Merry Christmas one and all

Merry Christmas everyone and here's hoping it's filled with much joy spent with loved ones.

Merry Christmas!!

Many thanks dear Nik

Tis' the season to be jolly :D Indeed it is!!

I've got a package from the Pos Laju (National Courier) man today and Nik has sent me some fabric with such a festive overtone ;) What could be better than going HO HO HO! I've got some ideas for it already like backings for my future Christmas ornaments ;) And then there's the scissors/handphone bracelet, again in festive red :) You can see me grinning from ear to ear, right? And then there's the oh so lovely card. So this were the cards Nik, Ying, Usha were talking about on NNC!! Really creative stuff!

Picture time:

Thank you so much Nik.

Wedding Sampler for my sis

My sis is getting maried next month so I am rushing this up and then I'd have to give the framer some time to put it all together perhaps I might have to put in a special request (which I don't normally do). I actually stitched Traditonal Sampler some time back for her, but I wanted to keep it for myself instead, so here I am in a rush now. So typical! And the design is from the wonderful book Sentiments and Sayings by Joan Elliot was perfect substitute.

Pardon the shadow I took the pic while it was still attached to the stand.

5 Mini Challenge Completed

Ladies and Gents, may I present to you my 5 completed minis!! :D

Dance of the Bumble Bee (Bent Creek) framed on a recycled frame

Tote bag with a border design by Annick Abrial

Toilet Roll Holder. Design from Prarie Schooler (freebie)

Photo book. Design from With My Needle (freebie)

Tatted motif pouch

Thank you Margaret Wong for coordinating this challenge. It has been a very interesting journey indeed and it got my right brain working all this while. I feel a sense of accomplishement, indeed their small finishes but it teaches me discipline, techniques and planning. Didn't they say "all good things come in small packages"? ;)

Woohoo!!

A day of finishes

I've finished 3 items today that I've been meaning to, clearing my pile as I go along. I want to try to have all this odds and ends completed so that I can focus on more stitching ;)

Jo once put up some pics on her Christmas towels and that inspired me to come out with this. I call it a towel topper. It is fully detachable from the towel and I can use the topper with another towel. I might want to do up another later. We'll see.

The design is part of a LHN freebie and it's stitched on 16ct aida with DMC threads.


Next up is a cushion cover that I have envisioned beginning of this year and have finally become a reality. This is a design from Cross Stitch Crazy Magazine. Kinda comtemporary stitching huh? :) I am using a cord within the bias binding, just a subtle touch of purple all around. It needs a thorough washing once I've got the buttonholes sewn on Tuesday.

Lastly, a quick sew. A piece of blue flannel from China costing just RM5/M. Sewn together with some ribbons to hold all my unframed cross stitched pieces.


Comment Notes: Thank you each and everyone for dropping by my humble nook, and your lovely comments warms my heart.

Toilet Roll Holder Mini Tutorial

As promised, the long awaited instructions on the above ;)

1. Cut a piece of fabric measuring 36" x 8" inclusive of hemming.
2. Attached your stitched piece accordingly
3. I am using a double hem and handstitching them. Therefore I need 1" on either side of the holder.
4. Fold another 1/2" each for the top ends of the holder where the loop will be machine stitched over. Oversew them to be sure.

5. Then machine stitch the divider at the proper position as per picture:

That's it! Do comment, should you have any queries. I'll try to help you by replying within the comment section itself.

Chris's Bag

I completed the stitching for this piece many months ago but today I've finished it into a lunch bag. Chris will be starting kindergarden next year. He will be 5. So I thought this Christmas present will be useful. I suppose he could use it as a bag for his books too, it's really up to him. He has been asking how come there's no Christmas presents for him yet under the tree and I say, because Santa only give presents to good little boys, he quickly exclaims that he's been good. On the contrary...he's a little rascal!


Comment Notes: Thank you all for visiting and I appreciate each and every comment. I have not forgotten about the toilet roll holder instructions, just that it's been quite hectic here with Christmas so near. Will try to put it up soonest, I promise ;)

Another finish!

With this tote bag I bring the 5 Mini Challenge to a close...well almost. I only need to wait for the framers to finish with Mr Buzz of Bent Creek fame and I've met the challenge way ahead of time too!

