Self Threading Needles

Again, a BIG thank you to those of you who have commented. I love love loveeee hearing from you .
My giveaway for OWOH is still ongoing… 1 more week to go… so please check it out HERE!!!

I went to the haberdashery shop last weekend, and this self-threading needles caught my fancy. So I bought a packet of assorted sizes and use them to sew my Sock Owl for the tutorial.

It was great!

Read somewhere on the internet that not many seamstress recommend these needles… because they fray the thread and some even tear the fabric. Hmmm… well, I haven’t use these needles enough to experience the above… for what it’s worth, my first try was satisfying Give it a try!

TUTORIAL :: SOCKS OWL

This is a very simple Tutorial to make a Sock Owl.

I’m using the leggings sock… the one that goes from your ankle up to your knees.

See photos below from left to right.

Measure 5″ from the rubber and cut. We only need this part, the rest can be kept for other toys .

Turn the sock around and sew a straight line on the rubber part. This will be the head / ears of the owl.

Ones done, go to the other side (where we cut just now), and fold the opening into 3 section like the photos. (sorry I don’t really know how to explain). What I am trying to do here is the tail, and legs of the owl.

The section that I am holding in the photo is about 1 cm and it’s the tail of the owl. Make sure it is in the middle. Sew it up.

Then continue to sew the other section (the legs sections should be longer that the tail). Leave a small hole to put in the polyfill.

Turn the socks around. It should look like the first photo below. Fill with polyfill, then close the hole.

Here is that body of the owl. Just press the polyfill to shape it more like an owl.

Now, use some felt to cut the eyes and nose. I didn’t measure or draw a pattern. Just cut them free hand like the pattern in the photo. I embroider the black dots of the eye. You can also use buttons or brads, but I like to embroider because it is safer for children.

Sew the felt on the owl as shown in photos below.

Then (refer bottom panel of photos), cut 2 pieces of felt and 2 pieces of socks in another colour (you can also use fabric). Again, I didn’t measure or have a pattern. I just draw freehand shapes of wings.

Use simple stitches to sew the pink socks on the felt, then sew them on the sides of the owl.

Ones you have sewn the wings, the owl should look like the photo below. See the bottom of the owl… it is like  “Y”.

Your owl is complete. Enjoy it!

Tutorial for Sock Softie.. yes?

My OWOH Giveaway is still ongoing. Closing date is Feb 15th.
It’s happening HERE.
CLICK HERE to JOIN. PLEASEeeeeeeee join!

~*~*~

A while ago, I made some felt softie.

Today, I’m going to share it with you…

They come in pairs, so it’s great as a Valentine gift.

Coincidently this year, Chinese New Year falls on Valentine’s Day. Yippie! We get “extra” celebration… I haven’t even done my Chinese New Year shopping. Lots of drinks and beer and titbits to buy. Didn’t even order any new year cookies (looks like I have to either make my own, or buy factory processed…). Lots of “sengkuang” to buy to make the traditional Hokkien “Jiu Hu Char”… and I haven’t even started shopping! OMGoodness!!!

Rambo Giraffe looks very rainbow-ish … I just love his colour. Notice he has no eyes… That’s because I ran out of glue… Otherwise he would have 2 large oggling eyes… now he is as blind as a bat, but not for long . Maybe I should just embroidery his eyes, it’s safer for kids that way.

Another of my sock-cutting endeavour brought this little monster to life.

Wait for my tutorial ok .

I’m happy to share my way of making sock softie…  I just cannot decide which one to write a tutorial for ???

P/S: Thank you everyone who has drop by my blog. And I especially appreciate your comments.

Thanks to you who joined my OWOH giveaway. I’m trying to visit all your OWOH too… 800++ and counting… I really am trying to catch up reading blogs, I want to visit all … yayaya…

Playing with Socks

One World One Heart GIVEAWAY

Hello hello!!

It is 25th January (finally!), and it is the start of this One World One Heart blog event giveaway.

