Sadie's Expressionz

Sadie Bakes...

2011-01-04T08:11:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!!!!!

Its been ages since I've last posted... I left my earlier company, moved to a new city, had a new job and was asked to travel to Australia for about 2 months for KT... Too much happening and so I couldn't catch up with the emails or the comments but I have been reading them all.. Heartfelt apologies that I haven't replied yet...

Well anyway.. so here, in Melbourne, I haven't brought the sewing machine along. Kinda dumb of me to not have rbought any hand sewing projects either. But then again hand sewing/embroudering/beading was never my strong side... speaking strong sides... Cooking/baking isn't either ;) But I just toally LOVE to buy everything that out there in the market that's got to do with recipies, new kitchen tools and basically EVERYTHING that's look cute on my kitchen counters :D

So I got my husband to buy me a mini pie maker for Christmas:

It wasn't until today when I got to try it. I made three mushroom pies for me and 5 eggie mushroom pies for hubby in just 9 minutes. I went overboard and made the dough for the pie crusts and tops and rolled it out myself.. Pat on the back.... :D

After I was done, there was still some eggie filling left so I made these quiches...

Overall I'm very impressed with the Australian Breville Party Pie Maker©(Model - BPI280)...

There will be many more coming in near future so please leave me a comment if you'd like to know the recipies to the pies...

Passport Wallet

2010-08-01T21:30:00.004-04:00

Making a Passport wallet had been on my to-do list for almost over three months!! I'd come across this wonderful blog that I saw the pattern and instructions from the Adorn magazine too.

Here are the pattern and instructions:

Instructions
Pattern

I modified the pattern so I could fit both MIL's and FIL's passport in one caddy, why, do you wonder? Well, the only person good at organizing and keeping things orderly is MIL, they were better off with both their passports safely with her than have two separate caddies. Besides I knew they were going to stick to each other like glue while in the UK too ;)

Here are the pictures, the fabric is the same one as I used for their shoe bags, I cut it all out of a cotton bed-sheet I got for $1.6.

I'm so going to make one for me too....

Luggage Tags

2010-08-01T21:00:00.000-04:00

I had fallen in love with StudioKat Designs' pattern for a luggage ID tag the day I'd seen them. And this was the perfect opportunity to make them.

Here are the Instructions and Pattern I used.

I'm amazed at the smallest pieces of fabric that I used for this project!! I loved the orange fabric and decided to go for a slightly more subtle fabric for FIL so I picked the green striped one. I'd originally decided to make two but made four seeing how easy it was and also how less fabric they used up!

As you can see, binding the clear vinyl was a NIGHTMARE!!! The photo just shows the vinyl on the orange tag sewn, I cheated and sewed the vinyl first on the green tags and the folded bias on top later :D

Shoe Bags

2010-08-01T20:00:00.002-04:00

I had seen some awesome tutorials on Shoe bags and had made a mental note of making one for hubby or me when we're travelling... Since we don't know we're travelling until about an hour before, I never made one... But thought it'd be nice to give one to MIL and FIL for their trip to the UK.

There were many projects to choose from:

1. The Shoe Bag
2. Gorgeous Drawstring Bag

I just love how ingenious the second tutorial is in using the lining fabric slightly longer than the exterior fabric!

The only problem with most shoe bags was that the bag would be inevitably soiled by the shoes and knowing how frugal MIL is, I knew she'd never use a cloth bag and preserve the 'pretty' bag for something less messier than soiled shoes and just use a plastic bag instead!

I had the perfect solution, I decided I'd line the fabric bag with a plastic bag like the ones you'd get at Target. I'd originally intended to make it a drawstring bag, but added the zippers because they were something i'd done before and I had NO time to try something new.

The same tutorial as making zipperd make-up bags or coin purses applies here. I used my all-time favorite one:

Zippered Lined bag

Here are the photos, too bad I didn't have the time to open them up and take photos of the plastic lining...

The bigger triangle bottom bag is for FIL and the smaller rectangular one is for MIL's bunny slippers. And I know that the fabric is not so masculine to be fit as a gift for FIL, however, I made it with the same fabric I had on hand anyway because its not like he's going to tote his shoes on his shoulders around the town, right? The only place his shoe-bag will see is his luggage bag.

