Curtain to Coats

A Diaper Bag, Can I do it?

2009-11-18T14:56:00.002-05:00

Honestly... I don't know why I take on projects I KNOW I can't finish on time. But... it's my first nephew and a thought occurred to me while shopping online for him. Should I make one for him? Granted that it's more for his mother and his father (my brother). But I like to make things which I know will get used.

When I searched for Diaper bags on PatternReview, Butterick 4560 stood out with most number of good reviews. But here's the caveat, I don't think I have time.

I am leaving for India on December 12th and before that I have to sew a couple of baby sacks and finish my coat. And we're heading towards the thanksgiving weekend. First week of December is super busy for me so I don't foresee doing any sewing. But looking at the pattern, how many hours do you think this bag will take from cutting to sewing? Can/Should I do it? Or is my time better spent on searching for a RTW bag?

Be honest...

Catching up...

2009-11-16T22:19:00.008-05:00

So by now we've established that I am not a blogger. But that's ok, it's not the end of the world. I'd been beating myself up about it and as months flew by, it just got harder and harder. So going forward, no promises about how frequently I'll post. I'll do it when I feel like writing. So before I write about what's going on now, a quick catch up.

Since August, I've:

1. Sewn a Cardi. I decided to make the shorter version because for my frame, its more flattering. Less fabric and more usable. The reason I've not written a review is because I want to make it again in a better fabric. But following others' advice on PatternReview sewing this was a breeze and I love it.

2. Organized PatternReview's FIRST booth and on-stage Fashion show at Novi!

3. Knit up a storm for my new nephew before he arrived and finally became an auntie on October 26th, 2009.

See the knitting album here

4. Inspired by one of the winning entries, in the Top Ten contest at Novi, made my own version in October.

Simplicity 3835 - Built By Wendy Dress
Review

5. I am currently working on my second coat. So far, I've cut out the pattern pieces and marked them carefully. I was supposed to sew the lining tonight but I decided to catch up with my blogging instead. I've decided that sewing is therapeutic for me so I am taking things slow. These days I only sew an hour at most in one session and I am loving it!

Burda 8603

Isn't it cute?

Here's my WIP Review on PatternReview

6. Oh, and I have got to tell you this. The PatternReview book manuscript is done! finished. This is actually going to happen you guys! I am so excited...

Personally I've gone through some trying last few weeks but the good news is that I am out of it. The thing with sorrow: when you're going through it, the whole world comes crashing down on you, but as long as you figure out what gets you out of it, it only makes you stronger. And that's how I feel today so I thought I'd share it with you. I receive emails from so many of you expressing how sewing helps you in sadness and I feel the same way too now. It really does help to "create". So here's to sewing and creating. May we all continue to create and share!

Wishful Wednesday - The Cozy - I want it!

2009-08-11T22:49:00.005-04:00

I haven't sewn at all this month. In fact I've been so busy with PatternReview that I haven't even thought of what to sew. And I am ashamed to admit that I haven't been able to even read reviews.

That said, I get e-mails when some of my favorites write a review on Patternreview so this morning outlook notified me that Christina has a new review. Of course I had to jump right in. And I love it! Simplicity 2603 is a knock off of the coveted DKNY Cozy.

The DKNY COZY

Image courtesy : DKNY.com

The Video sold me on it. I even started a Sew-along on PatternReview.

Christina points out that it's best worn with the same color shell underneath. She chose black. I am thinking a rich burgundy. And I am dreaming of silk jersey. It is after all wishful Wednesday :)

I am so impressed with Simplicity. Over the years they've really turned their designs around. Each collection just keeps getting better than last. Kudos to the design team. I am looking forward to meeting them at the American Sewing Expo next month. A cozy would be so nice to wear to the expo too wouldn't it?

So, if I were sewing right now, I wish I was sewing this wrap. Gagan is out next week so I have the house to myself. I am thinking take out every night and pulling overtime on that sewing machine :)

So what do you wish you were sewing right now?

A Tribute to All Brothers

2009-08-05T10:49:00.006-04:00

Today I am going to tell you about another Indian tradition/festival.

"Rakshabandhan"

(translates to A Bond of Protection). On this day, Sisters tie Rakhi (think of this as a Friendship Band) to their brothers. They get dressed, cook for their brothers, feed them their favorite sweets/candy and in return the brothers promise to protect and nurture their sisters. The tradition has been going on for thousands of years. In 16th century India, wars have been abandoned because the Queen sent "Rakhi" to the opponent thus making him her "Brother". Today young girls enjoy "gifts" from their brothers as a token of their love.

I am calling it "Brother's Day".

In my opinion the bond between a brother and sister is the purest form of a relationship between a man and a woman. So why am I telling you this today? Because it IS that day today! On this day I am reminded of my childhood, looking forward to rakshabandhan as the day where it'll all be about me and when I'll receive lots of gifts from my brothers. And it's not just my own brother. It's cousins too! So you can see why sisters would look forward to this. The young boys would hate it! Because its the day when they get "nothing" and all the gifts are for the sisters. So we started buying some small gifts for them too! But nothing compared to what the girls would get :)

Gift giving aside, for me, it's a reminder of the fact how blessed I am to have not one but three very loving brothers who would be there for me at the drop of a hat should I need them. Three brothers who although are much younger than me, would do anything for me. A reminder of how much fun we had growing up. The pranks we played, the innumerable fights we had and the secrets we kept. Not to mention the shoulders we cried on...

