sewing

  • Giveaway Day 31 – I Aim to Tease

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day31_HELLOgiveawayBanner


    LottieDa_DesignRoll1b

    What
    a month! And what a marathon of frenzied fun. I'm exhilirated to have
    made it to the finish line. Today is the last day of my month of giveaways—every
    day this August. I had an impulse to shower you all with presents as a
    big Thank You Party for your love and support. And I ran with it.

    I'm honored that so many great companies and good friends contributed
    prizes. I was especially touched to read all of the sweet comments made
    by Mary Engelbreit's fans on Day 24.
    I hope that twenty or thirty years from now I will have maintained as
    meaningful of a relationship with my fans as Mary has. That was
    inspiring. Thank you for that.

    LottieDa_DesignRoll2b

    There is one more proper August prize to hand out. But, truthfully, I have more prizes to give away than I have days in August.
    In fact, there are some gorgeous prizes associated with my new fabric
    collection that will be offered up next week when I officially introduce
    the line.

    So, though we've completed this month of daily giveaways, the giveaways will keep on coming
    at a steady pace, mixed together with new designs, inspiration and
    behind-the-scenes peeks at artwork and new products in development.

    I know you are all anxious to see the new fabric collection—only a
    couple more days to go! As such, I've decided to tease you with my Day
    31 prize. The image above is proof positive that a new line awaits, but
    it sure doesn't reveal much of the artwork or even the color palette
    involved—considering that you're only glimpsing a portion of the line.
    Here is an appetizer. I am wildly excited to share more.

    Today's winner will receive a thirty-piece design roll from my new Lottie Da fabric collection—to
    be revealed this coming week. Each piece is 2.5" x the full width of
    the fabric. Great for a variety of projects—and for project-planning.
    Comment to
    enter. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    in the comment form so we can contact you if you win.

    Giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST on Monday 9/2/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my August giveaway party, click here.

    Watch for more exciting giveaways next week.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather

    Read More “Giveaway Day 31 – I Aim to Tease”

  • |

    Giveaway Day 30

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day30_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    Author2_final

    StationWagon_300ShortToday, I had the privilege of flipping through an early copy of Kerry Goulder's new book, Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love. The release is set for mid- October, but I got my hands on one of the only two copies Kerry has seen herself.

    That's right, Kerry (aka Kid Giddy) sent me one of her only two copies so I could share the book with you as part of my August HELLO Giveaways celebration. So exciting! Thank you, Kerry.

    My first peek at this charming project book was earlier this year
    when Kerry asked me to write the book's foreword. Over the course of
    several emails back and forth and a couple of phonecalls, I got to know
    Kerry and her concept. Each project in the book is tied to a story and
    centered on four themes, taking us "from a fairy woodland, to the
    coastal waters, to the arctic, and back."

    Pinchy_300ShortKerry
    lives in Maine with the ocean as her neighbor. One of my favorite
    projects in the book is her Pinchy the Lobster character. Coming from
    the land of paisley turtles and floral elephants, there's something about a calico lobster that certainly works for me.

    I also love her station wagon and hipster-camping-trailer pattern
    above. Not only does it wax nostalgic, but here's one car toy that won't
    split your eyebrow open when your toddler attacks. That's a true bonus.
    I've had more than one request from my family to design some soft
    boy-toys suitable for snuggling. Our Evan likes a big reaction. This often translates into experimental hammering on his siblings and parents—especially at bedtime.

    Beyond these great projects, Kerry has also included a dolphin
    pattern, an orca whale, a row boat, a hot air balloon, a teddy bear, and
    an igloo—to name just a few. A wide variety of projects for one book.

    SewingTalestoStitchLove2

    Join me in congratulating Kerry and KP Craft on their lovely new book. Watch for Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love: 18 Toy Patterns for the Storytelling Sewist to reach your local bookstore or fabric shop this fall and go get yourself a copy. Also, keep up with Kerry on her Kid Giddy blog (she's just beginning to post reveals of her gorgeous new sewing studio), and on facebook, twitter, pinterest, and flickr while you're at it.

