Thursday, June 9, 2011

Eyes On You


Right, I have no crafts to show you. I am working on two (actually two thousand, five hundred and forty-seven, but I didn't want to sound like I need therapy) things that eventually I will share. Neither of them is a toy and neither is for my girls. Both have passed the danger stage of potential catastrophes, so now it's just sticking at them until they're finished. Also outdoor weather is finally here and our days are just packed.

I do want to share three things, though:

You've all heard of it, right? You see something online that you love, you "pin" it onto one of your virtual displayboards and its source is automatically attributed to it. Other people can follow you, "repin" stuff on your boards that they like and you can browse other people's boards and "repin" their stuff to your own. Before Pinterest, I used to send emails to myself with links to things I wanted to remember. I never referenced them again, obviously, because I forgot all about them. I'd also tried starring posts in googlereader, but who has the time to scroll through hundreds of them? So hello Pininterest - where have you been all my life?
If you want to see what sort of stuff I covet and think are cool, have a look here. I confess: if not for the fact that it's very hard to pin Orla Kiely's images, I'd have flooded my boards with them. 

2 Blogs That Kick-Started ikatbag

Do you remember when you first started crafting? I remember when I first started crafting - I was a small girl with a roll of Scotch tape, and I made things with paper and card. One of my first largish projects was a three-tiered cardboard lantern with cutouts, cellophane and electrical circuitry. I thought it was so sophisticated that I entered in in some competition whose outcome I don't remember. But it couldn't possibly have been a particularly great outcome because I had to slap and/or kick it hard to get it to light up. 
Now do you remember when you first started blogging about your crafting? What made you want to take your crafts and make them public? Me - it was other blogs. I'd taken a long break from creative expression to work in the government, right up to the day before Emily was born. I tendered my resignation immediately and stayed home to be with her. I sewed all kinds of baby necessities, as manic first-time mothers often do, and then had another baby, and then another. It was 2008, and I was sick of sewing bibs, sleepers and baby dresses for 4 years straight. And one morning, while nursing Kate, I thought, "why am I reading books in the light of this wretchedly dim nursery lamp just to stay awake at 3 am? I have a laptop! I can read the news! And surf the net!" 
And right there, I discovered the world of craft blogs. Suddenly (and literally) my eyes were opened. Want to know which ones kept me awake at those unearthly hours over the next few months? 
And then the husband said, "You know, you should start a blog and put photos on it."
So I obeyed him - this was my first post on our family blog. I was too self-conscious to write more than a paragraph of words.

Eventually, I did start writing. And photographing some crafts the kids and I did together. And one day, I thought I'd start a separate craft blog so that I could keep the family blog uncontaminated by my craft rubbish and tutorials. And also - as I said hopefully to myself then - "in the unlikely case that other non-family people might be interested to see what I make." 

Till this day I am very grateful to those ladies whose blogs inspired me to launch my own. And who kept me awake so Kate could get food. Thank you!

3  Flickr
Ah, I've been meaning forever to showcase some of your work here. I almost got around to doing it over the new year, but decided to clean up my sewing room instead. Here are some fun things you've made - from the flickr pool- thank you for making me smile.


Felt Wands

Happy chicken family
doormat



P.S. Last week I convinced myself that I needed a teflon foot and a roller foot. Looked online and on ebay, and everything looked suspicious and unreliable.  Called the Pfaff dealer lady who said the non-stick foot ("we are not allowed to use to use word "Teflon", she primly informed me) was about $40. I decided to not even inquire about the roller foot, which would no doubt cost at least $100. Why does a Pfaff foot cost almost as much as an entire Singer machine? I used tissue paper and oil instead.  



10 comments:

  1. I LOVE Pinterst too. And I like reading your blog. Thanks for doing so.

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  2. Oh, I love duckduckduck's stack of pigs. Too funny!

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  3. Thanks for posting a picture of my foam sofa! It's still getting used by my son, and my 7 month old girl sits on it sometimes now too! The dog even likes to curl up on when it is left open. It has definitely held up well. Thanks for all your help back when I made it :)

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  4. Those photos have me wanting to buy your chicken and pig patterns. Although I have plenty of other projects I'm supposed to be working on instead. And, of course, pesky house cleaning.

    Even that first ever blog post is so entertaining with the comment about Emily occasionally forgetting to comment or wave in your direction. Love it!

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  5. I love the fact that you admit that you had trouble believing anyone would really be interested in the things you made. I think we have all been there at some stage!

    I also love the fact you have ric rac on the list of blogs you mention. I actually live in the same town as Jodie and am pleased to report that she is just as funny in real life. Funny how small, yet large, the crafting community is!

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  6. I loved this post. I only was introduced to the world of blogs, {two years ago} so I did not know what influenced the Ikat Bag, I suspected it might be doUGHnuts among other things, but really had no idea. Your crafty and creative pursuits have been so inspiring. Thank you.

    That flickr recap is wonderful!

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  7. Thanks for showing my chicken family. And wow! I can't believe all those pigs!! Really, I love everything you showcased! Lots of talent out there... and thanks to you for bringing it out.

    I love Pinterest, too!

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  8. if you need a quick an easy teflon foot, simply stick some 3M magic tape to the bottom of your sewing foot: voila! instant teflon foot!

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  9. I'm new to the world of crafting and blogging and yours is among my favourites! I don't feel so bad with about 5 crafting projects on the go and about 30 I want to start! thank you for your blog.

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  10. @Rebecca Tham
    Than you for the tip, Rebecca! I remember reading on a blog somewhere a long time ago, something very similar one could do to non-stick-ise one's presser foot, but lost the link and of course couldn't remember the actual tip itself. I am so glad you reminded me. I shall try it the very next time!

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