And being thousands of miles away from them is as hard as it gets, as you can imagine. So, as I was sending my Rakhi in mail the other day, the vibrant colors of the rakhi inpsired me to share this with you and I snapped a picture. The red colored powder is called "Roli". Its mixed with water to create a thick paste and is used to mark a "Tilak" more like an elongated "Bindi" on the brother's forehead. The rice is then stuck to the tilak. It's all very divine and beautiful!

Here are some photos from 2007 when I was in India for Rakshabandhan.

The lovely woman in the background is my grandma!

Happy Rakshabandhan to everyone who celebrates it and to all those who don't, pick up that phone and call your brother or sister and tell them how much they mean to you. Life's too short not to!

July Project - Dress!

2009-07-30T17:34:00.003-04:00

So this One Garment a Month is really working for me. I've noticed that this is also the only time I update the blog. Which made me think... I like deadlines, I like making plans and then sticking to them. So I am going to start a Wishful Wednesday. Why wednesday? Because Mondays are crazy for me and I barely have time to breathe let alone blog. I like setting easy deadlines so Wednesday it is.

Since I obviously can't sew every Wednesday, my goal is to talk about a project I wish I could sew and hopefully some of these projects will make it to my one garment a month schedule.

I am hoping this will help me update my blog more, talk about sewing a bit more, learn about the things which will and will not work for me and who knows, maybe some of you will even like reading about my projects and perhaps add your own.

So that's my plan and I am sticking to it.. I hope... I can.. I will... We'll see...

On to the July Project

A lovely (if I may say so myself) summer dress! From March 2009 Burda. I've already written a full review on PatternReview so hop on over there to read it.

I made the necklace too!

Two garments in June - Not Bad!

2009-06-25T14:17:00.004-04:00

So last year I started this sew along - One Garment a Month which is REALLY working for me. It's made sewing fun for me once again and it has kept me on track and I find myself look forward to each month. And since I fell off the wagon in May, I decided to make two things this month.

My first finished project this month is this favorite bib-front shirt (01-2008-108), this time in hanky weight linen from Fabric.com.

I loved playing with the wing needle!

This is also as close as it gets for my only white shirt.

Full Review on PatternReview

My second garment for this month is this fun and flirty skirt from my favorite knit skirt pattern, kwik sew 3032

Seriously, I've lost count of how many skirts I've made from this pattern. It sure has served me well. And it's so quick to make too. Since the fabric has white background, I decided to line it with silk weight powerdry which I bought from a coop years ago. If you can get your hands on it, go for it. It's good stuff! Feels like butter against the skin.

Needless to say I am feeling pretty proud of myself this month :) Up next, the trench! wish me luck.

Rain Rain Go Away....

2009-06-24T15:28:00.002-04:00

All this RAIN! I think my plants are dying because of too much water! But what the heck... I am EXCITED about my FIRST Trench Coat. A few months ago I never thought I'd need a trench coat. But now, I can't imagine my life without it. At the PR Weekend Portland, I tried on some fabulous trenches and now I want one of my own!

This one actually belongs to Leslie, but I fell in love with it, so had to try it on. I think I pulled it off :)

And look at the fabric I scored from Mill End in Portland!

It's a little too bright but that's exactly what I need to get over the gloomy rainy days here in New England.

I also bought a Buckle from Pacific Trimming on my recent trip to NYC.

So what else do I need? Ah yes, the pattern...

Remember the coat I made back in October/November last year?

Well that pattern also has a trench version!

And Stacey's review convinced me, that is the right pattern for my first trench.

See, I believe in setting myself up for success anytime I try something new. So for my first trench I want to keep things simple. So while this pattern may not have the traditional details like Leslie's version, at least it has enough to pass as a trench.

Plus I know this pattern works for me so no fitting involved!

I am contemplating whether or not to make it knee length or mid thigh... decisions decisions.

I've spent a good part of this morning reading all trench coat reviews and I like the idea of putting in lining just in the sleeves like Leslie (loohoo) did on her Burberry trench. So I shamelessly e-mailed Cidell to help me find the same burberry lining! Fingers crossed!

So there you have it. Now that we have a record of this trench, I HAVE to make it :) This will be my July project. And you know what's going to happen don't you? The minute it's ready to wear, the rain is going to STOP!

A Fun Summer Day

2009-06-14T19:52:00.002-04:00

Saturday was so nice and you guys, we have like 15 such days in the whole year so it was important that we made the most of it and boy we really did. I opened up yelp to see what's going on and found the Cambridge River Festival. We took the train from Alewife and an hour later we were walking under the sun, clear skies amidst hundreds of people enjoying the fair.

They had closed off Memorial drive and the festival was all along the Charles River. There were tons of artists selling jewelery, hand blown glass, clothing and what not. It was just so much fun. There was even a blacksmith! Lots of fun activities for kids and adults. We made our own soap at Mrs Meyers :)

On one of the stages they had a dance competition which was really fun!

Gagan enjoyed the music more

There were tons of artists

This one vendor was selling custom made clothing so I obviously had to check it out. Their specialty was linen. I must admit, I wanted to buy each and every one of their pieces but the sewer in me prevented me from doing so. But as I was hovering over this one really pretty linen skirt the guy in the booth says "This is really nice. It's lined with.... Lining". When he paused after lined with, I almost wanted to say "Rayon?" "Bemberg?", "Ambiance?"... :) I am a nerd, yes I am. But at least he was making an effort. I could see how uncomfortable he was trying to sell clothing which he had no idea about :) Gotta love the effort though.

It was really nice to just get out and walk around, soak in everything the city had to offer and not have a plan. There were lots of food carts, so we had our fill and on our way back I spotted a Vintage Store. How cool!!

