Gachapin Grass Garden

I watered my Gachapin and in no time his hair started growing!
He still looks sad. Or tired. Just like me. Not sad, but tired. Today i've started spring cleaning. Makes a girl tired. But the house clean.
Plus i have to throw my site and blog through some back end changes, transferring hosting provider and i need to do something scary with migrating my blog since blogger will stop supporting blogs through FTP.
Keep your fingers crossed i get everything transferred and back up and running smoothly, but if my site seems missing for a bit over the next few days, i'm working hard getting things back to normal!

All the fabrics i bought in Tokyo inspired me to get back behind my sewingmachine. (not all fabrics in this pic are from tokyo, a lot come out of my stash) I don't know why i thought it would be a good idea to make a Queensized summer blanket for my hubby and me. Don't even ask how many squares i am cutting! But it is starting to look like something and i have to continue to get it ready before the real summer heat gets to New York!
Wish me luck. lol

How to make a fake fur stole wrap

Let me start by saying this, i think you could wear an elegant short faux fur cape every day.
But since we're nearing Halloween this tutorial might come especially in handy.
You have this wonderful costume but you don't want to completely cover it with a jacket?
Whip up a stylish stole! Quick and easy!

What you need:
Faux fur (39" or 98cm by 12" or 30cm)
Lining fabric (39" or 98cm by 12" or 30cm)
Piece of Velcro (1.5" or 4cm)
Pretty brooch (optional)

You don't need any special patterns, you can measure, draw and cut the needed pieces directly on the (wrong side) of the fabric.

Now call upon your inner Tim Gunn and make it work!

Since i adore everything that is soft, i went for pink fleece for the lining. Ofcourse you can use pretty smooth and shiny lining fabric!

- Do a "test wrap": Place the two pieces of fabric on top of each other(wrong sides facing) and locate where you want the cape to close, where you need to put the pieces of Velcro. On your right side it will be somewhere on top corner of the (right side) of the faux fur. On your left side it will be somewhere on the top corner of the (right side) of the lining fabric. Mark these locations with a pin.
Note: Keep a 0.5" or 1cm seam allowance in mind! Don't place the Velcro too close to the edge of the fabric.


- Sew the Velcro pieces where you just placed the marks. (i used some pink Velcro, since it matches my stole, but the color doesn't really matter)
- Pin both pieces of fabric (faux fur and lining) on top of each other, right sizes facing. Make sure the pieces of Velcro are on the same long edge on opposite sides.
- Sew all the way around, leaving an opening of approx 6" or 15cm to turn inside out later.
- Cut of the corners.

- Turn the cape inside out through the seam opening and sew the opening shut.
- Wrap the cape around you and pin the brooch on the faux fur where the two corners come together. The brooch won't be what keeps the cape wrapped, the Velcro will do this. The brooch is purely for decoration.

Voila! Enjoy your stole wrap!

Oh, i got to mention this in case you don't realize this already, it's for non-commercial use only. You may not sell items made from this tutorial.

Extra Large, Extra Cute Pillow

If you have been following my blog for a long time already you might remember the cute XL pillow i made. I can't believe it has been over 3(!) years that i made that!
Anyway, since i moved from Amsterdam to New York, i didn't bring the original with me. I wish i had, but that one pillow would have filled up an entire suitcase and i really needed that space. Not sure why, but yesterday all of a sudden i really missed that pillow. I dived into my past pattern stash and fabrics; I knew i had some fake fur fabric somewhere! Now i just have to get a new load of fiberfill, pillows like these need a LOT of filling!

My almost Martha Stewart Adventure

My almost Marthe Stewart Adventure involves bunnies. Cute bunnies. Drawstring bag bunnies.
If you have been following my blog for awhile, you probably know i'm not one to be overly excited about things when they are not yet sure to happen. In this case that was a good thing. All though i must say i did have some butterflies in my stomach.
What happened?
Well, i was contacted by one of the producers of the Martha Stewart show! To possibly do a craft on the show! Next to Martha! Whoooo. You understand, even if something like that isn't sure to happen, you will get excited about the thought.
There were some doubts in my mind though. Was i ready? Guess i could be. Who am i to think i could teach Martha something? Well, we would together be teaching the audience something. Was my craft good enough? I think it was, but then again, it didn't feel 100% right. You know, if you ever come on the Martha Stewart show, you want to be on with something you totally love yourself too, that represents you to the fullest.

