I decided to take Dee's advice and started on my smocking. I ditched the book I'd been consulting because it was too advanced. I tried good ol' google and found Marie Grace Designs. I thought I'd make a pocket (another suggestion from Dee) instead of a bag seeing how I don't even know how to smock. You know, swim before you fly. I really like having Dee as a smocking mate because she really nags you. Thank you Dee. I smock you.
Hand pleating.
All pleated up.
The stitches. I dunno the name - I just chose the simplest.
After I'd released the threads holding the pleats, I found the smocked part not very smocked. So I went back to Marie Grace Designs and you know what? I'd forgotten to stitch a very crucial stitch called the cable stitch. It's to hold the pleats together!! For my next pocket, I'll do better.
Some happy news. Today is my 15th wedding anniversary. Yes, I've been married 15 years. Doesn't seem that long to me tho'. I still remember when I was single and thinking I'd never get married because I just didn't meet the right person. Also I was quite insecure about my deafness . Ok, relax. I'm not exactly 100% deaf. Just the one ear. (some gym accident) Fortunately my husband is exceptionally accepting of people deaf in one ear. So I got lucky. Also, I had a hot body.
He got lucky because I wanted a spouse with a head larger than mine. Have you seen the size of my head? I mean, can you just imagine this man who'd married me waking up in the morning looking lovingly over to his left and sees this huge head of mine? He'd be driven to drinking. So you can imagine my delight when I realise how much larger my husband's head is next to mine!
Today we had round 2 of our anniversary celebration. Last weekend, we ate at a dim sum restaurant with the kids. I think the kids liked the food but they didn't want to admit it. Today it was just the 2 of us. Yes, we had a date when the kids were in school. We had Thai food.
Thai phaad, I think.
Tom yum soup. No kick.
Free keropok.
My husband's present to me - Journey's Houston Escape concert DVD. (I gave him undies. hehe)
I managed to complete one new bag. It's one of those bags I'd made before. Soft and floppy and not exactly everyone's cup of tea. But it's a bag I would make for myself. One day I should make one of these babies for myself. Made in raw linen and linen-cotton by Lecien.
As a tote.
As a cross body bag.
April MAAD countdown. 8 out of 15 bags completed. 7 more to go in 7 days. You know what that means? I have to make 1 bag each day. Impossible!
thank you for guiding to Dee's and Marie' blog...i love to do smocking, but tried it only on a small frock. If you have time please take a look here
ReplyDeletehttp://madetotreasure.blogspot.com/2009/09/learning-to-smock.html
Thank you
your bag looks awesome...
I like the bag. :) I have no clue what smocking is, even after looking at your pictures. What is it for?
ReplyDeleteYou are so pretty! And your food looks .. well, I'm picky so I wouldn't eat it.. but they're good pictures! hehe
I was wondering if you had seen Melly on my Etsy yet. She's so cute I put more than one listing up lol.
Someone ordered a tutu for their cat.. now that was funny! It looks cute, though. :)
Congratulations on your anniversary. I love the bags and I'm going to have a look at the smocking tute!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your anniversary!
ReplyDeleteYour bags are lovely! You have a wonderful eye for colour combinations!
Congratulations on 15 years of wedded bliss! Your post was very funny and your head doesn't look huge at all!
ReplyDeletePS: Great bag as usual and your smocking attempt resulted in what looked like smocking to me.!
Happy Anniversary! =DDD Make more bags~ You can do it~ =DDD
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your anniversary as well as the attempt on smocking. Guess there will be a new bag with smocking design soon ;)
ReplyDeleteOMG you are so funny! Hot body, big head... there is nothing wrong with the size of your head girl!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the Wedding Anniversary.
Love the bag, very pretty colours.
Good luck making one a day!
Jane you are beautiful and your head doesn't look too big. that pic of you in the restaurant is really lovely.
ReplyDeletecongrats on your anniversary.
i am thrilled that you have begun to smock and am happy to nag you on your way ;).