January Challenge for IMQG

The Challenge was to make anything we wanted using warm block colours. Its been a busy month, so I decided to make something small to ensure I could complete the project and also use my scraps. So I made this little cushion for my TV room. It was a first for me in actually using a Rotary cutter and measuring accurately! I also wanted to try making a log cabin block and managed to do that with this challenge! I have used a simple running stitch to add a little more to the cushion. Here is the result

My first blocks!

I have only worked on Crazy Quilting till date! I have wanted to look at other traditional american styles of quilting and so finally decided to get started this year! I have signed up for an online course http://www.craftsy.com/ where we will be making 2 blocks every month and then finally at the end of the year will have a ready made quilt. Each block will be a sample of  a new technique! The video's are clear and the written instructions add to that. The first month are the slashed blocks, so here are my two! I am thrilled as they have come out to size. The background fabric is a little thicker than the rest, and I hope this doesn't prove to be a problem as we proceed! Lets see! An exciting year in needlework as I am also participating in the IMQG (Indian Modern Quilters Guild) challenge!

TAST Week 2

We are into the second week and the stitches this time was the Straight stitch and the Holbein stitch. I really loved doing the square stitch, as it had so many possibilities and I could see myself getting totally carried away by it! Since my plan is to make a reference book of embroidery stitches, I am doing small samplers and I will be writing the instructions on the facing page. It will be great for me....and maybe even one of the girls may like it!Here is my work for the week:

My first stack!

I bought my first stack of cotton printed fabrics for quilting today! So far all my quilting has been done from scraps of fabrics I had collected over the years of making clothes for my kids and myself! Hence the first love is for crazy patchwork. Now I have 'graduated' and am keen to try other types of patch work....hence went out and bought some fabric. In this day of 'terry' fabrics, it wasn't easy to find cotton fabrics. I finally found a little shop in  New Market and went mad seeing a whole range of wonderfully coloured prints. The dilemma is that I have a huge liking for the handlooms, and maybe one day when I have practiced enough, will attempt a quilt with them. I have been considering poplins as well, but I think they are a little thin. Lets see what I do with these!

TAST (Take a Stitch on Tuesday) Week 1

I am taking part in an interesting challenge called the TAST ( http://begintast2012.blogspot.com/). It is a year long challenge where we will be practicing a new embroidery stitch every week! I am excited as it will be a way of building up a reference journal of embroideryof stitches! I have bought myself a file with attachable sleeves, and will keeping building up my reference The first stitch is the straight stitch and seed stitch. So much like our kantha. This is my contribution to week 1.

Sufi's crocheted African Lion!

This has been a busy busy time as the girls were down for Christmas and new year! What a wonderful wonderful time, so much laughter, fun and unbounded bonding and love! In all that I haven't had time to post anything on my blogs!!! I crocheted this lion for Sufi! She has begun to recognise animals and since her Dad is a naturalist knows names of her little plastic  forest animals  like okapi and hammer head shark, no simple little sheep or teddy bears for our Sufi! I had such fun doing it! I downloaded the pattern from the net and I am delighted how well it has turned out!

Most importantly Sufi likes it and spends her time saying grrrrr!