Yardage on Upholstery, Slipcover, Window, Pillow & Beddings

- Add 10% more yardage for printed or striped fabrics - Yardages are based on 54" width solid color fabric - Add 50% more yardage for 36" width fabric - Add 1 1/2 yards for each extra cushion up to 30" wide	- Add 2 1/2 yards for a sofa skirt, tufting or channeling - Add 2 yards for a loveseat skirt, tufting or channeling - Add 1 1/2 yards for a chair skirt, tufting or channeling - Add 1 yard for two arm covers
Please consider your calculations carefully based on fabric width and any pattern repeats. This measurement is taken from MillRiverDecor.com and sulamsayang-diy.blogspot.com is not responsible for discrepancies.     Taken from Yardage Chart from MillRiverDecor.com

Working With Piping

I've worked with piping on my tissue packet and wouldn't dare to work on any other bigger project or the ones which requires excellent trimming just because that I find it a bit hard working with pipings.

Well today I've found an excellent tutorial video on working with piping, and the presenter showed how to work with piping on a difficult shape that is a round pillow! So I thought it's worth to share it here in this blog.

Sewing a piping
Sewing a round pillow with piping

DMC Floss Embroidery Color Card

Comprised of 6 easily separable strands, you can vary your stitching results, depending on the number of strands used.

Ideal for hand embroidery and cross-stitch, it is also perfectly adapted to other stitches, particularly long and short stitches and satin stitches.

Alphabets - Ondori Floral Embroidery

This is the design I used for my SULAM project. The finishing here is good as the material is thick. Remember, I used my burgundy japanese voille, thin fabric. So to make up your favourite word follow the needlework template as below. For letters not available just make it up. Making up the alphabet is easy I think, coz I did M on my own. However adding the floral motif is another. Good luck. Kalau dah siap share lah dengan saya. Tks.

Pattern Tudung Bawal

To beginner new tudung bawal embroiders following are FAQs. The answers will get you started with the pattern:

1) Where can I get patterns for tudung bawal?

There are a lot of web pages with pictures of tudung bawal pattern. Here are some of mine at Sulam Sayang:

a) Sulam Tangan dan Sulam Manik Tudung Bawal --> Pic #1
b) Tudung Bawal Sulam Tangan oleh Sulam Sayang --> Pic #4
c) Tudung Bawal Hand Sewn and Embroidered (TBHSE) --> Pic #2

2) How can get the patterns onto my fabric?

First, click the picture link. You will get a window with full view of the pattern.

Then, print the picture full onto an A4 paper

Place the printout underneath the fabric

Then, using an erasable marker pen, draw out (trace) the pattern on the fabric

You're all set to start with the stitching.

3) Which part should I start stitching first?

Start at the center area of the tudung back
Work the bullion flowers first
Then the stems
Then the leaves
Work your way along the tudung side until done.

Spring Loop Embroidery Frame

When a Sulam Sayang friend visited me at my home, I was astounded. Edina first came across my blog from a link on another Sulam Sayang follower. A cross stitch enthusiast, she wanted to try bead embroidery. We were happy to share knowledge. She referred me to a local cross-stitch store which I knew existed but somehow lost in my mind during the course of the years in Kuantan. So I decided to pay the shop a visit.

More than I bargained for from that visit, I found this forever wanted mini embroidery loop. Plus, it's one of the new thing in sewing tool, it's a spring loop. Just had to have it. So I bought two sizes, one 3" and the other 4" (in pink!!) Same as the traditional loop, the spring loop has two parts - the outer loop made of strong plastic, and the other the inner loop made of metal. This inner loop is fabricated with the ends twisted to function as holder to reduce its circumferential size to fit into the plastic loop. Neat! Pictures show how I used it to bead embroider a floral motif at a kurung sleeve end.

First, place the material wrong side up. Slip the plastic frame underneath. Place the metal frame from on top and let it place itself into the plastic frame neatly.

Turn it around and you're ready to work. Click here to see the finished project at Sulam Sayang main blog.

Perfecting Those Stitches with Coats & Clark

Sometimes we wonder how fine stitches is obtained. In hand embroidery it's best when you work with two hands. Serious!

