Pleated Tunic with Matching Scarf

I found this pretty white "coton de soie" or silk cotton with black embroidery in "Coupons de Saint-Pierre", Montmarte, Paris on our year-end holiday in Paris last time. It's a last-minute purchase. "Something" brought me inside the textile shop after 3 rounds I went inside (yes, 3 rounds mean 3 times I went back and forth) .. The shop only sells "Coupons" like the shop name, meaning they mostly sell ready cut-fabrics in 3 meters length. So this fabric I've bought was a lovely find inside mountains of ready-cut fabrics.

Let me tell you a story .. I got this habit of imagining things, how some fabrics would turn out, the final result. What I wanted to do with them, how I'd like to handle them, etc .. The fabrics spoke for it self! .. you must think I'm a bit crazy, right? .. well, think what you like .. but I'm crazy in love with this fabric! and I'm very pleased with the result I've made today! :D

Now are you agree with me? you still think I'm crazy talking to fabrics? :D
This tunic I made with white satin lining, size S/M with a matching scarf.

 

Sewing delicate lace

Do you know how to bring sunshine in the rainy days? ... go to a textile shop! hehe :D

Last Monday morning that's exactly what I did, and look what I found in their "coupons" or leftover fabrics box! a lovely lace fabric in a caramel color! ... I snapped it right away!

The fabric was only 140x80 cm length, but I determined to make it into something nice .. and it was just a perfect match with caramel stretch fabric I got previously (in the same leftover box and shop!) haha .. so it's a fate, that they're meant to be together ...

I wanted to make it into something "simple" but beautiful .. as this was my first attempt to sew this kind of fabric. So, I've done it. I conquered my fears of working using delicate fabrics such as lace. I've been avoiding it but now I fear no more! and I'm planning to look for similar lace in black or other dark color, as I have this splendid imagination in my mind ... I'll get back with more lace project, later .. like maybe, next year! haha .. well, next year is only one week away .. we've planned to go to Paris for year-end holiday (and I planned to purchase some fabrics again in St. Pierre) .. so, wait for me 'kay? .. I'll post about my purchasing trip later, promise! :D

Sooo here's my newly festive season's caramel lace tunic :

the making

the result ..

the happy me :D

Getting ready for summer!

I've done some sewing projects, but haven't got the time to post them here as I've been busy and stressful about my other projects lately, so whenever I felt down, low, anxious ... I sew. I believe that sewing mend the soul ..

The lousy weather and a flu bug also added to the picture, and the gray environment we're having these late couple of weeks were not what we're expecting in June, yes, it's June, but the weather felt like it's in Autumn! .. Just recently the sun is out from behind the clouds, and we could see blue skies again ..

And, here are some of the things that I've made to "cheer" me up, all fabrics using Indonesian Batik I ordered from a friend and I'm happy it all turned out nicely :)

Peplum Blouse size M

Summer Top for girl (110)

Tunic for girl (10 yrs)

Summer Top fro girl (110)

Flowery Tunic for Girls

I found a new edition of "Coudre est facile" sewing mag in the newsstand yesterday and fell in love with the projects inside. It was a wonderful Friday afternoon, I just walked around after had lunch and stopped in a coffee shop for a coffee break, then I went to the newsstand in the same building .. my eyes caught a glimpse of the magazine and my heart pounded .. hoping that it's a new edition of my fave sewing mag (and secretly hoped it was a special edition -- a translated Japanese sewing mag like before) ... and I was so delighted that my wish came true!! it's just exactly what I've hoped for ...

It's just perfect! a perfect way to end a Friday afternoon and looking forward for a weekend sewing projects! .. have a nice weekend! :)

Saturday Morning Delight ...

for her, a bit long ..

and shorter tunic for her ..

V-neck tunic

This tunic was surprisingly easy to make. I was just thinking to make one simple top with the fabric I got from the flea market months ago. I already used the fabric to make bows ribbon and blouses for the girls .. and still have large enough to make it into a tunic for my self. Fabric cost me only CHF 3/m and I bought 2 m long. Its width was wide enough (around 145-150m) and that's why it's enough to make 3 outfits.

This weekend the weather got colder, below 20C in the afternoon, it's raining yesterday and at night. We didn't plan to go to any specific place, we just went to a sushi bento bar on Saturday for lunch and went for a walk in the city center (where I've accidentally met a long lost friend, Titin, who lives in Annecy-le-vieux).

Back to the v-neck tunic now, well .. I finished it with a lace ribbon around the waist just like the one proposed in the sewing book, still from "Maman et Moi" book, and I tried it to wear this sleeveless tunic with a halter neck t-shirt and a legging underneath to get the "autumnal" look. I think it turned out just the way I wanted .. :)

pleated blouse/tunic for children

Vive la rentrée!

