Isnin, 22 Februari 2010

Maternity maxi @ long dress

This is what I did for the past weekend.

Two maternity long dress for a fellow friend (yup, its not for me). The material used was chiffon (sigh..) and therefore a cotton lining was used to cover the gauzy chiffon.

These were the dresses. Designed and sewed by me:
1. Fuchsia long dress



- this is such a very simple long dress. I made a separator below the bustier because the fabric pattern looks nicer to sew horizontal rather than vertical. Then, I added few pleated on the front of the dress and its done (well, technically was hard to explain).

2. Black and White long dress




- This is again a long dress but without separator (like the previous dress). I made pleats on the front neck and 2inch ruffles at the back neck and neat it with the commercial bias tape.

OK, the hard part was:
1. Fabric used was chiffon, you need to have plenty of patient to sew them.
2. She requested to have lining on the sleeves. And this is the crucial part where I burned lots of calorie. They've changed to smelly sweat.
3. I even nearly faint because of dehydrating. Too much ironing I guess.

However, I managed to get useful help from this:

- this help to stiff the fabric a bit: so that kain tu tak lari bila nak jahit.

OK, that's all. The dress might looks nice here (in pictures) and I hope it will satisfy its owner. But I did told her to expect the least from me. Heheheh..

:)

Jumaat, 19 Februari 2010

Cuti bersalin sila tambah hari lagi -NUBE

*aku memang nak komen pasal ni, sekali e-blog w@ni dah komen lebih awal.. hehehe


NUBE: Tambah cuti bersalin pekerja swasta

Feb 17, 10 12:46pm
Kesatuan Kebangsaan Pekerja-pekerja Bank (NUBE) mahu kerajaan meminda Akta Pekerjaan 1955 bagi menambah bilangan hari cuti bersalin para pekerja swasta dari 60 ke 90 hari seiring dengan negara anggota Asean yang lain.

Setiausaha Agung NUBE, J.Solomon berkata kebanyakan negara anggota Asean telah menerima pindaan Konvensyen 183 Pertubuhan Buruh Antarabangsa mengenai Perlindungan Bersalin yang bukan sahaja menetapkan tempoh cuti bersalin lebih panjang tetapi juga peruntukan untuk penyusuan ibu dan penjagaan anak.

Singapura memperuntukkan cuti bersalin sebanyak 112 hari manakala Thailand, Kemboja, Indonesia dan Filipina menetapkan 90 hari.

Beliau berkata Kemboja turut mewajibkan syarikat yang mempunyai lebih 100 pekerja wanita untuk menyediakan bilik menyusukan bayi dan pusat penjagaan anak. Kemudahan serupa turut disediakan bagai para ibu di Indonesia.

Solomon berkata Malaysia akan dapat mengikuti tindakan negara anggota Asean yang lain dan menyediakan kemudahan lebih baik bagi kira-kira 5.1 pekerja wanita yang terpaksa membahagikan masa untuk bekerja, dan pada masa yang sama bertanggungjawab untuk menguruskan kesihatan, tumbesaran dan pembangunan anak-anak.

Beliau berkata NUBE akan menyerahkan satu memorandum mengenai isu itu kepada
Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat dalam masa terdekat.

- Bernama


Komen aku:
Ada sorang minah saleh dari Australia aku kenal, working in a private company which provided 6 months maternity leave with an allowance like 500dolar per month. Best!

Pada pendapat aku, kaedah ini lebih bagus dari bagi 60hari cuti bersalin bergaji penuh. Okla, tentu ramai yang tak setuju dengan kaedah bagi cuti 6 bulan dengan elaun rm500 sebulan sebab nak bayar itu dan ini macamana? dan ada setengah para ibu yang sangat workaholic yang lebih selesa spend 8 jam di ofis dari bersama anak-anak di rumah (lebih-lebih lagi kalo anak dah ada 3 orang dan ke atas), so Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita dan Kementerian Sumber Manusia dengan badan-badan NGO ni boleh proposed 2 option: samada para ibu bole amik cuti bersalin 60 hari bergaji penuh ATAU cuti bersalin 180hari dengan elaun rm500 sebulan. Fair and square kan..