I promised Gagan that I would only go in there for a quick peek and I did keep my promise. I saw the store was jam packed with clothing (looked like they had real vintage stuff). I asked the owner if I could take a few photos for my blog and promised to come back. I loved the jewelry in there. The prices were totally affordable. I am very excited to go back there with a few friends to check it out. Hmm.. maybe it's time to plan a PR Day Boston.

And since I am always on the look out for bulk bin stores, and Harvard Co-op was right there, we stopped there for a quick bite to eat and I found the Teff flour (to make Ingeras) I'd been looking for.

All I can say is that I came back very inspired and VERY HAPPY. So, my advice, make the most of summer wherever you are!

For the Love of Color

2009-06-10T16:45:00.002-04:00

I am trying to be good about blogging so here are my thoughts for today.

How far are you willing to go for the love of a color?

Me, I am not sure. I am usually pretty good about restraining myself and distinguishing NEED From WANT. But when it comes to color, hmmm...

I love TEAL. I really do. So whenever I see something teal (it doesn't have to be fabric), I feel that I must get it. Simply because it's not a common color like red, black or blue. The other day I saw a wallet and it was teal. I wanted to get it, but I didn't.

And then of course there is the question of whether or not it's weird in that color. For example, are you willing to get a teal rolling pin? Or how about teal lipstick?

Up until a few weeks ago I used to think Teal nail polish is weird, and now I don't want to wear anything BUT that color :) So, should I acquire everything teal? Is there a price point at which you decide to walk away? Am I the only one who even wants to know this :)

PR Weekend and more...

2009-06-09T17:15:00.002-04:00

I am notorious for not updating my blog. Its not that I don't want to. It's just that I don't give it the priority I should. May was really busy too with the PR Weekend, and then the PatternReview book and now that summer's here (sort of), I am busy working in my garden. So I'll try to make this short. I really don't want to go into the newsletter mode I generally do when I write the PatternReview newsletter :)

So this is what I've been up to in the last month or so.

May 15th - 17th
PR Weekend Portland

Highlights for ME
Meeting so many of you, I spend hours every day with.

Chatting with old friends from previous PR Weekends

Getting hooked on to NAIL POLISH!

making a lot of new friends

And having a blast in the school bus.

Seriously, one shouldn't be allowed to have this much fun. I've written a more detailed report on PatternReview, so you can read it here.

Fun with my Niece
May 17th - 20th I was in San Jose, CA to spend some time with my cousin and my favorite (only) niece. Anusha, my 5 yo niece reminds me so much of myself when I was little. Not that I remember my childhood but I do remember being full of energy, vivacious and a handful and she is just like that. Whenever I go there, we have a ball. I shared my love of nail polish with her. She is only FIVE but she loved it. Cidell gave me this really cool blue nail polish.

So that's May for ya. In June, I got busy with my garden. And it doesn't look half bad, if I may say so myself. I'd better drop my gym membership. Its been months since I went and I'd rather spend time gardening than go to the gym. Actually I'd rather do anything than go to the gym :(

My Garden Photos

On the sewing front, I haven't made much progress since the skirt I sewed for PR Weekend which was worth every second I spent on it. I SIMPLY LOVE IT. This is also my May garment for One a Month Sew Along.

My Review Burda 8407 on PatternReview.com

On the sewing machine is another quick skirt from Kwik Sew 3032 and I am planning to make the Jalie Pants after that.

I must now go back to browsing more nail polish colors. I just can't get enough of it. Thanks to Cidell!

Joys of Being in India Part IV - Shopping in Delhi

2009-05-01T17:50:00.004-04:00

Whenever we go, Gagan and I try to take a day off just for ourselves and this is when we explore the markets. The first market we went to is in the town called "Lajpat Nagar", named after one of the famous leaders of India - Lala Lajpat Rai. This market caters to everyone. There is even a mini mall there. I go there for FABRIC! So like I mentioned before, I didn't have time to go to the wholesale Fabric Market, but this was good enough. Some stores haggle as well :)

I didn't look like a tourist so people were pretty surprised when I was taking photos of everything! So enjoy my friends, these are for you. Flickr has complete descriptions of each photo, so if you click on them you'll be taken there.

These were a little too loud for my taste but I just wanted to show you the different styles of salwar kameezes.

And HELLO, what do we have here? A TRIM SHOP!

And then some shopping in a FABRIC STORE!

Gagan likes to bring back candy and snacks from there. And this shop has really good quality dried fruits and nuts in bulk bins. You tell them what you want and they'll weigh and package it right in front of you! Did I mention that we are FOODIES!

Too much? Or too little ;-)

Only in India can you find MASALA CASHEWS!

From Lajpat Nagar we went to a slightly more "Polished" Market, which is more a hang out place for younger crowds. You can tell by the stores here. Most of the American and European brands are here. Retail is very competitive in India which is why they didn't let me take photos here! This is all I could get without anyone objecting. I must mention that Delhi is very brand conscious! People don't like to wear anything if it doesn't have a label on it :) I don't get it... but it's the way it is. When I buy gifts for my friends and family back there, I only buy brands they would like :)

HANDBAGS!

It was getting late and we still had some time before dinner so I decided to have a snack in the market. Momos are north eastern street food. They are basically steamed dumplings. Momos themselves are bland but its the sauce they are served with which is REALLY SPICY! How spicy? You'll find out soon...

Wait for it...

And there you go... OMG!!!

Gagan stayed away from it after seeing my reaction ;)

All this in just one day. Quite a feat don't you think?

