The flying geese experiment continues ~ and a giveaway!

** The giveaway is now over and the winner has been announced here.  Thanks to all who entered! **

A couple of days ago I experimented with a new-to-me method of making flying geese units.  For a tutorial, visit this website and scroll down for the second method described.  I was really pleased with the results, it is truly a no-waste method.  Then on Instagram I was pointed in the direction of yet another method, which I tried yesterday.

Obviously the results look quite the same as any other flying geese but the steps taken are really different.  Another one of those "how is this ever going to end up being what it's supposed to be" sort of things!  The tutorial for this method can be found here.  The previous method I tried really only had pros, and this latest method has a few pros and cons.  

Pros:

• you end up with a unit slightly larger which is then trimmed down to size, so there is a greater margin of error.  A plus if you're not confident in your 1/4" seam.  You will end up with units that are exactly the right size.
• with just 2 squares of fabric and a really easy step-by-step, you end up with four flying geese units

Cons:

• this is not a no-waste method.  Because you are trimming the units down to size you end up with waste, and compared with the traditional flying geese method (the first method described here) where you end up with useable waste (half square triangles), in this case you end up with unuseable waste.  Granted not a lot, but still some.
• you will end up with four identical flying geese units, which is fine if that's what you're after, but if you want to go for a scrappier look (like the units I made a couple of days ago) this isn't the method for you.

I would like to send one of these mini quilts/mug rugs to one of you!  To enter, leave a comment on this post letting me know if you would like this blue one, or the orange one.  For a second entry, if you follow me on Instagram (@windingbobbins) leave a second comment on this post to let me know.

The giveaway will end on Thursday, April 10/14.  Good luck!

Milestone giveaway

** This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks to all who entered. **

Hey everyone!  My little blog has reached a milestone today ~ over 100,000 page views!  Kind of blows my mind actually.  So since it's a milestone day for me, and especially since I missed Giveaway Day @ Sew Mama Sew this time, I thought I'd offer up a little prize.  You might remember me showing these a few months ago....

I bought these two mini charm packs (2.5" squares) when we were on spring break, and since then they've been sitting here just looking cute.  A perfect gift to give to someone, I think!  Leave a comment on this post and I will draw a winner in about a week's time.  Good luck, and thanks to all of you who have apparently visited me frequently!  I appreciate all of you.  :)

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

Winner is Jennifer, comment #5. Announced here. Thank you to all who entered.  It was a lot of fun!

First off, I'd like to say welcome to anyone who may be visiting my blog for the first time!  I hope you will stay and have a look around.  I also have an etsy shop called Winding Bobbins, where I sell some of my handmade items (coupon code TAKE20 will get you 20% off all shop items until the end of 2012).  You are welcome to come there for a visit as well!

Today's giveaway is a huge departure from what I usually tend towards.  Most often I can be found making quilts and other small quilted items.  But I recently learned from a woman at my church how to make infinity scarves, and I'm hooked!  So today I am giving away a handmade infinity scarf made with a lovely voile fabric.  

The scarf has wonderful drape and is soft and comfortable to wear.  The fabric features several different lovely, muted colours - green, blue, orange & gray - along with black on a cream background.

In order to be entered to win this scarf, leave me a comment letting me know what colour thread is currently on your sewing machine!  If you are a no-reply blogger, be sure to leave your email address in your comment so I have a way to contact you if you win.

The giveaway will be open until December 7 at 5pm PST and the winner will be chosen using a random number generator.  I will be happy to ship internationally.

Good luck!

1 year ago ...

*Giveaway is now closed - thanks to everyone who entered.  Winner is #40, Deborah*

It's been one year since I started this blog and time has flown by!  I've made so many new friends, not to mention just a few quilty items...

I appreciate each of you who read my little blog, all of the support you've offered, ideas, suggestions, inspiration, and encouragement.  And I love just knowing that there are so many other people out there who like doing what I like doing!

So, I have a little something to give away.  It's not much, but I wanted to say thank you.  Leave one comment to be entered.  And though I'm not normally a fan of someone having to be a 'follower' to enter a giveaway, just this once I'm going to say if you follow my blog (via friend connect, google reader, bloglines, rss, pinterest, etc.), feel free to leave another comment letting me know, for an extra entry.

Up for grabs are these 3 extra fat quarters (cut from 1/2 metre cuts....) each measuring approximately 21" x 22".  

The giveaway will close on September 26.  I will ship internationally.  Good luck!

Christmas in August?? ~ GIVEAWAY!

** Giveaway now closed - winners announced here.  Thanks to all who entered. **

If you follow along with my blog, then you know that I've had a bit of an avalanche (ha - nice winter pun, hey?) of Christmas fabrics come my way via blog giveaways.  I'm really enjoying working with them, but I must admit I'm not much of a "seasonal" type person and I'm not usually drawn to these types of fabrics. 

