culotte (skirt-pants)

The first time I saw the model, I've fallen in love .. but to make one? I have to challenge myself. First, I didn't have the perfect fabric (I got a picture what fabric I would love to make: it should be thick enough, but not stiff .. so the culotte would sit nicely, still "flowing" but not see-through for a skirt-pants) until one day I saw this fabric in a textile shop nearby, a leftover fabric with only 140 m long for CHF 18. My heart said: grab it!, my mind said: you need to be extra careful and creative using the fabric) ..

I followed both voices, my inner voice said I could do it .. and so this is the result when a fabric seemed to "talk" to you and you just need to follow the voice inside your head ...

the final result

ready to go on a holiday ..

the making ..

brown n blue batik blouse

I got the fabric (batik) from a friend .. yes, I have lots of fabric gifts, lucky me! :) and as usual these gifts are special to me, so I wanted to make something special too ..

The blouse pattern I got from "Coudre est facile" special summer edition from Japanese creator. I tried to make the blouse as it seemed not too difficult for me, I wanted something new, something special and without hassle, so sewing this blouse could be a fun project as I wasn't feeling well these couple of days, it's the flu bug I guess .. it's the season, anyway .. we're still in autumn it's not too cold yet, maybe I'm just tired and not fit.

Sewing mend the soul, well at least morally I felt a bit elevated although physically I'm dropped. Okay, so yes a brown n blue batik blouse is done, today ... I still have some leftover fabric, not too much, and thought of making an accessory from it .. I was thinking to make a clutch from the same fabric, so stay tune ... :)

sewing mend the soul ...

not bad, ey? ..

one new blouse for the year end holiday! .. yay!! :)

Making children winter coat

Let's face it, winter come whether we like it or not ..

We need to cover up, wrap our self in many layers of clothes to protect our self from cold weather .. I saw some pretty winter coats in shop windows but the price sometimes a bit ridiculous .. but whether we want to buy or not, our children still needs warm clothes .. and need them fast! .. so, think! think! think! .. wools fabric isn't cheap .. fleece fabric price range in a textile shop also above my usual budget .. so how much your budget, anyway?! well, at least the same prices as the fabrics they sell in a flea market .. eheheh .. look, I knew that money they don't fall down from a tree, and I also know that winter clothes are essentials .. so how? ... make one!! ... what about the fabric? .. use cotton doubled with fleece (blankets) from Ikea for only chf 4,95/blanket and it's large enough to make 2 children coats, 2 scarfs .. and what else? maybe a hat later on? ... 

And here it is, my first attempt making children coat doubled with fleece blankets .. if daughter love it and proud to wear it, then I'm happy and proud too ... :D

** the coat isn't "perfect" yet, but well .. I'm trying .. hopefully it gets better the second time or third time around :)

done with a coat zipper

inside the tram

out in the park

Winter Scarf

I'm just making a winter scarf from leftover batik from last project (simple batik dress) with fleece lining to keep oneself warm during winter time ..

** also my entry to JCA's Oct challenge, Autumn Creations.

Batik scraf with fleece lining

warm enough for winter time ..

using a leftover fabric to make something useful ..

warm enough to protect your neck ..

Simple Batik Dress

Another dress made from Batik (and yes, another gift from a friend). Why lately I made batik dresses? well, I wanted to use the fabric I've got from my friends .. and as for me it holds special moments, and special friends who thought of what we really like, what we love and what we need (clearly, it's not easy to find Batik fabric here in Geneva) ... with all those in mind, I wanted to create something special too from those gifts.

So here's the result .. a simple A-line dress in light yellow batik print.

I found it a bit "tricky" and need to be really careful when choosing a pattern for batik

it's done! :)

simple A-line cut

one more batik dress is done.

Batik dress

I feel like sharing a tips or I could say "cheating" way to make this dress :
The book proposed using a more sheer fabrics like rayon, crepe or polyester with lining. Instead, I use cotton Batik print I got from a friend, and modified the lining into a revers facing around the neckline and make a bias tape from the same fabric around the armholes .. that way I don't need to make the complicated lining. 

Complicated for me, as I still have to figure out how to use a zip too. So I ditched the idea of using a lighter fabric and use batik print cotton .. I'm happy with this "crucial"  decision ;-D

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 ... 

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 :)

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! :)

Batik flare dress

This is the longer version of model A from the last entry (Flare Tunic). Here I use a Javanese batik print I got from a friend. The fabric wasn't enough to make the ribbon, so I used an "obi" I have from other dress (see the dark brown color isn't exactly match the overall look), but anyway .. this is just to show how it looked like, more or less ..

I'm planning to wear this dress to attend husband's graduation in July. I think the cotton batik print fabric is perfect for a hot and humid Singaporean weather, it's light without showing lights (see through) .. and when I asked hubby for approval, he nodded and said it's nice and "appropriate" to accompanying his graduation ceremony .. uumm .. I think I need a pair of diamond earrings to complete the look, don't you think so, hun?? .. ;-p

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* :)

I'm On The List ! .. yeaayy!! :-D

I received a notification from one of JCA administrator that my blog is already on the list in Japan Couture Addicts collective blog.

I'm so happy, excited to sew more and more .. to try to make different outfit from diffrenet pattern and different sewing books to improve my skill .. :)

JCA

I've just got accepted to become a member of JCA (Japan Couture Addicts), a French collective sewing blog for all fans of Japanese couture. I'm so happy to finally have the courage to participate after months of visiting and admiring other member's creations.

I received the invitation to join in from one of the administrators couple of days ago:

Bonjour !
Je t'ai envoyé une invitation, il te suffit de suivre les instructions du mail que tu vas recevoir.
Merci de lire au préalable la charte ci-dessous (c'est pas long !).
Lorsque tu seras inscrite, indique-moi ton pseudo et si tu as un blog envoie-moi son adresse pour que je le rajoute avec ton pseudo à la liste des membres :)
A bientôt
Cindy--
Japan Couture Addicts
http://japancouture.canalblog.com

And here's one of my entry to JCA :)