Two new projects in the making!

This week, or, rather, last week, I started on a baju melayu for Aiman which I am learning to make at Epal. It is not part of my one year free lessons, but an extra class for raya.

I had to pay RM100.00 for the class and RM90.00 for the kit.

Now I know why the baju melayu cost so much. It's so difficult to just get the collar right! LOL!

I went to class on Sunday, 30th August, for 2 hours, and all I managed to do was the collar, and even that wasn't completed. I think it will take me another class, MAYBE, before I will be able to complete the collar, and God knows how many more classes before I will be able to complete the baju!

I just hope I can get it done in time for raya, not that Aiman will be wearing it for the first day of raya as our theme this year is blue.

This is as far as I got up until yesterday.

I just can’t wait to get it completed, but, it’s going to be a long way away with an uphill task of learning how to sew the pants too! I just hope that Aiman will appreciate it when it’s done.

BTW, I can’t help but started on another project last week too when I dropped by Quilt Gallery last Saturday, 22nd August. I bought the stuff for the project already and had meant to go for class last Saturday, 29th August, but I had a prior engagement already.

But, over this long extended weekend, I started on it, and it is almost 80% done. I need to go to class to learn how to put the zipper on, and to put the pieces together.

What am I making?

I am not telling yet until it is completed but, here’s sneak peek……. *wink*

Lovely roses, don't you agree? *wink*

Hopefully I will get it done come next Saturday, and then I will `show off'! *wink*

A burning lesson

My mum called me on Saturday, 29th August, to tell me that my sister had almost burnt her (my mum's) new condo when she (my sister) put a pan with oil on the stove and left to go to the toilet.

According to my mum, when my niece saw it, fire from the pan had almost risen up to the ceiling. My mum, in her panic, picked up the burning pan to bring it out to the wet kitchen, in the process, tilted the pan, pouring the hot oil on the floor, and my mum slipped and fell on the hot oil with some oil pouring on herself.

When she called me to tell me about it, she said that she felt like a burnt fried fish. Poor mum! She had gone to the clinic, and was given some pain killers to minimize the pain from the burn.

I hope she will be OK, she being at her age already, and yet having to go through such a suffering.

She said that hopefully that will be a lesson to my sister as it seems that my sister is in the habit of putting a pan on the stove and then would go about doing other things outside of the kitchen area, and thus forgetting that she has put a pan on the stove.

She has burnt my mum's pots several times already, but each time it was it an empty pan. This is the first time that my sister had actually put oil in the pan.

Take care, Ma! Love you! Hugs!

An unexpected belated birthday present!

I received a very lovely belated birthday gift from Tini and Paul on Wednesday morning. Well, rather, it arrived on Tuesday, 25th August, but I wasn't in the office on Tuesday.

Paul smsed me while I was on leave on Tuesday asking if I had received a POSLAJU package from him which he had sent on Thursday. He wanted it to be a suprise but he must have gotten worried as it should have arrived latest by Friday, it being a POSLAJU package, as I had said nothing on Friday or Monday. Either that, or, he must think that I must be really rude not to acknowledge the gift from him. Oopps! *blush* LOL!

Anyway, I am not to be blamed *grin* for not acknowledging the gift as it only arrived on Tuesday while I was away, but my assistant smsed me to say that a package had arrived for me and that he had placed it on my table in my office when I inquired about it from him on Tuesday.

So, you see, Paul, I wasn't being rude *grin*. But, I am mad with the postal clerk at my office who had failed to deliver the package to me immediately when it arrived on Friday according to records at the POSLAJU center.

Doesn't he or she knows the meaning of a POSLAJU package? I sometimes feel like shaking up the clerk at the postal counter if I could!

Anyway, back to the gift that Paul and Tini gave. It's a very lovely bag made with the sweetest fabric of english flowers and a crocheted lace.

Since I know Tini hasn't actually tried crocheting, I pressume the lovely crocheted lace was made by Paul, and Tini made the bag using the lace Paul crocheted. The combination is really awesome.

If I may add, as awesome as the couple who combined efforts to make it? *wink*

Love the maroon colour bottom for the bag.

Here's a close-up of the lovely lace. Awesome, wouldn't you agree?

Love the inside of the bag - it's so sweet! I think the bag is also reversible.

Oooohhhhh! I love everything about the bag! It's going shopping with me the next time I go shopping!

Thanks you so much, Paul and Tini! It was really unexpected!

So, my birthday lasted longer this time around with a gift arriving in August when my birthday was in June! *wink*

Thanks again! Hugs!

A new patchwork shop in Sunway Pyramid!

I told you in my last posting that after my exams were over on Saturday, 15th August, before I went home to take a much needed nap, I went over to Sunway Pyramid, to check out the new patchwork shop that had just opened there, right?

Well, I just couldn’t resist it despite being very tired and having to go home to still have some last minute preparations to do for my submissions to apply to sit for my professional exams.

I felt like I needed to let go to release my stress, and visiting a craft shop is something I know that will let me release the overwhelming stress that I have been going through the last two weeks.

I went there after lunch. By the way, digressing a bit, I treated my son and hubby to Sushi King as a way of saying thank you for being patient with me for the past two weeks. *smile*

Anna Patchwork House is a very small but cute little shop at the CP2 parking level. One look at it and it would remind you of Quilt Gallery, because the things there are pretty much what QG has, well, almost, but, of course, much less because the shop is 2/3 smaller.

