Tea Rose Home

Meissner 95th Anniversary Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2025年8月28日 12:30:00 +0000

I have an announcement to make today! I am going to be an ambassador for Meissner. They are a family owned business based in Northern California. This year they are celebrating 95 years in business and to celebrate their milestone and show appreciation to their customers, they are having BIG sales event in whole month of September.

As their ambassador, I get to share exciting deals with you! Here are few things to remember:
The Anniversary sale can be shopped now online at meissnersewing.com. Because they are celebrating their 95 years, their customers can enjoy up to 95% off plus an extra 9.5% off every order when you use code 95years.

As a new ambassador, I received a welcome package! There I found the Oliso Iron and Liberty of London Fabric in the box; How did they know I always wanted to try Oliso iron and I am the biggest fan of Liberty of London fabrics?? They are just a couple of the new and discounted accessories in the sale! There are deals on sewing machines as well. Don't forget to check out Baby Lock Machine deals too – add to cart from the catalog for the best pricing!

Two - toned (Color block) Hoodie DIY

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2025年8月25日 12:00:00 +0000

Several weeks ago, my daughter's boyfriend asked me to create a matching two-tone hoodie for her birthday. Since this was a surprise, I needed to be very careful not to spill the beans. Now, she has already received the hoodie (and yes, she really loves it!), I get to share a tutorial on how I accomplished this highly secret mission. hahaha.

He provided two hoodies and stay tape. I just needed to find the time to work on them when she was not around.

* You will need

Two different color hoodies
Stay tape
Jersey needle
Thread

* How to

1. I asked him to wash them first. I guess you don't have to, but I felt that it would be better. I ironed them and made sure they had no wrinkles.

2. Lay one hoodie on the cutting table completely flat; no wrinkles on the front and back. Make sure the shoulder seams and side seams are straight. These things sound tedious, but these things make the finished result much cleaner and better. Determine the cutting line. I decided to cut from one of the shoulders to the opposite side of the side seam line a few inches above the bottom line.

3. Use the part of the hoodie you just cut, cut the other hoodie the same way. I pinned the shoulder and the side together, so it will stay better when I cut. I used my cutting mat and rotary cutter for this. If you don't have these tools, you can draw a line and cut it with the scissors. Pining near the cutting line helps to keep the fabric aligned better.

4. Swap the hoodies to create two sets of two-toned hoodies.

5. Take one set of the hoodie parts and sew together. To prevent the fabric from stretching out and becoming wavy, I used stay tape. This one wasn't adhesive tape, so I pinned it with the seams. Take the right sides of the hoodies parts together and place stay tape on top of the one side of the seam line and pin all three layers together and sew. I used the jersey needle to sew with my sewing machine.

6. I used my Baby Lock Victory to serge all around the seam. Having the serger made this process very quick and I was able to sew with confidence.

7. Press the seam with an iron and do the same process with the other set of hoodie parts.

Mission complete! The seam lines are crisp and clean and my daughter and her boyfriend loved the result.

Sewing with My Baby Lock Victory ~ Skirt

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2025年6月27日 12:30:00 +0000

As I mentioned in my previous post, all my projects in 2024 were quilts. After receiving the Babylock Victory serger, my desire to sew more garments increased by 100%! I have many Japanese sewing books and American patterns I bought from Joann's. I have many apparel fabrics and knits for future projects. I have no shortages there. All I need is to just start. I guess the hardest part for me is deciding the perfect match of sewing pattern and fabric. Sometimes this process takes months and years for me, because I see many possibilities with the fabric piece and I have a hard time making a decision. I don't want to cut into the fabric and go "oops, I should have used this for something else". But, I am starting to think differently... saving the fabrics for a "special" occasion or purpose doesn't do any good for me or the fabric. I am not getting any younger and I should just sew something I want, wear them and enjoy them while I can!

My first project with my Victory was a simple white t-shirt. Today, I am sharing a skirt I made. Nani Iro Sewing Studio is a great sewing book and it is translated into English. If you are interested in trying Japanese patterns, this is a great one. I thought this skirt was totally my style and such a great design for day to day living.

After I traced the pattern pieces, it was time to start cutting into the fabric! I just needed to get over the fear of messing it up and just enjoy the process.

This is a pretty simple pattern to follow, but having a nice and dependable serger makes the process so much faster. I love to look at the clean edges too.

I love the waistband of this skirt, the front is smooth...

and has elastic on the back. I think it makes a little more elevated look.

The skirt was done in one afternoon.

Mr. TRH and I took a quick trip to southern Utah and I decided to take this skirt with me. Cotton skirts are always my favorite. Even in hot weather, it was breezy and comfortable. I love how this skirt fits me, so I will definitely repeat this one. I already sewed a couple garments after I sewed this skirt and I am going to share them soon. :)

Baby Lock Serger Victory, Me and My First Project

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2025年3月31日 14:07:00 +0000

I have been SO excited about my new Baby Lock Victory. Because it's all new to me, I had to read the manual and watched some videos, but I was able to figure out how to thread the machine and sew my first project with the serger! Seriously, the jet air threading and needle threading system makes threading the machine a breeze! I used to dread threading my previous machine, but not anymore!

I decided to make a simple white t-shirt for the upcoming season. I used one of my favorite t-shirts as a template, tweaked some things and made a pattern. I love the neckline and the sleeve length.

I wanted a t-shirt that is not so see through; I was able to use thicker material. It is a little oversized style with shorter length, which is perfect for my short torso. This reminds me of one of the reasons why I love sewing; you can customize your creation to your needs and wants.

I know I just sewed one of the most used t-shirts for this Spring and Summer. Stay tuned for more sewing projects in a future post! :)

Nightingale Quilt Completed and Gifted

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2025年3月27日 02:45:00 +0000

I finished this quilt at the end of last year, but I didn't have a chance to take a picture until recently. I am finally ready to share it!

