Around The World Blog Hop

Last week I got inbox from Madhu asking if I’d like to join the AROUND THE WORLD BLOG HOP. 

I was excited and readily agreed cos I've been reading postings from bloggers around the world.

it's fascinating to read their blogs and you can learn a thing or two from them.

{see, this is why I love blog more than micro blog } 

Madhu Mathur is one of the quilt artist in India if I may say so. Her works are one of a kind {OoAK} , very neat and her choice of color is superb. She’s meticulous in her work. Check out her BLOG to see her work or her facebook page for updates on her projects.

The rule for this blog hop is quite simple, you just have to answer these 4 questions. Well, it  looks simple but –for me- I am quite nervous =,= .

So, let’s start:

1.       What I am working on?

Hmmm..to tell you the truth, I always have dozen things going on.  Besides doing my custom orders for my Etsy shop, I have lots of other projects {mostly quilting} which keep be distracted busy *ahem*. One project too many!

so, here's what currently lying around across my dining table and sewing room 

#1  Sailor squares 

#2 Scrappy postage stamp QAL which going on in Instagram

#3 more wallet projects, all cut and ready to sew ;)

#4 HST baby quilt. I used Indian mulmul fabric here. Top is done just need to find a matching backing and quilting it

#5 MMDQ BOM - Dahlia by Madhu Mathur for Desi Quilters - Indian  Quilters Group on Facebook

#6 umbrella in a bottle 

# 7 my Desi Bee Double Star blocks. You can find my tutorial HERE

#8 My DQ Sunny Bees blocks

{I have more blocks but haven't taken the pics}

That's to name few. I still have more in my UFO bins. Arrghhh now I need to really take them out and put it up on the wall so that I can start finish them one by one. 

Out of sight out of mind 

That's really true, isn't it? *SIGH*

2.        How does my work differ from 
others of its genre?

Frankly speaking, I really don’t know how to answer this question. I think your work is an expression of who you are. I simply do what I love doing. You really cannot imitate someone, even if you’re doing the same work/pattern,  your personality will show in your work.

Personally, I like traditional quilt pattern more. Maybe I will give a modern twist on it. I am not very comfortable working with something abstract. I like something  with regularity.

My  color choice really depends on my mood, one day I’m in a bright color phase, sometimes I will be in a pastel color phase.

 But overall, I prefer something simple, sober and balanced  then ‘loud” ones. Even when I do scrappy project, I try to balance the colors and pattern.

Caterpillar

3.      Why do I create what I do?

As far as I remember, I always love sewing and crafting. I remembered I used to follow my mom around, when she gave craft classes in ladies club at my father’s workplace. When I was in college, I sewed my own dresses, making tote bags, decorating scarves, making cards, and what’s not. I even took sewing classes when my friends were taking computer classes. I guess it’s  my destiny. 

Crafting and sewing make me happy. Gifting handmade to people around me, give me immense pleasure 

Spring Swap

xmas gifts for a friend

And I always cherish all handmade gifts from my friends around the world

I love to use/wear handmade. 

fabric brooch

Why buy it, if you can make it ;)

4.      How does my creative process work?

Well, it usually starts with something  I see. Whether it’s a picture in a magazine/book, 

 a painting on the wall,  some movie I see, 

K-drama 

or fabrics. 

When I feel low and uninspired, I will start  tidying up my fabric piles, and I will immediately bursting with ideas. I’m a visual person. I need to write my ideas on a paper or computer to see how it is. 

no fancy app,a simple worksheet will do for me

Choosing the fabrics is very important for me. I will take days to decide which one will work best.  Then I will make few sample blocks, taking tons of photos, rearrange it on my design wall and try to visualize how it turn out.

This one?

or this?

I am making lots of notes as I go. Even as small as stitch length I use.

I like my work to be neat. I have many PhD {project half done} in my bin just because I'm not happy with how it turn out

36 patch qal

Matching points, an even stitch length, etc

Hand Applique table runner

one more thing, I like to tidy up my sewing table in the morning before I start sewing

tidy table and favorite songs in the background
and I'm ready to roll ;)

Ouch, that's quite a lot of pics

Well,that's more or less my story

So, now it’s my turn to tag my friends. It was rather difficult to tag cos lots of bloggers now prefer microblogging in twitter and instagram or share their work on Facebook.

