Pin Cushion Swap

Pin cushion swop is organized by Glamorous Pin Cushion Swap @ Flickr. This is my 2nd time joining the swap. Swap theme is Spring...

Do you think this pin cushion reminds you of Springtime??

Tatters 1st Gathering

Few weeks back, I met up with Sheila, from England and Aileen, a local young lady for lunch at Crystal Jade. Sheila is a tatting 'guru' (teacher) and she's 75 years old this year. She was visiting her friends and students in Singapore. Aileen was one of her tatting students. I've known both of them from on-line tatting group called Shuttle & Needle.

Sheila showed her works and pattern books written by her friend, Pam. All of sudden, I wanna get my hands on the shuttle again... After lunch, we went to Spotlight to meet up with Jessica, who taught tatting in Spotlight. Jessica was Sheila's student and so coincedently, she is my friend, Huiz, tatting teacher. Huiz was the one who introduced me to this craft and taught me how to tat... Cool le...

Sheila taught in Spotlight before she went back to England few years back... However, she still teaches whenever she came to S'pore. Heard that, she's a very strict teacher and she would make sure that her students know how to tat..

Sheila and I

According to Sheila, in England, there are days of the year dedicated to craft.. E.g. Tatting day, craft weeks. During these days, crafters from all over England will gather together. They will exhibit their works, share about their crafts & even sell their masterpieces... :) How exciting... So, Sheila, encouraged us to do so too...

So, we had our first gathering at Ellen's mother's place the following Friday, organized by Aileen. Sheila was not able to join because she was invited to Taiwan to teach (AT the age of 75!!!)... Though, just the three of us, Aileen, Ellen and me, it's a good start... About Ellen, she was Sheila first batch of students (think more than 9 years ago)... Ellen is also one of the members from Shuttle & Needle group. So happen that Ellen is my cousin's neighbour... What a small world...

We had home-cooked food, cooked by Ellen's mother and I must say, she cooks very well... :) I like her simple dishes and remided me of my mom's cooking.

Sharing time: Ellen showed us her tatting works that kept neatly in two huge clear folder files. They were beautiful! Stunning! Then, she took out one container filled with shuttles that she's collected over the 9 years... Drooling... From big to small, some made of woods, some made of steels, some with beautiful engraving and some with striking paitings, some with two bobbins... Both Aileen and I were admiring her collections with our mouth wide open...

Aileen also showed her tatting works... She started tatting a year back during her Uni time. She tats fairly well... The most intersting thing that she did was this tiny pair of angel wings that I couldn't see the stiches at all... She told me she tats without looking... Take a look at this photo...

From left (1st row) Me, Kristine, Ellen & Joey

Back Row: Aileen

Me?? Well, I didn't have anything to show... I've not been tatting for quite sometimes. However, after these gatherings, I started to tat again... Currently, making a square bag... Took me awhile to understand the pattern. Thanks to Ellen & Aileen, I finally figured out how to do it...

This pattern requires two shuttles to complete

The outcome

Little Green Seraphina

Little Green Seraphina is specially made for my cousin Megan who turns 4 this month. She LOVES green very very much...

My aunt has wanted her to sleep on her own but she was afraid of the dark and 'ga-ga' (night creature). My aunt told her not to be afraid because God protects her and taught her how to pray... Now, she is sleeping on her own. She doens't need my aunt to be around...

Little Green Seraphina will be her guardian angel....

Note: Doll inspired and made from saplanet pattern

Secret Valentine Swop

Early January, I've organized a swop session for Shuttle & Needle group... I called it Secret Valentine Swop. More than 10 people took part, they came from various countries like Malaysia, Singapore, India & Italy. For this swop, we were not supposed to reveal our partner. Then, we 'hand - made' a valentine card with motifs related to Valentine... Besides that, we included a supply that our partner will like to have. However, we were not able to ask them directly as it was supposed to be a 'secret'. So, Faizon built a database to collect information such as, our favorite colors, supply that we like to have... Thanks to her... =D Everyone was very cooperative. They provided information & delivered their items on time. It was a success.

My secret partner is Sue... Coincedently, Sue is my very good friend's (Mona) housemate in KL... Mona came to Singapore during this swop period, instead of mailing to Sue, I've asked Mona to pass to her... Surprise! Surprise!

Due to lack of time, I've made a veru simple card with three crochetted hearts... She wanted some plastic eyes for her dolls.. So, I've included 15 pairs of eyes... =D Glad she likes them very much...

Then, I'm Irma's secret valentlne... I received a lot of lovely stuffs from her... She tatted a pair of earings & a necklace for me... Lovely Lovely.. Then she tatted 5 hearts, 2 butterflies & made a cross-stitch string pouch with my name JULLIE sewn on it... Since I'm making dolls too, she included a bag full of wobbling doll's eyes...

Appearing On Yahoo!Singapore front page

WooHoo!!! My little valentine dolls appeared on Yahoo!Singapore front page... I was so excited...

Last nite, I spotted my two little cuties on the page under this column Yahoo! Pulse, Love is in the Air by Suzz.com. Thank God I've captured the image before it was being replaced today.

Thanks to Suzz for inviting me to add my valentine dolls to her group in Flickr called Love Struck....

Bridal Couple - Custom Made for Pei Pei

Last two weeks, I had an order from a lady to make a bridal couple that about 5" height...

I don't have any doll pattern of 5" height... Hence, I had designed a new pattern. With inspiration from Lis's dolls and suggestions from my cousin, Hui, I manage to complete these two lovely dolls...

Rat, the Chinese Zodiac

Year 2008 is the year of the RAT...

Those who were born in the year of 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

About RAT

The Rat (鼠) was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is an animal associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities. In the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol. Extracted from Wikipedia

Now available in my Etsy store...