I made this quilt for my second son as a "grown man quilt". As I was browsing for design ideas, this came to my mind. You can find the pattern at Lo and Behold Stitchery and the shop has other beautiful patterns you will fall in love with! I just changed up the colors to make it more for my son and he loved it. :)

Guess what? Shortly after I started making this quilt, my son got engaged. Their wedding is in less than a couple months! I am going to start making their wedding quilt. I gotta go!

Meet My New Serger! ~ Baby Lock Victory

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2025年2月02日 03:04:00 +0000

Hello everyone! This is the very first post of 2025 and I have exciting news to share. I have been an ambassador for Baby Lock for the last several years, and I created some fun projects with the sewing machines Aria and Sashiko. They are such excellent machines and I recommend them wholeheartedly. Now I have an opportunity to work with their serger, Victory!

Look at this beauty... decades ago, my husband bought me a simple serger as a surprise and it has been a good machine, but I always wanted to try a Baby Lock serger. I had a feeling that I would love their serger as much as I love my sewing machine.

Victory is on the more affordable side of sergers among Baby Lock, and it has all the bells and whistles that I wanted. The main feature that I was curious about and interested in for YEARS was the JET-AIR THREADING. With just the touch of a lever, thread is sent through the tubular loopers. The NEEDLE THREADING SYSTEM will make threading the top threads a breeze. Hold the needle threader in place for quick and easy threading. I really didn't care for threading my previous serger... Now I can spend less time threading and more time sewing and having fun.

Two bright LED lights help me clearly see every stitch, fabric and thread color. Having no tension adjustments and an adjustable presser foot height of up to 6 mm is AMAZING!

Also, I really love this ACCESSORY STORAGE! It's like when a girl is showing off her dress, and she says "Look! there are pockets!" Hehehe

I started looking through the manual and played with my new serger. I am already in love with my Victory. All of my major projects in 2024 were quilts. I have a feeling that I am going to do a lot more garment sewing this year.

R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum Review!

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年11月30日 13:00:00 +0000

I have a pretty exciting post today! I was given the chance to review the Riccar R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum! I feel like an early birthday and Christmas gift came to me. I know some of you might say, "why a vacuum cleaner as a gift??". I used to think that way too, but trust me, having a great and reliable household equipment makes our day to day lives so much easier.

After I opened the box and set everything up, I had to wait for the vacuum to fully charge.

Normally I have such a hard time waiting for something like this, because I am so excited and I just want to start using it right away. I decided to run some errands and read the owner's manual (which I usually don't like to do) like a responsible adult. haha. Speaking of the manual, it had a detailed diagram, and was very easy to understand even for someone like myself where English is a second language. From the product video and manual I learned a few things about the R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum. Here are some key factors:

1. 2 HEPA filters - It features Two HEPA media filters that work together to keep particles like common household allergens out of the air. Some of my family members have seasonal allergies. I love anything that helps to keep our indoor air healthier.

2. Smart Sensor Dust Detection - Infrared dust sensor automatically adjusts suction power to the dust level of dirt and debris

3. Variable Suction - There are 5 settings including Auto. AUTO setting increases/decreases power based on the mess it encounters (What?! That is incredible!).

4. Longer Run Time - Up to 40 minutes* (Runtime depends on cleaning surface, power level, charge level and age of battery). An infrared dust sensor detects dust levels and automatically adjusts suction to clean with the perfect level of power, which also optimizes battery life.

5. Charging stand with tool storage – This is one of my favorite features. The R65 charges when you set it in the stand, so it’s always ready to go. 4 tools can be used on the R65 wand or directly on the vacuum. They lock into place on the charging stand. Always ready and organized. The 4 tools that came in the box are:

2-in-1 dusting brush and upholstery tool

12-inch crevice tool that extends to 16.75 inches

Soft-surface dusting brush for soft or delicate surfaces

Rotating dusting brush

There are accessories that are sold separately for specific needs like removing pet hair, cleaning hard floors and a spare battery with dual-battery charging base. I might buy the extra battery later on to keep them handy when I do a super cleaning day for my entire house.

After a few hours, The vacuum was fully charged and ready to go. To start off, I vacuumed the main floor living room which has carpet and a rug, also some of the carpeted stairs. To vacuum the stairs, I disassembled the vacuum body, metal wand and vacuum nozzle. Then attached the nozzle directly to the Vacuum body. The fact that I didn't have to carry a heavy vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs is such a plus! I was so surprised to see how much dust accumulated in the dust cup from such a small area, especially since I vacuumed only a couple days ago. This proves to me that the R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum is easy to use, powerful, and a great versatile vacuum.

Thanksgiving is behind us, but we still have some holiday gatherings coming up. I know I can rely on my R65 Cordless Stick Vacuum to do the job!

Tamarack Jacket + Liberty of London + Baby Lock Sashiko

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年11月08日 13:00:00 +0000

In 2020, I made a Tamarack Jacket with already quilted fabric. It turned out nice and I loved the result, but I always had a desire to revisit the pattern.

This time I really wanted to piece the top and quilt it myself and then make it into a jacket. After 4 years (4 years!? I was thinking it was only a couple years. Isn't it crazy how time flies?), I discovered that Grainline Studio offers a Hood, collar & patch pockets pattern for Tamarack jackets. I was so excited about this and HAD to make a quilted jacket before this year ends. After going back and forth on design ideas, I decided to use my precious Liberty of London fabrics. I bought them here and there and added them to my collection for a "special project". Recently I am in the mindset of "saving the fabrics for a special occasion is nice, but I should just use them and enjoy them while I can". At first I thought about making the jacket 100% with Liberty, but decided to use gray fabric with it. I used Ocean Wave quilt blocks and started cutting and piecing the fabrics.

So far so good...

As I was piecing the fabrics, I was thinking about how the front, back, hood, and sleeves were going to look. I wanted the quilt design of the front panels to match up and the design on back and hood to be centered. I was less worried about the sleeves, because you don't see them side by side much. I recommend laying down the pattern often to see if you are headed in the right direction while you are piecing.

