Process JournalEvaluate

1. Size (25cm x 14cm)The dimensions of the pencil case is 25cm x 14cm, fulfilling the requirements. However, it would be better to make a larger pencil case in the future, as it can contain more materials than a small pencil case.

2. FunctionThe pencil case functions as a working pencil case that can be used by the client. Because its stiches are mended together well and the zipper is firmly attached, the pencil case will not fall apart and defeat its purpose. Clients are able to open the pencil case through the zipper, insert or eject objects, then refasten the zipper so that the objects left inside don’t fall out. Because of its size, the pencil case is also able to withhold the length of different objects, making it more functional than small pencil cases that can only fit specific things. The medium size also supports a larger volume, which means more things can be included in the pencil case. The client is therefore content with the product, because it functions as a pencil case that supports objects of varying lengths with a decent capacity through its dimensions, and because of the firm stitching, there is not threat of the pencil case ripping open in the act of carrying reasonable weight. The fabric of the pencil case is also thick, so it will not rip easily.

3. DecorationThe pencil case bares very minimalistic decoration, which gives a sense of youth and playfulness. Because of this, the pencil case is aesthetically pleasing through its simplicity. The navy blue of the zipper correlate with the baby pink of the stitches that enables the pencil case to be used by a large range of ages, as it gives of both a sense of maturity and childlike manner. The illustration of the decoration is a shooting star, which is not vulgar or suggestive, making the pencil case appropriate for all ages. It is also universally acceptable, making the pencil case globally fulfilling of cultural standards. The line below the shooting star serves as a balancer that adds balance to the star that is placed rather heightened on the pencil case, and also emphasizes the star the way an underline emphasizes words. Shooting stars are also extremely enchanting, as they are a symbol for wish making, and can therefore inspire clients towards determination and persistence to reach their dreams. For those reasons, the decoration is successful in fulfilling requirements for being globally accepted. In the future, I could maintain simplicity or use more colors for a more attractive design. I can also experiment on different designs, shapes, or use more stitching styles.

4. Quality of StitchesThe stiches are of good quality. Although there was an initial mistake in the stitching of the decoration, it was overcome by opening the stitches with an un-picker and replacing the wrong stiches with new ones that followed the pattern. The stitching of the zipper onto the pencil case body was also done correctly, with the stiches binding the zipper to the fabric firmly and in a relatively straight line. The stiches also align the zipper between the fabrics, which means it’s successful in making a symmetrical pencil case. From the outside, you can see a line of the stiches, which was intended also for aesthetical purposes to balance out the line below the shooting star. The stiches that bind both sides of the fabric together were done in one go, meaning that the pencil case will not rip and the angles or edges. The stiches bind the fabric together securely, in straight lines that cover the circumference of the pencil case. The corners of the stitches are done in 90-degree angles, making the stitching successful. In the future, however, I should focus on doubling the stitches, so that the pencil case’s stitching will ultimately be stronger.

Do differently or better1. First time rolling the bobbin

Initially in rolling the bobbin, we didn’t know how to hook the string onto the bobbin to roll it. It turned out that the string had to be long enough so that we could thread it through the bobbin and hold it in place from afar while it was rolling. We also had to repeat the process several times because we rolled too little string around the bobbin each time, so the string ran out quickly. In the future, we should be more generous with the amount of string rolled around the bobbin, so that the process doesn’t become repetitive. When we first rolled the bobbin, we also didn’t read the instruction manual close enough, so we didn’t know that we had to adjust a valve to switch the mechanism of the pedal to rolling the bobbin. In the future, I should be more careful in reading the instruction manual carefully to avoid complications.

