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

Treasures of Handmade and Homemade

I was thrilled to be asked by my director to create a farewell book for the university librarian when she left early in June. The university librarian, CHR was my favourite director. CHR appreciated and supported my artistic projects. She had been to all of my exhibitions over the years. Apart from the official farewell book I made from all of us, I also made her a journal as a gift from me. We had her farewell party on her last day and I got to present both books to her myself. 

After making books for CHR I got so inspired and made a few more books to use for textile samples. I have been thinking about making sample books for sometime now. I'm glad I finally got around to making them. 

My stitching project on this post is the jacket I patched with eco-dye silk and adding boro style stitching all over it. Slow stitch is ideal for a winter project. I have way more stitching to do on it yet!

I have been bottling my homegrown olives and make my own red and green curry paste as well. What are you doing this winter/summer? 

Textile sample books

This one for vintage indigo

End paper and title page

The 1880 antique sample book from Paris

Another 1880 antique sample book from Paris

CHR's gift journal made from
recycled bookcloths

End paper and title page

CHR's farewell book

End paper and title page

One of my recent projects is this designer linen jacket sourced from an op-shop and patched all over with eco-dyed silk and slow stitch. I never use any pre-planed designs or patterns to stitch over. I just let the fabric and textures guide my stitch. I've completed one side of the jacket. I have put it away for the moment to take up a crochet rug during the cool winter evenings.

Almost done with the right side. 

Round circles just happened!

Motif

A couple of weeks ago I came across a Kaffir lime tree full of limes. I remembered my mother made her own curry paste. Kaffir lime rind is one of the main ingredients for curry paste. In season my mother used to peel the rind and dry it to use in the off season. I think I will do the same too. There are lot of them at the moment. No one here knows what to do with them and they just go to waste otherwise. With that I made both red and green curry pastes to keep. I'm happy I did that and made enough to give away to DD and her partner who love cooking.

Red curry paste

Green curry paste

Preserved green olives

Before and after photos  of 12 WKC team

I just finished my 12 week challenge training at the end of May. We love it so much that we are still doing exercise just like we did in the 12 wkc. My gym is so caring that they are shutting down for 2 weeks to give us a break. Exercise is like other sports; we need to have a break after the major event. In the next 2 weeks we are supposed to do nothing. I think I'm going to miss it. I am also taking up running so I will keep that up! How is everyone? I hope you put some physical activities into your daily routine as well.

Until next time

Nat