Flowery yellow

I made the flowery yellow cotton blouse and skirt for Nia when she was about one. It was supposed to be an identical bubble blouse and skirt I made for my niece, Dina. But I made the skirt too small and of different design. I mean WAY too small. So I stopped half way on the blouse and left it there. Now that baby girl no 2 is on the way, I continued the project rather than leaving it shamelessly waiting silently in the gobok.

So from the to do sewing list its number 7 and 8. Done!

7) A yellow flowered cotton blouse for Nia 1/2 way done a year ago

I just had to finish off the arm and collar seam on this blouse. The whole construction was done a year ago. Phew! I used the hidden bias for the arms and white satin bias on the neck. I also sew the simple semi circle white cotton lace on the front. I omitted the stretchable band on the hem to make it a bubble because this blouse will probably fit Nia a few more months. Then it will have to be passed down to the little one. (Notice the ruffles are not evenly distributed and even enough to call it ruffles. This is because a year ago I was a very new beginner. Evenly ditributed and many ruffles were an alien to me :P Many things probably still is.)

Closer look on the front.

Back a bit....

OKlah.....

Next on the list is this....

8) The same material of 1/2 way done skirt which was supposed to be for the above but cut too small. So this is going to be for the little one.

All I had to do was sew the hook and eye. Taaarrraa! It's done.

This skirt is so small that it fits a doll. I have no idea if it fits a newborn. If it doesn't......

it's going to be a present for Dina's life size Barbie doll, a 3 year old birthday present from her Papa.

At least its good for something. :P

Cut away

Today I only have mood and time to cut. Since I have so many things I want to do and organize, I brought out all the material I want to use and start cutting. It's probably the nesting period where a preggy mummy starts organizing and cleaning stuff. I am happy with today's progress. This will keep me busy for some time since I am on leave for 3 days this week but one thing for sure I have to go and watch a movie. I've not done that in ages. I feel like watching Merong Mahawangsa.

The cut bit done.

An unprofessional sketch of Nia and little one's dress

The little pile of cut fabrics and tops are for dresses and refashions.

1) Refashion : Nia's dress using denim jeans and remnants (soft cotton corduroy and plain cotton) of previous project DONE!

2) The little one's dress using the same material: refashion denim and remnants

3) Dina's little flower cotton dress DONE!

4) Refashion: Nia's flare 3/4 pants (it was supposed to be a 3/4 tights) using my preloved stretchable cotton tract bottom

5) Refashion: Apron for my sister using the denim and cotton

6) Refashion: Nia's dress/top using my cotton T shirt material top

7) A yellow flowered cotton blouse for Nia 1/2 way done a year ago DONE!

8) The same material of 1/2 way done skirt which was supposed to be for the above but cut too small. So this is going to be for the little one. DONE!

9) Refashion : Pink spaghetti strap top for Nia

10) Refashion : White spaghetti strap dress for Nia Whoa! That's a lot to do. Can't wait.....

Outgrown denim skirt : Refashion

I read a lot about refashion on many talented sewer blogs. I've always wanted to try it. I think is it the easiest way to get instant satisfaction, without much work. One of the many things that I thought of working on was Nia's outgrown denim skirt which I ADORE.....!! I bought it during sale at OU at Parkson. It was at one of those bundle area selling at RM6 and an only piece. I didn't thought much. Grabbed it and paid. Did I mention I really really ADORE this skirt....

Nia in the denim skirt in December 2009.

So I was all set for this. My first refashion and fat quarter project. All I needed was the denim skirt, 3/4 of a fat quarter, 1 meter of cotton lace and 1.5 meter of cross grain ribbon.

Yummy! It looks like strawberry ice-cream

It looks like a peasant skirt. I love it!

Sweet like candy...:P

You'll be reading more refashion projects.

Maternity blouse and a skirt

It's done and I am very happy with the result.

First, it was a neatly finished project.
Second, I am glad I arranged the foot/border patterns the way I did. It gives it a nice touch.

I used both the Anna Maria Horner's pattern as per mentioned in my previous post but with some improvisation. So does it make it my pattern? Hehe trying my luck...

Fresh from the oven, my new maternity blouse

Nia's cute and sassy skirt

I made the maternity blouse first. I was contemplating whether to add the lining or not because the cotton is probably called a medium weight and eventhough it is almost see through if you really focus on trying to see what bra colour I was wearing but it is of a dark colour material. So it's almost impossible *could almost hear the guys go aaaaaaaa...* :P

The fabrics has two border pattern like the picture on the left. Before cutting, I actually stood for sometime to figure out how I should fully utilise the design. Sayang kalau tak pakai.

