Meet Jumbo Ellie

This is a super sized elephant shaped cushion.
It can be a plushie or a cushion or even a pillow.
My in-house models a.k.a kids had fun 'playing' with Ellie.
Wanna see what I mean by fun?

Here are collages of pictures taken by KC from TheLittleBigShot Photography during our recent photo shoot session.

Jumbo Ellie is now open for order. Go to Itsy Doodles's page for details.

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

Pillowcase for A Cause, Mama Bag in Corduroy and Cik Kak @4months

In July,  a group I belonged to in facebook launched a special project for children at the pediatric ward in government hospitals. The idea is to give each and every one of them cheerful pillowcases to brighten up their ward.

A dedicated page, KuSarungkan Kasih was set up to update all necessary activities regarding this project. The Pediatric Oncology and Respiratory Ward in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) has been selected to be the first to receive the pillowcases. The event is planned to take place sometime in November 2012 in conjunction with Children's Day.

We have received overwhelming responses on this project. From volunteers to sew pillowcases, to fabric sponsorships as well as individuals who donated cash and other items to be given as gifts to the children.  To get updates or to know how you can contribute, please go the the page as mentioned above, LIKE the page and contact the page's admin.

I had just finished sewing few pillowcases for this cause. Will post the picture in my next entry :).

On Itsy Doodles creations.. in July, Mama Bag made using beautiful corduroy as the main body panel were introduced. The luxurious look of the corduroy, the soft textured when touched really compliments the beautiful prints of designers cotton used for the outside pockets. Corduroy really brings our 100% handmade Mama Bag to a new level without blowing one's pocket :).

Below are pics of custom made Chic Mama Tote in Corduroy. Gorgeous aren't they? ;)

As for cik kak who turned at 4 months last July.. her weight was 6.3kg. She's salivating a lot and likes to put everything in her mouth, to bite on! Looks like her gums are itchy but no sign of teeth coming out anytime soon. Bought her a teether which her brothers nicknamed it as 'Sofya's Donut' :D

Sofya and her donut ;)

A clutch purse is..

a medium-to-small-sized handbag with a short handle, designed to be carried (clutched) in one's hand (source here).

I have before sewn a cosmetic clutch but not a clutch purse. And I have sewn wrislets but it seemed that the wristlets are more casual that formal. So I decided to come up with a semi formal-formal kind of clutch to be added to the Itsy Doodles bags collection.

And for this, I tried on two different design of clutches. The first was inspired by Zura lovemelots. I had seen her made this kind of clutches a while back. She named them Cherie :). Here and here are some of the beautiful Cheries she made that was totally stunning.

These are what my version of the Cherie looks like. I named mine the Glam Clutch ;).

As for the second design, it it something much simpler but yet as lovely. This was partly inspired by my Moon-ie bag. Didn't turned out as I imagined it should on my first try. After some adjustment, the result was splendid! *happy*

From my first try...shape was kinda funny ;)

I named this clutch, Eleganz.

I had so much fun sewing the two designs. But my favourite is Eleganz. I just love the way it stands..with the pleats and all. How about you? Which of the two you captures your heart?

Ready made Glam Clutch and Eleganz are available at The Shop. Do come over as you might find one that catches your eyes *wink*

For new mommies...

Nursing covers (NC) and diaper pouches. The NCs are for my sister in law (hubby's sister) who gave birth on the 30th of May to a baby boy, Muhammad Sulaiman  and hubby's friend who recently also gave birth to a baby boy.

I love mixing and matching fabric for the NCs and the ric racs gave the NCs a different look. I hope these NCs will encourage the mommies to fully breastfeed their babies for as long as they can and give them confidence especially when nursing in Public. Breast is best!

As for the diaper pouches, one is for a blogger friend who had just been blessed with a baby girl (after having 3 boys in a row) while the other two will be put up for sale at The Shop. 

For more pictures of these lovelies, hop over to The Shop.

Why I super love zipper pouches?

