Gal with a toy!

Yes, my new sewing machine is here! The last two days have been spent re-discovering a Bernina, with the help of a trainer. Usually, the company is kind enough to offer training to those who end up buying a Bernina, and I think rightly so. Because to really understand the full potential of the machine and utilize it well, we do need some one-on-one interaction.

Well that, and also its a perfect opportunity to get demoed on all those cute additional accessories and commit to spending way more than you intended to on a sewing machine. Going bananas Varsha? Maybe a wee bit!

While I was waiting for the trainer to show up the second day, I did a quick test of how the proposed traditional quilt will look. Not much, just stitched up 4 blocks. Think it will turn out okay. I am planning this one for my mom, who insists she doesn't need yet one more "comforter"! Wait up Mom, I am sure you will change your mind soon.

The lady Usha Belose was quite insistent that we should make some real stuff while she demos out certain features. So I cut out some fabric and batting and quickly thought up a couple of simple ideas to execute. She turned those into a reality. Awesome stuff, and I could not contain my excitement dreaming up possibilities once I saw the end result.

A simple small table runner she quilted by FMQ. Needs to be finished.

The underside.

A cute little potholder, using their circular embroidery tool.

Mom looked at the embroidered pot holder, and commented how easily we dished this out, when of course, in their days, they used to painstakingly make these and more by hand.

Well, that's so true, look how painstaking she had created this saree, all hand embroidered.

Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy my blissful, if hyper ventilated state of mind, body, the works. :-)

Crafty days are here again!

Yes, I somehow seem to have more time on my hands. What better way to use the time than to indulge in all those wistful craft and sewing projects I have been drooling over all these years.
Here's one WIP quilt, just cut out some simple square patches and want to do a random patch quilt with it.. My first quilt, it shall be. Let us see...

I am also wondering if I can create a simple set of 4 paintings using the technique below. I had made this a long time ago using bright blue ink on a simple plain piece of paper. This looks like a copy I made of the original. Would be interesting to do it once more.

Costume Making for the school is such a Tra-la-la

A comment from one of the hassled moms of a FB craft group I belong to, reminded me of how parents have to sometimes shift all other priorities and get down on the knees and arms, to make their cute kid uncomfortable and ready to throw a tantrum.

Yes, I am talking about all those reasons that schools make you go through the torment of designing, creating  a costume for your screaming, uncooperative devil, all in the name of fancy dress, or Annual day or Earth day, or whatever. Well the problem is that the torment is not limited to oneself. That we hapless moms can still take.

Well torment it still is, even for us moms who like doing anything crafty. Cloth or chartpaper? What material should I use? Some of us can manage sewing stuff, but its usually last minute panic a day before the event, and then we end up cutting, painting and churning out a professional looking costume made entirely of chartpaper. Well, maybe I shouldn't speak for others. But that is so ME!

The torment then extends to fitting, testing it out on the kid. Ok, done that too! Done you think, all set ready?
No, no, hold on! It then continues - how do you send the costume packed in a bag, when the school has a normal working day, and the kid is somehow supposed to dress himself or herself? Ok, detailed instructions to the kid follows. "Tell Akka this string goes here. Wear the shoulder straps first, and then ask Akka to tie this behind. Did you understand? Are you even listening to me, etc.. etc.." Okay packed and sent.

Even if its something like the Annual day, most schools require the child to be ready and behind stage, wearing the costume for hours, so they are ready, waiting for their turn. Parents are usually not allowed to dress their child and drop them off a little before their event. More torture? Absolutely!!

Oh then the other part of keeping the costume intact begins. Kids will be kids, so they run, chase, fight with each other behind the scenes. What better way to pass the time when everyone is stuck up behind their dumb costumes then to tightly hug your favorite friend and try a jump and hop sequence without tripping and tearing. Oh well, seriously, mom, I didn't know that your costume was so flimsy it would tear with one jump with my friend.

Enjoy, my crafty-and-not-so-crafty-costume-making-parent-friends, its all a temporary lapse of reason on the part of the school anyway, one kid at a time, one generation at a time. :-)

Oh BTW, here are two similar costumes, one where darling dotty was a sea-horse, the other a no brainer carrot. Yeah, it gets easier the second time around.