The Kitty Dress

After the bag post you may curious why I made all cat pattern for B. Because I used to call her "kitty" when she was a baby. Somehow I think she got some gene or habits or whatever from my cat, although she passed away way before B's born. For example, when we are all lying on the couch, she can just secretly sneak closer and closer, until you can realise it she's already on your knees or belly and lay there comfortably just like a cat will do! When she was a baby if I tickled her neck her giggles even sounds like a cat!
So if I have to choose an animal to present her, I would definitely go with a cat.
As nothing else to make for a while, I decided to make her a cat dress.
I have some cotton perfect for shirts or dress pants for boys, so I used the blue ones for my sons. And the pink one I thought I would make a shirt for B, but she really doesn't wear shirts... So I decided to make the dress out of it.
For the matching material at the top, I used to think it should be something contrast enough to be fun, like blue or green or even purple. But I didn't find one that I like, and pull out this little piece I paid $2 at Spotlight, and it matches so well!
For the cat detail, I was debating do my machine embroidery as I have a designing software that can turn pictures into patterns. But then I thought why not just hand sew... For me it might be even faster and easier.
So I did, it also turns out pretty well, just like I imagined!
As soon as B saw the dress she started took off what she had and insisted to try! Among all the cute clothes she has, this one is absolutely her favourite! No doubt:)

Refashion From All Kinds Of Stuff!!

As my sewing is getting a bit "famous" among friends and family,  especially the works I did with old shirts and stuff like that, some of them started "donate" to me their unwear clothes to support my hobby. My mom is one of the greatest as her stuff are usually very useful and easy to refashion. Such as the Cheongsam she gave me. And the piece below: you won't guess what it is from. This beautiful lace dress gown is from a TV cover. Don't ask me what is a TV cover because I didn't know this thing exist until she showed me the picture. It is a kind of cover you put over TV (silly explanation). Mom said she got it but never used it, as put it on and off are actually too much work as their TV is on almost all day...

Anyway, she gave this to me, a lace lover, and immediately I knew it would be great to turn into a little dress.

I didn't use anything else to do the work as it has plenty of materials to be used as liner and I just used an extra zipper from a cushion cover that not used anymore.

Afterwards one of my friends came over to visit, and brought total 4 bags of old clothes. No kidding, really 4 full bags. She's a beautiful little fashion star, so the clothes she gave me are literally quite new and pretty. As a young girl just got married but no kids, she has a closet that about to explode. So she said she picked some of the pretty dresses she had but can't fit in anymore and thought I would like to have them to play with.

Of course I won't refuse. I actually found some to be my temporary maternity clothes (they are just too new and pretty to be cut into pieces) and some of them I think would fit well for my kids, I worked on them one by one.

This is a shirt she gave me and I turned it into a two pieces. B does not have a lot of shorts, as I always like her to wear dresses or skirts. So this one is not a bad decision.

I turned this black cotton dress into a toddler shirt and a little black dress. Quite happy with them as I would never ever choose black for my daughter. Refashion is really simple. I cut the top of the dress into the size of my daughter's top, and just sew the side of it as the top already has buttons and everything on it. The bottom is a full circle skirt, so I sewed the shoulders together, and in the middle put a elastic band go through, and it gives the dress a very fluffy look.

She absolutely loves the dress and wears it a lot. It is a little bit too short as the skirt is that way. But a 2 year old shows a little bit of her diaper cover won't be too big a deal (as I said in another post:)

This pillow dress is also from one of the dress top she gave me. Also easy to work on.

I also made several little full skirts. This one has embroidery details on, B loves the birds. Top is from Tommy, color matches pretty well!

The Bags

I love purses. Literally I am a purse person and used to have a whole closet full of them. From Chanel to no brand, I would get the little lovely thing if the design hit me. Mostly I like the leather ones, as they are more durable and fancy. However, they are quite hard to make if you don't have the right tools.

So, I made fabric ones for my little one. When she was 100 days old ( a important "birth mark" for Chinese), I made her a little backpack used felt. It was way too big for her to use (of course at that time she doesn't need to use any bag), and mostly just for me to have some fun and be able to say, hey I made this for my daughter. But I did used it for a while as a little carry on diaper bag to hang on my stroller, it was big enough for 1 diaper, some wipes and some tissues.

But felt is a kind of material I won't use for bags anymore. Especially the one I used are mostly for crafts, so they got ruined quite easily. So when B gets older and really wants to carry a bag, I started to do some new work. I made her actually two kitty bags, one is a sling little purse with a cute cat body, but I can't find the picture anymore. The other one is shown below, a backpack with smily cat face. 

It is quite light and easy to clean, and actually quite easy to make. I used a piece of check fabric I bought from IKEA for $2, I think you suppose to use it for cushions or curtains, but it turns out just fine for backpacks!

