Class info

I am going to teach this cute pin cushion/ potpourri pouch this Saturday at the Ferry building in SF!
There's very unique flower shop in the Ferry building called Flora Cultural Society and they invited me to teach simple class.
The class will be at 3pm and we will have fun making these cuties!
You might need to sign up early since the spot is filling quickly.

Click here for more info and the picture!
http://www.youngminlee.com/blog/textyle/1219

The Bride of Frankenstein

 
I was busy every Saturday evening during last 2 months.
Purple jacket-check! bleacher cushion-check! blanket-check! little munch-check!
After eating early dinner, we drove to high schools around the Bay area to watch and cheer up my daughter's marching band and color guard.
Yes, she plays a flag!
Joining the purple stream is one way to support our kids.
Purple jacket, purple/gold scarf, purple/gold hat, head band.... anything purple cheers our kids up!
지난 2달동안 바쁜주말을 보냈답니다.
보라색자켓-첵크! 방석-첵크! 담요-첵크! 간식-첵크!
이른 저녁을 먹고 부지런히 베이지역 고등학교들로 딸아이네 마칭밴드와 칼라가드를 응원하러 갔지요.
무슨 악기요? 네, 깃발이요 ㅎㅎ
보라색 물결의 일원이 되는건 우리아이들을 응원하는 한 방법이지요.
보라색 자켓, 보라/금색 스카프, 모자, 머리띠..... 보라색이 들어가는건 무엇이든지!


 Here's my way to support :)
제가 하는 응원입니다 :) 이 모자를 쓰고 보라색 물결에 휩싸이지요.

This year's title is 'The Bride of Frankenstein'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFX_YMR7gVc
I am so proud of these 280+kids!
They started their practice in August and my daughter spent 15+ hours a week for this.
Very enthusiastic band director, staffs and huge parents support encouraged our kids all the time.
Now this fun season was over but I am looking forward to see the winter guard competition soon!
올해의 제목은 '프랑켄슈타인의 신부' 입니다.
280명이 넘는 이 거대한 집단의 아이들이 정말 자랑스럽기 그지없어요.
8월부터 땀흘리고 얼굴 그을려가며 일주일에 15시간을 연습한 결정체이니 기특할 수 밖에요.
열정적인 밴드 디렉터, 스태프들, 부모님들이 뒤를 든든히 받쳐주고요.
밴드시즌이 막 끝났지만 겨울에 다시 시작될 윈터가드 시즌을 기다리며 또 보라색을 만지작 거립니다.
 

New Look!

It was frustrating that I couldn't see my own website.
But thanks to my wonderful web master, Scott Choi!
My Website is now not only accessible but also improved with new look!
http://www.youngminlee.com/
Please come and visit me!
Talking about Scott, he is very talented web master who created my website almost 10 years ago and whenever I have a technical difficulty, he fixes my problem right away.
He is running this cool site for Bay area Korean Americans.
http://www.haninsociety.com/

Bojagi class- 2

Helen's bojagi has her unique design in it!
And her stitches are so fine!

Kay's working on her border.

I decide to make one and a little more step to finish :)

My first 5K!

It was my first ever 5K event run yesterday!

My friend Emi and her 3 daughters and I went out to the downtown in the morning.

Local rotery club was hosting fundraiser 5K run for helping local schools.

Many people came in a Halloween costume and kids were having fun running as their favorite character.

Even though my PR was not great but running with hundreds of people weren't that scary or intimidating. I think I will keep signing up for more and who knows? Some day you will see my Tri or Du-athlon posting some day ha ha!

Keep on running! Ciao!

Class is going on (1)

 
They all started from threading shiny silk thread to a tiny eye of the needle.

And learned how to make a knot at the end of the thread.

I don't grade nor give homework out but everybody is eager to sew, iron and finish!

Seeing each student's color choice is very interesting. I would say color choice shows their personality! Some people choose safe combinations and some choose bold and wild colors.

다들 시작은 미끄러운 비단실을 작은 바늘귀에 끼우는데서 출발했답니다.

그리고 실 한쪽끝에 작은 매듭을 짓는걸 배웠구요.

점수를 매기지도 숙제를 내주지도 않지만 제 학생들은 늘 부지런합니다!
 색을 고르고 구성을 하고 다들 개성이 드러나는 걸 전 즐겁게 관찰하지요!

Pin cushions and small thimbles, they all show unique personalities of my students.

바늘방석에도 조그마한 골무에도 개성과 정성이 배어있답니다. 

Recently finished BOK JUMONI( pouch for happiness and prosperity).

최근 수업시간에 완성한 복 주머니입니다.

Nice to meet you!

 

"This wristband is waterproof! You can take a shower with this on!" The lady who handed me this wristband said like that.