The big Travel Day!! not mine - the in-laws'

2010-07-31T19:30:00.015-04:00

The long awaited travel-day for MIL and FIL has almost arrived, they came over at our's at around 2:30 in the afternoon (today's Saturday) - a day before they were supposed to leave for the UK.

I knew they were coming over so I got busy making the things I was GOING to make for them but hadn't completed anything at all and had to start from scratch.. So to finish all that I'd planned to make, I woke up at 2:30 AM today!! I hadn't begun sewing anything until almost 7:00 AM!!

The few major things on my list were:
1. Luggage Tags
2. Passport Wallet
3. Shoe bags

4. Rosary bag for SIL made in silk

I'll post pictures of them later. I haven't shown them yet, will show them after dinner. Just hope they like them...

"Strawberry" Shopping Bag

2010-07-14T15:21:00.001-04:00

We saw the news about a HUGE chunk of the Galcier in Greenland breaking overnight. Its so sad to see Earth metamorphosing pretty much into a state shown the Sci-Fi movie, The Waterworld. In it, its covered entirely with water and people live on ships for thier entire lives in a filth condition ...in the hopes that the myth of 'Dry Land' might be true.

Okay, I know I'm wayyy late to join in the revolution of actually making a cloth grocery bag, but I have been carrying a fabric grocery bag with me all the time sice I started having to go out and shop groceries for myself! :D

I made today what I'd been long desiring to make - Foldable Grocery bags.. and what do they fold into?? Strawberries!!! DH told me today that MIL and DIL are coming over at our's this weekend which means any hopes of sewing on weekends go down the drain! Since now I knew the confirmed date of MIL's arrival, I thought I'd mess up our living room a little and still be able to tidy things up before she arrives.

A Million thanks to the great seamstresses that uploaded their tutorials for the Strawberry bag!!

The bag's pretty simple to make and so is adding the strawberry pockets. I don't have a serger so I made it with with French seams. Lining would have made it too bulky. I used two tutorials but adhered mostly to the pattern the one on burdastyle posted (they both have pretty much the same dimensions). It folds up into the most adorable strawberry ever!! I'm so loving this!! I hope to make three more (I've cut the fabric and handles and all for three others... no idea when they'll be completed...)

Here are the tutorials I referred to:

Strawberry Bag Tutorial
"Strawberry" Shopping Bag (with PDF Pattern)

My new motto - Go Green! ...and have tons of fun doing that!!

Messenger Bag for DH

2010-07-07T18:32:00.004-04:00

By now as most of you know how DH thinks I should concentrate on my job and try and enhance it further than 'waste' all my time outside work searching patterns and looking tutorials and oohing and ahhing at everyone's creations and inspirations...

Well, I asked a few of my friends and the trick to 'winning him over' was apparantly to sew him all the stuff he'd say he needed to buy. Problem is, he never 'needs' anything! I'm the one who keeps buying things that are rarely used but are there for the just-in-case moment that arrives once every three months (okay.. I admit it.. I'm a shopaholic). But so what!! He still needs to buy SOMETHING!!

And so it goes, if you look for something hard enough you find it! He has joined this Computer class and needs to carry his CDs, Notes and a book to the class. He uses the Store-bought Messenger/Laptop bag we have. On the 5th day of the class, he made a BIG FUSS of how bulky his current bag was (or may be he just passingly mentioned it... I forget.. ;) So I took upon myself the task of freeing him of his weighing-down bag and make him a smaller, comfier and a more resourceful one instead.

This was my first ever try at making a bag with a gusset. It was inspired from all the numerous tutorials I have read from all you wonderful people out there but was mostly based on an old tattered bag from our college days I still carry that he mentioned he'd like to have a bag like. It has a gusset all the way like a Hobo bag. If I had sewn a zipper top like the tutorials I found, there's have been room at the top for the rain to seep in (Its the rainy season here). The bag is made of water-proof material (vinyl backed nylon). I never thought I'd be able to sew the gussets but using pins... LOTS of pins did the trick. I still wasn't able to get perfect corners because of the extra-stiff and thick fabric, however I'm pretty pleased with the result. Besides you wouldn't know the difference if you sewed and I barely know anyone who does around here.

The second photo seems a bit weird (according to me) because its a full shot showing my foam board resting on the chair and all the mess around, I usually shoot photos so that the foam board is the only background. Its the first time I've sewn something as big (after the Gym bag but I shot pictures of it outside the house) as this and so the poor little foam board was rather inadequate.

The black bag was too plain so I painted the Tribal Sea Shell on it. It was inspired (but not copied - I ran out of carbon paper) from this T-Shirt print. Here's a Close-up (I spelled hubby's name 'Shailesh' in those spikes on the shell and D is our Family name - Deshpande).

Oh I forgot to tell you how over-joyed DH was after I gave it to him!! He was over the moon that I sewed something for him! I don't understand why, though. All he needed to do was ask and I'd have made it for him. I hate that no one seems to care for hand-sewn stuff here. We get custom-tailored bags, clothes and everything so cheap that people just don't seem to appreciate the efforts behind them I guess :(

So you see winning husbands over is not that hard... Just keep listening to their subtle hints. Oh, why am I telling you this, most of you know that already! I learnt that strategy from some of you you!

So glad to have sewn something after sooooooo long. I realized again how relaxing actually making something that's on your mind for a while is (this time it was 3 whole days!).

BTW, if you're wondering how long it takes to make this, I drafted the pattern using a file and cut the pieces in a hour and a half (while DH was sleeping) and made the bag in 2 and a half hours (his class is for 3 hours).

Here are some super cool messenger bag tutorials:

But the bag I made is mostly based on this methodology plus the basic construction of a messenger bag like the flap:
Boxed Cushion Covers

Sewing Room Clean up

2010-06-30T14:55:00.004-04:00

Here's an update from my earlier post, Sewing Room disaster.... If I could call it horible, I have no idea what I could call it about a couple of months from when the photos was taken. When one of my friends saw the photo she said "Well, its not all that bad, I can still see the floor". Well, a couple of months and the floor wasn't seen anymore either. Take a look:

And Then, sadly, I had to clean the whole place up. My MIL and FIL were going to visit us. The Sewing Room then transformed into a full-time Living and after my sewing machine was covered, my sewing endeavors came to an official end (or are going to be in suspended-animation at least)!

I hate it, however for the oddest reason, DH keeps complementing it everyday. As if!!

Last Day of June

2010-06-30T14:13:00.001-04:00

I just realized I hadn't written at all in the entire month of June! So I decided I'd at least write on the last day. So Here goes...

The works getting crazier than ever and I have barely had the tiime to check my emails. But the post isn't about me crabbing, its about a Place we Visited this weekend with a family friend and his parents. This temple we went to is a replica of a much revered temple of Sai Baba in Shirdi. Here are some pictures. The photos don't really do justice to the actual details of the temple because I shot it from my cell phone.

The Gym Bag

2010-05-31T18:42:00.016-04:00

I finally made the Gym bag I'd been planning to. The Gym I have enrolled requires that we wear indoor shoes (which means we have to carry a pair of shoes that have never been used outdoors! talk about weird rules)...

So the first few days I went there, I used to carry the shoes, a face towel and a sipper in a cloth grocery bag... Then I stopped going feeling embarrassed of my bag (actually just another one of my brilliant excuses to skip going to the gym ...lol)

So I told myself I'd go after I'd made myself a prettier more professional duffel type bag.. The thing about duffel bags is I don't get why they have round sides... Makes a pretty lousy base if you ask me.. Anyhow.. I found this perfect pattern for the sides on Burda fashion and after almost a month I finally made it!

The Side View of the Bag that boasts the pocket I sewed in... My only modification to the pattern. Its made from an extremely simple and easy pattern and Tutorial from BurdaMode.

Oh, btw, if you're wondering what the square ring's function is... I ran out of the pink webbing.. so the square rings are going to serve as aid to opining the zipper until I get the same colored webbing and do a shoulder handle to attach to those :D

Now I'll just have to find another excuse to NOT go to the gym...

The Charlie Bag

2010-05-24T17:18:00.017-04:00

I finally made the Charlie bag this weekend! The instructions were not very explicit so I had to ask a dear friend for her expert advice. She pointed me to links that had tutorial for a lined Charlie tote, a Charlie bag with a French seam and bias binding and a super interesting video by Nora (Creator of Burda Style) that totally explains how to sew the bag plus it also shows some cool ways to embellish it to make it your own unique Shopping bag(scroll down on the page to see all possible variations)!.

The fabric I had in mind to make this bag was a flimsy synthetic lightweight with pretty Indian prints. So I decided to make the lined Charlie tote instead of its various cousins.

The Pattern directions tell you to sew the pocket the bag would be folded into in the side. I tweaked that a little. I mostly stuck to the pattern not modifying it one bit because I had to cut up 6 pieces (3 Charlie Bags).

As you can see, I sewed the pocket at the top of the bag to act as a pocket. I added a flap that I sewed behind the pocket so it would close on the pocket when teh bag was folded into it, added Velcro with the hook side tape on the pocket and the loop tape on the flap so the lining wouldn't get snagged in it.

I am not one bit happy with the bag.. I wish I'd interfaced it. I might do that for the other two bags whose pieces I've cut out. Will hopefully post their pictures soon!

Makeshift Cubicle Vase

2010-05-24T10:49:00.001-04:00

What happens when you write on the cubicle walls with a white board marker and leave it there too long thinking you'll wipe it someday??

Well, here's what happens... The white-board marker ink which is supposed to be 'temporary' gets set! You can try to wipe it.. but you end up smudging the whole white-board and the doodles show up clearly! I didn't get mine messed up so badly but saw a colleague's and was wise enough to never try to wipe anything off...

Now what do I do with all the crazy doodle all over the walls cubicle that I thought was cool at the time I wrote??? - Nothing!

So If I can't wipe that off, I can at least try to take the focus away from it. I glued this in an area which was white enough to house a splash colors:

This tiny 2.5 inch makeshift heart transforms the scribbled wall completely shifting focus to itlsef from all the ugly things!

And I also learnt how to set some crazy settings for the camera on my cell phone which makes the photos it took a lot more colorful and livelier... so the pictures I took so far were not dull... my camera was set wrong!

Well... what do you think?

Applique Patterns

2010-05-23T22:52:00.002-04:00

I copied and saved some Car Appliqué patterns from this site that has these real cute appliqué patterns. I'll post something made out of these real soon...

How to make Rubber Stamps

2010-05-18T22:13:00.001-04:00

I mentioned that the rubber stamps arose out of sheer boredome in my last post. I promised I'd do my very first crafting tutorial on how you go about making one. So here goes...

1. Choose any easy clipart for your purpose. you can search 'x silhouette' in Google Image search where 'x' is the figure you're looking for. For the purpose of this tutorial I chose a a bat Stencil.

2. Draw the figure outline on the rubber mold (in my case, my itsy bitsy eraser). I found out that you can write really well with a ball point pen on an eraser. You may want to try your sketching abilities before you actually started scribbling over your rubber stamp Sorry, for the blurry photo of my drawing on the rubber! LOL

3. Start Etching around the figure. You want to go around 1/8th of an inch deep. You can use an X-acto knife or the tip of any sharp blade/knife*.

* Children below the age of 12 should not attempt to do this at all.

4. After you have etched completely around your sketch, flip to one side of the rubber cuboid and start cutting about 1/8 of an inch from the face that you etched the figure on. Continue cutting from all side until the outside pieces start falling out. You do not want to cut deeper than where your etched image boundaries are or for stamps like the clover, you may end up cutting the stem out (ask me how I know this!).

5. Your stamps ready, made a few finishing touches and then stamp away*...

* You may want to try this on a peice of paper first and then a scrap of fabric before you actually go crazy and start stamping over your horribly EXPENSIVE crepe silk that you only have one meter of!!

Go make a pile of these...

If you want to know more about the blade I used to make these, sadly, she's no more, her head fell off... I'll miis you dear Pidgie!

I hope I mentioned the things in an understandable manner. If anything isn't clear, ask me!
Edit:
If you are making directional or asymmetrical stamps, make sure to etch the mirror image of you chosen logo. Ask me how I know...

Impressionz...

2010-05-18T17:54:00.003-04:00

I had decided to do quite a few things over the weekend but was able to do NONE!!

Anyhow.. one of the top things on my to-do list was this adorable grocery tote bag. The directions on the site were a little fuzzy for me so I asked my friend on her advice and she pointed me to some great links by the users who had posted their take on the making of the bag. And I found this bag made with the pattern among other stuff..

Ever since I saw that leaf stamped bag I couldn't get it off of my mind.

So as I was sitting here.. getting bored.. thinking of things I should be doing but can't (because I was at work! lol).. this happened:

These are rubber stamps I made using some silhouette pictures and they're tiny! I etched them on the easiest available rubber pieces.. rubber erasers! ...lol

Please tell me I'm not losing it.. :D

Can wait to see how they'd turn up on cloth with a bit of a fabric paint.. I tried them with white board marker ink on paper.

The only problem, though, is that they're too small and I doubt if I'm going to be able to use these stamps on anything bigger than a coin purse.. lol

Maybe the next post will be a tutorial
on how to do them..

Awarded

2010-05-17T20:10:00.023-04:00

I was awarded the star of the quarter award at work recently. Here's the cutie that I got. Its really tiny.. I think I'm going to keep it wrapped. It's too cute to be actually used! Also, its symbolical of the economy... not so long ago, people would get like $100 coupons for the same award!

A cute little Red-vented Bulbul lost in (office) space!

2010-05-13T21:43:00.000-04:00

So I was way late to go back home on Thursday(as usual).. And the most unusual thing happened! a Bulbul went fluttering by above me.. and i was in my office cubicle!

Poor soul.. he looked so lost and desparate to get out... So an office boy was called.. Oh I just couldn't stand it...

He caught it.. The poor thing was exhausted by then.. He let him go out the window...

A colleague of mine said that his friends are not going to like having the smell of a human on him and might just kill him..

I thought to myself.. he stood a much better chance outside than in here.. I hope he gets over the shock of the whole ordeal soon!

Meet Hangover Rolly

2010-05-05T11:39:00.004-04:00

My dear friend sent me a raggedy pattern today. Seeing the cute dollies on it I thought I could do something like this.... I had a mini doll pattern lying with me for a while that I wanted to try and this is how came Hangover Rolly to existence... So everyone, please meet Hangover Rollie. Rollie, meet my friends...

< Rollie: >
Hi everyone..

I was on the beach yesterday at a friend's party. I was pretty high when mommy crashed in... she looked like she had half a heart to drag me home by my hair. I know.. so not a time to get a photo taken, but mommy insisted.

Mommy and daddy don't drink but mommy knows of a wonder recipe of some gooey mix that really helps... If you can gulp it down that is... So I asked to take one more photo with me fixed up a little.. well as much as my shattering headache would allow me to anyway...

I really totally hate the water proof mascaras, they run when you cry, when you're in the rain, when its hot and humid and you're sweating a lot.. but it never comes off when you want to wash it away and the next morning you wake up looking like a panda bear! Well nice chatting to you all! talk to you later!

That's Rolly, she's in her babbling mode right now. We are a bit linient with her because she's special (she has two left hands and a longer left foot). I guess this is way of revolting against her being a special..

Well anyhow, she was frail when she was born.. Even now she's a total of 4.5" tall, we had to perform multiple surgeries to make sure her internal organs weren't spilling out (too tiny seam allowances!). Seeing her through all the pain made us decide she never going to have a sister or a brother.. EVER!!

Travelling in the Front Seat

2010-05-01T10:46:00.000-04:00

It was fun travelling back home on a Saturday Morning... Since the bus didn't have any seats empty the driver allowed me to sit in the cabin next to him!

It was cool except for when a hatchback was trying to over-take us, but their front tire burst and she bumped straight into the passenger side of the bus (about half a yard right below where I was sitting) then crashed into the divider but was just too fast to stop so it got ricocheted back out of the road and into the road side stopped by a small tree. Thankfully they weren't hurt much. None of the passengers in the bus got hurt either. But it was horrible to have witnessed! It happened in less than about 3 seconds and I was too shaken to take pictures...

The rest of the journey was uneventful...

Sewing Room disaster...

2010-04-30T10:34:00.001-04:00

Wow! it should be illegal or something to have a sewing room that's actually a living room to be sooo filthy.

My MIL and FIL are most likely visiting me sometime this week or next.. I have no idea where to stow all the stuff that's lying on the floor... Oh its a disaster!!