Then, the most scary part...cutting. I spent so many hours piecing the fabrics and I really didn't want to mess this up. There are other people who posted videos of how they made their quilted coats, but I decided to cut the top first, then, lay them out on the layer of backing and batting to cut. I recommend you cut more extra edges for the batting and backing, because as you quilt it, the top will shift. I thought I had enough, but in some areas, I was running out of the backing a bit.

Then quilting. You could do this with your regular sewing machine, but I really wanted a hand quilted look. I started quilting with my Baby Lock Sashiko, and it was so much fun to see how my pieced top became a "quilt".

After all the pieces are quilted, I assembled them as instructed in the pattern. I haven't added snap buttons yet, but I started wearing it right away. I simply couldn't wait!

I love the shape of the hood and how it drapes down in the back.

I love everything about this jacket and how it fits me. Oh! Just as a reference, I shortened my jacket by a couple inches to create better balance/silhouette for my body type. I am glad I did!

There were several people who thought I hand quilted my jacket and I told them that I did it with a special machine. I’ve had my Sashiko Machine for almost two years, but everytime I used it, I can't help but stare at the mechanism of this clever machine. This new jacket of mine is a collaboration of Tamarack Jacket, Liberty of London, and Baby Lock Sashiko. All my favorite things in one. I will treasure it for years to come!

Baby Lock Sashiko Machine Project ~ Scarf

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年10月01日 12:30:00 +0000

In the morning and in the evening it is getting a bit chilly where I live. I prefer cold weather to hot weather (the heat sucks out my energy) and I am anticipating the upcoming seasons. Fall is where I can start incorporating sweaters, cardigans, jackets, coats, boots and scarfs and have fun with layering. Speaking of scarfs... what I have here today is a quick tutorial on how I made a light weight scarf using my Baby Lock Sashiko.

* You Will Need

2 yards of Gauze or other lightweight fabric
Various Yarn, threads you want to use on the scarf

Note: I decided to use two yarns. One is a little thicker with waves and the other one is thinner and smooth to give variety and visual interest. For the thread, it is recommended to use medium weight thread because the machine doubles the stitches. Using a heavier thread can cause shredding and inconsistent stitching. Some recommend smooth cotton threads, like Aurifil; I personally love Aurifil. I made several projects with Aurifil on my Baby Lock Sashiko and the sewing process went smoothly and I liked the results. Also, remember to avoid metallic threads that can be too elastic or loosely spun. If you want to know more about thread and other tips, my friend Evy from A bit of Stitch has a fantastic Youtube video about Thread recommendations.

* How to
1. I cut the gauze in half, so the scarf will not be so wide. My scarf is going to be 25" wide x 2 yards. Then I used my regular sewing machine to zigzag the side so it doesn't fray.

2. From this point on, you can be an artist. Just imagine how you want the stitches and yarns to look on the scarf and start stitching. I started out with cream color thread first with stitch length of 5 and space length of 5. The stitch won't show much, but I love the subtle texture it creates on the fabric. Run a few lines on the scarf top to bottom.

3. I added the thick yarn next. All you need to do is to hold the yarn and stitch on top of it. Remember, the yarn doesn't need to be perfectly straight. I purposely made mine a really soft wavy line.

4. Next, I used thin green yarn. I used 2 strands of yarn and braided it as I stitched it down.

5. I didn't take a picture of this process, but lastly, I added stitches with Blue thread. I used the setting of 5 stitch length/ 5 space length. In the picture, you can see blue stitches running through the scarf. I love how the color pops.

Here is a picture of that part of the scarf. As I said in the beginning, I didn't have a set plan of what and how I am going to stitch and add yarn. It is pretty random, but it worked out as I pictured in my mind. The great thing about this project is that you could add even more stitched lines and yarn if you want to make them even more the focus of the scarf. I usually like muted colors and subtle designs, and that's what I did, but your scarf might look very different from mine.

Time to take it for a test drive!

I love how it turned out and it is making me want to make another one with a different color. Perhaps Navy fabric with brighter colors? I am looking forward to using this often this fall!

North Star Wedding Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年9月25日 12:14:00 +0000

Let me introduce you to my most recently finished quilt, "North Star".

I have always wanted to make a quilt for my children when they are getting married. Shortly after my oldest son got engaged, I started brainstorming quilt designs. I was going through the quilt books and patterns I already had. Then I came across the acrylic template by Jen Kingwell's "North Star". I love the meaning and sentiment North Star carries; Constant, guidance, direction, stability, etc. I thought it would be a perfect block to use to construct the quilt for the happy couple. I also asked his fiance's preference in design, then found out that she likes a simple, timeless and clean design. I combined his fiance's favorite color blue and my son's favorite color green. After making some sketches, I came up with this quilt.

I finished making it a couple nights before the wedding day (phew! That was cutting it close) and I was able to gift it to them. I asked them if we could do a photo shoot with the quilt later. Between their schedule and my health issues and all, it took a while to do the photo shoot, but it finally happened! They were such good sports about it and I had fun shooting their photos with the quilt.

Aren't they so cute?! Lastly, the quilt label I created in the back of the quilt reads:

Love is like the North Star. In a changing world, it's always constant. - Gorden B. Hinkley
May your life be filled with love and happiness.- Mom

Felt Pumpkin Tutorial with Printable Pattern

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年9月02日 14:21:00 +0000

October last year, I did a tutorial post to make Halloween Trick or Treat Bag. It was a post to showcase what that Baby Lock Sashiko machine can do. It was one of my most popular posts. Then, I found out that many people were interested in how to make the felt pumpkin I made to accessorize the bag. The felt pumpkin was something I made up at the last minute and hand sewed, so I didn't include that in the tutorial. Today, I am going to share the tutorial and a printable pattern! I hope you will enjoy it.

