patchwork stitches

What comes in mind for sewing after a long break? It would be the small and tiny patchwork stitches. I can't think of a better way to get my hands back to the needles and threads.  My dear friend Carol has been sending me her scraps each time when she forwards the mail to me. It always is a treat and a surprise to find little scraps pieces that she tucked inside the envelope. I found myself so tickled by  these scraps. It feels so good to turn these scraps into something cute and sweet.

A few weeks back, in an early morning, I found out that the ceiling above the studio was leaking! and the water was overall the sewing table, cutting mats, and floor. It was something that I didn't see would be coming (screaming). ! I had to called the landlord to come fix and that went a bit drama for two weeks. Thank goodness, they finally decided to take down the partial of the ceiling and patch with a clean board. Before they arrived, I jumped right in the studio, move all fabrics, sewing supplies, books, handmade gifts and boxes out to the living room. I loss a floor lamp and a floor mat from the leaking issue and a design board that I had placed on the table.

While waiting for repair ( two weeks), we stayed in the living room and that felt quiet content for some reason, We joked that we would just need a studio for the future place, since everything fits, but it was cold to stay in the living room and the noise coming from near by highway was difficult at night time to fell asleep. Soon after the ceiling paint was dry and I cleaned every corner till dust free (yay). Then I take the time to move everything back in. I had refold all the fabrics ( got to love this job) and trying to fit them back to where they were before. I have realized that there are so many fabrics that I have forgot about.  It was a real good visit with fabrics! They tell me, come sew with us more! :)  and Yes, I was totally wiped out by the end of the day!

Has it been a long winter for you and me? I don't mind the winter, but it has been feeling a gray winter for this year. I've spend the night time knitting and finished one side of the leg warmer and still need to finish the other side, but I've ran out of the yarn! I am feeling stuck, what should I do? I though of going to the yarn store and match the yarn out or take the knitting stitches apart. I still can't make the call. Maybe I should wait till the spring arrives and hop on the bus to the yarn store.

While I am writing, the sunlight from the studio window is getting dimmer. I particularly love this time of the day where I can see the apartments near by me have lights turn on. People are home from their hard working day, I am sure they are making conversations and preparing their dinners. Just what I am going for next, preparing dinner and getting the apartment light up!

The daylight saving is coming this weekend! I'll miss that extra hour sleep, but for sure, I can't wait for more daylight during the day!

xxc

Boathouse Pouch Sewing Pattern

Happy Mid-Summer! I am super excited to have my newest PDF sewing pattern, Boathouse Pouch release during the mid-summer days.  I've been working on the pouch concepts since early spring and created a few prototypes before finalized the pouch shape and best way to approach Boathouse Pouch sewing techniques.

Oh, Boathouse Pouch, you ask? This is such a cute pouch and comes with great divider spaces that you'll want to give it a go!

Growing up, I’ve spent much of my summer time at my grandparents’ old red brick house that was an hour's drive away from the city I used to live. Playing in the rice field, feeding cows, catching frogs, walking barefoot in creeks, and getting in trouble by picking the neighbor’s fruits. There was a lot of outdoor activities to do during the summer time in the rural countryside; plenty dirt and mud time. 

Origami (folding paper) seemed to be the most popular craft at the time for us, kids. Grandma would sent us outdoor with a stack of newspaper that she got from the open market. My siblings and I’d fold a lot of newspaper boats and float them down the creek that resided near the brick house. We bet on who's boat would reach the end of first rock and we all screamed for our own boat to win- boat game!

{Boathouse Pouch Sewing Pattern} is an origami paper boat folding inspired pouch! This pouch has quite a few folding and turning concepts involved within the pouch design. Summer day fun and a bit of tricky and challenging sewing pattern. Nothing very difficult, just like origami, fold and turn. 

 Let me talk a little bit about the Boathouse Pouch. 

Boathouse Pouch is based and inspired by origami (paper folding) boat folding concept. As a pattern designer, I want to keep the originality of the folding boat shape and work around the measurements to suit for the pouch turning and folding technique. The pouch comes with great divider space, which have three compartments to store personal essentials.

On the photo (above), is the size 7", which is perfectly for sewing tools, stationary.  I've set my paper piecing tools, papers, spools of thread in one of boathouse pouch which comes really handy and nothing falls out the pouch.

I also love how this pouch design shows the original boathouse concept. Within the PDF sewing pattern will show you how you can sew use different fabric to sew the boat base in a different outlook. You'll be surprised how easy the tricks are and fun ideas can be play in sewing pouches.

