A craft blog: our work list so far!

Yo yo yo, it's Lino again.

Today I would like ramble a bit about what we do at the moment.

Fili&Lino is starting to be active offline and online. We're planning to blog more often and share more stories about crafting. Not to mention we have quite a big plan ahead. Probably around May? We'll tell you when it happens.

Now, I would like to thank ALLLLLL readers and friends who participated and commented in our giveaway post. We still have 4 more days to go, so if you read this and still haven't join the giveaway, be quick :)

Next, the waiting list for Fili&Lino custom order is loooonnggg. So far, both Fili and Lino have around 16 stuffs to make until next month. Tiring, but we're happy making each of them. To make it quick, I simultaneously make five things at once, even though each of them are different. This is my first five from the work list:

(L - R: Tote Bag, Tote Bag (different size and shape), passport case, pencil case/pouch, hand bag).

So far, I finished adding the fusible interfacing to four of them (minus the tote bag number 2 from the left) and finished the custom order passport case. Since I used to travel quite often, I have this kind of idea on what should I have on my passport case. This is the result:

Passport case: two sleeves, one zippered sleeve, card sleeve, one pocket in passport size and a pen place.

My friend specially requested this type of pattern. Why? Because it looks like one of Kimura Takuya's wardrobe <3 Unfortunately, even though it is 100% cotton, the fabric somehow quite coarse and the checker can't line properly. It keeps on leaning to one side. But thankfully my friend is very happy with the result, so...

That's all from Lino today.

Stay tune because Fili have something for you soon.

Cheers!

Fili&Lino

Tutorial: Triangle pouch/pencil case + small giveaway! Yay!

Another tutorial! This must be a very productive for Fili&Lino.

Last year, a friend showed me a pencil case/pouch with a unique design. It's like a triangular pyramid but not.  So based on my vague memory, I recreated the pencil case. Voila, the result is an easy unique pouch that can be made in less than an hour! In case you need a last minute gift for a friend, this will do.

Tutorial: Easy Peasy Fabric Flower 2

I know it's been ages since our last fabric flower tutes, but it doesn't mean we forgot it.
So, here is the second instalment of our fabric flower tutes.

This time, we're going to make the bottom right flower in this photo.

Those red shirts!

A friend of mine was about to leave for 1.5 years. She asked me to make something for her from her old shirts. She gave me two medium and large size shirts. These are the shirts.



She asked me to make a laptop softcase (not a bag), a pencil case and a throw-everything-inside pouch.

Voila! Here are the results :)

The pouch. I retained the pocket and the button. I also added a D-ring in case she needs to attach something to the pouch.

The pencil case. She asked me to make a double zipper pencil case.

The padded soft case. Again, I retain the button and the pocket. I also added a little twist by positioning the flap diagonally.

So, here they are. Enjoy!

Lino

Kembang gula Bear

Hello Fili here :)


This time I'll introduced you to Kembang gula (or Cotton candy in english) bear.

 

I used cotton batik fabric. I wanted to try some variation in bear making, so I decided to use batik and felt for the nose and eyes.

His measurement is:

L = 25"

W =  12"

When I bought the fabric, I didn't have a proper knowledge about batik. I was very shock to know that the colour faded significantly when I wash it. It was very heart breaking, especially when you already fell in love with the fabric. Because of that reason, I made him into a sitting-type bear rather than cuddle-type. The pattern of this fabric can be formed into a symmetric pattern. However, I cut it as I like so the pattern became random like this ^^;.

Jointed legs and arms

His back

note: He's a male bear, even though he has soft colours and 'Kembang gula' as his name :)

I hope we can update here more often. At the moment, our schedule is a bit hectic. However, we'll try our best to update more.

That's it. See you later :)

Fili&Lino

Break Time: Making Cards

Hello, Fili here :D

It's been a while since my last post here

The idea came when we took a little break after our first participation in a bazaar. I talked about how interesting would be to make a card *yes, it's my first time making a card* and then Lino said "why don't we make it now?" then we grin at each other. After that Lino brought some of her scrapbooking tools and this wonderful book

Because we had to list some of our items at our etsy shop, Lino had to do a photo session first. While I waited for her, I read the book to search for a reference and chose papers for my card. Choosing a paper was the hardest thing to do. I kept on distracted by one after another CUTE pattern papers and it surely made me confused. In the end, with some considerations, I choose the one with nature theme in it. After Lino finished the photo session, we gathered all the tools and decided the design. I made a card based on an example on the book while Lino made a card based on her own original design. Isn't it cool? XD

Lino recycled an unused paper as part of her card too (Lino: It's actually an article about military expenditure in China, one of her old reading materials in uni). She taught me various things about card making and she was really patient towards my carelessness during the process. My skill is still poor at colouring so there was uneven colours here and there.

And this is the result!
(Lino: A great job for a first timer!! Really. You all should see my first card. It's... awful)

That's it, making card is very fun! I hope I can make more of it and increase my skill next time :)


See you later,

Fili&Lino

More Crafty Stuffs from The Land of Rising Sun

If you love craft, Japan is a great place for you. They have lots of interesting stuffs, materials and books.

When Lino guided her aunts to Asakusa, the shop around the Sensoji really tempted you to buy them. All the bags, pouches, purses, everything are very Japanese-ish and cute! Unfortunately Lino didn't buy anything, but the stuffs there is something that looks like this, this, this and this.

But the real deal if you visit Japan is to buy their craft book, cause Japan has thousands of it. Where to buy? Any book store will do fine. Lino bought one purse making book and Cotton Friend, a sewing magazine complete with patterns. The price of the book is around 1300 yen, while the magazine is 900 yen.

Wait, only two?? Nope. Cause if you want to find cheap book, CDs, games, you go to Book Off. Lino visited three Book Off around Asakusa and Shinjuku area. Unfortunately, Book Off in downtown Tokyo is quite small, much smaller than the Book Off that Lino visited in Hiroshima City. Still, Lino succesfully found various interesting book/magazine in very good condition with bargain price. Some of the result of her hunt here (you can also see the price tag):

In the end, Lino bought nine craft book/magazine. She would love to bought more but her luggage (and wallet) won't allow her.

Next, if you love craft, you have to visit Tokyu Hands (fyi it also has online shop. Dang!). It has bric a brac, souvenirs, stationeries, cute stuffs to hand craft materials. The one that Lino visited was in Shinjuku inside Takashimaya building. It also has Yuzawaya on 11th floor. Thank God Lino already visited Nippori before, because the fabric price at Yuzawaya is much expensive than stores in Nippori.

Lino was caught in awe when she saw hundreds of washi tapes in Tokyu Hands. There are just too many colourful and excellent design washi tapes there. After contemplating for a while, she finally decided to buy some washi tape. It surely cost a lot for her, but how many times she had chance to visit Japan?

These are the washis.

She also bought the colourful Frixion Pen. Frixion pen is surely a breakthrough in stationery world, cause the ink can be erased by forever there eraser on the tip of the pen. 

So that's all. Lino was broke (like TOTALLY broke), but she's happy.

Fili&Lino