8 Guardian Angels for 8 special friends...

My good friend's sister had bought 8 guardian angels from me for her friends as Christmas gift. She ran out of idea what to buy. Besides that, she was trying to avoid going to over-crowded shopping centres... Smart move...

Thank God! I have enough materials to make...

You might not see this in Etsy because I notice that quite a few of etsy sellers are selling it.. However, I still make & sell if anyone orders from me...

Angels are commonly associated to guardian or protection... It is a perfect gift for Christmas to someone you love & care... Made from 100% Swarovski Crystals.. .....

I also have the earring version...

New Order for my Wedding Rose Corsages

Recently I received an order from this lovely lady, Cynthia, who is getting married on 30th of Dec 07, to make three wedding rose corsages.. She's been looking around for special & unique corsages, other than the common ribbon corsages. Indeed crocheted corsages are unique...

I've used high quality Japanese arcylic threads... The different between this thread and other thread is, it is coated with pearl powder... That's why, these roses looks glossy & shinny... Expensive Expesive threads!!!

I hope she'll like it...

First meet up with crafters from Malaysia...

Janet from Ipoh, Malaysia & her daughter came to Singapore for holiday... She has a brother working in Singapore. I get to know her from Neddle & Shuttle group. I was very excited because this is my first meeting with crafters. Furthermore, I didn't know how Janet looks like and to identify her... Janet called me around 11am to confirm the meeting place, that was in front of Spotlight & meeting time, that was 2pm... Supposed to be 2pm, I was late by half an hour... Argh!!! I was counting on Janet to aknowledge me as she based on the photos of me in my blog... Thank GOD we managed to find each other...

Janet is a very friendly & lovely lady... Her daughter is 19 who is crazy about Animae... ;) She gave me this pin cushion.... She does crochet, cross-stich & also quilt... Wow... QUILT!! That's my next craft project...

Then, later on, we met another two crafters from Malaysia... Margaret & Jackie, the one who drove all the way from KL!!... They were from Needles & Crafts group. Margaret is the moderator of the group... I've heard from Janet that Margaret does cross-sticth and she has library of craft books from various places (Japan, France, England and etc)... The local crafters love to go to her place... hehehe...

Crsytal Dog...

Yesterday (Saturday, 8th Dec), my friend came over to my place... She made this little Crsystal Dog for me in less than 20 mins!!!! Believe it or Not...

Benefits of Crochet...

Interesting article that I've abstracted from Crochet Cabana

Benefits of Crochet

What are some benefits one can receive from crochet, you might wonder. Well, as I am typing I can think of quite a few, which I will share with you. If you think of others, let me know. Who know? Maybe you’ll find it listed next time you come by. :-)

1) Crocheting keeps your stress levels down by keeping your hands and heart busy (the love which shows through those hand-made gifts)

2) Crochet travels well. Bring those granny squares and put-together projects with you on long road trip, doctor visits, hospital stay (hope you don’t have many of those!)

3) Keep expenses down with gifts hand-made with love

4) Increase your home library with beautiful crochet books. If I live to be 150 years old, I could never make everything in all the books I have, but I love to just flip through and look at all the beautiful pictures.

5) Save for the future -- collect crochet hooks. One day they’ll be worth more, right? Especially those wonderful wood hooks!

6) Okay a silly one -- When you get angry with your spouse or kids, you can throw yarn. It won’t hurt but they’ll know you’re pouting! *LOL*

7) Crochet makes TV watching time seem less frivolous, after all you’re making something useful! AND you can search your favorite shows for crocheted item.

8) Crocheting for charity helps others and helps yourself!

Wedding Corsages

Lovely wedding corsages for a friend in Melb... Hope she'll like it... ;D

Guest Book for Alana

Over the weekend, Riana and I completed Alana's wedding guest book! So stress... Hahahaha....

Material is chosen by Alana... She love Green...

OK... That's Alana and her husband to be, Francis... Loving le...

Glimpse of my crochet shoes...

I've bought a shoe sole from Golden Dragon today... Cost me S$9.60!! I'm currently sewing my crochet shoes to the sole... Only one side of the shoes. Can't wait to finish all...

FACTS: Been quite a few tatting projects recently had made me realized that crocheting is so much easier and faster... I've completed one side of the shoes within 3 hours!!!

Ha! Finally... I've made a bookmark

Seeking Diane's advice. I've decided to convert this to a bookmark. Thanks to Jane for teaching me how to make the roll tatting...

"Hey Diane, I can see bible verses through the lace.. =P"

A gift to Patricia, lovely lady from Clay Doodle shop.... Thanks for allowing me to use the toaster...

Tatted Pouch

FINALLY!!! I've completed this small little pouch... Gosh, took me weeks to complete.. Mmm not so neat but I'm quite satisfied with the work. I don't think I would want to make another one unless I'm very very free!

Bookmark, Bracelet Or...

I love this pattern very much... I've tatted one with beads and the other one without. Last night, manage to get the smallest crochet needle from Clover and is mainly used for Bobbin Lace. I'm totally lose of what should I make out of these pattern... Should it be a bookmark or bracelet or .....? Any idea?

Beautiful Craft from Thailand

I found these beautiful crafts from Thailand. They are SOAPS! Fragrance Soaps... Beautifully hand-crafted by the locals... Guess what, they are selling at 125 bahts (equivalent to:S$5.4 or USD3)..

Pin Cushion from Sandra...

Recently a pin cushion swap going on.. I was kinda late to register, so I didn't had a chance to participate, until this lady, Sandra contacted me saying that she doesn't mind to swap with me. So we swapped.

I just got her Pin Cushion last week! IT is SOOO NICE & UNIQUE! Thanks Sandra, I love it very much.... ;)

Looking forward to the next swap!!