No, it is not a franchise, nor is it a branch of Quilt Gallery. It is solely owned by Anna and her friend.

I was told that she runs some classes, but I did not get a chance to find out more when I was there on Saturday for the first time . I only managed to stay there for only about 10 minutes as my hubby had an appointment with a plumber and so we had to rush back home.

But, I was there again on Sunday as I needed to go to POPULAR to get some stuff for my submissions. Was I making an excuse to go there again? *wink* Ssshhh...don't let my hubby hear me say that! LOL! *wink*

So, again, I took the opportunity to drop by Anna Patchwork Shop, this time, armed with a camera as I had earlier asked Anna if I could come snap photos of the shop to put up at my blog for my friends to see who might want to know more about the shop.

I thought that It would also be a good opportunity for her to promote her shop through my blog as I know that I have many readers here who are crafters, and would be happy to know that a new patchwork shop has opened up somewhere near their area.

Unfortunately, Anna wasn't there, but, her sister was, and she kindly called Anna to ask permission from her on my behalf if I could snap the photos.

So, here's the layout.....

As you enter the shop, you will be greeted by this WELCOME patchwork sign up on the wall facing the entrance.

To the left of the WELCOME sign are shelves of very lovely cottons, which some are very familiar if you visit Quilt Gallery often.

To the right of the sign are two big pieces of quilt which I presume Anna had made them.

Below that is the cashier counter and shelves of patchwork paraphernalia and gadgets. I would have wanted to browse longer, but Aiman was getting restless.

I only managed to, or rather, I just could not resist buying at least two pieces of fabric at ½ meter each before it was time to go for dinner. Seen here is Anna’s sister cutting up the fabric I bought. Pretty pink, huh? *wink* Yup, it HAD to be PINK! LOL!

Just below the WELCOME sign are shelves filled up with craft books, but mostly are on patchwork and quilting though she does carry some cross stitch books.

I did not have the opportunty to find out more about the classes that she is offering as Anna wasn’t around. However, there was this lady there who was working on a quilt which I find very pretty.

I also saw some lovely bags she made. I might want to take a class or two there someday if I know where I can put up Aiman as I go for classes. I will have to discuss that with hubby. *wink*

In the mean time, if you read this entry and drop by her shop in the near future, do tell Anna that you read about her shop at my blog. Who knows, I might get some commission from her for doing her some free publicity. *wink*

Getting back into routine and, hopefully....on track....

It’s been more than 20 days ago that I last posted here. I went into panic mode, remember, when I was told that the PTK course was brought forward by almost two months? I blogged about it here.

After that, I just simply dropped everything that I was doing, even having to reschedule some of my project meetings to prepare for one of the paper assignments that had to be submitted at the beginning of the course, which was only 5 days after the assignments were given out.

Even after the exams were over on Saturday, 15th August, I only managed a few hours of sleep (I hardly slept during the 10 days I was preparing my assignments and attending the course) before I had to start work on finishing up preparations for my submissions to apply to sit for my professional exams, which was due latest on the 17th of August.

I had wanted to take the following Monday, 17th August, off to recover from a very stressful and intense 2 weeks, but, as I had to reschedule some of my meeting the week before, I had a very packed week the following week.

So, it was back to work for me, but, without any breaks, I feel like I was about to faint from sheer exhaustion, mentally and physically, as the first 3 days of last week, I had site visits which means that I had to use physical energy to make my rounds around the project sites.

My hubby said that seeing me all stressed out has made him stressful too. He took a day off last week to de-stress even before I, myself, could find time to de-stress! LOL!

Anyway, I must thank my hubby for being so patient with me the last two weeks. He was my `rock’ at times when I got so stressful that I could no longer think straight. He helped me get started on my paper assignment when I could no longer compute what was being asked, in my state of panic. He was there for me emotionally, even though all he did was just to sit next to me at the desk while I worked on my assignment and he, on the computer, doing his leisurely stuff or work which he brought home to keep me company late into the night.

Thank you so much, hubby, for being there for me and for being so patient. I love you!

I am just glad that the weekend is finally here. I hope to have some time to do my own things and do the household chores which some have also taken a back seat while I concentrated on my assignments and exams.

So, today, I was at Bangsar Village to run some errands, while my son attended his usual Saturday classes. After my errands were done with, I dropped by Quilt Gallery to find that the shop has gone through some renovation. Gill was not around, but Surinder was. It seems that it is a requirement by Bangsar Village that shops goes through some sort of facelift every few years.

The shop looks bigger now, and able to accommodate more students.

I plan to take one or two classes during this fasting month while I wait for Aiman to finish his Saturday activities.

I bought the materials already this morning and plan to sit down and get things organized to go for class next week, or the week after.

I need to also make a trip to Epal maybe tomorrow as I have signed up for a Baju Melayu class.

Oh, by the way, did I tell you that after my exams were over on Saturday, 15th August, before I went home to take a much needed nap, I went over to Sunway Pyramid, not only to have lunch, but also to check out the new patchwork shop that had just opened there?

Well, I did, and I will tell more in my next posting. Those into patchwork and sewing will want to know……. *wink*

Overwhelmed, torturous and stressful!

Yup! That was exactly how I felt for two weeks since 4th of August when we were briefed about the PTK course which ran from the 10th – 15th August 2009.

