Amigurumi: Travel owl plush

Goodness... just realized the beak is crooked

Got this design from Josephine Wu of A Morning Cup of Jo Creations. I've changed the eyes as I don't have felt fabric yet so it differs from the original.

You can look for more of her designs here:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amorningcupofjocreations

Amigurumi: Mr. Murasaki

My second Amigurumi doll... a very cute owl! Got this pattern from a very talented lady, Mei Li Lee and she calls this owl, Mr. Murasaki. You can browse here for her patterns: http://amigurumei.com/

Yarns required

Mr. Murasaki

Xstitch: teddy bear with love

I've had this chart like forever! In fact, this was my first ever cross-stitch I've made... discovered this through a newspaper dad read and it's stuck on me since. I think I was in standard 5 or 6 back then and a DMC thread costs only 50sen. Now... it's RM1.80!!!

So yellow and frail... need to photo-stat it soon...

It's easy and fast to complete... less than a week max. Great as a gift ^.^

DMC's Mother's Day chart

I did 2 of this, 1 for my mom and another for my mother in law. Got this chart from DMC, you can view it here:

http://www.dmccreative.co.uk/Inspiration/Projects/Light-Effects-Cross-Stitch/DMC-Mothers-Day-chart.aspx

It's pretty easy to make and takes only a few days to complete. My first cross-stitch this year after so long keeping it in storage!

Sweet eh?

Amigurumi: crawly caterpillar

My first Amigurumi... a caterpillar! Learned this new skill from teacher Amy of Hooked. Sort of easy to make but require loads of patience... a must-have for anything handmade with love!

From Wikipedia: Amigurumi (編みぐるみ?, lit. crocheted or knitted stuffed toy) is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. The word is derived from a combination of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll. Amigurumi are typically animals, but can include artistic renderings or inanimate objects endowed with anthropomorphic features, as is typical in Japanese culture.

First look... headache already...

Tada! The finished project!

Ain't my caterpillar cute??? Anyway, it was totally satisfying once completed but still need a lot of practice to perfect the skill. Have been Googling for more easy dolls to practice but can't decide on which one as they are all so adorable!!!

Orange potpourri

A creative potpourri, handmade and totally GREEN!

Seat covers

I sewed a simple seat cover for my dining chairs as the PU leather has started peeling off.

The cloth I chose is kinda thick so that it lasts longer. Sewing it takes time due to the thickness. Firstly, I made a block using the newspaper to gauge the size of the seat. Once I'm comfortable with the newspaper block, I placed it on the cloth and started cutting it. Of course, I need to leave about 2" to sew up the hem. I used rubber elastics to hold the cover to the seat, placed at the back of the seat. Unfortunately, no pics here.

The end result... simple and easy to sew.

Curtains

I sewed curtains! Made quite a few of them but the materials were kinda gaudy as I couldn't find nice, non-transparent and cheap materials. The nice ones are usually very costly. Anyway, it was an easy to sew and fail-proof curtains which I hope to change it to something more interesting in the near future... tab top headings perhaps... when I have the time :-)

This was 1 of the sets for my kitchen. Mine is using curtain hooks so it was easy to sew. After measuring the window, cut the material accordingly, making sure there are extras (10" to be safe) for the hems/ tucks. Just sew the tape for the hooks (you can get it at any supermarkets) at the head and close the bottom hems. Easy peasy!

Accessory for bag or mobile phone

Another design I’ve made from the pattern book, Crochet Lace by Boutique-sha. This is easy as it’s a small piece but needed the additional tools i.e. hook hangers and buttons. I can hang it on my handbag, mobile phone, pencil box, etc… I have made these in many colours with different buttons but I’ve given it out to my family and good friends ;-) Not many left... thought of doing more to sell in my blogshop :-)

 Cutesy accessory anyone?

Square coaster

Remember the pattern book I bought earlier, Crochet Lace by Boutique-sha RM35.75? This square coaster is one of the simple designs they have in the book. Very easy to make, it took me just a few hours to complete it ;-)

Square mat

I got this new pattern book, Crochet Lace by Boutique-sha RM35.75, from Popular Bookstore which was a really good buy! It has so many small patterns which are beautiful yet timeless. Although in Mandarin, I can roughly make do, what and how of some of the patterns.

I did this square mat as the design looks interesting. It's actually a table runner but it was too tedious to make once I've started it, hence I've cut short the design and have it as a square mat instead. I know I know, lazy me ;-)

Small table mat

I became adventurous since paying a bomb for this table mat pattern hence creating a smaller version of it. Smaller version meaning I stopped at a certain row and didn't continue. It looks nicer though :-) I made this for my own use *grinning*

Another version I've made using acrylic yarns which are much, much cheaper. Used 2 colours for the fun of it and it turns out nice but smaller since I'm using acrylic instead of cotton *wide grin*

Big table mat

I've made this table mat for my grandmother, her birthday present, in May last year. Yes, it has lapsed a long time before I picked up the crochet hook again! Furthermore I had temporarily stopped sewing so I have some time to kill. I got this pattern from Lily Handicraft in Subang Parade and I had a rude awakening!

Firstly, I didn't know cotton yarns and crochet hook will cost a bomb now. Secondly, I have to pay RM1 for the photocopy of the pattern. Lastly, they don't teach crochet! I was so shocked! I don't remember how to crochet so I would appreciate some basics since I've paid a bomb! I was speechless and just left the shop.

Thank goodness I do have an old 'crochet for dummy' book, Illustrated Basic Crochet & Knit by Ondori, at home which I can refer to. It really has everything about crochet and I was able to complete that table mat... phew!

BTW, that was the last time I ever visited that shop... pffft!

MIL's blouse

This was the last sewing I did during my Intermediate class... supposed to go for Advance but have yet to continue... probably later this year. I sewn a blouse for MIL... a simple yet complex blouse with yoke and what nots. It's a typical blouse for an old lady :-)

Unfortunately, no photos of the blouse as I had given it to her prior this blog. I regretted using this chiffon like fabric as it was totally difficult in sewing it... sigh!

Baju Kebaya

Not an easy feat but worth it! It was stressful as I bought this silk material in Bangkok. Similar to the Baju Kurung, the skirt was easy as it's straight sewing all the way!

Cheong Sam

A modern cheong sam which I was skeptical of sewing as this Chinese silk is from China and it's not cheap! I was so worried I could have sewn it wrongly as I have to sew inner lining. Double stress here! Overall it was quite easy as more straight lines here even though with lining. However, the collar is really difficult, the material is soft and it couldn't stand much ;-)

Baju Kurung

Baju Kurung can be considered 1 of the easiest to sew, especially with cotton fabric! It's a straight line at every edge :-) However, it requires a lot of material. If I remember correctly, this one was 4 metre in total. Majority for the skirt especially the side pleat ;-)

Long pants

First time sewing long pants, 1 high waist and 1 low waist. It's kinda easy to cut and sew it but the difficult part was to draw the block. If we drew it wrongly, the pants would be uncomfortable and not fitted.

The end result... the beige one is high waist and the purple one is low waist :-)

Shirt dress

My next dress was a shirt dress which was kinda easy to sew except for the sleeves and collar. Goodness those were so difficult especially since my cloth was firm and hard. I didn't upload the photo of the dress yet as it's still not ready until today :p

Princess' pre-school uniform

I sewn this in 2007 when Princess first went to pre-school. I found the pattern easy hence thought of sewing it but to my dismay, the sailor collar was really difficult! It was much cheaper though compared to buying it :-)

 

I had just started my Intermediate then so good timing... I mean it's time for a difficult pattern to sew rather than the easy ones during Beginner's stage ;-)