* You will need

Pattern
Orange and black felt (you could use wool too)
Orange and black embroidery thread
Stuffing
Thin Ribbon

* How to

1. Print out the pattern and cut them out.

2.Use the pattern and cut out the necessary parts.

3. On the original felt pumpkin, I embroidered the eyes and mouth, but I decided to cut the shapes out of the black felt and applique them instead. I wanted to show you different options. I used 1 strand of thread and stitched with whip stitch. You could do this with blanket stitch if that is what you prefer.

4. Fold the long orange felt piece in half and stitch the middle to make a stem.

5. Stitch down the stem and ribbon to the inside of the back piece of pumpkin.

6. Put the front and back of the pumpkin pieces together. Start from the bottom and leave about 1 1/2" open to stuff. I used whip stitch with 2 strands of thread. To secure the stem and the ribbon I sewed the top area twice.

7. Time to enjoy!

You could make this as a home decoration or a gift. Instead of sewing in the ribbon, you could add a pin on the back to make a cute badge too. There are many ways to enjoy this little felt project.

If you are curious about the Halloween trick or treat bag, please hop over to my tutorial to check it out!

Wensleydale Quilt for My Son

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年8月07日 02:25:00 +0000

At the end of last year, I decided to make a quilt for my oldest son. Sure, I made several quilts and blankets for him in the past, but not as a grown man. The great thing is, I already had a pattern in mind. It was Wensleydale by Jen Kingwell. Jen came to town last August and I attended her trunk show with my friend. I enjoyed looking at all her quilts, but the Wensleydale quilt stuck out to me and I thought to myself; that would be perfect for my boys.

There is an option to create this quilt with templates or use foundation papers. I decided to do the foundation paper method and the process went pretty fast.

I am normally drawn to floral patterns and bright colors, but I really enjoyed going through my stash to look for different types of patterns and colors. After I pieced them all, I decided to hand quilt it and started the process. Then...

While I was still working on his quilt, he got engaged!!!! I know! My first born, my baby got engaged! We were all so happy; I realized that I needed to start working on the wedding quilt for him and his fiance! Ever since I had kids, I always wanted to make wedding quilts for them when they are getting married. I am a bit slow on posting, but my son already got married earlier this summer, but I was able to finish both quilts a couple nights before the wedding, phew! That will be a story for another post. ;)

Textured Gauze Top with Baby Lock Sashiko

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年7月30日 12:30:00 +0000

I wanted to make a light and versatile top using gauze for a while. Also, at the same time, I wanted to add texture and a unique element to it. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to use my Baby Lock Sashiko and experiment with it. I bought 1 yard of gauze at Joann’s and used Madeira premium quilting thread for this project. I made a very simple pull over top; no buttons, no zipper, no fuss. Also, I usually wear XS or S, so for this project 1 yard was enough. If you have a sewing pattern you want to use it may require more fabric or you are blessed in stature, you will need to adjust the amount of the fabric you buy. Let me share what I did to make this top.

*You will Need

1 yard of gauze (as I mentioned in the beginning, adjust this according to the design or your size)
Good quality thread
T-shirt or knit you love and want to use as a template

*How to
1. I prewashed the fabric first just in case of shrinkage and then I lightly ironed it. There is a great blog post on prewashing at Seamwork, if you are interested. Then,I trimmed the top and the bottom of the fabric to make it into a nice rectangle. I drew a diagonal line from one corner to the other corner. This is the first line you stitch on. After that I attached my quilting guide to determine where to sew next. I set it so that there would be a 1 1/4" width between the lines. It is a simple tool, but it's such a time saver when you don't have to draw each line by hand.

2. Start stitching with the Sashiko machine. It is a very different machine compared to a regular sewing machine, and it might be a bit intimidating, but once you get used to it, it is such a fun machine to play with to explore and expand your possibilities. A bit of advice I can give you from my experience is to use quality thread and keep a slow and steady speed.

3. Once you are done with stitching the whole fabric with diagonal lines going the same direction, draw another starting line in the middle from opposite corner to corner. This way, once you are done stitching, you will have a criss cross design.

4.I used a French sleeve sweater as a template. The textured fabric I created is not stretchable like a knit or sweater, so make sure to use an oversized t-shirt or sweater as a template; unless you are making a shirt with buttons or zippers. Otherwise you might not be able to pull it over your body.

Make sure to add 1/4" to 1/2" seam allowance when you cut.

5. Because the fabric will not stretch, I cut the bottom wider than the actual sweater.

6. I cut the bottom of the front panel shorter than the back, but this is totally personal preference.

7. Cut around the neckline.

8. Sew the shoulders, then I used my serger to treat the edge to keep it from fraying. You could use different stitches from your sewing machine if you don't have a serger.

9.Use the serger on the side of the fabric, from one end all the way to the other end. Mark where you want to sew on the sides. I used the sweater as a guide to where I wanted to start sewing under the armpit towards the bottom. I didn't want to sew all the way to the bottom, So I marked a few inches from the bottom as a stopping point.

10.Sew the sides, open the seam and press with an iron.

11. Sew the seam around the armhole and stitch down.

12. Press the seam around the bottom and stitch it down.

Front view...

13.I cut 1 1/4" strips to make bias tape and sergered one side and sewed the other side to the neck line.

14.Fold and press the sewed bias tape with an iron. Stitch it down.

Done!

This is just an example of what you can do with textured fabric. The possibilities are endless and I think it will be fun to make a light Jacket for fall.

Time to test drive this new top!

Jen Kingwell Halo Quilt Finished!

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年7月18日 01:19:00 +0000

I finished piecing this quilt in September of last year (no I didn't remember this info, I just went back and saw my post on Instagram), and I finally finished hand quilting it last month. I have a good excuse for why it took so long... I was making two other quilts for my son who was getting married. That will be another post, but today, I am ready to share this one. The pattern is designed by one of my most favorite Aussie quilt designer Jen Kingwell and called Halo.

