AMAZING! {free class}

18 June 2013

You know sometimes you come across something that's such a good idea you wish you'd thought of it? Yes, this is one of those!

The Amazings is very simply a great website that offers classes in ALL SORTS of really fun things - taught by people over 50 who know their stuff. It's informal, friendly, incredibly creative and passionate about learning and teaching.

The company is based in London, with plans to expand, and they now offer online classes too.

The website is super easy to use and navigate and the videos are fun to watch! The concept is just so brilliant and I love that people with experience and skill can pass on what they know.

Mastery and wisdom, brilliantly shared.

Here is just a sample of some of the classes they offer - and there will be even more to come, with one new video added each week!

Make Your Own Natural Beauty Products with Judith - the salt scrub looks divine and is super easy:

How to Make an Altered Book with Jacqueline:

Make a Mosaic Flower Pot with Josefina:

Awesome Retro Hair Dos by Michael (I wore my hair in his take on the 30s Chignon (not pictured here) at my sister's wedding, it was so easy and looked great!):

Make an Heirloom Patchwork Quilt with Virginia - this is such a fun and relaxed video, like having a chat, and I love her vintage quilts:

Tempted?

The Amazings are giving all Charm About You readers a free class, just CLICK HERE and go learn something fun!

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Quilting On The Go! blog hop and GIVEAWAY

17 June 2013

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**
I'm so thrilled to be part of this exciting blog hop to share this awesome book by Jessica:

I bought my copy last week and trust me this is an excellent book about English Paper Piecing. I'm still fairly new to EPP and I've learnt so much from reading it. Quilting On The Go! is not only a great introduction for those who've never done any EPP but it full of brilliant projects that everyone will love. One of my favourite parts is how she explains all the variations and possibilities of EPP shapes - I have added lots of ideas to my 'to sew' list. In the past year I made a hexie cushion (there is a pattern for similar in the book!) and a car seat quilt:

And I've been working away at my Rose Star quilt... slowly slowly... picking it up every now and again

One of the many fabulous reasons to EPP is it's portability - you really can take it anywhere and it is so relaxing to be able to sit outside and sew on those rare sunny days in England!

I was having a conversation with my husband, he thinks I look beautiful,
I think I look like a dork.

I was hoping to have my most recent EPP project finished to share with you today but I think I was a little optimistic, I've been busy with other necessary sewing, and have only got this far:

Lovely Liberty and Architextures crosshatch.

It's going to be a cushion and I'm planning on hand quilting it.

I'm pretty in love already and enjoying taking my time...

after all EPP isn't a race.

don't EPP and drive ;)

Check out all the stops on the blog hop:

June 11 Lesly at Stitch Literate http://pickledish.blogspot.com

June 12 Clare at Selfsewn http://selfsewn.blogspot.com/

June 13 Christina at A Few Scraps http://afewscraps.blogspot.com/

June 14 Victoria @ Bumblebeans http://bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com/

June 15 Amanda Jean at Crazymomquilts http://www.crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/

June 16 Laura at Quokka Quilts http://quokkaquilts.blogspot.com/

June 17 Lucy at Charm About You http://www.charmaboutyou.com/

June 18 Katy at I'm A Ginger Monkey http://www.imagingermonkey.blogspot.com/

June 19 Ara Jane at What Ara Jane Loves http://whatarajaneloves.blogspot.com/

June 20 Kathy at Pink Chalk Studio Blog http://www.pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/

June 21 Jessica at Life Under Quilts http://lifeunderquilts.blogspot.com/

Paperpieces.com is offering our readers 20% off their entire shopping cart, no minimum purchase, with the code UNDER20 throughout the entire book tour.

You can order a copy of Quilting On The Go online from any of these sellers:

Or you could head to your local bookshop.

~~Of course you should leave a comment on this post because~~ ~~one lucky person will be winning a copy~~!

~~Please only leave ONE comment and PLEASE leave your email in the comment - no reply bloggers will just not win.~~

~~The giveaway will be open until 21st June and the winner will be chosen by random.org here on 22nd June.~~

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED**

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happy to make your acquaintance

16 June 2013

Welcome to Charm About You! I'm Lucy, mum to 3 little uns, who looks forward to those stolen moments (mostly after bedtime) when I can get my craft on. I love to quilt, with some cross stitch and embroidery thrown in for good measure. Check out the tabs above to see pages of the stuff I've made!

I was so happy when Beth asked me to host this week's link up and have fun getting acquainted with fellow crafty bloggers. If you're new here please stay and look around, this week is super busy on my blog and there's lots of awesome things going on so you might want to check back over the next couple of days (especially if you like giveaways, hint hint!!).

This week I've been working on presents for my son's friends. It always seems that we have no birthday parties and then a spate of them all at once. My lovely friend Erin has made some gorgeous kids cushions, like these ones, so I took inspiration from them.

I ~~wanted~~ had to get them done quickly so I chose the easy quilt as you go method and used strips from my stash. I appliqued the boys initials using zig zags and think it gives a nice personal touch.

I made envelope backs - I always refer to this post when making cushions, it has a great table to work out the size of fabric cuts you need and has simple tutorials for putting a cushion together.

Now I'd love to see what you've been up to!

1. Link up any recent sewing/quilting post.

2. In your post or on your blog, please include either a text link or a button letting people know about this link up and link it back to this post.

3. Visit at least the two bloggers who link up before you and everyone who visits you from this post.

4. When the link tool asks for your name, enter your favourite font or letter!

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Le Challenge - Maritime

14 June 2013

It is time to link up with Le Challenge and the theme this month was MARITIME.

I struggled with what to make but decided to make a dress for the baby to coordinate with my daughter's skirt.

This is the first dress I've made and I'm pretty happy with it. I ran out of navy fabric so threw in a lighter blue but I think it works.

I like that the dress can be worn with either way as the front - I think while she's teething and crawling the bow might go on the back and then she can wear it the other way when she's toddling!

I used this tutorial to make the dress after seeing the beautiful ones my friend Michala made (no blog but I'm trying to get her to do one or at least Flickr!). She also gave me great advice, so thanks babe!! Check out how everyone else interpreted the theme and watch out for the new theme tomorrow:

Also linking up to:

and finish it up friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

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can't get enough random

13 June 2013

I can't get enough haberdashery goodies like these from The Polished Button - vintage buttons and cute bias binding:

Quick fix - a dress with a broken zip... sorted with a bit of stitching, a button and a hair elastic.

Can't get enough of this brilliant teething toy Sophie la Girafe and neither can Lois!

I got a rare picture of the three kids together without one of them pulling a silly face. I adore it.

Also love that the bigger two were so nicely sharing the job of very gently swinging the baby!

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oh no you didn't

12 June 2013

Oh yes I did!
Despite my wtf post last week I started (and finished) something not even on the list.
Shocking! - but I couldn't resist making those bell pepper coasters from 'Patchwork Please!' by Ayumi Takahashi and joining in the Zakka Along 2.0:

I only meant to make one but they are so quick and easy I made 3 - I couldn't do yellow because I didn't have any more yellow scraps - I better start using some yellow fabrics in projects to rectify that!