Saturday 17 September 2011

another year older so lets have a wee giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed.

Well that's me another year older today! I've having a lovely morning and the day is looking good too. We're going out for lunch and visiting a new fabric shop in Perth called The Peacock and the Tortoise. We'll see how the kids patience (or mine more like it) lasts in the fabric shop!


eat more cake



I'd like to think I may bit a wee bit wiser than I was this time last year but there's still so much I'd love to learn. In the next year I'd like nail down how to use my dslr properly (nip over the see Mara's Friday Foto posts about this topic if like me you're a bit overwhelmed by your dslr). I'd like to advance my quilting and especially piecing skills (still rubbish at accurate 1/4" seams) challenge myself more with my choices of pattern and colour and also get back to drawing again.

Anyway rather than be annoyed at my advancing years I thought I'd have a giveaway instead. I do love a giveaway and I've been lucky enough to win two or three in the past. Although I've still not won a Go Baby yet no matter how many giveaways I enter - and no before you get too excited I don't have one to give away - sorry.

mini quilts collage


So what am I giving away well I don't know about you but I'm a bit of a book-a-holic especially when it comes to sewing/quilting books. One of the nicest quilting books to come out the past few years is Whip-up's Mini Quilts. It has instructions for 26 wonderful modern mini quilts perfect for trying out new quilting techniques, rustling up a gift or using as a cushion top.


mini quilts



mini quilts 2


For two chances to win a copy of this gorgeous book and some fabric scraps too, all you have to do is:
  1. Leave me a comment telling about your top tip for sewing accurate 1/4" seams or tell me which sewing skill you're desperate to learn next

  2. Follow sewquine and then leave me a comment saying you're a new follower or if you're already a follower leave a comment saying so.
I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner a week from today so that's Saturday 24th September.

Good luck everyone.

Bye for now

post signature

41 comments:

Mara Acoma said...

I know I'm not having any luck winning a Go Baby either :( Really want to try some more adventurous quilts but the cutting out intimidates me.

Don't really have a top tip for the seams. I just go relatively slowly and take my time. I have seen guides that you can attach to your sewing foot though although I've not really investigated them.

I'm already a follower although since I use a blog reader I missed you're new header etc till now. Looking good :)

Michele T said...

My 'new' sewing machine has a 1/4" foot and that has been very helpful. I use green painter's tape for my handquilting - nice straight lines!! Works for me!!

Michele T said...

I am "already" a follower! Yay!!

Gill said...

I always use the 1/4 inch foot on my machine

Sew,ray,me said...

For perfect seams you could always draw a line using a vanishing pen. Although I just use the edge of my machine foot as a guide.

Sew,ray,me said...

Second entry cos I'm a follower :)

Emma Thomsen said...

I really need to learn how sew in a decent zip! please count me in, that books looks brilliant!

Emma Thomsen said...

I am a Follower already! Hope you did some lovely fabric shopping (and the kids were good).

Canadian Abroad said...

No great advice, I just use my 1/4" foot and pin more than I enjoy, but it keeps me on track.

Canadian Abroad said...

I am a follower.

Stephanie said...

A 1/4 inch foot is a must have, well worth the money, roughly £10. Saves so much time marking things out too! :-) i also use a bit masking tape and place it along the 1/4 inch marking on the metal sewing plate, so you just need to line your fabric up with the edge of the tape!

Happy sewing!

Stephanie x

Stephanie said...

I'm a new follower' well, I have been following a while but now just opened an account to make it official!

The books looks fabulous!

Stephanie x

Tricia said...

I'm already a follower.

Tricia said...

I want to try piecing curves.

Indianna said...

I have drawn a line which extends 3" infront of the foot, so I can line the fabric up early at 1/4 inch. I also use masking tape if I am doing lots and also eating more cake always helps!!

Indianna said...

I'm a follower - in Google reader - good for reading lots, but now I find I leave fewer comments....and miss new headers.

Fiona @ Poppy Makes said...

I have a bit of masking tape stuck onto my machine to mark 1/4" seam. As long as I keep the fabric lined up with that it all works out fine :)

Fiona @ Poppy Makes said...

I'm now a follower!

Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts said...

Hi my dear. . I'm a new follower.

Toni said...

I wish I had a good tip about the seams. I click my needle over to where I measure the 1/4" should be if I use the edge of the foot as my guide, then go one more click to the right. It has helped, but I'm still not as accurate as I would like.

Toni said...

Happy Birthday from your newest follower!

Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts said...

I've learned a lot in some 101 'classes' on-line with folks. One of the things that I use is my 1/4" foot but now I'm learning about thread and how this impacts my seams.

I'm always eager to learn more. I'm impressed that slowing down helps me learn to love the process a lot more.

Ella said...

I cheat. I have a 1/4" quilting foot for the my machine.

Ella said...

I'm a new follower. Happy Birthday!

Linda Coleman said...

I have a quarter inch foot which works really well for me. I'd like to learn to free motion on my sewing machine without having to wrestle to fit my quilt in my machine

needle and nest said...

My new machine came with a 1/4" foot. It makes sewing a 1/4" seam soooo much easier!

needle and nest said...

I'm a new follower. :)

Deborah in Atlanta said...

I also have a 1/4" foot for my machine. But I still manage to screw that up too (how the heck do I do that?). And like Linda Coleman, I'd love to know how to machine quilt my quilt top and not have to fight with it to get it to go in the throat of the machine. I wish I was an inventor - I KNOW I could figure out how to invent a sewing machine that has an extra wide throat or extends when you need to do your quilting.

Deborah in Atlanta said...

I'm a new follower. And oops, forgot to tell you in my previous comment how awesome I think the book is.

Laurel said...

um... i'm desperate to learn how to sew perfect 1/4" seams. seriously, how fantastic would my quilts be if i could just learn this one thing? =) stalking for tips on the 1/4" seam. ;)

Laurel said...

just added you to my google reader.

Lorri said...

I measure 1/4" from my needle and put a piece of painters tape down to help me.
Thx

Lorri said...

I am a new follower of yours. Thx.

Jodi - usairdoll said...

I don't have a new tip. I have a 1/4" foot that helps. On my old machine I used a piece of tape to mark the line to have the edge of my presser foot on. It is important to have accurate seams, at least so you don't get too frustrated.

Thank you for the giveaway and a chance to win.

usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

Jodi - usairdoll said...

I'm a new follower.

Thank you for a chance to win.

usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

Sallie said...

I use the 1/4" foot on my machine and don't switch machines while working on a quilt because each machine has a slightly different result.

Anonymous said...

My 1/4 foot is invaluable!

Anonymous said...

I'm a new follower!

robin said...

I want to learn free-motion quilting.

robin said...

Happy birthday! I'm following on Twitter. @birdie00000

Crafted by Carly said...

Hi Nikki,

I'm a new follower! I'm afraid I don't have any tips that are different from the ones the ladies above have already suggested. But I DO have lots and lots of things on my 'to learn' list!!! I desperately need to work on putting in zips, for one!

Carly
x

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