Actually this is good for 4 days so it should be waterproof :)

Last Thursday, I left home with comfy shoes and my bojagi bag( with full bojagi works in in).
When I ariived in Santa Clara Convention Center, I saw sea of people heading to the convention center building from the parking lot!
Feeling my excitement is betting bigger, I soon became a part of that wave.
'이 밴드는 방수입니다! 끼고 샤워를 해도 괜찮아요!'매표소에서 일하는 아줌마의 말씀입니다.
사실 길게는 4일까지 쓸 수 있으니 방수여야 하지요 :)
지난 목요일, 편안한 신발을 꺼내어 신고 조각보 가방 가득 보자기를 넣고 집을 나섰지요.
산타 클라라 컨벤션 센타에 도착해서 보니 주차장에서 건물로 향하는 사람들이 물결을 이루고 있네요!
설레는 마음으로 저 또한 그 물결에 실려 움직였지요.

When I entered the building, I was amazed by rows and rows of the exhibit quilts.

Whether I like their style or not, I admired creativity, time and effort!

Thy all deserve big, colorful ribbons :)
건물에 들어서서 보니 전시장이 정말 끝없는 퀼트의 물결을 이루고 있네요.
제가 좋아하는 스타일의 작품도 또 다른사람들의 찬사를 받는 작품도 모두 훌륭하고, 창의적이고, 시간과 노력이 배어있는게 다들 블루리본을 받을만합니다!

This quilt used high tech. I got to download the app in order to decode the artist's message.
It said "Home Sweet Home!"
하이테크 기술을 응용한 작품도 보입니다. 스마트 폰으로 찍어보니 "홈 스윗 홈"이라네요.
전화기 꺼내서 보는 사람이 많았어요.ㅎㅎ

 Time to shop! It was cool to see all sorts of fabrics, notions, quilt patterns, sewing machines, sergers and even sewing room furniture! I got some Japanese anime printed fabric for my daughter.
I wonder what she will make with this fabric!
And I got small things for myself and spent a lot of time just drooling ha ha.
I need a serger but this time again, just looking.....
Nice ones can do air threading! Very fancy!
쇼핑시간! 정말 다양한 옷감들, 부자재, 퀼트 패턴, 재봉틀, 오버록기계에 바느질 작업실용 가구까지! 일본 만화의 한페이지 같은 옷감을 세마 샀어요. 만화와 일본어와 바느질을 좋아하는 딸아이를 줄려구요. 이걸로 뭘 또 만들어 낼지 궁금하네요.
그다음엔 오색실, 로터리커터 칼날, 동양풍의 퀼트행어 같은 자잘한 것들을 사니 이제 제맘도 푸근하네요. 그리고는 사고 싶은 오버록기계앞에서 침만 꼴닥 삼키다 돌아섰지요.....
공기압력으로 실도 "슝~"하니 저절로 끼워지네요!

 

Oh, this part was interesting, too.
Art to wear, I guess?
This one is made out of sugar bags.
아트 투 웨어 앞을 그냥 지날 수가 없지요.
꼼꼼히 살펴보고 스스로 평도 내리고.
설탕봉지만을 써서 만든 작품도 있네요.

And this one is the first prize. Very elegant and lots lots of details.
I thought of my daughter when I saw these and hope she can try sometime.
일등상을 받은 작품입니다. 우아하고 디테일이 많이 들어간 작품인데 알고 보니 유명한 사람의 작품이네요. 라미 김이란 이름을 보니 한국사람인 모양입니다. 뿌듯~
보면서 내내 제 딸아이 생각을 하게 되네요. 재주많은 아이니까 이것도 한번 해보면 아주 잘 할텐데 하는 생각을 했지요. 

At vendor's booth, I finally found my new friend, Carlene!
She found my website and contacted me while I was on vacation.
When I returned her call, we figured out we are just an island away!
She lives in Hawaii and I was in Maui  :)
She is a quilter and dyes fabric.
http://carlenekellerfabrics.com/
Four friends' 'Hand Dyed' fabric booth is participating this PIQF for 10 years.
Each artist has distinctive style but all were beautiful.
I wish I had more time to spend in their booth......
Carlene and I had spent some time to practice Ssamsol in moshi.
One of many reasons that I like to teach bojagi is I can see their eager face while they try something new! And Carlene, you made me smile when you were working :)
I love that moment! It's a joy of sharing something very precious.
드디어 오늘 여기온 목적! 제 친구 Carlene을 찾았네요!
제 웹사이트를 보고 연락을 해서 전화통화를 하게 되었는데 마침 제가 휴가중인때에 바로 옆섬에 살고 있더라구요!
큰섬 하와이에서 퀼트와 염색을 하는  이 친구를 전 마우이에서 연락을 했지요 :)
http://carlenekellerfabrics.com/
네명의 마음맞는 친구들이 십년째 매년 이 퀼트쇼에서 부스를 열어 염색한 천을 팔고 있어요.
각기 다른 스타일의 염색이지만 색상이 아름다웠어요.
Carlene이 배우고 싶어하던 쌈솔로 모시를 이어붙이는 걸 가르쳐주었답니다.
새로운 걸 배울때 사람들의 흥분과 호기심이 섞인 표정을 보는 게 조각보를 가르치며 제가 얻는 기쁨중 하나예요! Carlen이 열심히 바느질하는 모습- 저절로 미소가 지어지는 순간이지요:)

