Bags!

Naeeda is off using leather bags, and hinted loudly as to how she would LOVE a quilted one for her birthday in July. So of course I loved the challenge of making her one! I have never made a bag before, so this was a a serious challenge! So first I looked for a pattern and found a lovely one on a website with free patterns (http://www.advanced-embroidery-designs.com/projects_2009/guide_violet_tote.html).  I then chose the fabrics and since Naeeda loves bright colours  I used the red and the madhubani cloth together! I have got some thin synthetic batting and this was ideal for the bag.  She is off to Portugal to visit David's family over the summer, so this will be great for her! Ofcourse now I have to get it across to her in Bangkok!

I quilted 'in the ditch', only on the white! I lined the inside with read as well!!! On the whole it has come out really well!
I was so excited by this that I made another one for Sufi, who at the moment loves bags! I got some interesting fabric in Bangkok, with little animals on it and hope she will like it as much as I like making it for her! She is visiting in a couple of weeks, so this is her 'coming to Thai's house' present!

Viveck's B'day present

The June Challenge at the DQ is to make something with squares!!! I also wanted to make something for Viveck this year. Since we are travelling abroad in August, I thought I would make him a case for his travel documents. So I combined the two and made the cover with a quilted block! I wish I had taken pictures of how I made it, but didn't so will just share lessons learnt!!! I made a 12 inch block with squares. Then I ironed on an interface to give the fabric some 'stiffening' . Since it is handloom material, it is very soft and I wanted the case to be firm. I then cut out the batting and a piece of thin muslin for the back and quilted the top with a simple running stitch at.

This was more difficult than I anticipated as the interfacing had made the fabric quite stiff and with the batting etc....I broke 2 needles! Anyway it got done. Then I found an interesting pattern to make the document case (http://www.thimble.ca/?p=1443) and took some ideas from that to make the case! Since I like hand work, I over sewed the edge with red, to give it a finish!
And so here is the case! Viveck really liked it and it made a great birthday gift!

Bangkok Stash

What a wonderful morning hunting for fabrics in the Chinese market in Bangkok! Of course we didn't just buy fabric, but clips and pins and all sorts of bits and bobs!!! An amazing place, warrens of little side streets colourful, crowded, noisy, women sitting and crocheting on the pavement, besides selling just about everything from an assortment of street food and fruit to clothes and stationery and stickers and and and.....!
Of course I went mad in the fabric lane, dozens of shops selling super great cotton fabrics, all obviously going to Europe. The prices were even cheaper than what I pay at home. So hopefully many quilts and quilty stuff coming up this year!