Showing posts with label simpatico. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simpatico. Show all posts

Sunday, 2 September 2012

Summer of the Simpatico...



September already? Wow where did the summer go?
Amazingly for once I actually got a summer project finished. Well, if you exclude the fact that it isn't actually made into anything, but a completed thing none-the-less.



Summer 2012 will definitely be remembered as Summer of the Simpatico. I did a tutorial of my fold-over pouches for The Daily Stitch - Annie of The Village Haberdashery's blog in Simpatico and I had such a summery, fresh making time with them that I decided that I was going to use the collection for my summer of hexie fun. We spent a lot of time in the car this summer - London for the Olympics, Bristol for family birthdays, mid France via London (again) and Paris. I was in need of a good hand stitching project that could be done on the move as well as picked up in a shady place.
Perfect!

 I am not 100% sure what it will become - possibly a wall hanging, possibly a cushion, but definitely not a quilt! I really really loved sewing these little hexies (just over 1" across!) and loved sewing them together too, but the reality of now the summer is over that it will stay in a corner with all the other "i've-started-but-goodness-knows-when-i'll-ever-finish-it" projects is making me realise that I need to stop here.


Also, to be honest, I'm a tad disappointed with how I've pieced it. The flowers (top pic)  were so lovely when sewn individually but when I began piecing together they all got lost together and looks rather random instead. If I wasn't away and impatient about not wanting to wait to come home and finish (besides, we had a 600 mile journey - I needed some hexie-ness) I would probably have pieced the flowers with solids between so they would show up better. I may trying embroidering in coordinating floss around each flower. They may stand out a little clearer.
Either way Summer of the Simpatico was a very enjoyable one.


Now we are back I have started on the next project. This one may take a while. I have been wanting to make a quilt for our bed for a couple of years. I even started some blocks last year but I was never that enamoured and now I've gone right off them - too much yellow. Yes, you did here correctly. The wallpaper in our room is rather bold and I think what is needed is something a little more easy on the eye. I've been drawn to all the Low Volume creating going on at the moment and thought this was the way to go here. I am also tying my hands behind my back and not including any yellow but a little splash of red. You may remember the gorgeous pillow my lovely friend Kylie sent me at the beginning of this year. The splash of coral red works so beautifully in the room. I am not entirely sure where this quilt is going or where it will end up, but here is the start of Block 1.

I hope you have had a good creative summer (month for you Southern hemisphere peeps) and do link up to Lynne's Fresh sewing Day if you want to see what other people have been up to.

Thursday, 26 July 2012

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...

Thursday, 19 July 2012

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)