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Thursday, December 30, 2010

The year that was...

This will be my last post of 2010... Tomorrow I will be busy with the preparations for a very special function on the 1st... Rohit's best friend is getting engaged on the 1st... And the venue of the party is about 250 kms away... We will be leaving at 5ish on the 1st...So I do not see any celebration happening tomorrow...

But I am happy about it... Firstly because his friend is about 37 and was still single... And now he has found himself a wonderful girl... They'll be getting married in June... And the second thing I'm happy about is that we will be starting the new year with a very good act (it'll be long before it becomes a habit)... I love getting up early myself... But DH is a late sleeper... He can get up at 9 and go to his office at 10 (after all he just has to climb down about 35 steps to go there!)... I hate find this habit of his really annoying... But have learnt to live with it... But I'm glad that he will be getting up early on the first day of next year... :D (insert a devilish grin here... LOL)

So about the year that was... 2010...

This year has been remarkable for me in more than one ways... It was in this year that I found my passion... I had loved architecture ever since I was a kid... But I never really thoroughly enjoyed doing all the boring parts of the job... The realization came later that my passion was not architecture, but designing... When the project went ahead of the design stage, it bored me... LOL... 

Even though the decision was not taken voluntarily by me, I am enjoying the life it has allowed me to live... I am happy to be a SAHM to Aadi... I am happy that he comes to me for every little thing and not to his nanny... I am happy that when I ask him whom do you love the most he does not say 'Usha' (nanny) but 'Momma'!!!

I stumbled upon quilting in the beginning of this year... I came across Elizabeth Hartman's blog and was fascinated by what she did... I contacted her and she was so nice and encouraging that I fearlessly went ahead and did something that very few people around me have even tried to do!

It was tough in the beginning... Sometimes it still is... For about 6 months, I used only scissors to cut my fabric... I hated staring a new project... But I kept on working... And sometime around June, little bro' got me a Rotary Cutter and a Cutting Mat (It was 12" x 18" and I thought it was huge!)


After that it was just fun and more fun!!!


I started my first blog in February. It was only meant to feature my work, but soon I realized that it was starting to look like my journal... I enjoyed it thoroughly...


I made my first quilt in February... The oops crazy 9 patch quilt... 






And then many more followed... 


There was this...



and this... to celebrate 5 years of our marriage...





I also made this which I am very proud of considering that it weighs about 6.5 kgs and is made from 12 pairs of jeans and some heavyweight linen!!! 




Then I ventured beyond quilts and made these... 



and these...



and these...

these...

these...

and these...



On 2nd April, my lovely Bernette arrived!!! I have decided to call her Betty now... She has been my most favorite companion of the year... She helped me make these...


I made the lemon quilt on it... It was my first attempt at Free Motion Quilting...


And also helped me with the most tough project I have handled (another oops project)... The paintbox quilt...


On 7th March I officially shifted to blogger... and I'm happy that I did... I have a lot more followers now... And have connected to the most amazing people around me...

You have been with me right from the beginning of blogger... And you know about my journey...


the year that was... 2010



I have enjoyed being a part of the quilting community over the blogland and flickrland... And now, I'm extending my reach over to etsy too... My shop will be opening on Monday!!!

And know you will support me through my journey ahead too!!!

I hope I will be back with more stuff before my Birthday... But with DH surprising me every moment, I cannot be sure... So I'll end this post with a snap of my birthday gift to me!!! I decided to give myself something small and functional... So I used a few dots from my Its a Hoot charm pack and some lovely linen and made this... I used the Noodlehead pattern to make the basic diaper pouch and made a 50" long strap so that I can sling it across...



I will use this to carry my cellphone, keys, a little change and my small water bottle during my walks!!! I have still kept up with them and lost about 4 kgs!!!

Looking forward to a bright and wonderful new year ahead!!!

Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year!!!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Scrappy Mug Rug Swap... Done!!!

After a loooooong wait of about 4-5 weeks finally my parcel made its way to my swap partner... It was so much fun...

So whats the fun in it you would ask... You make something ytou send and you get something...

I made two mug rugs for my partner... Here they are...

This one was the same pattern that I used for mine...

This little girls' going a long way...

And another one was a braided mug rug made from an upcycled dupatta...


Any guesses what it is???


I mailed my package... And it was 2 days after that before I came to know that the very person whom I am sending my package to is my partner!!! Now this was a blind swap and this rarely happens, but it did... She had also like this fabric and we had decided to do a private Christmas - Diwali Mug-Rug swap too... So... I got hold of anyone and everyone I could to trace the package that I had sent... Got it back... Put the other mug rug and the fabric into it and sent it again!!!

Here's the Christmas mug rug...
My Star Mug Rug!!!

And the fabric that she loved...


P3300116


And here's a wonderful snap of the entire package... I sure must learn to click better snaps... I think a course in photography is on the cards.... These things look just so much more lovely in this snap...

I also included some tea bags, a earthen Diya and my trademark Esha doll...
I love this snap of my stuff Marilyn...
More Fun!
 
Cheers!!! Till next time...


Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Baby Sewing!!!

Ever since my nephew arrived, I have been thinking of what I could make for him... I have been surfing through tutorials trying to find the perfect gifts for him...