Not only do I love scrappy quilts, I just love her authentic design and warmth. To kick start this quilt, I went through all my fabrics from scrap bins to fat quarters to larger pieces. It was so fun to coordinate fabrics and unexpectedly to find great combinations. That is one of the thrills of quilt making in my opinion.

I started a quilt group over a year ago and we meet twice a month. I hand quilted this during those times and machine pieced other quilts when I was by myself. Oh, how I love the look of the stitches going through the quilt!

When people ask me who this quilt is for; my answer is, "For me!". I will have some posts soon about my son's quilt and his wedding quilt. Until then, Happy quilting!

First Time Ever Podcast Interview! ~ with Creative Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年4月23日 14:32:00 +0000

Emi of Emi & Ko Studio reached out to me a while ago to be a guest on her brand new podcast. To be honest, my initial thought was to decline, because I am usually terrified of public speaking and am insecure about speaking English as a second language. But, I thought to myself, "When am I going to have such an opportunity to try something like this?" It was a bit scary but exciting at the same time! Big thanks to Emi who made me feel very welcomed and I felt it was more like having a conversation rather than an interview. Surprised to say, I had a great time!

Please check out my episode. There are several places you can go to watch. Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Emi's blog

Laptop Sleeve with Baby Lock Sashiko

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年3月29日 12:00:00 +0000

I have been sewing for many years, but my children have had very little interest in what I do. They think it's great that I have something I love to do and respect what I do, but that's about it. So when my daughter asked me to make a laptop sleeve for her, I was so excited. Hold on, it is coming right up!

There are various sizes in laptops, so I can't give exact measurements to suit everyone in this tutorial. Please measure your laptop to come up with numbers before you cut the necessary pieces; use this tutorial as a guide. Also, this sleeve is to protect the laptop from scratches and minor spills, but not from drops. Lastly, I used 1/2" seam in most places except for the sewing zipper.

You Will Need:

Fabric for front and back - I wanted a pieced look but you can make this from a solid piece of fabric.
Batting
Thin muslin
Lining fabric
18" zipper - purchase a zipper 2" longer than your fabric panel width
Thread

How to

1. Measure your laptop. My laptop was 10" high x 14" wide x 7/8" thick. Considering the seam allowance, enough room to store the laptop in and pull it out with ease, I wanted the finished pieced fabric to be 12" x 16". So basically I added 2" to the original height and the width. It is pretty easy to do this when you choose to do it with non pieced fabric. If you decided to do a pieced look, make sure that your pieced panels are large enough.

2. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, my measurements are just a guide to give you an idea. I cut 2 pieces of 12" x 10" for the larger panel and 2 pieces of 12" x 4" for the smaller panel from large floral print fabric. I wanted to use various scraps to run through in between the large and the small panels. I cut them 4" wide and randomly pieced and trimmed them to be 12" long.

3. Piece the large panel, pieced strip and small panel together. Press with iron.

4. Cut 2 pieces of thin muslin and batting larger than your finished piece and lay them flat on the table. Layer them with the pieced panel to get ready to machine quilt. I used pins to secure them together. Make another panel.

5. I set the stitch setting on my Sashiko machine before I started quilting. Stitch length to 2 and stitch spacing to 3. This is a great feature to achieve the exact look you are going for. I used smaller stitch setting for my Halloween Trick or Treat Bag project.

I wanted different quilt designs on the front and back to have fun with the Sashiko machine (who said it has to be exactly the same! haha) and here are the results.

6. Trim off the excess. I wanted slightly rounded corners on the top, so I used random objects I found in my sewing room, traced them (mine are 2" in diameter) and trimmed them.

7. Find the center of the top seam of the panel and on the zipper. Pin the right side of the zipper to the right side of the panel. Switch the walking foot to zipper foot and sew slowly and carefully, especially the rounded corner. Do the same with other panel. There are some great tutorials on how to attach zippers on Youtube if you are unsure how to do this process.

8. Put together the panels right sides together and sew the sides and the bottom. Make sure to leave the zipper open during this process, otherwise you won't be able to turn the fabric inside out! Trim the bottom corners for a clean finish.

9. Sew the liner. I cut 2 pieces of 12" x 16". I started to sew about 2" from the top seam and ended 2" before the top. You will need that opening to fold the sides to fit and stitch to the zipper and create the rounded corners. Press the seam with an iron for a clean finish and press the top seam slightly more the 1/2" except the corners.

10. Put together the quilted panel and the liner and hand stitch the liner to the zipper. I carefully created the round corner as I was stitching. There are other methods to do this, but I just did what I was comfortable with.

It is time for a test drive. I inserted my daughter's laptop and it was a perfect fit!

This tutorial could apply to other devices such as iPads and Kindles. Isn't it fun to think about how you can have your very own personalized laptop sleeve? I hope you enjoyed my tutorial!

A Sweater to a Mock Neck Vest Refashion

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2024年2月13日 00:52:00 +0000

I have wanted to find a mock neck vest with a bit of personality for a while. Whenever I went out, I kept my eyes peeled, but no luck. One day, I came across this sweater at TJMaxx. The sweater itself is not my style, but I saw potential. I will share what I did to refashion this sweater to a mock neck vest.

1. Cut off the bottom. I didn't need the black + white border and I had enough length, so I cut it off.

2. Cut off the sleeves. Before I decided to buy the sweater, I made sure that the seam of the sleeve and shoulder were where I wanted, which is a couple inches past the shoulder.

3. Cut open the sides. I wanted to wear the vest with my oversize shirts and dresses, so I decided to cut the sides open and stitch up a little bit later. I also cut the front a little shorter. This step is a personal preference in what kind of design you want or how you want it to look when you are wearing it.

4. I used a plate to draw curved lines on the front and back corners to have a nice curved finish instead of straight corners.

5.Serge the edges. If you don't have a serger, you could use zigzag or other stitch setting on your sewing machine to prevent fraying.

