The Great International Stash Busting Giveaway -edit

et voila - Thank you Miss Kitty

Right - a new date, so as to avoid Sunday Stash/confuse people with them thinking they might get their paws on your precious new stash/special stash/secret stash.

GIVEAWAY WILL NOW BE WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4TH!!!!!!! (sorry for any confusion there)

Plus - I am only giving matching stuff because that's what I have. I have a horrible obsession with buying sets of fabric, so I have a cupboard full of matchy matchy bits. If you have a lovely stack of bits, give that away - have a Spring clean, tidy out those cupboards and boxes!!!!!

Email me if you want in and we'll have a lovely international chain of giveaways katyejones@hotmail.com (see previous post for more info as well)

The Great International Stash Busting Giveaway

Catchy title, eh?

So...here's the deal folks.

On 4th February I shall have a giveaway on my blog, I will be giving away a selection of fabrics from my stash. I haven't decided what yet, but it'll be a nice little stack, and stuff that goes together as well, so it can be used for the same project.

Now. The plan is, those interested in having a kind of chain of bloggy giveaways will also host a stash busting giveaway on the same day. Plus, we will all link to each others' blogs on our own, telling the whole bloggy world about our giveaways and hopefully having lots of people come and visit.

If you plan on hosting a giveaway on Feb 4th - email me katyejones@hotmail.com with your name, and the name of your blog. I'll compile a list of us all, and email you back.


EDIT;
THE FULL LIST OF BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE GIVEAWAY IS AT THE TOP OF MY SIDEBAR, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. VISIT THEM ALL, TRY TO WIN AS MUCH STUFF AS YOU CAN, BE GREEDY. GO ON, IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU GET TOLD TO BE GREEDY, IS IT?

TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY CLICK here AND LEAVE A COMMENT ON FEBRUARY 4TH'S BLOG ENTRY

Sunday Stash

Let's hear it for the Dutch. They have given us windmills, clogs, tulips and (far more importantly) some mighty fine fabric....

First up for today's offering to the stash Gods is my FQ swap parcel from Anita (yes, I do have a couple of partners - but it's my swap, right, so I can have a hundred if I see fit. In fact, I'm always up for a FQ swap if anyone ever fancies it).

Anita is a Brit living in the Netherlands (lucky lady, says me) and she sent me this fab red fabric with traditional Dutch images on (I did hint I was a fan of traditional Dutch designs). I have a sneaky suspicion it will end up being a precious never to be cut into fabric, unless someone can tell me what I should do with it that will keep it's beauty intact. The red gingham is gorgeous - it feels really nice, not like those nasty cheap ones that seem to be all over the place whenever I go shopping for gingham (school uniform fabrics - nasty, polycotton, melty when you iron them, y'know the ones?)



And (as if that wasn't enough from our European friends) here's some more Dutch fabric.....

I have a drawer full of these kinds of fabrics. I have a plan that one day I'll use them to make a quilt, using big patches, because there's a lot of babycord in the drawer and I don't think it's very good for teeny piecing. Big squares is the way to go. Of course, the plan is very much in my head, the reality is it will never materialise - I like to look at them too much uncut.

Anyway, to prove to Locket that I am also as easily tempted to go shopping as she is. I followed the link from here and ended up here. The homepage is enough to make me melt with desire (the 'sale' section was the clincher)

Those Dutch, they know how to throw together a bold pattern and colour combo.




So, I was thinking. It was after I went to visit Trash's blog. Who would be interested in an international stash busting fabric giveaway? We could set a date, we could list all the participating blogs on our own, and we could give away a little parcel of fabrics/scraps we have lying around needing new homes? Any takers? I'll iron out the details and if you want to play along let me know. I think it's a marvellous idea. But I would, it was my idea after all.


OK - I'll simplify it, for those of you that have trouble reading my mind (what's wrong with you, people?! ha!)

We set a date, let's, for example sake, say February 1st and those participating in 'the great international stash busting giveaway event' (or what ever grand title is agreed upon) will host a giveaway on their blog on that day - for that day only (24 hours from the blog post time), plus will list links to the other participating blogs, and giveaway a bit of their own stash that has sat festering in the cupboards for a while. Or maybe a fancy new piece of stash, depending on A; how generous you are feeling B; how much you love to hold on to your stash. Then, after the 24 hours is up, you pick a winner using your preferred winner picker system (eg hat, bowl, random number generator, pointy finger) and, hey presto, you mail your bit of stash off to your winner.
Now, I know no-one gets anything back here, it's just a giveaway, but it's always fun to have folk come and visit your blog and we can have a little 'who gets the most comments' competition (resulting in no prizes, but a sense of smug pride for the winner)

Any interest? Am I alone?

