Thursday shopping spree

Im not working today. Mr Hubby wanted to finish his yearly annual leave and I tagged along. Since both of us not working, we took this opportunity to go to the mall. So, we went to Mines Shopping Mall.

We had lunch and after that I went to Tewah Fabric Store while MrHubby and LilZahra went to the other shop. And, I accidentally (ahah!) bought few metres of fabrics. The fabrics were so cute and comel and I have to own them even I don't have any up coming project, yet. I'll think what I'm gonna do with the fabrics later.


And after that we went to the new opening book store: Gramedia Bookstore. And surprise, surprise, they have lots of books and they even sell the Cotton Friend Magazines. Yeay! I bought one and look at the price, they're cheap! :-)



Ok, that's all. Happy 2010. May the new year bring more prosperity to all of us :)

The power of blogging

I’ve been sewing for quite sometime, started somewhere in 2008 when I first bought the pre-loved Classic Singer, which most of what I’ve sewn was the baju kurung, and just very recent, I started to make a blog dedicated for my passion.

The intention of this blog was to keep track on what I’ve sewn, either the cloths/attires were perfectly sewn or terribly done. Never had I imagined that having this blog is more than that. I got to join the international exchange, changing my sewing perspective with others, and far more important is I get lots of friends that share the same interest.

The great thing when we’re making friends is that we’re able to help each other. So, big thanks goes to Jessie, for calling me when she went to the Cratfworld, PJ, asking me if I need to buy anything there, and finally go into the hassle to post to me the stuff that I wanted, eventho, we just a cyber-friend.

So, this is my new sewing gadget: The fusible bias tape maker. I bought two different sizes: 9mm and 18mm.


Will review abut the products later when I’ve done godek-godek.

I am happy, You people: have a nice day ahead. :-)

Round patch skirt

This week sewing project is making skirt for little Zahra. This is my first time sewing skirt as lilZahra, being a tomboi, doesn't like wearing one.

Sewing skirt is easy, and to make the sewing much more interesting, I quilted it from remnant.

Lebihan kain disambung-sambung menjadi bulatan:


The end product:


-Upper part of the skirt was inspired by verypurpleperson

LilZahra joget-joget dengan skirt baru :-)


OK, that's all for this week. You peeps: have a nice day ahead :-)

Sewing right for the first time

Ok, antara perkara paling crucial semasa menjahit adalah untuk menjahit dengan betul, pertama kali dan seterusnya.

Well, to tell the truth, I am not that good too. The seam-ripper would always be my best-friend when sewing but i thinks that's OK, and whats not OK is if you finished your workmanship and wanted to try your new attires than later found out that it is not your size. A little bit bigger (which is better because you can alter) or worst its a way too small (which is bad because you might consider to charity your new sewn cloth).

I did sew some cloth for Zahra and it turns out to be way too small - this is based on the pattern given. Then, I said to my mom, 'Susahnya nak dapat size yang bersesuaian', then my mom replied, 'Anak depan mata pon nak tengok pattern, ukur la kat badan dia'. Dushhh di situ. Hehehe...

Then, starting from that I never follow the pattern measurements. I will sew based on Zahra size. Which is good because I would never having any problem with wrongly sized sewn but still the seam-ripper would always be my best friend. Hehehe..

So a little tips here - on what should you measure:
taken from The Dressmaker's Technique Bible - by Lorna Knight


This is the measurement that I made when I sew the baju romper for my Zahra:


OK, to conclude: don't depend too much on the sewing pattern but do measure from the real life person, instead.

Happy Sewing everybody :-)

Simple A-line Dress

I sewn this baju last night, and snapping some of the steps in order to make a little tutorial, and it turns out to be a very bad idea because fabric chosen was so hard to be captured by the camera. Plus both the wrong and the right side of the fabric having distinctive printed.

However, since I've already make one, and do not want to waste it, I put it here as well for your references (open your eyes widely, readers.. heheh). This is based on my own style: which is very amateur, and I bet you can come out with better looking dress. :-)

First, I drew what I wanted to sew in my sewing moleskin (so that, I get the picture and not misguided).


This is the front top: the upper one is the top, and the below tu adalah lapik belakang (by sewing the pelapik, you dont have to jahit tepi all the curve-parts and tak perlu jahit bias jugak).


Jahit the curve-parts together: leher and the lengan.


