Saturday, February 16, 2008

It's finished! It's finished! It's finished!

heheh......sorry, could not help jumping for joy. *grin*

Yeap, I completed my chenille bag today. It wasn't planned actually that I would be completing my chenille bag today. It's Saturday, and usually I would be stitching or going online at Starbucks as I wait for Aiman to finish his art class or engineering workshop, but, on Thursday evening, we got an email from Aiman's school to say that there will be a replacemnet class this Saturday to replace the extra days the school closed for Chinese New Year.

We had planned on an all day outing today since Aiman wanted to watch the Lion Dance at Bangsar Village in the evening. But, as Aiman had school in the morning, and we had a lunch invitation from an aunt who is treating a cousin who's back from Berlin for the holidays, I made a quick phone call to May asking if I could come in in the morning to finish my chenille bag. Luckily there were only two other ladies coming in to do their single size quilts for their children.

I got there at slightly past 10.00am, and completed the bag at 12.00noon! Just perfect timing! I could actually have gotten it done sooner, but May's attention was divided today with the other two ladies who needed her attention more to get their quilt going.


What do you think of the bag? Nice, huh? *wink*

I love the japanese fabric. I did not brush the front that much because I wanted to be able to see the flowers on the fabric. May says that it could be brushed further for a more fluffier look, but I wasn't too keen on that kind of effect. I think I am already happy with the way it looks. Maybe Janet might like hers fluffier to be able to see all seven layers underneath.

Here is the inside of the bag. Rather simple with just a pocket. The pocket was put in just before I stitched the inside of the back to the main body. This bag was mostly handstitched together, so it's really fine work involved. I just hope the bag will last.

Since the bag has no zipper, I can't make it into a handbag, unless I put in another bag in it. It's gonna have to be a bag to carry my small projects around. Rather a very sophisticated craft bag, don't you think? *wink*

I have also signed up for another class - a placemat. I actually have a basic idea of how to make a placemat, I have made one before, but I wanted to take up this class because I want to learn how to do free motion quilting 'Kelvin style'. I have learnt free motion quilting `Gill style' earlier (oops! I have yet to finish that piece! *blush*), and now I want to learn the way Kelvin does it.


He did all the quilting for the placemat model at the class and it's really lovely. May tells me that to get to that level of expertise would take me years, and I would have to have the right quilting machine. I told her, I just want to learn the basic, and if I can do just half as nice as Kelvin's, I am one very happy lady already. *grin*

BTW, here's a peak into what I am doing for the NNC Lottery currently being organised by BJ at NNC. *wink* Can you make out what it is going to be? *grin*


On another stitching project, I have now reached the bottom part of the Drawn Thread Sampler Game Board. It gives a certain sence of achievement to have arrived there, although it will take some time still before this piece will be completed. I have yet to stitch the many motifs in between the mini houses. I'll get there, slowly, but surely. I just hope that many more of my friends are stitching this piece with me. That way, I will be more motivated to get it done sooner.

Currently they are busy SAL-ing the EMS Rose Sampler and the How Does Your Garden Grow piece, so I am left alone. *sigh*

I wanted to join them for the Rose Sampler, but I can't seem to find the time just yet. I also need to get some of the exchanges out of the way first before I start venturing into any other new projects for now.

9 comments:

Jill Smith said...

I did a bag like yours but nothing so pretty as yours is but l forgot about the zip but l did a piece like the bag and attached a popper to it on the inside and it closed it but you can make it as long as you want and attache more than one popper then l found out about the magnets for bags that you put under the lining and they just go to each other on there own,
Its rearly beautiful yours,

Barbara J said...

That is drop dead gorgeous. I wouldn't be able to make that in a zillion years!! Fab and sweet colours too!

Are those fabrics for the placemat from a kit? What is that pack for? I'd like to try free motion quilting one day too. Looking forward to your progress.

Your SGB is amazing! I know I know, I am one of the contributing pests ;) Will pick it up again ... hopefully soon :)

Margaret wong said...

That is indeed a lovely bag, no wonder you want to do a Happy Dance! Love all those fabrics of your impending projects..........can't wait to see the finishes!

Emily said...

Its so elegant! All your hard work is worth it!

Janet C said...

Yes, very, very beautiful. You're right not to brush the fabric - as it is, the flowers seem to be in motion. Congrats.

Charlene said...

Your bag was so gorgeous Nik. I will have to take a thousand year to learn to do perfect like that. Congrats.

Lillie said...

Wow! That bag is a beauty. The Loved the choosen fabric as well. Congrads. All WIPs are looking good :D

Dzaliqa said...

This is handstitched? Wow, I don't think I'de be able to do this without a machine. Great job!

June said...

Wow, I love the bag as it is. Makes me want to do one too. Hmm... thinking hard. Am also curious why you need to brush the bag and this thingy about seven layers. Can you enlighten me?