These are Carlene's partners. Judy dyes fabrics with geometrical patterns and other friends' fabrics are as cool as Carlene and Judy's work!
여기 친구들이 있네요. 중간에 있는 Judy는 기하학적인 문양이 나오게 염색을 하고 다른 친구들은 또 다른 기법으로 하지만 모두 근사합니다!

This is the fabric Carlene gave to me and I am changing my mind everyday what to make with this beautiful cotton!
자랑! Carlene이 준 면 천입니다. 이걸로 뭘 만들까하는 생각이 하루에도 여러번 바뀌고 있어요. 무언가 만들면 꼭 보여드릴게요!

 

It was very nice to meet you, Carlene!

만나서 정말 기뻤어요, 나의 새 친구!

Wild Invasion!

One morning, someone broke into my peaceful house and stirred my mind!

Must be racoons to get some grubs under my lawn.

After their 2 consecutive visits, we spread animal repellant and bug killer.

They didn't leave any mark of visiting for just one night and came back again.

Okay, we will have to set up motion detecting lights this time.

어느날 아침 누군가가 평화로운 우리집에 쳐들어와서 제 평화로운 마음을 흐트러뜨리네요! 

아마도 라쿤들이 잔디밭 밑에 있는 벌레를 먹느라고 다 파헤쳐 놓은것 같습니다.

연속 이틀을 흐트러진 잔디밭을 보고 우리도 반격을 합니다.

야생동물을 쫓는 가루와( 성분을 보니 고추가루, 후추가루에 삵괭이 분비물을 섞어놨네요) 

잔디밑 벌레를 없애는 가루를 사다 잔뜩 뿌렸습니다.

그날밤 잠잠하더니 오늘 아침 다시 흔적이 남아 있네요.

그렇다면 우리도 딴 방법을 쓸 수 밖에요.

움직이면 켜지는 불을 장치하는 수 밖에요.

At the same time I have some bothering thoughts that I never expected.....

Hopefully this goes away with nasty racoons.

같은 즈음에 또 다른 일로 제 마음이 흐트러진 일이 생겼어요.....

라쿤을 퇴치할 때 이 혼란스러움도 함께 사라지면 좋겠어요.

I want to get my peace of mind so I can enjoy home grown figs.

아무에게도 방해받지 않고 뒷마당서 딴 무화과를 먹으며 평화를 느끼고 싶네요.
고시래~( 소금을 뿌리며)

Thai cooking class #2

Next Saturday, people might show up at Somkid's house and demand more class!
Beause our fun Thai cooking class was over last Saturday.....
I was busy washing mint and cilantro. Emi's knife was busy jullianning green onions and bell pepper.
Rachel stirred coconut milk with patience. Paul cooked pork butt with panang curry.

We made 2 yummy dishes again.

Here's our first dish Larb Neau.
Ground beef with mint, cilantro, shallot, green onion salad. Lettuce was a perfect match with this mouth watering dish!
Simple seasoning with fish sauce and oyster sauce worked well and Kid's fresh made galanga, rice and pepper powder worked like floo powder. They lead us to the gourmet Thai kitchen!

The second dish was Panang!
Whenever my family go to Kid's house for dinner, I am the one who takes left over panang home :)
I am so happy to learn this so I can cook for my family without bothering Kid.
At the class, we used thin sliced pork butt.
We had a judge for our food( Thai language teacher and his wife) and out panang won the first place!!!

Today I cooked larb neau and panang again for my family and this time I used chicken and it tasted wonderful!

P.S. I have to confess this though......
I bought the wrong ingredient so had to run to the market twice.
After wasting a pack of frozen yucca and grated coconut, I was able to use frozen coconut milk.
Silly me~

Mommy's sweatshop

Cutting 40 pieces of fabrics(5 colors)-check!
Putting 5 pieces together with flat fell seam(taking forever to do this and thanks to Eva!)-check!
Finishing seams and sewing the casing for the pole-check!
What? Do we have more flags to make?
I am glad that I am not the only mom who jumped into this cutting and sewing party.
What is going on?
My daughter's color guard team has been practicing since summer and their first competition is next weekend.
Moms volunteered to making flags for our kids and we were busy while they are practicing.
Tomorrow I am attending another fun sewing party in the evening at my daughter's school and hopefully we can finish as many as we need.

