Her Kin-cha-ku aka {drawstring bag}

 { Mr. Rocky paper piecing pattern}

 { S for Stella}

 { additional handle for s}

 { S kept telling me, the deer print is SO cute}

 { took longer time to make it}

 { she wants to take it window shopping}

{ her kin-cha-ku}

One of S' holiday present was {Mr. Rocky} kin-cha-ku aka {drawstring bag}. It took longer time to make, since she's in bed around 9a.m. Each night, I took about 30 minutes or longer for the hand-quilting then tuck it away.  It was hard to decided if I should personalized this bag for her, but I did! I used the her initial S in the back of the bag. When she open the box for few second she asked why not Stella, maybe next one, I replied.

After made four different kin-cha-ku, {here}, {here}, {here}, {here}. I knew I had to change something for S'.  She needs a handle to carry it! The only time she carries her purse is when she needs to buy something from the store. The messenger bag I made for her is getting smaller, but she still loves it.

With the new kin-cha-ku, I though she could put her wallet inside and maybe things that she needs.The closure is on the top, so that would leave extra room for her to use. Hand-quilting is perfect for it.

edit: thank you for email me about the large PDF files that you aren't able to access to.. I got both pattern resize and ready to go.. shouldn't have problem, but do let me know! Enjoy~

Another handmade holiday in 2012~

xxC 

Random: are you ready?

 { done and ready for photograph}

 {S' little friends were here for tea party}

 { the title of this from the book is outrageous oatmeal cookies}

 {keep healthy and unhealthy}

 { 6 were gone when they were cooling off}

 {sorting}

{S, the messenger}

It is 2013 in Taiwan! The 14 hour difference puts us on hold to forward the calendar. My sister and I had a great conversation in her last 2012 international phone call and mine as well.  I named a long list of food that I was craving for and asked if she can send them over. She told me, it is coming.. 

S and I plan to celebrate simple because we are saving the celebration fun till we visit our family next summer.  We made some oatmeal cookies for later tonight and tomorrow to keep us sweet and happy. S invited her little friends over to have some tea with her. They took over half of the sewing table and left me a small corner to work.  Those girls are really chatty...

A little organization is needed in the sewing room. The sewing corner is not in singular form, but plural. Piles of fabric everywhere..  

We are thankful that we could spend the last day of 2012 with loved ones, loved things, and yummy cookies. 

I am ready for 2013 to arrive! As many of you know, I will completed my MFA study, have thesis exhibition sometime in March, moving to our next destination, visiting families, keep celebrate weekending with lovely S at {1/4" mark house}. It seems so overwhelmed to write all the events that will take in 2013. As my dear friend Jean always tells me, take one step a day~  


Happy New Year~
Keep sew much creative bugs in you..

xxC

Weekending 2012

 { perfect for taveling}

 { simple drawstring bag}

 { french seam style}

 { scraps}

 { cozy}

 { the corner}

 { a basket full of QUILTS}

{ for S}

{ice lantern}

{ first pattern scarf}

{ many mistakes}

{ ice lantern at night}

It doesn't seem possible that we are celebrating the last weekending in 2012?  Like every weekending, we have a full schedule and activities. For the first time, we went window shopping after Christmas holiday. Nothing was bough home on my side, but S did manage to get some soft fabric. She is planning to make a quilt and have her pattern in mind. It is fun seeing her getting fabric and not me.  We didn't get to have coffee and hot coco outside.  We got about an inch snow over night and was clear and warm in the morning. Yes, disappointment! 

The scraps from S' new pajamas were made into two drawstring bags. These are great for traveling. I love giving these away for friends' birthdays or for our own traveling. We sort our belongs into these drawstring bags; socks, underwear, small things, traveling journal books, pens.. you name it.   I'd love to write up a tutorial for you on this. It takes no more than 20 minutes to make one.

The corner of the Christmas tree is replaced by the rocking chair and S' baby quilt.  It is early to tuck away all the holiday decoration this year.  It is hard to do so, since we don't know where we will be celebrating our next holiday season.  We think positively and wish to be closed to our families and friends.

When our friend visited us this week. She brought us a ice lantern. I am not sure how she made it, but it is so pretty at night! We get to keep this lantern till spring comes! It will be use as many times as possible.

S picked out her second set of pajamas fabric. I started it and finished it. She is very happy! Finally, she has right size pajamas to put on and they are her favorite prints; pups.  Of course, more scraps playing....

Do you remember the scarf that I knitted? Well, it is done for a few weeks now! I can only knit few rows a night or I made mistakes. To be honest that undo knitting isn't fun for me. It is actually harder than sewing. I can only read knitting patterns that has K and P.   My goal for the end of winter season is knit a cowl for S then maybe one for myself.  I admired knitters so much and appreciated friends who sent us scarves and hats to warm up in N.D.

My accomplishments of 2012 is I made a basket full of quilts and understand/ create our simple lifestyle. It is a long journey to come, but it has been great journey. I am very thankful that I have met many new friends at {1/4" mark} and {thank you. thank you. thank you.} for coming by. Thank you for keep me accompany and share my passion with you.
 