B loves it and asked for it when we go out. It can hold her bottle, diaper, wipe and a small toy. I don't usually let her put so many things in her bag as I am worried it will hurt her little spine... But occasionally I will use it as a diaper bag and she can carry it when she wants. Mostly she just carries it empty as a decoration.

Birthday Dresses

I feel like every occasion is my excuse to sew for her... New year, Easter, Christmas, and, oh, of course her birthday. 

So far I have two opportunities, her one and two year old birthdays.

For the first time, I made a tutu dress. The top was quite big as she still can wear it. But it is such a right decision as no girls will refuse tutu!

At that time I didn't know how to do embroidery, so I used ribbon to sew her name on the top. 

Second birthday I made two dresses. One classic little white lace dress, and one silk white dress with smocking details.

This is my first smocking, to be honest it is quite fun. I used machine to do the pleating, which is the only regret I have... I should hand sew it! I made some simple smocking with her initial and two little rocking horse as my daughter was born the year of horse.

Why I made two? Well, because they are white~ I have to make sure she has pretty dresses for the whole day even if one might be ruined~

My Sewing Story

What made me start to sew?

A question I've been asked many times. I would say I am always a sewer, or at least always have the passion to DIY. I knew how to use needle since probably primary school. And I clearly remembered we had a sewing class in Junior high, as half of the class learn hand sew and the rest half go machine sewing, and at the mid term we exchange. I was put in the hand sew group first, but we never really go that far as a girl hurt her finger in the machine sewing class, so the school stopped the class. I do remember learnt some basic stitches in the class, and it is quite fun.

But I never really make anything big (as a really piece of clothes that can wear to go outside) before my daughter. In the recent two years after she's born, I've been averaging at least 5-8 pieces of clothes every month. Recently I make 2 pieces every week!

How did it start???

well two reasons. First is the occasion. I remember the very first dress I made for her is for the July 4th event held at Singapore American School. It's a quite big celebration for all Americans in Singapore. We attend every year, great music, food, firework and play house for the kids. However, it's outdoor. B was 2 months old at that time and since here's so hot, I seldom really take her "out", we stay in air conditioned places all the time. So I realise she didn't have a proper little Ms American dress to wear for the weather and I don't know where I can get them. 

So first I thought okay, I'll just make her a patriotism hair bow for the day and let her wear something casual. I did make the hair bow. It looks nice. Then I started recalling all the cute little boys and girls I met at the event, they are all in their cute little July the 4th theme clothes. 

So, one night I teared one of my sick white skirt, and started making her her own July the 4th dress. 

I used the leftover ribbon from the hair bow to decorate the dress, so it's turn out to be alright.

After this occasion I started, not making dress, but ordering quite a big package from Amazon...making sure next year my daughter will have a July the 4th dress! 

But then you know, when you have a girl, you just remembered those dress up doll games you played at childhood... That's what happened to me. But what hurts me is the price of cute little girl outfits here in Singapore. As one of the most expensive cities in the world, Singapore's making sure the kid's clothes price matches the title. I didn't really realise since my mother-in-law always ships a package of clothes and toys for my son, so I didn't really shop for any kind of kid's clothes. But when I started looking for dresses, the number scared me. They are the same brands as in the States, but cost 3 or 4 times more. Something you can easily get at Walmart or Target for cheap, here they exhibited nicely in department stores with premium price.

I can't live with it. So somehow my instinct just start working, and I started hand sewing for B.

Many were surprised as I still have time to do this while looking after a newborn by myself. I have to say I had blues after having E, but may because of sewing I didn't have any depression after having B! I can still remember those quite and lovely moments when B was taking a nap in her little cradle in my room, and I was there listening to music with a piece of beautiful pattern in my hand.

summer dress I made for B's 100 Day.

B's wearing the dress at the beach of Langkawi, Malaysia.

This one she wear until 2 years old.

Long sleeve with butterfly detail. Made for US trip.

Favoriate! She wore it a lot.

After hand sew for a while, probably when B was one year old, my dad came visit and brought me a simple sewing machine. To be honest at the beginning I was quite refusing using the machine, since it changed all the quite and peace time for sewing. It has to make some noise and I couldn't do it during napping anymore.

But soon I started being obsessed with the machine. It is so fast! I can finish a dress in hours now.

My first machine work. Made with Japanese silk.

Then it comes my birthday, husband bought me a fancy embroidery sewing machine. It was a big big surprise and I couldn't believe it. He did quite a few research and bought me the perfect one. He even taught me how to use it, how funny!

At the beginning I used embroidery a lot, so he added the software which can turn any picture into embroidery. Then I started to use the sewing function, must say it is quite easy and nice to use. From that moment on, I finished almost all the work on it.

I still can't say I mastered the machine. There are still half of the stitches and embroidery patterns I never used. But I just really love sewing now. For these two years it has become my biggest hobby.