Dan selepas jahit, terbalikkan the kain dan iron bagi kemas:


Btw, you have to sew the right side (bahagian kain bercorak) facing together, so that bila diterbalikkan, both wrong side (bahagian tanpa corak) will be inside.

This is the belakang top. Being cut into two pieces (with an inch extra) so that can sew the buttons or zip.


Again, sew with the right-side facing each other at the curve-parts (lengan and leher). Then terbalikkan and iron. Then, what you'll do with the extra part is to fold until you'll find it overlapping each other. Pin both of the fabrics together, then jahit bagi kemas.


Join the sleeves then sew both sleeves together.


As for skirt, the back part is just a simple a-line while the front is a slight bigger so that, can make a simple pleat at the middle.


After sewing the whole thing, then join-together the front part and the back part. Then, jahit tepi the whole stuffs.


And since I'm so lazy to sew the buttons and the buttonholes, I just use the snap prong as the back buttons.


Dah siap:


Totally a simple A-line dress. But to make it more presentable, you can put ribbons, laces, decorative buttons or different colors of fabrics.

Selamat Mencuba :-)

p/s: I know it's a bad-and-not-up-to-the-standard tutorial and sewing style. Sorry for that, and thank you for reading.

Yummy fabrics to be won

I know my middle name isn't Lucky but I'm still gonna give this a shot.
Zura of Sew Retro Chic is hosting her first giveaway with 5 different fabrics to be won.

Check out her blog.

So, friends / readers. Lets all together join this simple giftaway. Ada rezeki kita menang :-)

Round-collar dress

This is today sewing project. Another dress for Zahra to wear at the nursery.

Seems that everybody (most of the blogs that I read) are making this kind of dress for their daughter, so I thought of giving myself a try. Eventho, its a little bit senget here and there, but I can say that I'm still proud of myself because I sewn this totally depending on the picture that I see: without pattern nor baju contoh. Clap-clap for myself.. ngee..

The fabric used was cotton flannel, bought at Kajang for rm4 per metre.

Last but not least, my baby (dalam keterpaksaan.. hehehe.. ops, don't get me wrong, she loves the dress but against the idea of tangkap-tangkap gamba ni..) wearing the dress:



Ok people, Happy Working tomorrow.

Mini sewing machine

a.k.a. hand machine, mesin jahit stapler, mini mesin jahit.

I've heard about this mesin jahit bersaiz stapler when both my parent went for Hajj, that would be somewhere in 2007. At that time I was actively involved in eBay and one of the seller (originated from China) which I bought cloth diapers, did display this stapler sewing machine as one of his items for sale. At first I was interested to have one, but after reading reviews from other people regarding the item, I managed not to buy even the price offer was so cheap- rm5 each. People commented that this item is useless, can't functioning, will eventually rosakkan your fabric, and other comments that makes me scared to own one.

And to my surprise, I found this mini stapler sewing machine at my MIL sewing studio (which has been left unattended for quite sometimes).
I asked my SIL weather this machine functioning or not, and she replied, 'Ntah, dah rosak kot'. Since I have nothing to do, so godek-godek the item and wow, it did functioning. Quite impressive. For me, it's very easy to use, and have quite durable stitches. For someone who doesn't know how to hand-stitch or doesn't like to sew by hand, than this would be an alternative. You just put the thread accordingly, put the fabric and press (like a stapler) and voila, you'll master it.

I think every house should have one- good for mending/repair baju yang koyak / terbetas.

The stitches look like this:


And of course, with a machine that as small as a stapler, don't ever wish to sew a baju. You'll break every pieces of it. :)

New look

I'm not working today. So, shopping I am, plus the the good thing is: salary in today. :-)

I bought a new rack. Purposely to put the raw stashes. I've been planning to buy a rack but dunno which particularly practical to put on my small studio's space.

Previously, I put all the un-sewn fabrics in a chest of drawers, but it seems not very practical because I tend to forget about the stash and keep on buying a new one, and when browsing tru (via blog) other people sewing room , it gave me an idea that raw stashes should be organized in rack like the wardrobe so that you know which fabric you wanna use for any project you wanna make (provided you have a lot of them la).

I don't really have a lot but an ay-okay la. My new addiction now (besides sewing) is buying fabrics.

So after organizing, the room looks like this:


Btw, the el-chepo rack was bought at Carrefour. Guessed I don't really need fancy expensive rack since I'm just a simply sometimes sewist.