Is that any clearer? Is it still clear as mud? (quite possibly)

Busy Busy...

that's both me and the post box.

I have a mountain of things to finish and get sent out. I'm working on a lap quilt for my friend with a poorly knee in Liberty prints (that's on the right of the pic below), a doll to send out to a flickr friend in the US, a tablecloth for my best friend (that's been on the cards since November - it's a good job she's patient), as well as 2 swap quilts to finish up. Plus I have my turn for 2 quilting bees in February - so all the fabrics have been sent out, blocks have been decided (scrappy log cabins for 8two8, liberty print fabrics, and any kinda style block for sewconnected2)

But instead of sewing I'm sat here, blogging. It's all about priorities.



Mr Postman has been bringing me all sorts of treats....

a mini quilt depicting my favourite things from Jessica



a 'home sweet home' doll quilt from Rachel



and a liberty print platypus (now named Perry) from Lorraine (lovingly known as Lorraine no blog)



I really do need to get back to it. I have an hour and a half before I get Ginger from Nursery, let's see if I can cross something off the list.....

Sunday Stash

Another liberty print. This time Lucy's Farm. I got it yesterday on a little jaunt to London. I'd rather like to live in any one of the houses...

More stashes here.

Can we have some sunshine now please?

because I am fed up with the lack of light. I can't take any pictures that don't look bleurgh. What do they do up in the North Pole, or Alaska? Do you get nice bright days in Alaska? Alaskan people, please tell me.

Anyway - despite the dull and crappy photos I'm going to show you the first quilt of the year. Halfway into January, I should have got it finished earlier to be honest but I am halfway through (well, a bit more than halfway) a reversible 'quilt as you go' lap quilt and I've had a few swaps on with my flickr groups so I've been busy busy busy and not as productive as I should have been.

This one is a present for someone. She has a son (well, she has 2 sons, one is smaller than the other though and the big one may not be overly impressed with quilts). I hope they like it!



I used up some of my favourite scraps for the blocks, and then quilted the bottom half with buttons. The buttons are very cool, they have polka dots or gingham on them. Cute.



And I pieced the back with more scraps and some soft flannel that has been in my stash for a while, waiting to be used up. I love flannel, it reminds me of being small and having flannelette sheets on the bed in winter. My brother used to carry round a scrap of flannelette sheet with him everywhere he went, he called it his 'ah'. We nearly lost it once, he had it hanging out the window of the car as we were going off somewhere, down the motorway (except it's not a motorway, they don't have them in Suffolk, it's just a dual carriageway). My dad had to stop the car and go back to retrieve it. Can you imagine dying for a bit of flannelette sheet? Good job the road wasn't too busy....




Everyone now has their partners for the fat quarter swap and I'll recap the details for you. You need to observe your partner's preferences, please, and mail out 2 fat quarters (18 x 22 inches) of good quality cotton fabric (unless your partner has specified something else, like silk or baby cord) plus 1 piece of an extra something. A bit of haberdashery, some buttons, just a small token. Nothing needs to be made, nothing needs to be bought. Use up what you have in your stash already. But please do try and send something your partner will like. I have done my best to pair people up according to taste, and it's not a blind swap, you are sending to each other, so if you need to contact your partner do so (you can get the contact details from me if you need them). Last day for mailing is February 14th, but as this is so simple try and get it done asap, that way it's done and dusted and you are less likely to forget.

Should anyone have any problems, just let me know. I can help out, I'm sure.

Sorry Mum...

I know you hate to see my tattoos, but here's another one to make your stomach churn. I know you won't even be able to bring yourself to say it's pretty, but it is. Really, it's very pretty, you're just a bit crazy (good job i love you x)




And for everyone else, and not my mum - do you like my new ink? It's only half done, I need to have the underside of my arm done and a few gaps filled in between this one, the underside and the old tattoo on my upper arm. 'Sew or Die' just about sums it up, I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't sew, it doesn't bear thinking about.

A Little help from my friends...

I joined in with the quilting bee over at the little blue cottage. My turn is April, so I have a while to go, but I want to get my fabrics chosen and sorted so I can mail them to Tina, and forget about them until the blocks start arriving home again.

