Progress_Six pocket tote bag

Just completed another bag for mum. Followed the instructions from Better Homes and Garden (six pocket bag)  and it took about 3 hours to finish. Quite pleased with the result even if the straps don't quite meet at the bottom :)

Earlier this week, also made a yoga mat carrier for her (no pics unfortunately). The point is that I need these quick projects to sustain me. The quilts are nice, but can be quite frustrating / demoralizing when they don't turn out the way you envisioned (see previous post).

Recently connected with a fellow crazy crafter and she gave me some good tips on how to make the work "look more handmade but not homemade". Nice way of putting it ....  will endeavor to take the time to prep the fabrics appropriately. It'll be worth it.

Learning to walk before you run

Just finished piecing the honeycomb (formerly referred to as beehive) quilt top. This is a prime example of why you should take the time to cut your pieces accurately, PIN! and sew precise 1/4" seams :0
Most of the points on the hexagon didn't meet due to combination of poorly cut pieces and shoddy workmanship. Because I wasn't consistent in pressing the seams in a particular direction (got confused after a while) it was difficult to get the fabric to lie flat. Though I find sewing (not cutting) therapeutic, my problem is that I can't wait to finish the piece and end up in this mess.

Also learnt that the choice of fabrics is important when doing this kind of quilt because the larger patterns don't look as good when they are chopped up like that. Because part of the pattern is hidden in the seam, it gives the hexagon a mis-matched look. Ah well, we live and learn.

Used Anna Marie Horner's Good Folks which I got on sale last year.

Now I am toying with the idea of adding a border and selected 2 potential fabrics to match. Haven't decided which but after looking at the pictures, they actually look quite good together. We'll see.

Past Projects

Finally! Got down to taking photos of some of the projects.

This is what got me hooked. Started making these craft wallets (you can check out the pattern from etsy Childs Coloring waller by jcasa) as Christmas presents. I think its too amateur-ish to sell them online to actual paying customers, but will seriously consider selling a couple just to support this hobby. The fabrics are what makes all the difference, but they can get expensive.

More lovely fabric patterns.

Next were these wristlets I did for my mother. It was an effort to get to know the sewing machine a little better, and I was trying out the zipper foot. Turned out to be easier than I thought. The most painful part was the cutting. My father even got on board by purchasing the hook rings from the hardware shop (loads cheaper than when you get it from Spotlight!)

After gaining a little more confidence, tried out this sling bag. You can't tell from this picture but it was a major catastrophe because I ended up sewing in the lining backwards at 1 point, and had to cut, then reattach one of the straps. The button / pleat piece was also challenging. This was precision work  across quite a number of layers and I needed more POWER! Definitely need to try this out again because the pattern isn't half bad. This one was done with Amy Butler fabrics ( I heart! )

My latest obsession is to do baby quilts. They are cute, and relatively easy to do. Moda bake shop has plenty of free patterns to try out. Best of all, they use the pre-cuts which for lazybones like myself, is a godsend,  You can check out this easy tutorial by Amandajean (crazy mom quilts) Stacked Coin quilt. 
In particular, I like the detail at the back, with an additional strip of coins right across, just makes it extra special. 

Currently working on a beehive quilt. It isn't big enough to be called a baby quilt so likely gonna use if as a runner for the piano. Stay tuned for more pics.

The Mother Load!

I've just received an email from a relative who plans to relocate from the US back home and offered to ship stuff in their container! Hooray! I buy most of my supplies online because the range is wider, and frankly even with shipping, its cheaper. If we take out the shipping costs.... :) possibilities are endless . So many choices, so little time.

Just ordered 2 sets of fabrics for 2 quilts I plan to make. Summer Song by Riley Blake, Forrest Fun by Amy Schimler with 2D Zoo. (The theme for the week seems to be birds.) Couldn't resist and requested for international shipping. Have some vacation days coming up and can't wait to start these projects. the pink themed one will probably go to a good friend who just had a baby, I say probably because not sure if it will worthy to give away. Stay tuned for the results. In the meantime, NEED to get down to taking pics of the completed works to upload.

Anyway, thinking of buying a roll of batting, Its incredibly expensive here, $21 per m for Japanese cotton. Don't have many types available or I just don't know where to look. Its also bulky so international shipping is out of the question. Gonna do the math and see if its worth it.

Baby steps

This was one of my first attempts at the crayon wallet. Keep in mind I had no idea how to use a sewing machine, so sewing a straight seam was what I was aiming for. I like to jump straight into things and figured I can read the manual along the way then I do get into trouble. Its my impatient nature, problems delaying gratification.

Thankfully, it didn't turn out as bad. What really makes the difference is the lovely fabrics, oh they are sooo nice. I am not one to gush over inanimate objects but whoever started this whole industry of designer quilting fabrics, really knows how to keep you wanting more. I admit, I have spent a sleepless night or two browsing the myriad of choices out there (aside from etsy, there are a ton of sites selling fabrics) . The problem is having to choose a coordinated look, but when you don't actually have a specific project in mind, you end up going " oh, this will look good with that, how about another 1/2 yard of that, maybe I can make a bag with this one too....." Very dangerous territory. The stuff is not cheap either. You can spend the time to hunt down the best bargains, and there are some good ones out there, but my impatient self will usually go with whatever is the most convenient. Besides, in this part of the world, shipping isn't cheap and not all sellers are willing to ship to the Far East. Thankfully, I am still able to get my hands on these awesome fabrics. Will try to take a pic of my stash. Modest by any standard, but lovely to me all the same.

I've used the Hushabye by Tula pink in this project.

The journey begins...

My first blog. Yes, I am late in the game and sometimes feel like the proverbial dinosaur when it comes to facebook, twittering and the like. Was never into mudding and ICQ (oops, I think I just revealed my age) when I was in school and still have trouble keeping up with friends on facebook. Don't get the instant messaging lingo, dislike getting SMSes with so many acromyns it doesn't make sense anymore ...you get the picture. 

Devoted most of my time towards chasing my career, and in the past 5 years, as a full time working mom. It didn't leave much room for fiddling with WWW. So why am I doing this? Not sure, but my last boss felt it was good to record my thoughts by journaling. Also, and this is big for me, I have recently picked up a hobby (see title).

I was inspired by my sister in law's friend who had sewn my daughter a gift. It was a crayon wallet, to bring along for those car rides, and long sit down lunches so the kids can keep occupied. It was absolutely brilliant! and decided to find out where I could get more for my own friends. A little search on google brought me to ETSY and opened up a whole new world for me.

My husband (the sweet man) bought me a basic sewing machine and sent me on my way. I have since attempted to make the crayon wallet for my friends (gave away as Christmas presents, no one would pay money for them :)) and completed a few other zipped purses, pillows for my mum, a shoulder bag and my latest and arguably greatest achievement, a baby quilt. More about these in future posts. Right now, I am just pleased to have actually completed ANY project. My family will attest to the long line of hobbies I have tried out (from teddy bear making, hooked rug, various collections ) but have landed up in cold storage :(

Let's hope this one lasts a little longer. Cheers KK