Sew the zipper with no fears like every zippered sewing pouch pattern. Within the pattern there are step-by-step colored photos to guild you through each steps. There are a number of pages on how to attach zippers for the pouch, so you can visually see how it actually works. 

For the size 6" zipper: The small scale Boathouse Pouch has been a perfect size pouch for a quick run to the stores. Maybe petty cash, metro cards, or few coins in the pouch. The middle compartment is perfect for "cards"(Ex: business card, credit card, metro card, etc.)

The center compartment comes slightly smaller then the two side compartments. It is originally designed for storing small items. Perfect for items that you like to keep separate from others.

On the two side compartments, it allows you to store bigger objects. (Ex: UBS cards, lip stick, ear phone device, etc.) As you can image, the bottom of the boat expands and gives nice space. It's also perfect for storing needle packs, glue sticks, and rotary blade packs, use it as a sewing aid pouch!

For the 7" pouch, that you will be able to fit quite a bit of sewing essentials. As the picture shows you, there's a pair of small hand scissors, a small rotary cutter, needle book and few spools of thread can be all fit in this size of Boathouse Pouch. 

With all the tools are zipped in the Boathouse Pouch, you'll find that there's rooms for other tools. Both sides of the pouch gives you a nice roomy space.

{Boathouse Pouch PDF Sewing Pattern} 

- Boathouse Pouch Sewing Pattern is a digital downloadable PDF file. It comes with 26 pages PDF file (included sewing templates, cutting instructions, sewing instructions), Step-by Step colored photo instructions to guild you through making one Boathouse Pouch. It also comes with detailed illustrate diagrams to aid for sewing steps.

- Boathouse Pouch is an intermediate sewing pattern. Sewers have experiences in cutting fabrics, knowing operation sewing machine, have previous bag making experience, experience with instal zippers.

- Boathouse Pouch finished at app. 5.5"x 4" (size 6") and 6.5"x4.5" (size 7").

- You can find  Boathouse Pouch PDF sewing pattern through my {Etsy} and {Craftsy} pattern shops now.
- You'll need Adobe Reader to open the PDF file and free download at adobereader.com

---- Materials needed for making 

For 6” Boathouse Pouch materials:
-(4)Fat sixteenth fabric for exterior panels+ lining panels
-(1) 6” Metal zipper/ Nylon Zipper

For 7“ Boathouse Pouch materials:
-(4) One Fat eighth fabric for Exterior Panels
-(1) 7” Metal zipper/ Nylon Zipper

- Coordinate colored sewing thread
- Iron/ Ironing board
- Water soluble marker
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine
- 1/2 yard (18”x20”) Fusible Interfacing- Shape-Flex SF101
 - Lightweight cardboard/ recycled manila file folders (optional)
- Glue stick
- Rotary Cutter

Thank you again for all of your enthusiasm coming here to read about the creations that I share with you. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate it and truly have the pleasure designing this newest pattern and wish you'll love it as well!

Enjoy

xxc

Patchwork kin-cha-ku

{kin-cha-ku} is pronounces in Japanese. It means traditional Japanese purses or handbags. Likely a small bag, typically with a drawstring. When I first search out a special name for {drawstring bag}, there were lots great myths and movements for the handbags and history of making purses. I discovered the usage of {kin-cha-ku} is so much closer to what I grew up with. 

For six years in elementary school, my siblings and I brought our own lunch to school. The lunch is prepared in the {metal lunch box} and wrapped with a big piece of cloth and tied with a metal plate engraved our name that dad made.  Ma always fixed extra rice for dinner and prepared extra veggies and meat for the dinner because part of that is for to our next day lunch. She filled the lunch box with rice on the bottom then veggies on one side then meat on the other side and sometimes special sausage that uncle made for us. The lunch boxes always sat on the dinning table till cool off in late night then mom add the lids up and store them in fridge.  The next morning, likely before 6 a.m. mom would be in kitchen getting fried eggs for each lunch box to complete the lunch meal for us.  

There is always some fruit in the separated sack and water bottle as well. Each of us has a {kin-cha-ku} to put our lunch box in. Our {kin-cha-ku} were made from old cloth that my aunt made up for us.    There's just one layer of cloth with open seams inside. 

When we arrived classroom, we put our lunch box into a large metal basket then the daily helpers in the classroom will bring the metal basket to school kitchen and they will get steam after the first period of class.  The {kin-cha-ku} likely hung by the chair till lunch time.  I remember, I always made little complains on how un-pretty my {kin-cha-ku} looks and wished that aunt could make some pretty ones for me.  Then it might be the year I turned 10 or 11, mom got me a store bought {kin-cha-ku} with all the pretty prints on {actually it was a Hello Kitty}, and it was made with poly material. I was so happy with the cute and pretty of it for the few days, but it didn't hold up too long before the bottom seam loose up. 

