I'd take you everywhere..go anywhere with you!

I'm in love! Madly in love..with my new bag.. the lovely Go Anywhere bag, designed by the talented Anna of Noodlehead.

I have been carrying my 2 years old+ Chic Mama Tote everywhere I go ever since Akif was about a year old and still using it now, with Sofya as it has enough space to put all Sofya's and Akif's necessaries as well as mine in. The CMT is so convenient that I do not have to carry a separate handbag.

Anyways, Sofya is turning one in a week time. And akif is 3+ already. Lately I don't carry as much stuff as I do few months back. So I decided that it was time to make myself a new bag. And here it is...

Don't you just love it? Hehehe. Well..it's ok if you don't. Cause I DO! and very much too! ;)

I'm happy that I can once again carry a 'normal handbag' though it still looks very much like a mama bag if you take a peek on the inside - Fits 2pcs of diapers, a travel size wet wipes, a change of clothes, a sippy cup, and even a small tupperware of my cik kak's snacks! On top of that, i have my purse, my phone, my vanity pouch thrown inside the bag as well. Not to mentioned I can even carry my 7" tablet inside the back pocket. You think I'm kidding? You gotta own one to believe. Macam poket Doraemon!

P/s - Want one? This superb bag is now open for custom orders. On special offer too for March 2013. Check it our here --->>>  www.itsydoodles.com

Preparing for my travel....

In between sewing orders, I 'll try to find time to sew something for myself or my family. InsyaAllah this coming school holiday me and family will be going on a long planned vacation. One of the things on my to sew list was a weekend/ travel handbag for myself.

I won this lovely fabric form Lil Arwen's giveaway many moons ago. I love this print so much and i knew it would make a perfect dream bag.

I was inspired by this lovely bag here. I find it simple and yet big and roomy. I need it to be so as I normally put my things and Akif's too in my bag.

Source : Etsy

Another inspiration came from the Everyday bag made by Azie of Syasya Creative. I love how the bag has two way handle - sling and tote.

This bag is fully padded, has 2 large slip pockets inside, 1 zippered pocket inside and 1 zippered pocket outside. It also has a key holder and closes using magnetic button. Can be a sling bag (detachable handle/strap) or a hand tote bag.

However, the bag is a little sloppy when wearing it crossbody. Sohana of MyBotang gave a tip where I should also add interfacing even when it is padded. I have tried that in a similar bag i sew for a customer and love how it turned out. Will post on that bag next. Stay tuned...

More Moon-ie Bags

Remember the Moon-ie bag I made last two weeks? The experiment bag? Well, an ex-schoolmate, Ratna decided to make it hers. While Zura, the friend whom in a way inspired the making of this bag, changed her mind on the Moon-ie bag and opted for the Itsy Hobo Sling bag instead :).

Here's the hobo bag I made her. In Lacework in Olive by Amy Butler from her Lotus Collection. It has 1 zippered pocket and 2 slip pockets inside.

As for the Moon-ie bag,  I fell head over heels in love with the pattern so over the weekend I made another THREE *grin*. The first bag took me a day and a half to complete. I forgot which step comes before which. This pattern doesn't have a manual since it was discovered through a trial and error method (and by referring to a few tutorials, of course). And I didn't jot anything down while making it the first time. Alhamdulillah, the other two...didn't take me as long to complete.

Know what I love most about these bags? The zipper pull :). Made a matching fabric zipper full for the bags.

To view more of these bags, click here.

Love Note : How's your day so far? Mine has been great! And about to get more ceria (and kelam-kabut) as I have to babysit my 2 1/2 months old nephew today. His babysitter is unwell and his mommy has to go to work. 4 boys...wow! Bring it on hehehe. Ermmm..I may need some luck so send some to me ya ;)..

Moon-ie bag and I'm over the moon!

My ex-highschoolmate commissioned me on a bag. A sling hobo bag to be specific. A moon shaped sling hobo bag to be precise. So I drew the pattern, made a real sample (meaning I used fabric with the same weight). I had to google on how to attached the handle and found a tutorial by tinafish helpful.. After two days and two nights (had to unpicked the whole bag on day one after I have wrongly assembled it..pffttt...) and voila!

So...here it is. I made it a shoulder bag. And it is in my fav print, Dandy Damask in Cocoa! Do you think I pass? Do see you the moon-ie shape? (please say u do). This bag is on the slouchy side as it is not interfaced. Initially, I used medium weight woven fusible interface (kain gam medium). But it was too stiff thus making it hard for me to gather. I decided to remove it. I gathered to get the effect instead of pleating it. I think, I'll use medium weight non woven fusible interfacing (kertas gam medium weight) when I sew for my friend next. What do you think? Any other suggestion for this?

This bag has 1 zippered pocket and 2 slip pockets inside. It is medium size so very roomy for the basic things a lady normally carries in her handbag - wallet(s), phone, make up pouch, keys, etc.

I already have a mama tote, a money purse and a card holder in this damask print. So it's great to have a 'normal' handbag in the same print to complete the whole collection, isn't it?

However, I'm willing to part with this gorgeous bag if any one of you are interested. I'll let go at a very special price :). Email me at itsydoodles@yahoo.com if you are interested ya.

Love note: How do you describe the feeling u get when u have successfully completed a challenging task? Me...well..I'm over the moon :)

From Scraps to Drawstring Backpacks and a Lunch Bag

These were the scraps I received from Nykolett about 3 months ago. I mentioned about them here. Below are the things I made from these cute fabrics.

 The scrap fabrics

Drawstring backpack for Hakimi & Hafiy. Something similar to Noodlehead's except that I adjusted the measurement according to the size of fabrics I received and I made the zippered pocket bigger. I placed the pocket higher so that it's deeper thus my boys can put in more things inside them. And my version were not lined. The size is just nice for them to back their change of clothes whenever they want to sleepover at their Tok's & Aki's house (which they did last night :) ). And with their clothes in the bag, there was still room for them to squeezed in a book or two. Their toothbrushes & pencil cases went into the pocket in front.

And for kak Ros, I made her a lunch bag. Wanted to make a drawstring backpack as well but this fabric came in cut that were longer in width rather than in height. I followed the tutorial given by Pink Penguin but made this one a non-patch one ( I'm not so into patchwork..well, not yet anyway ;). The lunch bag is quite roomy. It can fit 3 medium size food containers. In my personal opinion, this can not only be a lunch bag but it makes a great purse as well as a travel cosmetic/toiletries bag too.

I had fun sewing these 3 things. Thanks again K.Ros for these fabrics. I hope you like the lunch bag I made you...