We, the producer and i, had discussed a couple of possible craft projects and ended up with a variation on my furry drawstring bags. I transformed and updated the design a bit and turned them in a perfect Easter craft; drawstring bunny bags! Perfect to keep your eggs warm at Easter breakfast or to fill up with Easter candy as a treat bag. I also had to do a video tutorial so the producers could see how the project (and myself) would come across on camera. Then the wait began. Unfortunately this morning i got the news my bunny bags won't make it onto the show. Not because they don't love them, or not want to work with me, but just because it didn't fit the schedule/their plans for the season at this time or something. Hm. Too bad. But we're in contact. So you never know what the future might bring.
What is sure, is that i will post the video how-to tutorial of the bunny bags on my blog when Easter is a bit near. So if you love them, you will be able to make your own!

And they are not the only one re-thinking things, i have been pondering the whole second Etsy shop thing and i came to the conclusion that i would rather just place everything in my original first Etsy shop. So i'm currently transferring all items. If you have hearted items from my new shop and can't find them anymore, pls check the other shop, if it hasn't sold, it is probably there! Sorry for the inconvenience!

Now i'm off to file my and my husbands taxes. Keep your fingers crossed for some sort of a refund!

Fabric swatches

Fabric swatches. A lot of fabric swatches. Haven't counted them but i'm guessing like 300 or so. I recently received all my book projects back from the publisher. They were still there in London, just in case something needed to be photographed again or something. With every project i included the swatches of the fabrics used. To make it easier for the photographer i didn't refer to a list of swatch numbers, but added every swatch with every project, even if that meant cutting multiple swatches of the same fabric. So now i have a huge stash of swatches.

Will probably end up somewhere in some sort of patchwork quilt one day.
Where would you use 300 fabric swatches for?

Pay it forward; Bunny Dolls

I made two cheeky bunny dolls. The purple one went to Jenavi as the Pay it Forward craft. My other Pay it Forward crafts have been sent out too, but haven't received word they arrived yet, so pictures will follow soon!

Scrap love

Some days i even love my scrap pile of fabrics.

They're tiny... and many!

Today my desk was filled with tiny fabric butterflies.
I don't know what it is, but things like this make me smile. They surely brightened up this cold day.

Wall Storage

I needed some additional storage and didn't want to put any more stuff on the floor.
So now, on the wall directly next to my desk, i hammered two medium sized nails and hung my two vintage reversible bags on them.
Voila, instant wall art / storage space!

Issey is a doll now

So i managed to finish the issey doll.
Maybe i should have made the head a bit bigger.
Or the body a bit smaller.
To get the dimensions right.

Nonetheless i learned some new things again about doll making and already have more ideas to make more dolls in the future.

Anyone likes?

Sewing Issey

"Ooh! That's me!"


My little alter ego doll Issey is getting a bit pale around the nose. Because she's in my bag all the time the paint on her face is a bit scratched up. :(

So i promised her i would sew a larger version of her.
Am working on that now. Think it will turn out cute.

I've sold my sewing machine

I really did. I've sold my sewing machine.
No, I haven't given up sewing, I've bought a new one! Decided that it would be too much hassle to move my old machine with me overseas, get a converter and all that. It was just easier to sell and buy a new one.

I could have gone for the hello kitty machine (target) but instead opted for a white Singer Precision. Maybe plain white, but nothing a couple of cute stickers can't fix! It has to be personalized of course. Cutified.

It is a step up from my last machine, maybe even a couple of steps up. Love it! Hopefully my next step up will be something like the Singer Quantum Futura. How wonderful would that be?

Sewalong Cape

Got to post this before i leave. Proof that i really did manage to get a little bit of creative work done in this hectic period. (still far too little, i miss it!)
I mentioned the sewalong with Nico before, originated from a post i did about free online patterns. It took a bit longer than planned, but i finally managed some actual progress.
The original pattern is still online and can be found at the Burda site.

My version is almost ready, will finish it in NY. All sewing has been done, i only still have to put on the closure and the buttons.

Online sewing patterns

Got to share this.

I was flipping through some sewing magazines at the newsstand the other day when i noticed a download logo with some of the patterns in a magazine called 'easy fashion' from the Burda company. It stuck in my head, checked it out and there really are free patterns for download! It looks like the patterns are updated, maybe with every new issue of the magazine? A very good thing is that the (detailed) work descriptions / how to's are available in 10 (!) different languages. Choose yours!

cute as a button pouches

I thought i had already posted about these. Just realized i hadn't yet.

Each pouch has cute inside lining and it's own matching button. Either on the pouch or attached to the zipper as a cute zipperpull.

bag 'buttons and shapes'

i should really measure and pin more. at least for me to be more satisfied. it would just look better if i would have sewn that see-through front pocket on more straight.
or left it out all together.