A few years back, when I first making the kin-cha-ku, I sewn the same style of kin-cha-ku from the memory; it wasn't lined with any batting to start with, so it is quiet lightweight. Then I tried on hand-quilting them on the batting and was so satisfied with such nice outcome {soft, nice hold up look, elegant of it}. I made few more samples and adjustments after that. There are so many possibilities for one pattern and turn into so many different patchwork possibilities...  

Here are seven new {kin-cha-ku} for today's preview and each one of them is possible the most unique kin-cha-ku! Enjoy 

{Daffodils Joy} 

It is possible the best daffodil yellows that I could find and have been collected! This is such a sweet and special kin-cha-ku to my heart. The contrast of text prints and the similar hues give a such nice spring and joyful look. All the yellows are elegant and special in a way that I consider it is such a signature of my little Daffodils Joy.  This piece is hand-quilted throughout front and back. The string is used 100% linen wax.

{Pink Lady} 

Featured the lovely pinks within some small scale prints and text prints.  This is such a sweet and cute kin-cha-ku! Each print coordinated well together and the contrast between two side stands out its own characters.  This kin-cha-ku, is hand-quilted throughout the front and back. The string is used 100% linen wax. 

{Spring Bee}

Lots spring themes in Spring Bee kin-cha-ku. Perfect for a day out with little one. Bring their little toys or maybe hand sewing projects. I have my mind for a little one while making this kin-cha-ku. Perhaps a special lunch date somewhere special? This kin-cha-ku, is hand-quilted throughout the front and back. The string is used 100% linen wax. 

{Wonderland} 

Blues, yellows, and whites are three of most useage colors around quarter inch mark. Wonderland kin-cha-ku has purposely using the linear prints on the white print, so it leads the other prints stand out! This kin-cha-ku, is hand-quilted throughout the front and back.The string is used 100% linen wax. 

{Blue Tango} 

There is a piano piece called Blue Tango if you look it up. It is so a nice tango music! I always enjoy and inspired by some of the surrounding and happening here! Somehow these little prints and that music piece come to me while I was upstair in the studio. These little floral prints are sweet and indeed the light blue one has been one of my tiny print fabric!  This kin-cha-ku, is hand-quilted throughout the front and back.The string is used 100% linen wax. 

{Joy} 

Nothing like little patchwork pieces that contain with all the fabric love the maker carries! It is hard not to create another Daffolidal Joy style kin-cha-ku. I called this piece is labor of love kin-cha-ku as well. All the tiny hand-quilting stitches and tiny patchwork work surely is the true patchwork to me and the joy to create/make. This kin-cha-ku, is hand-quilted throughout the front and back.The string is used 100% linen wax.

{Sea of Star} 

It has been fun working with dark to light scale of the patchwork. Sea of Star kin-cha-ku is the inspiration after made S' 11th birthday quilt. I wanted something small, but contain the similar colors approach. There are some additional prints that pull out from the stash and add on, but the color scheme stay very close by.  This also another labor of love piece. Tiny patchwork and small hand quilted stitches! As a patchwork maker, I like to stay true about the meaning of it  and stay the original concept of patchworking! This kin-cha-ku, is hand-quilted throughout the front and back.The string is used 100% linen wax.


You'll be able to find all these special of {kin-cha-ku} in the {shop} now. There is also a popular step by step {kin-cha-ku pdf pattern} in the shop to make your own kin-cha-ku and add on your own signatures, stories, and so on!

So, this is the last bit making for selling for me! The compassion of making will keep growing in me and maybe might stay a little quiet from time to time. There are many of  this and that I would like to explore and learn.  Taking time to be a beginning learner is always the best way to start learning or relearning.  

{Thank you from the bottom of my heart}! Thank you for taking time to check in on us, emails, and encourages! Spending your time reading and sending encouragements to a stranger that behind this blog. All these Good Lucks are being collected in my little kin-cha-ku and I'll take it with us on our long road trip this summer, only 1200 miles! We can use that and possibility need more! {smile}


Enjoy

xxc

Handmade Patchwork, Last!

It was around this time eight years ago, I launched my {Etsy store} and back then it was called {Payge Lyra Handmade}, if any of you recalled and a blog under the same name was attached to that. Now, you can't relocated the shop and the blog anymore, since a change was made years back. 

I remember the first sold handmade item was a hand-emoridered dish towel and posted to England then followed more hand-emoridered dish towels then a big commissioned hand-emboridered dish towels arrived and yes, more dish-towels followed. I don't remember how many hand-embroidered dish towels made and sold, but remembered the first year was busy and fulfilled! 

