Dongdaemun

I don't think it is possible to express how amazing it is to live in Korea especially when you love to sew! Dongdaemun market is sewing heaven! Can you image five floors, one city block wide of booth after booth of fabric, buttons, zippers, and sewing hardware? Nothing I know exists like this in the US, which is all the more reason why I am loving Korea!

Rows and rows of possibilities!

A Korean man carries bolts of fabric on his back. Then the bolts are loaded on to a scooter! It is an amazing sight and a feat beyond scientific explanation!
Happy with my first purchases at Dongdaemun.

Today, several of the wonderful ladies from the Yongsan Quilting group provided me with my first shopping Dongdaemun experience. It requires a lot of will power to not immediately run in a million directions and purchase everything in sight. Don't worry, I was well behaved and was good about only purchasing a few pieces of fabric along with two pieces of hardware to try to make some small clutches.

My loot! I couldn't resist the Vera fabrics and cute frogs.

I am looking forward to all the new project possibilities and many more trips to Dongdaemun.

Waiting

My creativity is starting to bottle up a bit, so while we continue to wait for housing and our household goods to arrive in Korea, I was able to find some more photos of projects made for holiday gifts. (I'm still trying to track down photos of some projects - my bad!)

First up is a personalized pillowcase made for my friend's son. He loves the color blue (it's more like his obsession), and his father is in the Army, so I used ACU for the trim.

Here is a close-up of the machine name applique. I wish I had a machine that could have done all the letters without me having to place each one individually. What looks like a 'simple' project took much longer because each letter was completed separately.

I made a second pillow case using red as the base for the brother to the blue pillowcase. Again, the name wasn't short. I will try to get a picture of that pillowcase as well. I love the burrito method of making pillowcases! They are so easy! Below are images of my mother's "Brick" quilt in progress. The couches in my parents home are pottery barn classic red couches, so I made her quilt to match. I was also able to find some Mesa Red Vera Bradley fabric (retired) since my mom has quite a few bags with this Vera pattern.

The strips in a row.

I used the vinyl tiles as a grid in the kitchen of our townhouse to center the backing. I would tape the backing to the floor. I don't really like using basting spray, so this is one way to try to prevent puckers in the quilt back.All the layers together. I love to use cotton (Warm and Natural) batting in my quilts. Cotton batting makes the quilts very warm. I don't like the synthetic feeling of polyester.

Now I just need to have a picture of the finished quilt! That's all for now.

New Year, New Country

It's certainly been awhile since my last post, but with moving 1/2 the way around the world... I've been busy. We arrived last night in Korea and I'm excited to start life in our new home.  Before the holidays I was very busy created projects for Christmas.  I made a quilt for my mom and mother-in-law, small personalized stockings for a Christmas Eve party, coffee cozy, passport covers, and snack bags. I also had the joy of getting a massive stomach bug at the same time our household was being packed, so I neglected to take photos of some of the items I made.  I will add the photos as I get them.

Coffee coozie.  Or any other beverage of choice!

All the small stockings hung in a row.  They were each personalized.
Backside of the quilt made for my mother-in-law.  I used a little ACU fabric in the back piece, so add a tiny bit of military to the quilt.   
The front of the pinwheel quilt for my mother-in-law. 

My DH helped hand sew the binding on his mother's quilt.  (Photo evidence!)

My last two commissioned bags made in Georgia for a good military friend in Texas.  I am looking forward to getting my sewing machines back and opening up shop again.  I guess, finding housing will be a good first step!  

Today, is my first full day in Korea.  I'm excited to adventure around base and see where I will be living for the next 3 years!