Ok, Happy weekends (another long one) and Salam Maal Hijrah 1431. Enjoy your day, peeps.

Simple top and pants

Ok, when I said simple, this is indeed very simple, and very fast project as well. I cut the fabric during my lunch break at the office, start to sew at 8.30pm and finished everything by 10.

This is what I sewn:


Based on this baju+seluar that is no longer fit Zahra because dah kecik.
The baju+seluar was bought at Kelantan when I went there last year for work for rm12. And after completing my version, now I know why la the baju+seluar is so murah. Heheh..

And what makes me more excited to sew is.. tadaa...


Heheheh...

I'm working on new project and again it is another baju for Zahra. She needs a new wardrobe because she's outgrown most of her baju so instead buying, I pledge to sew for her (disamping menajamkan lagi kemahiran menjahit saya).

This weekends we're going back to kampung, so, no sewing. Erm.. I'm going to miss my studio. (Well, sewing is indeed very addictive.. hehehe).

Zahra in the romper

Previously, when I asked her to try the baju she was so very un-cooperative. She did try but do not let me to snap any photo of her.

Lucky me, she was wearing the baju, when I fetched her from her taska yesterday. And she's seems to be in a very good mood so I snapped a few photo of her wearing the romper.

Here it goes: forgive her, for looking very masam (sweating here and there). Hehehe...

One step ahead

NOPE, I'm not opening any shop nor open for any public orders (meantime belum lagi.. so far, only friends and family members are welcome), however I made my own label. Hehehe..


Nothing fancy because I don't really know how to brand my 'amateurish' product.

The labels was made in Kajang: rm250 for 3000pieces. Yes, 3000 pieces, so don't be surprise to see the label on anything that I made/sew. Ngee...

Maternity dress

..or top, or tunic, whatever you called it.

I made a maternity dress for me today. Finally, after making Zahra's bajus from one weekends to another weekends.

Front view:


Back view:


Taken from this pattern:
with slight modification on sleeves (I made it long sleeves instead of 3 quarter) and the sleeves was tide using elastic thread instead using bias tape.

This is like first time for everything:

1. The fabric used was chiffon. So, you can imagine how 'easy' to sew them. And its getting 'easier' each time the thread from the fabric start to coming out.
2. At first I sewn the edge using the overlock machine later to realize its looks odd together with an unmatch thread. Thus, I used the rolled-hem foot for its edge finish.
3. Chiffon is a very transparent fabric. So, I have to sew lining. Well, the lining is much easier to sew because its cotton but I omitted lining on the sleeves. Thus, I still have to wear inner to cover my hand.

I started cutting the fabric at noon and finished everything by 4pm. The chiffon fabric was bought at Kamdar for rm8 per metre. The outcomes was not that satisfying- looks very amateurish - however I'm still going to wear it to work tomorrow.. heheh.

Well, last but not least:


Enjoy ur Sunday people... :)

The pajamas

Zahra's notes:
This is my new pajamas.

My Ummi made it for me. I like it especially there's my favorite cartoon character on it- yup, Mr Doraemon. I know its noon but I wanna wear it anyway. Goodnite people. I'm going to have a sweetdream for my afternoon nap.. Ngee..

Ummi's notes:
I made a pajamas for who else - my DD Zahra.



Taken the pattern from Cotton Friend magazine Spring 2009 edition.


This is my first time sewing a convertible collar. Fuh, sungguh mencabar. Hard for me to figure out at first sebab tak ada contoh baju.
Luckily when I browsed one of my books, I stumbled upon a tutorial on how to sew one. But still, lots of jahit-tetas-jahit semula activity.


And I sew buttons on this baju. I guessed I need to spare my snap prong buttons for other sewing projects. Heheh..


Last but not least, I started cutting the fabric at 10am and finished everything at 2pm: spent about an hour just to sew the collar. For me, sewing is easy, its like matching the puzzles. The hard part is to cut the fabrics (yes, I need lots of gut overhere) and to make sure the measurement is appropriate.
Btw, the Doraemon fabric was bought at Kajang (a store near the McD) for rm4 per metre. The fabric is a bit hard, more suitable for making pillowcases I guess but no harm on making baju, right.

Happy weekends, people :-)

Rolled-hem foot experience

OK, I did try to use the rolled hem foot yesterday night. And Yes, I love the outcomes.



The wrong side:


The right side: