FQly retreat preparations

Late Sunday night sat at the computer I ended up creating something that I am really pleased with!
I was looking through the supply list for the Fat Quarterly retreat and rather than preparing my fabric I found myself on this site.
Without too much planning I put something together and with amazing fast delivery these little lovelies arrived in the post today (took these late so photo quality not great) ~

This is the first time I have used Moo and I am extremely impressed. Super fast delivery, lovely packaging, excellent print quality and fab paper.
I have been meaning to create something like this for a while, as I always think it's a nice touch to add to my parcels when I send back a quilt block for one of my quilting bee's but for now they are coming with me to the retreat! I feel all professional!!
My stationery addiction also came into full force with a new notebook and pen ~

Now I just need to get on with preparing the fabric!

FQ Linky Party

Linking up today with Fat Quarterly to say a quick "Hello" to everyone going to the retreat!

I've not had much time to get nervous about this or start thinking about what could go wrong if I'm sat in the corner on my own and everyone else seems to know each other, as I think I may have been one of the last to buy my Fat Quarterly Retreat ticket!!

I've been busy catching up on all the posts on Flickr, excited about a last minute name tag swap with AnaCrafts and have already spent money pre ordering goodies from Fluffy Sheep Quilting and Lu Summers!!

I had planned to get home from work this evening and start sewing a bag for the retreat. Fabric cut out and then the headache hit! So I'll look at that again tomorrow.

I'll be training it back and forth for the weekend (too late to find somewhere to stay) and sadly can not make what looks like an exciting shopping event at Tikki as I'm at work.

Saturday morning I'm with Kerry doing the Freezer Paper piecing and the afternoon with Claudia and zippered pouches!

Sunday looking forward to Machine pieced placemats with Brioni and so excited for Wonky Log cabins with John Q. Adams!! So a big "Hello" if you're in one of the classes!

It should really be half term this week and I wouldn't be at work (easy guess as to what I do!?) and therefore preparing for the retreat but it's been moved a week later to coincide with the jubilee! At least I'll have a week to get over all the excitement :)

I'm so looking forward to meeting some of my quilting bee and blog friends in real life, and lots of new people as well!

I have no photos to show as to what I'll be wearing or what I'll be carrying but as a close friend wrote in my last birthday card this February "Happy half way to 70!!" (What a cheek - although sometimes my students think I'm that old!)

I've been a crafty sewing sort literally all my life, studied Food and Textiles from GCSE through to Uni and now teach those to my own students, trying to keep the subject alive!

So roll on the weekend!!

Cara  @ {Pink Stitches} xx

Tutorial and Giveaway winner!!

So as promised here is the tutorial to help make your own covered buttons or magnets!
I am no expert so this is just the way I make them, they are fun and quick to make which is what I like. Although you may not be the lucky winner of the Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway hopefully I have inspired you to try these out for yourself.
Thank you for all the wonderful comments from the giveaway and welcome to new followers and readers!! I do appreciate each and everyone of you!
Winner of the giveaway announced at the end of the tutorial :)

Here is the basic kit you need to get started to make wonderful buttons. The tool, button tops with shanks and button backs ~

This tool is great as you can make buttons from 11 - 29mm in size ~

Other bits you will need are a pair of fabric scissors, a pencil and a pair of paper scissors ~

On the back of the kit packaging there is a template guide showing you what size you need to cut your fabric pieces for each button size ~

Using tracing paper, trace the template from the back of the kit and copy onto a medium thickness card or template plastic and cut out ready to use. I have a little set for each size labelled and ready to use ~

Now the fun bit, select your fabric! These types of fabrics are great for a fussy cut cute design for the button front ~

Or you can choose some of your smaller fabric scraps ~

Place the template onto the wrong side of your chosen fabric and draw around with a pencil (or tailors chalk) ~

Next carefully cut out your fabric ~

Using the base of the kit place your fabric circle and the button top on top of the correct size ( I have removed the button shank as I was making these into magnets, keep going and you'll see them at the end of this tute!) ~

Press this into the tool, this will start to secure the fabric in place. If you have fussy cut a design you can turn the tool over (the base has holes in it) and you will be able to see if your design is centred.

Push the excess fabric into the centre. The little teeth on the button top will hold this in place. I find using the end of the pencil helps with this ~

Now carefully place on the button back ~

Place the red top of the kit on top of the base and line up carefully ~

On a flat surface press down firmly the top and the bottom should click together ~

 

 Remove the red top and you will find a neat little button, carefully pop this out ~

These are the buttons popped out with the button shank attached ~

Voilà cute buttons in an instance!

This kit is fab for making magnets! Take the top part of the button and remove the button shank with a small pair of pliers. This is very easy to do. The button top on the left is how it comes and on the right is after I have removed the shank ~

Take a set of covered button tops and mini magnets ~

Then the fun starts! Out comes the glue gun, heat this up following the instructions for your gun ~

Get ready to glue! I find with my glue gun I have to work fairly quickly when making these as the glue dries very quickly on the metal. Run the glue in a circle around the edge and quickly and firmly press down the magnet. I tend to hold this in place for about 30 seconds to make sure it is secured firmly ~

If it dries too quickly before you attach the magnet it is very easy to pull off and start again ~

The back of the button tops now with magnets stuck down firmly!

