Digital Kiyomi Bag Pattern

I've had some requests for a digital version of my Kiyomi Bag Pattern.  I understand the convenience of downloading a pattern almost instantaneously after a purchase.  Apart from the quick gratification, you also save on shipping.  I must admit that I prefer digital downloads over the conventional paper format myself.

Hence I've added the digital Kiyomi Bag Pattern to my little shop.  Also as a thank you for those who have enquired the digital version is on sale from 1st May to 8th May 2016.  Normal price RM22, it's now RM18.  Download your copy today!!

You can purchase the Kiyomi Bag pattern here:
Facebook shop via local bank transfer
Etsy shop via PayPal

Dolman Sleeved Top

Rubbed off the pattern from an existing garment. Because it was essentially two pieces it was a fairly easy pattern to draft. The construction was a breeze except for the exposed zipper closure. 

I used a different method from the skirt exposed zipper closure I completed recently. Although the method for exposed zipper for the top is slightly trickier but it provides a neater finish in my opinion.

Basted the facing onto the top before hand stitching

I used a facing instead of bias binding and there's nothing more annoying then the facing flipping out as you wear it, so I stitched the facing down with tiny catch stitches.

Sleeve band detail

Reduced the seam allowance width to accommodate the curve of the dolman sleeve

The denim tencel fabric was lovely to work with. It's soft with a slightly heavy hand.  Needed only 1M of 60" width fabric.  Fabric is from Spotlight during their recent sales.

Annual Easter Giveaway!

A Kiyomi Bag!

Please head on to my Facebook page if you'd like to enter your name for my little giveaway.  I will draw the winner on Easter Monday 28th March 2016.

Hope you'll join in the fun!  Good luck!

Introducing the Kiyomi Bag Pattern

I've long admired these Japanese bags.  However I've wanted to put my own spin on the design.  My goal was to have a versatile bag that can be casual or heavily embellished. Also I wanted a large base for our purses and mobile devices. And of course knitters and crocheters to carry their small projects.

The Kiyomi bag is fully lined and reversible.  A perfect sewing project for confident beginners that can be completed in a few delightful hours.  It contains full sized templates and 12 pages of detailed instructions with clear step by step B&W photos.

The Kiyomi bag pattern is now 15% off through 31st March 2016.

For Malaysian residents you can purchase the pattern from my Facebook via desktops.  And for non-Malaysian residents Etsy.

Study in Striped Knits

Coco Chanel (pic credit)

Knit striped shirts are really in a class of it's own. It's such a classic. It has stood the test of time and have become quite iconic when it comes to casual wear.  The cross over of the striped shirt aka Breton from utilitarian wear to fashion, from men to women's wear is attributed to Coco Chanel.

Jean Paul Gaultier (pic credit)

However, in recent modern times Jean Paul Gaultier has been associated with popularising this nautical casual white and blue striped shirt.  The Breton shirt is so ingrained in French society that it was one of the official garment for the French Navy.  There were specific attentions to details.  A Breton is 3/4 sleeve length and has 21 stripes to denote as many victories of Napoleon Bonaparte.  So much history.  Read more in WikiFashion.

And here's my humble interpretation.  Not to specifications of course.  Maybe one day I will endeavour to research even more and come up with a Breton that's historically correct.

I've wanted to sew this bateau neckline version for some time.  I saw a similar shirt at a store around Christmas time last year.  So I studied how it was constructed and it wasn't too difficult.  That's the good thing about sewing our own garments, we can replicate most designer looks or style lines without robbing a bank!  Not to say the top I saw was very pricey, it was more 'hey ... I can do that!'

This is my OCD playing up! LOL!!  I took insurance by pinning every stripe so as to match up the side seams.