I was feeling overwhelmed by the fact that I had to prepare 2 assignments (one being on project management, the other on my work, target and achievements for the year thus far), one individual presentation, one group presentation, and one English public speaking on leadership in managing change, all to be done within a span of less than 10 days.

To add to that, on the first day of the course, we had to sit and watch a video of the PM’s speech and write our thoughts and comments, and what we intend to do to achieve his 1Malaysia plan, all in 1 hour, and we are expected to write at least FIVE to EIGHT PAGES, the first 3 pages being our first initial thoughts and reaction to his speech!

To top off the 5 day course crammed with assignments and presentations, we had to sit for an exam on Saturday morning, 15th August. As we were mostly busy with assignments and presentations throughout the week, our last being the group presentation on Friday morning, we only had Friday night (we had a short lecture on Friday afternoon) to study and cram everything into our overworked and over-utilized brains that easily forgets almost everything that it had read and tried to remember within a span of a few hours! LOL!

That is what happens when you are above forty. Your memory just isn’t as alert as it used to be 10 or 20 years ago. I told my hubby and some friends that I could actually see the figures and drawings that I drew the night before, but I simply could not recall what were inside the circles and arrows that I drew! LOL! I think I was running cold sweat during that 2 ½ hour exam just trying to recall what I had studied.

There was also a time that I almost wanted to cry when I could see the page in my head where the answers were but I could not recall the exact thing on that very page! I had to take a long deep breath to calm my nerves before I could finally answer the 5 questions required out of 11. I hope I did well and answered the questions correctly.

I think the organizers shouldn’t ‘torture’ us this way. *grin* We are too old for this already. LOL! Our brains are overworked. *grin* I don’t even mind doing another paper assignment rather than sit for an exam. It would have been more stressful, but, maybe not as torturous. MAYBE! *grin*

Now, all I could do is pray to Allah. I hope that I will pass all stages of the course, insyaAllah. I have to. I need to.

Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear!

Aiman's school was closed down yesterday due to two cases of H1N1 - a teacher in secondary school and a child in upper primary.

Luckily Aiman wasn't in school yesterday. He didn't want to go to school because he said that all he did all day was cut confettis in preparation for the school concert which was to be held today, Friday, but is now canceled.

Aiman was chirpy yesterday, but when I came home this evening, he was starting to cough and is having the sniffles though he does not have a fever. I pray to Allah that it's nothing serious. I have given him a dose of cold and cough medicine. I'll surely be monitoring him with eagles eyes over the next few days.

Going into panic mode!

I am curently in a panic mode. I just got news that the PTK exam which was originally scheduled to be held in October has been brought forward to the week after next starting from 10th to the 15th of August! Oh no!

I am not sure how prepared I will be as I have sort of programmed a lot of things aleady for the next two weeks, workwise and craftwise. I have back to back meetings everyday this coming week. I don't know where to find the time to slot in some reading work to prepare for the exams.

I don't know how prepared I will be but I do hope that I will be mentally prepared to go through it by next week. I have to. It is not a choice I have.

As if that is not enough, I also have my professional exams to prepare for which is the submission of work which is also due the week after that! Double Oh NO!

I didn't mean to leave it at the last minute, but, I had meant to take a couple of days off the week after next to concentrate on preparing for my professional exam submissions, thus why I had arranged back to back meetings all week this coming week so that after that I can leave it to my officers to take care of any other issues that may arise while I concentrate on my submissions.

Now, looks like everything is about to be turned upside down! HELP!

I pray that everything wil turn out fine and that I will do well for both my PTK and professional exam submissions.

Gone too soon….the passing of a very talented lady…

I don’t know her personally. I have never met her, yet, when I heard news of her passing, I cried. I had wanted to blog about her passing since Sunday, but, each time I tried to sit down in front of the PC to write, I choke even on the first line.

Such is Yasmin Ahmad’s impact on people like me who doesn’t even know her, except through her touching advertisements that spells unity and harmony, blurring lines between race, religion and beliefs. Just visit this site below and you will know what I mean.

I have never even watched any of her movies, but still, the impact that her advertisements have on people speaks volumes of her talents.

I have never once remembered watching her advertisements, no many how many times they are being shown, especially during the month of the Merdeka celebration, without shedding a tear or two. Many will remember the love story of Tan Hong Ming, though funny, but the sweetness of an innocent love also made me cried.

I cried again today, even after two days of her passing, as I read about all the good things people have to say about her in the papers. She must have been a very wonderful person to the people she has known personally, making people feel loved through her work.

It’s the Merdeka month again next month. Her advertisements, if they do reruns again, will bring out even more emotions by those who were touched by her, or by her works, now that she has passed on.

TV3 announced that works are on the way to pay tribute to her. It will be one program I will wait patiently. I just hope I won’t miss it when it is finally aired.

I hope Petronas too will pay tribute to her, because it is through her advertisements for Petronas that till this day people remember the story, no matter which year they were first being aired. It is only fitting for a person who has done the best she can through what she knows best – to tell a story.

Farewell to a very talented lady. She has gone too soon. There is still much that she can do, but, God loves her more....

My condolences to her family.

Semoga rohnya dicucuri rahmat. Al-Fatihah.

Going up in smoke smocking!

Heheh…I feel like my head was smoking like a chimney as I tried to master the technique of smocking! LOL!

It looked like it was easy, and yes, I am sure that once you get the hang of things, it would be a breeze. But, even before you could even get the hang of things, you have to go through the learning process.

If I read it from the internet, it sounded easy. But, I think what made it hard for me was because the teachers at Epal did not actually go through with me the proper procedure of how to do the smocking like how much fabric do I need to make pleats to fit into a certain size of a body of a certain size chest.

They just told me to pleat the whole 45” wide fabric. But, the person I am learning to make this dress for is still small and has a chest of only 19”. The fabric, after pleating, is 12” just for the front. Double that and I will get 24”. The dress is going to be 5” bigger at the chest. When I explained this to the teacher, she said it should be just right once the smocking is completed.

Even when she taught me how to do the smocking patterns (err...it that what you call it?), she did not show me how to set the pleats to be even, and how tight and taut am I supposed to stitch the motifs. She just told me to stitch first, and said that later the embroidered motifs will be adjusted. I wondered whether if that is actually the correct way to do smocking.

For one, am I not supposed to secure the pleats first and even it out before I start on embroidering the motifs? My pleats kept moving as I embroidered. My pleats would sometimes end up to be 13" at some rows, and 12" at another row. Am I not supposed to leave some allowance for seams, because the teacher showed me to embroider right up to the edges of the pleats?

I surfed the internet looking for answers but could not find a satisfactory solution. *sigh*

I finally decided to post my questions at the NNC board and June, being a smocking expert, came to the rescue. Thanks, June! She explained it very clearly what I am supposed to do.

She suggested that I trace the smallest template out onto a cardboard, then reduce the cardboard to the size you deem fit. A photocopier could be used to shrink down the size instead of tracing out the templates.

She also suggested that I put pins at the end of one end of the pleated material and wind the pleated threads in a figure of 8.

Anyway, here is part of the smocking motifs that I had done so far, before I decided to post my message at NNC. Notice how uneven my embroidery and the pleats are?

I had to unpick several times as I kept on miscalculating and missing stitches.

I am not too pleased with the results, but, if I unpick it for the 3rd time, I think I might just end up abandoning this project totally! LOL! But, with June's clear explaination, I am a little bit more confident of doing the next stage of the embroidery.

However, I will need to go back to class to learn the rest of the motifs for the center portion. I can't wait for when the August Stitching Bee is coming up as June promised that she will do a demo on smocking.

Now I know why a smocked dress cost so much. Doing up the smocking motifs takes so much of one’s time. I almost gave up! LOL!

In fact, today, I went to check out a shop in Bangsar Village just to gauge the price of a smocking gown. The shop, Cotton Club, is selling their cute and oh so sweet smocking gowns at a starting price of RM70.00.

I already can’t wait to get this dress done up! I am alraedy thinking if I could make more of these dresses in the future! LOL! I already have plans with my brother, Ayis. I just need to find time to sit down and get to work! *wink*

BTW, I have completed the flower motif bag.

I completed it about two weeks ago but could not find time to take photos of it, and to blog about it.

Here is a close-up of the flower motif with a very simple embroidery work.

It’s not the best work. I could have done better, but, after having to do 7 embroidered flowers, I got bored and just wanted to get it over and done with! LOL

Nothing can beat the lovely embroidery work June did for Paul’s apron which she gave him for his birthday as his Birthday Exchange partner at NNC.

I will definitely have to practice more to get to the standard June is. OR, I could `cheat’ and use my upcoming embroidery machine to do the work for me! LOL! *wink* Sssshhhhh….

Oh, BTW, here is the progress on my mum’s bag.

Not much progress actually as I am only working on this bag in between my Epal projects. I hope to find some time to complete it very soon. But, as always, time always seems to elude me! LOL!

Smitten!

If you have don't have RM30k to indulge in a sewing machine, don't bother going to see a demo of the Bernina 830. Because, if you go (watch the demo), you will be so smitten by what the machine can do, and, after that, you will be on cloud nine, dreaming about nothing else but the machine! LOL! *wink*

Opps! Before my mum thinks that I am about to spend RM30k on the machine, I'd better say right now that I am not, as the price is, at the moment *wink* beyond what I can afford....for a machine, that is! *wink*

Anyway, I went to see the demo of the machine at Sakura last Saturday, 17th July, with Tini. Tini had been wanting to see what the machine can do since the week before when I went to Sakura for my Free Motion Quilting class, also at Sakura (see earlier posting below).

I think Tini was so smitten by the machine the minute Kelvin sat down to explain the capabilities of the machine. It was like having all your machines (normal sewing machine and embroidery machine) lumped into one. You could say that the Bernina 830 is a machine of a class similar to that of the Rolls Royce if you were to compare among cars.

It had so many things it can do, I think my jaw just dropped just listening and watching what it can do! I think I was salivating to the point of panting! LOL!

I just love the fact that it could quilt motifs of up to 9"x9" inches in just one hooping! My problems of quilting my large quilts will be a problem of the past, if only I could afford the machine! LOL! *grin*

Tini was so smitten by the coloured touch screen, and the fact that you could resize the motifs without having to use a design software. Everything is done on-screen!

With all those capabilities and more (I can't recall all that it can do), any other machine pales in comparison. At RM30k, you wouldn't want to expect anything less, of course!