The bundle of Kate Spain's "Joy" that I recently won included 2 panels.  They're cute, but I have a strong feeling I won't use them, so I'd like to give them away!  

The top panel is just a cute collage of winter/Christmas scenes, to be made into a small quilt or cut up to use in cushions or however you chose to use it.  The bottom panel is basically a kit for making 2 Christmas stockings.

TWO winners will each receive one of these panels.  Leave any old comment to enter.  I'll draw winners on Monday, September 3.

Good luck!

for the love designs ~ giveaway WINNERS!

Hosting this giveaway of quilt patterns by 'for the love designs' was a lot of fun for me!  Thanks again to Lu for offering her patterns as prizes, and thanks to all of you who read my little blog and have left so many kind comments.  I do appreciate all of you!

So without further ado, the two winners who will each receive 3 patterns of your choice are.....

 ....CitricSugar & Kirsten N!  Congratulations to both of you.  I will be emailing you shortly to find out which 3 patterns you would like to receive. 

And for those of you who did not win, Lu is offering a coupon code of CRAFTING25 to receive 25% off all patterns in her shop between now and Wednesday, June 27/12 at midnight.

for the love designs ~ pattern GIVEAWAY

For those who regularly read my blog, it's no secret that I loved making the Frankie quilt, from for the love designs, that I recently completed.  It was a very straight forward pattern, pre-cut friendly, beginner friendly, awesome support from the designer....what more can I say!  Highly recommended!  (p.s.  She also has a super cute blog!)

 {my version of 'Frankie'}

Lu has many other lovely designs, 9 in all, and some of my other favourites are....

Lu has generously offered to give away three patterns of your choice, to two lucky winners!

In order to enter, please visit Lu's pattern shop then come back and leave one comment on this post telling me which of her quilt designs is your favourite.

I will leave the giveaway open until next Saturday, June 23, 2012, 5pm PST.  I will contact the two winners by email to find out which three patterns you would like, then the patterns you choose will be emailed directly to you by Lu.

Good luck!

{Sew Mama Sew} Giveaway Day!

Comments are now closed, and the winner is #112, Alison! 

First, I'd like to say 'welcome' to anyone who is visiting my blog for the first time via Sew Mama Sew.  I hope you'll stay and have a look around! 

My giveaway today is for 3/4yd of "Man's Best Friend" by Leanne Anderson for Henry Glass Fabrics.  This is a 100% cotton quilting fabric that has not been pre-washed and is coming from a smoke free, pet free home.  Also in the giveaway is one 1200yd spool of Connecting Threads Essential 100% cotton thread in the colour "Slate".  Both items will go to one winner.

In order to enter the giveaway, all you need to do is leave one comment letting me know what your favourite thread is.  Just 'cause I'm curious!  International entries welcome.  This giveaway will be closed for entries on Friday, May 25th at 5pm PST, and I will use a random number generator to choose the winner.  

**I will notify the winner by email so please be sure that an email address is in your comment OR is accessible through your profile.**

Good luck!

Modern Mini Challenge, and it's a giveaway!

Edited on April 20/12: After being reminded by Krista about this mini and that it would qualify for the Festival of Half Square Triangles, I decided to link up.  

The giveaway for this quilt is now closed and the winner has been announced here.

I waffled back and forth, whether or not I would participate in this challenge. I was drawn to it (ahem, can we say awesome prizes???) but I know that I have a habit of making minis and then not knowing what to do with them, no matter how cute! I ended up emailing Jennifer, the challenge hostess, and asking if it would be okay for me to do a giveaway for my entry quilt - I didn't want to step on anyone's toes! She gave me the thumbs up, so here we are. :)

{finished size: 14.5" x 14.5"}

For this project, I used only scraps. Many are from past projects of my own, and some are scraps that I had received from a few of my lovely readers (Debbie, Lucy, Elizabeth....). I followed this tutorial for the spider-leg block design. I had so much fun putting this little quilt together, and as much as I love it I will be happy to send it off to one of you.

No major rules for the giveaway. Just leave me a comment if you'd like win this mini quilt. Please make sure that you are not a "no-reply blogger" because I must have a way to get in touch with you if you win. If you are still not sure, just leave an email address in your comment and that will do. The giveaway will end when the link-up for the challenge ends, on March 5th.

Good luck, and do make sure to check out all the other entries in the challenge over at Ellison Lane starting on March 2nd.

Linked up at Pieceful Life - Little Quilt Mondays.

