gadgets

I have always wondered what this was used for.

Especially since they used to come with those sewing kits you received at hotels (many many moons ago!)

I have been living under a rock because I only recently learned how to use this to thread needles with

Stick the thin wire into the eye of the needle, put your thread in between the thin wire "eye", pull on the gadget and it threads the needle!

Lifesaver

eco ring

last weekend, got rid of all my beading stash...hot fixx?! (you can stick bling onto your bags/jeans...)

all the metal plated wires, jump rings, pins

beads, beads, beads!

tegusu (plastic "wire") as well as containers for the beads...

teeny plastic bags

real silver wire, silver parts, freshwater pearls and beads made from natural stones

Nearby is Eco Ring, a recycle shop and they gave me 6000 yen for everything.

When we lived in Osaka, there was an Eco Ring a couple of train stations from where we lived, this one in Tokyo, we can walk to...

I'm glad they bought it (some places will refuse to take things if they don't have knowledge of, or use for it), and hope that someone will be able to use it.

oh em gee

My last beading project

Too many moons ago, friend Mayumi asked me to make this for her

We moved, she moved, then there was the pandemic 

Thank goodness for You Tube videos, because I forgot how to read the intricate instructions

And then my eyes are so bad, I couldn’t see anything

Plus this project and some of the beads were super teeny!

7 hours later, I finished it

I hope she likes it

so rusty

I've been wanting this print by Marimekko for some time now.

It's called Pieni Siirtolapuutarha

I think the colors are what I like about the print.

I learned about Marimekko, a Finnish brand while living in Japan

Marimekko sells a tote bag but I am not willing to pay their price for one, luckily Yuzawaya (craft shop) sells their fabrics and their main shop is nearby in Kamata.

I was able to get a 70 cm by 50 cm piece of fabric for 2178 yen (tax included)

And, luckily I kept this book too...so that I could refresh my memory on how to sew in a lining for the bag.

The design of the bag is based on this one.

So rusty but I'm glad I now have a bag with this print.
 

so rusty

Made this skirt/shawl pin for friend, V.

So rusty!

Hope she likes it.

scrubbies

My Aunty Marian shared how they make the scrubbies... I wrote down the instructions and hope to try and see if I can make them like Grandma.

similar

Finally found a similar method to making the scrubbies that my Grandma used to make. I just need to figure out how to make these a little bigger...

scrubbie

My grandma used to make us these type of scrubbies. They are good to use for washing dishes. When she passed away, most of us salted up our stashes of scrubbies. No one really learned how to make them from her, which is a bummer. So with a combination of the internet, some photos my aunty had and youtube, I made this one. Boy, was it hard to crochet netting...my hand hurt afterwards even my forearm (probably because I hadn't crocheted in many moons). And it took me about 2 hours from cutting the netting to finishing... Hopefully it will get easier to do and I'll to be able to make more so that I can at least give the people in my family at least one each....

finally!

Finally got some beading "mojo"...I had forgotten how teeny these beads are (forgot the name of them already!)... Will try to do more during rainy days in 2015....

keeping busy

Keeping busy this rainy day....1 down and 3 more to go...

hello kitty bag

Made this shopping bag. Trying to use up the fabric I have. Will probably make several more using other fabrics.

bag insert

If you often change bags, these bag inserts are perfect. You just pick it up out of your bag and transfer all your "stuff" to the next bag. My Aunty made these, they are really pretty. Thanks Aunty!

repurpose

Repurposed my iPhone holder, the front pocket used to hold my earbuds, but now it holds my portable wi-fi.

happy new year!

Sewed this bag for my host-mom, it is her birthday next month.

Hope she likes it.

I hope your 2012 will a great year filled with lots of projects and fun.

snowflakes

Figure if it isn't gonna snow, I should make my own snowflakes.

It's been awhile since I've done any wire work or beading.

I saw something similar and re-created it.

Happy Holidays!

d.i.y.

I've been seeing these "snoods" or infinity scarves here and there.

I didn't want to go out and buy one, so I "made" one...

Use a skirt pin (top left) and your favorite muffler/scarf.
Pin the ends together (top right & bottom left)
Wear it!

Now if the trend dies, I can go back to using it like a muffler/scarf.

utensil holder

I've been wanting to make a utensil holder for some time now.

Since today is very rainy and I'm stuck indoors, I decided to keep myself busy with this project.

I put two pieces of scrap fabric together and made this based on a roll-up type holder a friend had given me.

Her roll-up holder was made from a face towel.

My utensil holder holds, forks, spoons, chopsticks, butter knives & an area for tissues.

My fabric wasn't straight to begin with so when I sewed it together, it didn't come out straight either.

Anyway, I like how this turned out. I also recycled a stretchy ribbon that came with some cookies...it's like a big fabric rubber band.

iphone case & bag

Found a cute Hello Kitty print...made this iPhone holder that can also hold the earphones.

With the majority of the fabric I made this bag.

etsy purchase #2

New pendant that I purchased from Kimono Reincarnate. This purchase was to donate monies to the flood victims in Australia. Plus I really like her crafts and this is perfect for the Year of the Rabbit.

re-make

Didn't like the way the bag fell in the other post, so I took the strap and cut it in half.

I made it into a T-shirt bag (I think that is what they call it), like those shopping bags you get at the grocery, only this isn't plastic.