In India, it is a custom that the child's maternal Aunt (Father's sister) names the child... This time its going to be me! And I want to make the occassion special by making gifts for the baby and his parents too...
Diapers for my Nephew...

This is one of the first ones I am making... I'm sure Kau is going to love these... And I'm gonna have to make many more... Right now, I'm making 6...

I used some funky kid fabric left over from larger scraps from my Spread the Cheer Quilts for the front... These are perfect... They were about 12" x 15" size...

For the lining I used a lovely white Terry Towel!!! Its so soft!!! I also lined two 5" wide strips of the towel to the inside of the Diaper as a soaker...
Diapers for my Nephew...
I love the result!!! I can already see the pile growing!!!
Diapers for my Nephew...

I made these 2 in less than half an hour... I think these will be welcome in my Etsy shop... What do you say???
Cheers!!!


Monday, December 27, 2010

My 3 x 6 Sampler Bee Blocks

I'm awfully late, I know... But I finally got to complete the 3x6 blocks!!!
Here they are...

1. For Jo
Block for Jo

2. For Sarah

Block for Sarah

3. For Jessica

Block for Jessica

4. For Jennifer

Block for Jennifer

5. For Tami

Block for Tami

6. For Andrea

Block for Andrea

And since I have been naughty, there's going to be a small surprise in their packets to help them forget how late I was... ;)

I know it will work... LOL...

Am working on something awesome right now...

Remember my Diner Linen??? I finally found the courage to cut it up!!! Pics will be here tomorrow... I have finished it and now only have to hand sew the binding...

Also, tomorrow I'll be going to the orphanage to give them the quilts that all of us have made so lovingly for them... I am really excited about it... We postponed the event by a few days as they could not do it on the 25th... It was a Saturday and they avoid any kind of functions on that day...

More on my visit, tomorrow!!!

Cheers!!!



Saturday, December 25, 2010

I am an Aunt... again...

Here's our Christmas gift this year!!!



Santa got me a nephew!!! :) Ashutosh and Kaveri gave birth to a healthy son today morning!!!

Christmas will always be special for us now!!!

At times like this I really feel I am too far away from everyone!!! But will go and see the baby soon enough...

Cheers!!!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Favorite Things Friday...

 
Officially Mrs P's FTF is on a break... But how can I not share my favorite thing this Friday with you guys...
He has been on my Favorites list for a long time, and will be there for a long time too...

My Favorite thing this Friday HAS to be this Man in Blue... The Postman!!!



Especially since he got me this... Marilyn said she was sending half yard, but she sent a full yard along with some gorgeous prints too... Its Birthday a week early for me!!! YAY!!!


Did you notice something else in the snap??? YUP!!! MY Orange-Red HUGE cutting mat is here too!!!



Isn't my table looking a tad bit small??? LOL... And look at my old green mat on the table in the corner, I wonder how I thought it was large for me!!! It looks tiny now...

I must say, this mat is wonderful... The grid is in black on the orange side and in white on the red side...


Now I just have a small issue... It was rolled while packing and has these two bumps...


Any idea how I can get rid of them??? Or do I tape it down to my table??? I'm afraid I might spoil it by doing something stupid... I'd appreciate some help here...

So whats your favorite thing this friday???

Tell me in your comments this time... And join us after a few weeks back on Mrs P's 'Quilting in my Pyjamas'

Cheers!!!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Something is on my way...

I just heard from someone that this will be on my way soon...

to be converted into this...


which will be available here...


 

and here



I am so excited!!!

Cheers!!!


Tuesday, December 21, 2010

A few more finishes...

Wondering what I am busy with??? Well, I am busy with the preparations of the big day for me... Yup... 38 of my 40 quilts for my Spread the Cheer Project are ready... And the remaining two will be finsihed by tomorrow... I need to wrap them though... They are already at my friends place who's helping me with it...

It was an overwhelming project, sometimes down the line I though I had over committed myself, but in the end I managed to do it... There were times when I just thought I would not make it, especially around Diwali, but I kept on trying...

I have also managed to sqeeze in some more sewing during these busy days... Here are those...

First are a pair of bright Pillow shams 16" x 16" for my Etsy Shop...

Pillows to brighten up the rooms... For my etsy shop

Pillows to brighten up the rooms... For my etsy shop
The fabric is really bright and I loved it... The backing is simple envelope style and in a dark green that complements the fabric on the front... I will also have 4 FQs of the fabric in the front in my shop...
Pillows to brighten up the rooms... For my etsy shop
Next, I finished a couple of pocket tissue holders, also for the shop... I guess at $2 each, they will look pretty good, what do you think??? I aim at having items that are reasonable priced in my shop... I get a good bargain on fabric prices here, I think I should extend it to you guys too... :)


A tissue Holder for the winter!!! For my etsy shop
I also finished a couple of Sushi Rolls Baby Changing Pad and a diaper pouch... These are gifts for new moms around me...
Sushi Roll Changing Pad  & Diaper Pouch
And there's something else I have been working on... I'll show it to you at a suitable time... Till then peek around...

Here are a few details...
Details...

And here's a partial view... The fabric is wonderful to work with... Its one of the apron rememnants...


A sneak Peek!

My next post, hopefully, will be about the STC quilts... Keep waiting... Till then, C ya all...

Cheers!!!