Crochet Sling bag - Handmade

I am busy with crochet lately, a new found interest..not that new actually.  I bought a batch of yarns meant for amigurumi Angry Birds project a few years ago when the Angry Birds' fever was on the heat.  The project failed miserably, I set the yarns deep inside the drawer until lately I was inspired by my colleague whom made a crochet bag, and I wanted to give it a try on crochet again.  This time is to crochet a sling bag.

Started with Treple crochet (Double crochet in U.S term) all the way, chose the red colour for Chinese New Year

without knowing the importance of calculating the number of crochets stitches, the shape of the first piece of my crochet on the right is uneven.  

getting the side of the bag done with black yarn

I added on a purple heart as my little girl likes purple colour

I prefer the bag with zipper and lining, I was very worry that the yarn would stuck in my sewing machine but I gave it a try anyway to get a better finishing on the lining..I am so happy that I managed to get it done.

sewed a purple puff flower too

The finished project.  My first crochet bag.  I will improve from here for my future crochet project.

Handmade Bottle Carrier bag 自制水壺袋 (1)

The water bottle carrier bag is done last night.  It is a pretty easy project ideal for beginner like me. 

 I started getting the fabric measured and cut on weekend

attached with the layers to give the carrier bag a better shape

the base of the carrier is a bit tough to fix.  I have to hand sew the bases on the front cover and also the lining to keep them in place before sewing

finally, it is time to pull the front cover out from the lining.  I enjoy this part of the sewing project the most because it means the project is almost done.

The final part is to insert the strings through the hole.  I used a safety pin as a guide to run the string out from the other hole and tie them up into a knot. 

It's done.  It is a pull string bottle carrier bag for my girl.

my next project would be a pencil case for my eldest girl..she made her request after seeing this carrier bag this morning.

Handmade Bag (2) 自制手工包

I have done my 2nd handmade bag last weekend..It took me a few days to complete the task, whereas for a competent bag maker will only take a few hours :(

The learning process is always hard.  Even though I am following the steps by steps guide from the book, I still make mistakes here and there, especially on the measurements and my machine kept giving me problems.  I have wasted a lot of time on alterations, am glad that I did it..at least it looks like a bag and it is a bag. It could have been in a better shape and form if I have the padding materials for the bag. 

With the limited choice of fabric in my collections to choose from, I made this bag for my daughter.

the flap is done 1st

the wrong side of the lining and cover of the bag are sewed up together

the inside of the bag

the back pocket

the bag is done with Olaf as decoration

big enough to fit in a Tab 3.  

My daughter is asking for a water bottle carrier bag, that would be my next project.  Hope I could do a better job.

Handmade red bag (1)

I have done with my first handmade bag project.  It is a small size hand bag.  It took me a while to figure out how to sew this bag with a zipper and lining.  Thanks to youtube tutorials.

the placement of the front red cover and black lining

the bag is finally done but the zipper is not smoothly placed..will improve that in my next project.

it is a simple bag with no inner or outside pocket. 

I am working on my next project, a sling bag for my daughter,

My sewing project -Raffle Skirts for little girls

I try hard to squeeze some time out from my busy chaos to do some sewing.  I have not been touching my sewing machine for days now, haven't been "productive" these 2 weeks.

Just a quick sharing on what I have sewed up so far..there are all raffle skirts with the same pattern for girls aged 5-9 years old.  It is pretty easy to make.

I made this pink raffle skirt for Pearl, the colour is nice, most importantly she likes it so much.

Same pattern, this one with ribbons at the front

in green and orange checkers

Cutting out the material.  Below is the finished product, they look different in colour due to the lighting.

Will post more successfully finished sewing items in time to come.  If you come across any helpful site that provide good tutorials on sewing, appreciate if you could share them with me, I need to learn and practice to polish  up my sewing skills.  TQ.  

The Last Supper

I was very into cross stitch during my single years.  I have shelved all my unfinished cross stitch stuffs when I got pregnant due to certain pantang larang / taboo from grandmothers' believes.  

After more than 10 years now, upon numerous requests from my eldest daughter to teach her how to stitch, I took out my cross stitch stuff from the cabinet and found this unfinished piece of "Last Supper".  Honestly I do not know when I can complete this master piece;  my eye sight has gone poor and I can't have the spare time I wish to have like before.

Since my girl has have the same interest like me, I hope she will have the passion in cross stitch to finish this piece of sewing work for me, if not I will have to start stitching during my retirement age...:D     

Singer Serging Machine

After having a new Singer sewing machine in a couple of weeks, I decided to get myself a new Singer serging machine.  Why Singer brand? you may ask...it is because I have known this brand of sewing machine since I was still a little girl..My mum used to sew uniforms for kindergarten to supplement our household income, I had helped (for the fun of it) her to unfold the sawed up strings using a chopstick..>.<.  She still keeps her very old model of Singer manual sewing machine till now. 

Back to my new serging machine...with a serging machine, the sewed clothing will have a more professional look, this is the main purpose for me to buy this machine.  

I was extremely unhappy with the piece of skirt that I sewed with all the edges of clothes running off.  I have tried to use the zig zag mode to sew up the edges/seams but it looks awful.  I want my sewing project works look like store bought, haaaaa..

This is the 3 thread serging machine which I bought.  I have a bit of a struggle to make adjustments on the densities on the threads.  I am still trying to do some trials and errors whenever I use it.  There is a VCD that's come with the purchase unfortunately it is broken, I am yet to go back to the outlet to ask for a change. 

Singer offers instalment scheme for their products..I have opted this option for this purchase.

My first Sewing Project

To follow up with my previous post on my new sewing machine, my very first project is to turn my girls' yellow taekwondo belts into yellow green belts by adding green casing into their existing yellow belts.

They had their taekwondo upgrading test in May this year and due for another upgrading test in school in September this year.  For curriculum activities, my girls join the taekwondo class in school, it is also a good way for them to do a bit of exercise.   They need to put on their current grade belts during their classes and most importantly on the day on upgrading test.  To buy yellow green belts for only a few month is simply waste of money so I decided to cover the belts up with green casing.  

 Original yellow belt with green clothes

 the sewing begins

 the casings/pockets to cover up both ends of the belt

 the belt is too thick for my sewing machine, I wouldn't want to spoil my new machine so I need to use needle to sew the closing of the casing / pocket up

two yellow green belts.  My first project is done.

Singer Sewing Machine

My mind was thinking of getting a sewing machine a few weeks ago for the convenience of "repairing" the minor wear and tear clothing, and also for sewing up loose threads on the new clothing. 

Without mentioning to each other, Clet also has in mind to get me a sewing machine so that I can help him to  do alterations and repair on his jeans and clothing.  

At first we thought of getting a basic one without knowing the technology has advanced to providing many sewing functions which impress us very much.   After seeing the demonstrations on a couple of machines at the Singer outlet,  we decided on 988 model.  This has become my early birthday and Christmas present for this year.  A present is never come too early and I am very happy with it.  But this is not a heavy duty machine, materials as thick and as hard as jeans are not advisable to be sewed with this machine.  Clet is a bit disappointed on that.  

it comes with a cover

this model has got a digital screen and 156 patterns

these are some of the patterns that this sewing machine can produce including the button holes

these are the accessories which I will have to figure out how to use some of them

the pedal and a casing for the accessories.  

I have attended basic sewing classes years back, now I will have to rely heavily on the internet to guide me should I want to make a skirt and a dress.  Will tell you my first sewing project on my next post.