Receiving Blanket for Baby Girl

Last week, we woke up to a text from my bil announcing the birth of his daughter. Everyone was very excited and hubby and I decided to welcome the newborn with a handmade receiving blanket made by yours truly. I decided to go with David Walker's Spring Fling collection. The pink bunnies and flowers and blue chirpy birds and squirrels scattered on a light yellow background looked yummy for a baby girl. And I also had the coordinating panel from the collection. Since we decided to go visit at noon, it gave me some time to put everything together. I also had another baby dress waiting for the buttons to be sewn on which I wanted to include in the welcoming present. So, following my wholecloth quilt tutorial, I used 1 yard of the pink bunnies fabric, 1 yard of the coordinating panel fabric, 1 yard of warm and natural cotton batting, and coordinating Gutermann thread. And voila, it was ready after topstitching the borders. (Nope, I didn't quilt the blanket)Since we were in a rush, I didn't get any nice pics of the blanket. Maybe I'll update this post when we visit baby next time. In the meantime, I'm glad the parents were delighted with the presents.

CONGRATS! Welcome baby girl! :)

Fabric Review: Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks

First of all, I must say that I've never seen or touched cotton voile as soft and as silky as Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks collection!! And I thought I saw my share of voiles - obviously not. I haven't started any projects with the material but I do have a couple in plan. I love the fact that the voile isn't as sheer as most of the cotton voile I've seen. It's probably due to the rich colours used. This is the first time that I adore all colour palettes of the collection! I also love that the voile is 100% cotton and can be washed easily, without the need to send it for dry cleaning. It's breathable, it's beautiful and there's just nothing bad to say about it! Oh, except the fact that it's really pricey (at RRP $15USD/yard). But you get soft, silky, gorgeous fabric that absolutely glides against your skin. Dreamyyyyy..... If I had a baby girl, I'd love to make a little baju kurung with these lush voiles. I would definitely recommend you to add some to your stash!! For more insight on this wonderful collection, check out Anna Maria's blog. Now I'm anxiously waiting for her latest Innocent Crush. Lush!!

Tutorial: Pillowcase

Since starting on my little one's quilt, I had wanted to complete the gift by making other complimentary accessories such as pillowcases. My mum had just finished sewing a few pillowcases, so I got excited to make mine, or rather, his. I had some fabric leftover from making the backing of the quilt and decided to use them for this mini project.

Ingredients:

- Piece A (front): 1 piece of 28 1/2" x 18 1/2" fabric

- Piece B (back): 1 piece of 29 1/4" x 18 1/2" fabric

- Piece C (tab): 1 piece of 6 1/4" x 18 1/2" fabric

- coordinating thread

Note: Seam allowances are 1/4", unless otherwise stated.

Steps:

1) First, hem one short side of Piece B. This will be the opening of the pillowcase. You can hem any way you like, but I hemmed by folding in 1/2" twice and then sewing near the edge of the hem.

2) Then hem one short side of Piece C.

3) Now, take Piece A and Piece C, and with RIGHT sides together, align the open ends together (not the end with the hem). Sew the pieces together. Since I don't have a serger, I used zigzag stitches along the edges of the seam to keep the fabric from fraying. Now, fold the pieces along the seam so that the WRONG sides are together, and press. Keep the pieces in this position for sewing in the next step.

4) With RIGHT sides together (Piece A and Piece B), pin and sew along the 3 open edges. Make sure Piece A is between Piece B and Piece C when sewing this step. Again, I used zigzag stitches along the edges.

5) Finally, turn your pillowcase right side out, stuff it with a nice fluffy pillow and make your little one smile :)

My first finished Baju Kurung top

This was the first time I actually sewed and finished a baju kurung top. Previously, when I was pregnant, I tried sewing one to wear during my pregnancy. I finished sewing everything together, but didn't have time to hem it. As they say, time and tide wait for no man, and baby was soon delivered which meant that there was no need for that huge baju kurung anymore. And I put it away. Now, almost two years later, my mother-in-law was in the midst of sewing her baju kurung for Eid and I decided to learn a thing or two. She has been sewing since she was 9! Isn't that grand? That's more than 60 years of sewing experience under her belt!!

This time I had some of Mo Bedell's Party Dress fabric to play around with. After prewashing the fabric, I was ready for my lesson. First she taught me how to cut the pieces. I used the measurements from a baju kurung that I had in the closet. Then I sewed the pieces together, zigzag stitched the raw edges and hemmed where needed. It was looking good, and then she taught me how to stitch the neckline with the 'tulang belut' stitch. It was rather tedious and I'm not sure if I'd be willing to do that again! lol

Next would be the 'kain' or skirt of the baju kurung....

