CHARM ABOUT YOU

I am really excited to be part of the blog tour for Fat Quarter: Home and Fat Quarter: Quick Makes by Amanda Russell and Juliet Bawden. Two new books full of beautiful modern makes and a chance for you to win them both!

The books present ways to use those fat quarters of fabric we have in our stash to create something useful, practical and pretty. All the makes are suitable for beginners and cover a range of sewing techniques, with clear instructions. Each project has a step by step guide with corresponding photographs, which clearly demonstrate every direction, and there are plenty of tips and tricks peppered throughout. 

They are, as you would expect, reasonably simple makes and patterns, which is just what you want when you need a gift or a satisfying quick make between bigger projects! The photographs are beautifully styled and inspiring. Amanda and Juliet chose lovely fabric combinations and it's worth looking at the way they use prints and colours because it works so well.

Each book has 25 projects and here are the categories:

Fat Quarter Quick Makes - Fashion & Accessories, Baby & Child, Out & About, Workroom, Presents

Fat Quarter Home - Kitchen/Diner, Utility Room, Bedroom, Bathroom, Living Room

If you want to have fun creating useful and decorative items be sure to check out Fat Quarter: Home and Fat Quarter: Quick Makes by Amanda Russell and Juliet Bawden, published by GMC (£12.99 each, available from www.thegmcgroup.com)

GMC are kindly offering a copy of each book to one lucky winner!

To enter the giveaway: please leave a comment below - if you're stuck for something to say you could tell me how many fat quarters of fabric you have.

UK entries only please, a winner will be chosen by random.org and the winner will be announced here on 12th June. 
Good Luck!

Visit the other stops on the blog tour too:

The instructions are for hand sewing the stars but with a deadline I couldn't spend the time doing that, instead I used a cross stitch on my machine to hold the folds in place.

I used another stitch (one that looked like a star) to hold the centres in place. The cover came together quickly and all that texture looks so lovely!

It has two pockets, one zip pocket and a ring holder. I adapted the pattern slightly and used toy stuffing for the ring holder. The flat piping, which creates the decorative edging, was a new technique for me and adds detail - I really like the striped effect of the print too.

I made a mini quilt, using my Butterfly block tutorial and I enjoyed quilting this one with simple quilting using a curved stitch (Mode 2 #19 on the Elna - because I will forget if I don't make a note of it!).

The cute cloud cushions were made by the talented Samantha Claridge of Live It. Love It. Make It.

And I made a quilt! This is the Baby Life Quilt by Vanessa Christenson from Modern Baby Quilts by Fons & Porter. A simple and sweet pattern.

Thanks for making it this far! I have one more project to share tomorrow and then I should be caught up :)  Hopefully I can get my sewing - blogging back in to balance and stay tuned because I have some fun giveaways coming up!

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**

Pretty prints,  superb basics and the coolest collaboration is what Cotton + Steel are made of.

These quality fabrics really are awesome and my sponsor Pink Castle Fabrics has some great ways for you to get hold of some, including a fabulous giveaway!

Pink Castle Fabrics stock a wide assortment of fabrics; from low volume and text prints, to modern large prints, to gorgeous Japanese fabrics, Kawaii wonders and so much more. They offer yardage, precuts and they have a wonderful selection of monthly clubs, with something for everyone it's a great way to build your stash or try some new fabrics. You have to see their impressive selection of bundles that have been excellently curated. 

They also have another way to get a brilliant selection with the Cotton + Steel Club. The monthly club gives you a unique bundle of twelve fabrics: 9-10 prints and 2-3 basics each month and you can choose to receive FQs, half yards or full yards. 

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**

- Leave a comment letting me know your favourite Cotton + Steel collection or print 

You can see them here.

- Followers of my blog can get an extra entry, just leave a second comment telling me how you follow, blogger, GFC, a reader, email etc (optional entry).

Please leave your email address in the comment to be sure I can contact you! No reply bloggers/comments will not win.

The giveaway is open internationally and will close on Thursday 18th December, the winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here on that day.

I also decided to add some detail to the flap by stitching some pluses, inspired by Rachael from Blue Mountain Daisy and her beautiful stitches.

I started quilting just before I started this blog, encouraged by my cousin and my Aunty. I remember doing some blackwork embroidery when I was young and using a sewing machine at school. I love trying new techniques and currently hand quilting, hand piecing, EPP and cross stitch are my favourite. I like the slower pace and have a couple of hand sewing projects lined up to take me through the winter!

When was the first time you knew that you were a quilter/sewer?

I think after I had made a few quilts and wasn't about to stop!

Do you have any sewing/quilting horror stories or faux pas?

I am constantly making mistakes but none of them too horrific and honestly I don't care if I mess up, it helps me learn. I do know I have to stop when I'm tired, too often I sew things back to front, upside down or just wrong!

What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting out in sewing/quilting?




The Fat Quarter Shop have released a super cute 'Color My Heart' quilt pattern that you can download for free here.


Here in the UK it is National Cupcake Week and although I've not done any baking I do have a sweet treat for you!

I have decided to join in #thegreatfabricdestash but here on the blog because I'm still getting used to Instagram and not everyone uses it! I have some larger pieces, FQs and a couple of scrap bundles for sale. 

Please leave me a comment letting me know which ones you want, first come first served! I will post anywhere, though please note that I am in the UK and you are responsible for postage costs (these will be calculated depending on the amount of fabric you buy). I will post by Royal Mail first class or International Standard. I will invoice you via Paypal so please leave me your Paypal email address like this: misssuchandsuch (at) wherever (dot) com in the comment and also let me know which country you live in. If I do not receive payment within 24hrs from sending the invoice I will contact the next person wanting the fabric.

10 FQs of designer fabric, including Denyse Schmidt and Joel Dewberry 

£25.00 + postage SOLD

My husband had the urge to spring clean over the weekend and the downstairs of our house looks much brighter and a bit less cluttered (ignoring my sewing stuff and the kids toys!). It must have been catching because I cleaned up my blog a little... I'm liking the fresher look, it feels like Spring.

I've been doing some hand quilting, straight lines and circles, on a baby quilt for a friend. I drew round a glass for the circles and it reminded me how annoying drawing on fabric can be. I've tried loads of different pens and methods for marking, when it comes to straight lines nothing beats a hera marker but when I want to draw a circle or pattern I want a pen. Pencils seem to drag so much, the pens that disappear in the air are ok and that blue one that washes off is pretty good but for some reason both make me a bit nervous.

I recently ordered a frixion pen because I know other bloggers have recommended it. I wasn't convinced and still felt nervous but oh how wrong I was! This pen is awesome. It writes so smoothly with no dragging, it's really easy to see on the fabric (I bought a black one) and you just iron the quilt and it vanishes. VANISHES. Even under the perle thread?! I don't really understand (nor do I actually care) how it works, it just DOES! I even scribbled out a line where I'd messed up and it completely disappeared. Hello me drawing loads of embroidery patterns, quilting patterns and whatever else I want not to be permanent. Very clever pen.



There's a new theme over at le challenge, this month it is NATURE. Are you working on anything that fits the theme or are you inspired to make something new? The link party for finished projects is 15th May. Head over to check it out, there's a random winner every month!