I do love how the combination of shapes and colors worked out. there's a lot going on without being too overwhelming. or is it.

Two more longnecks

Please meet the final two of my longnecks.
I'm thinking of entering the white one in the Softie awards. Maybe i should choose another? Or multiple? I see others entering more than one softie. There is still some time left to enter. i don't have the illusion of actually winning, there are many great talented entries already. but i think it's time i should get something out there.
All longnecks are approx 13 inch high. I will come back with some cute names for them.

New longneck friends!

Skyes the giraf has found some new friends to play with in the playground!

More info and pictures (there are two more!) will follow tomorrow!

Patchwork blanket done!

It missed a couple of set deadlines, but then it did get finished.
Cozy on the bed with the already done pink version.

I think i can never wash it since i wasn't thinking and used many different types of fabric. Next time i'll go for one type only.

pink pouches

i'm focussing a bit more on it becoming a reality that i will eventually finally one day open up a little shop of my own. well in the past i owned an internet shop before, but i didn't make the products i was selling myself(original cute kawaii items, what else?). this would be a whole new venture. but a shop is nothing without inventory. so i got to set my mind on making some cute items that would possibly make it into my sales pages.
Let's start with some zippered pouches.
Got some work to do.

phew... finished that bag

finally.
i won't be making another one any time soon. of course it would be easier a second time around since i now have a pattern ready and i've learned by mistakes.
it also took a long time because after every step of the way i stopped. left it alone. had to think about my next move. and still i managed to sew parts together which had to be sewn on in a later stage, thank you seamripper!
but with me being so "smart" to choose for two different types of vinyl fake leather type fabrics when you rip a seam the needle holes are still a bit visible. and with some parts where the two different fabrics are sewn together the fabric kinda 'ran' a bit.

but my newest motto is "Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself" so i'll see what i like about it.
i like that it's finished. ;)
i like the dark brown and white color combination.
i like how my ismoyo girl applique came out.
i like that i did manage to figure out how to complete it.
i like that it's strong and large enough to stylishly do some small grocery shopping with.
i like it that i didn't decide to be lazy and did include an inside pocket, you know you want to put your keys somewhere where you can find them easily.
did i say i like the fact it's finished?

a heart to cuddle

Those who have been reading my blog for a while might know that me and my Love travel between NY and Amsterdam. That means we're not together all the time. We can't always celebrate life's joyous moments with each other. This coming Valentine's we're not going to be spending together. Now it isn't that i think that much about Valentine's day. 1 Day to be sweet to each other? C'mon people. Make everyday Valentine's day for the one you love. But hey, that's my world. But i don't dislike the day of hearts either. I love all the pink and red that comes with the day. I love to get a small surprise gift from the one i love. I love finding something sweet and thoughtful to give. I love dressing up and going to dinner in a small restaurant. Feb 14th is good, but any other day will suit me just perfect too. Since i must miss my hubby i made something to cuddle up to anyway; a heart shaped plush photo frame!
I think it came out okay. It would also be a good idea for when you have a little kid who is going for his or her first sleepover, you could put in a picture of mom and dad in there, so the night without them isn't too hard to get through.

Have a Happy Valentine's day tomorrow! Spread the love!

Checkered couple

Oops. Bought socks in the wrong size...
Trashcan or reconstruct? What do you think?!
Turned them into this couple who have now created a home for themselves on top of my bookcase.

I just cut and sewn as it seemed logic to me. There are many tutorials of how to make sock monkeys and puppets to be found online. Webgoddess has a clear step by step tutorial which is a good starting point if you don't want to just wing it.

Oh yeah, stuffing a long looong and narrow tail is not a fun activity.

Skyes so high

Today on the playground.

whispers
"hey psst, you seen the new one?"
"how could we've not?"
"what is it? it's sooo tall!"
"i think i know, i heard about those before, they're called longnecks!"
"really? would you dare to say something?"
"uhm. hi there, mr. longneck?"


"well hello little ones. i was wondering if i could spend some time here on ismoyo's playground with all of you."
"he wants to stay here"
"we have never had such a long visitor"
"maybe he won't stay long"
"that's not what i meant..."
"of course you can stay here with us mr. longneck!"
"thank you, i would like that very much.
one thing, could you stop calling me mr. longneck? i'm a giraffe and my name is Skyes."
"nice to meet you Skyes!"
"nice to meet you too."

