KAK ZAI SAYS......my Sarawak trip

My trip to Kuching Sarawak from 24 to 26 November 2010.

Posing at the LCC Terminal before checking in.

The terminal is busier compared to KLIA.

The clouds above Selangor..the wing blocked a clear view of the scenery below.

I had the middle seat, on my left was this Bidayuh lady. At 53 she has 7 grandchildren..Sarawak women marry at a young age.

The chinese man on my right fell asleep and started to snore right after takeoff :)

The in flight magazine made good reading...unlike MAS..AirAsia says leave it behind please.

At the Kuching International Airport...a welcoming board :)

I was fetched at the airport by Puan Rosmahwati a consultant from

Idaman Dhoori a consultant company entrusted by the Jabatan Ketua Menteri

of Sarawak to give sewing lessons to the poor and single mothers.

There were 20 participants including 4 gentlemen :).

Most of them handle sewing machines for the first time and I must salute them for they were able to sew a pair of baju kurung, a pair of baju melayu and 3 tudungs within a period of 4 days...Amazing!

For pictures of the sewing lessons please visit my other blog.

KAK ZAI SAYS......flying to Kuching

The last few days have been a bit hectic for me, making preparation for my trip to Kuching.

Finally almost everything is packed and ready to go on board AirAsia this afternoon.

This is going to be my first trip to East Malaysia and hopefully it will not be the last.

Tomorrow 25 November, I'll be teaching a group of ladies how to sew 'tudung'. For 3 days they learn how to sew 'baju kurung' that is starting Monday.

I was told the ladies will be wearing what they sew on the final day, 26 November.

Hope to snap lots of pictures...so stay tune :)

LITTLE ITEMS FROM SCRAP

A business card holder from scrap given to me by NYKOLETT

Mostly handsewn..with little embroidery.

It has been decades since I embroider anything.

Another one..........

Backview...........

So girls, waste not your precious scraps :)

MENCARI HIDAYAH DAN PETUNJUK...

Assalamualaikum

Kata guru..sebesar2 dosa kecil ialah dosa mata.

Macam mana ya nak jaga mata..tak mudah! Tapi boleh didik mata supaya tak melihat yang tidak sepatut dilihat.

Kata guru lagi...mata yang banyak melihat perkara berdosa dan tak sempat bertaubat...di akhirat nanti tak dapat lihat zat Allah..rugikan.

Olehitu marilah kita sama2 menjaga pancaindera kita yang amat berharga yakni MATA.

RECYCLE YOUR REMNANT..FABRIC FLOWER

I use lycra fabric to make my flower since I have plenty of it.
Cut a strip that measures 8" approximately.
Sew in the middle lengthwise.

Pull the thread gently till the strip gathers.

Fold the gathered strip..hand stitch along the folded part and gently pull and
turn until it takes flower form.

Here comes the braided strips from my earlier post.
Stitch two ends together.

Put a little hot glue..

..and place the fabric flower on the hot glue, press a few seconds.
Glue on a small button..this one comes from an old blouse.

Tadaaaaaaaa....
a decoration for any door knob.
Ooops...two fabric flower decoration
for your door knobs :)

RECYCLE YOUR REMNANT

ba ba black sheep
have you any wool
no puan no puan
I have no wool

BUT...
kak zai has remnant aplenty
soft n so pretty
jersey n lycra it be

WHICH..
I cut into strips
braid three and another three
mixing colors while on the spree

AND THE RESULT..

ANOTHER TOTE BAG

This is a big one...ample space for everything and anything :)

measurement 19" deep and 20" wide

I am going somewhere third week of November and this tote

will serve as a carry-all.

All fabric used except for the straps is from NYKOLETT

Thanks Rosni...:)

ONCE UPON A TIME..CERITA DULU2

It was in the 1960s that my neighbor bought a television set..a black n white of course. Cannot recall the exact year but I was definitely still in primary school.

It was the year Indonesia invaded the coastal state of Malaysia. The news on the capture of a few Indonesian soldiers was aired. A couple of years later my grandpa bought a tv set for our household. My grandma's favorite series was The Three Stooges and grandpa seldom miss the wrestling hour.

Malaysia in the 60s was quite turbulent..the invasion by Indonesia..the May 13 incident..the communist was still a threat...I remember the curfews, we had to stay indoor by nightfall. Grandpa bought extra provision those days...things like salted fish and salted eggs and of course rice must be stored in extra quantity just in case the curfews were prolonged.

A few hundred meters from the house was a hill, on the hill was a reservoir..grandpa told us it was the scene of Japanese tyranny during the Second World War. Many were tortured and a few were beheaded there. We children dared not play around that area for it was haunted..so the old folks told us.

KAK ZAI SAYS......make your own loop turner!

I was making straps for my tote bags and realized I was taking ages to turn the inside out.

I decided to use a big safety pin and a piece of wire as a loop turner.

Push the safety pin with the wire attached through the seam.....

....upon reaching the end push the pin through the fabric...

....lock the safety pin.....

....and start pulling the wire gently....

....until the whole length turns inside out.
The process took me less than a minute on each strap.

5 tote bags completed.

My first attempt at making a clutch bag.

JOM JAHIT..TRIM CATCHER

While blog walking a few days ago I came across Jom Jahit activities organised by tinihani.
Sew a trim catcher..well that's something new and an interesting item to sew.
But my trim catcher is different from the others as it is tied to the chair on the left hand side.
I found this style and position convenient.. :)
after all my working table is covered by a table cloth..placing another piece of material
does not seem appropriate.
Appreciation to Rosni from NYKOLETT
for the fabric.