I went home feeling dazed with excitement, but I was quickly brought back to reality with my feet still very much firmly on the ground as I know that the price is beyond me. If I were to buy such a machine, to make it worth it, I would want to spend a whole day everyday playing with it, and working on it, churning projects after projects!

As it is, time is hardly on my side to craft everyday. I'd be lucky if I could even work at least 15 minutes a day on my crafts. Alas, there have been many days when my machine does not get to even see a glimpse of me!

Anyway, while we were there, who would we meet but Aw and Joanne! They both drove all the way from Kuantan to pick up the Bernina Aurora which Joanne had ordered. Soon we should be able to see many wonderful things churned out by Joanne.

Seen here in the photo is Joanne on the left and Aw on the right with Aw's three daughters.

If last Saturday, 10th July, was like a day of meeting with friends, so was it too last weekend, when, as Tini and I were leaving, we bumped into Jo, who was at Sakura to meet up with Aw and Joann!

So, Joanne, have you started anything on your new Aurora yet?

Feeling honoured and excited!

I wanted to post about this last week when the event took place, but I came home too tired and exhausted. I thought I could find time to blog about it over the weekend, but, I ended up having a very hectic weekend what with my hubby being outstation on Sunday, I went for a demo of the Bernina 830 at Sakura on Saturday (yup! I did! But, I will blog about that later) and attending my Epal class.

Now that my hubby is back, he has taken off some of the load from me of seeing to my son's needs, that I can now find time to sit in front of the PC to concentrate to do some writing.

Anyway, what I wanted to tell here is that, on Thursday, 15th July, I attended a project meeting where present in the meeting, among others, was Tuan Haji Hajeedar Haji Abdul Majid, who, among the architectural fraternity, is very well known and admired for his works.

My late dad use to talk about him a lot, and he once said to me that he would like it very much if I could someday be as successful as him. My dad and Hajeedar, or, shall I call him Uncle Hajeedar? *wink* were good friends, so I was told. My late dad was teaching law, and Hajeedar, an architect, yet, they shared a lot in common.

One of the common factor was my dad's love for architecture. He had always wanted to be an architect, but, he had several times told us that his grades in art was not good enough to get him into architecture. So, when I made it to study architecture, and graduated soon after that, to my dad, his dream had been realised, eventhough not directly, but through his daughter.

I don't remember ever meeting Hajeedar when my dad was still alive. I think we never had the opportunity to meet.

I have very high respect for Tuan Haji Hajeedar, and to have him present in the same meeting I attended was almost like a child meeting someone of power and highly respected. I got excited! Alas, he sat towards the end of the meeting room, and he spoke very little, allowing his Architect to do most of the talking throughout the meeting.

However, after the meeting was over, we had a small discussion to discuss the details of the project. Hajeedar joined us and put forth his opinion, and agreed with me on some points. I was like going, "Wow! This man I admire is actually listening to me! Not only that, he agrees with me on some points! Am I dreaming?" Quick! Pinch me! LOL!

When the discussion was over, and everyone started to leave, Hajeedar came closer to me and in a low tone, almost in whispers, said to me that he knows my dad well, and that he admires my dad's work. He had a lot of good things to say about my dad.

I was caught surprised as I did not think he knows who I am as we were never formally introduced as he joined the meeting when it was already midway through. Another thing that I was caught surprised was that he actually still remembers my dad even after all these years (my dad passed away in 1996), and remembers my dad with fondness.

But, what was even more surprising was what he said after we exchanged news about my dad, my dad's sudden passing and he asked about my mum (yes, Ma, he asked about you and wondered if you remembered him). He said that when he heard that I am the Project Manager for the project that we were discussing, he told his Architect that he had to come to the meeting, at least once, to say "Hi" to me, and to tell me what a great man my dad was.

It touched my heart, and I feel so honoured that this great man who I have admired and looked up to for inspiration eversince I got involved in architecture actually took the time to attend my meeting, just so that he can say "Hi' to me and to tell me that he still remembers my dad as a great man.

My heart sings. I feel humbled and honoured. It will be marked in my calendar as the day a great man took time to listen to me, and remembers my dad as another great man.

I am blessed.

First I could, then I can't!

I could do Free Motion Quilting, and then I can't!

Yeah, it was a shortlived excitement. Read on to find out why....

Yesterday, I spent the whole day at Sakura learning how to master free motion quiting, Yup! FREE MOTION QUILTING! Finally I managed to attend class at Sakura!

I didn't think I could do it (FMQ) but I was pleasantly surprised that I actually could do it once I was taught the right technic by Kelvin.

I have to say that it was still not that easy to do FMQ and I have lots to practice before I could actually master it, but I came home feeling amazed and couldn't believe it that I could actually do it in the first place after wanting to learn how to do it for the longest time! LOL!

First of all, we had to learn how to do 9 basic stitches - scribble, zig zag, loops, waves, scallops, corners, pebbles, spirals and flames. They look easy, but they weren't, but once you get the technique right, it was almost a breeze, though I needed a lot of practice before I could get my curves to look like curves, and my corners sharp. The hardest to do, for me, was the pebbles.

Next was the stippling, the one which I have been wanting to do for the longest time among all the many FMQ stitches!