Modern Mini Challenge

Are you participating in the Modern Mini Challenge? I have waffled back and forth, but today I saw something that gave me a little inspiration so I am now officially in!! Like I've suggested before, minis are fun to make, quick too, but I don't have a place in my home to put all of my little creations. So, my Modern Mini Challenge entry will also be a giveaway! I'm excited to share this little sneak peek with you....and don't worry, it will not be all pink once finished!

Entries for the Challenge are due on March 5th, so there is still lots of time to jump on the bandwagon. Oh, and in case you hadn't already heard, there are some AWESOME prizes!! All details can be found by clicking on the link button above. Hope to see you all there!

A Winner! and a few random thoughts...

{Is this totally dorky or what...I took a photo of my computer screen in order to show the random.org results....so far haven't figured out a better way. Though I have had some suggestions, I have been able to make none of them work. This does the job though, hey?}

The two Hometown blocks offered up earlier this week are going to commenter #6, none other than Lucy!! One of my lovely faithful readers and commenters from the UK! Congratulations, Lucy. :) I will email you shortly.

Now, two random questions for you all this Friday.

1. Do you ever quilt with 100% polyester batting? I decided to give it a try with this quilt because quite frankly it's so much cheaper, and the charity I am going to mail the quilt to accepts poly batting, and hey, why not try something new? But now that it's basted, I'm a little concerned. It's really....poofy. And this isn't even the stuff labeled "high loft". Here's hoping it's not a disaster.

And now the earth shattering question of the day.....

2. Would you wear PJ's to bring your kids to school? And I'm not talking about just throwing a coat on over your PJ's to drive them, never actually leaving the car, because I will admit that I have done that, but actually going inside the school in your PJ's. I saw someone at school this morning like that, and it made me think, REALLY???? Am I alone in this?

Please comment and let me know. Happy Friday!!!!

Remember these? A giveaway of sorts....

Remember these blocks?? Based on your voting, #2 became this pillow, to go with this one and this one. Meanwhile, #1 and #3 have been sitting on the cupboard in my bedroom for months now and I haven't got a clue what to do with them. I have enough cushions for the bedroom, the fabrics don't really "go" elsewhere in the house, I don't really want to turn them into minis because they would probably continue to lay around somewhere! I wish now that I'd incorporated them into the backing for my Swoon quilt, but it's unfortunately too late for that.

Now, this isn't an exciting giveaway of stacks of fabrics or cool quilty gadgets or anything of the sort, but if any of you are interested in adopting blocks #1 and #3 shown above (12.5" square each, with unfinished edges), leave a comment and I'll draw using Random.org on Friday. I'd be happy to send them off to one of you!

Winner!

The winner of the Hometown potholders, out of an overwhelming 291 valid entries, is #102, Kate!!

I sew on a Janome MC10000. But I still have the $50 Brother I started on, a 1951 Singer Centennial, and a Necchi. Because you never know when you'll need four sewing machines.

Kate, of Katie Mae Quilts (I follow her blog....you should too), I will be emailing you soon!!

{Sew Mama Sew} Giveaway Day!

Comments are now closed. Thanks to all who participated. Our winner is comment #102, Kate!

It's Giveaway Day over at Sew Mama Sew, and this is my first year participating! I would like to welcome anyone visiting my blog for the first time....I hope you'll stay a while!

** Before commenting, PLEASE remember that you must include an email address either directly in your comment OR accessible through your profile. I have had many many comments that did not include an address, therefore are not valid entries. No email address = no entry. Thank you! **

Up for grabs today is a set of two handmade-by-me potholders, made using Hometown fabric, by Sweetwater for Moda. These are very thick, with two layers of Insul-Bright heat resistant batting, so they would also make great pads for placing hot dishes on the dinner table.

In order to enter the giveaway, all I ask you to do is leave one comment telling me what sewing machine you use, just because I want to know. :)

Comments will close on December 16th at 5pm (PST), and I will use a random number generator to choose the winner. I will notify the winner by email so please be sure that an email address is in your comment OR is accessible through your profile.

International entries welcome. Good luck!

A Giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who participated, this giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Debbie!


Just for fun, I want to do a little giveaway! I participate in so many (only won once so far...) so I figured why not do one myself? I've had so much fun writing this little blog for the last month or so and have enjoyed "getting to know" many of you through it, you've all been so encouraging and the interaction makes it even more fun!

So I made this little mug rug out of some of my Hometown scraps to give away to one of you to say thanks for reading. Nothing special to enter, just leave a comment and next Wednesday I'll do a drawing. Make sure you have an email address attached to your profile, or leave it in your comment. Good luck!

P.S. I used this Flickr photo for the design, and followed verykerryberry's tutorial for single fold binding. The binding method was a tad fussy (I'd pre-press the folds next time) but the results were great, especially good for these small projects I think.