The design is from Annick Abrial's current SAL. Sewn on to red gingham with ribbons edging for the pocket and beige calico canvas. Need to give it a good wash and then it will be my carry-all bag :)

Comment Notes: OK OK, patience ladies, I'll draw up the instructions this weekend, keep it locked on to The Sanguine Stitcher :)

One finish and many WIPs

Story of a stitcher's life I suppose. I'm wondering if in 2007 I can make some changes by reducing my current WIPs and live the simple life of one project at a time. Did I hear that'll be an excercise in vain?? Gotta try...gotta rise to the occassion!

I should think I need to set aside some time to think things through be it craft wise, work wise, fitness wise etc. 2007 is just too soon.

OK first the good news :) My finish for this weekend. A PS Freebie stitched on 16ct aida. I've finished it into a toilet roll holder, my old one was about to retire and since it's Christmas soon, I thought the bathroom needed a smile :)


Now for the WIPs:

• Hardanger Doily
• Sara Hathorne Sampler
• Shoe face beading
• Bed socks to knit (before Christmas)
  
• Tatted angel ornament (before Christmas)
  
• 25 Motif Challenge (tatting) - 11 motives finished so far
  
• Tote bag for the 5 Mini Challenge (I'll finish this tomorrow as I needed to get it edged)
• Boxy Lady Project on NNC (I've finished the stitching, wanna try to make my own box)
• Finish LK's Friends and family into a wall hanging (before Christmas)
  

I've got my hands full, to think I've ordered a few LHN's and that's on the way, and the temptation to start on one of them will be very strong. I might start on the Stitcher's Prayer and I need it staring at me everytime I contemplate on starting a new project. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!!!

Comment Notes: Thank you all for your kind words, will finish the patchwork wall hanging soon and then you'll see the bell pull in action!

Crafts of the Momogun Rungun

I was at KL Sentral this evening and there was a small exhibition cum sales of handmade craft by the Momogun Rungun the indigenos people of Sabah, Malaysia. There is a person there that was quite familar and I believe our paths have crossed in this small community of crafters. I believe I've met her at the Petronas Gallery where she was attached. Am not too sure if she is currently with them.

She is currently on a project of promoting/selling crafts from indigenous people who do not enjoy popularity or an outlet to sell their wares. They are grouped within the larger Kadazan/Dusun etcnic groups. The two left items are made by these indigenous people and I am thinking BELLPULLS!!!

Also I visited the Cheshire Home shop and got me a really nice frame for just RM3.00. I am thinking Lizzie Kate or Bent Creek or .... :)


Got Teddy back from the framers last week and have been sent off to it's new owner 1 + year old Sean. And just in time for Christmas too. Simple framing as always :)

Comment Notes: Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments. Makes me wanna try more finishes, which I will. You all have been so kind. Thank you.

Santa's here to stay?

A couple of finishes.

The PS Santa, I've finished into an ornament. I dare say it is my first ornament and the slip stitch is kinda choppy. But it's hidden well ;)


And the second is the LK Santa which I've finished it into a cushion with plain khaki back fabric. I've not used Christmasy fabrics but more like Christmasy colours instead, because I would like to utilise these fabrics for other non-Christmas projects. I think I was clever (read 'stretching the ringgit' ;) ) For the back it's an overlapping style and I'm going to get the buttonhole sewn by the shop and purchase 2 wood buttons to keep to it's rustic theme.


Comment Notes: Thank you everyone for your kind comments, I appreciate them all.

A gift for Lily

I couldn't say anything about this before because I wanted it to be a suprise. Because Lily definitely reads my blog!! :)

Why do all good intentions go awry? People at the post office was most uncooperative. Here I am on the edge on my seat wondering what's happened to the package and because Lily has not contacted me! So I did some snooping around and sure enough it was at the PO near her home. Sheesh...don't this people work anymore? Why do you register a package? Because you want peace of mind, because you are sure it'll reach the person it's intended for. I did not get any I'm afraid...sigh...

