It's all started when I asked my sister if she knew where to get a sewing machine. And then she said 'Mama kan punya'. I was like, really..and ran upstairs to my mom's room and asked her the sewing machine whereabouts. She pointed toward one of the corners of her room and then told me that the dynamo is somewhere in the storage. I asked mbak Nur to help me find it, while I went to..Mayestik. I got some buttons, ruler, colorful threads, etc at Toko Maju and three fabrics from Gossip Textile.

When I went back home, I tried to play around with the sewing machine, but having never touched a sewing machine before I didn't know what to do especially when not a manual instruction was presented. I didn't even know how to loop the thread around. I called my auntie, who is the designer at Sebastian Gunawan for his Bubble Line and pleaded her to come by my house to show me how to use the damn thing :D. She lives just around the corner, so it was easy for her to walk over to my house. She came around 5.30, and even she couldn't really figured it out right away.



But after working it around for half an hour she finally got the hang of it and showed me a few stuff to start. Now I know:

- how to loop the thread for the outer stitch and the inside stitch (through sekoci and all, I didn't even know we have to use two threads :p)
- how to lock the stitch
- how to transfer the thread to the sekoci..LOL..I did it manually at first :p
- how to use the zigzag stitch feature and all although we couldn't memorize the code..


Anyway, so I decided to create something easy but still useful for my first attempt. I always wanted to make a tote bag for Jibran to bring his lunch box but I didn't have a canvas fabric..but my auntie says that it's fine to use the chambray as long as it's not for heavy duty stuff..so that's why I did. She showed me how to copy the pattern (from andarastore shopping bag, hehe..Thank You Ran :D)..it was pretty easy. For the strap, I used Jibran's old belt because that's what he chose when I gave him a few choices. And he really like the finish product!!. I was literally grinning ear to ear:D. Even Jehan likes it and has been toting it around and claimed it as hers.



The second attempt, I used the same chambray fabric and made a full skirt for Jehan. The pattern is a copy from one of her skirts. It was easy breezy..really. I did it under the supervision of my aunt. I use an exposed waist band and left the hem unfinished because I kinda like it like that, besides Jehan couldn't wait to wear it..but if it frays too much I will just sew the hem next time. Jehan took of her daster immediately and demanded to wear the skirt right away. She then showed it to her Diddy and Bunda...:D.




The third attempt was just shortening the hem of Jehan Batik skirt that I got in Yogya. It came with a matching Kebaya and although the Kebaya fits her just fine, the skirt was just way to long that we have to wait for another 2-3 years to fit her. So rather than sitting there unused, I decided to make it short so it became a long skirt. That way, she can wear it to Baju Muslim day at school, or to anywhere she pleases :).



The fourth attempt, it was like 11.30, I was on a roll and wanted to make another skirt for Jehan but it was harder to concentrate cause I was getting tired, but I still did it anyway. I made another skirt which kind of like an A line skirt..but when I cut the fabric, I totally forgot to leave an extra 1-2 cm for the ..(I don't know what you call it..plisket? or what?). I just realized when I sew the two sides together that it won't have enough room for Jehan chubby legs to wiggle, let alone walk in them :D. That's when I knew I had to call it a night.

I guess I didn't do too bad for a first timer..:). Looking forward to do more. Here's my list of things to do:

- Practice another tote bag, maybe a smaller one for Jehan and a bigger one to bring extra stuff
- More circle skirts for Jehan with exposed waist band (dye the waist band first!)
- One or two easy tops for me and Jehan (sleeveless)

and then maybe next week I can learn how to:
- make a button hole
- stitch the zipper
- and so many more..