by Sherri Sylvester | May 26, 2014
We have a winner! The Petite Plume 5 fat quarter bundle from Warp & Weft goes to entry number 709 – SdeafM from Ireland. Congratulations! I have to thank Sdeaf for her bloggy friendship. She’s been following me around for over a year now – quite long, since my blog is going to be 2 this July.
I really appreciate her support, and also everyone else who has been around for a while. Without all of you there would be no blog. Thanks so much!
This fabric was used to make a Fabric Tray tutorial. If you would like to get your own Petite Plume bundle, you can find it at Warp & Weft.
by Sherri Sylvester | May 19, 2014
Happy Victoria Day to all of you Canadians! We have had a great day with rain, sun, lots of garage cleaning and some ice cream all mixed together. It feels great to clean up and get rid of things we aren’t using anymore. And a day off is never a bad thing either.
I started attending the Creativ Festival last year. It’s a great place to find new fabric, and as a huge bonus – I get to meet some of my favorite Canadian Online Fabric store owners there as well. Hopefully you are ready for lots of fabric photos today! (And check out what I bought last year too. I should really use that stuff up!)
Left to Right: Alison Glass for Andover – Feathers, Erin Michael for Moda – Dots, Lizzy House for Andover – Red Letter Day Pearl Bracelet, Parson Gray for Free Spirit – 7 Wonders in Clouds, Black Stretch Denim, Suling Wang for Eugene Textiles – Flannel
I started my shopping at Len’s Mill Store booth. Since the Spring show is significantly smaller than the Fall one, this booth takes over the entire width of the far end of the show. Lots of shelves and lots of fabric! They have a mix of modern quilting cottons and less expensive prints as well. My only regret is spending half of my day’s budget, leaving very little to cover the cost of fabrics from my favorite online shops. I won’t be doing that again!
Top to Bottom: Kona Cotton Black, October Afternoon for Riley Blake: Seaside, Whistler Studios for Windham – Strawberry Picnic, Cosmo Textile Company (cosmo-tex.co.jp), SEI for Robert Kaufmann, Field Notes
Next up was Sew Sisters. They have a booth at the front entrance to the show each year I have been there. With lots of fat quarters and 1/2 metre cuts ready for sale, I found quite a few favorites.
I got to meet Alana from Friday’s Off again. She has stocked Lizzy House’s newest line Catnap and I have had my eye on some for a few months now. Here she’s cutting a Union Jack panel. Apparently they are selling fast!
Next on the list, I went over to say “hi” to Karen from Fabric Spot. Karen told me about Creativ Festival last year and I am so glad she did! I was looking for some Heather Ross Briar Rose prints at her shop and picked up the popular Strawberry in Pink. It’s on my cutting table right now, I’m making a dress for my oldest! I’m also proud to have Fabric Spot as the newest Thread Riding Hood sponsor – thanks so much Karen!
I am super excited to say that I met Sylvia at Creativ as well. She owns a new Canadian online fabric shop called Country Clothesline (pinned to the Canadian Online Fabric Store list). I was in floral heaven over at her booth. The prints are gorgeous, and she sells finished products as well! My oldest is so happy with the Martha Negley Dahlia print I bought for her. (The pink version is no longer on her website, but the lime version is here.)
Left to Right: Martha Negley for Rowan – Dahlia, Heather Ross for Windham – Briar Rose Strawberry in Pink, Lizzy House for Andover – Catnap in Cat Dream
I was very excited to meet Daryl from Fabric Spark. She was running her booth with her sisters, and I have to say that they are all a lot of fun to work with. I had such a hard time trying to decide which fabric to get from her booth. Especially after going through her entire online stock trying to decide what to choose for the Thread Riding Hood fat quarter bundle!
In the end I picked up some Art Gallery Honey House Sunflower I’ve had my eye on. I don’t know what it is intended for yet, but it’s so pretty! I also got a fat quarter of Beaded Colourband from Mark Hordyszynski. I think it might be destined for a little framed coin purse I’m hoping to make soon.