So I had to email Lily (imagine!) to let her know. There goes the suprise...but she's so sweet in saying the email is suprise enough and how I'd made her day and how she's running down the stairs to the PO NOW!! LOL! So all's well and it's safe in her hands now.

Freebie design by Atelier Fil en Scene finished into a pinkeep. The fabric beneath the pinkeep is the backing fabric.

WIP - 19/11/2006

It's been a while since I updated on some WIPs. Here's progress on Sara Hathorne Sampler by Hester's Needle(SHS), very frankly I picked it up again only last night. It's going to be a loooong journey with SHS.


This is the little beading I have been attempting. My first time into beading. It's a love hate relationship. I love the sparkle and how it comes together, but the beads are uneven and some won't go pass the needle! It's just reds and clear/white beads. KISS. It's a shoe face and it's gonna be made into sandals for my mom. Again this is slow :(


I've also been stitching for the French Redwork Exchange on NNC and it's going fine. No progress pics though my exchange partner sometimes reads my blog ;)

Ho Ho Ho!

Says Prarie Schooler Santa. Finally I finished it...


Gonna finished it into an ornament for the Christmas Tree. That's gonna be tricky as I do not have any Christmas cotton fabric for the back. I'll have to go the LNS very soon...and not just for cotton fabrics ;)

Sock Knitting

Do you remember that I wanted to knit for my mom a pair of socks for Christmas? Well...I've finally started on it.

It's progressing well since I knitted a little last night and some more during lunch today. So I've got the heel down and am working on the sole. It's been a while since I've knitted and it feels kinda strange. This pattern calls for 2 sticks and I am elated!

SIP (Sock in Progress)

Comment Notes:
Thank you all for your lovely comments. I am inspired :)

Photo Finish

Yeap I got my one of my minis finished! A photo book. So I'm left with the box and Mr Bee framed and would have fulfilled my challenge. To think I've got till 31/12/2006. So I am waaaay ahead. The good thing though, I am free for my French Redwork challenge now A really exciting time on the board and the rules are still brewing, so that is next. A stitchers gotta keep busy right?

Pictures everyone.

Photo Book all sitting pretty
Photo Book untied
Photo book - back
Photo book revealed

Instructions for the photo book can be found here.

Comment Notes:

Thank you so much for your wonderful and witty comments ;) I really appreciate it and they sure make my day! Thank you all.

A FO and a WIP

I've finished the 5th piece of the 5 Mini Challenge. And I mean totally finished as in sewn and washed and ironed. It's a pouch which I've appliqued some tatted motives. It's going to hold the tatting stuff I take a long in the bus when I'm travelling. It's rather delicate tatting using size 80 thread. Nik might be able to recognize the colour ;)

The Prarie Schooler is going too slow. Maybe it's the 18ct, yeah right blame in on the fabric. I've just not been putting in the hours needed. I'll spend at least an hour a night to finish him and then I'll get to work on my other WIPs soon enough.

This is an update of the 5 Mini Challenge to date:
1. Bent Creek - Dance of the Bumblebee, still at the framers, they will call me, when it's done ;)
2. Photobook - Stitching done, finishing not yet
3. Box - Stitching done, finishing not yet
4. Bourse - Completed
5. Pouch - Completed

Meeting Lillie

I met Lillie for the first time for lunch yesterday. It was an experience for me as I've never met anyone from my board before. It was kinda like a 'blind date' really. Somehow I could recognize her from the car she drove, it was on her blog ;) and her daughter, she was featured on her blog too.

Lillie showed me some exchanges she's participated in, it's supposed to be an appetiser to our thosai and teh tarik lunch! Needle rolls, biscornus, needle books, mail arts...lovely pieces of work from all over the world and locally. Since I was coming from an appointment. I had nothing to show :( Maybe next time.

Lillie even suprised me with a box of goodies, buttons, ribbons, flosses, and a wonderful piece of stitched Christmas ornament. Thank you so much Lillie!

The cute box housing all the goodies

Goodies all spilled out

Close up of the Christmas Ornament

We chatted about crafts and some local LNS nearby and Lillie was giving me some beading tips. We had a nice simple lunch and Lillie and her daughter Dianne's company made it real special.