While the right hand (if you're right handed that is) holds the needle and doing the sewing - placing and piercing the needle and pulling threads with even tension, the left hands hold the seqing frame. What beginners don't realise is they actually have a left thumb that can help with the sewing! Use the left thumb to hold down threads in correct position to assist perfecting the stitches.

1) Stem Stitch
2) Chain Stitch

Quick Embroidery Stitch Guide from DMC

Quick embroidery stitch guide from DMC Creative World

DMC Embroidery Stitch Guide:

1) Satin Stitch
2) Eyelet Stitch
3) Shadow Stitch
4) Lady Daisy
5) Chain Stitch
6) French Knot
7) Bullion Stitch
8) Seed Stitch
9) Stem Stitch
10) Straight Stitch

tudung bawal sulam tangan (dah siap)

Akhirnya siap jugak tudung sulam pertama saya. Happy betul, seronok rasanya bila dapat siapkan tudung idaman ni. Hasil tangan sendiri.. Really proud of it. Tak rugi belajar buat tudung ni, saya dah dapat tempahan untuk raya haji akan datang. Excted betul..!

Sulam tangan tudung bawal

Tudung bawal sulam tangan saya yang pertama.. (belum siap lagi)thanks to kak zihan for the pick n pull technique.

Sulam Tangan Tudung Bawal

Sudah selesai menyiapkan tepi tudung samada dengan kelim tangan slip stitch ataupun machine now's the time to hand embroider with your favourite floral design. For tudung Rozi I choose the colors white, yellow and emerald green to give that soft harmonious look. Draw straight line to guide the motif drawing. For this I use water erasable pen. Use air erasable pen to draw the floral motif and workable areas fitting the frame size used.

For the rose, I used bullion stitch working with white and yellow to enhance the 3D effect. for the rose bud, I used bullion stitch in yellow. For the leaves and branches I used emerald green. The leaves and stitched with lazy daisy stitches while the branches with straight stitches.

Once complete, give the tudung a wash thru running water to wash off the water erasable pen markings then soak in softener and drip dry. Voalla, your done. Give yourself a good pat at the back.

Technique Pick & Pull

Di sini saya cuba terang dan grafikkan teknik pick&pull ni. Susah nak describe tapi i hope members Sulam Sayang yang ingin mencuba dapat follow:










































Sorry pasal bad handwriting. Tulisan i memang macam ni. Masa kecik dulu bercita2 nak jadi doktor. Tapi tulisan doktor yang dapat!! Enjoy Embroidery!!

Checklist of Things Needed for Embroidered Tudung Bawal

To get started with Embroidered Tudung Bawal project you will need a plain tudung bawal. Pick a good quality fabric. Tudung bawal is as I found out from internet resource is "voile". Some say the best i.e. grade 1 is Japanese voile, followed by Korean voile, then others. Personally I agree with the point that the softer the material the better. Then again the Japanese are well known for their quality, naturally they make the best - fabric or bead for that matter. Note: the better the fabric the better result with making the edging, pick-and-pull.

Then think of the design or get the desired motif to copy. Get the threads needed. First is the sewing thread for the edging pick-and-pull and slip stitching. Then the embroidery thread or floss. There are many brands of embroidery thread available choose the best color, material and gloss to get the best finishing.

Get a suitable needle for the work. I prefer the blunt type as the sharp ones then to prick on the finger as we work. Can't mention the number as I found the grading differs from brand to brand. Just get a medium thickness and length. Get a needle threader if you need it. Recommended for those 40 and above.

Find a good size Ram to hold the fabric when embroidering. Picture shown plastic 6". I've seen Bah working with a small loom, probably 4", with ease.

As for all sewing projects, get a good scissor or cutting tool at hand.

Contact me for this sewing kit by email norazihan@yahoo.com or 019-9846026 or leave a comment here. It's only RM30 (not including postage.)

"Happy Sewing!"

Beginner's Beading Kit

Beginner's Beading Kit:

Japanese Glass Bead Small Packet 5 colors
Small Plastic Pearl 1 color
Rice Bead 1 color
Plastic Sequin 1 color
Scissors
Beading Needle
Beading Thread
Needle Threader
Bead Tray
Bead Container (empty)
Air Erasable Pen
Air Erasable Pen Eraser

Items may not be exactly be the same as in picture .