Before we were allowed to work on the machine, Kelvin made me scribble on pieces of paper first. I thought it was going to be easy as I always scribble and doodle when I am in a meeting that is long and boring! LOL! *blush*

It wasn't, actually, to scribble the way the stippling effect is to look like. I have habits which I could not get rid off when I started scribbling. I tend to make sudden and sharp corners, and tend to repeat waves in a boring line, instead of making it meader. OK, I am getting too technical! LOL!

Anyway, these are my scribbling on paper.

And here is the final effect on fabric.

Kelvin said that it is not too bad, though not of a presentable quality. *blush* I am an architect and I could not even `scribble' using the machine that is of presentable quality? LOL! How embarassing can that be? LOL!

I, however, was amazed that I could even scribble and do FMQ in the first place! I have been having so much trouble trying out the FMQ stippling effect for the longest time, and to get to what I did yesterday, I surprised myself! It was unbelievable! LOL! It was above my own expectation! LOL! *grin*

However, my excitement was shortlived when, after dinner, and this morning, when I tried doing it again, they didn't come out as nice as when I was doing it at SAKURA. It felt quite easy when Kelvin was looking over my shoulders and perfecting my moves when I was doing it in class, but, when I came home, for some reason, I just could not move the fabric as easily. It didn't glide like it should, and I was using the same calico fabric that Kelvin had given me to practise on.

I just couldn't understand it. My stitches came out all short. My curves came out sharp, and my biggest frustration was that I just could not get the fabric to glide across the machine under the needle. I just could not figure it out! Uurrgghh!

What could I be doing wrong? Zarina, you think you know what is it that I am not doing right? All the settings are the same.

It couldn't possibly be the machine as I actually brought my own Janome to the class. This is so that I can be sure that I know how to do FMQ on my own machine and not becuase it was a BERNINA (Sakura only sells the BERNINA).

I was able to do the FMQ well on my Janome, so BERNINA's BSR (BERNINA Stitch Regulator) has nothing to do with making the stitches look even. Zarina was right about the fact that once you know FMQ, you can do it on any machine with ease, and not necessarily on the expensive BERNINA.

I am also wondering if the height of my dining table has something to do with my not being able to do the FMQ well as I tend to lift up my shoulders to push the quilt through the machine. It gave me a shoulder ache and my movement of the quilt became constrained. The table at Sakura was 28 inches. My dining is 30 inches high.

My hubby had just helped me cut off 2 inches off my small table which I usually use for sewing. Thanks, Dia! Hugs!

I am going to give the FMQ another practise tonight. Wish me luck!

BTW, as I was in the middle of class, who should drop by but Tini and Paul!

Tini came to take a look at the BERNINA 830 (you buying it, Tini? *wink*) and wanted Kelvin to do a demo of it. However, Kelvin was not too keen then, one, because he was running a class, and two, because he said that to do a demo of the 830, he would need at least an hour to show all the possibilities that the 830 can do to give it justice for the price that it is being sold for. He couldn't give Tini the full attention if he is running a class.

Tini, he said to give him a call so that he can set up a time to do a demo for you. If he does, do tell, ok, because I might want to join you too! LOL! *wink*

Yesterday was like a meeting of friends, when in the morning, I met Tini and Paul briefly. What did you buy at Sakura, Paul? In the afternoon, when I came back from lunch, who should be in the shop, but Niza and Rozita! I couldn't recognize Niza (how embarassing! *blush* Sorry, Niza, it's been so long!), but I recognized Roz immediately!

Gosh, it's been so long that I last met both of them! It was good to see both of them again! We chatted awhile before I had to resume my classes and Roz and Niza wanted to do some shopping at Sakura.

They left soon after that, and I noticed that Niza had bought some cottons. Another new project, huh, Niza? *wink*

I hope to meet up with Niza and Roz again soon. Roz said that she might be interested to join the Sun Bonnet Sue class too which I am organising with Corine as the teacher. I need to work out the details first though. Will keep all those who have signed up posted once I have worked out the details with Corine.

ABC Quilt completed!

Yippee!!

Actually, I completed the quilt about two weeks ago, but I simply could not find time to snap photos of it with good lighting. What do you expect when I only have time to snap photos after dinner is done with each day! LOL!

Anyway, it’s finally done after working on it since January 25th, 2009, with many interruptions in between. No, make that, many distractions by other projects! LOL!

Wow! It actually took me more than 5 months before I finally completed it? Gosh! That long? LOL! Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! *grin* Anyway, glad that it is finally completed. Felt like a big load has been lifted off my shoulders when I finally put in the last stitch into it two weeks ago. I felt a heave of relief! *grin* Now to find a place to hang it up! Oopps! But I forgot to put a hanger to it. So, how?

Anyway, so far, I have completed 7 projects to date. I have 5 more projects to go to gain my Certification of Completion. So, upon completing the ABC quilt two weeks ago, I started on a new project which is actually the month of June project. Yup, I am behind schedule. *grin*

In fact, when I went to Epal 2 weeks ago, I wanted to work on the pants project which was the month of March project (I think I only attended one class in March, and even then, I went to class to work on another project – the calendar project, which, to date, is still not completed), but one of the teachers there would not allow me to work on it as she said that the project is too far behind already. I would have to wait for the next year’s project schedule to work on it. *sigh*

I was so eager to work on it as I felt that it was going to be a project that I might be able to complete quite fast, but, unfortunately, it was not meant to be. *sigh*

As I was not prepared to do any other project when I went to class that week, but, since I had already driven all the way to Puchong, I spent the first hour going around looking at the other students doing their projects (makes me sound like a naughty student, huh? LOL! *wink*), and seeing one lady working on her Janome 350e machine doing embroidery work. It was so exciting! It made me even more eager to get my machine sooner than September! LOL! Opps! Or was that December I said the last time I posted about making a booking for the 350e? LOL! *grin*

After about an hour of just going around being a busybody, I dug into my project bag and found that I had actually brought along a project kit which I had bought the previous week! LOL!

