Woman, you have the luck of the Irish!

Or so Sarah quite reasonably proclaimed when my name was drawn at random (yet again!) for her big SEWN launch giveaway! I was the lucky recipient of this amazing book:

Life has been so hectic lately, I've barely had a chance to read it yet, but it is an enormous & inspiring tome, covering many textile crafts, and full to the brim with great projects. One of those fantastic books that will be returned to time & time again I'm sure.

But wait, (dare I say) there's more! As part of the SEWN launch, there were 156 bloggers who offered up their own giveaways to celebrate. I discovered Melinda's lovely blog, The Patchwork Orange. Melinda is an Australian living in Singapore and runs a quilting & craft business. And yes, I happened to win her giveaway!

She sent me kits to make up a sweet little sewing kit ...

... and an equally cute pincushion:

Melinda has generously posted a free pattern for this pincushion on her blog. You can find it here.

I have to say, Melinda's kits were the most immaculately presented kits I have ever received. Right down to the smallest detail, they are amazingly perfect! Each & every element matches the other - buttons, threads, ribbons & felt all matching fabric perfectly. She obviously has a very good eye for colour.

The cutest detail was this tiny, tiny spool of thread, no bigger than half an inch high!

My warmest thanks to both Sarah & Melinda for hosting such generous giveaways. My heritage is more German than Irish, but lucky? Indeed I am!

Next on my 'to do' list

This little project is seeing the light of day again. Hope to be back soon with it's transformation into something useful!

How's your whistling?

This is making me happy today:

Blooms, all the way from Iceland!

The lovely Berglind of Miss Bee & I decided to do a little fabric swap recently. Since she is in Iceland and I am in Australia, we are all but on geographically opposite sides of the world! Berglind bravely accepted the challenge of sending me 'something nice' and here is what arrived!

Beautiful, beautiful blooms! This fabric is called 'Olive Rose' by Valori Wells for Freespirit. It is stunning and a range I've not seen in Australia anywhere. Thank you so much Berglind - it is very special - you chose perfectly!

Even the selvedge is gorgeous!

And how rare to see FIFTEEN colour dots on the selvedge! (Poor Ric-Rac will be hyperventilating - hi Jodie!)

And there were other treats, including the PERFECT quilter's nail file. I am blessed with the best blog friends.

Now, what can I make of this I wonder?

SEWN giveaway winner announced!

Thank you so much to all of you who entered my giveaway. I really appreciated the thoughtful comments you all made, and hope to get around to answering some of those curly questions about a Australia for you! As much as I would love to send each of you something special, there is only one prize. My trusty Random Integer Generator came up with the magic number: Commenter #124 was:

Anonymous said...

My children and I love to read Mem Fox books...especially Koala Lou...this it what I think of when I think of Australia. Brina blrohloff@aoldotcom

JUNE 3, 2009 11:37 AM 

Congratulations Brina! Please contact me with your address details, and the bag will be winging it's way to you very soon!

My very best wishes to Sarah whose SEWN website motivated this giveaway, and many others. SEWN will come online sometime between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon, depending on where you are in the world. Bring it on Sarah - can't wait!

Another cute little film ...

Shows the potential for beauty from the discarded. And that blooms are possible in almost any context!

   

If only my garbage bin would magically transform itself overnight like this - it would make getting out of bed in the morning much more enticing!

Chill the champagne, SEWN is about to launch ... so roll on up for a giveaway

An innovative new site for sewers called SEWN will be launched in early June 2009. This site promises to be fantastic, with forums, online advice, free patterns, tools, interviews, tutorials, and an online buy & sell area!

To join in the celebration of the launch of SEWN, I have joined the the Blog Party Giveaway and I am giving away this:

In honour of the fact that SEWN has talented Aussie girl Sarah Fielke at the helm, please leave a comment & tell me something that comes to your mind when you think of Australia - something you love (or hate?!) about my country, or for overseas visitors, a question you've always wanted to know but haven't had an Aussie on hand to ask! Just any random reflection about Australia that you feel like sharing. 

My giveaway will be drawn at 8pm on Monday 8th June, 2009.

Please ensure I am able to contact you if you win!

The bag is made from Amy Butler's 'Midwest Modern' fabrics and the pattern is called 'Fat Quarter Bag' by Melly & Me.

The side panels of the bag are in an Urban Chiks '1974' spot, and form a cute little pleat.

I have used bag rings & magnetic clasps from Nicole Mallalieu Design for this bag. I can strongly recommend Nicole's business - really high quality product & fast service.

So comment away, and please support Sarah with the launch of the SEWN website. There are giveaway opportunities galore, here and here, to celebrate.

SEWN giveaway in progress!

I got a job this week - nothing earth shattering, just casual, but it has involved blowing the cobwebs from the science side of my brain. I have worked two days and am now certified as competent to identify 15 types of fruit fly!! I'm so proud! The upshot of this news is that my giveaway gift for the SEWN launch is behind schedule, but under construction. It involves these fabrics ...

... and this Melly & Me pattern:

Really hoping it will be finished tomorrow & ready for comments. Nice to be thinking about fabric again rather than fruit flies!

They don't call me Bloom for no reason!

I am expecting visitors for the weekend & tomorrow I am playing parent-helper on a school excursion to the zoo. So I am SUPPOSED to be cleaning the house today. But as so often happens, I am avoiding the mundane & have become distracted by blooms! I came across this treasure at the Michael Miller site.

'Flower Shower Brite', free pattern here. 

I LOVE this quilt! It is made from a new Michael Miller range called 'Jewel Tones'. You may remember the gorgeous 'Birds of Norway' print that Janelle sent me recently?

Kathy Miller at Making It Fun explains in this post, that the colours used in 'Birds of Norway' worked so well, that it inspired the whole new 'Jewel Tone' range. 

These fabric manufacturers are killing me! Can't they just release some dead ugly fabrics for a while & give my addiction a break?!

Almost a quilt

I spent 24 hours with these girls on the weekend. Always lots of fun, copious amounts of food & some serious stitching productivity. I worked non-stop on this quilt:

Awful photos as it is a miserable, dull day here, but you get the idea. Just need to add a white border & this top will be done.

The pattern is 'Ava Rose' by Hatched & Patched, the fabrics mostly 'Barefoot Roses' by Tanya Whelan from this stash that has been sitting around looking pretty for far too long!