Happy Birthday to Little Friend

I have not worked so hard on my shop items lately.

But instead, I have been working on the projects that had been promised to my daughters' friends, my personal projects, and maybe some birthday presents.

I have been putting off those things that I said I would make for my daughters' friends, but I will be starting school in a week and thought it would be important to clear the list before my sewing machine and craft box are put away.

So far, I have made a messenger bag with Japanese cartoon theme (I am not crazy about cartoon character stuff, but kids seem to love them) and a tutu for a friend.

Then, I received an invitation for a 3 year old girl's birthday party a week ago. After making a tutu for a friend, I decided to polish my tutu making skill even more by making a tutu for this birthday girl. After searching for a better methods online, this one seems to be the best so far.

Also, I looked many handmade tutus online, at Saturday Market, and toy stores to see how they are made. With this link and some additional secret that I found, this tutu for the birthday girl is my best so far.

And, then I decided to make a craft/cooking apron for her, too. I already had a precut fabric for kids' size apron since I was planning on making them. Then decided to make it a reversible. Neck length adjustable with the double ring, and one side has a pocket.

A few more things on my list and one more week to finish them.

The most important one would be my oldest daughter's halloween costume. The others were for personal use which I have been wanting to try but putting off such as aprons and skirts.

I will see if one week would be enough...

Messenger Bags for Little Friends

My friend who lives in Taiwan was visiting US for the summer.

One of her boys had 3rd birthday while visiting, so we decided to join the festivity and bring some presents.

Well, while I was visiting Japan in June/July, I acquired some cute fabrics that I cannot find or too expensive to want to buy here in US.

When I saw this "Mr. Men and Little Miss" theme fabric in Japan, I immediately thought of the boys because they love the books. So, I had to get it to work on something for them.

I used the fabric for the project: Messenger bags for the birthday boy!

He has an older brother who was classmate with my oldest daughter, so I decided to make another one for him, too :)

I thought of making a messenger bag with the fabric as whole exterior, but that would be a little... Overwhelming, I thought.

So, the black canvas was used mainly for the exterior, the cute fabric was used for the liner and the flap.

Since this is all cotton, this can be machine washed. Sturdy because of the canvas and heavy interfacing used. Belt length can be adjustable, too.

Hopefully, they will be put to good use!

"Accident" Bunny

I made a bunny for my oldest a few weeks ago.
I had no intention of making another one when a friend of the oldest daughter had sleep over last weekend at our place. She turned out to be a bunny lover and wanted to keep my oldest daughter's bunny...

So, we made a deal: I would make another one in a few days before she and her family are going to Hawaii for Memorial Day weekend (jealous!!!).
My daughter was nice enough to lend her bunny until I finish the new one for her friend.

I worked a couple of hours last night, and then the "accident child" was born.



When my oldest saw it this morning, she said, "This one looks better than mine! I want to keep this one." When I answered saying "no, this goes to your friend," she told me to make another bunny!!

That is not going to happen...

What happened to the new bunny? It was safely delivered to the new owner's house this morning :) She was adopted and well being taken care of, I am sure.

Girl's Summer Top - Part 1

The last personal project was for my oldest daughter, so the next was my youngest turn though she is the type who can care less about the fact that I make something for her. This shows in her reaction later.

I worked on this summer shirt for a week (off and on, cutting fabric one day, taking a few days off, and finally started sewing...)

Sewing part began last night after their bed time. Once I get close to the finish, I have tendency not to stop. So, I ended up staying until 1 am to finish. Probably it did not help that I was watching Grey's Anatomy season finale at the same time.

Well, this is what it turned out...

I think I did a pretty good job, but when I showed the youngest this shirt, she said "No!" and refused to wear it.

Maybe, it will be a gift to someone or she might change her mind later.

Summer Dress Part 1

I tend to alternate productions for my shop with my personal projects.

After finishing several bibs last weekend, I decided to work on my daughter's summer dress.

My oldest always want the first one that I make; the youngest has no complain at this point.

But, honestly usually it takes 2-3 tries to get it right for me, so the youngest ends up with a better quality stuff. The oldest does not know that or she does not care. She just wants it first!!

Over the last few years, I bought sewing pattern books in Japan every time I visit my family there. This is one of them.

From the book, I tried a dress (or I thought it was a top). I picked a fabric with orange pattern because the oldest currently have a crush on a boy whose favorite color is orange.

Took two night of cutting fabric and sewing, it was completed.

But, it looks like muu muu!! My choice of fabric was not right, maybe.

So, I added a belt...

Maybe it helps a little.

What matters is that my oldest loves it!