My mother in law got me some fabric from Rajasthan - the most beautiful place in India. So while I was there, I decided to get the outfit stitched. Yes, there are tailors everywhere. That's why nobody sews at home. You can even pay them to come to your house for a whole day and get anything stitched! I went to a boutique close to the house where my in-laws live. The lady who manages the boutique is also a designer. She is quite a talented woman.

The concept of patterns is foreign to them. They do sewing the "REAL WAY" i.e. from measurements! So I stood patiently while she took my measurements and 24 hours later, she had this gorgeous outfit ready for me! I'll have to take a photo later and post it here.

The next few days I took a break from playing tourist and decided to kick back and enjoy my family. There were numerous hours spent chatting with my mom, dreaming of new baby outfits for my new nephew/niece. I shared some of my joys and sorrows with Dadima and in her lap I found comfort and relief I'd been craving for my whole life. Among other things, she is strength personified, never gives up on anything, anyone, including me :)

I also hung out with my BFF - Jugnu. She has been my friend since high school and is my source for what's in and out in the Indian fashion scene :)

And here's my mother-in-law, another pillar of strength and wisdom. I can talk with her for hours! The shop owner was quite the photographer!

Thank you for letting me share my trip to India with you. You know what made this trip even more fun for me? Besides the news that I am going to become an Aunt in December? Well, its because I got to re-live it with you and because I took the time to explore the simple things which I otherwise take for granted. So my advice, enjoy the time you have with your family, doing the little things they love. It's what life is all about! It's what we go back for. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Live for Today!

More photos in my Flickr Album

The Joys of being in India - Part III DELHI

2009-05-01T17:11:00.003-04:00

OK, so now I am back in Delhi - The capitol of India. This is my territory :) I grew up here.

Why is Delhi not a vacation for me? Well for starters, because you can't really call a place where you grew up a vacation spot :) Both Gagan and I have large families and extended families ALL of them settled in Delhi. Have you seen the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"? Well it's sort of that AND MORE! Everyone is in everyone's life and nothing is ever a secret. It is impossible to have a small gathering. We just don't do it.

Which is why, when we found out that my sister in law is pregnant, my father decided to celebrate in a big way. He was already psyched that I was there and on top of that, he was going to become a grandfather. Now, before we go any further, there is something else you should know about India. Religion is it's backbone. From affluent to the poor, everyone bows to the "big guy" in their own way weather it's a happy day or a sad one. It's what keeps Indians grounded and safe. And it's customary to dress up whenever you are praying, as a token of respect. So my dad organized this big ceremony at home where you chant the holy "Ramayana" non stop for 24 hours. Yes, even at night. We all took turns reading it. Because it was day 5 of my trip, my throat was already hoarse from all the talking so I gave up only after reading for about an hour or so. We had over 100 people in the house who came to pray with us.

You remember my husband's grandmother - Dadima - my favorite! She wanted us to go to this famous temple 3 hours away from Delhi. She has been asking us to go for the last 5 years and this year Gagan and I decided to go. Unfortuntely she was not well enough to accompany us but Gagan's parents went. It was a really fun drive out to the country. We packed some sandwiches and decided to picnic on the way. On our way back we even bought some onions from a farm stand! My father in law is really adventurous. He wanted to get there sooner so instead of taking the highway, he followed a map and discovered the back roads. Of course this was not before we got lost a few times. But we still got there much sooner than anyone else. All thanks to my FIL! We won't talk about the useless map though ;-)

That's Gagan, trying to figure out where we were! The big map was no help either.

We finally get there. That's the temple in the back. Because it's so hot there, I only wear cottons when I go there. I was super comfortable in this salwar kameez.

The wish tree!

In my next post, I'll talk about my shopping experience in Delhi... Stay tuned.

Joys of Being in India - Part II - Bombay

2009-04-25T12:44:00.007-04:00

"The spirit of Bombay"

It's what keeps this city alive and running. Otherwise how do you think 19 million people crammed into this west cost city of India survive? The short two day visit to Bombay was one of the most memorable visits of my life. What made it so good, was my stay with my cousin, his wife and their son ( my nephew ). Like New York, traffic is a nightmare here in the city and a usual 15 minute drive can take upto 2.5 hours in peak traffic!

My sister in law and I decided to play tourist after my nephew left for school. That is of course after I promised him that my time is his after he comes back :) We had until 5:30 that day, so we sat in the car and Uma (my sister in law) played the guide and I enjoyed the nice ride :) We only stopped at a few places to take some photos and breathe the fresh air. I was just so fascinated by it all. See in Delhi, things are very different. Its hard to explain but folks here in Bombay are more chilled out, they enjoy every minute of it. Whether its the affluent or the slums, speaking of which slums are an integrated part of Bombay. There is no denying that. You see them everywhere, from the highway to the sea shore to the beach... everywhere. With the recent success of the movie, Slumdog... Bombay (Mumbai) has come into somewhat of a limelight and everyone wants a piece of it. Indians however are not so crazy about the movie. It sort of paints a very dark, dingy picture of India :(

OK back to the sightseeing, I'll let the pics do the talking...

The Nariman Point ( so hard to find a place where its so quiet and no people!, I just had to take a picture here )

The Gateway of India - on the shore, Taj Palace hotel (in the pic above ) is right opposite this.

