Christmas Giveaway Winners

It's been a rather hectic day. I achieved a lot, preparing for a last minute trip, but I also FORGOT about the giveaway. Sorry!

So, what I did was get all the names down and clicked ONCE. This is the list that resulted.

Congratulations to those who won and for those who didn't, please look out for the next giveaway soon, for the Chinese New Year.

Have a blessed evening.

Octuplets

This is the first one. Seven more in various stages of completion. Made from fabrics that I just bought from Chinatown yesterday. First Sevenberry fabric (the navy gingham) that I bought and I like it!

Fully lined drawstring pouch that can be used for gift-wrapping this Christmas or for any other use.

Have a blessed day!

ps: all 8 of these have slight differences...

More and more books

 More paper-folding. Hopefully the stacks of paper I still have at home grow smaller. The top 2 book-blocks-to-be are in various shades of blue and peach. The white ones I might just cover with coordinated patterned paper, like the bottom two. You can't see it clearly but the fabric right at the bottom is actually a drawstring bag. The book materials are inside but I don't have the string to bind them :-( 

These are just two bundles of 4 saddle-stitch books. I'm packaging them in bundles for the next sale. It's a preview of sorts 'cos I can't decide what to use to bundle them with - twine or ribbon? Or perhaps, depending on the print? 

I'll need to clear (read: sell all) of these books. I found some just now that I made a year ago. Colours are still good 'cos all the papers are acid free. I have a couple hundred more to go just for plain ones but lesser for patterned cardstock :-)

Have a blessed evening!

Giveaway!

Christmas 2012 giveaway!

Remember this drawstring bag from the tutorial? This can be yours along with other handmade items in your choice of colour. I'm thinking books, magnets, hair ties, pouch, bookmark, scrunchy...etc. It'll be the most I've given away to date :-)

What you'll have to do by 24Nov 8pm is to SHARE this pic on Facebook and leave a COMMENT as to what colour items you'd like if you win this. I'll try to best match :-)

Have a blessed day!

ps: If you don't have a Facebook account, you're welcome to leave a comment here instead.

Colour combinations

I didn't think these would go together but these 2 colours were what DD requested. Six braided green and brown. After braiding it like that (3 consecutive green, 3 consecutive brown), it seems quite pleasant. I might try another that is green, brown alternates. I might try an 8-braid, or a 10? I think it's the same method as the 6. I'll need to find the corresponding ribbon ends first though.

 

Remember the top-most gift bag? I used it for the tutorial. Made some more out of Christmas colours. 

Would you have guessed that all these came from a single piece of cloth? It's those 'cheater' patchwork types. The sizes are just nice for these 27mm buttons. Dual loops elastic hair ties.

I just remembered that I'm supposed to update the Pre-Christmas Sale 2012 page with these than post here.

Oh well.

Have a blessed day!

Go green this Christmas

Go green this Christmas and make your own gift bag rather than use wrapping paper that will be ripped and thrown away.

Anyway, if you haven't noticed how I make stuff by now, I'm winging this. That's why there are no specific measurements. This also means that you can make it any size you like as long as you know the ratios and what to look out for.

Material

• 4 pieces of fabric - outer (1pc), lining (pc), top (2pcs) - the outer and lining are large rectangles, twice the size of your final bag when you fold breadthwise, meaning breadth meets breadth and length is halved. The top parts are as long as when the outer is folded half, as wide as 4 times the cords / ribbons you're going to use. Please remember to include sufficient allowance for sewing.
• cord or ribbon for drawstring top
• bells, charms (optional)
• label (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the materials above
2. Fold in the breadths of the top pieces and sew near the edge. This is so that the ends won't fray. See yellow arrow.
3. Take the lining and fold half breadthwise (breadth meets breadth) and crease it along the length. See red arrow. Fold both top pieces into half lengthwise (length meets length) and place them along the edge of the lining, one on each side of the half where you just creased. All frayed edges need to be aligned.
4. Place the outer piece on top so that you have a sandwich. Bottom - lining, middle - top piece folded half lengthwise, top - outer piece. Sew along the frayed edge of this 'sandwich'.
5. Open the 'sandwich' and top-stitch near the edge. See red arrow. You may wish to add a label at this time.
6. If you want squared off corners, open them up and fold them 45-degrees across. Think tetra packs or milk cartons. Same concept. Trim off the excess. See red arrow.
7. Fold the whole thing such that the outer is folded half on itself, and ditto the lining. Sew round the 3 edges. Remember to leave an opening for turning. Trim the part where the outer and lining meets. See red arrow.
8. Turn it proper way out and sew the hole closed. Cut 2 pieces of cord or ribbon. These will be longer than the length of the outer or lining. Thread one through one of the top pieces and out  the other and knot it. Thread the other through the other end and knot it. Add charms or bells, if you like.

Have fun!

WIPs

These are the WIPs that I'm packing for tomorrow afternoon to sew at the pool while I wait for DD as she goes for her swimming lesson. I might include some yoyos but these are reversible drawstring bags and wristlets. I'll have many brightly coloured wristlets coming up. I'm happy that I managed to find matching zips :-)  I also put my potpourri sachet in so the FOs will smell nicer.

Have a blessed weekend!

Heads I like this, tails I like this too!