More and More Bibs

After posting more bibs two weekends ago, I had sold several.

To replenish more in my shop, and to have a little fun, I made more using one of the cutest fabric I found in Japan.

I really love this elephant fabric, and bought in a few different colors.

I ran out of the blue fabric that I made in the last batch (or at least not big enough to make one more bib), but still had orange, yellow, green (not shown here) and white with blue elehpants.

Also shown here are lion fabric from the same line in two colors.

We will have a trip to Japan soon this summer, and I am looking forward to aquiring more cute (kawaii) fabric!

My Daughters' First Handmade Dolls

I am not particularly crazy about stuffed animals. But, I always wanted to make dolls for my daughters.

I finally decided to get to this project...

Two nights ago, I worked and finished Schnitzel. It is a character from a cartoon called "Chowder" on Cartoon Network. It is no longer on air, but the girls love to watch the episodes online. My youngest favorite character is Schnitzel who only says "Rad-da Rad-da". I rather make something she loves and she can carry around than something really cute from my point of view but she can care less about. I don't know much about the story/characters of the show, so to make Schnitzel, I searched a drawing of the character on internet.

It took me about 2 1/2 hours of cutting fabric (fleece, felt for smaller parts) and sewing, then Schnitzel was born.

Then, it was my oldest daughter's turn.

Last night, I worked on her bunny. This bunny is from a book called "Cute Dolls"; the collections of dolls from fish, tadpole to liar (it is a name of a doll in the book!).

It took me about 2 hours, and the white bunny was born.

Late night work was worth it when I saw the girls happy faces in the following morning!! They carry them around all the time :)

Fridge Magnets

My daughters loves to draw, and I love to see what they draw on my fridge (now that my fridge is not stainless steel!)

But, I did not have many magnets, and the ones I have were advertisement type.

So, I saw the need for magnets and saw the scrap fabric in my closet, and decided I make some magnets myself.

With half ball buttons and round magnets, I made the new fridge magnets!

This was super easy, and I can tell it could be addicting...

Finally Boy Bandana Bibs in Shop!

It took me a while to realize that I sell more boy bandana bibs than girls.

About a week ago, I started working on more boy ones.

Finally, I finished several a couple of nights ago, and they are now in shop.

This time, some new fabric were used including marching elephants

and sushi theme one.

New Granny Bag!!

I just LOVE this Joel Dewberry fabric of butterfly and orchid.

After making two pillows for my couch in light green color fabric, I just finished a granny bag for my shop in dark green.

The Interior is lined with ivory color twill cotton fabric and has a small pocket.

The handles and trims are finished with ivory color polyester tape.

To ensure durability, heavy weight interfacing is used.

And, of course as you see in the photo, magnetic closure is there.

I still have this series of fabric in stock. Cannot wait to make something with them!!

Pot Holder made from scrap fabric

Derailed from the sewing projects I have been working on, I decided to make a pot holder using scrap fabric. I kept most of the scrap fabric that is too small to make a bib or pouch (my usual items in my shop) but to big to throw out.

I have a box full of scrap fabric waiting to be used, when I saw it the other day, I could not resist any more.

I worked on a couple of failed pot holders. I attempted to make pot holders with heart shape and fish shape (after consulting my oldest daughter for particular shapes). But, they did not come out right. For the third one, I decided to go with something easy and for sure it would work so that I don't have to feel the time I spent for the two pot holders did not go wasted.

So, square it is.

Collected green fabric pieces out of the box, patch worked together to make a square for the top side, and found a relatively big piece of twill fabric (which also needed a little bit of extra piece of fabric to make a square) for the back side. Also used twill fabric to make the loop for hanging.

Nice quick project!

Pillows for the couch

Lived here with a new inexpensive couch from IKEA for more than a month now, and had wanted to have a couple of pillows. I bought a couple of pillow inserts and 18 inch zippers at the local craft stores and finally got to work on the projects.

Gorgeous home decor fabric by Joel Dewberry I bought more than a year ago finally had its debut, and since I did not have enough of that fabric to make two 20x20 inch pillows, I used olive color cotton twill fabric for the back side.

Two night project was finished two nights ago, and now the pillows are in use!!

What I like

I usually use retro and unique fabric found in US and Japan.
The ones I find in Japan can be traditional Japanese pattern or cute "kawaii" fabric. I love them both.

I have made from baby bibs to handbags, but always willing to give a try to anything new.

One of my all time favorite fabric is this Goldfish fabric from Japan.



I have made a few zipper pouches using this fabric, but all purchased by people in southern hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand.) Coincidence? Or some goldfish fever was going around in the region? If anyone knows the answer, please let me know.