Dan kalau boleh, sila kuatkuasa pada 1 Jun 2010. Hehehehe

Replacement

I’ve mentioned previously about my Clarks shoe yang baru tiga bulan pakai dah rabak here. So, what I did was to go back to the shop and showed them the koyakness, and to my surprised they said that they willing to take back the shoe, doing some mending or worst, just replace them with a new one.

And later after 3 months, I got phone call from them saying that they’ll, ump.. replace me a new shoe. YEAY!

The new shoe:


What an awesome customer services they have!

Blindhem stitch

a.k.a. jahitan sembat susup but using the machine effect.

A friend of mine asked me to alter her newly bought pants and I've used the blindhem stitch effect for hemming. Thus, I took the oppurtunity to make a simple tutorial on how to use the blindhem stitch.

You need to have the blind stitch foot plus your machine was provided with the blindhem stitches.



1. First, you can either finish the raw edge by using overedge stitches or overlocking machine, or simply fold the fabrics if you don't have one.


2. Fold the fabric, press and pin in place.


3. Then, fold underside and place the fabric under the foot.


4. Adjust the adjustable-guide to your desired length and width.


5. Sew slowly, guiding the fabric carefully along the edge and the guide.


6. Completed. Stitching is almost invisible on the right side of the fabric (if using the similar thread color).


This kind of stictching is very handful for me to sew the baju kurung edges: no need to jahit tangan.

OK, Happy Friday people and have a productive weekend ahead ;)

Khamis, 18 Februari 2010

Kaya cara segera

Menggantungkan engkau tanpa tali adalah sangat kesian. Hahah..

5 hari cuti (termasuk xtra 1 hari semalam) dengan 3 hari pertama di-spent sepenuhnya (like 70% of 24hrs) di atas katil- gara-gara diserang oleh kuman selesema dan batuk berkahak hijau pucuk pisang. Even hari ini pon batuk masih berbekas dengan suara serak-serak basah (kalau nyanyi lagu Gardenia ala country tu menjadikan suara aku sangat wow gitu.. btw, korang tau sapa yang nyanyi lagu Gardenia versi country tersebut?.. sebab suara dia memang wow!).

Nak cerita: Waktu zaman sekolah dulu, I like corresponding. Masuk ruangan cari sahabat, tulis surat kepada stranger(s) dan yang thrill-nyer adalah mendapat balasan daripada correspondent(s) tersebut. My pen-pal tak banyak la: ada la dalam 4 orang, di mana semuanya kemudiannya lenyap ditelan zaman. Dan selain mendapat surat daripada mereka yang ingin berkenalan, I also received spam-mail: lets jadi kaya dengan menolong antara satu sama lain.

Aku tak tahu korang pernah encounter benda ni atau tidak. Its like surat berantai, pengirim suruh kita masukkan rm30 ke dalam acc dia, dan kemudian bukti kemasukkan wang itu kita fotokopi dan kita pulak akan bertindak sebagai spammer, hantar surat ke serata malaysia (brunei dan singapura kalau rajin), suruh 'si alamat' tu pulak masukkan rm30 ke dalam acc kita and then he/she did the same dengan spam orang lain (atau kita balik.. huhuh) suruh masuk rm30 dalam acc dia pulak. Well, mende ni memang kalo ko rajin dan 'si alamat' tu pulak jenis naive memang boleh jalanla. Buta-buta bole dapat rm300 kalau ada 10 orang yang respon.

Kenapa aku dok cerita pasal mende ni adalah sebab aku perasan this kind of money-generator datang balik la. Affiliate kewangan katanya. Well, aku pon tak la bagus sangat- setakat sekolah Methodist dengan lambang t di pintu gerbang sekolah, tapi persoalan aku nak utarakan di sini "Halal kah duit tersebut?". Benda ni tak macam nuffy atau adverlit: these kind of things, aku yakin kehalalan wang yang diterima sebab kita tolong memasarkan barangan secara pengiklanan di blog- ada perniagaan di situ (servis provided).

