Ring Handle Bag 复古花纹图蕾丝手提包

This bag was completed earlier of the month, but I haven't got time to share it. I made it for a friend's wedding. I've got an invitation to an afternoon wedding reception. Despite the tight deadline to finish other projects, I told myself that I want to make a bag to bring to the wedding reception. I finished the bag just in time for the event ~ the night before the wedding reception. haha.

The design of the bag is pretty simple, no pockets, no zip, no buttons. I've got the pattern out from a craft magazine. I bought the ring handle from Daiso. Just added a bit of lace and printed cotton tape, here you are a brand new bag. 

Time flies, today is the last day of year 2013. I started this blog in December 2012, about a year ago. I'm glad that there is such a platform to record my crafting journey and sharing it with people who are also interested in making and creating beautiful things. I hope I will continue to be inspired to make and create things that can make someone's day. 

I would like to also take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy 2014 and a fabulous year ahead!

Ring handle bag -vintage floral prints 

Ring Handle

A peek inside the bag

Perfect for afternoon tea bag

Rag Doll Bag 布娃娃包包

This time I challenged myself to make a rag doll. I love rag doll since I was little but I've never make one myself until recently. I've got the pattern from a craft magazine. But I changed the hairstyle and the hood pattern to my liking. 

This rag doll that I made is to be used as an embellishment on the bag that I'm sewing for a friend. A bag for a little girl. This time I choose a lilac fabric with tiny polka dots. I think the lilac colour suits the little girl well. The reason I made a rag doll for this bag, well, I think it's every little girl's dream to have a rag doll that they can play with and bring to bed every night. Though this is not a complete doll, but it can be detached from the bag. It can be attached to other bags or clothes or any items that you can pin on.

I'm quite happy with the rag doll face. Next, I would venture into making a complete doll. :)

Rag doll face with hood

Rag doll back - a corsage pin is attached

Rag doll face attached to a bag

Rag doll face that is detachable

The other side of the bag - with two little pockets

Close up look of the pockets

Multi-colour polka dots fabric is used to make the inner lining of the bag

Bag handle decorated with lace

A handmade rag doll bag

Wedding Gift 送给一对新人的礼物

A good friend is getting married. I am so happy for her that she has finally found the person that she can share her life with. 

I am making the new wedding couple a DIY wedding album. I think that's the best way to keep their precious memories. :)

This is the first time I'm making a wedding album. I was so excited and couldn't decide on the design of the album cover. At last, I decided on making the wedding bears. Felt is used to make the bride and groom bears. I used lace to make the veil and the bride's gown. 

The wedding bears turned out to be really sweet. I love it! I hope my friend and her soon to be husband would love it too. 

Congratulations Del!

The wedding couple ~Fahrul Nizar & Nordalila

Hand-sewn wedding album

The wedding bears

Unfasten the ribbon to open the album

Sunbonnet Sue Bag 苏姑娘包包

I was contemplating on the design of the second bag I am making for my friend. I wanted a different look.

I went through my collection of craft magazine for inspiration. Then, I saw one bag made using plain colour fabric with applique doll image, hey I told myself for this bag I'm making I can use plain colour fabric as the main body and sew on pockets and other embellishments to add style. With that imagination in my head, I sketched the imagine of the bag on my notebook. And based on that I came out with this bag. 

I must admit that there were errors made along the way when sewing this bag. I have to remove the stitches several times and redo it. Nevertheless, I'm glad with those mistakes I made. I believe that's how skills can be developed :)

Sunbonnet Sue girl bag

Combination of off white linen fabric & 
Sunbonnet Sue prints fabric

Elasticated pockets

Cotton handle

Inner lining of the bag

DIY fabric covered button -Little birdie

 DIY fabric covered button -
Sunbonnet Sue image

Notebook for Sweet Little Girl 小女生笔记本

My girl has been invited to another birthday party this year. This time it's a friend from her class in school. They have been in the same class since Primary One. This little girl adores Hello Kitty very much. Her birthday invitation card has Hello Kitty on the cover.

A perfect gift for this birthday girl of course would be something made using Hello Kitty image. :) I discussed with my girl and we decided to make her a notebook. 

Here is it a personalised notebook for a very sweet girl. Happy birthday Qian Hua!

Personalised notebook

Handmade Hello Kitty notebook

Lots of Hello Kitty!

Butterfly zipper charm as the bookmark

Hello Kitty Bag 可爱的凯蒂猫包包

An old friend from school asked me to sew bags for little girls. I was given a free hand in designing the bag. She said anything will do, as long as it's something that a little girl would fancy. Hm... I like that. I love making sweet and cute stuff. :)

Here is the first piece I made for her, using Hello Kitty prints fabric. I think most little girls even grown-ups adore Hello Kitty! Too bad I couldn't find a nice pink based Hello Kitty prints fabric. It would be perfect if it is in pink. 

I hope whomever my friend is going to give this bag to would cherish it. I would also like to thank my friend for giving me such opportunity to challenge myself with new sewing project. :)

Hello Kitty bag

Sweet little bag for cute little girl

Bag handle decorated with red & white checked ribbons

Ribbon, lace and Hello Kitty button

Drawstring opening

Books Books Books 好多书！

Nothing much get done recently due to flu virus attack and everyone in the house taking turns to falling ill. Health is the most precious thing we have, without it, one can't accomplish much and everything else is meaningless. We have to be grateful for our good health! I think I have to start exercising more regularly!

Progress has been quite slow, but I couldn't ask for more. After a week of struggling, I finally completed 20 books. It's a record, haven't made so many books at a time in my life! I have another 10 books waiting for me to bind...

 

20 books - mission accomplished!

Haven't seen so many hand binding books!

I just adore the vibrant colours of the stitches

Top: French stitch; bottom three: Kettle stitch

Love having fun with colours

Batik style

Black & White

Vintage designs

Beautiful graphic prints

More retro designs

Hand stamped logo tag

Lin Craft House

Hand Sewn Book for Hubby 于另一半的手作书

时间过得真快，2013年只剩下两个多月。市面上已经开始看到2014年的日记本及规划簿在售卖了。虽然说已经会自己制作手缝书了，但是有时候看到可爱或有趣的日记本还是会心动，忍不住下手。：）

相反的，另一半一向来都不太爱买东西。对市面上林林总总的商品他大多都不为所动。能用的他都不会丢，能穿的他就不买新的。他省下来的钱我就帮他花，哈哈！

以往他都只是用商家赠送的笔记本，从来不会花钱买新的。 这一次我要为他制作一本独一无二的笔记本。不用花多少钱的独特笔记本，正符合另一半的生活哲学。

美丽的French Stitch

封面用的是日式和风布料

笔记本旁边附有放笔的套子

钥匙形书签

Ballerina Bag 芭蕾舞包包

After finishing the ballet shoes bags, I moved on to making bigger bags for ballerina. Made two pieces this time, in different sizes. Spent quite a bit of time on the design and patterns of fabric to be used. 

I know Pink would be the favourite colour for most girls, so I made one in Pink shade. For the other bag, I chose Red. Well, I actually thought the Blue would go quite well with the ballerina prints fabric, but Blue is not the colour for most girls at elementary age (that's based on my daughter's remarks ha!). So I go for Red instead. 

 Hope the little ballerinas would like these bags I have sewn.

Red shade ballerina bag

Each side of the bag is fastened using red velvet ribbon

Bag handle decorated with red polka dot fabric

Inside the bag - lined with orange stripy fabric

Pink shade ballerina bag

Cute ballerinas

Fastened with pink checked ribbons

This one is lined with pink checked fabric

Bag handle decorated with lace

Tried making my own tag :)