Bombay is also the home to Bollywood - India's biggest film industry, so the second day I was there, my cousin decided to take me for a drive to see the houses of film stars :) It was a lot of fun that way, as we reminded ourselves of the old hindi movies and to look at where they live. Normally I am not much into star watching but it was the company which made it fun. We also went to Jogger's Park - one of the nicer parks in Mumbai which is also frequented by a lot of film stars :)

This appealed to the child in me and I decided to climb up this tower with my nephew. Oh boy, it looked much simpler than it really was!

Bombay is also where you find the best Mangoes - Alphonso! OMG I was so busy eating it, that I never thought you'd like a photo, but then I care about you, and if you'd just seen me eat it, you would have HATED me. Seriously, I was transferred to a very Happy Place! I also enjoyed some of the local snacks one of which is called "Vada Pav" which is basically a sandwich with lots of garlicky chutney spread inside a burger bun and the stuffing was a fried potato dumpling. Oh boy was that yummy or what!

I am not much of a night life person but like New York, Bombay has some of the best clubs in India, and that where most people like to unwind after a tough day at work and commute :)

Each night I was there, we never slept before 3 AM reminiscing about our childhood days and how cool we thought we were ;-) Sleep deprivation has never been so much fun!

I left Bombay with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, for this was one of the warmest visit to a brother's house ever!

Next up - Delhi, also known as "A city of people with big hearts!"

Joys of being in India

2009-04-14T01:54:00.009-04:00

When I posted a month ago with all my plans for my vacation in India, I skipped a very important factor. I have a family who loves me way too much :) So... as a result most of the last two weeks have been spent catching up with my aunts, grandmother and my cousins reliving my childhood with them, realizing that I was indeed a VERY PAMPERED girl :) And now, when I have my nephews and nieces, it is my turn to pamper them, so when the opportunity arose for me to choose between going shopping or making train tracks with my nephew, there was no question what I was going to do :) One look at his pleading eyes and I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

How the last 13 days flew by, I never noticed. So today when I have some time to myself, I thought it might be fun to go back 2 weeks and take you with me.

April 2nd - I flew in to Delhi, where my family lives. I had just enough time to meet my parents and pack my bags for my travel within India. No time for Jetlag!

April 3rd - I arrived in Hyderabad, home to ISB (Indian School of Business), voted 15th best B-School in the whole world! This is where my brother was graduating from. Graduation cermony was amazing!

ISB Library

The next two days were spent in exploring the campus with my brother, going pearl shopping with my mother and sister in law.

We also went to a craft bazaar. It was over 100 degrees though so we came back within an hour.

I really wanted to bring one of these back but I was afraid they would break in travel.

Fabric sold by the piece

Hyderabad was the home to Nizams in the 17th century India. They were among the wealthiest people in the whole world. Which is why Hyderabad has a rich culture and is known also for pearls, architecture and museums. I visited a museum consisting of collection from one of the Nizams of Hyderabad. How one individual can possess so much was mind boggling.

Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad

Unlike the US, museums in India are very affordable and cater to the masses. A ticket only costed 15 Rupees which is equivalent to 0.30 Cents! Of course this is also not a big city so that might have something to do with it. Photography was prohibited but I bought a CD which I will upload later. Unlike the museum shops in the US which are filled with made in china crap, the shop in this museum was run by the Govt. of India and contained books and CDs and local crafts. It was obviously boring to most people but to me it was fascinating!

Modern Hyderabad is one of the fastest developing cities in India. It has a HUGE IT sector and home to many bio tech companies. Microsoft has a HUGE campus here. So much so that they coined the IT town "CYBERabad"..

Whenever I travel I always sample some of the local foods... One of the things Hyderabad is famous for is BIRYANI, which is basically is a rice casserole layered with really HOT spices, lots of vegetables, coconut (its the south so there has to be coconut). It's really yummy, but you need a glass of cold milk to suppress the heat afterwords :) It is traditionally made with beef, but I had the vegetarian version which is equally good! Atleast in India I didnt have to worry about meatless food :) I didnt take a photo, but that just means that I have to get the recipe from my sister in law and try it here at home.

Even though I grew up in Delhi, India, I never took the time to travel within India and now that I am, it is just so fascinating! The culture so rich, the history so divine and the people so warm. I wish you were here with me to experience this all.

I have to run, my cousin is coming to visit. I'll continue this later with tasty bites from Bombay!

More photos in my Flickr Album.

My Bags are Packed ( in theory) for my India Trip

2009-03-31T17:28:00.004-04:00

In a perfect world, all my travel documents would be in place, my bags packed, all gifts wrapped, seats set in the flight, meal preferences set, house cleaned, not to mention stuff for PatternReview.com, but we wont go there :)

In my world which is as real as it gets, NOTHING is done! Some would say "And you are blogging!" Ah... okay so I need to work on my priorities, but you know what, I need to do this. I need to start this post to prepare myself for what's to come in the next few weeks.

So here we go, I am going to Delhi, India tomorrow for 3 weeks. From there, I am flying to Hyderabad to attend my brother's graduation and then to Mumbai to visit with my cousin who is also my best friend and with whom I share so many fun childhood memories.

I am taking my netbook with me, and my hope is to share as much of my vacation with you as I can. See, last time when I was there was almost 2 years ago and every time I would visit a fabric store, I would think of you guys. I didnt blog then, but I do now, so I am bringing my camera with me and I promise you will hear from me quite often actually in the next few weeks. Even if I can't find the time to post pics, I will post updates.

