Thursday 24 November 2011

A giveaway...and a new toy...

...actually the new toy is the reason for the giveaway.

A couple of weeks ago I invested in a Big Shot machine. I'd been after finding a way to cut fabric shapes out for ages, for the particular purpose of cutting flowers for my Flower Brooch Kits. My Flower Brooch Kits are far and away my most popular kits and up until now I have been buying cut flowers (not of the fresh fragrant variety) from a lovely lady in US.

But I have been wanting to make my own for obvious reasons and up until now any cutting machines weren't suitable for fabric.
Enter the new Big Shot machine...

The Big Shot has revolutionised my kits by the fact that I am in control of my stock of flowers, cutting as I need and not having to worry about temporarily making the kits out of stock while I wait for more flowers to arrive from across the pond.

And it's so darn quick and easy to use!

If i haven't lost you yet, here's the fun bit...the giveaway...

I obviously needed something to cut and coincidentally just at that point Courtney from Seamstar came along and almost the very same day sent me a swatch card of all the delicious new felts she was carrying. They are 30% wool and really beautifully soft and vibrant.
I put together an order for the ones I thought would work well for my kits and a day later I was cutting and combining to my heart's content.

Courtney was so taken with the selection that she decided it would be perfect to make a specific bundle with this selection of fabrics. And here's the giveaway part...Courtney has very generously offered one of you, my lovely readers the opportunity to win a set of this bundle, here on my blog. All you have to do is leave a comment here on my blog and you will be in the draw to win a fat 1/8 of each of these 6 luscious felts. I'll be leaving the draw open until next Friday 2 Dec so if you fancy some felt, just leave me a comment and a contact email and you will be in with a shot.*

Also...

...as i was cutting out all my flowers I was left with all these. Now I am known for my inability to discard anything and am convinced there is something that can be done with these 'stencils'. But, for once, I am going to resist the temptation to hoard them. Unless someone thinks they can do something wonderful with them they are going in the bin. If you can't bear the thought of that and know exactly what you would do with them let me know and they are all yours! The first person to say they want them can have them! Again, just make sure you have an email that I can get hold of you via.

32 comments:

Gill said...

Hi Karen
Can't you use the off cuts as negatives to decorate say needlecases?? Anyway please count me in your lovely giveaway!!

Hobby Lass said...

Hi Karen

As a newbie at patchwork, quilting ,stitchery etc it strikes me that to throw out such beautiful stencils would be a travesty. If I was to receive them I would be very excited to use them to do some reverse appliqué with them.

Charlotte said...

I could use them for the kids at school to use as stencils for printing please?

Hobby Lass said...

Hi Karen
Please also include me in your wonderful give away.

Judi said...

Hi Karen, I'd love to be put in the draw for the felt giveaway, love the flowers.
Judi

Daisie said...

ooooh, the lovely Big Shot, I've had one for a couple of years and cut and emboss anything that's lying around. I too cut out flowers for brooches and cards, I cut circles first and then cut the flowers from the centre and use the circle with cut out on a contrasting colour circle (although it could be square or any shape)to make brooches too!! Happy cutting and please pop my name in the hat, am always looking for new things to cut up ;)

Thank you xxx

Yorkshire Quilter said...

What a gorgeous spring rainbow of felt - count me in for the giveaway please!

charlotte said...

i am sure you could do something by putting a different colour cut out inside the negatives? I really really want one of those machines now! (i mean toy)

Anonymous said...

I can see felt petals, by the dozen. Love some. Thanks for the chance.

monda-loves said...

I've been thinking of getting a BIG Shot for a while too, but I want to be able to design my own dies (is that what they're called?) so I think I probably need an electronic cutting machine (?).
Please do chuck my name into the hat for the giveaway. I could always use dome more felt!

Anonymous said...

Hi! That's a gorgeous blog, we're happy to found you :-)
If you have time come and visit our website, we are two illustrators making screenprints and nice design!
http://www.shhhmydarling.com/
Bye

Jenny&Gra

Handige An said...

oh wow! now I want a big shot too! I'll ask santa when he's coming to town ;) just kidding...I would love to join your give away, but I live in the Netherlands, so that's probably not an option i guess. But I'm really happy for you and all of your flowers :)

Amy Friend said...

Now that looks like a heck of a lot of fun! You can just crank those flowers out!

Kylie said...

Wow! Don't you just love a great gadget?!! So happy for you Karen and I love the giveaway too. Thank you :) Kx

WandaFish said...

Your new toy looks great fun - and so useful!
I'd love to be entered in the draw for the fat 1/8s of the scrummy looking felt, thank you :)

Ivana said...

Oh, I would love to win that beautiful felt!!! Please, include me into your lovely giveaway! Love, Ivana

Unknown said...

The big shot looks like a lot of fun. I have the go!baby but no flower dies. I think they might go on my christmas list now!

Thanks for the super cool giveaway!!

Gaenor said...

What a lovely assortment of felt - would set of a whole new set of projects I am sure! (and if you have any scraps left, my kids and I always have things to do with them - especially this year as my 3 and 5 year old are getting their own "making" box of supplies this Christmas!

Staci said...

I think you could make little needle books and use the cut out shape on the front and add a little embroidery to make the flower in the middle. You could do the same sort of thing with a long strip of negative images across a pillow maybe?

Nicsann said...

Hi Karen

I love the flowers - its got me thinking of different ways to use my big shot - thanks for all the inspiration - going to have a go at Screen printing lessons soon too. Please count me in for the fantastic giveaway.

Nic

Jilly said...

Wow, what lovely colours. Thank you for a great giveaway.

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Ohh count me in - my timely pre-Christmas felt-frenzy is in full swing and this would be brilliant xxx

Lindsay Conner said...

Oh, these are so gorgeous! Love your brooches, too. :)

katie said...

Would love to be included in the giveaway. Thanks! Fun!

sew and so much more said...

Karen,
I would use the leftovers to decorate my mushroom pincushions!

I'd love to win the felt...and would be extra happy if you would cut it into flowers for me :-) Those flowers are tooo cute!

dawn machell said...

ooh lovely flowers...and fab colours. Count me in :-) x

BonjourBeaut said...

Such a pretty blog .

& a cute giveway , count me in lady .

x.

Selina Gough said...

I love felt! So easy, so versatile...and such beautiful colours.I would love to win such a bundle.

Mmmm, don't know how to leave my email address anonymously...

memmens said...

Wow the felt looks delicious, I use it a bit but always cut by hand, a flower cutter for my go baby would be awesome. Thanks for the giveaway and it looks like those 'scraps' have a new home judging by the comments!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to be included in this giveaway too! And I agree, it would be so hard to just throw those beautiful shapes.
P x

Quinn said...

Very pretty! Felt always makes me feel like experiments are in order... :)

quinn on ravelry

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

I would love a chance at that beautiful felt!