March's Perse-Anality Bag and Charm School Pattern!

 You can find the Basics Charity Challenge here. The deadline has been extend to March 7th.

   As many of you know I'm designing patterns for Stitchin' Heaven's Perse-Anality club, as well as their Charm School.

With the purse club you get the fabrics and my exclusive pattern and the charm school gives you two charm packs and the exclusive pattern, with the option to buy the kit to make the entire project at a discount!
This month's purse is the Flirty Pouch! Check it out!

And this is the Charm School pattern, which is using Central Park.

Mail!

Look what came in the mail today! My mug rugs from the secret swap! YAY!
I even got a super cute coaster!

They're made from Frolic and are so incredibly gorgeous! Thanks Jay!

The Basics Charity Challenge a bit more

The actual challenge can be found here. Please leave comments here for the prize entries. Please note the Challenge has been extended one week to March 7th, and so many more prizes have been added.

 When I started this Challenge I was hoping to help some people. I was concerned and passionate but it has grown beyond my original idea and has snared me in even deeper.

I have received an immense amount of email from people. People donating more prizes, telling me stories- their own, their families- and I have been so incredibly touched.
I am not someone special. I do not have 1000s of followers yet this challenge has made me feel so connected to so many people.

The one thing that has come out over and over is that it could so easily have been any number of us if not for some turn of luck, or chance. Maybe we had family to run to, maybe we saw the signs early enough, whatever the reason it is but by grace that it wasn't us. And for some it was.

The strength it takes to leave an abusive relationship is immense. It takes courage and conviction and so often that comes from the knowledge that we must protect our children.

 This is email just arrived today and I had to share.
This is why we need these shelters and why we need to make sure they are able to support and safe guard our sisters and their children.

Cara,

I think it is wonderful that you have organized this challenge. God bless you for bringing more awareness to domestic violence.

I am a fellow quilter who lives in Virginia. Last Thursday morning, I had a doctor's appointment. Afterwards, I drove to a nearby Chick-fil-a for a chicken biscuit. As I pulled into the drive-thru, I heard popping sounds. I looked up and saw a man running through the parking lot shooting. I immediately backed up and drove to a nearby spot and called 911.

This man shot and killed his estranged wife as she sat in her car in the drive-thru. They had been separated for a year. She had a restraining order against him for previous acts of domestic violence. Their three daughters now have neither parent.

It took me a couple of days to shake it off. I am lucky that I also have a husband who would do anything to keep me safe and sound.

Thank again,

Donna Kirk

http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/feb/17/21/one-shot-dead-woodbridge-chick-fil-ar-850060/
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/feb/17/court-records-woodbridge-shooting-victim-lived-con-ar-851090/

 And I have to say as sad as this is, it is not the worst of what I have read in the last 2 weeks. I have been brought to tears many times. And that is ok. To bear witness to suffering can sometimes be all we can do, but it can also be very helpful to those experiencing it.

Please keep giving, whether it is time, money, materials, thoughts/prayers or of course the basics. Make sure that women have a place to go to be safe. And say thanks because you are not one of them.
And if you are, reach out. There is help. Even if you have to disappear there are people out there who can help.

Snowball fights, mug rugs and Mother Nature.

Check out the Basic's Charity Challenge here. There is only until February 28th to get entered for some of those AMAZING prizes!

  So what else have I been up to? Not a heck of a lot. We've had a lot of crazy pressure changes which are giving me migraines. Mother Nature has gone bipolar here and she really needs to get on meds.

We had more snow last week and everyone had some fun outside.

Here they are all tuckered out from shoveling, and snowball throwing.

I also finished up and sent off the mug rugs, for a swap.

My partner didn't give any preferences and doesn't have a blog so I just went with these and hope she likes them!

DH gave me these for Valentine's Day.

Yup, those mug rugs make great flower coasters too!

Remember to get entered into the Basics Charity Challenge and have a great weekend!

Winner of Inspired to Sew Blog Tour!

First let me say I was so honoured to read all of your inspirations. Some were sweet, some funny, some simple and some I identified with a lot.

The winner of a copy of Bari J's Inspired to Sew book is.....Syd!

Who left this wonderful comment!

Syd e-mail me your address caraquilts @ gmail . com and I'll get your book sent out to you!

The Basics Charity Challenge

Though the drawing for 2011 is now closed please keep giving! There is always a need, and every bit, be it money, items or time, helps so much. 

For Basics Charity Challenge 2012 go here.

  You can scroll down to the bottom for details on the challenge and all the AMAZING prizes we have or read how it came about below. Deadline has been extended 1 week because of all the awesome response!!

I was driving down a main street here in my city and I noticed there was a large sign out front of the Women's Community House, a place for abused women and children to be safe when they leave an abusive situation, that said they desperately needed paper towels.

 Paper towels?

For some reason this hit me hard. We go through an immense amount of paper towels here in my house. Shane is addicted to the things.

   I see these sort of signs frequently and I do donate around Christmas and the start of the school year but for some reason needing paper towels seemed so basic. I don't know why. It's no more basic, well actually a lot less basic, then clothes, food or the safety this place provides.

