Amy Butler inspiration #1

via on Little Bluebell on Flickr

There's an Amy Butler group on Flickr that I was perusing last night.  I decided I need to share some of the things I've found to help you out in case you needed any inspiration!

This is a quilt pattern that I have wanted to do forever!  I saw it during the first round of Dana's Old Red Barn Quiltalong.  Here's a link to the tutorial by Stephanie at Make it... A Wonderful Life.   I'm thinking I might need to do one of these with my LOVE scraps to go with the simple squares I did.

I made a few edits to clarify some questions on the post from last week about the Amy Butler Sew & Tell Challenge. . .

sew & tell - more clutches

If you are new or need a refresher for Sew & Tell guidelines you can click on the tab above for details on linking up!

It's Friday! If you didn't read yesterday's post about my sew & tell survey go read it! I want your input, for reals!  (plus if you want to go like my Facebook page you can click over from there - or the tab up top...)

OH, and MORE information about the Amy Butler sew & tell here. And just to clarify - you just have to use some element of Amy Butler in your sewing project to link up that day.  There will also be prizes for commenters.  Yes, it's going to be THAT fun.  Get ready!

I hope you have all had a fun week that involved some sewing!  I was able to finish up some clutches that I cut out a few weeks ago when I helped Jessica make her's.

I have a few friends who have really helped me out these past few months, and I wanted to make them something fun, useful and cute.  I hope I succeeded!

To clarify, they are a good size for a diaper clutch if you need one, but they'll also work for throwing your phone, wallet and keys in to as well!  You can find the instructions in Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing.  I modified it a bit (size and one of the techniques), but they sew up so quickly!

The buttons are all re-purposed from old suits.  You know how you get an extra button in a tiny ziploc bag with some clothing?  Well, I had a former boss who was always dressed to the nines (in fact I didn't know what that meant until I worked for her) and she brought me all of her old buttons one day!  How nice was that?!  The pink and the turquoise are both fabric covered and the other is, maybe?, a Chanel button?  It wouldn't surprise me.  But it could just be a knock off.

I love how they turned out and I can't wait to make more.  Maybe even one to keep?  How about I giveaway a pink one on Amy Butler day?

What sewing project did you finish this week?

Please show good bloggy manners and follow the linky rules.  Refer to the sew & tell page   if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been  deleted.

1. Link to your specific  post  about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew   & tell in your post and link back to this  post (link or button) so  everyone can join in.
3.  Pat each other on the backs in the comments! Please, don't just link up and leave, we all want to hear from you!
 

sew & tell survey

I'm not really sure what I was thinking, except that maybe I can keep up with shorter updates since I can't always seem to find the time to write a full-fledged post here, buuuuuut, I did it. Go check it out if you want.



I'm not promising anything earth-shattering, but sometimes I want to quickly blab about some sewing related something-or-other and Facebook seems to be a good way to do that.
*****

It's back-to-school time and I'm getting sew & tell school ready to go!  I taught school in a former life and always liked the fresh start of a new school year!

I'm working on tweaking some of the guidelines for sew & tell and reiterating the existing rules.  We've had so many new people join us over the last few months that I want to make sure we are all on the same page.

In that vein, I would like your input on things you LOVE and about sew & tell and things that could improve it.

My main goal of sew & tell is to motivate each of us (myself included) to finish at least one project during the week.  I know I've always got a million things started and a deadline always seems to help to keep the finishes rolling in.  Consider it your weekly sewing homework, since we're going with a back-to-school theme here.  :)

One thing I love about sew & tell is the making new friends.  It's been so much fun to get to know a lot of you better each week.

One thing I want to improve is to make sure each link is relevant to that goal and that every minute you spend here is worth your while.

I've been toying with the idea of excluding tutorials.  I know we all love a good tutorial, but there are plenty of tutorial linky parties.  What I'm thinking is your sew & tell post can just show the finish and if there is a tutorial to share, it can be linked to in a separate post.

What are your thoughts on this?

Have you heard about this yet? (probably, but I wanted to make sure!)

amy butler sew & tell challenge

My lotus stash.  I bought up a bunch when I heard it was going to be discontinued last year.  Luckily they decided to keep printing it!  I should buy up some more dots and wallflower!

I think I've written about it before.  Maybe a lot, why I love Amy Butler.  She's got some sort of magic, that's for sure!  That light blue Lotus wallflower print brought me back into the sewing world about 3 years ago.  And I'm pretty sure I've swooned over every new product she's come out with.  That's sort of the reason behind this Amy Butler Sew & Tell challenge and giveaway!

There are many things to celebrate right now:

1. my 2nd year of blogging here about my sewing and crafting adventures
2. the 1st anniversary of Sew & Tell
3. almost 500 of you lovely people are following me (you like me, you really like me!)(and I like you too!)

I've been in contact with the lovely people at Amy's studio and they offered up some patterns to giveaway to you dear readers!  I gave the stash and dash bags away last Friday and I have 4 more waiting for you: (all images via amybutlerdesign.com)

(just FYI, I'm not receiving anything personally from her studio, just the fun time I'm going to have seeing your AB projects and giving some stuff away!! I was tempted to keep the birdie sling pattern, I've wanted to make that for a while now!)

I thought it would be great fun to have some Amy Butler Fabrics to giveaway with these patterns so I contacted the lovely Nadine from The Material Girls Quilts and she donating 3 yards of fabric to giveaway!