It has been another great weekending at {1/4" mark house}. Are you having a great weekending? 

xxC 

Random: Sewing and making

 {black and white}

 {patchwork, patchwork, patchwork}

 {sewing too far}

 {dear friend of mine made me a pincushion and really made me feel special }

 { Can you believe they are scraps?}

 { new toy number one}

 {perfect tool for hand-quilting}

 {new toy number two}

 { don't think I am a neat sewer.. I get messy}

 { hand-quilting in action}

 { S, the builder}

{ BEST! scraps!}

{12.27.2012} 

I had some ideas for the scraps that were cut last week. The design was simple, but I think I've gone a little too far than planned. By the mid-day, so many triangle scrape pieces were showing up and many 1/4" off cut pieces that mistake cuts.  It was time to walk away from the sewing room for a little while before made more mistakes.

When return back to the sewing room, I cut down the triangles and made them half of the size.  They were perfect size for the 1/4" off cut pieces. Then pieced them together and made them into small blocks. Of course, I had to play a little scraps, before call it a day.

The new sewing tool is Clover Hera Marker . It has been a great new tool for me. When I work with hand quilting,  I can simply use the Hera marker drew lines on the fabric pieces and it creates marking line. I used to tape masking tape when I do hand-quilting. It wasn't ideal at all! The b-gone pens are great, but I have noticed sometimes it still leaves blue marks on the pieces.

The second sewing tool is Clover Wonder Clips.  I have not test these on quilt binding, but the clips are sturdy. I found them in the reasonable price at amazon if you are looking for some. 

S and I both are ready for new semester.  Winter is long and cold in N.D. and it is hard to be out and about all day long. We try to take walks in the morning and early afternoon to get some fresh air.  We are wishing snow tomorrow morning, so we could  have her hot coco and my morning booster outside. Um.. take a guess if we make it or not? 

xxC

To you and yours

 :{mini pinny}::

 { to s}

{ slowly coming}

To complete S' sewing kit box I made a mini pincushion and added two fancy pins. It is exciting that the sewing kit box  is wrapped and sitting next to the Christmas tree. Today has been a busy day, spent the morning at S' school to watch a Christmas play and had lunch with her, best way to wrap up the last day of school with her together.

The garment is slowly coming, but I don't know if I will make it on time to put in the box and wrap it. For next few days, I will be off from this space as I promised S that we would hang out to sew, bake, walk, watch movies together. Sure will have a recap later..  I will come back later next week to show you S' kin-cha-ku bag and the hopefully the garment as well. 

S and I wish you and yours have a wonderful Holiday Season~ 

Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday~ 

xxC 

Best giving

 { To five little gentle souls}

It is hard to put today's post together. Many thoughts came cross my mind in last few days. I would love to share,  but I decided to keep this post simple. Yesterday, I read {Di} and {Maureen}'s post and discovered there's a {pillow case drive for Sandy Hook Elementary school } . When we came home last night, I started cutting fabric and finding coordinating prints to make pillow cases.  Finally, I decided to share with S the Sandy Hook Elementary school news.  It is a hard news to share with her. She was sad and asked if she could help out. She helped pinning the pieces together.  As I was sewing, S wrote a card and asked me to send along with the pillow cases.

Kerri has a fabulous and simple step pillow case{ tutorial here} or you can check on {Flickr}. It takes 3/4 yard for main print; 1/4 yard for cuff print and 2" wide for the trim.  If you have few minutes and able to sew up one or two pillow cases..  Please send to

Quilters Corner 
312 Danbury Rd 
New Milford, CT
06776

xxC

Patchwork zippered Pouch and sew on

I am late!  S reminded me last night if I had finished the little pouch for her teacher. I totally put that aside of my mind for the weekend and week. I promised her last night I would finish it last night and have everything ready this morning. She was happy and thank me for it this morning..

The zippered pouch is made with 16 different prints that cut in 2"x 3.5". I used the tab on the zipper and really think this time it turns out better.  For the quilting part, I used the straight line to keep the clean look. The pouch finished at 8.5"x5.5", but didn't add the base width to it.  It would be great for some note pads and pens. I plan on go to the store and maybe find a small pad and pen to add to the gift.  S knitted the scarf for the puppy that she is going to give to her teacher. S added eyes and nose to the stuffed animal which turn out really cute! 

While I was finishing up the movie last night.  I made another two mini pin cushions to go with the gifts that I made for my friends. They are actually from the scraps of the zippered pouch that I made last night.  Simple hand-quilting added a personal touch to the pinny. 

I found these cut card board stock in the Michale's craft store yesterday. They are super great for simple gift wrapping. 

It has been a great week to catch up works in school studio and delivered cookies to friends in town and had great visits with them! Everything is wrapped, only the S' garments are not in the box....oh dear..

May your day full of time to sew, to bake, to laugh..

xxC