Because of the endless way to use them.You can practically pun anything you want in it. Put some cash, it becomes a purse. Put some jewelry, it becomes a jewelry bag. Stash in some panadols, band aids, minyak kapak, it becomes an emergency bag or your personal 1st aid kit.

Before I can sew one, my zipper pouch collection comes mostly from my mom. Whenever she travels, be it around Malaysia or abroad, she never fails to take home a stack of zipper pouches as souvenirs for her herself, daughters and also her colleagues.

A part from the various ways you can use it for, as mentioned above, zipper pouches are also great for keeping your bag tidy. So recently I sew a few sets of zipper pouches in various sizes for the shop.Below pictures show how zipper pouches can help you organize your bag.

Next is the picture of one of the zipper pouch set that are available at the shop. This cute  fabric has pictures of handbags printed all over it. It comes in two colours - pink and blue. Being a fan of pink, I bought the pink one of course ;). What do you think? Cute, kan? I meant the fabric design...not the pouches. But if you think the pouches are also cute, thank you hehehehe *wink*

Why buy when you can make your own...

BAG! What else? Hehehehe...Yup! I made myself a new bag recently. It was to replace my Carlo Rino, where most of its handle have peeled off. The handle was not made of leather and was coated with thin shiny material. I have not been wearing it long pun but since the peeling gave the bag an ugly look,I guess it was time to put it away.

I already have a Mama Bag (see here) and Weekend Bag (see here). So what I needed was a bag for my quick outings like maybe to the nearby supermarket or to wear when I'm going out for dinner, where all I need to bring along are my purse, my phone and maybe a pack of tissues.

So I made this bag and I named it the Pesona Bag. It's made using corduroy combined with designers cotton. Closes with magnetic snap button and has one zippered pocket inside.

See how it perfectly fits my purse and my Tab :), And a pack of tissue.


Pesona bag is now available at Itsy Doodles Shop. Hop over to have a look or custom order one to suit your personality :).

A special order from a husband

When i first received an email from Mr.MKZ requesting for a custom made bag set for his wife's birthday in June, the first thought that came to my mind was 'Wow! What a sweet and thoughful husband this man is'. That took place in March.Again, Wow!

After a few emails exchange..on what he had in mind, what are his wife preferences - colour, style, here are some of the points for me to take note in making his order:-
1. A sling handbag that's roomy and practical to put in Mrs.MFK's personal things as well as their daughter's diaper and change of clothes.
2. Mrs. MFK a fan of the colour green and loves polka dots too.
3. Requested on a matching Money Purse set.

So, for this order, i purposed the design I used for my Weekend/Travel Bag but with a lot of improvement done. The bag is fully padded and interfaced and that gives it the right sturdiness. As for the fabric design, i purposed a few and Mr.MFK chose this, Floral Swirl in Turqoise by Erin McMorris. A perfect choice. And I love how gorgeous the bag turned out.

 

Hop over to my shop to see more of this gorgeous bag.

Handbag Organizer and Jewellery Roll

*this is a long post*

The idea of making these two items were put off since last year. They came up during one of my 'brainstorming session' with Rozi of Rozi's Needlework, while searching for ideas for Mom's Day, for my shop. She suggested a jewellery roll while I had an idea on handbag organizer. But I was still very new at sewing bags then, so the ideas were kept aside. I did gave sewing handbag organizer a try (twice actually) but both didn't turn out as great as it did now , LOL! Rozi had recently made one. So, finally, this year, I braved myself to try and make them for this year's Mom's Day.
 

*note to Rozi : for this post, terpengaruh rakan tak sebaya on the product version labelling*

Handbag organizer version 2.0 (version 1.0 was discarded *wink*)

Mom bought this for me in Jakarta sometime last July. Been using it with my Chic Mama Tote. So I had a sample to follow. Didn't copy exactly but I followed the measurement as I like the size very much.

The sample

The outcome

Version 2.0 is all great except that it couldn't fit into medium size handbag. Only large ones like my Chic Mama Tote. So I decided to adjust the size on my next try. Hence, version 2.1.