Then comes the designing part. As I had to cater for my growing belly, it should be big enough to wear upto the end of the term. So instead of cutting front and back into four parts (the left & right), I made a one piece front and one piece back for the below breast section, just like a sample blouse I have in my closet, so that I can over size this part. The top part is still a four rectangle sewn together, if I made sense at all! And oh I know I said I wanted to be stingy with the fabric, I didn't have to. I was being very generous with the material on belly section and still had enough material to make Nia's skirt. Happy!

After the blouse was done, a trial fit showed me that I was actually looking like I was going to give birth yesterday!! I did the lining only on the bottom section. SO off with the lining and hem it just below the rubber. I didn't need it anyway. And from this I learnt that I can actually add the lining just on the part where I want to do the rubber inserts, like in the picture below on Nia's skirt. With this cut voile lining, I am planning to make Nia's blouse to match the skirt. That will be in another post.

This is Nia's skirt. I sew the lining just enough so that I can fit the rubber inserts.

The finished look after the rubber is inserted. I'd like to believe "What goes on inside, stays inside"....to shuuusshh if i'm doing this all wrong :P

And also on Nia's skirt, I actually cut and sew the border over the hem line so I could get the designed hemline.

Again, if I made any sense at all!! Have a good week ahead.

2010 Sewing project

I realized that I haven't updated some of the 2010 or earlier sewing projects I posted on my personal blog before deciding to birth the personalized sewing blog....OPSIEDAISYCANSEW.blogspot.com. I said I would, only did some and never got around to it. so what's new. Instead of reposting the whole post, I might as well just link them to the post. Why didn't I think of that earlier? ...... *duhhh mode*

1) Strawberry dress and Dina Dress

2) Simple A line dress

3) Purple dress & bag - blah project

4) Prairie blouse - My first ever project

5) Sewing book, Magazine, Pattern and stuff

6) Fabrics and stuff

7) Misc - when it all started

8) Adorable pleated skirt

9) Boys pyjama & Fabric

10) More boys pyjama & Book cover

11) Dress and more pyjama

12) Pirate themed dresses and jacket

I believe thats it......enjoy if you're reading those.

Most importantly, these are just for my reference and own enjoyment.

Sapa lagi la enjoy hasil tangan sendiri :P

Princess-seamed skirt

I am making this for my baju kebaya sulam skirt (bottom) for raya. The top I've sent to the tailor. I am not confident enough and don't want to risk it plus it wasn't cheap. :-P I'm excited about this project. Of course most of what ever I'm sewing from now on is still the first. I've only been sewing for about 6 months now. Minus work, sleep, taking care of Nia, bath, cook and all the works, I've only been sewing for a few weeks probably, maybe less. I'm proud to say however, the number of projects is more than the numbers of my fingers but still within the fingers plus toes. I am getting better at some things (like berangan, imagining the projects & wishing I had more time) and no progress at some (like neaten my sewing, lessen the usage of seam ripper (very essential this) & measuring the owner of the dress). Hopefully I've not gone backwards, same or more is definitely good.

OK back to the project, most of my long skirts & knee length skirt have always been ala princess seam or mermaid cut. I believe it accentuates my waist down (yang besar di tengah-tengah). I am doing this with a batik print I bought in Kelantan 2 years ago. I didn't have the right top to match the kain. So now I have. Yeay!

Above was what I imagined.

Hopefully it will look something like this when it's done.

I used this as my guide measurement for the skirt pattern. HOWEVER, it turned out to be slightly big. Err..1 inch at the waist and hip and 2 inch at the knee, big. Owh yes, I've check the finished skirt measurement. It is right on the dot as per the measurement but I believe ease was too big for a tight fitting skirt like so. I will just need to amend and alter a bit.


The pattern. Cut the basic skirt pattern and cut and paste the desired pattern. True meaning of cut and paste. Hehe

Isn't this lovely. I love the pattern and I love how it suits the top that I'll be wearing with. At first I wasn't going to use the back batik print (left print in the picture above). I don't know what it's called. Usually we use it as a guide where the pattern is supposed to place nicely at our back which covers the waist back, bum to the back of the heel. I wanted to just use the flower pattern on the full skirt but somehow there wasn't enough cloth. The wrong measurement explains it. I'm just glad that it was bigger instead of smaller.

I will not do it now. I'll put the skirt aside for a while and probably finish the diaper stacker first. I'll come back to this later. I read the McCall book, it says a good seamstress (who does not have time) usually does not finish a project in one sitting. A good project results usually comes after a few sitting and at a convenience of the seamstress. It is better to have a few good quality projects instead of many projects done but less quality. As for me, I'm not too sure if a project finished in a few sittings will still give me good quality. I'm still working on it.