Price: RM45.00 (postal charge not included)

Email norazihan@yahoo.com or call 0199846026 for order.

Suggested Bead Box - ice cream container :) - for safe keeping of you beading stuff.

Awas - bila dah bermula beading nanti, manik-manik tend to beterabur, so sabar ye... Selamat Mencuba!!

Shida's FotoPage - Fotopages.com

shida's FotoPage - Fotopages.com



Aduh! Cukup menawan. Very tradisional motif, color and style. Love it. Mesti cuba jugak.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Beadwork by glamstarz - Fotopages.com

beadwork by glamstarz - Fotopages.com



Saya suka sangat design ni! Takpi belum cuba lagi. Mesti cuba jugak satu hari. Rasenye the challenge is to get the balance between the pattern yang sarat ni dengan the overall look of the dress. Glamstarz choice of color and type of beads for this design is excellent. But I must say the finished dress is not as outstanding. I better be careful when I'm laying out the design on my dress. Good job Glamstarz. Bagilah tips sikit untuk pattern ni.

Tahniah Ms Rosita Jaafar

Tahniah Ms Rosita Jaafar on your new edition of Beads Sequins Embroidery, Sulaman Manik Labuci.

First off, I first learned about beading from Mok Su Zana (fyi die ni pangkat anak sedara, mude lagi anak satu baru). Prosess pembelajaran ni was very first hand. She showed me a couple of stiches then I tried it on my projects.

Secondly, I proceed to more tricky stitches from Ms Rosita's book. I must say her illustrations are easy to follow except for the sequin flowers. I've improved on my bead flowers and basic chain from her book. My cushion cover project of bunga lalang was actually a try out from one of her designs in the book.

On the sequin flower, surprisingly my 12 year old son managed to pull them together. I had to learn from him when I did the sequin flowers for Kak Zah's dress.

Happy beading!!

Designing Freehand

This is my experience working on Warisan Bunga Par.

Designing freehand takes the artist out of you.

Like other form of design, first is to develope the sketch (pencil drawn draft.) Then transfer the drawing onto the fabric. Use a fabric air erasable pen.

Note, when sketching the size of the design is the size of the paper used (Here I used an A3 paper.) When transferring the design to the garment the final size of the design should be adjustment to fit the size of garment.

Then figure out the color scheme.
Color combination is crucial to the finished look.

For bead embroidery, then figure out the type of beads to use. For this project I have used Japanese glass beads, plastic pearls, and floral sequin.

For bead embroidery, the finished design, color, bead type and stitch type must synchronize with background, which is the material. For this project the material is dark blue Thai silk. Color design must blend well with the fabric color and texture.











As most of the garments Malay ladies wear are worn with a sarong, then don't forget to keep in mind the color and texture of the sarong fabric. This will complete the whole outfit.

Neck Stretch / Regang Leher

Hi beaders, I find my neck and shoulder stiff lepas jahit a few hours. Here's sharing neck stretch from Neck Stretch | ajc.com

Published on: 05/26/05

The move: Neck Stretch

Works on: The muscles, tendons and ligaments in the necks, shoulders, arms and wrists.

Step 1: Raise both arms above your head.

Step 2: Place your right hand on your head and pull gently to the right at the same time as you horizontally extend your left arm out

Repetitions: Stretch twice to each side, holding for 15 to 20 seconds each time.

Tina Burch/Los Angeles Daily News (ENLARGE)

With arms raised above his head, Richard Simmons gets ready to do the Neck Stretch.

Tina Burch/Los Angeles Daily News

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Getting the beads

Bila kita nak mulakan projek, kita perlukan manik dalam bentuk dan warna yang dikehendaki. Kenelah cari kat kedai manik. Mau bocor beg duit. Most of time, kat kedai the beads comes in 10gm packets. Setakat simple edging untuk lengan baju kurung, 10 gms is more than enough. Satu hal pulak nak simpan lebih2 manik yang sikit ni.



So at Sulam Sayang -DIY kite pak kan lagi kecik ~5gms. Just enough for beginners to work on small do-it-yourself projects. By buying small packets you get more packets from your money. That means more choices - colors and types.

"Bijak membeli name nye tu :)"