Simple "Sakura" dress

I found this lovely fabric for only S$6/m and it only left me some 1.3m .. so with that "restricted" fabric, I carefully fold and cut it so I could make a maximum use of it. I was thinking of making it into 2 blouses or 1 simple dress and 1 sleeveless top .. and I already used it to make one simple short sleeves A-line dress, the rest of the fabric is still waiting for my "inspiration" .. I'll post it later when I've made up my mind ;-D

ps: I use the pattern from one of my Japanese sewing book.

New sewing books and mags :-)

I've been "collecting" Japanese sewing books and magazines. I've fallen in love with their simple style, simple pattern and clear, easy to follow instructions. I wanted to know their "sewing techniques" which I found a lot easier and not complicated comparing to other techniques I saw in most of sewing books.

I stopped my Saturday night sewing class after I started to work part-time in the French school. I need my weekend to repose and re-charged my energy. I feel that going to a sewing class on a Saturday night while I supposed to enjoy my time with my family, seems a bit "ambitious" ...

These books and mags really help me a lot! and I recommend them for a beginner (like my self) to start making one or two projects, you'll be surprise that it could turn you into a sewing addict ;-)

Old skirt, new look.

I realized that I don't really have enough free time nowadays after I went back to work, although it's a part-time job, now I feel like my time is more restricted and I only sew very few these last couple of months. I could only turn to my sewing machine on weekends or late in the afternoon.

Today, my afternoon pastime was: turning an old batik skirt into two simple skirts, I only cut my old batik skirt to my desired length then I added lace embellishment to finish the look. The same thing I did for the leftover, lucky it's still enough for one tiny skirt ;-D

Blue flower sundress

It's been a while .... I've missed my sewing machine so much that I just have to make this one FAST!! ...

I still use the pattern from CUCITO Japanese mag and this one I use pattern no. 46 for size 120. The blue flower fabric came from Spotlight while on SALE S$ 5/m. I still need to make a smaller size for my youngest, I hope the fabric is enough to make another one, I think she'll fit in size 100.

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I managed to finish the 2nd dress in size 100 for my little one, she's so happy and wanted to wear the dress right away! :-)

Sleeveless top

I got this sweet floral fabric from Spotlight for S$ 5,95/meter. I bought only 1 meter and make it into 2 sleeveless top for my girls. Once again, the pattern came from Emma Hardy book, this time I've tried the one in page 29. The baby pink fabric for binding, I got long time ago in Arab Street for less than S$ 5/m.

It's not a very difficult project to do, I just need to carefully bind all the raw edges and make a button holes behind the blouse, then put the button. The book actually suggested on using snap buttons and after that we only need to put decoration buttons, but I wanted to try making a button holes .. so, that's what I did.

Batik top

I still have some Batik fabric from the kid's skirts last time, I wanted to use it to make a blouse, but I don't have enough fabric, so I've made a top instead .. or maybe I'll attach sleeves from white fabric to make it a blouse later.

The pattern came from CUCITO japanese pattern magazine. I tried to make the blouse in size M which turned out to fit me nicely.

2 projects from sewing class

The sewing class part 01 has just finished. I think I will continue to part 02 next week. No pain, no gain! .. gotta force my self to go to class on Saturday night and put any doubts on the back of my mind. I need to keep reminding my self that we need some kind of goal to set for ourselves, and I wanted to continue because I wanted to know how to make a man's shirt ..

I know, some people prefer to learn in a comfort of their home, search in YouTube for almost anything about sewing. For me, I want to be able to ask directly to the teacher, to classmates for my questions, learning from them gave me valuable lessons.

I've finally finished my 2 skirts projects with a waistband.

Baby Doll

Got some unfinished blouses in my early learning how to sew. I didn't know what to do about it then. I got the pattern from a friend, then I make another and replace the sleeves with a piece of fabric.

Easy project for one rainy morning and a growling stomach .. (yeap, it's Ramadhan and I didn't wake up to take the early morning meals, because I forgot to turn ON the alarm clock beside our bed) ...

Semi Circular Skirt

This is my second project in sewing class. I was so left behind everybody, just because I've missed 3 classes out of 8 in total. This Saturday will be the last class for beginner level - part 01. I have to finish at least 3 projects, and the next part we'll be making pants, men's shirt with collar and a culotte.