There is so much more to India than just bright colors and curry powder (although over there if you ask for curry powder they'll have no idea what you're talking about!). It is things like showing up in the middle of the night at your neighbor's doorstep and being welcomed with open arms, It's kicking back and relaxing over a cup of tea and samosas, surrounded by your loved ones. It's waking up every morning to birds chirping and fruit vendors calling out in the streets. It's about getting dressed up in saris and wearing lots of bangles for a wedding! It's also about starting a conversation and continuing for hours with a complete stranger in the middle of the street and last but not the least, its taking a bite out of a FAT, JUICY MANGO!!!! in the summer. Renee, are you jealous?

It is my hope to share some of the joys of growing up in India with you as I travel.

So yes, my bags are NOT packed but I have my knitting with me, and guess what else I have? An advance copy of Annika's BOOK - Micro Macrame!

As I was going through the book last night, I was literally drooling over the stuff she has in there. Do I need another hobby? YOU BET!!! And I am going to the right place to collect the goodies for it. Wait for photos of the jewelry district and OH MY did I mention there is a wholesale fabric market in Delhi where I am going with my mom?

While there, I'm also going to interview one of the finest menswear tailor in Delhi.

Stay Tuned!

Last minute sewing

2009-03-30T18:22:00.005-04:00

March is almost finished and here in New England we are still wearing jackets! Oh well, I love MA anyway :) Atleast we get to see all 4 distinct seasons. I am so close to falling off the wagon this month but I am determined to finish my March project, which is not too exciting, but it's a blouse I'll get a lot of use out of and it fits my goal of sewing more wovens and blouses this year.

It's another version of the Burda Magazine Blouse I made last month.

This one's as close to a white blouse (sorry I dont do white) as it gets. Its a lovely natural linen from Fabric.com

I experimented with wing needle top stitching and I love it! Birgitte, I took some closeups to show you what it looks like.

The only parts left for this blouse are sewing the sleeves and the collar which I intend to finish tonight. Oh yes, the buttons and buttonholes too. I can do it!!!

Sorry for such a bad photo. I snapped it with my Blackberry before leaving the house today.

I can do it, I can do it. I figured if I post it here, I am more likely to finish it :) More on my travel plans later...

A kniting gift to someone who gets it

2009-03-16T13:23:00.005-04:00

So this is why I've been MIA for the last week or so. Gagan's cousin, who has become a very good friend of mine is leaving this week. She crochets and I knit. Together we have a lot in common. And...she is one of the few cousins (perhaps the only one) who values hand made things. If you recall, Gagan's aunt helped me with my sock last month? She is her daughter...

So last few nights I kept all my sewing projects aside and got to work on these socks. She came over this weekend, I was knitting till the last minute. Believe it or not, we still have some snow in our front yard, and while stepping in, her socks got wet. When she asked to borrow some socks, I surprised her with my hand knit socks and said "Maybe these will help" :) She was so touched! And later when I was taking photos of the sock to share with you all, she said "Wow, I've never been a foot model before".

And now that the socks are with their new owner, I can go back to sewing :) After all, I have to make not one but two garments this month. (Since I am away most of April).

Here are the socks.

Pattern: Embossed Leaves from Interweave Knits.

And now some photos of the coat

2009-03-04T16:13:00.006-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday, the fur coat deserves good photos, so I donned my black top, put on some lipstick and got down to it :) Early morning sun is not the best for photos, but I was anxious.. so here you go. Oh and for the record, it's FAUX FUR... in case you were wondering ;-)

Check out the lining...

It's all in the details. The closures are so cool.

Kenneth added Leather ties to the lapel and to the sleeves. Just because...

Let me know if you want me to take any more photos of this fabulous coat. I've been studying the construction ever since I got it. After all it's not like everyday one gets to wear a coat made by Kenneth King :) enjoy!

People who've made my life a whole lot richer

2009-03-03T18:02:00.005-05:00

In the 34 years (I still feel like 25 though so that's what counts ;) ) of my life, I've come across many individuals who have inspired me, people I've looked up to, people who I turn to for advise, people whom I trust. And then there are people who are so incredibly gifted and yet so humble and modest that I feel proud of having been in their company.

Owen Aftreth is one of them. Owen is my ex-colleague from when I used to work for a software company. It's been a little over 2 years since I last worked with him and yet, it warms my heart every time I think of him.

When I think of the smartest and most intelligent people I know, besides my brother and my husband, Owen comes to mind. And yet, he is also the the kindest, most down to earth man I've even known. In the years we worked together, he helped not only me, but whoever came to him. The guy just doesn't know how to say "No"! During the stressful times at work, he would still somehow manage to remain calm and offer to help whoever needed him whenever he could. I still remember the night I was working late because I had committed to finishing my last project before I left. When he was still lurking, I asked what he was doing.. to which he replied, "Well I thought I'd stay in case you needed someone to help out."

When it came to technology he was way ahead of most of us and still whenever we were troubleshooting, he would always downplay himself and say to others, "Its probably my code causing the trouble."

He took a sabbatical to travel with a friend who needed help with a research project and the university would not let her go alone to China!

I still remember the times we would take a break and talk about anything and everything over our cubicle walls. I could always talk to him. He has that quality you know...

When I think fondly of the people I used to work with, he is the one who always brings a smile to my face. He is the kinda guy you never forget, who doesn't need to say anything to make you feel better, he just has to be HIMSELF. The kind who always makes time for you. That's the kind of person who enriches lives. Owen personifies humility and kindness. And I am lucky to have worked with him.