See for yourselves:

The reason I'm shamelessly posting it anyway is hoping that I get hate-mails from you that would jolt me into tidying it up :D

Owly Thursday....

2010-04-29T10:50:00.001-04:00

I saw a tiny barn owl last night and haven't been able to stop thinking about owls. The cutie who flew by me yesterday made me remember how much I love them.

Obviously I started thinking I had to make an owly something craft... Unfortunately, with a job, an under construction apartment, loans and everything... crafting somehow take up the last place. However what happens is... you can't stop thinking what you're thinking about but still have to do all the above boring stuff... result, this:

I was doodling owls when I was on call with the banker following-up on the progress of your home loan.

Can't wait till I get home and make an owl keychain...

Rotary cutter... excitement ---> Dissapointment

2010-04-28T11:34:00.003-04:00

I got a 45 mm rotary cutter and a cutting mat today... I was over the moon for finally having found one...

Photo of my brand of the Rotary cutter taken from here.

However to my dismay I couldn't cut a single layer of fabric with it :(

All I got was an intermittent cut line... What's even weird is I can't seem to find anything on Google about anyone complaining the blades are working like old, used, dulled ones on my brand new, seriously costly rotary cutter...

How do you use one!! Please share if you have any ideas...

Splash...

2010-04-26T11:07:00.003-04:00

Wondering what the picture is of... LOL

Tiles that would soon be put in our new apartment... I'm so excited :)

Why was I late to office...

2010-04-20T16:22:00.004-04:00

I needed a Cell phone cozy for a while.. I had one made for myself but my mum-in-law liked it so I gifted it to her... It looked like this and fit my cell phone nice and snug...

So I had to make a new one for myself... The requirements were, it should hold my food coupons (yeah we receive those at work... and they're non-taxed... cool, huh), a credit card and the cell phone of course... The back pocket for the credit card doesn't necessarily has to have a flap closure, but must be stiff enough to hook my office badge onto...

I had the design forming in my head for a few days and I was upset I couldn't work on it over the weekend... so I woke up early.. I'm so NOT a morning person.. but did anyway and promised myself I'd catch a nap before I had to leave for work.. I used this pattern to the core except for the measurements and the bias (those that know me by now know my hatred for attaching bias tape or anything alike like piping or anything close...).

The last time I sewed the cozy, the blackie above, she came out a little too snug so this time I had decided I'd leave a smaller seam allowance (cut more outside than the pattern and add my own seam allowance)... The outcome, the cell phone cozy is a little too loose.... so loose that its even big for my camera... my old camera (those that used be a heavy on the bulk and light on the megapixels...) does fit in nicely.. so nice that I might just present the old guy this new cozy for itself...

I'm ashamed to share it but here it is anyway.. now promise you won't laugh...

What did I learn... don't think too smart of yourself when you decide you have to alter a certain pattern to suit to your needs.. it might not always come the way you want it to...

Result... I was sewing this.. so I was late for office, almost missed my cab.. and in the rush to catch it... the above sadly unnerving episode took place.

The thing about Doors and their Keys...

2010-04-20T15:59:00.002-04:00

I just had the most unnerving day in many days today...

As I was leaving for office a courier boy came to deliver my property owner's mail and I was in a crazy rush to get to the cab as soon as humanly possible so I signed his log and was in a dilemma on whether or not to open the door and toss the mail in or just tuck it in my purse and run towards the elevator... Plus there were quite a few of my neighbor's guests trying to budge past me... Anyhow I tucked the mail in my purse... made a run for the floor below to get the elevator and got it.. boarded the cab... got to office...

On the way to office... I noticed I did not remember which pocket I kept my door keys in.. I also found out that the access badge to our office wasn't in my purse... so I sat at the office reception area and started rummaging through my purse hoping against hope that I hadn't lost my door keys which also had the keys to my bike attached to it....

You guessed... in the commotion between the mail delivery boy, the neighbor's guest, some obnoxious kid who shut me out of the elevator on my floor... I left the keys dangling on the door....

Yeah well... to cut long story short, I took a cab back home, found out my door was locked and keys gone, our kind neighbor lady had locked it and kept the keys with her, she gave the keys to me with a cautionary advise and a scary anecdote of how a lady and her sis-in-law only recently had their throats slit in their house due to duplicate keys or something....

