Tuesday 28 December 2010

Crocheted Rolled flower hat pin

I have a request from a customer from Etsy asking for a crochet pattern, I have been making Christmas gifts for friends using lots of hat pins so I think of making a pattern that I can use with a hat pin. I crocheted with pink yarn first but my idea did not come so I picked up my favorite orange wool 4 ply yarn with my tiny golden beads and that's it, my little tiny flower with leaves. This will look nice on your jacket, hat, scarf, bag. I will list it tomorrow after I take a photo. I like to try to crochet with sashiko threads and embroidery threads.

 













Monday 6 December 2010

Georgia Fawn Clutch/ handbag

Georgia 's mum bought her a Nintendo DSI for Christmas and I think of making her a bag to put her DSI and lip gloss, hair clips, small purse in. Last year I knitted her a baby pink handbag with a knitted flower motif. Now she is growing up fast so I need a bag that not too little girl y look and not too lady look. I came up with the idea of a clutch which is a bit bigger than normal clutch and a bit smaller than a handbag.

I have this red medium weight cotton mixed linen  and kawaii fawn fabrics, I lined inside with the same red fabric, I don't have to use interfacing at all, the fabric holds its shape very well.








I sewn the loop for closing the clutch so it is easy to pop things in and get them out. The big bow with the kawaii fawn printed fabric is so lovely. I hope Georgia likes it though.




Thursday 2 December 2010

A Pouch with gussets

It is snowing outside, we live in the country lane so my front way is full of thick snow. I have a day off and my husband and athi have gone swimming, I have a little plan to make something out of my Japanese fabrics I bought recently. I have only 3 hours to finish it off before 2 boys coming back, I want a drawstring pouch with a bit roomy than normal drawstring pouch so I add the gussets to it. I love Japanese Kimono printed fabric, this one is cotton, it is not too thick or too thin just perfect for this project. I am really relaxing while I hand sewing this pouch












I like to make this round drawstring end, I use ready made waxed cord but if I have more time I like to crochet the cord with cotton yarn.

Monday 29 November 2010

Hand knitted flower Silk Mohair

I helped out with raising money for a residential home, that was the reason I have not been blogging . I spent all my absence times from the blog world making things for this event. One of my handmade was this hand knitted flower using Silk Mohair yarn. I liked color of the yarn but I was not sure about the texture at first. The lady who sold it to me reassured me that it was not hard to handle it, she was right. I loved it more and more when I  was knitting.

The image is not as good as the result, I made brooches, embellish them on the handbags. Lots of people liked them.





Tuesday 2 November 2010

From summer HAT to a Cotton Linen + Sashiko BAG

I crocheted the hat for athi since May but I have not got a chance to finish the beam part. After looking at it every day with guilt, I picked it up and  decided to stitch the navy gingham linen with white sashiko threads, no design was drafted. I just hand free stitched the gingham with free mind. The size of the bag was already decided by the size of athi's hat, the hat turned to be the bottom of the bag. Before I have finished the top part, the postman delivered a leather handle which was originally bought for my friend tote bag. The quality of the handle is so good, it is about 1 " wide, it is perfect for this bag.

I made the mistake when I ordered this handle, I thought the price I paid was for 2 handles, so Fran has to wait for her bag, The handle fits lovely with this supposed to be hat-bag. I am quite happy with the result although it took me quite a while to finish it off.

the circumference of the bag is 19 " and  about 9.5 " tall, the handle is about 12" length.
the crocheted hat is made out of organic cotton yarn in moonstone color,
I lined the soft fusible fleece between Gingham and the inner fabric which is medium heavy weight cotton linen in dusty blue.
I can't help to hand stitching the Gingham part with Sashiko thread in white, I just love these threads so much.












I used the black cord drawstrings with the golden oval shape ends. it is time to list the bag on etsy!!!

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Bumble bee

I can' t make baby goods without including bumble bees, I could not resist to buy this japanese fabric with bumble bees and tiny flowers patterns. Another pair of baby shoes were hand sewn straight away, and a bib to go with.

I like to design the shoes while I am starting to sew, and this bumble bee embroidery came in my head. I have a little bit of the creamy lace left just enough to stitch on the shoes straps, velcro was used on the strap.


It was quite hard to embroider 3 bumble bees to look the same, I drew the bees with washable pen for fabric but I managed just about to look same!!!


I love to hand stitch the fabric.




and last, the bumble bee bib, they are one of the kind and very special for me.

Monday 18 October 2010

Bibs and a small bear

I decided sewing 2 bibs and a plush with the Fresh cotton fabric from Moda and the red sashiko thread.
This pattern came from my Japanese craft book but I altered the way I sewn the white and fresh cotton together.
The white fabric is Winceyette 100% cotton which is used widely for baby goods, it is so soft and machine washable so it is good for this project.. I really like the sashiko tread, it is not shiny and does not split and is so soft. I bought this Japanese lace from the shop called 6008 rena from Ebay, I really like the products from this seller and the services are excellent, last time I was given the extra lace from her.



My bear plush is so easy, I cut 3 pieces of fabric for each side and sewn them together, embroidered his face with sashiko thread, he is a palm size.




Tuesday 12 October 2010

Sashiko threads, needles

I finished my tote bag and the postman delivered a package, I was so happy to see the items inside.



I bought these items : sashiko threads, sashiko needles,  cotton fabric from www.cottonpatch.co.uk.
These threads are 100% cotton Olympus made in Japan and 40 m long, I have got 2 needles size 5.5, 6 cm quite long. The fabric is absolutely lovely and soft.


I will use this fabric to make baby goods, a set of bib and plush toy, I organize the thread, it is so soft and does not split like ordinary embroidery threads. I feel so happy when I handle them.