    Foreword2

    Today's giveaway winner will receive this early copy of the book—signed by the author and me. Invaluable 🙂 Comment to
    enter. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    in the comment form so we can contact you if you win.

    Giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST on Sunday 9/1/13. It's
    a holiday weekend and the final stretch of my giveaway marathon. As
    such, I'm giving you through the weekend to enter so everyone can have a
    decent shot—even those who have found time away from the computer with
    their families! Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post.

    For more info on my August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. See you again tomorrow. And Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather

    Read More “Giveaway Day 30”

  • |

    Giveaway Day 28 — There Will Be Fabric

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day28_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    There are strike-offs everywhere at the studio today, looking better
    than ever. They tend to show up with only a moment's notice and require a
    fast turn around. Reviewing fabric samples takes daylight though—and
    therefore a reshuffling of the day's top projects. If it can be done in
    the dark, it gets bumped.

    Over my years designing fabric, I've learned that the sooner I hand in
    my color notes, the sooner I get finished fabric in hand. When
    strike-offs arrive, our little ant hill stirs into a frenzy to get the
    job done and set the world straight again.

    ColorTabs_TwistCrop_470T

    All stirred up and settled back down again. Daylight has faded, but
    the job is done. Even better, we don't have to wait till this collection
    is ready for production before… there… will… be… fabric.

    In fact, we don't have to wait long at all. There is a tower of boxes a
    few feet behind me—just delivered today—that house a brand-new fabric
    collection. The only thing holding me back from tearing into the
    shipment is getting today's giveaway posted while it's still the 28th!

    ZZ-GFT03_050-2_300So,
    let's hop to it. You enter the giveaway, I'll open the boxes. And as
    soon as daylight rolls back in, we'll take some pictures, sew up a few
    little ditties and set the pretties before you within the week.

    With a new fabric collection close at hand, I figure a $50 gift certificate to the HeatherBaileyStore.com would make someone's day.

    Comment to enter. One entry per household. Be sure to include your email
    address
    in the comment form so we can contact you if you win.

    Today's giveaway will close at 11:59pm PST on Thursday 8/29/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within the week at the bottom
    of the post. For more info on my August giveaway party, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather 

    Read More “Giveaway Day 28 — There Will Be Fabric”

  • |

    It’s Official

    ByHeather Bailey

    As I hinted last week, I'll be heading to Utah in three weeks to give the keynote address at The Sewing Summit 2013. The announcement was made yesterday on The Sewing Summit blog and throughout their social media outlets. Click on the image below to read the full article.

    SewingSummitAnnouncementC

    SewingSummitWWhat
    is The Sewing Summit? As they put it, "We’re a cross between a
    traditional sewing retreat and a social
    media and blogging conference… With hands-on workshops, networking
    events, inspiring speakers,
    informative lecture sessions and enough down-time to connect with
    friends new and old—Sewing Summit is the only event of its kind. Join us
    for a weekend of skill-building, networking, laughing and
    reconnecting!"

    I'm excited to meet everyone and share. The event has been sold out for a while. However! They have added a handful of spaces this week. If you are interested in attending, jump on it. Just have a look at these great classes and teachers.
    I hear the sewing labs will be open till 2am or so. You can sew in your
    pjs with friends. Doesn't that sound dreamy? Of course, I'm a serious
    night owl.

    So then, whether you're attending or not, what would you like to hear
    from me at an event like this? The conference covers such diverse
    topics: fashion, quilting, blogging, photography, business and more. I want to do a bang-up job for you all.

  • |

    Giveaway Day 23

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day23_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    ScrapbookPrize_Warm4

    Tweedle-dee-and-tweedle-dum_post2I
    was up all night altering my son's band uniform. The only pair of pants
    they had on hand for a 6'4" kid were equally as big around—serious
    Tweedle-Dee pants.

