Monthly Design Challenge: Turning Japanese

I'd had an idea a while ago to do fabric origami, I bought an origami book and that's about as far as I'd got.  When Jay announced that her first monthly design challenge theme was Turning Japanese, I figured I'd best get around to doing it.  An innocent visit to Lincraft to socialise with a friend who needed fabric (when I didn't) involved a discovery of the perfect fabic, so then I had no excuses.

I haven't been feeling the best lately so work nights are basically restricted to get home, dinner, sit on the couch, bed.  Not much chance for crafting, so it's happened in fits and starts on the weekends.

But now that it's the end of January, and there will be a new theme coming up soon I figured I'd better hurry up and finish it...

So here it is.... my not-so-paper crane mini-quilt.  Unfortunately I left the photograhpy till too late in the day again, but it hasn't come up too badly.

 

 

Head over to Finki and see what other creative people have done with the theme this month.

Has it really been a week since I last posted?

I've finally done some craft work following Christmas.  Yesterday was my monthly stitch 'n' bitch with my friends so I started working on my NZ fern bag from Kiwi Quilts.

So far all I've got done is the fern panels, but actually I think that's a large portion of the work.  From here on it it's just sewing squares or triangles together!

It's done using paper piecing technique, which I haven't tried before.  I'll document it more when I finish the bag and do a proper write up, but at first it looked fiddly but in the end I think it was rather an easy technique.  I did it using vilene underneath.  I'll have to try another one actually using paper and compare.

This afternoon in a fit of inspiration, I also started work on my idea the Monthly Design Challenge over at  Finki.

I'd had an idea in mind for a few months now, and then when the theme came up as Turning Japanese, it was the perfect motivation I need to get my design happening.  A visit to Lincraft on Friday night to socialise with a friend involved the discovery of the perfect fabric, so then I had no excuse!

So here is a sneek peak.....

Now I just have to make sure and finish it before the end of the month!!

I'm a winner!

Still havn't done any crafting since Christmas, but I did start to draw up one of my business ideas, so I guess that is something.  Hopefully by the end of the month I'll have a few prototypes made up.

It's all rather exciting now that I have a goal and some visions!

I want to thank Margaret for the Kreativ Blogger Award she gave me.  I know I'm supposed keep it going and award it to others but I'm a bit new to this blogging circle, so will wait till I can actually find 7 people's blogs who I follow regularly enough to be able to give them an award and say why I think they deserve it.

Craft in Action!

I haven't blogged in a while.  I haven't done anything crafty since Christmas.  Mostly my time has been recovering from Christmas and unpacking, and now I'm back at work.

I have had some ideas brewing and developing, there has been some paperwork happening, which is something.

I just wanted to share this "craft in action" photo my mum sent me.

When I gave mum her little quilt I said it was to be taken with her and hung up when they made camp, or maybe hung in the truck window.  It wasn't to be kept at home all precious and clean.

The often go camping with big groups and I thought it would be nice if she had something a little crafty (she is crafty herself), and something a little homey for when others 'came to visit' their campsite.

So like a good mum she did what she was told ;)

It's always nice to see things you've made actually being put to the use they were intended for!