Wool Quilt Bag

"Learn to use other’s success as inspiration. Instead of focusing on our failure, we can see their achievement as something to motivate us ~ Twitter "

This is the continuation from my previous Post about the Kits! This wool quilt bag I finished in March. I bought the kits from Country Quilt Market shop in Tokyo.

This patchwork wool bag came with a pre cut wool squares of different textures. The kit didn't include the batting or interfacing and lining. So you have to figure it out yourself. I use a lightweight fusible and add batting for this tote bag.

Since there was no instructions for the lining, I just made it up myself. I added slip pocket and zipper pocket. I thought of using snap button closure as per the pattern but decided to go with zipper. 

Here I learned how to do the bottom and so glad that it lined up beautifully! Working with wool and different textures and weight of fabrics was a challenge. Most of Japanese quilt bags are hand quilted and I was too excited to finish this one. So, I only did quilt in the ditch, just to be on the safe side :D.

And that's me with the bag when I went to Shillong with my SIL in March! 

Now it's my fave tote bag! Nothing like carrying handmade bag ^_^.

What about you? Do you like to buy kits? 

Thank you for stopping by,

Have a nice day,

Elvira

Snoopy Family Passport Wallet

"Increase your good deeds, so you won't have time for the bad ones - Ramadan Quote - Mufti Menk "

Ramadan is half way through now. How time flies. I've been busy catching up with prayers, reading the Quran, cooking and a little bit of sewing. 

Nowadays, we can listen to Islamic lectures from scholars around the globe. Alhamdulillah for the internet! We can learn so many things!

I made a few Indonesian snacks I learn from YouTube too. My fave channel for Indonesian food is Dapur Dina. I tried many recipes from her and always successful. Well, Ramadan is the time when you really miss your hometown and your food, right? 

Back to sewing, I finished this Snoopy zip around family passport wallet as custom order last week. She wanted the snoopy print. I got quite a few snoopy prints from my trip to Japan and Indonesia last year so I'm very happy to finally use them. 

The travel wallet has one long zipper pocket and one slip pocket. In the beginning I thought it would be too bulky on the seam but I already said yes to the customer. I did this quite often X_X. 

I tend to be too excited for the challenge but Alhamdulillah it turned out fine. In sewing, sometimes what you imagined is not always applicable but then you can always find a way to make it work for you. 

If you haven't already, you can check the zip around tutorial on my previous post. If you have any questions regarding the pattern, you can always email me and I will try to help you as much as I can. 

And here's what I made last week! I was watching YouTube about different typl of dumplings across Asia and here's my Indonesian version of Chicken Dumplings with Grated Carrot on Top. You can find the recipe HERE. 

Indonesian Chicken Dumplings

So, that's a little story this week. I hope I can write more often. I still have a few pending stories from my Japan Trip this year! Well, it was all on Instagram but I'd still love to write them down for future reference. Thank you for stopping by!

Have a nice day

~ Elvira ~

Double Zip L Shape Pouch

Don't poison your soul with hate. It's too huge of a burden to carry. Learn to love & appreciate. It'll make you a better & happier person inshaAllah! - Dr.bilal Philip

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One of my favorite shopping  is buying Pattern Kits. I know it is expensive but it is one way for me to learn about materials and also learn about new technique. This year  I bought a few and finished 2 of them.  Yes it is a challenge when the kits are not in English. Sometimes even the google translate is a bit difficult to understand. Especially if the kits are written in Kanji! 

I usually will open the pattern pieces and scan each sentences/word onto google translate and try to make sense of it! Then, trying to figure out the pictures instructions in a single piece of paper. So, basic bag making or sewing and diagrams. The kits usually come with a very simple basic diagrams and knowledge is important if you're considering to buy kits. But once you figured it out, everything else is easy!

I started this pouch a few days ago from the Kit I bought in the Quilt Show. The kit includes fabrics, binding strip and zippers. This is the first time I tried installing the zipper by hand!! and to tell you the truth I LOVE it. 

By the way, here I didn't use the fabrics etc from the kit. Since this is my first trial, I used fabrics etc from my stash. Maybe I should have used polkadots lining instead of the handloom linen fabric. 

I kinda love this pouch. Maybe can add this kind of pouch in the shop later on. What do you think? 

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a nice weekends!

- Elvira- 

Backpack and Pencil Pouches

When you have nephew who goes to play school, it is mandatory to make him a backpack! Naah...actually this backpack is high on my to do list. 

The pattern is from one of my Japanese book and even though I cannot read Kanji or even hiragana katakana, but somehow I can follow the illustrations. There is one front pocket that close with snap button and I added one zipper pocket inside. 

The backpack is quite spacious to carry the essential stuff like  toys, a book, small water bottle and maybe a pair of change clothes. 

And of course I have to make a matching pencil case for him. I made 2 cases and one is for my other nephew. He loves Japanese manga and her mom told me to make anything with Japan on it. 

So I make one with Shinkasen print fabric. I hope he will like it. The pencil pouch pattern is from Sue Overy on YouTube. There is a link to the main pattern on her channel. 

My youngest sister told me that his son loved the bag! The moment he received the bag, he kept on wearing it! How cute is that!! 

And this pic made my day!! The bag is just perfect for preschoolers!!

What do you think? 

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a nice day ^^

- Elvira -