Bank Holiday Giveaway Winners

The patterns are all on their way to new homes. I’m so pleased that they will be put to good use as I would have to change size and shape before I could use them.

Vintage Simplicity – Modflowers

Vogue – Charlelise123

Retro Butterick – Kelly

Butterick – Niki

Bank Holiday Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.

I’ve been fortunate to win a few giveaways this year and I know how nice it is to see your name listed as a winner. So, I've decided that its time for another giveaway so that others can get the chance to be a winner.

One of the giveaways I won included a couple of size 12 patterns from Amy at Almond Rock but my days of needing this size are long gone. I suggested to Amy that she keep the patterns for another giveaway, but she very kindly said that I could use them for my own giveaway.  I’ve looked through my own pattern stash and found a couple more patterns to add to the giveaway. Both were bought in error – one the wrong size and the other was the right size but was a case of “what was I thinking, this style will never suit me”. Hopefully someone else will be able to put them to good use.

All of the patterns are now out-of-print. The Simplicity pattern has been used, is fragile in places (mainly along the dart lines) and is missing the piece for the armhole facing, but you could either draft a replacement or use bias binding. The other three patterns are unused and still factory-folded. The Vogue and Retro Butterick patterns are for dresses, whereas the Butterick pattern is for a fitted jacket, skirt and sleeveless top.

Vintage Simplicity 7627 (size 12, bust 34")	Vogue 8666 (sizes 6-12)	Butterick 4602 (sizes 6-12)
	Retro Butterick 5033 (sizes 14-20)

There will be four lucky winners who can each win their choice of pattern. All you have to do is follow this blog using BlogLovin, Feedly, email or another preferred method and leave a comment saying how you follow and which pattern you would like.  A bonus entry is available if you spread the news of this giveaway by Twitter, Facebook or on your own blog – just leave a second comment telling me how you’ve shared the giveaway and repeating your choice of pattern.

I’ve decided to keep this giveaway short and sweet. It will run over the Bank Holiday weekend so your entries need to be in by 10pm (BST) on Monday 27 May and I’ll post the prizes to the UK and Europe.

Fat Quarterly Retreat - the butterflies begin

In about eight weeks I will be heading down to London for the Fat Quarterly Retreat. After reading lots of blog posts about the 2012 retreat, I was sat at my computer on the morning the 2013 tickets were released so that I didn’t miss out on this year’s retreat. The train tickets are now booked, the accommodation is sorted, I’ve signed up for the swaps and any day now we should be hearing to which classes we have been assigned. Given how keen I was to book the ticket, why is it that as FQR2013 fast approaches I don’t yet have a sense of excitement and joyful anticipation, but more a feeling of butterflies in my stomach?

Perhaps the reality of it all is starting to hit. Whilst I won’t be the only one who didn’t go last year, for lots of people this will be a reunion and maybe there is a feeling that I will be gatecrashing. So many people were full of praise for last year’s classes, that maybe I focussed on FQR being an opportunity for learning new skills hence the disappointment of finding out that we could only pick two classes and two tabletop sessions. I signed up for the swaps so that I could get involved, but now I’ve seen some of the items other people are making I’m worried that my efforts won’t be up to everyone else’s standards.  

Hopefully, in eight and bit weeks I will be writing another blog post about FQR2013 saying what a fantastic time I had and how all these concerns were totally unfounded.  Is anyone else feeling anxious, not excited, about going to FQR2013 or is it just me?

Upcycling a rugby shirt

The past few weeks have been quiet sewing-wise partly due to an injured shoulder/arm that made it painful for me to do most things, but I’m happy to report that I seem to be on the mend and was able to do a bit of sewing at the weekend.

  

I needed to make an iPad case for a friend’s birthday and as he is big rugby fan I decided to make it from one of his son’s outgrown rugby shirts. The jersey fabric was stretched from being worn and so it was a bit tricky to get the stripes straight, but I got there in the end. I was pleased to find customised ribbon on the inside of the collar which I was able to unpick and add to the tab holder. The club’s crest was in the wrong position for me to use it in situ, so I used it to add an extra pocket on the back of the cover.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take any photos before I wrapped the present and had to grab a couple of grainy ones with my phone.

If you're tempted to try a bit of upcycling, my instructions for making this case are available here.