I don't usually buy fat quarter bundles but I like the way they're packaged in coordinating colours or prints. Almost foolproof, no? :-)

This reversible drawstring bag was made from 3 different prints. I had fun piecing the 2 pics together too to form 1 'bag'. I finally used this double-sided cotton ribbon but I'm wondering if a cord would be nicer? I'll try with the next bag.

Have a blessed day!

For this Taylor Swift fan

This Cresyn headphones came with it's own drawstring bag. Pretty slick one in black in a material that feels like soft PVC. I thought it looked pretty cool, this black/white headphones in the black drawstring with a minimal Cresyn stamp in the centre of the bag but DD had other ideas. She chose this cotton/linen blend with her favourite green squirrel and paired it with a solid green cotton. It's reversible by the way, so she can have it all green if she flips it the other way out.

I like the 2-in-1 looks with one bag and I'm gonna make some more and post them in Tiffany's Shoppe :-)

Have a blessed day!

10-6

DS excitedly related the goal scoring during dinner on Friday. It was a half-field 9-a-side and he was the midfielder/defender. Odd that there were 4 goal posts but I guess anything goes during a training session. While the field in the previous school was super-duper huge, much bigger than the present, this current field is standard size and covered with synthetic grass. Which makes me wonder why DS comes home with muddy soccer shoes sometimes, LOL!

After delaying for more than a year, DS finally has a shoe bag for his soccer boots. This is an unlined drawstring bag made from vinyl coated fabric which is like umbrella material only shinier. I added a snap buckle so that DS can hook it to his backpack if he's not carrying it.

Hope he likes it :-)

Have a blessed day!

ps: I forgot to mention that DS' team won :-)

Hmm, is this it?

Once in a while I get rather precise requirements for a customized item. Choosing the exterior fabric's fine with me, even the lining too. The design is fine with me too, provided I can make it. It's the dimensions that I have a concern with. Thing is, I sew on a wing and prayer. If you've been reading my blog, you'd have realized that I only have two templates for the stuff I sew. Two cardboard templates that I use to trace out the fabric before cutting. All others are by mathematical calculations and estimations. I do thank God that I have very understanding customers!

So, what I'm trying to disclaim is this. While I'll try hard to achieve what you desire, I'd err on the side of caution and make it a bit larger. There are dependencies on the materials, sometimes, that some fabrics have more 'give' than others or extra padding/interfacing is needed etc. 

This was a drawstring tote for a customer's instamax camera. This camera's all the rage now with it's Polaroid-like features. I hope it fits 'cos I tried to follow the dimensions requested for. I don't know 'cos I don't have an instamax camera and anyway, I've already mailed this out. Dear customer, maybe you can send me a pic and I can put it in the gallery? *grin*
Oh, I wonder if you've realised that it's reversible...LOL!

Have a blessed evening!

Going camping

My time, we didn't have many camps when in primary school. I think there was only one and it was in school. I can't remember much, only that we slept on the floor in the hall.... or was that in secondary school? Memory's really fuzzy that far back.
Anyway, DS and DD have so many camps, in church, schools or parks. Each time, they'll have a packing list for the stuff to bring. While I've made pouches and drawstring bags to put their stuff neatly, it didn't dawn on me till DD's recent camp that they could do with a larger backpack to put all these stuff in vs lugging a sleeping bag and 2 other bags around.

Made this from heavyweight splash-proof material bought from the market at $3/yd. Where do you get such a good deal these days? Made a smaller backpack years ago for DS who didn't like it at first then used it so much that I made another larger one. This is the largest bag I've ever made. Used up almost all of the balace of this fabric. Lined it with calico for contrast and for lighter weight. This bag is heavy when empty :-(
Reinforced all stress points for the heavier load and added small details like lined smalled pockets in the zip compartment in front.
I forgot to add D-rings :-( Oh well...
Have a blessed day!

Happy Birthday, Bel!

Smallest backpack ever that DD said she would have wanted if she were younger. (I thought she doesn't like pink now?)

Bel's mum wanted

1.       Butterflies on white background - CHECK

2.       Drawstring bag, flap cover - CHECK

3.       D ring on both sides - CHECK

4.       2 pockets on inside - CHECK (additional 2)

5.       W20CM*D12CM*H23CM - CHECK

6.       Adjustable straps - CHECK

Wasn't easy making this 'cos of the size. Hope you like it!

Have a blessed day!

Going green

What's your part in going green? I'm thankful that the recycling company in our neighbourbood is so diligent in the fortnightly pickups, even on public holidays. In goes the plastic bottles and milk powder tins and boxes and plastic wrapping and almost anything that isn't perishable.
How about this for your effort in reducing, reusing and recycling?

Lunch box carrier that will the use of eliminate plastic bags, definitely reusable and can be recycled to put other stuff besides the lunch box. Oh, and it's made of easy-care cotton too!
Have a blessed day!
ps: tupperware not included hor :-)

A rose by any other name

The basic drawstring bag. What do you use this for? A ballet shoe bag, a Hot Wheels toy car collection bag, a goody bag or laundry bag? There must be multiple uses for this versatile bag.

There are 2 drawstring bags here. Can you see the smaller upon the larger in the pics on the left? I was trying to see if I could match the trains on the fabric. Made from the rest of the Thomas fabric. All 1m of it used up for the Thomas backpack earlier and these 2. Unlined so they can be washed and dried quickly.
Have a blessed day!
ps: A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.