Crocheted Necklace

This is so cute. As soon as I looked at the pictures I want to make one for Tasneem, crocheted necklace. Easy and simple to make, and of course no one will ever want to steal it.

The pictures that I mentioned was in a crocheted book that I found at Popular bookstores near the DIY Chinese section. I think this book is translated in Chinese from Japanese version.

But, although you could not read in Chinese or Japanese, the diagram is very simple to follow unlike to long wordy instructions which is prone to make mistakes or do not understand how to do it at all.

After a few times using the crochet diagram, I think that there are lots and lots of things I want to make. For example, making doily, purses, and flowers.

Ok, back to description of the necklace, instead of using bigger pearl beads, I use bigger buttons to close it. I sew pink beads on top of the flowers.

The thread I use is just for 1.5 to 2mm crochet hooks. But I want it to be bigger, so I used a larger hooks, 3mm size.

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Checked red and white Shirt-Blouse for Toddlers

I wanted to make tops like an adult applied to children. It looks really cute whenever the little ones wear it. Actually I am making this top for her to wear during Hari Raya.

There are steps that you must follow to achieve in making this top:

1 – Pin tuck and sew along the lines of the fabric

2 – Draft patterns and cut the fabric with the lines on top of it

3 – Mark patterns on fabric, serge the edges

4 – Sew shoulders to shoulders, use bias tape for a finished neckline look ( I use white cotton bias strip).

5 – Sew the armhole and sew the bodice.

6 – Attach ribbons and lace

7 – Make button hole and sew buttons on top of it.

8 - Lastly, sew cute little flowers on top of the blouse

My experiences in making this top:

1 – Tedious but the outcome is amazing

2 – Use cotton bias tape for easier finish at the neckline.

Technorati Tags: sewing for toddler,sew tops

Dress from a Long-Sleeved Shirt

My sister Idzyan could not fit anymore in this shirt, so rather than throw it away, I said "why don't you give it to me". The reason is so that I could make something for Tasneem out of it.

I browsed this Japanese book, and I think that the pattern below is suitable for this kind of material.

After tracing and cut out the patterns provided in the booklet, I put the front pattern directly near the buttons, so that I do not have to sew any buttons at all. Saves a lot of time from doing button holes and button sewing.

The finished look of the dress (this is to be worn during Raya).

This is how the back side looks like. Since the outcome is rather big for Tasneem (she can still fit a 6 months old clothes) , maybe she could wear it with a long sleeved shirt inside.

For the neck and the armhole area, I used bias tape for a beautiful and neat finish. Oh, how I loved using it after knowing that it can provide clean finish and saves time compared to using facing (if you know what I mean).

Materials needed:

1) Shirt / long or short sleeve will be okay

2) Bias tape – I use white cotton bias tape

Note: no buttons required since I used from the shirt itself

Experiences:

Making this dress was fun and a challenge for me. I love making something and turns it out into something new. I think that using bias tape for the neckline and arm finishes will give it like “buy it from the store look”. People would not know that you made the clothes yourself rather than think that you bought the product.

This is an easy project, even a beginner can try it out. No need to do button holes and button sewing for the moment. The time from pattern drafting to final sewing is about 3 hours.

Technorati Tags: dress from shirt,sewing for toddler,recycled

Toddler Peasant Blouse

It has been long since I updated this website. I have been very busy lately. But, sewing is still my hobby during my leisure time. Last time, I have been making four sewing projects. One of them is making a top for my daughter which is a peasant top for Hari Raya.

Why did I chose this pattern anyway? Maybe it is because I bought this Japanese book, Cucito in July 2009.

One of the baby model in the book looks so cute (kawaii ) wearing peasant blouse made with plaid pattern fabric. This inspires me to make one for Tasneem.

After I finished sewing for this pattern, I found that it looked like something went missing. I wanted to make it look more beautiful. So, I sewed nearly a one meter white embellishment which you can insert small pink ribbons into it at the waist area. Basically it is to complement with the pink bias tape at the neckline area.

The result is fabulous. I love the final look.

Materials I use for this project:

1) pattern for this design ( i used for 80 cm toddler size)

2) half a meter of cotton fabric (i used remnants which bought from Kamdar)

3) one meter white embellishment

4) 5mm ribbons

5) elastic tape for the neckline and the arms

6) bias tape for the neckline (this is optional, you can just sew the neckline area without bias tape, but it will be a little crooked)

Experience in making this project:

I think this is an easy project, you all should try it. I can finish it within 3 hours. From pattern drafting to final sewing.

Tops from Recycled Skirt

A few months ago, I bought this light cream skirt at a bundle shop for RM1 only. Not only that, I bought four items at the bundle shop for RM6. That was very cheap and a bargain for me. Just imagine that I could get a dress from jeans material and a pink cardigan pant.

This top I made from a skirt, cotton shirting material. Very soft and suitable for making this kind of pattern design.

For the bias tape, I saw this fun and interesting cotton design at Kamdar and imagining how nice and beautiful it would complement the design for the tops.

Technorati Tags: recycled tops,sewing for children

Experiences in making this top:

1) Need to use a larger stitch than usual because it is knitted cotton shirting material (I use 3mm width rather than usual 2.5mm)

2) Don’t need to serge the edges because it will not fray, easier and saves time.

3) Next time I have to make it wider at the end of the sleeves so that it will look nice and puffy for the ruffles.

4) I just serged at the bottom of the tops. Easy and saves time (especially for the lazy ones like me).

5) For the ribbons, I just used the leftover bias tape. You need to hand stitch it first before attaching it to the tops.

6) How long did I finish it, well, I think it is about 5 hours from pattern drafting to making bias tape and finishing the tops.