What lesson did I learn... The thing about doors and their keys is they shouldn't be present at the same place at the same time except for when the owner wants them to...

Logos for Stitchin' Paws...

2010-04-15T17:29:00.017-04:00

I found a cool Site that makes Logo's for free..

So I tried to make some..

1.	2.	3.
4.	5.

I made the 5th one myself with a Graphics Editor...

Hope you like them!

Online Favorite Links

2010-03-08T00:00:00.005-05:00

Adding URLs I don't want to lose:

Fabrics International - a list of all free online pattern sites

Starting your Vegetable Garden - Day 1

2010-02-17T11:19:00.002-05:00

Hi All!

Welcome to my blog. This is my first blog ever so please bear with me here.

I stay in Pune, India and have passion for just about three things... Gardening, sowing and training/grooming dogs (though I can't have one now because my husband is allergic to dogs).

I just love love love the blogs put up by so many wonderful people out there teaching new things every day and I thought I'd give a little back myself.

So this is about starting your own vegetable garden. I live in an apartment and am don't have the blessing of a garden so my options as well as imaginations are limited. To start with, you should either have nursery bought plants or should have the patience of starting plants by actually germinating the seeds. To me this seems like a cheaper option because I get like 30-50 seeds in a 10 gm seed sachet for Rs. 30 but I guess I will most likely just get one plant with that much. Without much further ado, here's how I started with it:

1. Get some good quality seeds from your local nursery / agriculture store.

I'd never bought seeds before though I'm supposed to come from a family of farmers. I went a little crazy and got me a lot of packets of different veggie seeds that I have no way of sowing them all. I don't even happen to have space enough to place more than ten-twelve 20-liter containers in my balcony.

I got seeds for broccoli, cos lettuce, okra, chillies, ornamental chillies, bottle gourd, bottle gourd, red cabbage, parsley, spinach, big tomatoes (cherry tomatoes weren't available... bummer!). BTW, I had gone to the nursery to get me a packet of just the cherry tomato seeds and came back with a huge bunch of seed packets all except for cherry tomatoes :(

2. To start the the Germination process, use either a seeding tray or something similar for the seeds. if you're using a seeding tray, grease the compartments before filling them with coco-peat (or seedling premixes). I just used coco peat and used an egg crate for a seeding tray :) I used a cling film to line the sides on the egg tray so that the seedlings will come out fine. Sometimes the roots can penetrate through cardboards and you may injure the tender roots while transplanting so its wise to use the cling film there.

4. Moist the potting mixture with a spray bottle.

5. Make tiny holes about 0.5 cm in the mixture and place seeds, cover with more mixture. I planted two in each cell about 0.5 cm apart. This ensures germination with seed packets with germination rates as low as 50%. :) I have planted ornamental and cayenne pepper seeds and regular tomatoes.

6. Now cover it all with a cling film of newspaper and leave it alone for 4-6 days depending on the germination period of the seeds you've planted. I didn't really cover mine with anything, just closed the lid. Oh, by the way, this is a good time to add some name tags or something to the seed slots as you won't know which plant is which after 3-4 weeks if you're germinating seeds from multiple plants.

(I know I spelt chilies wrong here)

5. After the seeds have germinated, uncover and move to an area that gets a bit of sunshine (not direct though) like on a window sill behind frosted/milk/textured glass.

For impatient gardeners like me this is a very testing time. I can't resist the urge to open the lid every 2 hours!

Well I guess I just have to wait with my fingers crossed until they germinate. I grown plants from seeds before like mustard or coriander (a spice almost like parsley) but I didn't really go through all this trouble. Just sprinkled the household spices in an empty pot.. watered a few days and then gave the spare seedlings to friends and kept a couple or so in the pot. So I'm really excited how this comes through.

Thansk for stopping by to read all this :)

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For the benefit of whoever bothered reading through the whole post.. the update on the projects was that I had to go away for a weekend and the seed lings that were just germinating wilted..

I scrapped the project eventually because they were likely not going o be very good specimen to plant...

:( Sad.. but true...

I had a much better success rate by just tossing the seeds in a pot already having some plant in it..
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