I love Nadine's shop.  She orders FULL LINES AND COLORWAYS, so if you are looking for something she probably has it.  I go there multiple times when I'm visiting my mom.   Thanks, Nadine!

And Cynthia from Fabricworm is donating a $25 gift certificate to her shop! 

Cynthia sells awesome fat quarter bundles and always has the newest and hippest lines in stock as well!  She informed me that Amy's new line "Soul Blossoms" will be in stock later this year.  Yippee!

Now onto the challenge.  I want you to get out that Amy Butler fabric you are hoarding because you don't want to cut into it, or are afraid it might get discontinued and make something beautiful with it!!  Make something from one of her patterns you've been meaning to make all these years.

On September 24th we'll have an all-Amy-all-the-time-Sew & Tell!  As long as your project has some Amy Butler fabric in it or you have used one of her patterns (some free on her site) and it has been completed between now and the 24th - you will be able to link up that day!   
Edited to add:  
1.  The project doesn't have to be ALL AB fabrics and patterns.  It just has to have one element of Amy Butler in it - a pattern and /or fabric.  
2.  You can post about it before the 24th but you won't be able to link up until then.  If you do post soon, please link back to this post until we get the other one up.
3.  You can link to a Flickr picture if you don't have a blog.  I'm totally cool with that.  :) 

I will have these prizes plus a few more to giveaway that day.  You will earn extra entries with your project link ups!

I'm so excited to see what everyone is doing!  I have a goal to show an Amy Butler inspired project every Friday until then - Crib dust ruffle, new bag, pillowcases, accent pillow...  I'd better get going!

Grab the sew & tell challenge button over there on my sidebar and proudly display your participation in this fun event!

What are you planning on making?

friday's giveaway winner!

Thanks everyone for entering! I decided to just start the numbering process from the link ups and then into the comments. So without further ado. . .

27. Tori - leather diaper bag

Congratulations Tori!  This was actually one of my favorite link-ups this week.  You have to go see how she re-purposed an old leather jacket.  I want to do it now too!

Tori - please get me your contact info so I can get your goodies off to you!

Now the rest of you, don't be too sad, I have 4 more patterns + fabric/gift certificates to giveaway in September.  Get going on your Amy Butler projects and I'll be talking more about it soon!
xo

sew & tell - all you need is LOVE

**I've had to delete some links today :(. Check with the requirements for linking on that tab up there!  Thanks!!**

Amy Butler LOVE that is.

Speaking of love.  Do you see that little button with those cute faces on it.  Over there? On the right? At the top?  That is my sister-in-law's sister and husband, Rachel and Ryan.  They are wonderful people hoping to start their family.  Most adoption placements are found word of mouth, so keep them in mind if you hear anything.  You can read about their daily life on their blog here. Or click on the button to go to their adoption profile page.

I did finally finish the quilt, and washed it, and hung it up to photograph!  I love it! No pun intended.

I loved the look I've seen on simple square patchwork quilts where the quilting is done in straight lines on either side of the seams.

 It gives a great window pane look.  I used a varigated green Gutermann thread with a walking foot on my little machine.  I probably could have gone with just a light green, but in the end it doesn't really matter.

What is surprising to me is how I obsess over every little stitch and think it's not straight enough or hidden enough or something-enough, and when you step away - you don't really see any of it.  Sewing is so forgiving.

I prefer to hand stitch my bindings down.  I'm getting better and faster and I really love the way it looks.

I really do love it.  My baby looks so sweet sleeping under it.  I'll get pictures of it on the bed when I have the other projects finished...


ARE YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN???
The generous folks at Amy Butler's studio sent me a nice stack of patterns to giveaway!  I am giving one away today!  You get one entry for linking up (follow the rules!  Please only finishes from this week!) and one for leaving a comment - tell me what your favorite Amy Butler fabric/pattern/product is and tell me you love my quilt.  So if you link up AND leave a comment you get 2 entries!

The winner will receive this awesome pattern!

image via Amy Butler Design

Heck, I'll throw in some scraps big enough to make one with too!

As always the linky will expire tomorrow, but comments may be left until Tuesday morning - 24 August!  A winner will be drawn later that day!


And now the challenge!
On September 24, 2010 we will have our first ever Amy Butler exclusive Sew & Tell!  There will be more patterns, fabric, and handmade items to giveaway and you will earn entries similar to today!  Along with Amy's studio, Fabricworm and the Material Girls Quilt are sponsoring the event by donating the prizes!

Get out your Amy Butler patterns and fabrics - only linkies featuring her fabric or patterns for projects completed in the next month will be accepted that day!  It will be loads of fun!  I have lots of her fabric tucked away for different projects.  I'm hoping to get one finished each week until then!

Let's have fun with this!  I'm so excited! Can you tell?!  I've only used 100 exclamation points this post.


What sewing project did you finish this week?

Please refer to the sew & tell page   if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been  deleted.

1. Link to your specific  post  about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew   & tell in your post and link back to this  post (link or button) so  everyone can join in.
3.  Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

$80 CSN winner!!

I'm sorry it took so long to post the winner! Today was a bit crazy and I had to figure out how to number my comments again since I switched blogger templates, but whatever, you don't care about any of that. SO, without further ado...

The winner is:

Ms. Mini said...

56

i'm desperately in need of new pictures for the wall - CSN has quite a selection!

9:55 AM, August 17, 2010

Ms. Mini!! Congratulations!  Get me your email so I can send you your gift code!  Happy Shopping!!

Everyone else, the first Amy Butler giveaway is tomorrow! (today, if you are a few time zones ahead of me :))