Well, not too late to wish you my dear Readers A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! May this year be filled with love, peace, joy and lots of craftiness !!!

How did your start your new year?

Mine started a little slow, initially it didn’t feel like a new year to me… but eventually after 16 days into the new year, things are starting to look brighter and I’m starting to feel that YES! this is indeed a New Year with new hopes and new dreams and looking forward for the many blessings 2011 will bring

I made this in December all through New Year.

This is the famous what most people will call “the lunch bag” type of bag.  To me it is a variation (different size) bag to my earlier version of lunch bag.

This one here measures 7? (l) x 7? (w) x 5? (h).

More photos here.

I will be busy {again} for a while, but I’ve got quite a lot of items I sewed up these past months and will post them on intervals when I can. Have a great week ahead !

The size is 7″ L x 5.” H. Inside 2 pockets that fits credit cards (some have 3 pockets ~ 2 fits credit cards, 1 is really small but I like it as I use it to tuck in folded $notes)

The front of the pouch is to put tissue paper (hence the name “hanagami”). The whole pouch is lined with batting for a soft slightly spongy feel. Zipper is YKK medium  {medium = zipper is slightly larger than the normal size zipper, the puller also slightly larger & stainless steel. The price is 2x the normal zipper price too ~ i believe it should me more durable *hopefully*}

I simply love them, and they simply love me haha!

More photos here!

They feature:

• Small & light & foldable (smaller than the original sized food warmers).  SIZE: 14″ L x9″ W
• Removable Insulator! For easy cleaning and they are all washable. Since you can separate them, they dry faster too! (insulator: aluminium thermal insulator sheets)
• Fits perfectly the economy rice box frequently used in the local coffee shops ( the tupperware in photo measures 7.5″ L x 5″ W x 2″H)
• Affordable prices

 You can find them here and here.

More photos at flickr.

I had a custom order from a friend to make her a lunch bag… It’s a pretty common pattern, a bit Japanese-y… or perhaps even Chinese-y style… She wanted the bag to fit the Tupperware container about 8″ (l) x 4.5″ (w) x 3″ (h) size. So off I went a measuring and a cutting…

Here’s the outcome

Looks great! I love the look when the drawstring is pulled together and the body of bag becomes like it has pleates at the top.

Then… off I went to make another one…

…this time I made the top cover (drawstring section) a little wider than the previous one. You can see from the photo that when you close the body of the bag it does not pull in so much on the top (no pleats look), and the bag keeps its shape – this way you don’t have to worry about taller stuff like bottle/mugs tipping off when you pull the drawstring.

Measurements:
Bottom square 9″ (l)  x 4.5″ (w)
Height of body 5″
1 pocket inside 7″ (l) x 4.5″ (h)
Straps 15″ end to end

Batting all over the body ~ can keep food cozy.

*In the photo, is my favourite yellow bento containers!!!  The food container is 480ml and the water container is 500ml, pockets for cutleries.

Want one for your kids? Custom order are most welcome!  {I’ll be making the 2nd version with larger drawstring portion}

This is my prototype

A food warmer!!!

It keeps your packed food warm

The idea was from a friend in counselling class, and here is my IMPROVED and IMPROVISED version of it…

Tada!!!

It is made in the correct size (and shape) to keep a “rice box” {those microwaveable tupperwares/styroform packet used in the local coffee shop when you pack your food}, and at the side, ample space to put forks & spoons or condiments/soup packet.
For illustration purposes, I use two small tupperwares in the photos.

Like it?

YES!… Mom wants one too !!!

is a whole bunch of cut-outs to make 2 really pretty bags with really pretty fabric

Now, I’m only missing a 14″ zipper.

{p/s: my de-stash SALE is still ON… click on the icon on the right —->>>> }

I have all the other zipper sizes…16″, 8″, 6″, 5″, 20″, 36″… but noooooo 14″. Now frustrating when you need them!

Visit Kootoyoo for more Creative Spaces!

Here’s also the photos of the 2 bags I made few days ago.

Made from Japanese cotton and Japanese Tenugui (japanese towels). One of my absolute precious fabric.

I like the black & white… The combination of colours (opposite attracts) makes the bags look very attractive. I think I will work more on these type of concept ~ opposite colours/pattern type of concept.

 Then here are some gifts I made for Christmas!

Enjoy

After I sewed the Batik bag, I decided to make another one with combination of poly + felt. Then made some daisies with felt to embellish the bag.

The bags can be closed using drawstrings. I put a wooden bead at the end of the drawstings. For the Batik I use thin leather strap, and for the daisy bag I use cotton string as the straps. I like the concept of drawstrings because it makes the bags look “puffed up”.

I want to put them in my Etsy Store for sale, but I think my Mom wants to give them to her friends as Christmas presents. Let’s see what she decides.

This is a Pleated Red Sling Bag.

Inside it has a pocket to keep handphone and another zipped pocket to keep your valuables safe.

Now I’m hooked to pleats!

This is my second attempt in making pleats and I am quite happy with how it turned out.

I made a little strap on one – allows me to put my wrist through to carry it around (hehehe… hence the wrist-let part). But upon trying it out during a little shopping escapade, I felt that it would be better as a clutch.

This clutch has a zip which is really handy when I’m holding it by the strap.

All in all, I’m quite happy with the end product.