Skyes the giraffe is made out of felt. And very dark yarn turned into manes using a long loop crochet stitch. Stuff, stuff very much stuffing inside to keep his neck strong and upright. I choose not to put in a stick or some sorts, I'm trusting my stuffing skills with this one. I did put two short sticks in his horns, no stuffing there and iy would look bad if the horns wouldn't stand straight up. The paws give the balance so Skyes won't fall over.
He has a total height of approx. 13 inches or 33 cm.

4x crafty apron

I still had to show off these four crafty aprons, or tool belts however you want to call them. I mentioned making them earlier, but never got around to taking pictures of them. Well i did try, but they were difficult to take good pictures of. (they look prettier wearing them, than laid out on the floor...)

I started making the square one, but i must say i quickly found out that square isn't flattering for your figure when wearing the apron.. Still cute, but well, square. So i like the way the others came out better. They all have lots of different compartments to keep all the needed tools and notions nearby.
As an extra, the green one and also the square one both also have see through vinyl compartments.

Pink patchwork

What was i thinking when i started this project? Well, i wasn't thinking actually. I just figured i would find out how to do it along the way. And i did. Just not in the most practical way. Oh, i could have done that better like so and so... well, already too far along to go back and adjust. Make a mental note for next time and proceed as started. In the end it therefor didn't come out entirely like i had planned it to, but nevertheless it is already my favorite blanket of all time!
Kinda difficult to make a good picture of it. It's large enough for one person, approx 115 x 200 cm, for the picture i have spread it out on my double bed. I used the softest pink velour fabric i could find for the back of the blanket. In combination with the soft padding inside it's very very comfy to cuddle up under during those upcoming cold winternights!






Some detail shots i made when still in progress.

Squeak, squeak

Well hello there. If you go by my blog, it might seem like I haven't been very creative lately. Creative literally as in actually creating things. But luckily there are some things to show and blog about.
There are also a couple of projects which are nearly finished, but I've recently ordered some new woven labels and I want to put those on so I'm waiting for the mailman to deliver them and then I'll finish those projects too.
Uh, what's with the squeak squeak? It's the sound these round plastic "squeaky-sound-makers" make. hihi. Got to incorporate them in a cute plush toy. Probably an animal. A felt squeaky little mouse maybe?

Is this Ismoyo's playground?

See whom I was welcomed by this morning!

I'm planning on making some more, attach straps or something so you can hang them somewhere and see how much fun they have. That would immediately solve my dilemma of should i attach the cupcakeholders or keep them loose so they can hop out when they want to. Well, i'm still finalizing the ideas for these cupcake-cuties.
One day i will open up shop and i want to have something that is really Ismoyo. Maybe these can start it off.

New notions

I can call a bunch of buttons and some zippers notions, can I?
I'm learning sewing related terms in English lately. Since I haven't been sewing for more than like a year or so, I'm really just learning all terms in Dutch, my native language. But since I'm a citizen of this world, and I want to communicate, I need to learn the right words to describe certain things in English. I am always willing to learn. So if anyone catches me saying something stupid, making constant typo's, using wrong words, being confusing and all that, pls let me know! I won't be offended. but be gentle anyway... honest, but gentle.
I do know my English isn't that terrible. Maybe you would even call it fluent both verbal as well as written. But it's just not my native tongue. With every blog post there is a point of frustration because I can't find the exact words I want to use to get my message across. Ofcourse there is the beloved spellchecker and I love using it, but I not only want to know how to have something corrected for me, I want to know how to do it myself. maybe that's why there is always a paper dictionary on my desk.

Don't leave me alone

My Love sent me the Moby video, In this world in an email when he was still in NY. The video shows the story of the tiny green aliens with 'hello' signs who come down to earth (NYC) and walk around, but nobody sees them. You should check it out, it's sweet, touching, adorable. Could make you cry if you're in a certain state of mind..
Well, the thing is, my Love and I are now hooked to those little aliens. I have mentioned before that he was able to fly over to Amsterdam because he had to do some shows and last Friday was the first one during the Amsterdam Dance Event. The loving wifey that I am, I wanted to give him something for good luck. I know he carries around mascots/plushies that I made on stage when he performs, so what better to make then one of our new found friends from Moby's aliens??
Started out by looking at the video a couple of times and made some alien sketches. Next, I made a miniature version out of Playdoh clay. Because the clay doesn't harden, I folded a little box (plus topcover) to protect him. When my Love arrived, this was all that I could show him since the plush version wasn't done yet.
So when Friday came, I really had to get started. Love was doing his final rehearsals and I was franticly behind my sewingmachine. I was real happy to have it finished in time, although there is something I could have done better. I used some copper wire to make the feelers on his head stand up and I also used it to hold the sign up with. All sewing creatives out there know that an important part of thinking about how to make something, drawing up patterns, is to think ahead. Think Ahead. Ohoh, I was rushing so much that I forgot. So I made the sign not entirely to my liking. I know it won't hold up forever. Like I know not to attach anything that isn't tightly sewn secure on to it. Since my Love will carry it around Everywhere and will stuff it in his pockets (even though it's too large and won't fit), all things like buttons or glued items will come off. That's also why I had to sew on the eyes and the pupils. Which I could have done a better job on too. But let me not be too hard on myself. I got the best smile and hug from my Love when I arrived at the club and gave him the alien.