Tote bag

 It is  time I have my new tote bag for work, I like to put my handbag, lunch box, keys, cellphone, bills, ID, medicines in a bag. I have been using an Eco bag for a long long time and I need to be more organize. I sewn 3 pockets inside the lining fabric. I used heavy weight cotton mixed linen for outer bag and Cath Kidston's for inside. I use leather straps for handle but I think they are too small for this bag. I decided not using interlining of battling which I should have used them.



The size is 15 x 13 inches


I made a flower brooch and pinned with the bag, in the middle of the flower, I stitched with running stitches using DMC 25 embroidery thread before I made this bubble.


Wednesday 6 October 2010

Hand sewn wool baby girl shoes

I love sewing baby shoes, the image always comes in my head just before I am going to sleep. When I make the shoes I don't want it to end, I have to add a bit of this and a bit of that so it takes me longer times than I need.
These pair of shoes, I used wool knitwear and cotton, the wool fabric is beige/cream so in the end I had to add the purple stitched to brighten it up.



The motif instruction is easy, cut a piece of wool fabric size 2 cm x 6.5 cm,  use DMC embroidery thread  running stitches on the outside edge, for the inside edge  stitch running stitches with the sewing thread and pulled thread until it forms flower. I will add the image next time, I forgot this step!!

cut the fabric to cover the button in circle and use running stitches stitch around the edge and pull the thread till it  forms like a ball, I put a plastic button inside the middle, then pull the thread tight and stitch to close it up.

I can not finish it without a gift bag, it is a little tote bag with lining, I used calico (cotton fabric) for outer and inner bag. On the outside I sewn the blue gingham in the middle of cotton fabric, I used organza ribbon to make the handle, size of this bag is 6 inches x 6 inches.

Monday 4 October 2010

Gigi's dotty cat/ tissue pouch

I had a cold for a week so I have not posted my blog. An email from my dearest friend, Gigi who lives thousands miles away cheers me up. Gigi is a talented, smart and genuine down to earth - super woman who loves and lives for her and somebody else cats. Whenever I miss Gigi, I hand sew cats, and with the cold and runny nose I managed to sew a tissue pouch cat.

I used the dotty linen fabric and lined with calico (cotton), I did a bit of appliqué, embroidered and stitched.







Athi said he loves it but mummy should have made a Nintendo DS case, my husband said why tissue pouch and I should have made an Ipod case, I have never won!!!!

I hope you like it Gigi and I miss you so much. xxx

How I transfer embroidery pattern to the fabric /Wedding gift

My friend at work was married  2 weeks ago  and I wanted to make a gift for her. I bought a japanese embroidery book and there is one pattern I really like. I  normally draw simple patterns directly with a washable pen but this pattern has too much details so I used the Iron on transfer pen Clover  in blue.






the instruction : I put the transfer paper on top of the pattern from the book using ordinary pencil to trace the picture on to the transfer paper.




turn the transfer paper over and trace the pattern  on the transfer paper using the iron on transfer pen, the reason is when you iron  the transfer paper on the fabric, you get the reverse pattern. 
( the bride will be on the left).the image is a mirror copy as it will reverse when transferred.


To iron on the fabric, put the transfer paper (the side you trace the pattern with iron on transfer pen) on the right side of  the fabric where you want the pattern to be, iron on the transfer paper for 10-20 seconds, try not to slide the iron ,once the pattern is transfered to the fabric, it is permanent!!! I tried to wash it off but no luck so you have to be sure where exactly you want your pattern to be.



I hand sewn  the heart and inserted the ribbon, at the back I embroidered her wedding date on.





I was so pleased with it and hope my friend will like it.

You can get this iron on transfer pencil Clover in blue and red, they are not visible on dark fabric. I bought mine and paid about £3 (including postage), I found the website in USA selling the transdoodle which I have not seen anywhere in UK (if anyone knows where can I get it, please leave me the note, thanks xx)

Saturday 18 September 2010

Etsy shop

A lovely customer has bought 2 pairs of cashmere - gingham baby shoes 2 days ago for twin babies. I do hope they will look nice and be comfortable for the babies' feet. I love Etsy, everything I need are there.

I am on a go of making a pink pair of baby girl shoes, I use cotton fabric for quilting and practice sashiko stitches on them and on the ribbon. I use DMC 25 embroidery thread, I like to try to stitch with sashiko threads but the price is just higher than ordinary embroidery thread so I used DMC 25. I am still not sure what motif I will use to decorate the shoes, uh?

I managed to finished the shoes off. I hand sewn the shoes and stitched with bright pink thread.
I used the paler pink ribbon I have bought long time ago but it looks too pale so I stitched it as well.
I changed the motifs many times till I ended up with using kawaii cotton/linen fabric to cover plastic buttons.
I hand crocheted DMC 25 thread, then stitched around the buttons. It took me a while to finish them off, I will keep them for my friend's baby girl.

Here more pictures!!



I couldn't finish them without a gift bag, this one is very easy to make. I used the the same fabric I sewn the shoes.
      




Thursday 9 September 2010

Hand sewn Cashmere baby shoes

Remnant fabric is good source of my craft material, also new garments that are too faulty that the shops reduce price for nothing. Some of them are too damaged to wear but they are still as good as gold to be designed and sewn to something else.

I made two pairs of baby shoes for boy and girl (ideal for twins), the lining is 100% gingham cotton. I covered the buttons with gingham fabric, I used an elastic hairband to secure the motif .


I used the sleeve cuff piece to make the frilly flower before stitching a covered button on it.
I handsewn bags for both shoes, they are nice for baby shower gifts.