I cut a great many fat quarters in the course of a week, but what exactly can you do with a fat quarter apart from admire it.
Well, I've found a book.... 'Small Stash Sewing 24 Projects using Designer Fat Quarters' written by Melissa Averinos with a Foreword written by Amy Butler.
It's all about using fabric... fat quarters... smaller pieces.... tiny pieces, your favourite pieces and incorporating them into sewing projects that you'll live with for a while.
Melissa is a fabric designer, she has a blog YummyGoods where you'll find links to all kinds of things especially her animated unicorn stories. (psst! They work well with the cushions.)
This book represents the way she loves to sew and her 'new' belief that maybe fabric is made to be used and not just to hoard.... this book is to get you over that paralysis that comes from gazing at beautiful fabric and not being able to decide what to do with it apart from drag it out of the cupboard to look at and hold. Beginning to recognise the symptoms of a little fabric obsession?
This is a light-hearted book, a can-do kind of book with instructions for creating belts, for modifying t-shirts, for adding fabric to trousers legs to either lengthen them or just to stylise. There are patterns for bags,
Lovely curved shape...
Cute unicorn and moon cushions ...
the perfect cushions to have adventures with..
sachets and braided fabric necklaces and even suggestions for prettifying a wicker basket with a 'Fancy Fabric Liner'.
I like the scalloped edges..
There are lots of ideas for using fabric to brighten up your home, your life and your loved ones.
So, to celebrate my blog moving home I thought I'd have a giveaway of this book. To join in all, you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Friday 30th July. I'll use the 'random number generator' to select a number and the lucky person that made the comment that corresponds with the number will be the winner. (Does that make sense?) I don't mind where in the world you come from so long as the struggling postie can get there :)
What a great book. Thanks for the opportunity to enter.
Posted by: Jules | July 30, 2010 at 12:01 AM
I'd love to win this book. I've got TONS of fat quarters
Posted by: Christine | July 29, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Looks like a fab book! Love the moon and unicorn pillows :)
Posted by: Manda | July 29, 2010 at 08:32 PM
great giveaway!
Posted by: Julie booth | July 27, 2010 at 02:36 PM
The new blog looks great. This book looks really fun... and I know what she means about fabric obsessions. I have some Amy B FQ's I just can't cut up!
Posted by: Katie | July 26, 2010 at 11:02 PM
What a great book! Please enter me.
Posted by: Heather Walsh | July 26, 2010 at 06:05 PM
I have perfected the art of simply admiring fat quarters so it is now possibly time for me to move on to doing something with them...
Posted by: noodleBubble | July 26, 2010 at 05:02 PM
I've got a beautiful collection of Amy Butler FQ's (many bought from you!) but I ca'nt quite bring myself to cut into them. Perhaps this book would give me the impetus I need.
Posted by: Penny | July 26, 2010 at 02:19 PM
Hi Julia
I've just come back from holiday to find you've moved!! hope you're settling in
The book looks good - I like the look of the bag
Gill
Posted by: Gill | July 25, 2010 at 06:17 PM
Brilliant book, have way too many FQ's needing to be used up. Think friends and family have enough baby owl's to keep them going for a while!! Would be very well used book in this household I assure you, seeing as the Cornish sunshine has faded for now.
Posted by: Lara T | July 25, 2010 at 08:24 AM
What a great idea!
I have lots of peices of fabric I just can't seem to get rid of, this would help the situation...!
Posted by: Anna | July 24, 2010 at 11:48 PM
Luv books!
Posted by: Susan Spiers | July 24, 2010 at 02:22 PM
I have that book on my amazon wishlist - I've heard so many great things about it! Melissa is also (apparently - I haven't met her but my friend/colleague has) really lovely and a great fun person as well.
I'd LOVE to be entered into the giveaway! Thanks for the chance to get my FQ stockpile down a bit! ;)
Posted by: Katy | July 24, 2010 at 02:15 PM
what a perfect book - I have daft amount of fat quarters I can't decide what to do with....
Posted by: Vic Morris | July 24, 2010 at 10:16 AM
Wow, would love this book, getting back into all things crafting and sewing etc after 20 year break,(blooming kids lol). So any help would be a blessing.
Posted by: phyllis ellett | July 24, 2010 at 09:42 AM
Wow this would certainly help me do something creative with a lot of my fat quarters or scraps kickin about! Please put my name in the hat :)
Posted by: Katherine | July 24, 2010 at 09:40 AM
I've had my eye on that book - would love to win. Have loads of fat quarters that need something doing with...
Fiona
Posted by: Fiona Pullen | July 24, 2010 at 09:37 AM
Please put my name in the hat. Good to see you blogging again.
Posted by: Judith | July 23, 2010 at 05:00 PM
That looks like a lovely book :)
Posted by: averilpam | July 23, 2010 at 02:19 PM
Oh i love fat quarters, they are a marvell
Posted by: Debby Leaper | July 23, 2010 at 01:10 PM
What a great concept for a book! xxx
Posted by: Jenny | July 23, 2010 at 01:06 PM
I have so many little bits of fabric & a few fat quarters going spare - this sounds like an ideal book for me :-) xxx
Posted by: Amanda | July 23, 2010 at 09:58 AM
Loving the new blog, Julia :)
This book sounds amazing - thanks ever so much for linking to Melissa's blog, it isn't one I'd come across before.
Posted by: Vonnie | July 23, 2010 at 08:14 AM
I have the "fat quarter hoarding disease" I'd love that book. Love the new blog!!!
Posted by: Gina | July 23, 2010 at 07:36 AM
This looks like a great book - just what I need to get my ever growing stash down!
Loving the look of the new blog too!
Posted by: Talia | July 23, 2010 at 06:52 AM