And of course the result ALWAYS justifies the extra work put in :)

I find myself gravitating to stripes lately what with the pink Breton in my previous post over a week ago.  I've also bought some shirts from the store.  I know ... I broke the cardinal sewers' rule!  I assure you they were pretty reasonably priced and I've classified them under R&D.  All in the name of improving my sewing and learning certain details and style lines.  My threshold of workmanship and quality is very low with these store bought items as evident in this raglan sleeved shirt below :p

Pink The New Blue?

 

Seems like I'm having a pink phase at the moment.  I attribute this obsession temporary phenomenon to working on my Tilda House Tapestry blocks and those cutesy children's wear that I'm planning.  Not to worry ... boys will get that fair share in blues.  What can I say? ... I'm old fashioned.

Or maybe it's a stripe thing.  I don't know why but once in a while I like to kill myself matching striped side seams.  Therein lies the challenge.
 

Believe it or not, the pattern for this top is my all time favourite Scout Woven Tee.  A pattern that's meant for woven fabrics.  As I browse through the blogs I find there's been many successful versions of the Scout Tee sewn up in knit fabrics.  Needless to say I had to attempt it myself.  And I absolutely love it!

Ironically I did not need go down a size as the norm suggests when sewing with knit fabric using patterns meant for wovens.  That's a real bonus because I didn't need to trace up a smaller sized pattern.  I always cut and sew on separate days especially when cutting striped fabric and hoping to match them was rather tedious.

And here are some pink fabrics that I'll be working on for those Tilda blocks.  They sure look so pretty together.

So what's next on my sewing table?  Blues and whites ... do I hear a collective sigh of relief?!  LOL!!  I've got a Plaintain cut in a Breton like stripe and more thin striped knit in the horizon.
 

Moji Shorts & In-Seam Pocket Tutorial

I don't know about you, but I practically live in shorts at home.  It's so hot lately and shorts are so practical.  I've converted the Moji Pants by Seamwork to a shorts and swapped for an in-seam pocket instead of a patch pocket.   This was a quick and easy make.  It's a happy moment when you find leftover fabrics that play together so well.

Following is a step by step tutorial on how I do my in-seam pockets.  Of course there might be other better ways but this is how I do it.

Start with 4 pcs of pockets all cut and serge or zig-zag around the curvy edges of all the pieces

I get dyslexic sometimes so I have to lay it out carefully.  Lay it with right sides facing up

Turn the pocket to the side seam, right sides together and pin.  Ensure that the pocket is placed at the same distance from the waist for all 4 pockets.

Sew the pocket to the side seam using a 3/8" seam allowance, back stitch both the beginning and end.

 Serge or zig-zag the whole side seam

Press the pocket piece back out.  Repeat all the steps above for all 4 sides of the shorts.

Now place the pocket attached shorts pieces right side together ensuring the pockets and waist line matches.

Sew the side seam from the waist to the top of the pocket opening a 5/8" seam allowance, back-stitch at both ends.  Mark a point with chalk 5.5" - 6", below this backstitched point.  This will be the pocket opening and will not be stitched.  Then stitch again from the top of pocket bag, around the curve of the pocket bag and back onto the side seams.  Leave your needle in the down position, pivot at the mark that you made earlier and continue stitching the bottom portion of the pocket and side seam at 5/8" seam allowance.  End with a back stitch.  Repeat this for the other side of your shorts.

Press the seams and pocket bag to the front.  Sew your waistband as directed in the pattern and ensure that the top portion of the pocket is caught within the waistband stitching.

Turn your shorts right side out and press your pockets and side seams.  You will notice a 1/4" overhang of the front side of the seam.  This will give a nice flush and avoid any peekaboo of the pocket fabric if you are using a different fabric from the main.  That's it and you now have some pretty neat in-seam pockets!

If you have any questions please to do hesitate to leave me a comment.  

I will be conducting the Moji Pants class at Yee Button on 20th February 2016 (Saturday).  For more info please click my Facebook Event Moji.
 