And there we have it, cute little magnets ready to brighten up any space!!

I hope you've enjoyed the tutorial and would love any feedback and see all your projects made with cover buttons!!

Now for the winner of the SMS giveaway (using the random number thingy!)......
Congratulations to #42
Sarah who said...

"Thanks for the chance to win! Who doesn't love covered buttons, that tool looks so nifty!"

An email is on its way to you.
Plus more good news I have another exciting giveaway coming very soon!!

Screen printing

Just been sorting through some photos on the computer and I came across my Screen printing ones that I meant to post about ages and ages ago but never got round to it!
I think my new found love of Quilting got in the way!
This reminded me that I must dig out all my bits and pieces and finish off some of my projects!
Screen printing, appliqué and machine embroidery project ~

If you're looking for the Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway it's here!

A special ticket!

I must have been living under a rock for a few months because the Fat Quarterly retreat totally passed me by until about a week ago.
I was then cramming all my research into a few evenings ~ Where was it? What was it? Who would be there? Would I be brave enough?
So never leaving things to the last minute (procrastination is my middle name!) with about 40 minutes until sales closed I purchased this ~

Now I'm frantically reading all the Flickr posts to get up to date and hoping that I won't be stood in the corner like a billy no mates eagerly looking for the exit!!
So if you are also going please come and say Hi to me in my corner!

Remember the Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway is here ~ I have been overwhelmed by the response! Thank you and hopefully many of you will become regular visitors here. I hope to put the tutorial up either Thursday or Friday.

Places I stumble across

I think I might have a problem! Somehow the day just doesn't have enough hours for me to keep up with my blog reading!!
See down there, on the right, you might have to scroll down a bit, is a list of all the wonderful blogs and sites that I enjoy reading (and most of them on a daily basis!). There is so much talent and inspiration out there it is amazing!
A while ago I stumbled across a lovely place ~ The Sewing Directory.

I think I was searching for quilting courses and ended up finding so much more.
This is a site where you can find everything from sewing supplies, courses, groups, news and competitions.
It is a great place to keep up to date with shows going on in the UK, it has a very detailed list of fabric suppliers which I have found very useful, lots of great how to guides, and also a great blog that is really up to date with what is going on in the sewing world and from which I always learn something new!
I am not employed by the sewing directory or affiliated with them in anyway but just wanted to share a great site for us quilting and sewing bloggers/readers based in the UK!

Meant to say if your looking for the SMS giveaway it's here!!

SMS Giveaway day!

Hello, if you are a newbie in these parts ~ Welcome and come say Hi!
Today I'm taking part in the Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Day! Isn't it exciting!!!
So if you fancy winning some sewing and craft supplies then keep reading....

I've been asked recently why I don't do many tutorials on my blog. The answer....well I'm not really sure! Not sure if people would be interested! Not sure that I won't bore people to fall asleep at their computer! (You still awake!?)
Well get ready because I have been putting together a tutorial for cover buttons which I love as they are quick and easy and I tend to make them into magnets, as they make cute gift sets! I should have also used one on my iPad cover if I had planned what I was doing!
So here is a little kit to get one of you going!

The kit includes the cover button tool, 10 large 29mm cover button and two cute little buttons that I made for the tutorial. I will also be throwing in a some fat quarters from my fabric stash, possibly Amy Butler Gypsy Caravan! (It's not a big stash but it is pretty!)

• So just leave a comment for a chance of winning!
• Giveaway is open to everyone - I'm willing to ship internationally.
• The giveaway will close on May 25th.
• I will email the winner, so please make sure I can contact you through your comment or leave an email address.

Have fun and hope to see you around here again soon!!
P.S ~ I will be putting up the tutorial sometime this week.
P.P.S ~ Please make sure if you are a no reply blogger you leave an email address otherwise your entry will not count!

Busy Sunday

So this is what I've been up to this afternoon ~
Finishing off April blocks to be sent away for my Bee Europa Quilting bee. Yep you read write - April!! Sorry to espritpatch for being so late!! These were wonderful blocks to make and my first attempt at flying geese.

Covering my scrapbook where I stick bits and pieces that I tear out of magazines, from this......

To this .....

Amazing the transformation a bit of wrapping paper and stickers can do!

Making some new key fobs, I won't show you the old grubby ones!! Just believe me when I say they weren't nice!

Admiring the lovely blocks that I have been receiving this weekend as part of my quilting Bee Bee Europa 2012/13. Aren't they gorgeous!!

Amazed by the generosity of quilters! These extra goodies came from Cille! This is why I love the world of quilting!

Catching up on some reading .....

This is a wonderful new magazine!! I somehow completely missed issue 1? I must say it is one of the best quilting magazines I have read in a while. I think it's because it's familiar, lots of the blogs I read on a daily basis are mentioned and the projects are modern and easy to follow.
So what have you been up to today?

Remember to stop by tomorrow for ~