Baby Two-Tiered Gown

I had always wanted to make this kind of dress, but it requires a lot of work such as making the ruffles, adding two small ties at the back, really it is a lot of work.

At first I was thinking of making an A line dress for Tasneem, but since her Maksu wanted a long dress below her knee, then it is not enough to make one. So, I use the remnants of the 2 meters to make a 2 tiered gown.

This dress is made out of 3/4 meter of fabric. Actually I bought 2 meter of this fabric. One for her Maksu (8 years old) and one for Tasneem. Both of the dress are finished within a week of my leisure time.

How did I make this dress, I use the same top pattern as my previous post about baby gown.

How to make ruffles for the tiered gown? I use sewing machine, set the stitch to the longest stitch per inch you could get, then you sew along the line. Then you cut out the thread, and then slowly pull out the thread to make ruffles along the fabric.

Since this dress looks dull and boring, I use the same white bias tape to make two ribbons to attached to it. I also sewed white ribbon along the tiered to make it looks more shine and elegance.

Here is how it looks from the back side of the dress. Easy no zipper at the back, just one button with a short slit at the back of the dress.

This is how it looks like when my daughter wears it.

Although this dress took a long time and patience to make, but the result is fabulous, I love to see my child smiling and happy with her dress. She looks really adorable in it. I am glad that I was forced to make this dress once.

Baby Gown from Japanese sewing book

I made this baby gown using the pattern from this japanese sewing book (ISBN: 978-4-8163-4652-1)which I bought at Kinokuniya Bookstore.

The fabric used was from Idzyan’s Kebaya (cotton fabric remnants about 30cm or less) and I mixed with some of this cotton fabric that I use it to make baby tops in my previous posts. Total fabric needed about 50cm to 60cm. For Tasneem, I added lace to make it longer than her knee.

For the bias tape, I use the same fabric as the bottom part. This is to make it looks like store bought. I made the bias tape myself, did not use any Clover or any bias tape maker. I hope that one day I will have one for myself.

I added small flower that I got it from kenduri (usually from handkerchief given to guest) to make it look nicer.So, don’t throw away those little flowers, you might need it for any projects in the future!

At the back I alter it a bit, not using bias tape as a closure, but I sew small red button with a blanket stitch as a closure. Pretty easy and simple.

 

Tasneem and her maksu Ilyana.

My experiences in making this gown:

a) need lots of patients especially in making the ruffles and bias tape, very tedious though

b) don’t rush in making it, so that the outcome will come out perfect

c) easy to handle when using cotton as the material

So, that is all for today. 

Embroidered Bawal Scarf (Sulam tudung Bawal)

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My customer asked me if I can embroider bawal scarf for her. Well, I must say this is my first time doing it on a scarf. She wants a simple design for her tudung.

My experience while embroidered the bullion roses on this soft and fragile scarf is that it is hard to maintain and to pull out the thread through the needle. It is easier though on Tasneem’s cardigan.

The material I used to embroider this tudung are
a) “Sharp” type needle

b) DMC embroidery floss . This one I used 3 strands of floss to make the bullion roses and leaves.

This is the picture taken after embroidered at the corner of the scarf.

For second tudung/scarf. This design is taken from Rosita books. Thanks to Aina Creative World for her information on “Info Mulakan Sulaman” that mentioned about tracing the design by putting the scarf (sheer) over it. So, I did that technique and walla here the outcomes. I like this one though.

Hope that the owner likes it.

Tutorial – How to make neckline of baju kurung (part one)

I was thinking of sharing how to make the neckline of baju kurung (leher baju kurung). When I first started sewing, I found that this is the hardest part of all. But now,when I already learned the technique from Rosita Jaafar sewing book, I can do it easily. In fact, this is my favorite part of sewing baju kurung.

Here is my style of how to sew the neckline of baju kurung. I am not an expert, I just want to share a little bit of what I have learnt from sewing lots of baju kurung. If you have any comments or any additions to what I mentioned, please do so.

Here is the tutorial:

1. Using remnants of the fabric (after cutting all the major parts), trace the facing using the fabric with a pen or a tailor’s chalk or a pencil. Let’s call it “neckline facing”.

Base of neckline facing         Shape of neckline

 

2. After sewing the body parts together, iron the body parts in two, so that there will be a line folded in half in the middle of the body.

3. Using the line from the body that we iron on earlier as a guide, then pin on the neckline facing to the body parts. Match it from point to point.

Till then, wait for part two of making the neckline of baju kurung. If there’s any questions or comments please do so.

Technorati Tags: Cara membuat leher baju kurung

Krispy Kreme Brings up Nostalgic Memories

It has been 4 years since I last ate Krispy Kreme doughnuts in the US. My husband used to buy me the doughnuts near midnight at Flying J gas station. It was on clearance sale at that time about $0.30 a piece. We ate till we were full.
Last week, I went to KL and my husband said that they now opened one branch of Krispy Kreme in Berjaya Times Square at the ground floor. So, we did go there on our 3rd day in KL.


We ordered a dozen doughnuts and 7 of them were our favorite flavors, the chocolate custard doughnut.

It was very delicious, sooo delicious compared to Dunkin Donuts or JCO or Big Apple. The custardy taste is similar to Mary Lou doughnuts in West Lafayette, Indiana. But it was far more cheaper than Krispy Kreme, just $0.30 a piece. To anyone who never tasted Krispy Kreme doughnuts just give it a try. I bet one is just not enough.
There is also Papa John’s pizza and Wendy’s branch from the US opened there. I recommend Papa John’s pizza to everyone who never tasted it before. For your information, Papa John is the number one rating pizza in the US.