So, I immediately started on it, and so far, I got up to this…….

Aren’t the flowers pretty? I can’t wait to get it done!

By the way, I have also started on the July project, which is a curtain, meant to be in time for the upcoming Hari Raya celebration. I am doing one for the guest bedroom where my mum would sleep if she spends the night at my house. It is not something that I would put up in my house actually as it is too frilly as the concept of my house is rather simple and modern. But, it would be something that my mum would like. Furthermore, I wanted to learn how to sew this type of curtain. Who knows, I might need the knowledge later. *wink*

So far, I have only started on making the patterns for it last week. Yup, patterns for the curtains! I cannot help but find it amusing as in my years of sewing my own simple curtains; I have never done any patterns before. I would just go ahead and cut the fabric. Maybe that’s it! Because the curtains in my house are simple, no patterns are required! LOL!

A hut of a shop!

I was in Penang last week for work. I had many times made trips to Penang for work, and each time I would only have enough time to give Ina a call, as I would be rushing to go for meetings, and then I would be in a rush to fly home. I never seem to have enough time to meet up with her for a face to face chat.

Ina has been trying to persuade me to take a later flight so that she can bring me to meet Corine who she says is a very talented lady. The last couple of trips to Penang, my meeting would end quite late, and then I’d be in a rush to get to the airport. I told Ina that I will try to make some kind arrangement the next time I come over to Penang.

So, this time, when I had another opportunity to fly to Penang again for work, I decided to take a slightly later flight than the one I would usually take. I almost did not make it to meet Ina this time around too when I made changes to my flight. I changed my flight to one that is an hour earlier than my scheduled flight when my hubby called me in the morning to say that my son was sneezing all night the night before.

I was worried as presently the swine flu is going around. But, when I called my MIL in the afternoon, she said that my son is sleeping and resting well, and is no longer sneezing. Thank God!

As I was also done early at the workshop where I was attending, after lunch, I decided to call Ina to meet up earlier than planned. Ina took me to this nice neighbourhood just behind her office at USM.

Ina told me that I am going to like Corine’s place. She couldn’t be more right. I was in awe of the place the minute I stepped into it.

It’s a cute little place packed full with all things quilt, patchwork, and sewing and there were handmade bags at almost every which way you look! You even have bags hanging down from the roof truss!

Don’t believe me? Just look at the photos!

I think my jaw must have dropped looking at all the lovely things in the cute little hut. Yes, HUT! When I posted at the NNC board that Corine has a little hut for a shop, Paul said that I was 'mean' *grin*, but, really, it is a HUT! Don’t believe me? Take a look! *grin*

According to Corine, it was originally a `wakaf’ (resting bench with roof) owned by her neighbour.

When they moved away, and left the wakaf behind, Corine decided to take the wakaf and added windows and walls to the wakaf to make it look like a little house.

It’s like when you have a playhouse for the kids, only this time, it’s the adults that’s playing house! LOL!

The hut even has an air-conditioning unit! The place is really cozy and I could see myself spending hours in the little place without ever feeling bored!

I am sure many of my crafting friends will agree with me when they see this little place for themselves. Ina and Niza will attest to that. Right, Niza and Ina? *wink*

When we got there, there were two ladies, Jenny and Jenny (yes, they have the same name) taking classes to make a bag. Seen in the photo from left to right - Jenny, Corine, Jenny and Ina.

According to Ina, both Jennys are here almost daily. Ina herself spends many wonderful hours in the little place, and she has made many wonderful things taking lessons from Corine.

I wish that Corine lives in Kuala Lumpur so that I can take lessons from her too. Corine, in fact, offered to teach me the Sun Bonnet Sue quilt I was admiring if I could gather some friends in KL. She is willing to come down to KL to teach. So, friends, any takers? *wink*

I managed to spend about an hour at Corine’s cute little hut before it was time for Ina to send me to the airport. I wished I didn’t have to leave so soon, but, I have a flight to catch, and I didn’t want to get home too late.

I hope to be able to go to Penang again, this time staying longer so that I will have more time to `play’ at Corine’s cute little hut. Maybe I could even take a lesson or two in bag making while I am there! LOL! *wink*

Thanks, Ina, for bringing me to meet Corine. She is such a nice lady. I could tell that she is passionate about her crafts, and excited to teach so that she can share her knowledge of the crafts. I hope that someday I will have the opportunity to learn from her all the crafts that she knows.

It was a visit that got me inspired and excited that the minute I was settled down on the plane, I immediately took out my craft magazine (I never go anywhere without at least one craft magazine in my bag! LOL!) to dream about my next project and to dream about the little shop that I hope to one day own. *wink*

BTW, one of the Jenny wants to sell off her JANOME MC6500 which is unused, and still very much in the box. It seems that she bought the Janome, but, before she could even learn how to use the machine, she fell in love with the BERNINA, and decided to buy the BERNINA instead, and now wants to sell off the JANOME unused at a very much reduced price. Let me know if anyone of you out there who wants to buy the JANOME and I will let Jenny know through Corine.

