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Ladies, if you haven't heard about environmental friendly reusable menstrual products, please read posts on Cloth pads & cups...

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Cloth Pad Giveaway - Earth Day 22nd April 2011 (Preparing the prize)

I have been working on the prizes for the Cloth Pads Earth Day Give Away...  I almost have the pads ready for all the winners and had even posted 1.   Plan to post the rest today...

The original prize
More liners for ladies who commented in the post and haven't tried cloth pad.



The below is additional for the winner, Ms M..  An insert type pad so that she can make her own soakers from T-Shirts/Towels/Handkerchief etc.   I hope this will make her switch to cloth pad a lot easier...

I have chosen microfleece as the top of the base as I found that the blood from the soaker doesn't stain it.  So, the base stays clean even though the soaker could be very wet...


The envelope with the cloth pads to Ms M in the Philippines is 85 gram.  I checked out the postage rate on Pos Malaysia website and the postage isn't too bad..  :) :
http://www.pos.com.my/pos/homepage/homepg_rate.aspx


Hoping to post the prize today...  

Have a good long weekend,

Anic

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Green Idea 4 - Plastic Bags & Shopping Bags

I started using shopping bags awhile a go but I still have some plastic bags from before..   And sometimes, when I forgot to bring my own shopping bags, I collected some new ones...  :(    (see at the end of this entry on how to organise plastic bags.)

To avoid forgetting,  I now keep a shopping bag in my handbag.    It is very small when folded and doesn't take up much space in my handbag.   I bought it at Guardian, about RM6 (I think).   But you could sew one...


When open up, quite big.. carry quite a lot of things.








Repurpose pillow case as shopping bag:
I have this unused pillow case and turned it into a shopping bag...   Quite happy with the result.



Another shopping bag added to my handbag.  :)














Useful way of organising plastic bags:
If you have lots of plastic bags at home, fold them neatly and keep a few in your bags and many in your car.  :).  There are many ways of folding them.

1) Triangle (my favourite) : 
How to do:


Bye now,
Anic

Monday, April 25, 2011

Cloth Pad Giveaway - Earth Day 22nd April 2011 (THE WINNER)

Thanks to all who participated and it is inspiring to see what you do to help the earth.

The winner is Ms M!  Congratulations!



She has won:



I would like to send a liner (different print) to all participants who have not tried cloth pad.  They are:
1) Noen
2) Myluv-Sylvia

Honey & Butter, can't tell from your comment if you have tried cloth pad, if you haven't please email me your home address.

Thank you!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Cloth Pad Giveaway - Earth Day 22nd April 2011

Dear all,

It is Earth Day on 22nd April... I am doing a Cloth Pad Giveaway, to enter:

1) Visit http://act.earthday.org/ and find something you could pledge and leave a comment to let me know  ----- gives you 3 chances
2) Leave a comment in this post  -----gives you 1 chance
3) Spread the news in your blog and leave a comment here ----- gives you 2 chances

The PRIZE will be 1 LINER and 1 REGULAR (about 9") cloth pad.  
The regular pad will have bamboo fabric/Zorb as core and top with one of the below flannel I bought from http://nizacraftshoppe.blogspot.com/2011/03/joann-cotton-flannel.html.

Updated 22-April, I have cut the material for the top.  I hope the winner will like the prints.  :)
Updated 23-April, the pads are ready...   :)


Deadline is 24th April 11:59 pm Malaysia time.    I will use a random generator to pick the winner on 25th April.

International entries are welcome...

What we could do to help the world...  even small things will help:
1) Use reusable menstrual products..  of course this is first in my list..  :)
2) Switch of the tap while brushing.
3) Lower my use of bottled water/ beverages.
4) I will turn off the lights if I dont need them.
5) Stop buying plastic water bottles.
6) I will use rechargeable batteries.
7) Never leave my laptop ON when I'm not using it.
8) I walk up the staircase to my apartment instead of using the lift..  (luckily my apartment is low floor, lol )
9) I do not use harmful soap & laundry detergent.
10) I pack food using my own containers.
etc...
So many things we could do...   check out http://act.earthday.org/ to find more ideas:

Updated 24 April, participant list:
1) Ms M
2) Ms M
3) Ms M
4) Ms M
5) Mila
6) Mila
7) Mila
8) Mila
9) Mila
10) Honey & Butter
11) Honey & Butter
12) Vintage Coconut
13) Noen
14) Noen
15) Noen
16) Noen
17) Noen 
18) Myluv-Sylvia
19) Myluv-Sylvia
20) Myluv-Sylvia
21) Myluv-Sylvia
22) Myluv-Sylvia



Bye now,
Anic

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Sewing Notions 14 - Scissors

The recent Sew Along - Mybotang Applique Project has inspired me to look at scissors.

I was using a big pair of scissors, the usual pair of scissors I used for cutting fabric, it was difficult for cutting small applique...  and my hand was painful..  :(

What scissors do you have?   Any recommendation of getting good and economy fabric scissors in Malaysia?

I started reading about scissors online and coincidentally, Applemama had bought Fiskars scissors from the US.

