TMQG Holiday Scrap Swap + the Giveaway Winner!

As many of you know I am President of the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild and this year I thought we should have a little bit of fun to celebrate our last meeting leading up to the holiday season (we don't hold a meeting in December because that would be crazy). Back in August and September guild members brought in sandwich sized ziploc bags full of scraps and we swapped them out. We each then made some small giftie type items using the scraps and held a secret Santa/mystery gift swap at this month's meeting.

I received Doris's scraps and made these three small items. I originally was making a tote with patchwork pockets but somehow managed to totally jank it up, so I cut the pockets down to make the mug rug and the pincushion. The tree ornament is loosely based on Anna's tutorial, however I didn't use her template and just free handed everything (I'm sure yours will turn out much nicer if you actually follow the tutorial). Doris's scraps aren't really my style but I wanted to try really hard to use the scraps that I was given and not much else (which wasn't part of the rules for the swap but I wanted to challenge myself). The only things that didn't come from Doris's scraps were the felt and baker's twine for the tree.

Funnily enough, the mystery gift I received was actually made from my scraps! Sheila made me this lovely (and giant) zipper pouch and used a few of my scraps to create a rainbow effect across the front.

Sheila boxed the edges of the pouch so that it can stand up on it's own. In the picture it's got reusable shopping bags stuffed inside, but I'm planning on using it to hold either sewing supplies when I need to travel (I think my Clover mini iron will fit well in here with a slew of other things) or to hold knitting projects that require longer straight needles. Now didn't Sheila do a fabulous job? I love it!

And then...

I totally got photobombed! Yep, that's Alex. Oy.

So I bet you want to know who won the Down Under chevron and Kona bundle sponsored by Sew Sisters? The Winner is (drum roll please)...

Congratulations Lesly! Please get in touch with me with your mailing address and I will have Sew Sisters send your fabric out to you!

Blogathon Canada + a Giveaway!

Hey y'all! If you've been here before - welcome back, I love you! If you're new to these parts feel free to put your feet up on my coffee table and stay a little while!

Today is Ontario's turn for Blogathon Canada; that means Cathi, Cara, and myself are welcoming you to our little corner of the world! I have not had the pleasure of meeting Cara as she lives in London, Ontario, but Cathi is the extremely lovely lady who gifted me (just about three years ago now) with the sewing machine that I still use to this day. If you don't know that story, you can read more about it here.

Well, let's see, I guess you'd like to know a little about me, right?

I live in downtown Toronto with my partner of four years, Alex (that's us with the popsicle stick snowflakes we made at our friends' American Thanksgiving party this past week). I am a librarian by trade, but am currently working freelance writing quilting, sewing, and cross stitch patterns, as well as articles, for various publications including Stitch Craft Create and Quilts & More. I also have my own independent line of patterns which can be found here and here.

I have been crafty all me life but began quilting a few years ago when a friend from high school was getting married - I randomly decided that I wanted to make her a quilt and just jumped in fully dressed. I didn't even realize at the time that there was such a thing as a quilt pattern so I just made up my own and that's basically what I've been doing ever since.

In June 2010 I was asked to take over the presidency of the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild and have been President ever since. In July the TMQG was asked to participate in the Quilts at the Creek show at Black Creek Pioneer Village and this is me with two of my quilts. The one on the left is Mine Shaft and the one of the right is The Geese Have Landed.

To celebrate our little blogathon, here are some other Ontario blogs that you can visit:

Fiberchick

Jackie's Art Quilts

Ariane Quilts

Juanita Sauve Art Quilts

Quilt Bee

Clothes and Crafts

Naturalgrrl's Blog

Sweet & Crunchy

Kathy's Quilts

Dresden Quilter

And here's a few I've added myself:

Thought & Found 
Finger Thumb
Sky's Slate 
The Enchanted Bobbin

Well, how's about the giveaway now then?

To celebrate the Blogathon, Sew Sisters is offering one lucky reader of my blog the chance to win the above bundle which includes one metre of the chevron print from Down Under by Mint Blossom and four coordinating Kona fat quarters in White, Deep Blue, Chartreuse, and Leprechaun.

You have two chances but please be sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Here's what you've got to do:

1. Leave a comment letting know what your favourite solid colours are!

2. Leave another comment if you are a follower of my blog.

That's it! Two easy-peasy ways to enter! The giveaway is only open for one day so jump on it now!!

International entries are, as always, welcome! Also, please remember that I have comment moderation enabled so if you don't see your comment right away it just means that I haven't had the chance to approve it yet (duplicate comments will be deleted).

*the giveaway is now closed*