Follow by that little handmade success, I started making some little pouches, kids friendly library totes, and baby quilts, odds and ends commissions. One of the challenge commission request was a toaster cozy that needed to be ready in two days! It sounded so simple, but yet it needed to  paper pattern draft out first then make a sample piece before went on the actual materials.  However, I have truly enjoy all these challenges and night owl days! 

I have never though that one day that I will stop making and selling my works, but I have been thinking about it for last year or so. This self-dilemma talks come and goes from day to day, but yet I continue and keep making what I love to do and keep posting them into the {shop}. This is something that I always feel great and proud about the works made by my own hands fly out to places. I remembered most return customer names and what they purchased. I read through your messages from buyer to seller box each time and appreciated all these encouragements and appreciation from day one the store launched! 

In last eight years, I moved our little family from place to place and so as well the shop with me. It always took great positive energy to build up the blog and shop after every move we made. Putting myself into the public without hesitations and be like a good sales is challenge in some ways! But, the true is that I have grown into an introvert person in past few years. I don't consider myself shy, but just sometimes, it is hard to say it all now! I don't remember how many times, erasing or deleting posts that just spent a few hours on; simply just thinking maybe too silly to share all that.  

Soon, we will be onward to our new journey again.  This time, we are moving cross half of this country, far away! This upcoming move leads me to be serious on all asepcts, could I still be able to put good efforts and positive energy into this small handmade business lately?! 

The answer to that is run down to me is no! 

After relocate to the new destination, there will be no space for the studio, most of the tools and fabrics will be in containers for a little while. I might not be making for a little while. Then that means, the commitment to making and selling is impossible. 

Last few months, the decision of last making and selling came to me quiet firm. So, I started just making for the shop, almost a way of my little gratuity of farewell handcrafting business that means much to myself.  The last batch of the {patchwork needle-books}, {moon pouches} then {patchwork zippered pouches} and the newest {patchwork style coin pouches} and soon to be reveal patchwork pieces, tomorrow. 

What's next? There is no next for me now! Somehow no plan is a good plan! It would be great for me to continue bring out great works to share around here and continue meeting great makers out there and share bits and bobs of fabric loves! 

It truely has been a great and the best eight years of running a small handmade patchwork business, but now I will take a long patchwork making pause from here! I will probably feeling lost of this achievement, but yet it is time to so do!  

{Thank you} to all the encouragements and supports over the last eight years! Oh, I hope you know what I mean, {Thank you}!!  

The last batch of zippered pouches are ready for you to preview now and they are ready in the shop. 

Tomorrow, I'll be making last post of patchwork pieces that I have been working then that would be all the patchworks from now. 

::Welcome to Spring 2016 Patchwork Pouches Preview::

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would love to give you a little preview on the newest patchwork zippered pouches. This time, I have made some coin pouches as they are perfect and great for spring and summer day to the local ice cream shop or farmer's markets, a coffee date with girl friends in the town/city. 

Patchwork Pouch {Penny}

As a Denyse Schmidt fan, this pouch is made with all DS fabrics, only! This pouch is like a little fabric gallery of DS prints. It is hand-quilted and added on a leather pull embellishment to add on classic look of the pouch and a little extra fancy. 

Patchwork Pouch {Miss Liv}

This pinks and blues pouch is the ever BEST selling color combos! This pouch used some of really spring and sweet colors. These is an extra cotton lace embellishment on the pouch body front and back to make zakka look. 

Patchwork Pouch {Miss Jul}

Another zakka style pouch. This pouch features the daffodil yellows and greens. I called these yellow prints doffdial joy yellows. These are the soft and elegant yellows that I have been collecting whenever I travelled oversea. This pouch also have added the cotton lace in the front and back as gentle embellishment on the pouch. 

Patchwork Pouch {Miss D}

Black is not the poplar theme or color, but I always like to add one unusual colors into previews. There is always someone who is looking for a certain style and colors. I though It would be a nice to add on an unusual color/theme into this collection.  

Patchwork coin pouch- {Megan} 

These patchwork coin pouches are made with the idea of a Spring and Summer quick trip/stop to the ice cream shop, quick meet up with friends in local cafe, or weekend Farmer's market. These coin pouch is perfect size for the quick trip out and about. All the zipper is metal zipper, so it is secure and easy pull.  rints

 Patchwork Coin Pouch- {Sophie}  

 Patchwork Coin pouch- {Lucy}  

 Patchwork Coin pouch- {Liz}

 Patchwork Coin Pouch- {Ann}  

Dumpling pouch- {Summer} is one of my favorite pouch pattern around the studio! I keep a few around the sewing basket. One is for storing sewing foot, one is for all the digital chips and cards.  These are just handle to have around

Patchwork Dumpling- {Karen} I always like working with contrasting sewing methods. The previous dumping pouch is machine quilted, but this one is hand-quilted.  What is the difference between two pouches? The hand-quilted pouch is always softer than the machine quilted and extra handmade touch to it.