I asked my good friend "Google" and found some good reviews about Fiskars softouch scissors:
   1) http://www.quiltersreview.com/article.asp?article=/review/product/001225_a.asp
   2) http://www.epinions.com/review/Fiskars_Brands_Soft_Touch_Scissors/content_412426473092  

It uses a spring to automatically open the scissors and we just need to close our hand to cut.   It has ergonomic handles with soft rubber which cushion the grip.  Sound really comfortable to use.

But, where to buy locally?   I heard they are expensive here..  :(  

They are a lot cheaper in Joann.   Need to get a friend to buy...  :)
1) http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3504&PRODID=prd38123
2) http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3504&PRODID=prd38122 - apparently this is about RM150 here and it is about USD15 now in Joann.

If you are buying from Joann, check out coupon code to use here:
  http://www.retailmenot.com/view/joann.com

Other than Fiskars, there are also Kai & Gingher, someone was asking which is the best brand:
  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081010023429AAGxxqo

Here is a link which provide good overview of different grades of Scissors & maintenance etc:
  http://www.jaeberly.com/id50.html

Another article with lots of information about scissors (how to select your scissors?)
  http://hubpages.com/hub/Sewing-Scissors-Scissors-Basics-for-Every-Sewing-Task


Interesting discussions about scissors:
  http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97251558.tip.html

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Sew Along - MyBotang Appliqué Project..3

Previous post about this: 
1) Sew Along - MyBotang Appliqué Project..1
2) Sew Along - MyBotang Appliqué Project..2


Once start... difficult to stop...  Here is my vase with flowers waiting to be machine stitched...   :)




Some part was not cut well... feel like I need to get better scissors...  Any recommendations? :)

Trying to do something else now...  :)

Bye now...
Anic

Sew Along - MyBotang Appliqué Project..2

Previous post about this: http://anic-lohas.blogspot.com/2011/04/sew-along-mybotang-applique-project.html

I found other interesting links...   The previous links I found were using Satin Stitch but I think the concepts apply to straight stitch for going round corners, circle etc..

Here is a nice video tutorial using straight stitch with raw edge:
   Applique-Raw_Edge_Stitching__D51.html

------Oh... it looks so useful to have a walking foot..   I want one..  :)

Another useful video with the details of cutting fusible web and ironing:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1OahzmtM50

Other nice video tutorials of machine applique with hiding edges for future projects :) :

   Machine_Applique-Straight_Stitch__D57.html
   Invisible_Machine_Applique_Stitch__D53.html


Some real work:
I have the pattern cut out already..   Just on normal paper...   aiyah... actually,  I could have traced the pattern directly on fusible web which is what we supposed to do...


I have the habit of cutting out patterns and then use that to trace on fabric... (for hand sewn applique).


Cut not exactly the way the pattern was printed... added my own taste.. :)

Presser foot which I may use...  if not just the normal foot:



The tutorial said we could use either very light or very dark background...   I am going to try a dark one, hope it turns out well.   I want to make a blue bag.



A side note, anyone interested with the below little iron?  I saw it in one of the above videos, looks useful.  :)
Emma has it on her blog:


Emma doesn't have it in stock but if there are 5 units, she could help purchase.  It is RM78 each.  This is unconfirmed information, if there is interest, I could check.

Bye now and have a good weekend,
Anic




Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sew Along - MyBotang Appliqué Project..1

So long...  I didn't sew...   There are other things which have higher priority..   When I am not doing something, I don't usually say I don't have time..  as I know it well that it is due to lack of priority given..  i.e.  if I could give something the priority, there will be time..  :)

Anyway,  I need a good push to sew something,  I decided to join Sue's sew along.


A perfect opportunity to:
1) Try out machine applique - em.. don't have applique foot-lah...
2)  Use the Steam-a-seam-2 I bought looong time ago from SS2 Craft World, quite pricey... I like Mila's way.. use interfacing and glue.. :)
3) Clear some fabric scraps..
4) Sew another bag,  planning to turn the applique into a bag....

My research before I start the project:
1) How to use steam-a-seam-2 
I watched the 3rd video on this page.

2) Machine Applique techniques 
---  Don't have Applique foot then use what erh?  
Read more about why applique foot is good:  http://www.sewaquilt.com/walking-foot-vs-applique-or-darning-foot.html,

I am going to just try open toe foot or the the normal foot..  let's see how it goes.. :)  I think the presser foot shown in the picture of Sew, Mama, Sew page is an open toe foot.

---  Some tips on how to stitch applique:
See point 11 of  http://www.myhappycrazylife.com/how-to-applique/

--- Tips of sewing corners, circles, squares:  
http://www.stitchemup.com/applique/satin-stitch.htm


Though the page use a satin stitch but I think the concept applies to straight stitch...


Good tips from the same link:
"Use your fingertips to guide the fabric. Regardless of how fast or slow you sew, too much pressure on the fabric prevents it from moving easily under the needle."


Preparation of material...  will report when my AA batteries are charged again...

Bye now..
Anic

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