De stashing

I am having a de stash!

Sounds painful I know...

actually it is...very...clearing out lots of beautiful, once favourite pieces, but needs must.

I am sure I will regret getting rid of a lot of them (shhh, don't tell, but I've kept a little scrap of a few) but I am trying to be ruthless.

I don't use as many fabrics these days since my work is mainly with my own fabric. Quilting obviously is the time when that is different and I know I am going to be swearing a lot when the perfect fabric I thought I had is no longer there. But most of the time they are sitting there and I'd much prefer them to be used and not just loved.

Please go and browse my sample shop where they are all hanging out, some for not as long as others and keep going back as it is taking me rather a long time to upload them all! So there will be more added over the next few days.

What are the chances of this??

What are the chances of Number 1 coming up on the Random Number Generator??

Ok all you smartypants out there, as a Maths teacher I am well aware that every number has an equal chance of occurring, but really, Number 1?

I am delighted to announce Deb as the winner. I am delighted because it saves me having to count, recount, and recount again through the comments to get the right one. I am also delighted as Deb is currently celebrating (?) Ramadan and needs something to keep her mind off those long hours of fasting. Look forward to seeing your inspired makes Deb

Thank you all once again new followers and old for entering and for Alice for the extremely generous giveaway.

Apologies once more to all you overseas folk that weren't able to enter this time, but look out for next week's giveaway. It's a real goodie...and open to one and all...that's all I'm saying...for now...

 I have been wanting to improve the labelling on my packaging for a while now but it has been a case, as ever, of whenever will I get the time?

As usual, changes around here tend to happen as a result of something needing to be done, rather than me actively setting time aside to get on with it. 

Are you like that? (please tell me you are!)

 The pull factor (or is it the push?) this time was a request from a new stockist (from Seoul, South Korea, very exciting!) wanting a label to show her customers that the fabric was not only hand printed but made by me in England. 

 I kind of knew what I had in mind, which made me wonder why it took me so long to get around to doing it, especially as I already had the Scruffy Daisies screen printed onto the card. It really wasn't rocket science and it really didn't take all that long to finish off. A win-win.

 I wanted to produce something that could easily be used on all my products and I think this sleeve is just the thing. At first I thought I would screen print the whole label, which actually was what was slowing me down. I didn't want to have to do a different screen for every product and I couldn't quite get my head around that. This works perfectly...

 It incorporates the screen printed element I wanted, along with the adaptability for using with different products, as this detail is just printed over the top and on the back. I know that isn't very genius, but quite honestly it feels it.

This little lot is all ready to travel on it's journey to South Korea, where hopefully they

 will be well received.

I think they look rather smart.

As promised I'm drawing the giveaway winner for the Simpatico bundle later, so pop back in a bit. I know it's after 6 and I promised to do it at 6, but hey, what can I say, the kids are demanding tea...again...

 Do you take part in any Flickr Group or other swaps? 

When i have the time I love to play along with swaps. I have been known to take part when really I shouldn't because I really love to take part.

 I really enjoy the 'hanging out' with people that all have that thing in common. I enjoy getting to know new people as well as doing something with virtual friends that I've known for some time.

And I really love playing around with ideas that I wouldn't or shouldn't really have the time to play around with. Swaps are just the perfect excuse to try something I have wanted to for ages.

At the moment one of the groups I'm hanging out with is this great group of people in the Brit Quilt Swap and I've been working on a little travel piece for a certain someone (obviously I can't say who as like most swap this is a secret one) and have really been enjoying it. It's just big enough to get my teeth into without being too overwhelming to take over from stuff I should be doing. The perfect little distraction.

I'm just about there with it...a little label, a few extras and it's ready to go.

So what gets your juices flowing in swaps? (if anything that is) I'd love to know ;-)

Pssst: Last day to enter my latest fantastic giveaway...I'll be drawing the lucky winner some time tomorrow (about 6pm GMT) so you've still a little time to enter.

Go on...it could be you...

Bonjour!

Matthew and I were lucky enough to get a couple of days in beautiful Paris this weekend.

 It was wonderful on so many levels...

...the fact that we had one day decided to go and more-or-less only a few days later were there strolling along the Parisian cobbled streets, stopping for lunches of wine and bread and cheese, watching the world go by...

 ...the fact that we were having much needed 'us' time for the first time in far too long a time, walking for miles without little voices of "i'm tired"..."i'm bored"...

 ...the fact that we were celebrating (a few months belatedly) 20 years marriage revisiting a place that had been our first trip away together nearly 25 years previously...

What was not quite so wonderful was my severe attack of vertigo climbing to the first level of The Eiffel Tower and having to drag Matthew back down, spoiling his exciting moment. Well, you can't have everything, but I think despite that, even he'd agree it was a very special weekend and here's hoping we can do it again before another 25 years...

An introduction and a giveaway...

I would like to introduce you to another of my fab new sponsors.

Backstitch is another great British online fabric store born out of an enthusiasm for fabric and sewing. Backstitch is run by Alice who brings us a wonderful selection of the best from around the world.

One of the latest collections to hit Alice's virtual shelves is Cloud 9's wonderful Simpatico. I am chomping at the bit to get hold of this. But a little more about this later...

As well as Alice stocking a sought after range of modern designers, she also stocks a fantastic collection of solids in the form of Klona (yes, that's right, Klona not Kona) cottons and also a Linen/Cotton blend range at a very reasonable £10.50/m

Alice has a huge amount of fabulous sewing patterns on offer, ranging from Beginner to Advanced. I've been eyeing up The Schoolhouse Tunic for some time but still not sure if my rudimentary dress-making skills can be classified as "Advanced Beginner"...I'm thinking not. 

And if they could be classified as "Intermediate" and if I had someone to sew them for, I would so be buying and making this.

Keep an eye out at Backstitch, as Alice is always adding to her collection on offer. Very soon we'll be seeing the arrival of Riley Blake Chevrons, Lotta Jansdotter Bella, along with a selection of 24 of Liberty Lifestyle fabrics.

 To the giveaway...

You have probably already realised that the fantastically generous giveaway involves Simpatico. Alice is offering the chance to win a full fat quarter bundle of all 12 designs. I'm palpitating at the thought of that...and deeply saddened that I can't actually enter. Well, it wouldn't be right, would it?

So how can you win?...

I would ask you to guess which design in which colour-way I am most hankering after, but that wouldn't be too challenging would it? So let's stick to making it straight-forward...

1 entry for telling me your favourite design and colour-way and what you would do with the bundle if you won...

another entry for following my blog before or now...

another entry for following Alice's blog before or now...

another entry for signing up to Backstitch's Newsletter before or now...

a final entry for tweeting (you need to come back here and tell me!)

You have until next Weds July 26 2012...good luck!

(I am really sorry that this giveaway is limited to UK and Europe only...but don't worry there'll be something very soon for all you further overseas stalwarts)

Thank you all for entering the fab giveaway to win one of Jo's wonderful embroidery patterns, as well as a bunch of threads to one lucky follower.

And with no further ado here are the winners...

(if I have counted right...I really must find out how to number the comments...)

And the first winner...

Connie!...Connie you win a pattern of your choice AND the fantastic set of threads...well done!!

The next 4 lucky winners each win a pattern of their choice...

First up,number 58, Martina!...

next up, number 71, Karen!...

next up, number 45, Giddy!...

and finally number 108, Wendy!

Again big thanks to Jo for her very generous giveaway and to all of you that entered and as I mentioned yesterday, keep your eyes peeled for my next exciting giveaway...you won't want to miss it!