Unable to access to blogspot

Hello, to all my follower and friends.

Gosh, blogspot was blocked from access in China for the past few months. i am not able to update my blogs until they finally decided to unblock again. I hope soon....

For my friends who have been following my blogs, please be informed that I will update my works in http://www.flickr.com/photos/storyquilt for the time being.

I am sorry for the interruption until now and really thank all of you for joining my blogs :>

Have a nice day today (hugs hugs from Malaysia)

Basting !

23/4/09
After coming back from Japan, my neck condition was so much better. So long, after I finally managed to move my head without feeling 'electrify' at my fingers and toes. Before that, i tought of giving up already, I really need to thank GOD for sending me a good doctor to cure my problem.

Today, i am going to do basting for my entire project. My husband is traveling to Hong Kong now, I can make use of the entire living room space to spread my project.

First, I need to spread the inner fabric, facing down, as shown below. Then, tape the four sides fabric with masking tape.



After that, place the batting on top of the inner fabric as shown.



Finally, for the next few days, I make sure I eat full meal, make sure I have enough energy, on my mark, kneel down and basting all the way from center to the sides.


28/4/09
As expected, 4 days to complete basing the whole piece, I am really exhausted. And my weight reduced by 2 kg.



Now that I realise it is sunny outside.

Holiday in Tokyo

Am having holiday in Tokyo, Japan. I am now at Sunlite hotel, Shinjuku. Very convenient hotel that requires only 10 minutes walking distance to Shinjuku Station. I am so tired now...

Intermediate Final Project

I have not been "driving full force" to make my quilt project ever since I suffered neck problem. The first few weeks was really hard time for me because when I bend down my head, my eyes sight was blurr and I felt dizzy. My husband and I decided to pay a visit to a doctor in Jiu Jiang, Jiang Xi province. His name is Dr. Gan, who had previously helped cure my health problem while we were there. The trip to Jiu Jiang was very fruitful and interesting. Dr Gan recommended Chinese herbal pills, he wanted me to try for the first course to see if my condition improved. I took the pills for 2 weeks and right now, I found my condition much better. Will see what is the next step.

Though I have been slow sewing up the sides this time, I still managed to complete it today. So glad !!! ^^ I didn't even dare to hope that I will be able to do patchwork again for the past few weeks and now I am completing it. Thank GOD !

Completed the sides this morning :>

Buffet lunch

I started to go to patchwork school yesterday but I didn't do much work there. I learnt to enjoy my buddies there, at least I feel cheerful when joking around with my lady friends.

Though our ages differ so much, we still enjoy each others funny characteristics very much. When we are around, the whole class becomes so lifely. Our energetic characteristics even help attract more business for our school because a lot of students joined the class because they find that we are having such great fun in the class.

Right now, I treasure every moment with my lady buddies because soon, we will be apart. Some of my Taiwanese friends will go back to Taiwan for good. I hope that one day we will be able to have a gathering like this again.



Having dessert at XenWan restaurant, buffet lunch at RMB 98 per person. Looks yummy ?

Hard time - suffering neck problem

I was quite depress for the past few weeks due to my neck problem. My fingers and legs were numb almost every day, when I bent down my head to work on projects, I felt dizzy like the whole house was spinning. The symptoms continue till today. My therapist told me to stop working on patchwork for the moment because each time if I work on patchwork again, it will defeat the whole purpose to go for therapy. My posture will worsen my sickness. I was so sad. Going to patchwork school is something I look forward every day but ever since I suffered the sickness, I chose to avoid school because I feel sad when seeing everyone completing new projects.

Lately I tried to cheer up myself. Patchwork is part of my life while health is more important than anything. I should treasure my health first before I can treasure the rest wonderful experiences that comes in life.

I have to be thankful that I have such a supportive husband. He concerns so much about me every day. If I don't really work hard to cure my health problem, I will be very sorry to him.

I must keep reminding myself to win this tricky challenge !

Sunbonnet sue multipurpose pouch

I brought this project back to my home town and thinking that I was able to complete it on time. I was wrong, I just got to complete it today <*shame but I have a good reason for slowing down, again, my neck problems. I have been working very hard to complete my projects and some orders this two years, it is actually not good for my health. Long hours looking down stitching the projects has cause injury to my neck. I started to feel dizziness and my hands and legs feel like electrified when i look up. I was very worry and immediately sick help at one of the hospitals in Shanghai. After the X-ray, I totally understand the big problem at my neck. Currently I am going through few sessions of therapy to adjust the neck bones and muscles back. I feel blessed because I detected this problem earlier because problem like this could end up very serious injury if not treated properly. So for those craft addicts like me, please make sure you do stretching and relax every 30 minutes, avoid long posture.

23/2/09


Slowly, I tried to stitch the pieces for the background and applique of Sunbonnet Sue. Next, the basting took place followed by the quilting. Then stitch the two sides together to make it an oval shape.


4/3/09



About to complete soon. It has been raining for almost 4 days in Shanghai, so cold.....

I need to stitch the bottom of my pouch. It is important to adjust the bottom to fit nicely to body of the pouch, so use any many needles to pin it as you can.

Everybody can make a bag, the only difference is the how a person take good care of every single detail. When 'shaping' the bag, pinning up every pieces carefully is important or your bag will look clumsy.

oops, it's almost 11pm, got to sleep now.