    In the end, I removed 15 total inches from the girth of the pants,
    taking out 1" to 6" on five different seams: inseams, outseams, and
    center back. And I added two darts in the front to bring the suspenders
    closer together.

    I deserve a sewing badge for extreme alteration. That was some WiLd
    sewing. I've never modified a garment so drastically before. I'm
    stocking up on mama points this week. Going to cash them in for
    babysitting—starting tonight. Hooray for the weekend!

    BandBeforeAfter_470

    Today's giveaway is a collection of Heather Bailey paper-crafting supplies, including
    a variety of clear stamps, ribbons, die-cut felt trim, stickers, ink
    pads—all sorts of bright happy supplies. A $43 value.


    Read More “Giveaway Day 23”

  • |

    Giveaway Day 19 — Stella

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day19_HELLOgiveawayBanner

    At Quilt Market last May, I met Nathan and Stacy Wiedenmann who were
    there introducing a new product to the world. And it was no elementary,
    homespun product either, but a multi-function task light of all things.
    Now how do you get that made?

    The inventor in me can't resist new gadgets. The business owner in me
    thrills to see someone tackle manufacturing with success. Isaac has two
    pet lighting inventions he wants to patent and market one day, so
    meeting small business owners in the lighting trade is extra fun.

    Day19_StellaLamp_Logo4

    Now, I'm going to butcher the Stella Lighting
    story, but as I understand it, Nathan was at a meeting at Starbucks
    where he and an associate were discussing a prototype of this lamp when a
    quilter approached them to find out more about it. After a
    demonstration, she insisted that she needed the lamp and she needed it
    now. And that other quilters and crafters needed it too. The punchline
    is: this godsend matchmaker hooked up a great little lamp with an eager
    audience and it was true love.

    StellaBlackRightSo
    what makes this light different? The Stella task lamp is stocked with
    21 little LED light bulbs, all rated to last for 50,000+ hours—we'll
    call that a lifetime of use. You never have to change the bulbs. With
    efficient LED technology, the lamp uses 10% of the electricity of a
    comparably bright incandescent light. And the light stays cool, so you
    can work right under it very comfortably. It is available as a desk lamp or floor lamp.

    It also has five brightness levels, so it can be adjusted to the task at hand. You can choose from three different light temperatures, including a warm light (very similar to incandescent light), a very cool light, and a bright, daylight-balanced light.

    For me and my purposes, the
    daylight-balanced setting is where it's at. Much of my work involves
    reviewing colors for accuracy. And having a Stella on hand allows me to
    work later into the day, after the sun has set—perfect for evaluating
    fabric strike-offs, painting new artwork, or choosing thread colors.

    The light is even and bright and the neck of the lamp can be bent in almost any direction. It's streamline shape allows it to peek in quietly over your work or move aside as needed.

    Day19_StellaLamp_Logo4

    Check in with Stella on Twitter and Instagram. Visit StellaLighting.com
    for a video introduction and more information about the product and the
    company. Art stores, quilt stores, needlework stores and more are all
    starting to carry this new light, so watch for the Stella at your local
    shop.

    Stella Lighting is generously donating one white Stella task lamp for today's giveaway. A $220 value.


     Comment to enter. One entry per household. U.S. shipping only on this one. Be sure to include your email
    address
    so we can contact you if you win. You don't have to type your email
    address into the body of the comment if you entered it in the email-address
    field on the comment form. Today's giveaway will close at noon PST on Tuesday 8/20/13. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within a few days at the bottom
    of the post.

    For the backstory on my August HELLO Giveaway project, click here. Please
    share the word. And check back every day.

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather

    Read More “Giveaway Day 19 — Stella”

  • |

    Giveaway Day 9

    ByHeather Bailey

    Day09_ElephantPattern

    Wow, thank you for your baby-naming stories and input.
    What great comments! I promise that there aren't too many more big
    stories I've kept to myself. Just designs. Designs that aren't out on
    products yet. But, I have lots of that coming soon. Mostly fabric,
    fabric, fabric.

