Vintage Blue Flower-dotted Bag

I have practically stopped sewing since few months ago due to many other things happening around and of course the nice summer always lure you out to do something nice outdoor.
And now, winter is approaching, day get dark at 4-5pm again, cold and wet outside, staying home to sew is the best thing to do.

I will sew much slower now, instead of 4 hours a bag, perhaps 1 bag in 4 weeks, slow but not stopping.

p/s: fabric from Zwolle (Netherlands) fabric market, open every Friday morning

barefoot fabric and pillow case

It was years ago when I visited the Bare Foot store in Sri Lanka http://www.barefoot.lk/home.htm.
Totally in love with the fabric there and of course too many colors and choices,
can't own all of them, got back a few pieces that have been moved together with me to
several countries and used for several different purpose.

This piece of barefoot fabric finally transformed to be sitting pillow cases for our little home
hall way

After The Storm

Last week thursday, there is a big storm attacking whole europe, there is still no winter till now.8-12 degree is hot at this time, the whole germany and netherland trains service was stopped! we were stranded in amsterdam, luckily some friends going back to zwolle also, rented a car to drive home, ew reach home at 12mid night, but 5000 people sleep in the train stations.

Me and my bicycle was almost blown away, many trees fell, roads closed, crane fell, totally 20-30 died in the whole europe.

A small tree in our house also fell, window at attic broken. the weather is really wierd these days, scary. It's definately going to be the biggest problem in the world, we have to do every bid of possible environmentally friendly things to help. today is ok...i do not work today, pc try to drive to work.

Have you all watch "inconvenient fact" documentary? Could each of us start to think what could we do to put in our little effort to stop the weather change? Of course we could, start from our everyday lifestyle.

Last weekend I sewn this career bag for lineswork shop, it's will be a whole new go-green series. I will look for some recycle bedsheet, curtain and any kind of unwanted but nice looking fabric for this series.

Visitor to Lineswork studio

I have friend visiting from Amsterdam, she has a good hand in sewing too, from the fabric I have immediately she got many ideas and start making a skirt from it.

After 2 days of mini workshop together, she brought back with her a beautiful skirt. I am awaiting for her to have show photo wearing it.

Finding Them

I find the main part of fun creating lineswork are not just the designing and sewing, but also finding fabric that I love. I used to do that within part of my saturday food shopping, however there are only 1-2 quite porsh fabric shop in Zwolle.

Recently, we realised there is a hige fabric market on Friday, finally last friday I managed to pick up these.

Beautiful vintage fabric hiding themselves from the limelight.

I improvise

This beautiful red bow is part of the wrapping decoration of a very beautiful pijamas set from GAP, a xmas gift from my auntie to my cousin, it's beautiful color and material, I just can't see it turning into garbage, hence I made this.

After The Mess/Move

After the move and Xmas and family visit, pc finally helped me to set up my little sewing corner in out studio/av/working room, however we should call it, we decided this is the room that we will make a real mess out of everything.

Although there are still plenty to organise for the house, I can't stop myself from just sewing theraphy.

Here are the three product from my second week holidays from new year.

This Time of The Year

Since 2 years, at this time of the year, we are moving house,

packing, moving, unpacking, cleaning, handing over old house,
changing lock of new house, getting everything in just operational
stage for the new house is depriving me from sewing at this time of the year.

Taking a break is nice, yet my hand and heart get so uneasy especially
seeing all the nice work constantly publishing in etsy...make me itchy.
However meanwhile, there are christmas gift to be bought, decoration to be done, garden's weed to be cleared, bulbs to be laid, christmas turkey to be ordered from market...etc.
what an exciting time of the year, indeed I quite enjoy the dynamic and the hardwork.

Next year of this time, we will not move house again, I will plan way ahead to
sew some special christmas item for lineswork.

xmas, 2006

Double Face Tote

This is the tote causing me mistreating my machine. Jams and broken needle.
Fortunately at last I am very happy with this bag. Heavy duty, massive tote,
to be posted soon on lineswork etsy once more detail photos are taken of the surprise multiple
inner compartment.

It's pfaff: Hobby 1132

Since I move out from my mother house, I stop playing with sewing machine.
Means it has been at least 14-15 years. Always couldn't comprehend how fast time are flying pass.

After I moved to europe, many inspiration reappear and I can't stop dreaming about having of of this machine, yes, the sewing machine. Traditionally when a girl get married the mother will buy her a sewing machine as a gift, hence since the day I was married, I know I have to fulfill this tradition. So, here it go the pfaff: Hobby 1132.

The pfaff: Hobby 1132, very down to earth looking machine, no fancy, curvy nor futuristic look, that's who exactly we (+pc) believe, a machine should perform, not just appear pretty. http://www.pfaff.com/

So far, it serve me perfect, it's just me not serving it right, I have been too rough on it. Last week, I just encounter few jams with loud noice and at last even broke a needle for forcing to thick layers of canvas through. Should I stop sewing heavy duty tote bag to treat my machine better? I feel so sorry for it.

The Orange

Although not knowing why orange is vintage, the fabric just give me the instant feeling of making a vintage looking handbag. I do not know how it should look, just following instinct and finally arrive to this. I would say it's a cross between vintage and modern, and a cross between casual and formal.

Orange has a particular meaning in the Netherlands, yes, it's the royal family color that is most celebrated by all Dutch. Living in Netherlands, can't stop being influenced by orange.

Origami skirt

origami skirt

Origami skirt was sold, posted few weeks ago, indeed feeling a little bit couldn't let go, so I feel like needed to wrap it very nicely and take some photo of the ceremonial moment.

Starting to think, Japanese's obsession to wrapping their products has a link to the this feeling.

sewing- restart

Sewing and making craft work were hobby that I have long forgotten. After coming to europe, my previous crazy lifestyle of staying in office more than 12 hours everyday has come to an end. Reasonable work load and "No-need-to-work-in-weekend" now allowed me to restart on one of my many hobbies and hence have made this skirt. The fabric is bought from Singapore(an craft shop), which also sell beautiful japanese fabric, however this piece is from America. Due to my mind keep hanging over the japanese fabric I saw, I intuitively made this skirts into origami graphic. It was design, cut, sew, alter, cut and sew again kinda fun process. I am wishing now to continue to explore the fun of sewing cum designing with textile.