Hong Kong 2018

I have recently been on holiday in Japan. On our way we got a free stopover in Hong Kong. The last time we were in Hong Kong was before it was returned to China. We didn't see much change except the usual development of the crowded city.  Hong Kong was the first overseas city I went to, so it was interesting and sentimental for me. We stayed on Kowloon side which was vibrant and lively, specially in the evening. We had street food where the locals hang-out. 

We did the usual sight seeing, museum and a few galleries. We love trecking into the back street areas, soaking the atmosphere of the city. We went to where we used to visit years ago - Stanley Village. We had to travel over an hour by local bus to the other side of Hong Kong island. Stanley Village wasn't how we remembered it. The old fishing village is now as touristy as you can imagine. It was so disappointing, but the bus ride was fun. 

A friend who used to lived in Hong Kong told me to visit Mountain Folkcraft shop in the heart of Hong Kong. We tracked it down with the help of Google map. It's a shop you can easily spend a whole day in.

Then I found the Sham Shui Po market. It's full of fabric and sewing supplies where local tailors and dressmakers shop! It's mostly an outdoor and pavement market. You can buy beads and sequins by weight and sewing pins by the thousand. It was such fun strolling along and just looking. Mostly just looking!  

Hong Kong Victoria Harbor

Prayer shrine found in HK back street

Wo On Lane, HK

Mountain Folk craft

Back Street, HK

Stanley Village - what's left

Original cottage at Stanley Village

Sham Shui Po Market

Chinese New Year
decorations

More Chinese New Year
decorations

Heart beads I bought from the market

More goodies from the market

As usual I always take some stitching projects to work on during my holiday. It's the best way to pass the time while waiting. I even stitched on the 9-hour plane ride. In Hong Kong I stitched a roll using eco-dyed and scrap vintage Japanese fabric. 

In Japan I did boro stitching using vintage indigo fabric. I will share all of them once I tidy them up a bit. 

When I returned I got the flu and wasn't feeling well for a couple of weeks. Even though I was back at work, mentally I didn't feel that good. I was tired and didn't have energy. I was feeling low in general. I'm glad to report that I'm back to my old self again. I picked up sewing and started creating again. I've also gone back to the gym. Keeping myself fit is the key.

On my next post I will write about our time in Kyoto and the Kyoto Toji outdoor market. I won't leave it too long in between posts this time.

Until next time

Nat

First Post in 2018

Happy New Year all. I know that Holidays are done and dusted, but my holiday is finally about to start! Hope everyone had a relaxing and safe Holiday. Last year was the busiest year for me. Work, family and home life took most of my time. I did quite a bit on the creative front too. I only made few handmade gifts this year. I made up a few heart ornaments and one for myself to use as a brooch (see photos). 

Late in November I signed up for a textile art course online workshop with Sue Stone. I'm slowly working away on each module and loving it.

Then I finished Indigo Moon quilt and sent it away to get it machine quilted. I am looking forward to getting it back. I also finished another quilt top using blocks I made for a border of Indigo Moon quilt. I have enough blocks to make a throw sized quilt. I'm thrilled that I can use leftovers from one quilt to make another quilt. Does anyone do that? Then to wrap up 2017 leftover project, I finished piecing the heart blocks I did throughout the year, but it needed something to finish it off with. I used whatever fabric I had to piece the border for it. So, is this what they cal improv quilting? I am very pleased with myself and how it turned out.

Below are the photos of what I've mentioned above. 

Hand stitching Christmas tree as part
of my online workshop

Hearts using vintage quilt and blanket

I kelp this to use as brooch

Stitch samplers from module #1 online workshop

Sample from module #2.1

Sample for module 2.2

Playing with blocks from Indigo Moon quilt. I've also made up a few bunnies to applique around Indigo Moon quilt. I only made 4 bunnies. I don't want to waste them so I just randomly placed them in the quilt. I think I'm happy with that!

Leftover blocks

Quilt top with bunnies

Basting ready for hand quilting

Hand quilting has begun

The Love and Kisses quilt top

The most exciting project is my journal cover that I started sometime during the year. It's for our trip this January to Hong Kong and Japan. In Japan I will visit Toji Flea Market in Kyoto and the Tokyo International Quilt Festival. I have managed to combine the trip to visit both events. We will have a few extra days in Hiroshima as well. 

The travel journal front cover

Travel journal black cover

I will be posting on Instagram and Facebook. If you are my friends on Facebook please come along for a ride virtually! Some of my regular blog readers are not happy that I've been neglecting my blog lately. Living life in the fast lane can only fit so much in a day. IG and FB are must easier and faster to update than a blog format. Blogging is a journal for what I'm making. I like to print them out each year, but this year will be a very thin book!

Until next time

Nat

July Activities

If you haven't noticed, July is almost over. I bet some of you are thinking of Christmas decorations and shopping for gifts or making those special handmade gifts.

It has been a busy July for me.  I had family over for the first week of July. It was really fun to have DIL and GS over to play with. It went far too fast. Before you know it, it was over! So they left and we are back to a quiet house again. 

Later on in July I visited Ziguzagu for their winter sale. I came away with scrumptious goodies including my first boro cloth I've ever bought. I should have bought one when they were cheaper. To think that I introduced boro cloths to them more than 5 years ago! Anyway, it is what it is! The boro cloth I bought is really meant for me. Even though it was tattered, torn and for some it's just a rag. Firstly, I love the colour of indigo blue. I could see beyond what it is. All the patches are covered in lovingly stitches. With some loving care I can bring it back to live. What amazed me is that it smells clean and was well cared for before I got it. You will see photos below.

Apart from shopping for a bargain I went to an antique quilt exhibition called 'Making the Australian Quilt 1800-1950'. There were some awesome quilts on display. I only took some photos of the quilts I like to share with you here. Also photos for some dyeing I did in the last couple of weeks.

The Westbury Quilt (Sampler quilt).
A striking white embroideries on red background.

Wagga quilt from suiting samples

Wagga Quilt, Salesman's Samples 1920

Hexagon quilt c.1830, work ing progress.

Early Tasmanian crib quilt c. 1850

My very own quilt using natural dyed samples
and natural/eco dyed silk border.

Backing of the above quilt showing
hand quilting stitches.

A new cover for my journal for Hokkaido trip.

Some scrumptious batches of dyeing.

The results from the above bundles

This one is also from the above bundle.

Photos below are from my shopping at Ziguzagu's winter sale. Ziguzagu has got everything from vintage textiles, ceramics, furniture and ornaments from Japan. 

Ziguzagu warehouse

My day bargains

BORO cloth spreading in the Treehouse 

BORO cloth hanging out to air. 

Close up of lovingly made stitches on BORO cloth

Another vintage tin (middle top shelf)

The cold and wet weather is still hanging around. It's good for taking daily walks, but definitely not good for 6:00 am exercise classes! Yes I have signed up for 3 months of boot-camp classes twice a week. The benefit from getting up early is I have free time after work. I'm also feeling good and have more energy! As I'm getting older, I feel I'm not as active as I used to be. Putting myself into the routine of going to the gym is working for me. It certainly makes me healthier. 

Until next time

Nat