2013?

I'm truly amazed that I'm sat here on New Years Eve once again contemplating what to write and how to round up the year! 

All I can think is where the heck did 2013 go?? I feel like it's whizzed passed somehow.

Here are a few of my favourite pictures taken this year, I hope they sum up my 2013 well!!

Looking at these pictures tells me I spent 2013 in great company, getting great ink and with my fabulous family!

I'm sure I did more sewing than that though!!!

Here's to a great 2014 with lots more sewing!!!!

Happy New Year!!!


 

public service announcement

In my usual style I've not blogged for a couple of weeks and now I'm overflowing with news!

I'm dedicating this post to the most important news of course, well in the world of my little shop Simply Solids that is and that's the announcement of the 2014 Sew Solids Stash Club!

As you can see from the flyer you can subscribe to either a solids club or a textured basics club or both!

Here are more details on the reverse of the flyer:

You can pay monthly via PayPal or pay upfront for 6 months or an annual subscription and with the upfront options there are lots of bonuses to be had!

If you'd like to join please head here for more information: 

www.simplysolids.co.uk/stashclub

and the winner is?

Following on from the book review I did last week for the great book 'Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love' I need to announce the winner of the giveaway!

Mr. Random.Org kindly assisted in this matter and chose comment number 16:

Which was:

I've contacted the winner with the good news! Thanks to everyone for commenting!!

#scraptasticchallenge

Something new for the blog today! Hooray I hear you all cry, what can this be? Well I shall tell you......

From this month I'm running a monthly #scraptasticchallenge here on the blog that you can all participate in (only if you want to of course, it isn't compulsory!)

As you may know I sell scrap bags over in my shop Simply Solids. These scraps are very yummy and can be used in a multitude of ways, some people swear by them you know.

So to celebrate the greatness of the scraps I'm going to be offering a scrap bag every month to one person who comes up with a fab way in which to use them!! The winner then has 1 month to make up their fabulous idea and send me a small tutorial/how to that can be published here on the blog! 

To kick off the #scraptasticchallenge I have the queen of scraps the one, the only Lu Summers!!!


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Little Improv Applique Patches

Lucie Summers

To make a round applique patch you will need:

Plain fabric scraps

Medium interfacing* (if you don’t have sew-in, use two pieces of iron-on like I did)

Usual sewing stuff

Pen

Something circular to draw around* (I used a reel of tape)

Spray starch

*Can be any size, but for the purposes of this tutorial, my interfacing is 4.5” (11.5cm) square and the circle has a diameter of approximately 4” (10cm)

***

If you’re using iron-on interfacing, cut two pieces 4.5” square and iron them sticky sides together. Use an old tea towel on top to avoid melting the interfacing

If you’re using sew-on interfacing, cut a piece 4.5” square

Draw a circle in the middle:

***

Use fabric scraps to create a little haphazard patchwork block. Just grab and stitch, no need to worry about design or total precision! Make it a little larger than the interfacing:

***

Place the interfacing on top of the block and stitch on the circle:

***

Trim circle, leaving approximately quarter inch around the edge and make a slit taking care not to cut the fabric. Clip the curves as close as possible and turn through:

Use a blunt pencil to poke out and smooth curves and press (on the fabric side!) using a hot iron and starch:

You can make a ton of different shapes and sizes and use these little applique patches to decorate bags, blocks, pouches, boxes, pillows, book covers... the sky’s the limit! Have fun!

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How cute are those scrap patches? Ideal for Hunter's gone through knees on his jeans I reckon!!

If you make any patches please post your photo's on the Simply Solids Facebook page or use #scraptasticchallenge on IG!!

So to be in with a chance of winning yourself a scrap bag please leave a comment below telling me what you would use your scraps to make. The winner will be chosen on Weds 27 November and they would need to get their tutorial to me by the 27 December 2013.

Good Luck!!!

Love Patchwork & Quilting....

You may have all seen this magazine already but I'm betting some of you haven't which is why I wanted to share the love!!

Love Patchwork & Quilting is new to the magazine market and quite frankly has taken it by storm. A couple of weeks back when I was feeling really poorly and sorry for myself, the lovely editor Jen sent me a review copy to cheer me up! How did she know I was poorly you may ask? Well because I was moaning all over Twitter and also about the fact that I'd been silly enough to subscribe late to the magazine and had missed the first issue!!!

I was so excited when the magazine arrived and naturally IG'd it immediately!

The magazine has great projects from lots of the big names in the quilting industry including Katy Jones, Alison Harris & Jenni Baker.

photo courtesy of the magazine

photo courtesy of the magazine

photo courtesy of the magazine

photo courtesy of the magazine

The layout is modern and stylish and just feels good, you know what I mean right? There's a free cover project every month.......

photo courtesy of the magazine

this months is a cute bauble to make ready for the festive season, a lovely easy project that you could whip up in an evening.

Anyhow the magazine will be published every four weeks and is available at WHSmiths, most supermarkets and of course your lovely local newsagents. 

If you'd like to subscribe there is an amazing offer on for 3 issues for £5. I'm not sure how long this offer will be available so I'd subscribe quickly if I were you!!

If you've read the magazine already I'd love to hear your comments on it, just leave them on this post.