  I shook my head and continued driving but it wouldn't let up. Here I am always thinking of fabric and just a little ways away someone needs paper towels.
Which I have to buy the premium brand of.

I kept driving.

Until I came up to a grocery store and I just couldn't go past.

I stopped and went in.

I went to the cleaning aisle.

I stopped and looked down.

Paper towels were on sale.

This was just too much for me. I grabbed as many packages as I could carry and went and paid for them. Before I really knew what was happening I was back at the shelter. I had to be buzzed in through two separate doors and then was asked to leave them in the lobby.
  I never actually saw anyone. I know this is for safety as abusers will use all sorts of rouses to get to their victims and workers at these type of shelters are in serious danger as well.

It hurts me so much to think of all these women and children.

I have a husband who would lay down his life for me and my daughter without a thought. He would destroy anyone who would hurt us. And these women didn't even have paper towels.
I know what it is to be scared. I know what it is to be lost. I know what it is to have to have help to get away from someone. I had family to turn to, who could protect me and my daughter.
And I always had paper towels.

My challenge is this:

   Go drive past your nearest shelter for abused women/children or the homeless.
See if there is a sign, if not call. Ask what they need.
Shelters are always in need of things like paper towels, toilet paper, new underwear, new socks, diapers, new hairbrushes, shampoo, tampons/pads, baby hygiene items, hand soap/sanitizer etc
It won't cost much.

Drop it off.

Come back here and leave me a message that you did it. You don't have to include what you donated if you don't want to, but it may give others some ideas if you do.

If you don't have a shelter nearby, or you can't get there, you can donate to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.Or in Canada the United Way provides funds to many shelters. If  you are international there is the Red Cross. To our Australian friends, feel free to give to anyone of the disaster relief funds for the horrific natural disasters you have suffered recently!

You can earn another entry by tweeting, blogging or mentioning the challenge on facebook. Just leave a separate comment letting me know, with a link.

Grab the button and post it on your blog.

I will draw on February 28th  March 7th 2011 which gives everyone lots of time to get involved.

Prizes. We have lots of absolutely amazing prizes donated by shops and companies who want to get you giving!

The Fat Quarter Shop have so generously donated a $50 gift certificate for their shop.

1 Choice 4 Quilting have also donated TWO $50 gift certificate for their brand new shop!

Kona Fabrics is donating 10 copies of Asian Fabric magazines!

Robert Kaufman is donating a FQ bundle

Mary Abreu of Confessions of a Craft Addict is donating  a copy of her book!!

Julie of jaybird quilts is donating a set of her patterns!

Rachel of p.s. i quilt is also donating some of her patterns!

Bari J's giving away another copy of her book! Read the review I did here.

Pat Sloan is giving away a copy of her book Redwork with a Twist.

Judi from Green Fairy Quilt is donating 5 of her patterns, winners choice!!

Moda is donating a FQ bundle, a roll of Luna Soy Batting and a "Basic Sewing Notions" Kit!

Kelly from I Have A Notion is donation a Fast and Free Volume .5 DVD by Patsy Thompson Designs

 and a Posh Posies Small Quilt Kit by Brewer Sewing and Quilting!

Daisy Janie has donated more prizes! A FQ bundle of her brand new organic line, Shades of Grey!!

Marmalade Fabrics is donating a $30 gift certificate!

Izzy & Ivy Designs is donating patterns as well! Thanks!

Inspired to Sew!

  So have you heard of Bari J? No? Really?? Ok well let me introduce you to this fabulous and talented lady for those few who have missed out on her. And I mean lady. She's just wonderful, creative and feminine. And one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet.

Bari is a textile artist. What this woman can do with fabric is amazing.  She has such an eclectic style it's really hard to just sum it up in a few sentences. Bari is such a creative lady and she has her elegant fingers in so many pies you just have to go and discover it all. Inspired to Sew has so many funky, modern, elegant, and just down right beautiful projects, everything from purses, to pillows, to a gorgeous garden tunic. And yes, I know I'm getting heavy on the adjectives but this is what this book did to me!

I got to know Bari over on twitter, I had admired her fabrics, from Lecien so you know they're funky yet elegant, but didn't really know her until a few months ago. When I found out about her book, Inspired to Sew, from Stash Books I was incredibly excited. When I found out about the blog tour I begged, and I mean begged, to be included. And Bari did her magic and here we are!

  This book is so full of eye candy, incredibly gorgeous project ideas and absolutely wonderful, "keeping it real" tips you will read it cover to cover, at least twice. And everything is explain in a way that demystifies so many of sewing's great mysteries.

Then you will be inspired to go to your stash, the local quilt/sewing shop and online. Then you will be absolutely on edge to make some of these gorgeous projects.
Don't believe me?
Look at these.Warning you may drool on your keyboard. You have been warned.

Mmmhmm. Told you so. They're amazing. Gorgeous. And not nearly as difficult as they appear. And you all know how much I love easy, difficult looking stuff!

So now you are all wanting to know where you can get this awesome and amazing book. Well, I just may have a copy to giveaway. Yes, you can actually win a copy of Inspired to Sew. But that's a bit later.