Fabric Review: Mo Bedell's Party Dress - Diamond in Cool

I love blue and I love polka dots. Maybe that was why when I saw this print in Mo Bedell's debut collection, I had to have it! I ordered the Diamond print in the cool colourway from her Party Dress line by Blue Hill Fabrics. I had decided on making a baju kurung with said fabric. The fabric bled during its first wash. The cotton was also on the heavier side. When I had finished sewing the top for my baju kurung, I really felt the weight. I guess this is where it boils down to personal preference. Whether you prefer to wear light cotton or heavier cotton; or perhaps if you're always in an air-conditioned room or wearing such pieces during fall/winter, then it'd be fine. In my case, I prefer lighter weight cotton for apparels unless its for a jacket or skirt, etc. But the fabric still looked stunning especially when my baju kurung top was finished. Because of the directional prints, I had a shortage in making the 'kain' or skirt part of the baju kurung. So next time, (note to self) I need to keep in mind about the direction of the prints and whether I would need extra yardage to accomodate cutting all the pieces I'd need for a sewing project. *sigh* Feast your eyes on some inspirational photos of her fabric in action!

Happy fabric shopping!

Tutorial: Knitting Supplies Tote

Previously, I made a crochet hook roll for my grandmother. When you start sewing, you'll find your momentum and it's kind of hard to stop! So I decided to make her a matching bag with an interior pocket long enough for a pair of knitting needles. I only got the idea of making this tutorial towards the end of my project, so there aren't too many pictures to share. To be honest, I've only made a box pouch and a clutch before this, so this is actually my first attempt at making a bag. I figured my mistakes while making the bag, so I put in some recommendations for better results - I hope!

 

Ingredients:

1) fabric for the exterior of the bag and pocket

2) coordinating fabric for the lining of the bag and pocket

3) fusible interfacing to fuse to exterior fabric (unless you're using a heavy weight fabric, then you can skip this)

3) coordinating thread

Note: Seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise stated.

Steps:

PART A: Preparation

1) First cut out your pieces. You should have the following pieces for the:

- BODY: 6 pieces of 17" x 17" fabric/interfacing (2 of exterior fabric, 2 of lining, and 2 of interfacing)

(it's actually better if your interfacing pieces are 16 3/4" x 16 3/4" squares so that you won't need to sew through many layers)

- POCKET: 2 pieces of 3 1/2" x 12" fabric (1 of exterior fabric, and 1 of lining)

(I would recommend adding in interfacing for the pocket as well)

- HANDLES: 4 pieces of 2 1/4" x 15" fabric (2 of exterior fabric, and 2 of lining)

(again, I think it'd be better to add in interfacing for the handles also)

2) Fuse the interfacing on to the WRONG side of the exterior fabric for all parts of the bag (ie body, pocket and handles).

PART B: Pocket

1) With RIGHT sides together, sew along 3 edges, leaving the bottom open. Turn right side out. Fold in the bottom edges about 1/4". Press all sides.

2) Topstitch top of pocket.

3) Position pocket on one of the body lining pieces and pin in place. Sew along the 3 edges, leaving the top open.

PART C: Handles

1) With RIGHT sides together, sew along the 2 long sides. Turn right side out.

2) Press and topstitch along the 2 long sides.

PART D: Body

1) Using the 2 body exterior pieces, with RIGHT sides together, sew along the 3 edges of the square, leaving the top open. Then box the 2 bottom corners. Trim excess.

2) Using the 2 body lining pieces, with RIGHT sides together, sew along the 3 edges of the square, whilst leaving about 4" or 5" open in the middle of one side (you can choose whichever side). The top should be left open (as was done for the exterior pieces). Then box the 2 bottom corners. Trim excess. Turn right side out.

PART E: Putting the bag together

1) With RIGHT sides together, align and pin the body exterior to the body lining, making sure to insert the handles in between the layers. Sew 1/2" along the top edge making sure to backstitch on the handles.

2) Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining.

3) Press and topstitch the top edge.

4) Sew the opening closed (if you're not lazy like me, handstitching this step would make for better results).

Maybe you could make one for your grandmother too. Next time, I'll get pictures for the tutorial. In the meantime, hope this helps!

Tutorial Found: Pleated Clutch

Since my attempt at making a box pouch, I wanted to try making something else (and this time I would use interfacing!). I have always loved pleated clutches because they're so pretty, so I searched the net for an easy tutorial, and there were so many out there. In the end, I found a tutorial for a lined, pleated pouch by jesskreck on Craftster which I used as a guideline. I made my own pattern and added an interior pocket to spice things up. It didn't turn out as nice as I'd hope, so I guess I'll have to do some tweaking with my pattern in the future. Recently, I found another tutorial by Skip to my Lou for a pleated pouch too. Don't you just love pleated pouches?? Next time, I think I'll make a wristlet version....

Click on the link for the tutorial by jesskreck on Craftster.

Click on this link for the tutorial by Skip to my Lou.

