Summer Sewing

Summer is the time when I get maximum usage out of my sewing machine. This year too, I sewed quite a few shalwar kameez suits for myself (not interesting enough to blog about). I am happy to note that while nowhere perfect, my sewing skills are surely improving. I also sewed up this dress for my daughter just before paint work started at our house.

The fabric is lawn which is our staple wear during summer, being very light and airy. I am planing on sewing another casual outfit for my daughter, inshaAllah, plus one glittery affair for Eid, inshaAllah.

My Craft Closet

After my makeshift cardboard storage system collapsed two days ago, my husband was sweet enough to promptly put in two proper shelves in my craft closet. So I had a pleasurable morning today, putting all my things in there. So here is my international craft closet premiere:

Eid Clothes-- Done

The Eid clothes that I had been sewing for my kids are all done. I made two outfits for my daughter and one for my son.

My son's Shalwar Kameez is relatively simple. I did a bit of fabric painting around the neckline as I was short of time for any embroidery. The flower pattern is of my son's choice, as is the little chick button :)

I already posted the first outfit for dd. I made a little dupatta(stole) to go with it.

The second outfit is a ghagra (skirt) with a small shirt. This is also done in bright, festive fabric used for weddings and such. The embelishment is very traditional gotta work. I made a little dupatta to go with this as well.

A Typical Iftar

Iftar is the liveliest and most wonderful time of the day during Ramadan. Last evening I got a picture of our Iftar dishes. I think it is a good representation of what we usually eat at iftar (breaking of the fast). Starting off with water or date in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW), we normally also have fruit chaat, dahi bhalay and pakoras. On this occassion we also had a few samosas and my husband's version of the french toast.
Fruit Chaat is basically a fruit salad with a variable seasonings. I like to add only a little sugar and orange juice. Dahi Bhalay is basically pakoras made of gram flour or lentil paste, dipped in yogurt,of course with a load of red and green peppers and other seasonings.

In craft going-ons, I am done with the back for baby jumpsuit. It is a Drops design, quick in garter st with simple inceases and decreases. Looks a little weird right now with long arms and legs but these are supposed to fold over. So it will look quite all right when done, inshaAllah.

Also, I'm nearly done with my daughter's second outfit and will start on my son's clothes this weekend, inshaAllah. Will post pics when both are done.

Eid Preparations

I am so busy and so tired these days. It is not because of the fasting but rather due to an excessive load of self-imposed chores. All these preparations for the Eid and the wedding later on, is wearing me down.
Next year, no handmade gift items unless those are done before Ramadan, inshaAllah. I have to do a few craft gift projects for my in-laws. Plus, seeing the baby surprise jacket lying around, I decided to make a jumpsuit as well and gift both to the newborn baby after all. (I may have to knit a cap as well, to round off the gift). Also, I decided to sew traditional Eid clothes for my kids. All this on top of the routine household jobs. Usually I enjoy all these activities, but for some reason my stamina is not up to the mark this year.
With all this, my February sweater is progressing at a very slow rate. I did finish my daughter's Eid dress today:

It is the tradtional Kameez(shirt) and Shalwar (pants). The embellishment on the shirt is taken from one of my wedding clothes and sewn onto the fabric in applique-fashion. I might make a small dupatta (stole) for my 2-year-old to acccompany this. With this will be matching bangles and mehndi (henna) for my little princess:), inshaAllah!
Next on my sewing table is a Kameez Shalwar for my son and then an outfit for my daughter for the upcoming wedding.

Flower toddler slippers

I had been wanting to make slippers for my daughter for some days, especially since I had made a pair for my son last year. Finally a did make a pair a couple of days back and my daughter actually likes them (I think so) because she actually wore them and did not pull them off.

Flower toddler slippers

Materials:
· Acrylic yarn DK Rose pink and small amount of fluorescent green.
· Crochet hook size 3.5mm or one needed to obtain gauge

Gauge: 8 sts x 5 rows =2 inches (in DC)

Size: approx 6 inches long

Method: (Make two)
Rnd 1: Chain 3, join with sl st to form a loop. Ch 3, 9 dc in the loop, jn with sl st to the 3rd ch of initial ch3.Turn.
Rnd 2: Ch3, 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next , *(2 dc in next dc) twice, 1dc in next dc, rep from * once, 2 dc in last dc, jn. Turn.(17 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, ( 2dc in next dc) twice, 1 dc in next 6dc,, (2 dc in next dc) twice, 1 dc in next 3 dc, join.Turn.(21 dc)
Rnd 4: Ch 3, 1 dc in next 4 dc, (2 dc in next dc )twice, 1 dc in next 8 dc (2 dc in next dc) twice, 1 dc in next 4 dc, jn. Turn.(25 dc)
Rnd 5: Ch3, 1 dc in next 5 dc 92 dc in next dc )twice, 1 dc in next 10 dc, (2 dc in next dc )twice, 1 dc in next 5 dc, jn. Turn.(29 dc)
Rnd 6-9: Ch 3, 1 dc in each dc throughout, jn and turn.
From here on slipper is worked in rows, not rounds.
Row 10 -15: Ch 3, 1 dc in each dc throughout. Turn.
Row 16: Ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 11 dc, dec 1 st over the next 2 dc, 1 dc in next, dec 1 st over the next 2 dc, 1 dc in each of next 12 dc, turn.
Row 17: Ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 10 dc, dec 1 st over the next 2 dc, 1 dc in next, dec 1 st over the next 2 dc, 1 dc in each of next 11 dc. Fasten off.

Flower: ( make 2) With green, ch 2, work 6 sc in the 1st ch, join with sl st.
Rnd 2: ch 1, 1 sc in same st, 2 sc in each of next 5 sc, jn.
Rnd 3: ch 5,sl into the same st, sl in next sc, rep from to the end. Fasten off.(12 petals)

Finishing:
Sew the back seam on both slippers. Sew flower onto each slipper.

Eid clothes

Yesterday, I managed to finish Eid clothes for my kids. For my daughter, I have sewn blue shirt with turkish pants, both embellished with gota and sitara.

For my son, I have sewn the traditional shalwar kameez with a little emroidery at the neck. I am relatively new at sewing and am quite happy with the results.