where I sew ...

A couple months back, one of our big windows shattered. It didn't crash down to the floor but there was a loud cracking noise & it was the biggest window in my studio. Later, we learnt that this can happen with sudden changes in temperatures, I had visions of millions itsy bits of glass coming down & all over my fabrics & so began the tedious task of emptying almost half the room.

After it was replaced, I had to move everything back again. The good thing is that I could re-organise as the sewing mess was multiplying in the night! I also re-upholstered my swivel chair which I have had for a very long time. From its original blue to a fun combo of purple "cheater" patchwork & purple dots. I love it when I come across other blogs with pics of their studios & fabrics so this post is about my space.

My sewing table is an Ikea desk, covered with a piece of much-loved yellow/ lime green,Japanese brand "Echino" oilcloth beneath my machine so I can wipe off fabric dust easily.

The wonderful acrylic extension table was a gift from my Bernina dealer in Tokyo when I bought this QE 440 model, after seeing it at the Tokyo Quilt Show. I think I am a very good customer at a number of Tokyo shops :)

I do love & missed the cherry blossoms hence the sakura decals all over my machine. The skirting below my sewing table, consists of 3 seperate panels so I can still reach underneath easily, for a few boxes of fabrics. Also hides some electrical wires.

To the left of this sewing table is my ironing space & that newly replaced big window. When I am at the sewing table, behind me is my cutting table. This is a larger Ikea table, covered entirely with a blue polka-dotted oilcloth. And yes, with few boxes of fabrics underneath. These 3 sections are in a U-shaped arrangement so I just swivel around. The other areas are too messy for any pics now though.

Around this U-shaped arrangement, there is space to walk around for my fabric collections, which are stored mostly on open shelves along the walls or in big clear plastic boxes.

The fabrics are folded or in bolts, organised mainly by colours, sometimes by theme (eg. checks, sewing motifs, sakura, rice bowls, dragonflies, Christmas, ...). There is also my sewing notions section & then, my books/magazines on 2 shelves in a corner.

As I have glass along one whole side of the room, there are various curtains hanging at partial height so I can sew in privacy yet still see the trees & sky. Also, these help to hide the mess when we have guests in the garden.

When it gets too hot (50 C / 120 F in summer), I can still draw another set of curtains (set higher up) so that the whole room is closed off. I like my room as it is pretty comfortable. There is a recycled cosy chair in it & my kids love to visit.

I am constantly in the process of re-organising my scraps stash. I used to sort by sizes so I am re-doing the whole lot by colours.

I have a great admiration for Catherine from New Zealand, who sews/quilts most creatively & also have the most healthy, energetic lifestyle of any mother I have come across. Via emails & through her posts on The Sewing Attic, Catherine described her sewing space (yes, a real cosy sewing attic space) & her fabric stash.

How do you keep yours then?

Partying, sewing & sneaks of my studio ...

It was a hectic week. After we got back from our Easter break in Singapore, it was more unpacking in a frenzy & more spring cleaning to get the house ready for some guests. Here's a glimpse of our new home, here in Dubai. Behind these 3 metre high curtains, is the garden with a pool, something which we never had before & which is really, really useful now with the present temperatures of 40s C / 100s F .

A couple of last minute cushions made with my favourite fabrics. 

 Whipped up a special dress for our special girl. 

Thank you all, who sent her bloggy birthday wishes in the last post - you made her very happy!

Had a little pool party to celebrate Annika turning 11. 

The pool was a real scary, yukky, mess the first time we saw it. 

That's why this pic is smaller so you won't get too put off. 

And the house used to be very empty & clean. This was my spacious (to me!) & empty studio. 

It was meant to be a family room with wooden sliding doors leading into it, from the kitchen (which I absolutely love!). I have placed my laptop to the left corner of this room so that when I type, I can still see the pool if my kids are in there. 

 The studio is fast filling up with stuff. Here is some (yes, some!) of my fabric.

Organised by colours & also by themes.

I try to be neat but I think these multiply at night !!!

In front of me is a curtain suspension rod, with various projects all patiently waiting to be finished...

Among this mess, I sewed this wristlet pouch for a good friend. Hope you like it, Linda !

Autumn, Quilts & Mt Fuji.

Just got back from a few days by Lake Yamanakako near Mt Fuji, enjoying autumn in all its glory. 

We relaxed at a cosy inn, owned by a Japanese family & ate too much delicious Japanese food 

cooked by the innkeeper's wife, who also folded original wrappers for our chopsticks. 

Unfortunately, Fuji-san was behind a thick mist all those days so no nice pic of it. 
You can imagine that it's still there, across the lake, in the mist. 

Luckily, we still have good memories of this beautiful mountain, as you can see in this pic from a previous visit. 

Fishes were abundant in the lake !!! Our 10 year old Annika took these pics since so I can blog about them. 

And I did what most quilters would do...take along a pile of quilts 

& quilt tops to be photographed against the incredible autumn colours. 

Unfortunately, the typhoon was there at the same time so we had to take quick pics in between the rain. 

Brought along some metal clips & an extension pole. I know the rigid pole is not so pretty but luckily I did,  since the fences were mostly wet & there wasn't any low, sturdy, horizontal branches that we could use. 

 It kept raining & stopping & raining. Only dropped a quilt once, down on that wet floor! 

Some quilts, some quilt tops & some waiting for more quilting to be done. 

One even have a needle & thread in it (if you can spot it!). 

I love the pics that we managed to take. A big thank you to my 2 men who patiently held up the quilts! 

Also brought along scraps so I could cut & trim - a collection of many favourite fabrics for another project. 

( My attempt at stash busting, Alia ! ).

Probably breaking another quilt rule as the scraps are of different thickness & texture. 

It's a real colourful mish-mash & I love it & that will be for my next post. 

Happy Autumn days! 

Fabrics all around & a teenager too !

A friend asked what fabrics do I have & how much.  

So, here's a part of my ever-growing stash. 

Some are folded.

Some are lying around, 

patiently waiting to be sorted out, by colours, theme or by designers. 

The hardest part of my projects, is always selecting the fabrics, 

which seem to be oozing out from every corner of my small & crowded studio. 

...and a new quilt top...    

Today, our Niklas, is 13 years old. He sure loves to read.

He has been waiting a long time for this day, to be a teenager.

And we waited a long time for Niklas to be in our lives. 

Whenever I pick him up in school, he hugs & kisses me which really means a lot to me.

I am happy that he does that, whenever he sees me or his sister. 

He holds his sister's hand when she is frightened. And removes her shoes for her, 

when her hands are full with schoolbag & ice cream. 

生日快乐，权权! Shen ri kuai le, Quan Quan !

You are finally a teenager. Have fun with your new Kindle.