Left to Right: Thread Riding Hood Fat Quarter Bundle, Beaded Colourband from Mark Hordyszynski, Art Gallery Honey House Sunflower
Speaking of the framed coin purse – I found a shop called Quilt a Bag that specializes in bag hardware, straps, frames and patterns. There were so many amazing things in this store. A lot of it was zakka inspired and super-cute. If I am ever out their way I will be sure to stop by their location again. I have a feeling I’m going to need another frame once I finish the first coin purse!
And that’s it! It took two loads in my washer to pre-wash everything and I’ve already cut into quite a few of the fabrics. I’m going to have issues with the Catnap, though – because both girls like it and I’ve only got 1/2 metre! Got any fat quarter project ideas for me?
As a summary, the Creativ Festival is a feast more for the “traditional” fabric quilter than for the modern fabric lover. Though, I am pleased to say that there are a growing number of booths with modern fabric, even if most of their other stock is traditional. I think it is definitely worth going. It’s so much fun to browse the books and notions booths as well as the fabric. And it’s nice to be able to see it in person – instead of browsing online! What do you think?
This blog is proud to be sponsored by:
by Sherri Sylvester | Apr 17, 2014
In lieu of a quiet book post tutorial today, I thought I would start something new! I’ve noticed quite a few events happening in blogland. Seems everyone is collaborating with each other to create more and more sewing contests, sew-alongs and sales. Things like Project Run and Play and Kids Clothes Week are great places to collaborate and sew “together” with other like-minded individuals!
As I added them to my paper calendar I thought that there should be a better way to keep track of the many opportunities there are available. Not to mention the giveaways, link-ups and contests that go along with them. So, I did what every other like-minded individual is doing when keeping track of the interweb, I started a new Pinterest board of course! The “Sewing Events” Pinterest board will contain all of the events I run across as I get to them, and I will do my best to keep it updated properly. Here are just a few things that are already happening or coming up…
Elegance and Elephants is hosting a new series where you sew something for your kids. The catch is that they pick the fabric, outfit and accessories! I’d love to see what my girls would come up with, so I’m hoping to play along. You can link up your projects from May 1st to 9th. There are even 3 prizes to be awarded on May 11th.
The Spring Top Sewalong has been going since 2009. The concept is that you sew something for yourself for spring, because you need a few new things to brighten up your wardrobe right?! Link up your photos in the provided Flickr pool, and could be featured on Rae’s blog as well. The Spring Top Sewalong started this Monday (14th) and will finish up on May 11th.
Need an excuse to sew for yourself? I know I always get caught up in sewing for my kids and my projects get put on the back burner. Here’s your permission to sew for yourself.
Selfish Sewing Week happens from April 28th – May 3rd. Conveniently right in the middle of the Spring Top Sewalong, so you can enter both at the same time. Sounds good to me!
This one is my favorite of them all! The Sew Fab Pattern Sale is an amazing deal if you like to sew for kids and for yourself. The sale happens twice a year – the spring bundle this year starts May 5th and only lasts 1 week! I bought the Spring and Fall patterns last year and they are not to be missed. The sale is comprised of many indie designers’ patterns at a deeply discounted price. I can’t wait to see what is in this spring’s bundle!
What are you participating in? Let me know and I’ll see if I can add it to the Pinterest board. The more events the better!
by Sherri Sylvester | Apr 12, 2014
I’ve been a tad delinquent in posting the winner for the Facebook Giveaway. And the Fabric Spark giveaway ended last Thursday, so now I can post the last two giveaway winners together! Hurray!
Facebook Giveaway Winner
The lucky winner of the Sunny Glasses Case and Walking on Sunshine Bundle was Emily who has actually bought the Sunny Glasses Case license and is selling it in shops around her area! What fun! She writes an interesting blog called Taea Made if you want to check it out.