Children's Clothing

Now how cute is that?!  And their so tiny too.  I am making some shop samples to be displayed at Yee Button.  I have been working behind the scenes on developing a course of children's clothing classes.  It's been lots of work and very exciting at the same time. Sewing bias binding around the itty-bitty armhole was rather fiddly.  But as always the end result is just a joy.

The class will cover pattern drafting and sewing the garment.  Sometimes a child is thin but tall, sometimes the little one has a tummy :)  Hence with learning how to draft your own patterns it frees you from relying on designers' patterns and make the necessary adjustments to fit the particular child's measurements.    Pattern drafting is not rocket science.  All steps will be broken into small digestible chunks.  The skills you learn in drafting and sewing will be applicable to adult garments.  The concept is the same.  You're just working on a smaller scale :) 

With the sewing of these basic dresses under your belt ... think embellishments, think variations or hacks.  So many options to mix and match. 

In the course of studying children's garments, I found that children's clothes can cost as much or higher than adults.  Can't wrap my mind around that.  Also found the workmanship wanting.  Sorry, I am a little OCD in that department.  The designs were 'crowded' ... a case of more is too much.  With the economy the way it is, taking up sewing makes a lot of sense.  Because garment sewing is still a human labour intensive process you might one to get onboard the ethics train of sewing your own garments instead of  supporting mega companies employing workers in slave like conditions.  I am sure you are aware of these global issues.

Because children grow so fast,  you can sew some everyday clothes with reasonably priced ranged cotton fabrics.  Keep a lookout for sales.  The good thing is the little garments don't need much fabric!  Save the better cotton fabrics for special occasions.

Also in my children's clothing classes pipeline are T-Shirts and dresses in knit fabrics, shorts / pants for both boys and girls and special occasion dresses for the little women in our lives.

Some of the fabrics that I will be working on for more children's clothing.  Play with contrast colours, knits ... my head is exploding with ideas!  The sewing classes will be labeled for Advanced Beginners.  If you are interested in sewing children's clothes and have not used the sewing machine before, then please consider signing up for beginner classes prior.  My confirmed classes can be found here.   Please check back for these children's clothing classes as their scheduled to start in March 2016 ... I better get sewing! :)

My Backyard

Well not literally ... but close ... 20mins walk close.  The Forest Reserve Institute of Malaysia. 

I am staying on the main roads in FRIM for now but I want to start some tracking in the future, for an active rest option.  


With the dawn of every new year, I get into some fitness frenzy.  I traverse the net for fitness articles and sometimes they pop into my feed 'miraculously'.

Unfortunately the dedication never lasts. It does not sustain itself for long periods of time. Sometimes not even a month.  But this year I am motivated.  Like really motivated.

It especially helps when you've got a new pair of running shoes.  A gift from my sis for my very early birthday present this year.  My old pair was many years old and probably passed it's run best by date.  I don't run per se ... more like power walk. 

On my Facebook feed my fitness guru Kelly made a very motivational video.  I watched it thrice.  The reasoning she offers are good enough for me.

  

Last year I bought some sweatshirts ... sewing themed ones.  Thinking it'd inspire me.  That didn't work very long.  I suppose I was looking for an external trigger to get me moving.  Anything.  

I've since realised that it's all in the head.  You have to get your wants and needs in order in your head and then everything will fall in place nicely.

So here's to a healthier more active 2016!

From my Kitchen

Couple of weeks ago my friends and I went out for dinner.  There was this interesting and crunchy dish that I knew I had to replicate. 

A two step process actually.  First by boiling the lotus roots with peanuts in anchovy broth till it's softened and the broth is reduced.  Then stir fry as per usual with carrots and french beans.  Ignore the onions, that's for the omelet.

Homemade mayonnaise!  I've been wanting to try this for ages.   I even brought out my Ball mason jar that Margaret gave me for this 'special occasion'. 

I bought a stick blender for this purpose.  It's so easy and tastes great.  You know for sure what goes into it.  I did not have any basil only garlic.  I halved the portion, so that I can finish it within a week or so.  You can find the recipe / method here.