Tuesday, December 25

T'is the season to be jolly


To all those who follow this blog and all those who might happen to drop by I wish you a day of warmth and good cheer spent in the company of friends and loved ones. Merry  Christmas.  

Tuesday, December 18

October, November and December CQJP

Hello I'm back. In the time I spent with my family I got the CQ blocks done for October, November and December. 
The fabrics are practically vintage. They are from my mum's stash of bits and pieces leftover from the clothes she stitched for my sister and me. So many memories these bits of patterned fabric evoke. 
The October block.
The November block.
The December block.

So I've completed the CQJP ( Crazy Quilt Journal Project) challenge and made 12 CQ blocks. One for every month of  the year. All twelve will eventually be uploaded and available for viewing here

I'm putting the blocks together to create a fabric journal of 2012. Some work left on that project but it will be shown here first.

The show for Indian Design at Madder Moon, Singapore was a resounding success. I sold three of my scarves, my fibre books were exhibited for the first time and there were enquiries if they were for sale and they were written about here - so exciting.
 The rest of the scarves will continue to be available for sale at Madder Moon, so please tell family and friends if they are are in Singapore or travelling there, to go visit and get an insight into Indian Design.

Madder Moon   16, Ann Siang Road, 01-01, Singapore, Singapore 069696.   

What exciting fibre/fabric challenges and swaps have you registered for in 2013? I'm hoping there's going to be a fabric book page swap on Stitchin Fingers which I can participate in. Please point me to any other such event which is still open for registration which I possibly missed while I was without internet access for three weeks

 Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2013 to all who drop by.   

Saturday, November 17

Madder Moon

                               

I have news folks. Exciting news about Madder Moon opening in Singapore at the end of the month to promote Indian contemporary design and my work is part of the first curated show.

Should you happen to be in Singapore on the 30th of November, save the date and do try and make time to go to 16, Ann Siang Road. My fibre books as well as my hand embroidered scarves from the Maps and Travel collection will be on show along with work of heavy weights from the fields of product design, lighting, ceramic design, film and animation and art and illustration.

Read about Madder Moon in the press here and here

I'm going to take a short blog break to be with family. Will be back with more about Madder Moon. 

Tuesday, November 13

Diwali 2012

Happy Diwali to all who visit here. Wishing you and your family happiness, prosperity and joy .

Check out these amazing Diwali giveaways on An Indian Summer - open to those with an Indian shipping address. Winners to be announced on the 16th of November.
Click here and here for giveaways.

And here's a Diwali giveaway that's global - so if you win, the MORA stole will be shipped anywhere in the world. This giveaway is open until the 20th of November.

Monday, November 5

September CQJP

I've fallen back a tiny bit on the CQJP. Its November and I've only now finished the Crazy Quilt block and accompanying journal page for September.   
In September we took a trip to Goa and I picked shells which had holes in them on Betalbetim beach because I knew they were going to embellish the seams of my crazy quilt block. Does anyone know how some shells have these perfect little holes in them, they are perfect as embellishments. I also saw starfish on the beach for the first time, it was such a pretty sight.
There was the Comic Con Express in Bangalore in September which was crowded sweaty affair but enjoyable. 
What do you have to say about Gangnam Style? Have you seen the parodies on YouTube? check out this a capella one.

Have a to get started on the block for October.
Going to watch Skyfall tonight at the new IMAX in town.. There have been mixed reviews from friends but I'm sure the IMAX experience won't fail to impress.
Have a great week. 

Saturday, October 27

Traverse

I've not been very active in this space but I've been stitching feverishly so I can have the scarves and fabric books ready for Madder Moon and I'm happy to report I'm almost there - a tag here,some last minute photography and an email there and I should be all set.  

The last scarf - Traverse.
Traverse is a cotton silk scarf with sequins and embroidery.

Hope your weekend is fantastic, Id Mubarak to all those who are celebrating. 