6.To make nice and smooth curved corners, stitch the bottom corners with big stitches. Trace the dinner plate onto thick paper (I used a cereal box) to make a template. Place the template 1/2" to 3/4" away from the edge of the bottom corners and pull the threads to gather fabric. press with iron.

7. Sew all around the edge. I hand sewed with slip stitches, because I didn't want the stitch line to show on the front, but I could have sewn with a machine too. Then I sewed the sides. As I mentioned in the beginning of the tutorial, I decided to only stitch a few inches on both sides. This way, the armholes would be opened big, and the bottom opening is more flexible to accommodate oversized clothing when I want to coordinate with such. Make sure to try it on before you determine where to sew on the sides to figure out the best area. My recommendation is around your natural waistline area.

Time to enjoy!

This is pretty much exactly what I envisioned and I love it! I’ve worn it several times already, so has my daughter! I guess it is a definite win when your adult daughter asks to borrow it.

Red & White Table Runner with Baby Lock Sashiko

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2023年12月29日 13:00:00 +0000

Every year, from October to now I feel like I am in full gear between three birthdays in my family, Thanksgiving, parties, all the preparation leading up to Christmas and Christmas celebration. Phew... it is definitely fun and exciting, but it can be a bit exhausting. I bet many of you feel the same way. And guess what? Next up is New Year’s Eve!

In Japan, New Year’s Eve and the few days of celebration following New Year’s are very special. I am not very traditional, but I still remember how my family deep cleaned the whole house (yes, in Japan we do a special year end cleaning called Oosoji instead of spring cleaning) on New Year's Eve to welcome the New Year. My mom prepared special meals for New Year’s Eve and Osechi for New Year.

We exchange Nenga-jo (it's like Christmas cards), watch TV shows just for this season, visit Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines to make wishes for the New Year. I get a little nostalgic before New Year and want to carry on some of the traditions in my family. It is safe to say that I do it through my cooking. To enhance the celebratory feeling, I wanted to make a red and white table runner to set my table. I had some design ideas in my head and now it is time to make it happen with my Sashiko Machine!

* You will need
Red fabric 2/3 yard for the top
Fabric for the back -- You could use the same red fabric or something different 2/3 yard
Interfacing --- I used Pellon 987F Fusible Fleece, but it is personal preference
White thread for the Sashiko machine --- I used Gutermann 100% cotton thread for this

* How to
1. From 2/3 yard red fabric, but two 10 1/2" wide x width of the fabric strips. Usually, fabrics are sold 44" wide, but cut off the selvedges. Sew these long strips together to make it longer. Open the seam and press with iron. I did this to save money, but if you don't want the seam in the middle of the table runner, you could buy the length of the table runner you desire.

2. Iron the interfacing to the fabric strip you made in step 1.

3. Draw Sashiko Design on the fabric. On the center of the fabric I drew a 9" x 9" square first. Then I drew three more squares on both sides with 1/2" spaces in between. The both ends of squares are 9" x 8", but this all depends on your desired length of table runner. As far as sashiko design goes, I googled some of the traditional sashiko designs and I made some of them up.

4. Make satisfying sashiko stitch with Sashiko!

5. Right sides together, pin front fabric and backing together. With 1/4" seam allowance, sew all the way around the edge of the table runner. Make sure to leave a 5" opening for turning.

6. Snip the corners to a cleaner finish. Turn the fabric inside out. Use a pin to pull out the corners neatly.

7. Press the edges with iron.

8. Close the opening with slip stitch.

It is all done. I was able to finish the whole table runner in two days because of the sashiko machine, but I know it would take a lot longer if I was doing this all by hand. The table runner has good stiffness to it and I love how it turned out!

I love to think about table arrangements. I am going to do a low key flower arrangement...

Accompanied with red and white tableware.

I hope your 2024 will be filled with love, hope and much happiness. Happy New Year everyone!

Kantha Inspired Quilt with Sashiko Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2023年11月07日 13:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard of Kantha? Kantha means "Patched cloth" and is a type of embroidery performed in the eastern regions of India and Bangladesh. It is often used to make simple quilts with a mix of old saris and other discarded pieces of fabric. The rich history of Kantha traces back to centuries ago! I have a Kantha quilt I purchased years ago and what I love about it is the bright colors and big stitches running through the quilt. Kantha does not have batting in them, but it is very soft and perfect for summer nights. The art of Kantha reminds me of Sashiko, which also has a very rich history of its own as a type of traditional Japanese embroidery or stitching used for the decorative and/or functional reinforcement of cloth and clothing.

Kantha and Sashiko were both created by people who were trying to be frugal; repurposing the old cloth, but at the same time those women created something beautiful to enrich their lives.

I marvel at how the human brain works and makes us innovative. India (and other parts of east asia) and Japan are separated by sea over thousands of miles. There was no TV, books, or internet to know these things centuries ago, but somehow we have similar beautiful crafts. Isn't that interesting?

I always wanted to make a Kantha quilt, but I have so many other projects I want to work on. I thought why not use modern technology (meaning my Baby Lock Sashiko machine to create a Kantha inspired quilt!

I have a stash of beautiful fabrics (Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, Tula Pink and Sandi Hendersen!) but some of them are big scale fabrics and kind of difficult to incorporate to some quilt projects. I love the fabric design so much that I hate to cut them into small pieces and lose their original beauty. You should see me in my sewing room pulling them out, admiring them, petting them and putting them back on my shelf. Haha. I bet many of you have the same problem as me. I know that this project is perfect for those fabrics waiting to be used and shine!

* You will need ~ finished quilt size 63"x 75"

Several large scale fabrics with bold colors and designs, Several fat quarters and cut by the yard fabrics
Batting ~ Actual Kantha quilt doesn't have batting, I decided to use batting
Fabrics for backing ~ I pieced my fabrics for backing
Thread for piecing and quilting

* How to
1. Some of you may not want to hear this, but to piece this quilt, I just went with the flow. To start off, I cut several of my fat quarters in half to create rectangles and lay them out on the floor to see the placement of the colors and scale balance. The wider rectangles are about the width of the fabric which is about 42" to 44"wide. They are about 7" to 17" high. I pieced narrow columns and wide columns separately, then pieced the two columns together.