8/3/09

I didn't touch the pouch for the past few days. Today, I managed to bias straped the bottom and the top only. I need to avoid looking down until my neck problem recovers.



12/3/09
Finally, I finished this one already !!! YEAH !!!!! Though a bit slow, I am still very happy to see the result. Oh, I found that the back is too plain, so i added something myself :p




Back view


inner view


Now i can relax and eat already.

Return to Shanghai.

Busy project life again. I am working on 4 projects at the same time, sigh.......... so tired.

I need to work on my middle & higher level project, a small pouch (can be a lunch box pouch for children too) and also few orders. I almost forgot my dinner just now, goodness !! Projects are projects, health is health, I have to keep reminding myself now.

I am stitching up all the pieces together, today is the second day already. Suddenly I noticed the "Tulips" is smaller than actual size, oh my GOD! I need to do correction tomorrow, sob sob ...

After lining up the blocks below, I am quite satisfied, all my hard works

Back to Malaysia for Chinese New Year

I am now back to my country, Malaysia. Lately I noticed that there are a lot of foreginers migrating to Kuala Lumpur, I wonder why... It is not that hard to find out after I have a few days stay in Kuala Lumpur (always referred to as KL). Lifestyle in KL has taken a big twist from very conventional way to very cosmo sytle. I couldn't believe its change after just a short period of time.

KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center, world highest twin tower)


From my understanding a lot of foreigners chose Malaysia as their retirement home mainly because of its low cost of living, lifestyle and most importantly, the beautiful weather.

I recently read an article of a Belgium artist describing her daily life as "beautiful sunshine in the morning, tropical rain in the afternoon that brings you wonderful feeling and romantic dinner under the sky full of stars". That exactly describe Malaysia. As a Malaysian, I really envy that she could enjoy all these because I have long missed those beautiful moments ever since my husband worked in China.

How I wish we could come back soon and enjoy the lifestyle in Malaysia again.

Check out this site to find out more about my country

www.tourism.gov.my/

http://www.sabahtourism.com/sabah-malaysian-borneo/en/home/ (Sabah offers one of the top diving spots in the world)

www.mm2h.gov.my/ (a good site to know how to migrate to Malaysia)

http://www.sarawaktourism.com/ (My hometown, a beautiful place full of green and wild life, also called the land of hornbill)

Below, taking a express boat ride along Rejang River back to my hometown, Kapit. The Ibans and long houses are the main attractions here.

Sunbonnet sue casual bag

I decided to make this Sunbonnet Sue casual bag for my sister's friend, it was my first official order. I have been postponing making this project for quite sometimes until knowing that Chinese New Year fell in January, that was when I started this project. I wished that when someone use my bag, they are always proud to present it the friends and show off ! (of course, like I always did). It is such an honour to me. As a result I put in quite a long time, thinking of pattern and fabrics that suits the user.

I made the applique and quilt for both sides of the bag.




7th Jun 2009
It is about 2 degree today. Finally I am able to see the shape of my bag. Hopefully I am able to complete stitching the sides and border together (I know it is not possible).


I was right, because half way stitching the sides, I stopped but switched my attention to my Hawaiian quilt project. I have the habit of making few projects at the same time because sometimes I get a bit bored while working too long on the same project.


9/1/09
After combining the sides and border, the next step is to carry out bias strapping.


The most wonderful time for me while making a bag is when I see real shape is about to present. I feel so excited today !



15/1/09
I have been looking for a suitable bag hanger for this bag but it was not that easy to find the leather bag holder in Shanghai. Rummaging through my workplace, I finally found a hand bag belt that I brought from Osaka, Japan last year (thank GOD ! Otherwise this bag will not be completed on time). Finally, after sewing up the bag holder, my bag is completed !








Sunbonnet Sue is happily waiting for the owner to bring it out for shopping now.

Sunbonnet sue casual bag

Hawaiian Quilt Project

-3 degree in Shanghai today, cloudy. Heard that it's going to snow today.

1/7/2009, I completed stitching the pattern now. It was a bit troublesome but overall, the process of doing it was fun as long as I don't rush to complete it.



Closer view

The process of making Hawaiian quilt is a bit troublesome sometimes. I need to do basting twice, ie. first basting is done to perform applique (stitching the pattern to the fabric), then I need to take out the basting thread, place my batting and inner fabric, then do basting again for quilting. So after completing the basting, the next step is to perform the quilting. See the difference below ?

I have to work on quilting today. Actually I like quilting very much :>

So cold, I hope spring is coming soon

Onigiri - my simple lunch

It's 2 - 3 degree, cloudy day in Shanghai.


I put on a lot of weight lately. Partly because of the cold weather and the time I put it 'addicted' to making my patchwork bag. I am working on Maggie's bag today.

I will make onigiri whenever I feel lazy to cook (especially in this cold whether). Onigiri (Japanese round shape rice) is very easy and fast to make. I mix the rice with Japanese rice vinegar, onigiri mix and some of my home cooked deep fried anchovies, then shape it into triangular shape as shown, then wrap it nicely with salted Japanese seaweed, then open my big mouth, and have a big bite ! It's yummy. And it's also a good way to keep fit too.