 Last year's performance :)

Seven friends

I have seven good friends that I can't tell who is more important that others for me.
These have been my company while I was sewing and making bojagi in my studio. 
규중칠우 쟁론기를 기억하세요?
바늘, 실, 자, 인두, 다리미, 골무 그리고 가위가 규방여인네들의 일곱 친구이지요.
제게도 이 일곱친구들이 보자기작업실의 소중한 친구입니다.

A needle, thread, a ruler, a small iron, a big iron, a thimble and a pair of scissors are my seven friends.

There's old Korean story about seven friends of women.
One night they argued about who is the best friend of women and they all have the reason to prove themselves.  The sewing lady heard their argument and scolded them and fell asleep. They all complained about how people don't appreciate those seven friends' hard work. when the sewing lady heard them again, old thimble apologized and saved all seven friends' lives.
The story has lots of metaphor and all the characters are talking like people.
I wish I can translate in English well about the the story...... 

Here I found the picture of the seven friends.

 
  



Indoo and darimi

Somkid's Thai cooking class

I have this good friend of mine.
Ever since I met her, she spoiled me so badly.
She raised my standard about Thai food so high.
She is a great cook and a wonderful party host.
We always have fun with good friends and fine cuisine.
Yesterday was her first day of teaching Thai cooking class in Castro Valley adult school.
She taught 2 dishes, Tom Yum Goong and Krapraw Mhoo.
Tom Yum Goong is a sour soup with shrimp and Krapraw Mhoo is a pork with sweet basil dish.
She gave us recipes and all the ingredients and we cut, boil and stir fry.
After we finished making dishes we sit and eat all the food we made and Kid answered the questions we had.
제 친구 키드는 우리가 처음 만난날부터 타이음식에 대한 제 잣대를 높여버렸답니다.
키드의 집에서는 늘 음식하는 맛난 소리와 유쾌한 대화가 끊이질 않지요.
그런 제 친구 키드가 어제는 드디어 타이 쿠킹 클래스를 열었답니다.
이웃동네 캐스트로 밸리 어덜트 프로그램으로 많은 사람들에게 이 기쁨을  나누어 주기시작했어요.
Tom Yum Goong이란 시큼하고도 시원한 국물과  Krapraw Mhoo 라는 돼지고기와 스윗베이질이 타이고추의 강렬한  맛에 버무려진 음식을 가르쳐주었답니다.
만드는 법과 재료를 주고 그녀는 테이블사이를 돌아다니기 시작했네요.
씻고 다듬고 썰고 끓이고 볶고.....
그렇게 만들어진 음식을 각자 덜어 먹으며 이야기 꽃을 피우는 동안 세시간이 후딱 지나가네요. 

I can't wait till next Saturday that she will teach another favorite Thai dish of mine, Panang!
Thanks a lot, Kid!
다음주엔 제가 가장 좋아하는 Panang을 가르쳐준답니다.
고마워, 키드!




  

New class

New class has opened in Pleasanton!

Every week, 3 ladies are coming to my house and we are having fun.

Join us! 

It's not too early to make goodies for the holiday season :) 

Golmu

Golmu means a thimble in Korea.
Women made a hundred golmu before they get married.
Many of them were given as a small gift for groom's family member( obviously for women).
Just thinking of people who will get these, I am working on my 22nd now and will post more pics when I reach the number 100!

옛날 여인네들은 시집갈때 골무 100개를 만들어 갔답니다.
시댁식구들에게 나누어줄 작은 선물로 말이죠.
제가 만든 이 골무들을 누가 가질지는 모르지만 그들을 생각하면서 100개까지 만들어 보지요.
지금 막 22번째 골무를 시작했어요. 100개를 완성하고 다시 돌아올게요!

Moshi vest

 This vest still needs a final touch but I am anxious to show this to my friends.....
My first moshi vest with jogakbo pattern.
I used a ssamsol technique which can be translated as a french seam in English.
It took me a whole month to put pieces together and turn it into a vest.
Take a closer look at my hand stitch.... :)

아직 마무리가 덜 되었지만 잠깐 보여드리지요.
조각보 패턴을 사용한 조끼입니다.
프렌치 심이라고 번역할 수 있는 쌈솔기법을 이용한 겁니다.
손바느질을 하느라 거의 한달이 다 걸렸답니다.... :)