Today I decided to make the semi circular skirt. I have this fabulous Batik from a friend that I think would be awesome to make it into a skirt. Here I try it on without the waistband and zipper attached (I need to overlock the edges with a serger first, I need to use the one in the classroom) .. but more or less, this is how it looks like :-)

To make this skirt is very simple, actually .. I wonder why I didn't go and try to make it earlier :-). We just need to measure our waist and the length of the skirt we wanted to make.
The math is only: [waist measurement] /4 +3 ; so if your waist is 60 cm/4+3 = 18 cm. This is the number we use to make the small circle.

Note:
the teacher gave us this little tips: if your waist measure around [58-62] /4+3 ; if bigger, let say [63-80]/4+5 -- I don't know why, but that's the trick :-)

Sewing Class Beginner Part 01 -- almost done.

I've missed the last 2 classes *sigh* .. it's not easy to choose between family time on Saturday night and going to a sewing class :-( I'm not sure if I will continue the "Part 02" of this class " -- which will included: blouses, collar and pants! ... *sounds very tempting, eh?* .. and next week (August 21st) will be the last class for Part 01.

Oh dear .. I really curious about this stuff! and last night the teacher taught us how to draw a basic block of blouse, included how to make measurement then create a pattern from it. How can I miss all of this! .. so my homework now will be: finishing the A-line waist band, making the semi-circular skirt and draw the basic block of blouse for my self using my own measurement that the teacher had helped me to do it.

this picture is taken when the teacher show us how to make pleated skirt (the one like school girl's skirt) using the basic skirt pattern.

Blue Hello Kitty Pyjamas

The kids have chosen the fabric. It cost SGD 4,50/meter found in People's Park, Chinatown.

We've also bought another color (white and pink kitty fabrics). The cotton is soft and comfortable for kids, I've bought another color sometimes ago and it's not bad for a cheap cotton.

The kids are happy to snuggle up at home in those pyjamas :-)

Red-White, I heart our flag! :-)

This blouse/ mini dress is actually a modification of this pattern , I stumble upon a cool blog that my friend show me, then I browsed around and I found this mini dress, so I thought about making one for my self, but I don't have the pattern, so I made an experiment using the existing pattern to make one for my daughter.

It looks alike, but it's not the same. Let see if I can make one for my self ...

Stary-stary skirt

I love making this tiered skirt for the girls because they love it too! that's why I never get bored of it.

Now I have a simple method to begin with:

First, I measure the desired length of the skirt, divided by 3 (for 3 tiered skirt) then for the top tier just add 2 cm width for the seam allowance and waist band and add 1 cm width for the rest of tiers (layers). I only need 1 meter length of fabric for this one.

Pyjamas pants

This "Hello Kitty" fabric we got from our last visit to Chinatown with the kids. The little one insisted that I bought this fabric. Although I didn't quite fancy to buy it, I went ahead and bought 1 yard. It cost SGD 5/yard.

I was thinking of making it into pajamas, but when the pants finished ,my daughter asked me to make another skirt for her, well ... okay. She finally got what she wants :-)

First sewing lesson: Basic block of skirts

The basic block of skirt is the measurement you need to take before drawing a skirt pattern. It includes:

1. Waist = [waist measure]/4= A --> A+1 for Front pattern (F); A-1 for Back pattern (B)
2. Waist to hip
3. Hip = [hip measurement]/4 = B --> B+1 (F) ; B-1 (B)
4. Bust width = [bust width]/2
5. Length (from hip to desired skirt length)

We actually divided the skirt into 4 to have a quarter skirt pattern, that's why waist & hip measurement must divided by 4. We also need bust width to make darts, that's why we divide bust width by 2. Next all we need to do is make the pattern. Always start from right corner of your pattern paper.

To make a slit (on the back of your skirt), start from zip end divide by 3 equal lengths and the last part is the slit length. Use 7 inch (18 cm) or 8 inch (20 cm) zipper.

Note: for flat bottom people, move up 1,5 cm from left bottom of the skirt, and 1 cm up from right bottom, draw straight line first then join the line together.

Night sewing class

Finally I've found one sewing class in our neighborhood, not too far from where we live, only about 4 bus stops and 5 minutes walk to reach the place. It's the community center who arrange various classes for all ages.

I've joined the basic (elementary) dressmaking class last Saturday night. I haven't registered and paid for the courses -- which would have 8 classes starting last Saturday July 3rd. So, I came there, paid the course fees (SGD 80) and went straight up to the last door on the 2nd floor, the dressmaking class. There were about 10 women joining this class.

First, the teacher wrote the sewing materials that we will need during the course like good quality of needles, tracing paper, scissor, etc. She also taught us about basic sewing skills like "tacking", "tailor tack", how to measure your body then make a pattern from it. She gave us the 1st homework: make a pattern for a skirt (straight/A-line skirt) and she will check our homework next week and start our first project.