 I personally enjoy writing and reading blogs. And sometimes, sharing tutorial too. So, here  are 2 talented Indian ladies who I want to hear their stories.

1. Anusha Krishnamurthy  who blogs at Petite Faerie. Her quilts are like painting. So lively and she writes well. She will take you to her creative journey and enjoy everything she writes. 

 2.  Diptee Raut who blogs here. She's another blogger who I recently follow. Met her through Desi Quilters and I enjoyed reading her witty stories. It's like reading those chic lit novel I love. She will make you laugh and giggles, while admiring her quilts. 

 3. My Indonesian friend living in KL mbak Hernik who blogs at Jari Jemari, one of few friend who inspired me to start quilting. 

So, let's hear their stories next Monday


Happy Blog Hopping

  

It's just a little crush...

It's just a little crush 

Not like I faint every time we touch

It's just some little thing 

Not like everything I do depends on you

Sha-la-la-la, sha-la-la-la

It's raising my adrenaline

You're banging on a heart of tin

Please don't make too much of it baby

You say the word "forevermore"

That's not what I'm looking for

All I can commit to is "maybe"

(Jennifer Paige)

suddenly humming this song ^__^

~ this week ~

10 - 10 - 2014

I have this idea for quite sometime

finally start it

with "single quilt" in mind

but who knows

and the progress of my scrappy postage stamp QAL

really love this : light grey and light minty color

btw, do you know how to make that jelly rolls bundle? 

6 - 10 -14

Made Indonesian rice cake and chicken curry

for Eid ul Adha

finally I can make the rice cake 

the easy way 

yummm

and this Indonesian potato pancake with raisins

double yummm

turned out quite popular that day *yay*

wanna show you one tray cloth I made recently

it was made in a hurry

and I'm not happy with the result :(

playing with my camera

after along time

 

looking at those flowers really inspiring

esp when you get stuck with your design

I think GREEN is actually a neutral color

isn't it?

I guess that's all 

until then

Happy Quilting

Going scrappy ...

Are you on Instagram? well, I love spending few mins everyday looking at crafty people post across instagram.

 one day I saw this cute scrappy mini 9 patch block from Karamatsews . It was  QAL started by Heather of Houseofalamode 

I took out a little but of my scraps {I have 2 huge bins full of scraps..eeww } 

I admit, the cutting was the toughest part 

I spent almost 2 hours  sorting out and cutting 2" squares 

and after a little bit rest with cream crackers and herbal tea

I made these

aren't those cute? 

If you like, go and join the fun

make  one block at a time

it can be as a stress buster or as a happy ending after a day's work

or when you feel low 

it's good for mindless sewing {mmm I don't know if it's the correct term}

what I like most is every little scrap in these blocks have its own memories

remnants from my sewing journey 

when I see it, I was like

"oh, this is from the dress I made for so and so"

"Those are from baby quilt I made for so and so"

Now go and find #scrappypostagestampqal in Instagram and be inspired ^^

Until then...

Happy Sewing

A little tutorial : how to make less stressful lanyard

While making lanyard for custom order today, I remember those days when I started sewing again. When WiFi  was not yet heard and modem connection was very slow and making those funny crackling noise ^_^ 

Yes, I learned most of my sewing tricks and tips from bloggers who generously share their step by step pics. I am a visual reader {is that the correct term?}. So, I need tutorial with lots of pics in it. 

Anyway, here's a little tip how to make lanyard less stressful ;)

First you need your DOUBLE FOLD bias tape or any binding tape and the hook. I like using bias though.

{bias tape tutorial video in my previous post)

and then, insert the tape into the hook

now, put the end of the tape, right side facing and sew 1/4" 

open the seam and press it flat 

make sure you put it correctly, or else you'll end up with twisted lanyard {I did once :D }

Now fold the bias tape and start sewing closely to the edge

Now you're almost done

you just have to double stitch around 1/2" under the hook

Voila! you get a pretty lanyard with no stress ^_*

Oops, looks like someone is looking for me. Ha!!

I hope the little trick will help you

Now, time to relax with my fave drama

Until then

Take care and happy sewing