Liberty Book of Home Sewing - Giveaway

Last weekend, I realised I'd been blogging a whole year.  Wowee.  I had no idea when I started whether I'd have anything to say.  Or if I'd even maintain my interest in learning how to do things I'd never done before.  But I have loved everything about the whole process.  I've loved learning how to do new things.  I've loved reading about you lovely people that I'd never otherwise come into contact with.  And most of all, I have loved knowing that you are out there cheering me on in my still small creative endeavours.

I know it's traditional on the anniversary of a blog to have a giveaway of a lovely thing made by the blogger.  But I thought you deserved a bit more than that (maybe next year).  So, it hit me that I could give away a book to celebrate.  (Any excuse for a legitimate break in the book diet.) It needed to be a special book.  And a crafty book.  One that would make you oooh and aaah, but that you might not splash out on yourself.  So, I thought this might be just the ticket.

I got a copy with a subscription to Mollie Makes.  And now I want everyone to have one.  This book is beautiful.

If you don't sew, I guarantee that it will make you want to.  If you do sew (and you don't already own the book), you will definitely want to make everything in it.  Immediately.  If you can sew a bit, it will make you want to have a go.  It has beautifully illustrated step-by-step instructions.

And a touch of quirkiness which appeals to me.

And it's clothbound, in hardback, and printed on good thick paper.

I do hope you like it.  If you'd like the chance to own the book, all you need to do is leave me a comment.  It would be nice if you could follow me but you don't have to.  If you'd like to blog about the giveaway, come back and let me know that you have and I'll add your name twice.  I'd love to know what you think works most about NKK and what you'd like to see more of.  If you remember to include that in your comments that would be fab but I won't exclude you if you don't.  In short, I'd love to hear from you.  Oh yes, and I'll choose a winner on  Saturday 11 February so you can leave a comment on this post any time up until then.

Thank you for all your support over the last year.  Not to put too fine a point on it, the last twelve months has been a challenge in ways that I don't write about here, but it had been delightful to have a place to escape to.  That you choose to read what I have to say and comment on my blog is truly amazing to me.

C.x

And the winner is...

Thanks so much for all your thoughts on where you'd like to live.  How lovely to read about your daydreams.  The winner, chosen scientifically after much eeny meeny miney mo, is...  The Girl.   The Girl decided that she'd like to live in a tardis, which I think is a very sensible idea.  She is also about to move house, so I think maybe the cushion cover might come in handy to spruce up (sic) her new home.  All I need is an address.  I now imagine The Girl is overcome with excitement in a breathy Kate Winslet sort of way...

More later on my knitting.  It has met with mixed success.  Nothing like thinking you know better than a pattern to humble you in the end.  Now, if only I'd had the bowl, it would have been entirely different...

And because I am not really going out this week, I do not need this rather lovely knitting bag from here.

C.x
(Do you like me posting my Etsy finds?  If it annoys you, I'll stop. )

Giveaway - owl anyone?

I am reading in blogland that Autumn is in the air in Blighty and that children are heading back to school and generally that Summer is nearly over.  I thought it might be a good time for a treat.

It's Labour Day here.  Which means a day off.  We've been out and about a lot this weekend, but today has been spent making this:

Yes indeed.  I made that.  Not just sewed it.  Made it up.  From scratch.  Me.  I have realised how easy envelope cushion covers are to make, and now I want to revamp every cushion in the house.  But I want to start with a thank you giveaway.

I had an idea that it might be good to have my own interpretation of what seems to be the craft mascot of the moment.  

Google is awash with owl images so it was all a bit bewildering at first.  But eventually, I found this one and knew that I could make it work with what was in my head.  

I then spent lots of time faffing around with different scraps of fabric and generally making a mess.  I hadn't used my sewing machine in a couple of months so that was all a bit daunting too.  But in the end, it all came together pretty well.

Okay, so it's all a bit rough around the edges, but I think that makes it more home-made looking.  And I like the perplexed expression.  (If I didn't exist yesterday and now found myself living on a cushion cover, I think I'd be a bit perplexed too...).

I wasn't quite sure what to do about the feet (talons? claws?).  But then a particular piece of fabric emerged at the top of the heap and I knew this would be just the thing.

Anyway, all this is a prelude to saying thank you.  Eight months ago I had no idea how to sew or to crochet, and I didn't read blogs. Neither did I know that there was such a fab support network of lovely people out there just bursting with goodwill and enthusiasm waiting to cheer me on.  So I thought I'd say thank you with my owl mascot.  

I'm also very preoccupied with my move coming up.  So, I thought that should come into it somehow too.  

Here's all you have to do: 

1. If you'd like the chance to win the owl cushion cover ( padding not included but it's about 17 inches square), then please leave me a comment telling me where you'd like to live in the world.  