The first project after kids were back to school. Pattern from "Maman et Moi", Couture Tendresse from Les Edition de Saxe in size 100 for my little one. Like usual, I need to make one more bigger version for her big sister too .. but today my hands are full. One of the kid got sick and I must take her to a pediatrician. So between sewing, fetching the little one from-to school during lunch break, then to a doctor in the afternoon, cooking for dinner, cleaned up the mess from the other night ... my energy all used up and like a battery, it's getting low at the end of the day ..

So I was just able to sew one blouse today ... 

Another Flare Tunic in "tenun ikat" fabric

Hi .. summer is almost over! I've been away for a month to Asia (to Singapore to attend hubby's graduation ceremony and to my hometown in Jakarta for special purposes) ..

Back home in Geneva, I can't wait to start sewing again. This one I'm still using the same pattern, but this I've made for a friend. She asked me to make another flare tunic for her and I came out with this one .. hope she'll like it ..

Flower Tunic

Another tunic for summer. Another design I picked from "Ma petite Garde-robe" book. Model P in size 38. I think I've made some mistake when tracing the arms pattern into silk paper, it's a bit longer in one side, so I had to trim some fabric from the side back arms, and next time if I'll make this again I want it a bit longer ..

The fabric I've got from the same guy in the flea market for only CHF 5/m, I bought 2 m and still have much enough fabric to make something for the kids later :)

Pleated Tunic

There's always a reason to sew another new clothes, this one I'm making for a weekend getaway to Milan next week :)

Pattern D size M from "Tuniques pour petits et grands" by Maude Paray, Cécile de Châtillon, Pauline de Saint-Lager (hachette) that I bought in Fnac last month when we visited Annecy. Fabric I got from Plainpalais flea market CHF 5/m. The fabric wide enough that could give me 2 sewing projects for a 2m long fabric.

A Top or a Dress? ...

Are you making a top or a dress?? .. BOTH!! .. yes, they're both pretty aren't they? with a ribbon bow to complete the look, this simple everyday wear could look more "glam" .. and it's a perfect outfit to wear to a birthday party this weekend! ..

I used the same pattern as this dress but using another version of it like the one showed in model number 4 from the basic sewing book that I have. The ribbon bow I invented just to add some glam to a simple dress. Daughter #1 likes it short to wear as a tunic, and daughter #2 likes it as a dress .. well, there you go .. they get both just as they wish! :)

Flare Tunic

I bought a new sewing/pattern book when we went to Annecy during Pentecôte holiday. I Immediately fell in love with it. Today I make one of the tunic (model A2) in size M with a fabric I bought from S'pore. I'm very happy with the result, I found it sooooo pretty!!! :-D

I'm planning to make another one (longer version) of this -- use like model A1 but I'm going to use a javanese batik fabric I got from a friend as a farewell gift when we moved back to Geneve. I think it's perfect for a semi-formal function like attending husband's graduation in S'pore next July.

I'm so exciting!! .. I can't wait to start sewing .. hehe ..

Orang Paisley Tunic

I found an interesting book from Yoshiko Tsukiori in one of a DIY store (Migros Brico-Loisirs) near where we live. In the craft section on top of the rack I saw this Japanese sewing book translated in French, called "Ma Petite Garde-robe". I quickly picked it up, flicked through the pages, got interested to buy one .. but, it's a bit too expensive .. so what to do? .. I'll wait, I said to my self ..

I didn't buy coffee for about a week to save some money to buy the book .. and after a week, I nearly died .. ehehehe .. :-D .. I was still short of money for "Mes loisirs créatifs " and I think I just gotta be patient until I got a paycheck :-p

See how much sacrifice I'd let my self into by not drinking coffee for a week?! .. haha .. and that's only to buy a book!, a silly sacrifice for some, but worth it for others, like me. I got the book (finally) and start making one lovely tunic for myself .. I didn't need to buy so many summer outfit anymore, if I'd buy any it's definitely on a bargain (sale items) not more than CHF 15, mostly below CHF 10 and I'm happy with it.

Now, enough stories .. let's get busy!! .. here I used a fabric bought from a friend in Singapore, from the moment I saw the orange paisley fabric, I knew I wanted to make a tunic (tunique), or kaftan, or baju kurung (in my language) .. I just need to find a matching laces for the neckline. Once I got the perfect laces (the pretty orange lace I bought in BricoDancet, Rue Dancet for CHF 2.90/m) and the white lace in Manor. I made the tunic in size 38 I finished sewing all the parts this afternoon and once it's finished I just love it .. I put it on it fits me perfectly .. *happy face* :)