Beating the Plateau

I needed to be real sure that I've dipped under my weight plateau. And for 2 straight weeks it has. So this gives me renewed resolve to get to my target of 55kg (121 lbs) by Christmas! It should be doable since the weighing scale says I need only to zapp another 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) of lard. I am certain this happy circumstance is due to my increased cardio times and serious weight routines. And the flood of endorphins after a workout...I feel gooooooddd! :)

On the stitching front. I'm bringing my new resolve to completing all my WIP's BEFORE starting anything new. Gonna make a clean break by New Years. I'm got some stitching lined-up already for 2007!

This is what I've been working on. 18ct aida, tea-dyed by moi. 1999 Santa by Prarie Schooler.


Comment Notes:

Thanks Nik, Vonna and Cindy for coming by, ask away if you have any questions. And Vonna those snowmen noses must have been mighty cute! :)

Mini Button Tips

As per Eileen's request :)

The buttons were made from polymer clay. Many brands in the market available namely Super Scupley, Premo Sculpey and Fimo.

1. Cut a piece of clay from the block, condition it i.e. roll it, fold it, squish it, till it's pliable like dough.
2. Do this on a ceramic tile, so no lint will gather on the clay.
3. If you want marbled buttons like I did, work No 1 & 2 in another colour.
4. Roll each colour into logs.
5. Twist both the colours around each other.
6. Fold, roll into a log, fold again, etc until the desired effect is reached.
7. Do not work No 6 too much as the colours will merge and will pass the marbled stage.
8. Finally roll into a log and use a ruler to measure even sized pieces and slice with a sharp blade.
9. Roll the clay between your palms, this should produce an almost perfect round bead.
10. Lay the clay onto a piece of tile and press them down with your finger, it will spread.
11. Use a needle/sharp object and make 2 button holes, ensure the needle touches the tile
12. Work Nos 9-11 until log is finished.
13. Bake in convectional oven, on 150 deg C for 20 mins. DO NOT MICROWAVE.
14. Let it cool and remove from tile.
15. You might need to poke the buttons again to ensure there is a hole big enough for threading.

Good reference is Polymer Clay Central, loaded with tutorials and much more.

Happy claying!

Finished bourse

Thank you Joanie for your excellent instructions on how to make a bourse. I just had to try it, but without any stitching, just a bourse to carry my tatting projects.

I used a silky, flimsy fabric and hence it is not sturdy. For sturdy construction I will consider a piece of interface between the fabrics. Maybe for my next bourse ;) I did not sew a channel for the cord on mine, the buttons are holding the cords. However with a stitched inner piece a channel will be preferred. The results are fabulous and the possibilities of contrasting fabrics are endless. Thanks again Joanie for sharing.

Bourse - closed

Bourse - open, spilling with some tatting stuff :)

Comment Notes:

Randi
Thanks, hmmm personality of their own?...never thought of it that way...

Vonna
Thank you for dropping by

Lillie
Thank you, you'd think they were some jelly beans huh?

Eileen
OK, I will look into a tiny tutorial on making some buttons soon.

So much for planning

Who was I kidding? Stitching on 22ct was ultra difficult, so I abandoned that idea and am now tea-dyeing a piece of 18ct aida for tonights stitching pleasure ;)

On a polymer note. I made a bunch of buttons as requested by a board member. I am 'supplying' to her for her onward sale on eBay. I think it's a comfortable arrangement. I get my $$ and she get hers. These were the "contraband" that was confirmed by an email ;)

Better Button

I think this is better than the previous button but as in everything it can be improved ;)


Last night I completed some smalls and was very happy when I started striking off my to-do list. Sam and Jake's teddies are completed, and now there's just the finishings to go. Need to mail them by mid next month if I want it to reach Randi in NY before Christmas!

After seing so many ornaments in so many blogs I wanna stitch one too. So tonight it'll be The Prarie Schooler Santa 1999. I've tea-dyed a smallish piece of 22ct hardanger for it this morning...ah planning... comes in handy ;) But you will notice it's not on my to-do list :P Maybe I should start a 'I just need to stitch this' list :D

An LK Finish

I've finished Friends & Family, kinda got it out of my system :) I made that pointsettia button too, but I'm not too happy with it. I want to make another later with crimson, that'll be more realistic. So I shall strike Friends & Family off my list but I might want to stitch another ;)


Note: Thank you Margaret and Vonna for you kind comments. I want to try to make more buttons, kinda fun really.