Kenneth King is another great guy who has influenced me in many ways. I remember the first time I met him. It was in the elevator of the Avalon hotel in NYC where I was organizing the 2nd or was it the 3rd PR Weekend. I had requested Kenneth to be our guest speaker for the day. Having never met him before, I was waiting in the lobby of the hotel hoping to welcome him when he arrived. As I was waiting, I started chatting with other PR members and lost track of time, when suddenly one of them alerted me to the fact that Kenneth had arrived and was going up the elevator. I rushed and welcomed him and apologized for not seeing him earlier. But he was just so cool, he didn't care. In the elevator we chatted like old friends and if you were there at the PR weekend you'll remember how much fun we had.

Kenneth is a self taught couturier whose work has been shown in various museums. He now teaches at FIT and Online Classes on PatternReview.com and continues to develop new cool techniques and makes couture possible for you and me. He is also the author of Cool Couture.

He amazes me each time with his energy but having met him personally again a few weeks ago was a treat I cannot describe. He is Kenneth King and anyone who loves to sew, knows who he is, and yet when I meet him, it's like we're in that elevator again. We're like two friends having breakfast and just chatting about fashion and sewing. Like Owen, Kenneth is also very humble and for as long as I was there, he gave me his full attention.

We went to his apartment and I fell in love with a fur coat he had made. I tried it on, posed in front of the mirror and you know... just had to have it. Instead I promised him that I will make a fur coat this season following his fur class.

And today, a big box arrived for me.

Puzzled, I opened the box and in it, was the FUR COAT with a nice note from him, "Dear Deepika, wear it in good health, love Kenneth"

My Mother in law once said to me that a true gift is when you make the other person believe that they are doing you a favor by accepting your gift.

When I called Kenneth to thank him, he said, "I wanted to send it while its still cold so you could enjoy it." When I said "I am speechless, thank you so much. I don't know what to say", he said "You don't need to say anything, I've had fun making it, now you'll have fun wearing it".

In this day and age when there is no dearth of people with giant egos, big heads and insufferable attitudes, people like Owen and Kenneth remind you of what truly means to be "Great". These are the people I've had the good fortune of working with and who continue to inspire and enrich my life. I am grateful for them and many others, but today I dedicate this post to the two Smartest and the Kindest men I've known : Owen and Kenneth.

Perhaps this will remind you of someone who touched your life in a similar way with their kindness and humility.

February Project - Muslin Paid Off

2009-02-24T16:50:00.002-05:00

I am loving this muslin process actually. Wonder why I never did this before. Anyway, I wanted to show you the finished shirt. The only thing left was to make buttonholes and sew the buttons which I did last night.

Muslin Process

Full Review on PatternReview.com

Here are the techniques I learnt in this process
1. Button Band - love it. Any future shirts I make will have button band instead of the facing.
2. Puff sleeves - Also love them. So cute, so springy.
3. Collar and collar band - I've done this before. But next time I am going to find a better way of constructing. It gets easier each time.
4. Lots of alterations - Well not lots, but it was amazing how tiny little things can make such a big difference.

Now I am trying to figure out how many more blouses I can make from this pattern :)

A day in the Big Apple

2009-02-23T16:15:00.006-05:00

It's never the same...
And yet, there is a certain familiarity to it every time I visit. This weekend was the most fun mainly because I went for ME!

On Friday I met the nice folks at Simplicity and delivered the Best Pattern Certificates personally. They were really honored to receive them and told me how much they love PatternReview. While there, I also got a sneak peak at their next collection. I won't ruin the surprise for you all but let me just say that it ROCKS!

Not only did I get to try the Amazing Fit Pants (which are awesome by the way), but I also got some really neat tips on finishing the coat vent. Deborah was trying to explain how to do it and I had this really sad, helpless expression on my face. She must have seen it cause she said, "Would you like me to get it fixed for you here?" Would I? OF COURSE! So guess what? My coat vent is all fixed up and she is going to send me easy vent completion directions later.

As Judy, Deborah, Bonnie and I sat around the table talking for hours, I realized why this company is so successful at what they do. Their whole team is clearly passionate about sewing and they love every minute of it. Deborah showed me around their offices and looked at me said, "I go home inspired every day and wish I could just sew every minute of my free time". Back in 2005 they had done a fabulous tour for PR Weekend Attendees so I knew (sort of) my way around.

If you guys are going to the Puyallup sewing expo, stop by Simplicity's booth and introduce yourself. They'd love to hear from PR members.

Next stop on my list was Jonathan's embroidery shop. Kenneth King had recommended this shop for buttonholes. Remember the coat I made back in November? Well it still needed some buttonholes. And these nice folks at Jonathan create professional looking keyhole buttonholes in seconds, while you wait. So 5 bucks and 15 minutes later, I was finally able to admire my coat in it's full glory!

256 W 38th Street, New York, NY

I also picked up some buttons for my new blouse from MJ Trim. I must say that I wasn't too impressed with their selection or the prices. In future, I am sticking to Sawyer Brook for their best match service.

I met Kenneth King for breakfast the next day and what a treat it was. Check out these cool coats! He refashioned this coat from a flea market find. It's monkey fur.

And this one is made with Hair Extensions which Kenneth sewed onto ribbon.

He teaches all these techniques in his FUR class on PR in case you're interested. One of the things which I love about him is the fact that despite being aware of his talent, Kenneth is a very modest, down-to-earth guy. He said to me "Look, I am basically a lazy guy, so I figure out the smarter way of doing things which will give me the same result in half the time." Now don't you love that? He ranks his pieces by how far he walks before he gets a compliment on it :) And it is true. His work is out of this world.

My cousin met up with me at the MET later and boy! It was my first time and I cant tell you for how long I've been wanting to visit this museum. It was worth the wait. We were only there for a couple hours but it was a treat each step of the way. Here are some photos I took with my blackberry.