It makes me wonder why I have heard so many JANOME users wanting to sell off their machines in exchange for the BERNINA. Is there something wrong with the JANOME, or, could it be that BERNINA sales people are better at marketing their machines than the people selling the JANOME?

Did you know that JANOME supplies the BERNINA?

I am a member of a couple of Yahoo! Groups that discusses the JANOME, and I have heard many good things about the machine. I am very happy with the JANOME I bought close to 11 months ago. It has given me so many pleasurable hours churning out projects after projects. I am hoping to have a long lasting and wonderful relationship with my JANOME.

I also love my 16 year old SINGER and could not bear to part with it as it too has served me well, churning out projects after projects over the last 16 years. I hope to have many more wonderful crafting years working on it. And soon, I will have an addition to my family of machines! I just can’t wait! *grin*

A natural......

Isn't my niece such a cutey in this cute little dress made by yours truly? LOL! *wink*

Thanks, Sufia and Ayis, for the photos! Please give Fatin a hug for me for modeling the dress. She looks so adorable. Makes the dress I made look even cuter! LOL! *wink*

So, Ayis, shall we talk business? *wink*

It has bloomed!

During the last Stitching Bee on 13th June, Usha was very kind to give me some plants which I believe are Morning Glory, as the hibiscus plant which she gave to me during the Anniversary Meet in February died on me. Thanks for the plants again, Usha!

I did not plant it immediately when I got home that Saturday as I had arrived home late, and I needed to take care of the household chores first. Not wanting for the plants to die on me again this time, I put them in water, and the next day, Sunday, I had my hubby call his regular grass-cutter cum gardener come over to help me plant them after he was done with cutting the grass.

Each morning before going to work, I make sure that I water the plants first. I would do the same thing too when I get home in the evening, no matter how late, I’d water the plants first.

Today, the plants rewarded me for the attention I gave it by bearing flowers and blooming so beautifully! I wasn’t the only one excited as my son was excited too! When I went to get my camera, he went to get his camera too, which I gave him one of my old ones.

In his excitement, he fell when he hit the curb and landed on the ground, sustaining a few small cuts, but, he immediately got up, and before I could say anything, he said, “sikit aje” (small cut only) and smiled. He usually would cry, but I guess he was more afraid that he might have broken the camera when it hit the ground, and so probably figured that by not crying, and appearing macho, it would divert my attention from the camera. *grin*

The camera’s fine. It’s more than 7 years old and had suffered bigger falls, once even falling from a height of 4ft onto a tiled floor, but still it never failed to give me great photos.

BTW, besides some small cuts and bruises, Aiman’s fine. *wink*

In a state of shock!

Yesterday, my mum’s house in Kota Bharu was burglarized. My mum was here in Kuala Lumpur to send off my youngest brother back to university. She was here since Tuesday, 30th June, and had intended to stay on till this coming Tuesday, 7th July. But, this afternoon, she took a flight back to Kota Bharu, fearing the worse.

According to a cousin who lives near to my mum’s house, in the afternoon yesterday, the back door neighbour thought something amiss when she saw the back door leading to the kitchen looked like it was broken. She called the cousin asking her to check it out, but the cousin was too busy at that time, and did not get to check it out until very much later, when my mum’s daily help came to switch on the lights at 5.30pm, and noticed that the grill door was badly damaged.

The burglar must have been having a whale of a time going through all of my mum’s things as the whole house was turned upside down. Every door was broken down. My dad’s coin collection which is probably worth thousands of ringgits is gone, so are some uncut bank notes which my dad too is a collector.

My mum lost all her pearl sets, and some other costume jewelry which she bought when she was in the US recently. She said that they are worth a few hundred ringgits a set.

Also missing are her international passport, a couple of her and my brother’s bank books. I can’t recall all that she lost but she said it could run in the thousands of ringgits.

When I met my mum at the airport this afternoon, she looked tired as she hardly slept the night before upon hearing of the bad news from my sister. My sister herself said that she was weak at the knees when she saw the condition of the house when she went to look at my mum’s house with the cousin last night.

When I spoke to my mum about 7.00pm this evening, she didn’t sound too bad as she said that she had expected the worse, though I am sure she is still very much shocked and traumatized by what had happened.

I hope my mum will be OK, as she wasn’t in the best of health when she came to Kuala Lumpur, and now, she is going back to a home that has just been burglarized. I am a little worried, and my only consolation is that both my sisters are there in Kota Bharu with her, and all of my sister’s children are with her. They usually perk her up.

Times are bad and people are getting desperate. Just on Thursday, my Senior Director’s office was broken into and the burglar managed to get away with his laptop, the keys to his Mercedes Benz, Toyota Estima and the whole set of house keys. There were other things missing but I could not recall.

Just 3 weeks ago, my hubby’s office was also broken into and they managed to cart away his laptop.

There has been a spate of snatch thefts reported almost every few days in the papers in the last few months, some even ending in death. There are so many sick people out there. The more advanced we are, the more desperate people are becoming because everyone wants to live well beyond what they can afford, and they’d do anything they get what they want.

I can only hope and pray that Allah will always protect us all from harm. Amin.