Fat Quarterly Challenge

I’ve seen other people blogging about this so I think it must be safe to do so now!

I was sent a bundle of lovely brand new Katherine’s Wheel by Nel Whatmore from Fat Quarterly to make a block with. Here’s my stack…

Most people have then sewn this block into something. I must confess I haven’t… I decided to plan mine on Electric Quilt. EQ7 has a new “swath” tool which puts curves and curls of flying geese on your quilt block design. I had a few problems with printing this because I wanted to create a design where these were appliqued on. This is what I came up with…

Do you think it looks like fireworks in the sky- cos that’s what I was going for! Anyway I had to unpick from the black base fabric because when zigzag stitching the applique on, it puckered really really badly. I spent about an hour unpicking it all and then fused some interfacing on the back to stop that. Much better that time! I must confess though with all of the layers of fabric involved in the geese it was really hard to turn the fabric under before appliqueing and I really really wanted turned under applique. So I cheated and coloured in the edges where it wasn’t perfect with a black Sharpie. Result!

Here are the out takes….

Me trying to get the edges to turn under and almost succeeding! The chalk marks are there to help me place them symmetrically.

And the horrendously wrinkly first version!

Pinterest Challenge: March

I’ve been pretty slack on the Pinterest challenge this month with all these new ideas popping into my head and not enough hours in the day to do them all, I’ve not really been lacking inspiration or felt the need to try something that I’ve pinned.

However, there are a few techniques that have come in handy this month that I have pinned, and here’s where I’m at with them!

This hand piecing tutorial does have a vital part missing (how to tack the corners down!) but I have been putting together lots of inch hexagons when I’ve wanted to slob out in the living room and even when I went on holiday for something to do and I plan to make them into a 12″ block. After that, who knows, maybe it will become the centre of a cushion cover? I’m being weird and stitching them in as I go (and removing the paper when they are “landlocked” because I can’t bear the idea of doing each step all in one go!)

Binding!  Proper binding, lord knows how many times I’ve got it wrong in the past and hand stitching it on is definitely a must for me now.

And lastly, that hedgehog block you’ve seen recently is from Artisania. The one I pinned is by Quirky Granola Girl using the same pattern. See my last post for a picture of my version.

So that’s the round up, it’s been a bit sewing orientated but I hope you don’t mind. If you are that way inclined, check out Lucy’s fabric swap linky party – I’ve done a trade with her so I hope she likes it! I’ve not got anything I really want to swap right now, but if you have pretty fabric that is just getting a bit boring to you now, go check it out- you might be able to swap for something lovely!

UK Etsy Challenge

Every month, a craft challenge is run on Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/uketsychallenge/ with a theme for each month. The idea is simple, you make something (anything!) as long as it fits that month’s theme, upload it to the Flickr group and then a poll is run on Etsy to decide the winner.

My entry for "Childhood Memories" earlier in the year

Rather appallingly, no one enterred last month, so hopefully there will be a surge of entries this month to make up for it, it would be a great shame to lose the group as it has been running for a couple of years now. The only condition for entry is that it’s for UK crafters with an Etsy shop.

This month’s theme is “London” and I have an idea to make a cuff bracelet already! Come and join us!

Make 50: Week 2

Here’s my 2nd item towards the Make 50 challenge! A custom order for Laura from http://www.glueandglitter.co.uk/

It was cast from an existing cuff that was made smaller with milliput and has inside pieces of a UK map, stamps and watch parts!

The Make 50 Challenge

StripyPixieSocks of http://eatdrinkbecrafty.blogspot.com (which has some fab craft tutorials by the way) started a 50 things challenge on her blog and welcomed others to join in. The way my way of working goes is that I don’t really have a plan for what I make throughout the year as I’m constantly developing ideas for selling and for writing about, rather than as gifts, so I have decided to do my list retrospectively. I’m pretty sure I can do more than this, so I will be showing my best item every week! Feel free to jpoin in, the starter post is here: http://eatdrinkbecrafty.blogspot.com/2009/01/50-things-challenge.html

Here’s week one:

Folksy Angels

Continuing the recycling theme from yesterday… I love competitions, especially ones that require a bit of thought. Folksy and We Make Christmas (which I will be demonstrating at) have got together to make a quickie competition (entries must be in by 30th November- yikes!) where you have to make a christmas decoration all or mostly made from bits and pieces found around the home that would otherwise be thrown away. It’s an interesting idea, but feel it might be a little tricky! I do have an idea though and I will share it with you when it’s done- if it works!

The winner gets free Folksy listings and no commission for a year, and as things are going well for me on there at the moment, it could be just what I need!

If you want to enter, the Flickr group where you need to post your photo and also has a comprehensive list of rules and what-not is here: http://flickr.com/groups/963614@N22/

Don’t forget to enter the November giveaway here: https://pennydog.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/november-giveaway/

I am taking part in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), so I will be blogging every day in November. Today is post 12! http://www.nablopomo.com/

I won!

I won the weekly jewellery challenge that I posted about, thank you to all my supporters! This week I need help winning the overall challenge between the winners of all the categories. There really are some fantastic entries, but I would really appreciate it if you could vote for me again! Voting finishes at 9am EST next monday!

Here’s the link:
http://etsychallenge.blogspot.com/2008/09/98-weekly-grand-champion-these-are-your.html

Please vote for me!

I am currently in third place at time of writing in the 1st September Etsy Jewellery Challenge. Please follow this link to vote for your favourite piece, I hope you will choose my Coffee De Brasil pendant!

http://etsychallenge.blogspot.com/2008/09/91-jewelry-challenge.html

I received positive feedback on my book proposal yesterday, which is very encouraging as I’ve not had anything negative said. With any luck “Create Your Own Resin Jewellery” by Kerry Wilkinson will become a reality in about a year’s time! I’m very excited!