Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Bag Exchange for Usha & Motif No. 20 - Hearts. Catch the Flowers and Latest Book!

I have wanted to make the dorset bag long time ago, but just couldn’t bring myself to sew it; hand-sew that is, as I don’t know how to use the sewing machine. So for this Bag Exchange, I think it was the perfect occasion to “force” myself to make it. Did some shopping before I found some beautiful thick napkins, the hems all done to save some sewing. Before I knew it, I had been sewing for weeks and I did poked the needle into my fingers a few times; I was so glad it was finally done. I also hand-stitched the pin cushion and attached a bought machine-tatted simple edging. All these went to Usha, hope she won't find my stitching too untidy.

The past week was Chinese New Year. Besides visiting relatives, we went to Sentosa for a flower exhibition. It was pretty crowded and hot, so we didn't walked too far, but these were some shots we took.
These sculptures were made up of fresh flowers!

Despite the holidays, I didn't get much tatting done, partly because I'm still trying more ideas for the paper clips. Actually, I'm only about halfway to the target, I hope I won't disappoint Georgia and participants in the Online Tatting Class. That aside, I finished up the thread on the shuttle and ended up with this tiny heart bookmark! I decided to count all the paperclips as part of my 25 Motif Challenge, so this and the other heart paperclips will be Motif No. 20.

And look, my 11th Japanese book! Author is Sumi Fujishige, I believe this is her latest tatting book printed a few months ago.

I haven't tried anything inside, only flipped through it, so here's just a summary of what's inside:

Simple 5-ring flowers are used to make up bouquets (like on the cover above) and wreath, and to decorate bags and linen coasters, and even to encase beads to turn them into accessories. There are more accessories in the form of flower brooches and Christmas wreath brooch in the book. There are also 4 bookmarks, a number of small motifs of vegetables, and motifs to decorate acrylic coasters, bag and pouch. As usual, there are doilies and edgings, including edgings to decorate linen doilies, sachet, tissue box cover, lampshade and also a stole. Although the set of ring-only numbers looks pretty hard to hold their shapes, mounting them would do the trick, especially on a clock! Typical of Japanese books, texts are in Japanese but with clear diagrams, and as usual, the book is filled with an assortment of patterns for everything, and with bright and colourful presentation of the finished works.

11 comments:

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

I love your idea of using a napkin to make the Dorset Bag! I've thought about making one also, but haven't taken the time to look through my fabric stash!

Thanks for the book review. I've been thinking about buying this one.

'RainbowRose' Connie Faulconer said...

How AWESOME!!!! I am sure Usha will LOVE your bag and all the goodies to boot!!!! What a really stunning idea!!!
Thank you also for some more of your WONDERFUL bookmarks!!!! I am really enjoying making them!!!

Unknown said...

Your bag is lovely! The fabric is just beautiful! THe butterflies are wonderful. I have that same Japanese book! I love all of the tatting books I have gotten from Japan! Such beautiful patterns!!!

Valerie said...

ooh, the bag looks pretty and handy. good idea. i love the paper clip bookmarks too.

btw where did you order the japanese tatting book from? i know 'golden dragon' carries 1 or 2 japanese titles and i got 1 there.

Singtatter said...

Well Diane, I must say I'm not the first one to come up with the idea to use a napkin. I remember the idea of the dorset bag started some years ago, that person (?Joy??) used a napkin since it is normally a stiff fabric in a perfect square and the hems all done.

Thanks, Connie, great that you are enjoying the patterns.

I agree with you, TattingChic. Is it just my opinion, but I feel that the Japaneses have somewhat different kind of designs from Western designs.

Valerie, I got most of my Japanese books from Kinokuniya at Takashimaya, from their Japanese crafts shelf.

I purposely didn't blow up the paperclips. Well, 1 of them is slotted for the last Mon of Feb's Online Tatting Class. Watch out for the pattern then!

TatForFun said...

what a nice give...^_^ Love them so much.

By the way, I wonder where do you go for shopping all the supplies in Singapore? Since Singapore is the nearest city I can reach from Indonesia, I've been there several times. I was hunting along the spotlight and also surprisingly I found some nice thread at Daiso. Not bad for $2 thread ^_^ Is there somewhere else I should go?

Singtatter said...

There are small knitting/crochet shops all around Singapore, though I frequent any, except Golden Dragon in Chinatown. Most stock yarns and thicker threads like size 10.

I do have a good stock of Size 20 Flora threads, size 40 Olympus threads and some Size 20 Manuela variegated colours, as I have taught some classes before and I sell to students and friends. I got them in bulk, so prices are cheaper than in the shops.

Valerie said...

thanks for the info about the japanese books, ellen. i shall make time to go book hunting in taka. i like flora thread. quite sturdy and nice to tat with. perhaps you'll be another source for me. LOL

Bonnie said...

Your dorset bag is beautiful, very cleaver idea to use napkins. Love the paperclips too.

TatForFun said...

Nice...Do you really selling the thread? Uhm...I'm quite interested. Do you mind if I try to reach you when I'm in Singapore? here my email if you don't mind to give your contact info: f4y3.te@gmail.com
Thanks

Singtatter said...

Yes, Novice, I'm selling the threads, mainly Manuela variegated size 20, Olympus size 40 (which is about the normal size 30) and Flora size 20. I do have some plastic shuttles for sale too. And I can show you my shuttle collection :)

Hope to meet up and chat with you when you are in Singapore. I'm working on weekdays, but taking a half-day off shouldn't be a problem, weekends too.