Spend almost half the day making new tags for Whimsy Loft.

What do you think of it?

Given that I am really lousy at using drawing tools in the computer, I’m really really pleased with the outcome of my new tags. Can’t wait to use them… hehehe…

Meanwhile, here’s a very crooked photo of the patchwork drawstring bags I made last week. I use faux leather string and a really heavy pinky beads for the string. I use the same sewing method as my Flex Frame Purses, except that I didn’t attach a flex frame, but use strings instead… so it is quite easy to make. I enjoyed mixing and matching the fabric… I hope they don’t look too clustered!

Enjoy your day, I’m off to Mass.

So last night I had this idea before I fell asleep. It involves baby socks .

First thing this morning, I went in search of baby socks in the departmental store, and I found some really good quality socks at a bargain! Happy happy… 6 pairs of baby socks, and 5 pairs of adult ladies socks, all for less than $10. They are really nice… these are medium thickness and soft to the touch. I love love love love them.

I realise now that when making softies with socks, the better quality socks you use, the better the softie will turn out. When I first started making socks toys, I used sock I bought a long time ago from thrift markets (just because I like them but I hardly use socks). They were thin and not stretchy enough, and because they were thrifted I had the heart to cut them up (never did I imagine that now I buy socks on purpose just to cut them up !!! Haha…)

Well, this is just a quick post to share my bargain purchase today . 

I’ll be working on these socks tomorrow, hopefully I have something to share very soon !!

Oh ya… my Spring Fling Challenge is going well (see list on side bar) - over these 2 days, managed to compile some 20 plus items I would like to donate to charity or recycle … YAY!!

Today, Ellen introduced me to this Spring Fling Challenge hosted by Life Frosting.

I think it’s a great idea! A super duper great wonderful WOWZER idea!
Well, it’s not spring here in Malaysia… there’s no spring in Malaysia, there’s just the warm tropical weather all year round *sigh* but nevermind it will be spring when I want it to be spring and it will be cleaning when I have to clean…

I challenge myself to have fling (ebay, re-gift, donate, craigslist, give away, freecycle, recycle, trash) 100 items by the 21st of March.

Watch out y’all, I can do this!

I am on a sewing hiatus. Only 2 days left for my Chinese New Year holiday. So not looking forward to going to work.

These are what I made last night… see I get more productive when the heat is down. Yesterday (and today, thank goodness…) was so much cooler than the days before. The sun has decided to lessen her wrath and have mercy on beings like me… haha!

Two hankerchief for babies. I embellish a tiger (because this year is the year of the Tiger). And the tail is made of cotton string which I covered with embroidery thread, and made a loop at the edge so it can be a hanger.

One more owl. This time using grey socks. My dad’s socks hehe… isn’t he cute? He is very small, only palm size. I use 1/3 of the socks. I have a Tutorial HERE is you want to make one too !

I made 2, one for my sister, and one for myself. Below is for my sister. It is reversible!

Enjoy your day I’m going to Bangi (an hour drive away) with my sister to send in her university application now. See ya!

Update 19 Feb:: Oh… one final thing… thanks to Kim from Everything Etsy, I am participating in a BLOG PARTY. Click on the icon below to check out other participant’s creation too! They are superb

and that’s how this idea came to life!

This morning, I was thinking of these 3 things ::

I needed pillows for my sofas. Initially the plan was making some animal shaped (that might still come to life one day…)…

Then my fingers were itching on making some felt collages. Am thinking “laundry”. (and that might come to life one day too!)…

And then I was just browsing through some of my travel photos, and came across Amsterdam… photos I took while floating down the Dutch Canals. And “houses”… more accurately Dutch houses came to my mind.

Putting all these together, I’ve got myself some really cute pillows. (p/s: I must apologised for the lighting in the photos… it’s really dim )

I like the blue one better, and think I could have chosed a better fabric pattern for the red. What do you think?

I didn’t use felt afterall. They are made of cotton and plain calico, stuffed with poly-cotton. I prefer poly-cotton rather than pure polyfill as they are heavier; thus nicer as pillows.

They are the replicate of these 2 Dutch houses models I got from KLM.

I’m quite proud of them I must say… I hope you like them too!

Finally, the day has come.

OWOH giveway closed last midnight…

THANK YOU to those who have participated. I have enjoyed myself blog-hopping as well as reading all your comments on my blog. It is great meeting so many people from different parts of the world, and each and everyone of you are talented and unique in your own way.

My google reader has tripled in size… I now have so many blogs lined up for my daily reading (i’ll never be bored again hehe). And I hope to continue our blog-world friendship.

With the help of randomizer.org, I manage to select 2 lucky winners from a pool of 250 commentors.

Congratulations to…

Commentor # 45

Patricia from My Cosmopolitan Diary. You won the Flex Frame purse DIY kit.

and…

Commentor # 208

Waxela aka SpiritMama from SpiritMama Art & Soul. You won the cover buttons DIY kit.

CONGRATULATIONS !!! If you are reading this, kindly email me your address ya…

For those who didn’t win, I thank you also from the bottom of my heart for participating here.

I will be having loads more giveaways and tutorials in the coming months. Looking forward to your continuous support

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Ok, now that I have announced my winners, here’s some photos of what I have been making in the past week. They are something easy and fast, to satisfy my sew-craving soul hehe…

More flex frame purses, using Malaysian Batik (aka Sarong) and Japanese cotton, and fabric book covers ::

 Today is the 3rd day of Chinese New Year. The busy time has passed, it’s begining to calm down a little, and I got the whole week off ! Yay! So I’m going to be in a sewing frenzy (i hope!).

Coincidently 1st day of Chinese New Year this year falls on Valentine’s Day. So this year it’s extra “loving” special

Thank U y’ll… enjoy your day.

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!

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!

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

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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…