Ada banyak cara nak hidup senang. Tak nafi bisnes memang salah satu dari cara untuk melepaskan diri dari belengu kemiskinan. But as a Muslim, we have to seek for rezki yang halal dan berkat. Berkat la penting: duit/gaji sikit, kalo berkat, insyaAllah akan cukup makan.

Wallahua'alam.

CNY holidays

Little update on non-sewing chattering.

  • Four days of break and spent it with leisure: This is one of our hols activity.


  • And, as you can see, I changed the blog layout. Ngee...
  • And again, the flu bug hit me. Kept me awake the whole night to snot and sneeze. I have a very long lists of thing to do, however, being in this condition, sewing would be the last thing I feel like doing.
Anyway, how are you all doing? Enjoying a long-weekend of sewing, I hope.

OK, peeps. Take care and have a nice day ahead :-)

Jumaat, 12 Februari 2010

Bribe her with an ice-cream

and I got this:




thehehehe.. :D

Happy Friday peeps.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody Gong Xi Fa Cai, happy long weekends break and happy sewing. I'll be going back to Terengganu for this festive holiday.

Rabu, 10 Februari 2010

How to install snap prong buttons - manually

*the internet connection was very poor. So, I make the tutorial on the pictures itself. I hope you can upload all the pictures to get the whole clear tutorial.

OK, first you need these tools:

consists of:
1. the buttons: button and prong & snap and prong
2. a hammer
3. a wooden board with a little hole on its surface (*please note that the hole is very significant)

1. Put a mark on the fabric that you wanted to place the snap prong button


2.

3.

4. And, you are done.


That's all on how to install snap prong buttons manually- easy peasy, isn't it? But basically you can install them in the craft-shop where they got specialized machine to put one.

And btw, I purposely made this dress for this tutorial.


OK peeps, have a nice day ahead :-)

Selasa, 9 Februari 2010

How to make Ruffles

..or gathering, ropol, whatever you call it :) - Manually

Yup, all this while I've been doing it manually, too afraid to play with the sewing machine tension plus I don't have any gathering nor ruffler foot.

OK, this is how to make it:
1. Prepare the fabric that you wanna gathered by ironing it first.


2. Begin machine sewing (straight long stitches) about 1/2 inches from the side edge - don't backstitch or knot, simply let the stitch free.


3. At the end of stitching, leave a tread tail at about 6 inches.


4. Untangle the both thread using seam ripper.


5. So now, you have two set of free-threads. One from the top thread and one from the bobbin thread.


6. The functional thread is the bobbin tread. Pull that thread slowly to form a gather with one hand and another hand holding the fabric firmly. Do this with extra careful as you do not wanna breaking the thread.


7. Gently continue to gather the fabric until the whole ruffles was created. When finished, smooth out the gathers so that they're even. Make a knot at the end of the fabric when the whole gathering with the required length was made.



8. When the above steps are done, you can move on to your next sewing step.


9. The final outcome:


OK, that's all. Hope this help. But if you still don't get this, you can read book instruction from here.

I like ruffles very much. They put 'something' on your handmade stuff.

To you peeps, Selamat mencuba :-)

Isnin, 8 Februari 2010

Baby checklist

Adopted from the net:

EVERYDAY
Baby Napkins -checked
Bottles Cleanser -checked
Bottle Detergent -checked
Bottle Brush -checked
Bottle Tong -checked
Bottle / Food Warmer -checked (Avent) tapi hajat hati nak beli Snowbear warmer sebab bole pakai dalam kereta.
Diaper - mungkin nak jahit cd barang sedozen dua
Wipes / Wet Tissue - bole jahit jugak
Thermometer -checked
Feeding Bottles (6-8) -checked ada banyak giler.. heheh
Bottle Drying Rack -checked
Sterilizer Unit -checked
Nappy Rash Cream -checked dah beli AngelBaby Bottom