    It's Friday, and for today our giveaway prize is a copy of my Most-Crazy-Popular-Ever sewing pattern Effie & Ollie Elephant, along with the winner's choice of elephant kit which includes all of the fabric, interfacing and trim for one elephant. A $19 value.

    Comment to enter today's contest. Be sure to include your email address
    so we can contact you if you win. Today's giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST on Friday 8/9/13. Watch for the winner to be announced within a day or
    two at the bottom
    of the post.

    For more info on my August giveaway madness, click here.
    Please
    share the word. Check back every day. And stay tuned for some big
    whoppers next week, with several prizes ranging in value from $100 to
    $300. Good luck!

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 9”

  • Giveaway Day 2

    ByHeather Bailey

    TurtlePatternKit_HeatherBailey2

    I have new fabric strike-offs to go over today and a magazine ad due
    on Monday, along with kids starting school next week. (Can you believe
    that? August 5th.) Not to mention a church campout, a dinner party and
    more housewares to prep for the factory. It's going to be a busy
    weekend.

    So let's get right to business. Today is Day 02 of my month-long Giveaway Party. The prize for August 2nd is a Henrietta turtle sewing pattern and a turtle kit
    to go with it (winner's choice). Henrietta is one of our top sewing
    patterns. She's fun to make and all too cute as a pincushion or toy.

    You don't have to be in the U.S. to enter. We love all of you—and we
    know how to ship things overseas 😉 Be sure to enter your email address
    so we can contact you if you win. Watch for the winners to be announced
    at the bottom of each post. For more info on my giveaway madness, click here. Each day's giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST that day.

    Good luck, everyone.

    Psst—up next week, we have custom jewelry, paper craft craziness, big brands, big prizes. Don't forget to check in every day.


    Read More “Giveaway Day 2”

  • HELLO Giveaways!

    ByHeather Bailey

     BannerDay01

    I was chatting at my baby earlier this week, conspiring with him to
    start a Birthday Month tradition for August—as we are the only two
    August birthdays in my immediate family. With enough fuss, we'll surely
    make the Mays and Januaries jealous. Midst our little tete-a-tete it
    dawned on me that I neglected to host my annual birthday giveaway last
    year. Boo.

    TryingtoSew_HeatherBailey470
    I will now make up for that. Right. About. Now. In the spirit of Birthday Month, how about a GIVEAWAY EVERY DAY for the month of August!? I'm talking about fabric, patterns, jewelry, equipment, supplies, etc.

    Sewing_HeatherBaileyWI
    am SO very grateful to each of you for your love and kindness—and for
    your support of my business and consequently my little family. I am
    inspired by you daily and I look forward to your comments and feedback.
    Thank you so much for your encouragement.

    I know this madness will put me in a swirl, but I don't care. I want
    to show you my appreciation. Celebrate with me. And let me celebrate
    you. I'll post one new giveaway on my blog each day in August. To enter a giveaway, simple leave a comment on that blog post by 11:59pm PST on the day of the post.
    Be sure to enter your email address so we can contact you if you win.
    We'll draw a winner at random, send out an email, then announce the
    result with an update at the bottom of that post.

    If you are on Instagram as well, enter an additional daily giveaway for a $15 gift certificate. (See footnote in green below.) That's actually two giveaways each day, isn't it? This thing keeps growing!

    HELLOgiveaway_GiftCertifictae470

    To kick things off with a splash, today's giveaway is for a $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE to our online store, HeatherBaileyStore.com
    where you can stock up on fabric, felt, sewing kits, patterns, paper
    crafts, and more. I have a new fabric collection I will be announcing
    later this month. And I'll be releasing all-new embroidery patterns as
    well—in between blogging about giveaways, right? This prize should come in handy.

    Remember, comment below
    to enter and make sure to submit your email address so we're not stuck
    with no way to reach you!

    Good luck. And again, thanks for your enthusiasm and support. I love you guys.

    xo—Heather


    Read More “HELLO Giveaways!”