2. Insert the bobbin into the bottom of the machineThis process was troublesome because in one of the phases, we accidentally loosened the grip of the place the bobbin was supposed to be inserted, which resulted in two pieces of the container falling out of its place. At first, it was difficult to return those pieces to their places, but after comparing the parts to the body of the container, we managed to figure out how each piece fits where and how to refasten the retainers. Afterwards, however, we encountered trouble with luring the string out of the bottom of the machine, and instead tangled it terribly within the lower mechanism. After reviewing our mistakes and rereading the manual, as well as asking for help from supervisors, we discovered our mistakes. In the future, we should be more careful of reading instructions and following them, to avoid time-consuming problems that are difficult to solve on first try. The problem was that the string that became the tongue of the bobbin was too short to be raised out; in the future I should be more careful in reading the instruction manual so that I don’t make fundamental mistakes like this.

3. Un-pickingBecause I was did the decoration spontaneously, I didn’t have a fixed plan. The decoration was also the first thing that I did, so I wasn’t yet used to the speed and way the machine worked. Because of that, I made a mistake the initial stitching of the pattern, which resulted in myself having to un-pick the thread and redo the process. This was because I was too indulgent in the process and wasn’t as careful as I should have been on first try. In the future, I should be more careful in the direction I sew and in the speed I sew as I situate myself with the machine, so that I won’t make any mistakes that require extra work to improve. In this way, the sewing machine would be faster and more accurate, and the final product would have less faults.

Learned1. Preparing machine

The first thing to do in preparing the machine is rolling the thread around the bobbin, which was difficult because it was the first time I used the machine so I was still unfamiliar with it. My partner and I read through the instruction manual, however, and managed to figure it out. We also discovered how to thread the string through the different parts of the machine, so that it would function properly. In the machine we used, there is also a tool that would pull the thread through the eye of the sewing needle that we figured out how to function the second time we used the machine, which minimized the time taken to thread the needle considerably. The difficulty faced was inserting the bobbin into its place under the machine for the under-thread, which we couldn’t figure out without the help of supervisors and peers. However, we eventually learned how to function the bottom of the sewing machine and thread the

bottom thread with the upper thread. We also learned how to lift and drop the horseshoe, how to work the side dial, and how to change thread types. After further investigation, we also discovered the blade at the side of the machine that helped cut thread. We learned how to set the distance and size of stiches using the set of dials at the top of the sewing machine. Afterwards, we figured out how to apply different pressures to the pedal to produce stiches with different speeds, and then how to pack the sewing machine so that it would not be damaged.

2. Making pencil caseBecause I have made a pencil case before, I was familiar with the pattern of pencil cases. However, in this process, I discovered the difficulty of sewing a zipper with a sewing machine, because the zipper creates an indent that needs its position to be adjusted within different phases to avoid damaging the machine. This can be done by piercing the zipper where the needle last punctured, lifting the shoe, moving the zipper head to a place that won’t disturb the sewing, before placing the shoe back down and sewing again. I also learned how to sew in organic lines, as opposed to the straight or slightly curved lines I’m used to sewing. Although the process takes more time and is more meticulous, the final result was satisfactory enough that I overlooked the time consumption and care it took. Through that learning, I was able to create my design accordingly, which contributes to the success of the pencil case. I also learned how to make proper 90-degree angles, so that the lines remain straight and neat. I also learned how much more effective it is to use a sewing machine rather than manual sewing, even for small things like a pencil case, because the product of a sewing machine is almost always more consistent in terms of size and strength than manual sewing. I also learned how to use different styles of stitches to my advantage of making the design more attractive, and to create unity with those stitches through consistently using only a few specific styles of stiches.

3. Vocabulariesa. Raising the bobbin – raising the bobbin means fishing the string from below the

machine using the string threaded through the needle.b. Threading the needle automatically – this is using the automatic threaded

provided by the machine to thread the machine through the eye of the needlec. Closing the stitches – this means reversing the direction of the stitches to close

the stitching so that it doesn’t open in the futured. 90-degree angles – this is for making corners. In the future, I could also do

corners of different angles to create different shapes in my stitching, for both the shape of the sewed object and the decoration.

e. Adjusting the styles of stitches – this is to create varying styles in stitching, mainly for decoration.