BABY CARE / BATHING
Baby Bath Foam -checked kakak punya ada
Baby Shampoo -checked kakak punya ada
Bath Towel -checked kakak punya ada
Bath Mat -checked kakak punya ada
Baby Powder -checked kakak punya ada
Baby Powder Puff Case -checked kakak punya ada
Bath Sponge -checked kakak punya ada
Bath Tub - tak perlu
Baby Cloth Detergent -checked kakak punya ada
Cotton Buds -checked kakak punya ada
Baby Lotion / Oil -checked kakak punya ada
Baby Nail Clipper/Scissor -checked kakak punya ada
Nasal Aspirator -checked kakak punya ada
Bath Thermometer - tak perlu

ON THE GO
Baby On Board Sticker - tak perlu
Baby Carrier - dah ada Hotslings, Mobywrap, Jumpsac ringslings, Ergo
Infant Car Seat/Car Seat - kena beli!
Baby Stroller - P&T
Head / Neck Support - checked kakak punya ada
Baby View Car Mirror -checked
Hot / Cold Pack -checked
Nursery Bag -checked tapi rasa nak jahit satu diaper bag baru
Water Flask -checked
Travel Changing Mat -checked

COT / BEDDINGS
Baby Cot - tak perlu tapi kena belikan katil untuk Zahra!
Mattress - nak jahit
Playpen / Travel Cot - tak perlu
Baby Pillow & Bolster - nak jahit
Bedding Sets (2-4) - nak jahit
Changing Table - tak perlu (kot)
Blanket -checked
Rocking Chair / Bouncer - tak perlu
Baby Swing - tak perlu
Diaper Stacker tak perlu
Mosquito Net & Stand - tak perlu
Electric Cradle -tak perlu
Sping Cot / Net -tak perlu
Cot Bumper -tak perlu

MATERNITY
Breast Pad -checked
Breast Pump -checked: Medela fs & pisa
Milk Collection Shell -checked
Feeding Pillow - nak jahit
Nipple Cream -checked
PreNatal Heart Listener -tak perlu
PreNatal Talk & Tunes -tak perlu
Nursing Bra -checked
Nipple Former -tak perlu rasanya
Maternity Back Support -tak perlu
Breast Milk Storage Kit -checked
Pre / Post Natal Girdle -checked OPPO abdominal binder ada
Nipple Shield -checked
Nursing Dress -checked ; nak jahit jugak.. ahaks
Post Natal confinement set - tak tahu nak beli brand apa..
Maternity Pad- nak jahit

CLOTHING
Bibs -checked
Diaper Pants -checked
Baby Abdominal Binder - nak jahit
Hats-checked
Handkerchief (6-8)-checked
Mittens & Botties (4-6)-checked
Long Pants-checked
Long Sleeve Shirt-checked
Romper-checked
Shorts-checked
Short Sleeve Shirt-checked
*semua kakak punya ada

OK, rasanya itu sahaja. Akn tambah di kemudian hari.. hehehe

Sabtu, 6 Februari 2010

Jom Jahit: Pencil cases

Since this is very nice thing to do, so again, I join the club.




I've made something very simple and quick to sew (this explained the gruesomeness outcome.. heheh).

This is what I sewed:


So, what is it?




It's a case for my cutting tool: containing scissors, pens, chalks and rotary cutter.

Well, for info, I like cutting fabric in front of the silly box which is 5m distance from the sewing room. Sometimes when I've ready to start cutting the fabric, I tend to go back to the studio as I'd left this and that. Hence, by making this cutting tool case, I'll never left anything behind and would be all prepared to cut fabric, while attending my DD watching tv.

So peeps, what you waiting for. Lets join the Jom Jahit and show us your outcome (I bet it would be awesome way better than mine)

:-)

Jumaat, 5 Februari 2010

Ottobre Sew Along?



Well, I don't think so. It turned out wayyy different. Hehehe..

This is what I sewed:




But, I think, OK la. Adding another new dress for Zahra's wardrobe.

Little confession: I don't have the magazine, so, I simply sewed based on the photo attached.

Action picture? Well, I'm off to kedai to buy her an ice-cream. Wait till we come back.

Till then, Happy weekends and Happy Sewing, peeps :-)