A box of gifts all the way from the US!

This posting is long overdue. In fact, very long overdue! 

I hope Diane doesn’t think that I am not appreciative of the things she sent me.

How can I not be appreciative, I love everything she sent me! I just could not find the time to blog on it. When I had some spare time, which is usually at night in a hotel room when I am outstation, and not able to sleep, I am without a laptop! LOL!

Today I am once again outstation. But this time, I am on holiday while hubby has to work! *grin* 

This time I came prepared with my ever so cute Samsung Ativ Tablet PC (no, I am not getting commission for promoting the tablet PC, but I think I should. *grin*) and before leaving for the trip, I finally remembered to take a photo of the box of gifts!

The box is filled almost to the brim with all things crafts.

Diane had sent a box of variegated DMC threads for NNC’s Anniversary Meet goodie bags. 

Also in the box is Diane’s very lovely neck roll done in hardanger. The work is so fine that when Mel, the lucky recipient of Diane’s AGE, opened the packaging, everyone was going ooohhs and aahhhs over the lovely piece. See posting on the Anniversary Meet.

I don’t think Mel would ever put her neck on that oh so lovely hardanger piece! LOL! 

Looks like it is gonna be a showpiece kept in a showcase in Mel’s home! LOL!

The rest of the things in the box are for me, and for me alone! LOL! ….well, OK, there are things Diane sent for me to make her a Circle Tote and there is the Block Swap that I am supposed to pass on to Zarina.

Sorry, Zarina, I forgot to bring them to the Meet. I only remembered about it when I was taking photos to update my blog.

I shall bring it to the next Bee. Do remind me about it. Very sorry!

Diane sent me materials to make 2 totes. I am still reading up the instructions here and hope to start working on the totes in a couple of weeks.

In the box is also a pack of ziplock bags in a huge size.

I had asked Diane if she could send me some as I could not find that particular size here in Malaysia. They are a good size to put in quilt block for Works-in-Progress (WIP). 

Diane also sent a length of quilted fabric which she thought I’d find a way to use it. I do but so “sayang” to use it because it is so lovely!

She sent 3 books on bag making and other than going through them really quickly upon receiving the box, I have yet to really go through the books gain.

I do notice some bag patterns which I think I am keen on making.

One thing really lovely in the box is a box of very lovely variegated threads which Diane said is meant for my quilting projects. All the colours of the threads are so lovely.

Yes! Yes! I love them all! I know I am going to find reasons to use up the threads in my quilting projects. LOL!

In fact, I love every single thing inside the box!

Thank you so much, Diane, for all the lovely things you sent me.

I will get down to making the tote soon.

I will keep you posted on my progress at the NNC board and at FB.

Diane’s bags completed!

Yipppeeee! I completed both bags on Saturday morning! I put in the buttons at about 9.00am! I am so happy and relief! Now I can pack them up together with Diane’s goodie bag from the NNC 3rd Anniversary celebration and wait until I could find a time to go to the post office!

However, Diane, you might have to wait for at least another week before I could get to the post office as I will be travelling again this week. Patience, my dear, patience! *wink*

So, do you want to see how both bags look like? Here they are......

I think they are both lovely, don’t you agree? I did not design it, and so I can praise it. LOL! *wink*

Here's a close-up of the small clutch.

I had followed the pattern that Diane sent me almost to a T! I did make some very slight modification, but it was just because I thought it would look better.

Like I said in my earlier posting, the fabrics that Diane sent for the bags aren’t colours that I usually work with and so, it was quite a challenge to put them together to make sure that they turn out okay. I must say that I am quite pleased with the results. I think the colour combination is really nice! Diane made all the right choices in choosing her fabrics! I just made them work better together! *wink*

The big bag was fun to make! I learnt quite a few new techniques, and I was also introduced to this awesome Pellon Fusible Fleece which I find so amazing and a breeze to use! I must get more! If only they are made available here in Malaysia...*sigh*

I also love using the Sewline pink pencil lead that Diane sent me, and the square rulers Diane sent as part of the payment for the bag is really awesome! I love it! Thanks again, Diane!

Although the two bags are not part of a set but the fact that they were made using the same colour combination fabrics, they look like they were designed to be together, and they look great together!

The small bag or pouch was supposed to have some decorative stitches, but I decided to quilt it the same way that I had quilted the big bag so that they look like a part of each other and a set.

I think I had made the right decision. *wink*

The pattern calls for the three sides to be machine sewn together like an envelope, but I had hand sewn them together instead, both on the outside and on the inside as I thought that had I machine sewn the sides together, at least a 1/4in would have to be sewn in as allowance from each side. That would have made the bag smaller and bulkier, thus the reaon why I decided to hand sewn them together.

As I had hand sewn the sides on the inside and the outside, I think the bag should be able to handle the normal wear and tear. It also looks neater.

I love the pockets on the front of the big bag, and Diane had asked that I put another pocket on the other side even though the pattern only calls for a pocket on only one side. This method of doing the pocket is something new to me, and I might use it for future bags that I make.

I also like the way that the pattern calls for the inside pocket to also be made from 4 pieces of 5”x5” charm squares. I decided to quilt the pockets the same way as I did the front of the bag so that they complement each other. And, of course, you can’t miss my Aznique product tag. LOL! *wink*

I had used an overdyed threads for the quilting in two colours. The front is an over dye in browns, while the inside is an over dye in blue. Though the colours are different, but they do look good together as I had picked up the colours from all the fabrics used for both bags. I don’t know if you can actually see the subtle change in colours of the over dyed threads in the photo, but, I am quite pleased with the results.

Diane had sent me 3 pairs of buttons of different designs and had asked that I pick a pair that best suits the bags. You can see from the photos that the buttons don’t match in terms of designs, although they almost do match in colour. That is because, instead of 2 pockets as called for in the original pattern, Diane had asked that I make a pocket on each side of the bag, and so, I suddenly realised that I am going to be short of a button.