(PS while working on this craft project I found out that Moby did a sequel video with the aliens coming back to earth, this time with bigger signs and they do get noticed. It's called Sunday, the day before my birthday)

(PSPS I also sewn a Brooklyn patch on to his guitar bag. If you ever plan on doing this, Don't. You need to have a large area cleared out around your machine (which I hadn't), otherwise the bag will knock everything down. Second, to sew around the entire patch, you will have to turn the bag totally around while sewing, so at one point the whole thing has to move through the open area of the machine. = no fun. But the result was a happy husband who, after I told him how hard it was, looked at me with puppy eyes and asked "One a day maybe ?" He obviously has more patches...)

Sewing Machine Maintenance Time

It all started with this squeaking sound... squeak... squeak... squeak...
Can't be good... My Sewing Machine is talking to me...
Next, the lightbulb inside decided it had given me enough light and quit on me.
Ohoh. Can't ignore it anymore, time for a sewing machine check up. Maintenance time!

Fabric wallhangings

Still catching up here. I have been wanting to put up these pictures, and I don't know why I couldn't find/make any time to show them. So finally.

They are fabric covered canvases. Can't have enough wall art. I was reminded of them by Meshell's creations a while ago. It took me awhile to get to take pictures of them.


I've gone wild sewing on buttons, fabric, trims and other decorations. I enjoy making color compositions. It feels like everything has it's specific place, even before I even start, their own spot where it belongs. My task is to get them there. Sometimes it works and I get it, but sometimes I don't and that makes me sad..

The girl with the geese on the checkered fabric is a picture I found on one of my vintage children's postcards. I got her onto the fabric trying out the freezer paper fabric printing for the first time. The border under the ducky, or is it another goose? are three different trims stacked on top of each other. The flowers on the right fabric canvas were printed on iron-on paper. Used some scraps of white felt to iron them on to. (think I'll make more of these 'appliques', I like!)

More decorations on fabric. It's like making a collage. One of my favorite pastimes! The lady on the right canvas is my mom. I used the same image on my very fist handmade bag too! And same as with the flowers above, ironed the image onto white felt.

Catching up - sewing projects

I'm so behind on posting the things I'm working on, you won't believe it. So I'm playing catch up over the next couple of days. It's definitely not that I'm not making things lately, that I'm not being creative. I am. As much as possible. But everytime i finish something i think i don't want to post that yet because i still have to post all the other things. Ah well, it's just time to catch up now.
I did some sewing projects i haven't shown before. Like this heavy vinyl (oilcloth?) clutch. Brown, kinda leather look on the outside with a vintage button (which is just for show) and the flower decoration. Pink vinyl on the inside with a brown side compartment. The clutch closes easily with bright pink velcro!

I have never showed this dress yet either. Definitely not that I'm not proud of the dress, i am. Maybe not so much about the pictures. They don't do the dress any justice. It is so well made. And no I'm not totally bragging here. My mom helped me out a lot. Credit where credit is due. Like on the long hidden zipper that's on the back. Without her help i wouldn't have known what to do with that! I found the pattern for this dress in one of my vintage Marion sewing magazines. I desperately needed a great outfit for a garden cocktail party at my job that i helped to organize. The mainevent was this nationally known fashion stylist, Dyanne Beekman, who would be there to give styling tips to those who attended. Oh, all organized and nothing to wear!! I wanted to do the dress on my own, but because i only had a couple of days left to the event, i didn't want to take any risks. This dress had to be done and perfect in one try. I had this simple, yet elegant deep purple fabric laying around. Lucky me for always buying fabric even if i don't know what I'll make from it yet.

I love making bags, unfortunately i didn't have much time lately to spend on making them. This one found it's way through the hands of time. I was thinking about cupcakes while making the bag. The outside is decorated with a polkadot ribbon, pink zipper, buttons and a see through front pocket. The inside has some bright green/pink/white striped lining. And an inside pocket in the same lining fabric.