Saturday 12 February 2011

Gifts for children

I have been hand sewing little animal face zipper pouches, the first one is a puppy face. The way I sewn this pouch:


The front face:
I drew the face pattern on the exterior fabric, embroidered the nose, mouth and whiskers then stitched the tiny black beads for eyes. I sewn both ears and stuff with small amount of poly filling. then sewn ears to the face.The exterior fabric is quite thick so I did not need interfacing. 

I put the thin fleece on the wrong side of the interior fabric and drew the face pattern on the fleece.
With right sides of the exterior and interior fabrics together sewn along the pattern line, left 4 cm gap to turn the right side out, sewn to close the gap.

I did the same for the back part without embroidery and ears. 

I sewn the front and back together, left the top bit open, sewn zipper on the exterior and interior. 




                                        

I used the dog charm to attach to the zipper. This pouch is right size for keeping coins, folded bank notes, lipstick, small toys.


  

Shark for athi, and bear for my friend's daughter.










Monday 7 February 2011

Floral lined Boxy pouch

I just finished a gift for my sister, she wants Cath Kidston 's pouch. She said CK products are hot in Bangkok. Instead of buying her CK 's pouch, I decided to make it myself. I bought this fabric in sale last year for only half  yard then I cut a small piece out and made a pincushion and did not use it again. It took me a while to draft the pattern of this pouch, I drew on the paper and taped the paper to see the shape of the pouch. I finally worked out how I would make different sizes of this kind of pouch. This one is 6" x 6" and deep 2.5". I sewn interfacing on both exterior and interior fabrics but it is still not hold the shape the way I expected.








I used the medium weight cotton fabric for interior and managed to lined the pouch without raw seam edge. Basically I made two pouches the same size and sewn the interior one to the floral one on the zipper. This way the pouch looks nicer.



Sunday 6 February 2011

Happy morning with Wool-Cashmere Frilly baby socks

I checked my email this morning and one mail made my day, the first customer of my shop who purchased this pair of socks likes to know whether I am still making them. I just listed the baby pink pairs for her, the material is an orgarnic soft wool-cashmere yarn, I knitted frilly top edge and hand crocheted little flower stitched on the frilly part. They are very cute for the baby girl, they look good in white and raspberry which she bought them last year. I hope you like the baby pink one My first customer.





Wool-Cashmere Frilly socks/booties 0-3 month

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Gifts from me

We are going to visit my family and having a long holiday in Thailand soon. I have been hand making gifts for my family and dear friends over there, plus my friends' children as well. I am very busy with buying materials, sewing, organizing flight tickets, apartments and hotels on the beach. I love to stay with my family but my husband wants his own space ( sad sign on my face).  I want the gifts to have a bit of English touch or somethings about England, when I saw this fabric, I bought it without thinking much. I like the cotton/linen fabric, I personally think this type of fabric is easy to sew and press.

Actually, this fabric is called LONDON BUS, there are little guards, buses, flags, London bridge, parliament printed on the fabric, they are so cute.




I decided to sew a handbag with gusset, I used natural linen for the interior fabric, interfaced the exterior fabric and lined the interior fabric with soft fleece.



I used magnetic snap to close the bag, it is my first time to use the magnetic snap I found it is far easier than sewing the zipper!!. I have not decided to whom I will give this bag . The bag is so light and quite roomy, I have been lately carrying  this kind of handbag instead of shoulder bag since I hurt my shoulders. I have to make more and more of them.

I sew the inside zipped pocket and attach the little metal bag charm. I bought lots of zipper charms from Thailand last year.








I think materials are so expensive in England, I will spend a whole week of my holiday looking and buying all sort of craft materials and bring them back.  They are so much cheaper in Thailand, hopefully I will have things to show you when I come back to England.

Bank note Rose

Chinese new year and Valentine are approching, let me show you this Bank note rose, my brother in law's sister gave this rose to athi 2 years ago when we went back to visit my family in Thailand.  As a Chinese-Thai who was born in Thailand, I miss Chinese new year so much. The last time I celebrated Chinese new year with my dad's family was 12 years ago. We give money to the younger ones instead of gifts, new bank notes are put in the pink or red envelopes, we give money to our parents and grandparents as well. I remember everyone came to my granddad's house and we had a very big meal. We, children loved this day because we received the red envelopes but  we could not spend money on that day, we had to spend it on the next day (for good luck). Another reason was we could be absent from school because it was chinese new year, every headmasters seemed to understand this reason.

We burnt the pretend money, clothes, jewelery,  electric appliances etc which  were printed on the brown papers for our ancestors to use in the heaven, that was the explanation from grown up.








One hundred baht red bank note is used to fold one petal  it values about £2,  there are 10 petals , I like the idea and my brother in law's sister is so kind to athi. I explained to athi about this rose, how the lady made it but he did not understand much, one day he will. I just want to say Thank you once again Je Leng.xx