2. Baste the top, batting and backing together. I wanted to use the Sashiko machine, so I went with pin basting. If you are machine quilting with your regular sewing machine, this step is the same. If you are hand quilting, I recommend hand basting the quilt with large stitches.

3. I set both the stitch length and stitch spacing to 5 on my Sashiko.

4. I used 4 different colors of Aurifil threads. I love Aurifil threads for quilting, they don't break like my other threads and I can always depend on them. The space between the quilting is 5/8".

5. Cut the excess.

6. Sew bias tape around the quilt. I normally sew the bias by machine and hand sew in the back, but I finished it off with the machine this time.

Time to enjoy!

I pieced the backing.

I love looking at gorgeous stitchings

Now the Kantha inspired quilt is all ready to be enjoyed. It is almost winter, but I love bright colors and bold floral design. I could imagine myself, wrapped up in this quilt with good books in front of the fireplace and dreaming of a warm spring day.

Halloween Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2023年9月29日 12:00:00 +0000

Trick or treat! I can't believe we are already entering October. The year flew by so quickly and it has been a bit chilly where I live. I wanted to share a quick, useful and fun Halloween project using my Sashiko machine. Of course you could make this project with your regular sewing machine, but I wanted to showcase Sashiko stitches with this project. Are you ready?

*You will need

A fabric to cut side fabrics
A fabric to cut bottom and handles
A fabric to make lining 12"x 20"
Muslin for backing 12"x 20"
(sorry, it is not in the picture, but you need it...)
Fusible batting 12"x 22" (this is for the body of the bag and the handles)
Pearl Cotton to add trimming (optional)

*How to

*Note* I used 1/4" seam for this project

1. Sew the side fabrics to the bottom fabric. Open the seam and press with iron.

2. Baste the fabric you pieced with fusible batting (follow the manufacturer's guideline) and muslin. If you prefer, you could use pins to secure the corners. For quilting, I just quilted straight lines on the bottom fabric and crosshatch quilting on the side fabrics.

3. Add trim. I am still acquainted with Sashiko machine. While I was watching some tutorials on youtube, I came across a video. There is one technique I wanted to try. This step is totally optional.

4. Make the handles. Take the fabric and fold it in half horizontally. Open the fabric and bring both long edges to the middle and fold. Now you have three horizontal lines. Cut 2 - 3/4"x 12" strips from fusible batting and fuse next to the center line. Fold the fabrics and top stitch outer lines. Repeat to make the other handle.

5. Pin a handle to the quilted fabric and sew. See the picture for the placement of the handle. Do the same with the other handle.

6. Fold the fabric right side together in half and sew the sides.

7. Make the boxed bottom. Fold the bottom and create a triangle. sew. If you are interested in better instructions, there is a tutorial I did for this post, around step 7.

8. Follow steps 6 and 7 for the liner.

9. Put the bag and liner right sides together. Leaving about a 4" opening, sew the top around the edge. Turn the fabric inside out and press the edges with the iron.

10. Top stitch all around the top and it is ready for Halloween night! Well, almost... on a whim, I decided to make a felt pumpkin charm to accessorize the bag. Now, it is really ready, haha

You could make this bag or two in one afternoon, so you still have enough time before Halloween. Enjoy!

Baby Lock Sashiko Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2023年7月14日 12:00:00 +0000

At the end of last year, I received a Baby Lock Sashiko machine. It is no joke, the Sashiko machine has always been in the back of my mind ever since I discovered its existence. This is such a unique and innovative machine; it can create a hand stitched look. I started out as a hand quilter several decades ago, and I still love doing that, but it would be nice to have an option to quilt with a machine and get the hand stitched look. You can see what I mean...

WHAT!? Right? Isn't it pretty amazing? I used smaller stitches, but you can easily adjust the stitch length and spacing too. I inserted the quilting bar (guide) that came with the machine and quilted the borders. A little accessory like this makes the quilting process more simple and quick.

To tell you the truth I was a bit nervous about using the machine. It is a completely different type of machine than my other sewing machines (and I don't like reading manuals!!), but I was able to learn through Baby Lock SEWED online classes. Also my friend Evy Hawkins have several how-to videos out on Youtube. When you start going through her videos, you will find out that there is so much more you can do with a Sashiko machine.

It is quilted and bound. I made the hourglass blocks for this baby quilt with scraps from another project. I was going back and forth with white or gray background. I am glad I chose gray even though my usual choice is white. The bright colors against gray look pretty nice.

My daughter helped me to take this picture. She wanted to experiment staging the quilt and take a picture. Didn't she do a nice job?

I am far from being an expert on the Sashiko machine, but I would love to keep learning and experimenting with it for sure.

Dresden Plate Quilt from the Past

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2023年2月23日 04:41:00 +0000

I was going to post this quilt last year when I finished appliqueing all around the border, but I didn't. I guess I started working on the other quilt while I started hand quilting this one and kind of forgot to post it. Let me tell you a little bit about this quilt...

Why is the title "Dresden Plate Quilt from the past"; you might ask? I actually started making this quilt over 22 years ago. Sometime in my 2nd or 3rd trimester of my first pregnancy, for some reason, I thought I was going to have a baby girl. Please don't ask me why, I don't even remember. I jumped into this quilt project and appliqued all the main blocks and pieced them. Then at my ultrasound, I found out that I was being blessed with a boy! I put away the quilt top deep into my craft bin and forgot about it. I made lots of boy quilts for my boys and time went by... every time we moved, I would reencountered the unfinished quilt top, but then I would put it away again. A couple years ago, I had an impression that I needed to finish all the projects I started in the past; well, I have no strict time limits, but I decided that I shouldn't neglect them anymore. I pulled out this quilt top and designed the whole border applique and worked on it.