***I am sooo excited!!!***

So, here are my GIVEAWAYS.

I have decided to have TWO (2) gifts for TWO (2) lucky winners.

GIVEAWAY #1:

Flex Frame Purse DIY Kit

I will be giving away a kit made of these item below.

There will be enough fabric, lace, interlining and one flex frame to make a purse that looks just like this.

You can find a Step-by-step Tutorial here.

The ready made purse is not included in the giveaway

GIVEAWAY #2:

Cover Buttons DIY Kit

For my 2nd giveaway, I will be giving a kit to make some cover buttons.

I will also include some Japanese cotton fabric scraps (small random pieces) … in case you will like to use them to make the buttons… or you can use your own fabric. Below, example of Japanese fabrics where the scraps will come from

This will be how your cover buttons will look like when using Japanese cotton (these are examples only, not included in giveaway)

Instructions to make cover buttons here.

All you have to do is leave a comment in this post, and make sure you leave an email or blog address so that I can contact you (important ok *smile*)…

This giveaway closes on 15th February 2010 (11.59pm, GMT +8). Winners will be announced shortly after that.

 Wherever you are and whoever you are, everyone is WELCOME.

Thank you thank you. Nice to meet you all !

SUNSHINE Award

A while ago, Muriël (Hopfaldera) gave me a SUNSHINE award! THANK YOU very much!!!

It made me happy everytime I know someone reads my blog… and to give me an award… wow! I’m double happy

The conditions when accepting this award is as follows:

* Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
* Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
* Link the nominees within your post.
* Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

So, here is me fulfilling the conditions…

May lots of Sunshine go to these bloggers, who has inspire me (& Whimsy Loft) in many ways.

Here goes… in alphabetical order:

by Connie
casserole blog
eissua
heidi stitches when she can
Jace Makes
Life-Muses
mairuru
My Dog Diary
Sew What
Under Lock and Key
the little things
Vanmarieke

Magic Carpet 2010

I nominated myself to be a Magic Carpet Ticket Holder.

See the LOGO at my sidebar, it will link you to the information page about this worldwide “blogger gathering”.

This is so fun!

I can’t wait till the 25th of January where I get to post my free giveaways to my lucky readers.

I want to know my readers (yes you! )  .

I know I have a number of readers (google analytics and feedburner tells me so…) but somehow you are all quiet out there…

I always appreciate a comment, even if it’s just a “HI”. Please don’t be shy

Hopefully this event will kick start our conversations and close the barriers. So… look out for my giveaways!

25th Jan to 15th Feb

Oh! Charmaine…

Here’s the little doll I whipped up for my cousin’s little girl.

I made this after reading half a dozen of doll tutorials. And finally settled for drawing and cutting out my own pattern. I guess it’s sorta original but I admit I borrow heavily from Martha Steward Black Apple Doll (although I didn’t touch the free pattern they provided).

Dolly Charmaine’s face and hair are made of felt & embroidery. The hands, legs and dress/body are made of calico and cotton. Insides… non-allergic polyfill .

I just had to embroider my initial “G” on Dolly’s palm. And on her chest, is the baby girl’s name “Charmaine”.

Hello 2010 !!!

First of all, I want to wish you all…

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010 !!!

It’s been a busy new year for me, albeit things are moving quite slow. So busy + slow, mean I have pockets of time to catch up on my breathing… hahaha…

Anyway, for this New Year, I have made some new products for the shop.

Felt embellishment SET or some people call them applique SET.

They are all up on my Etsy, I list a few at a time only…

They are good for all your scrap booking projects, card projects, decorative projects… etc. They can be sewed on or glued on. Work great both ways!

Blessed Christmas

I’m taking a short Christmas break. Yippie! No sewing, no crafting, and best of all NOoo working the day job.

Just eat, read, sleep, blog, and watch tv!

I will miss crafting for sure

But I want the break just as bad.

So we will compromise, shall we?  

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL !!!

 See you after Christmas !!!