to place the ruffles... hehe. I like it and going to wear it tomorrow.

last night I started on another shirt project... different pattern; not as fitted as above and gathered sleeve. The fabric is dark grey flower on cream Japanese cotton I bought two years ago, which is suitable for current hot climate... These two patterns come from two different Japanese books I bought a few years ago. They are altered and modified to suit my un-Japanese body :) and I've made many plain work shirts from them.

....

Yesterday was supposed to be a sewing day. But I was having an after-effect 0f dentist experience and packing my stuff at work. I managed to sew a baby gift: what else but another set of pajamas for my staff baby girl. To whomever stop by at my blog, I'm so sorry for another boring post... :) Finally I got to use pink... or fuchsia ... I won't be able to give it to her personally because the day she begins her work after 2-months confinement leave , I also start working at another organization. In the afternoon I bought cotton canvas fabrics with the intention of making thank u gifts to my colleagues...

.
.
.
.

This week is quite busy. Today new semester begins and class starts at 11 am.

Sneak peek

I've yet to finish refurbishing my living room windows. I am still looking for a nice butter yellow day curtain to complete the look... Here is the peek of what I completed two weeks ago.

the main window

the secondary window

I hope I can complete the whole look before the year is closing.

p.s. I realized that the curtains fabbies are so last, last year.... :(. Did I learn not to procrastinate anymore? Apparently not...

another pajamas for Amin

I'm supposed to be sewing a tunic for myself... had cut the fabric but not in the mood to sew ... However, I love sewing for baby Amin... fast and easy kind of sewing, mind you... using the pattern from this link, I make pants and nobu shirt... I'm a bit worry that the latter might fit him too well...

I like the color of store bought T ( cost me only RM10) which match perfectly with my plaid flannel fabric I had for months... At 6 months, it is quite difficult to forecast what Amin will prefer... His brother is crazy about fish, and bird is easy to sketch and make into applique... :)

Shirts

These shirts were made 3 years ago...

I've been sewing real slow...

The past weekends I've been sewing curtains for my living room and it almost done. All there is left to do this weekends is french plate lace day curtain. Actually there are only two windows but the length is overwhelmed me... I'm very slow with measuring and cutting. I want it to be precised and perfect although the end result is not necessary perfect... :)

Maybe I was trained that way. Things don't just happen, it has to be conceptualized, sketched, measured, dreamed a bit, put in drawings and plans, and executed. While I was cutting the fabric, I stepped back so many times... Sewing is a therapautic hobby that I want to savour yet I am concious of time I wasted... so I always stressed out that so many projects I wanted to do were not done as planned. That might be the reason I dislike taking sewing order from other people.

I planned to change the curtains five months ago during the semester break but had no idea what the color and design would be. When I first moved into my home six years ago, I went for cooling and calm effect for my living room to counter the scorching hot sun of the outside. Light apple green seemed to be the answer and I still love the color. However, this time I wanted to go for something edgy and clean yet still maintain the original concept. So a few months ago, I choose dark grey and white. I picked IKEA fabric which seems affordable to me compare to others.

I'm loving grey and yellow at the moment...

My first and many more sewing projects for Amin

I started this project on Sunday afternoon by transfering this pattern and cut the flannel fabric. At first I was thinking of using french seam because it would be baby friendly, however I changed my mind. I have my serger machine for the past 6 years and never once attempt to serge clothes. So with that in mind I changed the thread from black to white... OMG for almost one hour I couldn't get the perfect stiches... then Amin's brother called to take him clothes shopping and gladly I left... Last night I managed to get it right... Alhamdulillah... so in less than one hour, both pants and applique on shirt were done including washing the shirt :)

Super fast pajamas for my almost 6 months old Amin

To Amin's brothers, Teh will try to use less pink next time... hehe

One Fail New Year Resolution

one of my new year resolution is not to buy any fabric until i use all my fabric stashes either by sewing or sending them to my tailors... you see... although i sew only for myself and mak, i still need tailors to make my baju kurung, kebaya and pantsuits. i know how to make baju kurung but somehow i don't enjoy making them as much as making my own blouses, pants and skirts. weird... huh?
i went to the fabric store which sell clothes as well with the intention of finding a black cardigan or shrug... but i couldn't resist these fabrics:

there are two different fabrics, but have similar color... grey, weird... huh? one is machine embroidered cotton and the other is linen polyester with silver thread... nice. i have big plan for them... ;-p

2008 sewing

my niece blouse

the pattern comes from this magazine

blouse for Mak

close up fabric

i have been busy ...

... sewing actually. I finished a few more pheasant blouses, yeah... I need them since I put on a couple more kilos. it is just I am quite lazy to take pictures and download them.

Yesterday I completed an off-white linen tunic using my trusted pattern. I added darts at the back, shorten the shoulder and put elastic for the wrists. It turned up quite okay. I plan to embroider the body but have yet to decide on the pattern.

Today I traced a pattern from Cotton Friend magazine. It is another tunic but has gather at the bust area. I might try this on on cheapo fabric.

Besides sewing I am also tried a few basic recipes from internet and they turned out okay:

1. nasi lemak - my 3rd try was a success. I practiced it whenever my sisters' family come visit
   
2. nasi ayam - nailed it on my 1st try... my niece & nephew liked it too
   
3. savoury bread - not bad on 1st try as i used strawberry milk... hahaha...
   
4. sago - made it for my birtday.
   
5. laksa - aced it on my 1st try and cooked it for my birthday... yeah... so proud of myself
   
6. cake topping - for my birthday cake was yummy, it my sister's recipe, easy peasy... hahah

Speaking of birthday, I invited two of my sisters' family over. I had fun cooking but was tired nevertheless... My menu ( was busy entertaining forget to take pictures) :

1. laksa
   
2. brownie
   
3. chocolate cake
   
4. sago
   
5. salad
   
6. murtabak di raja

maybe once I'm done with final exam for this semester i invite them again...

beading

what i have accomplished...

during the weekend i finished mak's simple jubah for tarawikh prayer. the fabric is cotton. i used bubble sleeve design instead normal one. i hope she'll like it..

the whole look

as many cafters out there has made peasant blouses base on Simplicity pattern, last month i tried from this pattern

and i made these after tweaking the muslin

they are really comfortable