Slow week up ahead

It's the holidays here and everyone is going at a snails pace, just chilling. I've got a tonne of work to plough through this holiday week but we're not too interested in that now are we?

Not much is going on the stitching front. I've managed to put in some stitches on LK's 'Friends & Family', coming along nicely, could have finished it if not for work :S Got the idea to use Rustico as the fabric from Nik's blog. Since I bought the chart 'second-hand' it did not come with the poinsetta button. I wanna make my own from polymer clay, so that should be interesting.

Good News and Bad News

We'll start with the bad news. The Pashmina shawl man wasn't at Pasar Malam last night...sigh. Maybe I went early because it was threatening to rain, maybe he's on Raya leave already. Hope he comes back to peddle his wares the Monday after the holidays.

Now the good news. Lizzie Kate's 'Bless our Home' is framed. Not for me though, for a friend that's going to shift into a new house this year end. Gotta stitch another for her sister and another for poor moi. Oh my, I think I've got my money's worth for this chart!


And the SHS...very slow progress. I am working on smalls lately so the lady has to take a back seat for a little while longer.

3 down 2 to go

It's been a productive weekend. Here's my 3rd completed stitching for the MYS 5 Mini Challenge. Gonna be finished into a photo book later. It's a freebie from With My Needle.


I was stitching the Sara Hathorne Sampler by Hesters Needle last night and realised there was something amiss. The instructions were not very clear. So I stoped stitching and emailed Janie Applebaum. She replied very promptly this morning and I got my doubts cleared. There are some mistakes in the instructions for Band # 1, so for those who want to attempt the SHS please email her for the corrections or comment here and I'll explain it further.

I quickly set upon frogging some work I did last night, so that I can start stitching and not frogging tonight :)

Reply Comment to Nik:
I think you've got a different one, one that is more squarish with words all around a house I believe.

2 down 3 to go

This is a small freebie from Atelier. Stitched this with DMC 115 courtesy of my group member Aw. I've kept the thread for some months not knowing how to utilise it to it's full potential until now. I would have never known the beauty of this thread if not for your generosity Aw. Thanks so much.

It's gonna be finished into a box but that'll be later. The framers called to say my LK 'Bless Our Home' is ready for collection. Can't wait till Monday evening :)

A Mini Semi-Finish

I finished Mr Buzz last night. I should correct that, I finished STITCHING Mr Buzz last night. It's a design by Bent Creek called Dance of the Bumblebee. He's such a cutie. His smile is so infectious.

I need to wash the piece, attach the charm and get it framed. Only then will it be a finished piece according to the rules :) I am gonna recycle some frames that I have with pieces I do not care for anymore. This one is about 10 years old which frames a paper-tole piece of Winnie The Pooh. I can't believe it's been so many years since those lessons. How time goes by so quickly when you're having fun...crafting :)

See how he smiles!

The frames a little knocked up, but it sure adds to it's rustic appeal!

A tatting we will go

Thanks to Roz who introduced a link to Kersti's on the tatting board ShuttlesandNeedles. It had many many nice designs which I feel at home with. And which I can see myself tatting more from. It had patterns with simple designs, not too advanced which were rather appealing for me.

Diyana tatted the Sweet Heart bookmark prior and I thought well it was...sweet. So here's my version done on DMC 80 Special Dentelles. Was rather quick to tat up, just over an hour during lunch and what do you know!

Buttons & Charms

I did some baking this evening...the polymer kind. I had some canes that I made a long time ago so all I did was sliced them up, poked holes into them and baked em! I didn't realise I have so many other canes that I could make into buttons. I have some translucent canes and I'd want to make them into heart pendants, a method pioneered by Elissa Powell

So these are my results, the ladies look so pathetic don't they? They were suppose to smile :( Don't really know what to do with them, pendants? earings? I dunno...I'll just give it away and let the recipient figure it out ;)


And these are some buttons, the red ones are glow-in-the-dark. They actually do!