Trouble is, I can't choose which set to send.

Do I go for the pretty birds?...



the Katie Jump Rope I have been hoarding?...



or some ever classic 1930's repros?...



I'm thinking of asking everyone to use half square triangles in their blocks, so they can make whatever they like, but I want half square triangles used somewhere/somehow. Like a pinwheel, or flying geese, hourglass or a star.

What would you send? Or rather, I suppose, which set would you prefer to use?

Update on the FQ swap - the last few partners will be sent out later on today/tonight...maybe at a push tomorrow morning depending on how I get on. Then I'll do a quick post on the details to recap for everyone. I am just sorting out my partner's package now. Exciting!!!

Fat Quarter Swap - Update

Hello folks.
I am almost matched up. I haven't got the contact details for the following people -


Corrie
Anna Lindsey Sailor O'Reilly (now, that's a name and a half!)
Linny - GOT, THANKS
Crumbsnatcher Couture - GOT,THANKS
Jodie - GOT, THANKS
Shean - GOT, THANKS

All of you left comments on the sign up thread, but no way to contact you. If you see this, and want to play let me know! Email me on katyejones at hotmail dot com.

I want to get everyone matched up by Wednesday, so if i don't hear from you by then I'll have to presume you don't want in.

So everyone should have heard from me with their partner's details. If you haven't please, please, please let me know and i can forward the email on to again. And if I've missed anyone, email me - I am pretty sure I got everyone covered and paired, but my system of piles of small bits of paper can be unreliable, if you know what I mean ;)

Sunday Stash...a few days late

or possibly a few days early? Take your pick!

Anyway. My camera is broken, but I had cleverly taken this pic before the poor thing died (Miss G denies all knowledge, however the dent in the side of it suggests a small person played some part in it's demise)

Prints Charming, Two Young Street By Marcus Fabrics. Don't try buying it though - it's as rare as golden geese. Maybe not that rare. But quite hard to find these days. And look at giant ric-rac - ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, giant ric rac!!!!!!

The New Year Mix Up Your Stash A Bit Swap continued

The very clever, and very kind Kitty has made a pretty button for the swap, in case you want to add it to your blog, drum up a few more potential swappers, or just make your blog look pretty.

The html code thingy will not only give you a pretty picture, but will also link back to the original sign up post. Clever that, innit? I don't know how it works, so please don't ask me any questions, I'll just look blankly at you and maybe even dribble a bit. I can email you the code, if you'd like it, or you can right click on that above pic and use that instead (and add your own link to my blog). Am I making any sense? I doubt it.

SIGN UPS ARE NOW CLOSED - SORRY!!!!!!!! PARTNER INFO WILL BE SENT OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I am overwhelmed by the response - over 100 people, wow!!!!!

The New Year Mix Up Your Stash A Bit Swap - SIGNS UP CLOSED

That's a grand title, isn't it?
The reality is not so grand, but it's like shopping without spending money (and that's the kind I like in these credit crunching times)

So, lemme make up a few details on the hoof right now to convince you I had a genius idea and spent ages figuring it out, and didn't just mention it on a whim New Year's Eve in my giddy overexcitement of New Yearness.

Here you go....

This is an international swap, so should you prefer to not send internationally, let me know and I'll match you up with someone in your neck of the woods.

You will send your partner 2 fat quarters (dimensions and definition of a FQ here) of high quality cotton quilting/sewing fabric, a treat - something little like a bit of ribbon, or some thread, or buttons, nothing big and fancy, just a little token of kindness, wrap it up all pretty, and write a note to send with it (because notes make things extra nice, I think). When you send your fabrics out, please think of what you would like to receive - don't send that nasty bit of ugly fabric even the moths won't touch, send the good stuff.

Who's in?

Sign up here and I'll email you back - so if you don't have a blog please make sure I have contact details otherwise I can't find you, and that's sad.

I'll keep it open for a week, so until Monday January 12th, partners will be matched up that week, and then I'll give you until Valentine's Day (February 14th) to mail out.

When I email you I'll want your real name, address, and a couple of likes and dislikes to make it a bit easier for your partner to decide what to send.

And that's it. Come on, sign up, get rid of the fabric you've been looking at but not using for ages, and get some fresh new stuff in return. Now, that can't be bad, can it?!

EDIT - SIGN UPS NOW CLOSED, PARTNERS WILL BE EMAILED OUT AS SOON AS I WADE THROUGH THE PAPERWORK!!!!!