Fabric Review: Amy Hamberlin's Marabella - Tossed Bouquets

First of all, I must say Henry Glass fabrics are really sweet pieces. The Marabella collection by Amy Hamberlin was her first fabric line for Henry Glass. The collection mostly consists of floral and geometric motifs in pink, purple, green and blue. The print I had was pink with white polka dots  in the background whilst beautiful red and green floral motifs played along the fabric. The fabric was heavier than most of the designer fabric I've worked with. So, this gave me a new feel for the different weights of cotton. The fabric was beautiful and I think they'd be great for making a jacket or skirt. The colours were more apparent after the first wash. Isn't that just wonderful?? Here are a couple of sewing project inspirations using this print - an elastic sundress for baby by Ivory Spring, and a reversible jumper and swing jacket by cucirebella.

Happy fabric shopping!

Sew! by Cath Kidston

My hubby wanted to use some vouchers he had from a local bookstore, so he got me a book, 'Sew!' by Cath Kidston. He knew that I loved her fabric selection and tote bags, though don't own any myself. The book included a diy bag kit which I instantly loved!

Tutorial Found: Box Pouch

This was my first attempt at making a pouch......with lining too!....and a zipper!!.... So, I found this great tutorial by Indie House. I used what I already had in hand, which wasn't much - some leftover fabric that my sister had previously given me and I didn't even have any interfacing! Guess that's why it didn't turn out as 'boxy' as it should. So, check out Indie House's tutorial. Her pouch is just too cute!

Click on the link for the tutorial.

Tutorial Found: Crochet Hook Roll

My lovely 80-year-old grandmother has been knitting and crocheting since she was young. She would always give her handmade gifts to everyone in the family - whether it was a pair of knitted baby booties, a crochet doily to decorate a table, a pair of knitted socks, or even a knitted kopiah, and that's just to name a few. She loves passing on the knowledge and had even taught my father knitting in his younger days. I learnt some knitting from her last year, and this year, my younger brother has been knitting away with her. She loves sharing her life-long experiences and handmade gifts were always a treat. So when I found this great tutorial for a crochet hook roll by Ms Jo - I knew that I just had to make one for her! My grandmother loves cats, so I decided to use some cat fabric from Alexander Henry's 'Tangles' collection. The tutorial was really easy to follow, but the hard part for me was that I was sewing through many layers towards the end. I also skipped the small needle pocket. All in all, I had fun making it! Hope she'll like the gift.

Click on this link to go to tutorial.

Tutorial: Hoffman Fabrics 'A is for Alligator' Wholecloth Quilt

A dear friend of mine wanted to give her gorgeous baby girl a handmade gift - one that would become a timeless treasure. She related to me the quilts her mother-in-law made for her hubby when he was growing up and she felt that she wanted a gift such as lovely for her own daughter. She wanted to try hand quilting, but didn't have a quilt to try it on. So I decided to help her out by putting together a simple wholecloth quilt kit for her which consisted of:
1) a ready-to-quilt wholecloth quilt
2) hand quilting needles
3) coordinating hand quilting thread

Everything would be ready for her to start hand quilting! Yey. She was ecstatic when she saw her kit and I'm so glad she loved it. Thanks for your support, dear. :)

Well, I thought I'd share a tutorial on how to make a simple wholecloth quilt. This is my first tutorial, so please bear with me! My friend specifically requested for a toddler-sized quilt, but you can do this for any size. I love 100% cotton quilts, so I used premium ingredients - 100% cotton designer fabrics, Warm & Natural cotton batting, and Gutermann 100% cotton thread.

Ingredients:
1.5 yards of fabric for the quilt top
1.5 yards of fabric for the quilt backing (I actually used 1 yard of coordinating pink fabric and 0.5 yard of coordinating green fabric, both from Hoffman's 'A is for Alligator' line)
1.5 yards of warm & natural cotton batting
coordinating thread

NOTE: Seam allowances are 1/4", unless otherwise stated.

Steps:
1) Preparing the backing: If you are using a wholecloth for your backing, you can skip this step. Since I used 2 different fabrics for the backing, I had to sew the pieces together. I cut the 0.5 yard of green fabric into 2 pieces which then measured 0.25 yard each and sewed each piece onto opposite sides of the pink fabric and pressed the seams. Not sure if that made sense, so I think you should refer to the pic below.


2) Layering the quilt: Put the batting on a smooth and flat surface (such as a clean floor or bed) and smooth out any wrinkles. Then, with the WRONG side of the backing facing the batting, lay the backing on top of the batting. Next, with RIGHT sides together, lay the quilt top on top of the backing. The 3 layers should be the same size, so trim away any excess fabric/batting. Now, pin the 3 layers together. Using a 1/4" seam, sew the layers together leaving a 12" opening on one side for turning the quilt right side out.

3) a tada moment (because you get to see your almost finished project - yey!): Turn your quilt right side out through the 12" opening. Then, on each edge of the 12" opening, turn 1/4" under toward the wrong side and press. Now, pin the opening closed.

4) Topstitching the quilt edges: Topstitch 1/4" from the outside edges of the quilt, consequently closing the 12" opening.

5) Quilt as desired.

And you're all done! Yey! (I think I say that too many times...lol)  Share with me your lovely wholecloth quilts :)