Batik from Singapore! My Singaporean readers - do you
recognize it? It's SIA batik! All my other readers - this is
the fabric (or the facsimile therof) that the uniforms
(sarong kebayas) of the Singapore International Airlines
flight attendants (just the ladies) are made from. My friend,
who was an SIA flight attendant for a number of years,
tells me their winter coats were dark blue wool and lined
with this batik. Gorgeous.
While I lived in Singapore, I used
to roll my eyes at tourists who bought copies of this
uniform as souvenirs so they could wear it in their home
country. True, it is a beautiful uniform, but still! How
many people do you know who would buy the Delta Airlines
flight attendant's suit as a keepsake? Or, for that
matter, how many flight attendant uniforms are actually
available for sale to the public, even in generic
S-M-L-XL sizes? All too funny.
But here I am now, living away from Singapore, and feeling
slightly nostalgic, fabricwise. And so I thought I'd
make something that reminded me of home.
Not clothes, though, for flight attendants or otherwise.
A good ol' camera strap, but with one new feature- do you see it?
It's a little lens cap pocket
with hidden magnets to keep it shut
The lens cap is wider than the strap and I didn't want
to make a broad strap just to have its sides be flush
with the pocket's. So I kept the narrow strap, and gave
the pocket a gusset so it expands to accommodate its contents.
I loved making it but I don't need a new strap - our ikat one
is still going strong - so I'm putting this in the shop.
Here's another strap which was a custom order.
It has that little pocket too.
And because I feel sort of awful that I've been ignoring
the shop lately, I've put an Owie Doll in there. I know that
some of you have been writing in to ask about Owie Dolls
and I've been rudely silent about them. I'll be honest - they
are a lot of work if I want them to be done nicely and
I'm not sure I want to be making a lot of them when I am
dying to work on new wacky projects. I have various
parts of the doll sets in various stages of completion,
just in case I need to make a set in a hurry (snort- as if)
for a gift, but otherwise I am hoping that the pattern
will make it easier for the dolls to get into your
homes without me actually making them in mine. I've had
the pleasure of seeing photos of Owie Dolls made by some
of you who've bought the pattern, and I am so glad! And
some of you have written in to ask about a license to
sew and sell them, which, yes, I am thinking about.
I may still make some more sets closer to the
end of the year if I'm up to it, and put them in the shop,
but I'm not promising. I'm having too much fun playing
with my kids now.
But here she is - little Nora - tired of living in my cupboard
and looking for a new home. She's made of the original robe
velour that is so nice and thick and unstretchy,
she has her own sleeping bag, in case it's a long flight.
and her first-aid kit, in case it gets bumpy.
Stop by the shop if you'd like to adopt either of these!
I think I have some of that SIA fabric, or something like it - did that come from you?
ReplyDeleteAnd funny note, every Economist (magazine) that comes to our house has a Singapore Air ad in it featuring a flight attendant decked out in that fabric.
The Owie Doll is soo cute. I was never a healthy child, and I would have loved to play Medical with her when I was younger. You should make a boy version. :) Maybe even take custome orders to make it look like who ever it orders. Oh!! I also thought it would be cool if there was a piece of fabric that velcroed to the stomach and showed some of the organs. :D
ReplyDeleteThose owie dolls ARE a lot of work! I made the simple version of clothes for mine, and have yet to start on all the accessories. They are super cute, though =) I have a spare one cut out in my sewing cupboard, that I'll put together someday for someone. Just because it's easier to cut things out in even than odd quantities, IMO.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous camera strap!
I ADORE your Owie dolls. You are so talented and creative! I don't have any kids, but I secretly want one because they're so awesome. I hold some illusions in the back of my head that one day, *maybe*, I'll try my hand at one, but I probably won't because it looks like a lot of work. How long does it take you to bang one of those out? Doll, dress, accessories included?
ReplyDeleteJenny Lou Who:
ReplyDeleteYes, the Owie Dolls are a lot of work. I usually make them in batches just so it's more efficient. But if I were to make just one full set, I'm guessing it would take me 2 weeks of just working on that one project and nothing else.