2. You don't have to worry about what you'd live off, or whether you could take your pet giraffe, or where your kids would go to school, or whether there will be sweetpeas there.  All that is included in your fantasy place. 

3. Maybe you're already living in your dream location (lucky duck).  If so, I'd love to hear about it. 

3. And if you blog about my giveaway on your blog, come back and leave me another comment and you'll be entered twice.

That's it really.  Hope you like it.

C.x

Oh yes, forgot to say the posts will be open until 19 September.

And the winner is...

Hello there,

Great excitement in the house of no knitted knickers.  We have chosen a winner for the thread cutter.  I would show you all the folded up paper with individual names of those who entered, but there isn't any.  Ours was a far cruder method of selection than that, involving Mr. P writing numbers from 1 to 21 on a piece of paper and me with my eyes closed stabbing at the paper with a pencil and drawing a crude cross.   (Not a very photogenic process...)  And the winner was no. 14.  As the 14th comment was from Jo of The Good Life and Through the Keyhole, she wins the grand prize.  Jo, if you could email me with your contact details, I'll get this in the post to you.  Congratulations!

In case anyone wants to buy one themselves now that they've realised they can't be without it, I bought my thread cutter here.

And of course, I need to tell you that I am the proud owner of a new bag.  BIG ta-dah moment in the next post.  But maybe just a sneak peak now...

I am stupidly proud of my achievement.  (And I'm hoping that the bright colours and happy pattern will mask the wobbly lines of my school girl sewing...)

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

C.x

Liebster

Thanks so much to Gillyflower

Hurray!


A huge thank you to Gill from Gillyflower for thinking of me and noknittedknickers for the Liebster Blog Award.  I am delighted and flattered and not a little amazed.  Two months ago I had no idea how many talented women were out there creating the most fabulous things and sharing them with others.  You are lovely and amazing and I am so so pleased to join your gang.  I have such a long way to go in my creative endeavours and your comments and feedback ( and this award) all chivvy me along to keep trying, keep creating, keep writing about it all.  Thank you thank you thank you.

There's still time to enter the giveaway for the thread cutter (another thank you).  So glad all those who commented already realise that this little gizmo is all that's been missing from their lives to date... :)  All you need to do is leave a comment on my post of 17 March for a chance to win. 

A big hello to all those who've dropped by for the first time in recent days, and to those who are coming back to check in on noknittedknickers.  Lovely to have you here.

I gather that the Liebster award is all about paying it forward to other new and small blogs.  I am discovering new and exciting blogs every day, so this is a tough one.  Also, the rules seem a bit flexible on who should be included.  Anyway, I have randomly selected a cut off of blogs I like with less than 100 followers.  So, here, in no particular order, are my choices:

Knitted Back Together

Nimble Fingers and Steady Eyebrows

Apples and Pears

A Girl in Winter

These represent to me what is best about blogging: creativity, flair, sophistication, a sense of humour and engagement with community.  An inspiration.

Back soon with more creative endeavours.

C.x

Just a little something - Giveaway

This week, I have reached over a 1000 hits on the blog.  Even leaving aside my Mum and my sisters and Mr. P and randoms people I've pestered at parties to take a look, that still means that total strangers are checking in to see what's going on.  And I'm chuffed to bits about that.  Either it's lots and lots of people having a look once, or the same 5 people lots and lots of times.  Either way, I'm happy.  And so I wanted to say thank you in the tradition of Blogland by having a giveaway.  Now, I know that I'm supposed to make something to give away.  But you will know that I have yet to make much of anything, let alone something all you talented people out there might want.  So, my giveaway is a bit different. 



A thread cutter!  Those of you who followed my progress through Australia may remember the fiasco of my wool-buyer expedition to Morris & Sons in Sydney and how they wouldn't allow me to return everything when I realised I could get it all for a fraction of the price back home.  Anyway, because of this, I ended up with not one but two thread cutters.  One thing you should know about me is that when I take on something new I go for it with all the zeal of a convert, and buy lots of gadgets and gizmos that aren't strictly necessary.  I half thought the thread cutter would be one of those things.  What's wrong with a scissors, after all....

But believe it or not, this little thing is amazing.  I can take it on a plane without freaking out the security people.  It doesn't have any sharp pointy bits to stick through the seams of my wool bag or take anyone's eye out.  And it saves my wool from being pulled apart by my fists.  In short, this is my new favourite toy.  So, I thought you might like one too.  And you can even wear it round your neck if you want so that you always know where it is when you need it.

I do hope you'll think it useful too.  All you need to do for a chance to receive this is to leave a comment on this post.  I'll keep it open until Sunday 27 March.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

C.x