I wasn’t sure if Diane would want me to go out and buy a totally different button in matching sets to make the 3 buttons, but, as I did not have time to ask Diane when I sat down to finish off thge bag, I hope that Diane doesn’t mind that the buttons don’t match in design.

Luckily Diane had sent 2 pairs of buttons in almost similar colour though different designs. I think had Diane not sent 2 pairs of almost similar colour, I would have gone out to buy 2 new pairs.

What do you think, Diane? Shall I go out and buy 2 pairs that match or, is what you see acceptable to you already? Let me know, okay, as I can still unpick and repack everything up before I make my trip to the post office next week.

(I eventually got an email from Diane telling me that she does not mind having the buttons different on both bags. Thanks, Diane!)

I had fun doing both the bags and I must thank Diane for giving me the opportunity to learn something new from making the bags. I hope that Diane likes what she sees here.

Would you like to send me more patterns and fabrics to make more bags for you, Diane? LOL! *wink*

A request all the way from the US!

After getting a special request from Idah, my hubby’s cousin to make her 2 bags, I got another request almost soon after that, but this time coming all the way from Diane in the United States of America! She must have been impressed with the sample bags I made for my hubby’s cousin! *wink*

Diane wanted two bags to be made; one is a big shopping bag, and another smaller one which can go into the big shopping bag. She wanted the bags to match. Diane already has a design in mind. In fact, she has already bought the patterns for both the bags, and she also bought the fabrics in the colours that she wants the bags to be made from.

That in itself took out the `headache’ of trying to choose fabrics that will suit to her taste and liking. That way I can get straight into making the bags, and, the best part was that, I get to keep whatever fabrics leftover from the bags! *wink* And Diane was generous in the amount of fabrics that she sent! I could mix and match and maybe even make another bag! Thanks, Diane!

Since the order came all the way from the US, making payments for the bags was going to be a little bit `difficult’, and so when Diane suggested that she pays me by sending me things that I want and also some other items which she feels I could make use of to make more bags, I agreed. Again, Diane was generous in her `payments’ for the bags.

My jaw dropped when I saw the things that she sent to me as payment! It was like I was celebrating my birthday months in advance! Just look at the box that the things came in!

And here's what she sent me!

There are fat quarters in PINK, and there are plenty of them to make me a bag or two!

When Diane was about to send out the parcel to me, she said that there was a craft fair of sorts going on in her area and asked me if I would like her to get me anything from there. I mentioned that I have always been wanting to get those square grid rulers for my patchwork but have always been put off by the high price sold here in Malaysia.

Diane bought me not just one square ruler, but two! One is 6” and the other is 4 ½”. Now cutting my squares for patchwork will be a breeze! Thanks, Diane!

Diane also bought me a triangular ruler and circle templates! She also included in the box a Sewline fabric pencil which is awesome to use to mark on fabrics, and Diane even bought the pen in pink with pink lead! LOL!

She also gave me a roll of pink ribbons and also a length of pink ribbons. I also got a pen which I believe is a magic marker to mark on fabrics, also in pink!

As if that was not enough as payment for me to make the bags, Diane also sent a pattern for KIMONO GARDEN wall quilt, complete with all the fabrics to make the quilt! Thank you so much, Diane!

Wow! I had so much fun opening the box, and kept digging into it despite having to put everything back into the box as my working table was already cluttered with the things I was using to make the bags for my cousin’s hubby, because I don’t want things to get mixed up!

Now for the things that Diane sent to make her two bags….

Seen here is the KIMONO GARDEN Kit (in a box wrapped with a ribbon) which I originally thought was part of the items for me to make her the bags. Luckily I confirmed with Diane first before setting out to cut all the pieces for the bags! LOL!

Anyway, looks like Diane is into blues, greens and browns. It is not a colour I usually work with but it challenged me to get creative in trying to coordinate the colours, and I really love the results!

Look out for a posting on the progress of the bag. I am about 90% done on the big bag, and I started working on the small bag last weekend. I am not sure when I will be bale to get both bags done. I have been doing a lot of travelling lately, and I have been coming home late and feeling very exhausted.

Should I complete the bag in time for NNC’s 3rd Anniversary celebration this weekend, Diane has given me permission to bring it to the meet to show it off! *grin*

Also among the things that Diane sent me to make her bags is a roll of Pellon Fusible Fleece. I have read about it online and wondered what it was. Now I know, and I simply love it!

It made quilting a breeze as I need not have to baste the fleece (batting) onto the bag pieces first before quilting the pieces, but only need to iron it on directly onto the fabric. Also, as it glues itself to the fabric, I can cut the batting right up to the edge of the fabric, when, before this, I have to give plenty of allowance for the batting as when I quilt, it tends to take in some of the edges, if you get what I mean.

I only wish that this Pellon Fusible Fleece is available here in Malaysia. *sigh*

I inquired at Sakura (they have moved to Kampung Kayu Ara new business center) and they said that they might be bringing in some sometime this year to test the market. I just hope that it won’t cost a bomb!

I can’t wait to show off the bags I made for Diane. Hopefully by the 1st week of April, I will be able to get them done.

I already have two more orders for 3 more bags from 2 different people – Zai and Ann. I just need to discuss some details with them.

BTW, my hubby’s cousin’s bags are also almost done. I am only left with the finishing touches. I hope to get them done before the end of the month so that I can pass them to her. I just need to find time to meet up with her.

I will post updates on all four bags (my hubby’s cousin’s and Diane’s) when all 4 bags are done. I need to find time to sit down and finish them up and to blog about them.

If only I have 36 hours in a day! LOL!