It was a lot of work, but I love how it turned out!

I started hand quilting it last year and I am still working on it. I usually have multiple projects going on at once, so I only hand-quilt whenever I feel like it. The process is slow, but I enjoy the time. I guess I could give it to my daughter, or one of my future granddaughters.
It is never too late to finish a quilt from the past.

Baby Lock Sashiko Sewing Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2023年1月31日 13:00:00 +0000

Sashiko is in the hooouse!

This giant box from Baby Lock was delivered to my doorstep the day before Christmas Eve. I had my birthday in December (I turned 50! Yep, it's kind of a big one), it was like receiving a birthday present and a Christmast present both at the same time! The name of the machine is "Sashiko", look closely, not Sachiko; which is my name(means a happy child or blessed one). Sashiko is a traditional Japanese embroidery or stitching used for the decorative and/or functional reinforcement of cloth and clothing. The items that were created using Sashiko stitching are very beautiful and I feel like many traditional Sashiko designs resonate with modern design lovers too. I found a great website if you know more about it.

A long time ago, I was at a quilt store and saw a Sashiko machine for the first time. To be honest, I really thought that Baby Lock named one of their machines "Sachiko", just like they had named some of their machines "Anna", "Amelia", "Rachel" and such. But I thought to myself "why a Japanese name???" I looked closely and realized it was "Sashiko" instead of Sachiko. I learned what the machine can do and ever since then, it has been one of my dream machines!

Now you might ask; "So, what could this machine do?". Let me tell you ... you can do hand stitching with this machine!!

I was astonished when I first found out about this!

I started out as a hand quilter in my teens and I did piecing/quilting all by hands. I am always drawn to traditional hand quilted quilts. I love the spaces in between the stitches and I feel like hand stitching gives a more softer, cozier and whimsical touch to the quilt. I still enjoy hand quilting, but I am starting to get concerned about my hands now that I am getting older. I will continue to hand-quilt here and there, but it will be amazing if I can use a machine and have it look like it was hand quilted! Wouldn't you agree?

I haven't started learning how to use the Sashiko machine yet, but Baby Lock has helpful online resources and my ever talented and skilled friend Evy of A Bit of Stitch has created a book all about Sashiko machine. I know they will help me tremendously in my learning process.

I can't wait to share my new creations using the Sashiko machine in the near future!

Scrappy Strip/String Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2023年1月10日 16:36:00 +0000

I remembered that I didn't get around to posting this quilt I finished in November. I used the same method that I used to make strip pillows in October. I used 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" tissue papers for the pillow, but I used 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" papers for this quilt, that's it! It is done by exact same technique, just bigger. If you are in interested in the tutorial you can click the link.

After I finished piecing, I wondered how I wanted to quilt it. The options are:

A. Ask someone with a longarm to quilt it for me.
B. Quilt it myself with my machine. I am not that good at it, but it will be good practice.
C. Hand quilt it.

I tossed and turned... well, maybe not that much, but I finally decided to hand quilt it with thick thread and big stitches. I was second guessing myself while I was working on it, but I actually love how it turned out!

I like using pieced fabric for the back of the quilt. It is more work, but I love the small surprize when you turn the quilt over. It adds more interest and character. The hand quilting is more visible on the back side and I love it!

If you have lots of scraps, this quilt is perfect for them. It is easy, quick and fun! Do you want to add it to your "to make" list for this year?

Christmas Tree Wall Hanging Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Sachiko) — 2022年12月01日 12:30:00 +0000

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree... every year I see fun Christmas tree quilt ideas online and want to make one, but a year passes by so quickly and poof! It is already December. I tried coming up with my own pattern around October. I was sketching and experimenting with fabrics. After a few tries, I came up with this tree pattern. Wouldn't it be so pretty if I made 300 plus blocks and made a quilt with these cute trees? I was looking at several projects on my table and decided not to do that this year. Instead, I made a small wall hanging!

Cutting the fabric might be a little tedious, but once you get the hang of it, this project goes quickly. It is not too late to whip this up to be part of your Christmas decorations.

* YOU NEED

4 different kinds of green fabrics
5 different kinds of red fabrics
White fabric

* HOW TO

1. Cut fabrics. The picture shows the parts you need to construct a block and the measurements are written in the picture. I only listed the measurements on one side because it is symmetrical.

2. Start from the bottom row. Lay green fabric down right side up and lay white 1 ½" x 1 ½" square on both ends right side down. Draw a diagonal line and sew on the line. Trim the excess and open the white fabric. Press with iron.

3. For the rest of the three rows, repeat the same process and add extra rectangle pieces to the sides.

4. Sew all four rows together and trim the block. The block should be 4" x 4 ½". 8 more blocks to go!

5. Cut 24 pieces of 1 ¼" x 4" strips from white fabrics and 16 pieces of 1 ¼" x 1 ¼" squares from red and green fabrics. Piece the strips with the tree blocks as shown in the picture; make the rows first.

Then, make the "skinny rows" with the white strips and colored squares.

6. Piece the tree row and skinny row together. Press with iron.

7. From the white fabric, cut 2 pieces of 2" x 15 ½" for the side borders and cut 2 pieces of 2" x 17" for the top and the bottom borders. Sew them on, press with iron.

8. It is totally up to you on how you want to finish the quilt. I have been doing machine quilting on my last few quilts, so I decided to do hand quilting on this one. I used white, red and green thread. It was a lot of fun deciding which color to use where. One of my dream sewing machines is Sashiko from Babylock. I know; it is a one letter difference from my name. When I first glanced at the machine, I thought, "Wow! The machine has same name as me!" haha. Sashiko machine stitches are uniform and consistent, making it easier and faster to finish your quilting projects (there are many other ways to use this machine, too). You can achieve a hand quilted look with this machine! I LOVE doing hand quilting, but when I am older and it gets harder to hand quilt, there is still hope. :)

I hope you will have a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for visiting!