Efforts won't betray you.

The first time I saw the quote, I thought it has a deep meaning. Then I read someone posted about it and I was absolutely agreed.

“Effort won’t betray you”  

is a beautiful quote that embodies everything about doing the work. 
Making the effort, putting in energy in things that matter to you will always bring you good things, and only good things. 

There are no downsides to putting effort into the things you love. Whether it’s your job, your relationship, your family, your projects .. 

When you make the effort, give yourself what you want, and know that, when things don’t go as planned, it won’t be for a lack of trying and you won’t have yourself to blame. You can use your experience and learned lesson next time.

We just came back from Germany. We've visited my sister and her hubby. During the visit she gave me some fabrics, which I took with a pleasure. I turned the fabric into women clothing and here are some of the finished items.

Visiting a family member, although sometimes we resented, maybe because of the distance (both place and relationship), but we made an effort anyway. So it's true I think that making an effort, whether it's for your job, family, or projects will only bring you good things :) 

Have a happy midweek!

Creation for Spring-Summer 2017

Holiday isn't over yet and winter is just getting colder .. but I already started to make spring/summer creations. New year is time for a new start, making new plans or "resolutions" .. although I prefer not to call it as a resolutions, just a plan, something to look forward to, something to get excited for .. we all need this, right?.

Well, sorry to disappoint you, but my resolutions, emm .. my plans .. I prefer to keep the list in my agenda, not in my blogs or social media. I did some reflections during the last month of 2016 and decided to be more quiet in cyberspace .. I just want to keep personal plans, personal. I shared enough, too much maybe, so this year I'll try to be more thoughtful, and pull my self away from negative thoughts and negative affects of social media. Something like a brief "hiatus" and concentrate more on learning new skills and tricks for my creations (both sewing and writing) ..

To open this new year with simplicity and colors, I made this top (blouses). I got the fabric from a friend as a gift, the color wasn't what I usually pick myself, but that's the interesting part! .. it's more challenging, I think. 

As the fabric has dragonflies and butterflies print all over it, I thought it would be fun for children clothing, but it could be something else, too .. so, I keep in mind: simple design (as the print already so busy and colorful) but neat finishing and a well-thought details when using/cutting the restricted (around 2 m long) fabric.

It came out quite satisfying ... 

I managed to use the 2 m long batik dobby fabric into 2 blouses (a matching blouse for mom & daughter). I was very happy to be able to finish the two of them in one day :)

Simpel Blouses.

I've made blouses (with collar) as per request from the boutique manager. She said she'd love to have batik blouses for women in her shop (also for herself) .. hehe .. so I made some blouses to show her and to let her pick one for herself.

 

Next week I hope I could finish all the clothing for the boutique, so I can start to concentrate on my preparation and creation for May's exhibition in Morges.

Here's some of the blouses that I've made last Friday:

more Batik projects

Hi I'm back.

Returning from summer holiday in our home country always bring lots of inspirations and energy!. I bought some batik fabrics of course .. straight from Yogyakarta!. I also got some batik fabrics from friends as a gift, so why do we waiting for? trace the pattern, cut the fabric, go to your machines, start sewing, get busy!! ...

Here's some of the clothes I made since we came back from holiday ...

MAKING A BATIK DRESS

MAKING A BATIK BLOUSE

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)

Happy New Year 2012!

Hi, we just came back from holiday in Paris. Paris now only about 3,5 hours train ride from Geneve. We had a great time there, and I specially had a splendid moment found the Japanese bookstore JUNKUDO in Rue Pyramide (bought 2 sewing books from there) .. and then went to Marche Saint Pierre the textile shop and the area was full of fabrics, button shop and all sewing essentials .. the area is in 18th arrondisement (district) in the northern part of Paris, it's not really a tourist site, it's crowded and a bit dangerous .. you must be very vigilant when you plan to go there ..

sewing book corner in Junkudo, Rue Pyramides Paris.

in fabric heaven :)

I bought some fabrics (I wanted to buy more, but I have to strict with my budget!) .. and already made one outfit from the fabric bought in Saint Pierre. I definitely must go there again one day ...

make one project from the new book! :)

Girl's blouse in blue stripes lurik

I was just thinking of combining the pleated skirt and bodice to make this blouse. I didn't have enough fabric (the blue and pink stripes lurik is from a friend, and I already used some to make an A-line skirt before) .. so I couldn't make this as a dress, instead I made it into a blouse.

making girl's blouse from lurik fabric

The most important part is that it looks rather nice and daughter loves it, even hubby said it's a nice and neat outfit .. 

the result :)

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!! :)

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 ..

Bubble Blouse

I made this blouse for the girls, fabric was my old stock from Spotlight, SG I got on sale. Pattern from one of my sewing books, Tuniques pour grands et petites. I made in size L (8/9 years) and S (4/5 years).

It's raining the whole day today .. I had to cancelled my plan to take the kids to Bois de la Bâtie. So, I've made two blouses in a rainy day .. well the model is quite simple but I think it's very cute ;-)

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 :)

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* :)

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.

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) ...

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 ...

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.