Sewing Tales to Stich and Love

I can't tell you how excited I was to receive an email a few weeks back from my friend Kerry asking me to take part in the blog hop for her brilliant new book 'Sewing Tales To Stitch & Love'.

The box of goodies I received as part of the blog hop was a-mazing!!! So much so I made a little Vine video of the grand opening!! (I forgot to turn the microphone off so please excuse my tired daughter making her tired noise in the background hehe!)




I'd really like to say a huge huge thanks to the #sewingtalesbookbloghop sponsors: 

Each of the blog hop participants got such a great package of tools and fabric to make sure we could make whichever toy from the book we wanted to!!

photo courtesy of Kerry Goulder

photo courtesy of Kerry Goulder

For me choosing a project was the hardest thing, after looking through the book numerous times I was still undecided so I let my daughter have a look at the book and she just kept returning to Morton the Turtle! THE DECISION WAS MADE!!!

I was worried about how difficult the task ahead of me had the potential to be, after all I'm a quilter not a toy maker! I needn't have worried, Kerry's concise instructions that were broken down into manageable chunks, had me covered!

So here he is, Holly's own Morton Turtle:

How absolutely cute and adorable is he? Holly chose which fabrics were used where and she also added in some of our own Pearl Bracelets for the underbelly! Morton the turtle himself is separate from his shell so he could in effect have a whole wardrobe of shells!!!

I'd really encourage you to check out Kerry's book here at Amazon, it's a real treat and the projects are just adorable! The boys have already picked out the whales as our next make!!

Check out the other bloggers makes here:

MONDAY: Nov 4th

Mollie Johanson – Wild Olive

Jessica Fediw – Happy Together

Abby Glassenberg – While She Naps

Jennet Jones-Rau – Feathered Nest Studio

TUESDAY: Nov 5th

Sabra Gubler – Sew a Straight Line

Amber Carillo – One Shabby Chick

Caroline Hulse – Sew Caroline

Amy Friend – During Quiet Time

WEDNESDAY: Nov 6th

Miranda Anderson – One Little Minute

Andrea Taddicken – Knitty Bitties Sews

Kristi McDonough – Schnitzel & Boo

Terri Harlan – Sew Fantastic

THURSDAY: Nov 7th

Shari Butler – Doo Hikey Designs

Jodie Carleton – RicRac

Jen Goode – 100 Directions

Justine Henshaw – Sew Justine Sew (you're here!)

FRIDAY: Nov 8th

Emily Levey – Strawberry Patch Ramblings

Nicke Cutler – Kiss Kiss Quilt

Cathe Holden – Just Something I Made

Kate Henderson – Two Little Banshees

Finally (drum roll please!)

I'd like to offer a GIVEAWAY of all the tools and notions that I didn't use from my sponsor package as well as a signed copy of the book!! I'll also pop in the good size scraps that were left over from the Fat Quarters used in the project including Heather Bailey's LottieDa!

To enter please check out Kerry's book on Amazon and come back to tell me which project you'd like to make the most!

A winner will be drawn on Sunday 10th November 2013. UK entrants only please due to weight of winning parcel. Winner chose by random.org.

***Thank-You again to Kerry and the amazing sponsors for offering me the opportunity to take part and receive all these lovely goodies. I'm so happy I spent time with Holly creating our own Sewing Tale***

calling all bloggers...

I'm looking for bloggers to guest spot here as part of some exciting developments at my shop Simply Solids.

If you're interested please do drop me an email, I'd love to hear from you!

Textured Basics?

Textured Basics? by sewjustinesew on Polyvore

Looking at expanding the range of textured basics I stock over in my shop Simply Solids and wondered what you all thought of these??

Michael Miller: Ta Dot, Mirror Ball Dot, Dumb Dot, Tiny Gingham & Painters                           Canvas.

Riley Blake: Small & Medium Chevrons, Wild Thing Basic Print

This is of course in addition to the Sketch, Essex Linen, Essex Yarn Dyed & Wickerweave already stocked, of which I plan to expand the colourways in those too!!

Let me know what you think please and if there are any I've missed!!

Thanks for your help xxx

October's Stash Club Offerings

If you subscribe to my little shops stash club you'll be no doubt eagerly awaiting October's offerings!

October is all about the neutrals which are an essential in any happy stash! Here's what you'll be getting if you receive the 3 colour option:

Cream, Chocolate & White

And here's the 6 colour option:

Honey, Cream, Chocolate, Taupe, White & Mushroom

I think I've collated a great range of neutrals that will complement the grey and black neutrals of June's bundle.

I really hope you enjoy them!!


Whilst I've got your attention did you know that Simply Solids has a Facebook page?? I'd love it if you popped over and 'liked' us and that way you can keep up to date with all the shop's happenings. I frequently post offers, new stock arrivals and run regular competitions over there too. I really encourage you lovely people to interact with the page and each other by posting your makes etc so we can all see what everyone is up to and get oodles of inspiration!! 

Finally whilst we're on the subject of inspiration did you know that we also pin over at Pinterest??? I've just added lots of inspiring projects that make fabulous use solids, why not pop over and take a look! If you follow the Simply Solids board you'll see all our new pins as they're pinned!

Thanks so much xxxx