The course took 3 hours from 7-10 PM every Saturday, and that's the only schedule suited me while husband can look after the kids at home.

Peasant Skirts

I got some leftover fabrics from my previous project (the sack dresses for kids) then I bought 1 yard of a matching fabric to complete this peasant skirts.

The girls wanted to wear it right away, before I was able to add embellishment .. then we went out to buy some party stuffs, ate dinner at some fast food restaurant and got home to find one of the skirt with a spot of melted cheese on it ... ggrrrhh ..

Sack dress

Actually these dress is only another (longer) version of the previous blouse. The fabric I've got on sale in Chinatown for $4/yard. I loved the fabric, it's pure cotton, soft and the color is also pretty. The kids wore it to a friend's farewell party this afternoon and they looked comfortable playing and running around in it :-)

old t-shirt, new look!

Here's daughter's request to get her old t-shirt a makeover.

I only need to add some leftover fabrics from my previous projects and add lace to finish the new look :-)

Boho blouse

I got the pattern from my friend in 3 sizes: small, medium (for kids) and LARGE (for my self) heheh .. I like these kind of blouses, roomy and comfy both for kids and adults and I'm thinking to make the blouse for the three of us.

First project from the book

I tried the first project in the book "Making Children Clothes" by Emma Hardy and thought that this project was not too difficult to follow with the clear step by step instruction and illustration. This blouse is size 2/3 years, fit perfectly for my little one .. when it's finished her big sis wanted me to make one for her too .. gosh, that's what happen if you have two little girls at home .. :-)

I started the project around 5 PM and finished the blouse just in time to go out for a Friday night family diner. Now it's past midnight and I need to have some rest .. have a wonderful weekend, all!

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The second blouse I made on Monday afternoon, just after the kids back from school and the internet went down, so I worked on the other workstation just in front of my laptop .. yep, the sewing machine!! .. and finished the bigger version for my bigger daughter :-)

Tshirt dress

I saw my friend made a t-shirt dress for her daughter and wanted to try to make one for my daughter. The t-shirt only cost me S$ 1 (or we can also use an old t-shirt) and the fabric I had since 2 years ago. The design is simple, but need to be careful when putting together the 2 pieces and then got to be extra careful when sewing the ribbon around the waist for a neat result.

I've made this dress during lunch time, while waiting for a meal that I bake in the oven. My daughter likes it and she said she'll wear the dress to her friend's birthday party on Saturday afternoon.

Batik skirts

Next month we'll attend my cousin's wedding in Jogjakarta, so I'm thinking to make Batik skirts for my girls. The Batik fabric has a classic motif, Parang Rusak, I got it 2m length and 1.20m width for around S$ 10, meaning S$ 5 a meter.

I made these skirts almost the same as I've made before, only now I use waist band with white fabric and chose light brown lace. I'm thinking to make the matching Kebaya as well, I think I still got the time to do it, but if not, maybe I could use any white shirt and put some matching flowers like in the picture and finish the look with a bow around their waist with a matching chiffon or organza. I'll let you know what I'll do later ... ;-D

They're arrived!

These are the books that I've ordered from Amazon.uk last time see older post, I'm happy that they come faster than estimated delivery which is still a week more. Now I can get busy!! .. I'm so excited to try all the cute projects inside! ..

I think I might stay indoor more these days ;-D

Simple dress, tricky details.

This dress is very simple, but it took me quite long time to figure out how to use facings/linings and how to put a zipper .. you may laugh, but for someone who's never sewed anything her whole life and just found out sewing terms such as: topstitch, baste, lining, facing, etc, this was not too bad ..

Or is it bad? well, okay .. if you see the details closer, I admit it wasn't neat .. still need a lot of practice and still making many mistakes if you refer to the right sewing techniques .. I'll make it up better next time, hopefully :-)

A very simple skirt

I bought the fabric at Arab Street near Bugis Junction for SGD 7 a meter, then I cut it two, sewed, put an elastic band around the waist and put the red lace around the bottom of the skirts.

Tiered skirt for girls

This was my first skirt project, it wasn't so neat but it became one of my little girl's favorite skirt ..

Smocked dress

The first project I've made just after I bought the sewing machine was a smocked dress. I bought the smocked fabrics (it's a bit pricey though, but I wanted to give my daughters something nice by using the new machine, and wanted the easiest and fastest project to finish) ..

So I've made these sundresses for them and they loved it :-)