Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Not-so-French

Adopted french sleeves for this dress, used a black cotton blend which I bought for $2/m at Chinatown shops.




The $2/m fabric wasnt exactly of bad quality, just that it was thinned and unless you are making it using black, it's wise to include a inner lining for other colors.


At the collar area I used the stripey fabric to make a round collar.






With ribbons.


By the way, the cozycot event was quite a disappointment, but well, no free lunch after all.


Hope the oncoming Laniege makeup workshop will be a better one cause I paid for it, paid lunch :)


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

My Stash + Thoughts

I promised myself at least a sewing project completed every 2 weeks, and now I was late on my "submission". All thanks to those flu bugs and dizzy spells Im having. Its a sicky 2 weeks period for me.

Nevertheless, I started my life as a working-adult-trying-her-very-best-to-climb-up-the-career-ladder-and-hope-to-own-a-nice-and-nifty-accounting-firm-in-the-future. Im giving all my very best at this job, and 3 weeks down, Im sure that I have learnt and will be able to learn things and knowledge that I will need at least 2-3 years at other companies.

Yes, local companies might not offer big bucks, delicious staff benefits and that compromised promotions. But then, squeeze in a single MNC, can you be guaranteed all those knowledge and experience that you needed for the future? Those "seniors" in MNC firms will be too busy to coach, and one will be forever stuck at a single job roles. For me now, Im able to learn everything require for this field, from corporate secretarial, accounting to tax services.

I look further, I choose this path, and nope, I never regret working for a local company.
I feel happy, my colleagues taught me well and patiently. I hav met worse co-workers who are too reluctant to teach and guide.

My workplace is in Chinatown, and well-known to local seamtresses, it's the only place in Singapore with shops selling wholesale fabrics.

2 times of shopping and I have scavaged these:

From plain cottons of blacks, reds, navy blue to creams, and the classic plaids and my favourite stripes.
Yet these are not all, my next in list will be more plain cottons and ginghams with pop colors.

The problem with sourcing for fabrics in Singapore, is that we are a very small country and thus the market for fabrics is way too limited. In fact alot of shops have closed down over the years. Another factor to contribute to is the rising cost of cotton, thanks to the poor harvest in China in recent years. Im already thinking of crossing over the link bridge to Malaysia to source in a bigger market.

I have a thought for sewing a series of "matches" (items that are easy to match against) and "clothes for work". Maybe, I will sew a handful of these items and have them up for sale.

On a side note, I was invited by Cozycot to participate in a Blogger's Event on Spa Buffet.
Spa Buffet? Exactly spa buffet, unlimited spa treats.
Even though I have no digging idea why I was invited as Im not a well-known blogger locally and my genre of blog was, well, rare in fact.
Anyways, will dress myself up and go for spa happily~!

P.s. Hope to get my next dress done asap for the event :)

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Nautical Reds

I adapted a simple dress pattern from Cotton Friend Summer 2010 Edition. The original was supposed to be using batik or light-weight cotton so as to create a "breezy-wavy summer feel".

However I thought of making it more formalised for work, but yet to a casual feel, thus I chose this fabric - linen, which I bought from Spotlight for $20/m. (Go sourcing at Chinatown, much cheaper)

How I love nautics stripes, they are so versatile on any occasion and seasons.



I didnt make it into a pinafore, instead towards a baby doll dress feel. I feel that clothes should be make comfortable and easy to match, hence I always have the tendency to sew my clothes one size bigger. Too wide on the waistline?


Add a belt on it :)

Ever since I made my last jacket, Im amazed how well wool threads can create new feel to machine-sewn clothes. Therefore I did it again this time, by hand-sewing red wool thread to the collar, arm and hem of the dress.


It's summer!

And I have a thing for RED.


p.s. This dress was made ready few days ago, but I was struck with illness therefore delayed blogging on it.