  First I wanted to share with you why I'm inspired to sew. As most of you know, or can deduce from my blog title, I quilt. A lot. I do a little bit of garment sewing for Little Bit, and make occasional pillows and what not but most of what I do is quilting.
 Quilting for me is a huge release. It's relaxing and exciting at the same time. I'm often inspired by the fabrics themselves, which make wonderful designers like Bari my muse. The fabric often "speak" to me. No not literally. But the colours, patterns, and feel lead me in my designing of patterns.
  My quilts are expressions of me. My mood, my life experiences and my hopes for the future. I hope a few last long after I'm gone, and if they've been used to the point of being worn out I hope the memories of them continue. My quilting is a way for me to wrap my arms around people I don't get to see, or some I never even know. They let me send my love into the world.
   I'm inspired to sew by the whole process of creating. I always feel like if I can create a bit more it may balance the amount of destruction in my and the entire world in general.
   My mom wasn't a quilter but she did sew clothes and costumes. It was her way of expressing her love, which she didn't find easy to do. But when I look back at some of the crazy and elaborate costumes we had for Halloween and school plays I know she does.
   So another big reason I'm inspired to sew is to follow that tradition of using sewing to express my love. My love for the person who will receive my item, my love for colour and fabrics, my love for the whole process of creating.


 So know to tell you how to win a copy of Inspired to Sew for your very own! It's really easy I promise.
 Leave me comment telling me how or what inspires you to create. It doesn't have to be sewing. Whatever you create. And don't try to tell me you don't create because we all do it everyday, even if it's only creating an outfit or dinner.
What are you waiting for? Get commenting!

Moda Bake Shop Valentine's Day Project!

 YAY it's finally up over on Moda Bake Shop!

My Wrapped Heart quilt is one of my favorites. It's symbolic, I'm sure you're shocked, of everything that wraps around my heart. Quilting is definitely one of those things.

 Giddy is such a crazy fun line. I actually ordered a bolt of the solid blue. Yes, a bolt. No, I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. It's not actually solid, but almost.
If I could sew clothes I would make a shirt out of it. Or a dress. Yes, I really do love it that much. Maybe I'll add some white and make a quilt for my bed. But then I'd have to convince Shane to put his quilt away. And that's not likely to happen.

 Make sure you come back tomorrow for the Inspired to Sew blog tour when I'll be giving away a copy of Bari J's awesome new book!

Make sure you come back tomorrow when it's my day on the Inspired to Sew Blog tour and I'll be giving away a copy of Bari J's new book!!

Sneak Peek!

As promised here's a sneak peek on something I'm working on. It involves this.

Which is the Christmas line from Sweetwater, and you know how much I love pretty much every  line from them and this is no exception!! This line will be available in May, which means precuts will be available in April or even very late March.

A lot of Christmas lines are adding blue this year, but here we have some black. I can't decide which I like better, what do you prefer to add to the traditional, red, green and white?

Answers to the questions. The new/old direction of my blog.

  Before my Stash Manicure post, and the announcement of the Inspire to Sew blog tour, I asked questions to my readers about my blog. I now have a lot more readers but I'm going to go with the answers I got. And I don't like calling you readers. You're my friends, new and old. Readers sounds so ostentatious. Like I actually have something to say lol.

The next week has some big things for me, like the Inspire to Sew blog tour, you can win the book!,

and I have another Moda Bake Shop project posting as well.

  Most of you liked my blog the way it is, or wanted me to just do what I wanted to do. Basically it's my party and I'll, well not cry, but do what I want to.
I had one or two say they liked what I used to do before I was so busy with more or less secret projects. And more Little Bit.

I miss that too. So here's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to try to post more often. I won't be able to show entire projects but I'll give you sneak peeks. Hopefully it won't make my "reveals" less exciting for everyone. Or maybe it'll make you want my patterns more. Who knows.

More Little Bit, because she is most of my life.

  I'm also going to try to get back to working on the Le Jardin BOM that got put away. I think I need to start working on something for me, that isn't "work". Not that doing patterns is really the four letter kind of work but it does have some pressures that quilting just for me doesn't.

   Also, I'm going to avoid the temptation to not show you my silly mistakes and messy sewing space. I'm not some quilting goddess and I don't want you to think I'm trying to be.
I often have to move my projects around to find the cutting table. My sewing room is mostly in boxes from the move in December. I avoid housework to sew, or sometimes because my pain is too bad. And I fudge my seams when they aren't perfect. Really. Did you know you can make up 1/8" - 1/4" by switching the direction the seams go? Really.

  I don't want to become a blog that becomes less personal as I start doing more. I want to keep making those connections with people. It's why I started a blog in the first place. It's why I'm on twitter, and why I run Talkin Tuesday's there.

  I can't always respond to comments as quick as I used to but I read each and every one. They mean a lot to me. I really am an approval junkie. Product of being a middle child probably, lol.

 Let's take this journey trying to be a pattern designer together, for good and bad. Because trust me it isn't always pretty but it's always a learning experience and a chance to grow as a person.