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

Random: Handmade & Holidays

 { a place we sit, knit, snuggle, watch movies, watch snow falling..and more}

 { time to play and read}

 { a new simple tote}

 {IKEA fabric is really sweet}

 { totes for books, winter gears, groceries and more}

 { S' kin-cha-ku}

 {S' magic wand}

{S' garment}

{12/26/2012}

This morning we saw rainbow in the sky, but it wasn't raining. It was lightly snowing from the sky. We never seen rainbow in snowing days. It was really pretty and made me think of magic.  The weather is warmer today than last few days and the sun was bright and shine.  S and I have been lazy resting in the couch a lot this week. We shared cheese and crackers; we knit together; watch movies; play games. It is really the best time that I could recall all year around. 

While I was sewing a new tote, S set up her reading tent. Due to our limited space here, she can only set up her tent during the long holiday break. If we have a warmer floor I am sure she'd love to camp in the living room.   She layers lots quilts inside the tent, so she can have a little cushion under the hard and cold floor.

The new tote is super simple to make. It is 17"x21" and the base is 4" wide.  We have a stack of totes at home.  They are super handy for any purpose. The new tote fabric was light woven and just seem the right fabric for another all purpose tote. 

S' kin-cha-ku... She is loving her kin-cha-ku aka drawstring bag. The only part that's different from last few kin-cha-ku is I made a handle for her to carry {will have a full post on S' kin-cha-ku later, so you can see the back of her bag}.

S received a  handmade wooden magic wand from our dear friend. Eight surly is an age of adventures and seeking magical stories. It is fun to hear her retell stories that she reads and introduces these characters to me.  I am preparing that she might ask for a wizard's cape anytime soon...

Garment for S was finished the day before the 25th. While I was cutting the pattern pieces, I thought it is going to be easy, but I was confused on the neckline hemming part and tear down a couple of times. It is the best  pajamas that I have made for her. She has been wearing it all day and loving the cozy flannel. Of course, she needs another set or two. She has outgrown the ones that I made for her three years ago or longer.

This year, I truly enjoy the handmade holiday. I found myself enjoy making gifts for friends and S more than anything. It makes me feel good that I could make something for friends and families. I didn't get myself anything for the holiday. It seems like that I don't need anything, BUT fabric.   However, I allow myself to enjoy all the good food, cookies, and chocolate that send by our friends. It might be a problem when I return to normal schedule. I would miss all the great time that I just talked above.  Holiday Season continues at {1/4" mark house}... 

xxC

Random: captures

 { negative nights ; moon is brighter and clear}

 {only if you built it, you get to eat it, too}

 { hot coco making, just the right kind of drink }

 { S, shifts}

 { First time we made classical gingerbread cookies}

 { best card of the year}

 { last minutes treat baking}

 {second scarf in action:  knit 3; purl 3.. repeat.}

 {pillow cases making for friends; 

did you know they received 4,000 pillow cases for Sandy Hook Elementary school}

 { last recital of the year; she did great!}

 { S, dish helper}

 { Jack Frost was indoor.. brrr}

 { best French Toast}

 { oven toasty }

 { from smitten kitchen book; I claimed myself # 1 fan}

 { packages arrived crazy within last two weeks}

 { S, the baker}

 { C, the photographer}

 { run, run, run, as fast as you can..they are the gingerbread men}

 { next year, we plan to make a gingerbread house}

 {

 { new books to read}

 { resting Christmas morning; healthy and unhealthy morning booster}

 { New toys to play}

 { shortbread cake for dinner}

 { pinnie for S}

 { S, the new sewer}

 { took months to decided on purchase. waited weeks to find the right price. Hid it weeks away from S and mission has accomplished}

 { the quilt that I received when graduated from college}

 { only cutting}

 {test drive; good}

{roasted potatoes}

still holiday season at {1/4" mark house}........  to be continue 

xxC