My 4 year old nephew loved the Arms and Armour section!

Just because you are going to war doesn't mean that you can't be fashionable!

Talk about self control. I passed Spandex House but didn't even peek inside.

Sunday was spent with family and I admit I haven't gone to bed so inspired in a long time. I want to make a FUR coat, the Amazing Fit Pants, Another winter coat, a Linen Top, and at least 5 more blouses! Looks like by the time PR Weekend rolls around, I will have an entirely new wardrobe.

Year of the Muslin

2009-02-17T14:05:00.002-05:00

I am calling this the Year of the Muslin. That's right, I bought a whole bolt and not afraid to use it. I am taking the time to explore the possibilities. Starting with this cute Burda WOF Blouse everyone was making last year. I am a little late to the party but enjoying it neverthless.

Reviews on PatternReview.com

Step 1: Muslin Making
Making the muslin led to some fitting discoveries. Almost all the Burda patterns have too wide of a shoulder. So I have to shave off about 1/2". I was also getting some wrinkles right under the bust which were driving me nuts.

Shannon and Heidi both recommended taking out the excess fabric right under the bust. So I did that and it looks much better. There are still some wrinkles but I dont want to overfit so I am willing to live with this.

Now comes the fun part. Sewing it!

I cut it out from the lovely cotton I bought in Costa Rica.

Because the fabric is very thin, following the advice of one of the reviewers, I made the bib double layer. And guess what? I hand basted the layers together with a silk thread. You can see that I am indeed taking the time on this. I am breaking it down into smaller steps and sew a little bit every night. So it's quite fun actually.

Here's what I have so far. The back and the front are done, the sleeves are gathered up and ready to go. My interfacing is getting pre treated and tonight I will be able to do the collar. I am going to NYC this weekend so I should be able to find some treasures there for this blouse. Or who knows, maybe I'll wear it to NYC. Still too cold for it though.

My next version from this pattern will be in Linen. I bought this handkerchief linen from Fabric.com but the cranberry turned out to be too dark. So I am thinking, maybe that should be a skirt. I'll make the blouse from the oatmeal Linen. What do you think?

review

For The Record - January Project

2009-02-17T13:53:00.003-05:00

So just so I don't forget about it and for the record, I present my January Project. I was quite productive in January actually.

Incidentally both the projects came from Burda WOFs.

Full Review here

AND

Review

I have been in love with this top ever since I saw Christina's Review

The full cowl neck was a style I've really been craving. So when I couldn't locate a copy of the magazine, I asked Christina for help and she sent me the pattern right away! And I've already made two tops from this pattern. This is a gift which will keep on giving for years. Love it!

One a month Sew Along on PatternReview.com

Fun AND Productive Weekend

2009-02-10T14:47:00.006-05:00

So remember my post The Love Affair is over back in December about the hole in my favorite socks? Ok so in my anger I gave up knitting (like that's going to do anything). But the truth is I don't like fixing things. I like creating from scratch but not fixing. It applies to everything... Sewing, cooking, knitting, pretty much everything I do. To give you an example, Gagan asked me to fix the loose button in one of his shirts one time. I asked him to put the shirt in my sewing room. It was lying there for more than a year! Next year my mom visited and long story short... she was the one who ended up fixing it. Yes, I detest fixing. But part of the reason is because I don't know how... Well the button was just laziness but things like fixing that hole in the sock.

OK so here's what happened this weekend. Gagan's aunt was with us this weekend. She and I were chatting one evening when the subject of sock came up. I was ready to throw out the sock when she said, give it to me, I'll fix it. I warned Bua(Hindi for Aunt) that it's a big hole to which she said "If I can become a doctor, I can do anything!". She is too cute. I love her enthusiasm. And sure enough, half an hour later, the sock was patched up. And just like that, I learned a new skill and she revived my faith in knitting. She also showed me a few tricks on how to reinforce the heel of socks.

Here's how she did it.

She picked up the stitches and tied the thread to close the hole first.

Stitches picked up and closed. We now have a circle which will not fray.

She then picked up stitches from a couple of rows before the hole started. The goal is to knit a rectangle and then stitch it down on top of the hole like a patch.

Testing the rectangle to see if it's big enough to cover up.

Finally stitching it down.

Later than night. I started a new sock :) Having this new skill gives me the freedom I always wanted. Now I can FIX things.. well not everything. We'll start with a sock :)

Early Birthday Gift!

2009-01-31T22:11:00.008-05:00

So you know I love to sew knits right? Don't believe me? Check out my reviews. Most of them are knits. I love 'em. There is no denying that. But after a while it can be, well, ho-hum. I mean yeah I can whip up a cool top in a matter of hours so what's next?

Well, meet my new friend Janome CoverPro 1000CP

Yes, as of today I am proud owner of a coverstitch machine. This powerful machine will help me achieve the professional finish I've been craving for years. And now there is nothing stopping me.

Why Janome? Well for starters it has 16 Glowing Reviews on PR and if that weren't enough, the 300 page long topic on the boards convinced me it was a match made in heaven :)

The stars must be all lined up for this because around the same time Emily also decided to get this machine and both of us called Neverett's who gave us an AWESOME DEAL on the machine. So we took a little trip today and two pretty machines followed us home!

Sky is the limit now! Oh I am so happy. My b'day came early this year.

Emily and I with our 1000CPs

Update: I had to try the machine the day I brought it home, so I quickly cut out a top and hemmed it. I even undid the twin needle stitching on one of my earlier tops to redo it with the coverstitch. And I NEVER fix things (more on that later)...