Monday, September 24

August CQJP

This space has been a tiny bit quiet but work is being done slowly one stitch at a time. Here's the Crazy Quilt block I created for August. Oranges, greens and whites - the colours of the Indian flag, August 15 India celebrated 65 years of Independence.  
The buffet Onam sadya at Coconut Grove was awesome. Can't imagine someone trying to cook like that at home - there must have been about fifty dishes and four payasams. 

The floral decoration made for Onam has been recreated on the journal page for August with beads and sequins. Our home is progressing, its the first time for R and me so there's so much to learn and understand but we're excited. 

September has been hectic but enjoyable.

Thank you for your comments and for choosing to follow this blog, to see the number of followers steadily increase is something I truly appreciate. Have a great week.  


Thursday, September 6

Globe Trotting

Globe Trotting is the next scarf in the Travel and Maps collection.
The route maps of airlines in inflight magazines inspired the patterning on this scarf.
The Cable Chain Stitch, Running stitch and Sequins provide subtle texture, which is the main characteristic of this scarf.  

Tuesday, August 28

July CQJP

Its been two weeks since I last updated this blog.( That does sound like I'm at confession).
Its been a bit crazy since we started building a house in the hills and the craziness will continue for atleast the next 9 months I think.
Work schedules have got disrupted but I have managed to make seven CQ blocks by August, Whoohoo that's an achievement and it feels good.
The modem gave up and its taken four days for a replacement and right now blogger won't allow me to upload pictures! Anyone else facing this problem? Lets hope its not going to take another day or two before this post gets published.

The Crazy Quilt block for July.

The journal page for July. 
The monsoon has finally set in, it rains every evening and the weather is cooler.
The festival season in India is about to start.
Happy Onam to all those who celebrate.

Thursday, August 9

June CQJP

Got the CQJP journal pages done for June. Yipee!

The Crazy Quilt page. The Transit of Venus was big but it was a cloudy morning in Bangalore and I didn't see it. :( 


The journal page for June combined with explorations of stitches from TAST (Take a Stitch Tuesday). In June there was buttonhole wheel, cable chain stitch and palestrina stitch

Here's the journal page up close and personal.
Some catching up to do for the CQJP. Have the CQ block done for July, now I have to embellish the seams while recording the happenings in July in embroidery on the journal page.

Happy Janmashtami  to those who celebrate, we've been invited to a puja this evening.

Friday, August 3

Go with the Flow

Go with the Flow is the third  scarf in the Traveland maps collection.
Dark blue cotton silk treated with bleach and embellished with buttonhole stitch and black sequins.
The current is strong and I'm being swept along so there's no other option but to go with the flow that's my life at present.  

Have you noticed the new blinkie in the sidebar advertising My Memories scrapbooking software? Well if you are into scrapbooking then you might want to check it out and if you decide to buy then use this promo code STMMMS64309 on the shopping cart page to save $10! Please copy and paste this code to avoid errors.I'm going to be exploring this software this weekend to design invitations and probably an album for a nephew's wedding.Will show you my explorations in a week or two and I'm planning a giveaway at that point.  

Have a great weekend. 

Thursday, July 26

A Textile Letter

Karina invited me to exchange a textile letter with her and I created an embroidered one for her. That's the whole long letter, sorry for the hazy picture but its a cloudy day and I didn't want to use the flash.    
Here are closeups of sections of the letter.  
A tear in the fabric becomes a part of the letter.
All pictures enlarge if you click on them and give you a chance to take a closer look at the details.
Bits of silk appliqued to the letter with running stitch, button hole wheels, feather stitch and cable chain stitch are part of my letter writing vocabulary. 
I've appliqued a list of traditional Indian snacks which were listed on a snack packet. Click on the picture to get an enlarged view.  
Signing off.
Click here to take a look at the letters Katrina has received from people all over the world. 

Tuesday, July 17

Urban Sprawl

Urban Sprawl is the second in the collection I'm creating based on the theme of maps and travel.
The scarf is a cotton silk one with running stitch, sequins and applique. 

