Heatnbond vs Pellon: An applique making experience

All Indonesian needleworks crafters I knew are crazy about cute designer's fabric, including my self.

It's like a trend now, everybody hunts for Alexander Henry's, Robert Kauffman's, Farbenmix, Suzy Ultman's, etc, or just something similar to their design.

I love the picture/pattern/characters on those cute piece of fabrics (I usually only bought fat quarter because it's quite pricey to me, heehee ), feel timid to cut them. So what I did was just turn them into appliques.

To make appliques, I was helped by this great product named HeatNBond.

It's a double sided fusible web, so convenience to use. We just iron the web on the fabric intended to be appliques, only for 2 seconds and it's ready to be cut. To stick the applique to other fabric (in my case, it's a cotton hijab) just peel the paper backing and iron it again, slightly longer than the first one. Because the fabric I use is a thin, sheer cotton, it only took 5 seconds to stick it. Although there's a "No Sew " wrote on the wrapping, I preferred to stitch it afterward, just to make sure that the applique stays strongly on the fabric.

Calyx Hijab (end of July 2011 edition)

Hiii, back again, bringing you the latest Calyx Hijabs...

This time, I didn't only have it screen printed, I also stitched the cute appliques I made from various cute fabric I've purchased.

All of them are sold in sets with the matching hijab pins.
Please shout in the shout box or email me for further info such as colors availability, etc.

"Owl" stitched applique hijab & pin. Pin made of velvety beads & novelty button

Beads Couture Needle

Remember my post about Tambour stitching?

As I said in the past, I will save some money to buy the tool, because I really interested in it, but it's relatively pricey for me.

Today, I've received the tool I ordered from here. It was Clover's and came with a plastic tube to keep the needle.

So happy, I tried it right away. At first, it's kinda awkward because I've never use it before.

But after 3 trials, I finally got it and love the tool because it make stitching (whether it beads or chain stitch) done faster (and more even in size...I think) .

This is the result of using the needle for beads stitching

These are the chain stitches I made with the needle. Not bad, eh?

Hmm, projects, projects...

Over Due

Yeah, this is an over due post but I just think I need to share it

So, it's been almost a month now, we're living as Bandung citizens...back to my hometown, after so many years (I think since 1993).

Adapting to the new climate (it's much, much colder here than Bandar Lampung), I got 3 days of cold, but I'm fine now.

Since we moved, I've been busy surveying junior high schools for my son. He done some assessment tests in some schools and waited and prayed for whatever Allah think is the best for us. Alhamdulillah, now he's accepted in an Islamic based junior high and will start his study next week.

At the moment we're renting 2 rooms in an old house. In that house, there is other family, a young couple with 2 toddlers.

The front of the house

Our house mates

To be honest, I enjoyed our space in Bandar Lampung more. Yes, the one we're living in now is more spacious, but there are problems that forcing me to look for other place to live (that's why I still haven't settled yet, still unpacked, out of the thought that I will move again very soon). Electricity is one thing. I'd like to buy a fridge (sahur is on my mind), but I don't think the electricity in this house allow it. Until this moment, I still haven't found the right place...still looking for it...

Anyway, we're happy to be in Bandung, although there are friends we missed in Bandar Lampung. We took some last pictures of us in the hotel we used to live in, in Bandar Lampung, together with my buddy, ibu Pia. For 2 weeks hubby stayed with us, helped our relocation. We're so happy, though after two weeks, hubby had to fly back to Langkawi, Malaysia, to continue his work there.