Fabric Spark – Thread Riding Hood Fat Quarter Bundle Giveaway
The Fabric Spark winner was Deanna who had to enter on her mom’s computer because hers doesn’t like the entry widget. It was totally worth the effort! She will be getting the fat quarter bundle that I was able to curate myself (yay!) and is on sale at Fabric Spark here.
Congratulations to both winners!
by Sherri Sylvester | Mar 28, 2014
Alright – so this is what happens when you forget to post something and then it becomes the last day of the giveaway and you find it in your drafts! Ack! I have decided to delay the giveaway to give you all a chance to enter the contest. Read on for the not-so-new Giveaway information!
Earlier last week I was super excited to have reached 500 likes on Facebook – so I decided to have a little giveaway to say thank you! Since it is looking a little like spring outside here, it seemed appropriate to go with a sunny theme. I found a lovely 6 fat quarter bundle at Warp & Weft called “Walking on Sunshine” and made a Sunny Glasses Case for you to win too! I love this little bundle of fabric, I’ve been quite inspired by yellow and pink lately – it looks so happy! The Sunny Glasses Case is great for your sunglasses, but doubles as an amazing little sewing kit. It’s perfect for a small pincushion, pair of mini scissors and a needle and thread. I use one of my test versions all the time to carry around the house so I can do mending while I watch the kids.
I have to say that I am so happy to have met so many people through this blog. I keep writing because I love doing it, and I want to share my love of sewing – but also because so many people keep coming back to see what is new here. It is quite a humbling experience. I am honoured that you have chosen to follow along. Thank you so very, very much. Maybe you want to know how to win? Click on this link to head over to Facebook for the giveaway! (The giveaway will close on March 31st.)
“Walking on Sunshine” Bundle Fabrics: Dot; Cotton Ombre Dots, Hot Pink; Kosta, Spark; Curvy Stripe Pink; Shima, Sunset; Estonia, Spark (100% cotton), Sunny Glasses Case Fabrics: Riley Blake, Geekly Glasses (from Double Decker Fabrics) and Dear Stella, Piper, Zig-Zag in Yellow
by Sherri Sylvester | Mar 26, 2014
I find that I tend to be driven by deadlines – especially with posting things here. (I love it – so it’s not as bad as it sounds!) Instead of having fun with the process of sewing I get anxious about whether the project will turn out ok, or if I will waste the fabric – or the most horrifying of them all – I might waste the time it took to make it! It’s gotten pretty bad.
I found an article on Sew Mama Sew a couple of months ago. It is titled “Joyful Sewing: 12 Tips for Enjoying a Stress-free Hobby“. I was curious about what Kristin had to say, and as I read the article I realized how much I really do stress about something that is supposed to be fun! If you remember my “No Stress” button and subsequent goal of not being stressed while sewing… Kristin’s article was posted just a few days later – great timing on her part!
I think that the tip I need to practice the most is #1. “Tackle one project at a time… ok maybe two.” Since my brain is working 24/7 thinking up grand new ideas, I have a habit of pulling fabric and pattern pieces and stacking them up. I have 4 clear shoe-size bins and 1 large basket sitting in my sewing area. They are full of countless options for sewing… and they stress me out! I constantly feel I am not sewing fast enough, and that I must be dysfunctional because I can’t get everything done. Not true – but my brain keeps trying and it’s got me a bit brainwashed.
Since I realized that I have a habit of stacking projects, I have tried instead to put my fabric on the shelf – and my ideas on paper. My goal is to get through these bins and basket this year so I can have my space back! There are really great projects laid out already that I am really excited to work on and share with you. And I will feel so much better if I can concentrate on less things at once.
If you have not read the article yet – head on over. Or click here to pin it for later! If you think you don’t stress about your hobby, you might find that you are more anxious about it than you realized. Kristin’s 12 suggestions ring true for me and I am trying to change how I think about sewing so it is fun all the time again!
How about you? Do you place so much thought into sewing that it has become a source of stress?