Urban Sprawl has been interpreted as growth of a town into a city , its organic growth which is not planned.
Its a collection of little towns which have grown and got connected by roads and buildings which are now recognised as a single city but these localities and areas still function as self sufficient eco systems.
In a lot of ways its a reflection of Bangalore where I live. The urban sprawl continues to expand growing upward and outward at a scorching pace, turning a city into a metropolis and very soon to a megalopolis.

Where do you live? village, town, city, metropolis or megalopolis. 

Participate in this event and have a little fun today.Cheers!

Wednesday, July 11

Button Holing

Buttonhole stitch is going to be the star of my next stole- Land of Lakes. This little damaged fabric which is part of another little project inspired Land of Lakes.
Land of Lakes is the third in the collection based on the theme of Maps and Travel. The collection will have 7 - 10 scarves and stoles and I'm finding there are enough hours in a day! Help.
I have yet to show you Urban Sprawl which I finished last week.

Caterina is hosting a rose giveaway on her blog La DolceVita. You have until July19th to put your name in the hat for the lucky draw.

Here's something I find absolutely delightful.

Friday, July 6

Etsy


Etsy MBA
Created by: www.MBAOnline.com

Is that a cool or what? Fantastic example of infographics.
Click here to check out  the Million Little Stitches shop on Etsy.
Kicking off the weekend with a movie tonight - The Gangs ofWassepur. Have a great weekend.  

Monday, July 2

Gypsy

Gypsy - a reversable hand pieced  patchwork tussar silk scarf.
Running stitch adds texture andholds the two layers together. Blanket stitch is used to finish the edges of the scarf.
The reverse of the scarf is a whole cloth patterned with kantha stitch squares of different sizes. 
The soft colours of the patchwork which shine through when the scarf is held up to the light.

June has slipped by,and all I remember are the many nights spent watching the Euro 2012 and the finals last night was simply fantastic. La Roja are the best.

Monday, June 11

May CQJP


Keeping up, just about. Here's the crazy quilt block for May. I've used a collection of mother of pearl buttons. The square one and the one which looks like a flower are part of the giveaway I won on Pat's blog. The three tiny round ones are from a Zara top which belonged to my sister.
The top right hand corner is a piece of fabric I experimented with tea and rust and the fabric in the centre is a Shibori experiment with tea and a cast iron vessel.       
Here's the CQJP and the journal page which accompanies it.
The journal page for May.
Must get started on the CQJP for June. I need to have seven blocks done by the end of August if I want to continue to have a page on the CQJP 2012 site. 
Have a good week.

Wednesday, June 6

Navaratna

Navaratna or Nine stones for the Magic Feather Project.
They will be winging their way to Jude tomorrow.
Read about the Magic Feather Project here and you could follow its progress on Facebook too.

Did you witness the transit of Venus? Cloudy pre monsoon morning in Bangalore didn't permit me to see this much talked about spectacle.

Friday, May 25

Book Making Workshop

A two day book making workshop and the venue was a hop skip and jump away which was great.
Aditi Babel of Babel Books who conducted the workshop with the artists books she has created.
Discussing the intricacies of book making. 
Precision is the key. An accordion book made by one of the participants. 
All manner of accordion books. Should have asked the peron who made them to open them up before I photographed them.
I explored the concept of a flag book .The theme was Maps - a storyboard for my next collection of scarves.
Detail of the flag book. 
I must go buy some paper in colours drawn from my colour palette which is more earthy  and create an artists book on the theme of maps. It would compliment the collection of scarves. OMG  a light bulb moment! probably prompted by the Johnnie Walker Diamond Jubilee story which I read about in the Mint this morning. 
Here's a little excerpt
'Each of the bottles comes with a pair of Cumbria Crystal glasses engraved by Philip Lawson Johnston and a commemorative artifact book, hand bound by Laura West at her Isle of Skye bindery and personalized for each owner by Sally Magnum,calligrapher by appointment to her Majesty.'
Which means each of my scarves would have a little artists book to go with it.Such grandiose plans, lets see if I can make it happen. Have to set myself high standards :) 
Have a great weekend. Will you be watching the IPL finals on Sunday night? Which team are you rooting for? 

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