Taking apart kimono

One of the steps for upcycling is to take apart the existing garment. 

In this case, I was taking apart a wool kimono from Japan. 

I see many upcycle videos online where people just cut out necessary amount of fabric without taking apart seams. I see nothing wrong with it, but with kimono, I like to take them apart by ripping seams and ironing all the pieces.

This is because kimono are made of mostly rectangular pieces of fabric. The width of the fabric is usually not very wide, and I like to get as much width as possible to make new items out of them, too. 

This particular wool kimono was partially hand sewn and partially machine sewed. A VERY expensive silk kimonos are usually all hand sewn, and what they do to launder kimono is to take it all apart, wash, dry on pieces of board, and sew them all up again. Of course, a hand-sewn silk kimonos are easier to take apart. So, when I see some machine sewn seams, I am a little disappointed. Oh well. But at the end of the hard work, I get a beautiful set of rectangular fabric pieces. I shall not complain. 

I hope to have some pouches and bags for sale at Christmas Craft Sales this year. 

Art tool tote bag

I got an order for a tote bag to hold numerous art tools! I was excited to make a bag like this. 

First step was to make sewing patterns for the specifications given. (I use reused paper to make patterns. Why not?)

I cut the canvas fabric into pieces and started sewing. This bag has total of 16 outer pockets to hold markers, bushes, boxes of coloured pencils, and any other things that need to be kept there. 

I keep on sewing and sewing. So much fun. 

Here is the picture of the finished bag below. 

I hope the artist will make this canvas bag unique by splashing some paint on it and leave interesting marks on it. 

Bobbing winding accident

What a surprise! When I was winding a bobbing, it broke and kind of jammed my winder, too! It was a pain to remove all the thread off the winder, but I did it with patience. 

Come to think of it, this bobbin could have been as old as 30 years old... I kind of thought the clear plastic was yellowing a bit. 

So, I learned my lesson. 

If a clear plastic bobbin looks slightly yellow, it's time to thank it and say good bye to it. I kind of wish they kept on using the metal kind for all new plastic sewing machines, too. Oh well. 

Another top

Another top made with the same peasant's shirt pattern:

I seem to receive complements when I am wearing a top made with this pattern, so I decided to make another top for the warmer weather that I am hoping for soon. 

This cotton fabric was given to me by a friend who received it from her friend. The fabric was already cut into pieces to make a simple dress. However, the size was not the same as mine, so I decided to recut it to make this top. I believe my friend's friend must have given up on finishing the dress midway... It is a nice fabric from Madagascar (based on what I was told) with very interesting print. 

If you get stuck in the middle of a sewing project, please let me help. I have knowledge and skills to help you finish your sewing project to pass onto you so that you can finish it yourself in one of my sewing lessons. Making a garment yourself gives you a special feeling, so I hope you don't give up. (Or I can finish it for you, too.) 

Hair accessories

One day, I decided to make some headband and scrunchies with some fabrics I had in my stash. 

Here they are:

The top set is made of leftover fabric after I made myself a raglan-sleeve shirt. (The fabrics above and the one immediately below were donated by a good friend of mine.)

I have not decided which style of headbands I like better - the one with a flat piece eon the top and the elastic in the back, or the scrunched up wide band that goes all the way around? I am using them both and decide. 

The last set was made of a Japanese cotton fabric called Kasuri. Since it's a combination of black, white, and some light blue, this set may be easier to wear than the colourful ones like the above.