Handbag organizer version 2.1 

I love the adjusted one better. Especially now that it can fit into medium/large size handbag. That is very important as most women these days (including myself) carry handbags of these two sizes.

 Great for organizing personal things in handbags

Can even be used to organize baby's essentials in mama's handbag or baby's diaper bag

Jewellery Roll.

I can't remember the sample Rozi showed me. But this was recently forwarded to me by a client cum friend, Akmal who lives in Qatar. When two friends suggested the same thing, I decided to give it a try :).

These were made using beautiful brocade fabrics my mother bought me. Yup! She bought this during the same trip where she bought the handbag organizer :). Brocade was delicate and slippery to handle, especially when I'm so used to sewing anything cotton. However, I was glad I chose these fabrics over cotton as it gives the jewellery roll an exclusive look. Very suitable for the occasion too.

Comes in two colours : Red and Blue

3 zippered pockets for necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches and 1 ring holder

The handbag organizer and jewellery roll are now available at Itsy Doodles Shop. Hop over for more details and pictures.

Love Note : Have you thought of what to get / make for your mom/ mom in law? I'm still searching for ideas. Hope I can find time to make something for them..cause lately, my time management is very lousy especially when it involves sewing *sigh*~. Must be hormonal. Hah! *wink*

Working from the dining table

I have back problem. Therefore i prefer to cut fabrics on the dining table. So what i normally do is cover the space I would like to use with a big brown paper and then put my cutting mat on it...even when I don't cut with a rotary cutter.

I'm am currently working on some ready stock items for Mother's day for the shop in between orders. What about you? What have you been busy with lately?

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Scrap busting and a swap

I'm not good at patchwork. But scrap is building up so i need to find a way to utilise them. Throwing them away would be a waste as they were expensive in the first place. To sell..well..they are not THAT many ;). So i googled and found this wonderful tutorial on making a simple yet cute patchwork zipper pouch by Make It Perfect.

I thought it would be a piece of cake. So I prepared enough scraps to make 6 pouches. Everything went ok except the turning part near where the zippers were as they were fully padded. I didn't really plan on the measurements so ended up with pouches in 6 different sizes LOL!

Five of them are already up for sale at the shop. One however, I made it for a fellow crafter nickname Malaysia Poppy Trefftry :). Yup! it's for kak Ann of c.r.a.f.t.y.a.n.i.q.u.e. She made a come back from a super loong hiatus by making these lovelies. I like them all so I (shamelessly) nagged her to make me one. I offered to buy though, but she gave me one for free. Told her I would sew something for her so it'll be like a swap between us. I told her that..many2 months ago :P.

So here is the pouch I made her. K.ann, it's all wonky as i'm terrible at patchwork. So I hope the gorgeous designers scrap will somehow cover any flaws. Boleh na? Will send this to you as soon as possible ya (meaning...when I'm done with the orders I'm working on - which are all still less than 50% in progress). Sabar naa...hehehe

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 :)

Celebrate the boy : Sling Bag for Hakimi

Every time Kimi sees me sew something, he would ask me who is it for. If I was not working on something for home or for the family, he would then feed me ideas on what I should sew. And that includes what he wants me to make for him. One of it is a sling bag. I made him a drawstring backpack earlier but he uses the bag to carry his Qur'an for his Qur'an reading classes.

Made the requested bag using denim fabric bought at Nagoya for the main panel & pockets and designer fabric for the flap. He had personally chosen this Ready, Set, Go -Airplanes during my recent S.E.X (stash enhancement expedition) at Etsy. When asked why he wanted a sling bag, he said he wants to wear it on outings- to put in his wallet, water bottle, books etc. I wanted to make the bag horizontal but he wanted it to be vertical instead.

Just a simple bag with 2 pockets in front

The main compartment can fit A4 size books/papers.

Kimi with his bag.

Wearing the bag during our outing to Subang Parade-Carrefour Subang last weekend.

Kimi's bag was made a little slouchy. Made a few more (with improvement on the body) to be introduced to the shop soon. In the mean time, here's the sneak preview ;).