To keep this a shorter post, you can find and view few more pouches in the shop listings. I hope you've enjoyed today's preview and stay turn for the next and last preview, which is coming up on
tomorrow, April 29th, 10:00a.m. CST

Hope these patchwork handmade piece might be one of the coming up mother's day gift to you love ones. If you like to send out this as a gift to a different address, please let me know in the buyer to seller's box.  All the handmade piece is places in none-toxie glassine paper that custom sewn to fit for each piece.

Tomorrow I shall return to for another full post of last bits and bobs patchwork handmade!

Enjoy!

xxc

coming soon...

coming soon:

April 28, 2016
10:00a.m. CST 

Preview: Moon Pouches

Welcome to {Moon Pouches} preview! Today, I'd like to bring you to a short tour of the {Moon Pouches}.  Each moon pouch has its own characteristic and as always they are made with my signature style of penny sewing. Added extra hand touch with hand-quilting that you have been seeing from most of my works.

All the {Moon Pouch} comes with a leather zipper pull. These leather zipper pulls are custom made to fit with designed moon pouches and also coming soon mini pouches in next few months.  These leather zipper pull is removable, so you can use it for your other pouches if you like! Please click on the highly area and it will bring you to the listing in the {shop} where you'll be able to see more detail of the individual pouch.

{Moon Pouch no. 128}, is made with an idea of minimalism. This pouch main body is used 100% linen and added Japanese gingham print and Kona solid prints. As you can see that it is very simple and different from what my usual fabric choices, but I really enjoy making this one!

 {Moon Pouch no. 131} features Suzuko Koseki prints! The colors are very bright and vibrate. It is highly contrast between the light and dark prints. I took a risk to make this pouch, since it is an almost metallic outlook.

{Moon Pouch no. 132} such a cherry and spring outlook pouch! It is particular used as many fruit prints as possible. It also added some floral print to bring out extra spring look!

 {Moon Pouch No. 133} used multiple dotty prints,  small scale prints, and some whimsical prints, such as houses, little doe and small floral. This pouch gives really fresh look to it! I particularly like added the violet, lilac, to make elegant and simple contrast to pouch.

*this pouch has been sold and on its way to its new owner

 {Moon Pouch no. 135}  some of the prints used here are repeated from other moon pouch, but it has more stronger contrast between. This prints used quiet a bit of my favorite designers prints. It is no surprised they works well together.

 {Moon Pouch no. 136}  Used warm scheme Kona prints and accent with some blues in this pouch. It is another different style of sewing that I work on for this series. Play with colors contrast and resulted is very lovely! This pouch has been machine quilted.

 { Moon Pouch no. 137} Used cooler scheme Kona prints and accent with some warmer prints in this pouch. It is another different style of sewing that I work on for this series. Play with colors contrast and resulted is very lovely! This pouch has been machine quilted!

{Moon Pouch no. 138} Featured with Denyse Schmidt's Country Fair collection. This is a hard to find collection now. It has been one of my very first collection from D.S. All the prints are linen and cotton blended, so you can expected it is a heavier pouch when you holding in hand.

** this pouch has been sold and arrived to the new owner.

{Moon Pouch: Vintage Quilt Edition}: This is repurposed moon pouch from a small vintage quilt piece that I have been saved for many years. It has been a big challenge to save every bit of the stars on the quilt piece. When the moon pouch was designed and it was a perfect fit for the vintage quilt piece.  You'll be expecting a small wear in the pouch tops {front and back} as this quilt was made in 1890's according to the lady who pass the piece to me.

{Moon Pouch: Vintage Quilt Edition}: This is repurposed moon pouch from a small vintage quilt piece that I have been saved for many years. It has been a big challenge to save every bit of the stars on the quilt piece. When the moon pouch was designed and it was a perfect fit for the vintage quilt piece.  You'll be expecting a small wear in the pouch tops {front and back} as this quilt was made in 1890's according to the lady who pass the piece to me.

Thank you again for join me with this quick preview! All the pouches are in the {shop}. They are great for during travel, storage small sewing tools, and quick trip out in town with friends for coffee and shop around.

The next preview is coming up in March! Please stay turn!


xxc