Hugs from Helen

Sew Pink 2021

I'm proud to be a part of the third annual Sew Pink blog hop run by ByAnnie – to focus on Breast cancer for the month of October. Although its important every day of the year, I've taken part in each of these initiatives now as I believe in the importance of this raising of awareness – and funds to beat this thing!

This year when I went in for my bi-annual Boob check I ran into a friend coming in as I left. Not surprising – we’re all around the same age and demographic in a smallish town, so often you see someone you know. Little did I know that she was there for a dreaded callback – which resulted in a positive result and weeks of surgery, chemotherapy and years of anxiousness and checks to come.  What surprised me most when we next caught up and discussed it was that it was the first time she had had a breast check. (she is early/mid 50’s). This is despite having family history - and it being free to have Breast screens here in Australia from age 40.

Why wouldn't she do it? because, like me, she is a busy small business owner, a mum, a wife, a charity organiser and everything else she cannot say no to. She provides to, mentors and coaches hundreds of children a week in her business and she didn't have the time to think about herself – only others. She knows she should have, she knows its easy and free, she knows everything she could have done – but we, as working mums and business owners just tend to put ourselves last on that ever growing list.

You know I preach about the therapy of stitching, and I get so many messages of personal stories saying how stitching my patterns has helped people get through traumas, challenges and life events, including cancer journeys – I can’t stress enough the importance of taking that time out for ourselves, to smell the roses and – get the boob check! Before you have to go through the journey that so many of our friends and family have endured.

This year I have stitched the simple and of so useful ByAnnie Pocket Packer project using the wonderful Tula Pink linework fabrics we have instore at Quarter Inch.

But instead of a mesh on the outside pocket, I've used our EPP Iron-ons to make an English paper pieced ribbon in honour of the SewPink initiative. It’s quick and simple – but it sends a message – a reminder, to us all.

And I'm imagining that those are zebra unicorns there giving hope to all!

Here’s a quick little step by step of my ribbon process.

Take 18 diecut EPP 1” diamond papers (60 degree) and fuse them onto the wrong side of your chosen fabrics – I used three different Kona solids I had in my stash.

Remember to leave a 1/2” of fabric between them for seam allowances.

Cut them out keeping that 1/4” seam allowance on each one.

Next we use a fabric glue pen, a small line of glue along the edge of the paper and fold over that seam allowance onto the glue.

I arranged them onto a printout to see how I wanted to spread my colours around. (you can download that pdf here if it helps you)

Then you simply whip stitch them together as you would for any EPP. The difference with our EPP Iron-ons is you leave them in – yes they iron on, and stay in – if washed they’ll semi dissolve and just stay in as nice soft fibres.

Next you’ll cut a piece of cotton fabric (we used the zebra print) the same size as the mesh measurement in the pattern. Glue baste (we use small dots of Roxanne’s basting glue) it into place and then hand or machine stitch it down tucking in those tails as you go.

Then you’ll just continue to make up your bag as per the pattern.

I made Style 3 – with three pockets, splitting the bottom one.  You get a voucher code with each pattern to watch the Add-on videos by Annie. They take you through step by step with so many tips to perfect her zippers, mesh, vinyl and more.

If you’ve never done EPP before and would like to try this checkout my YouTube channel for some help using our method.

If you’d like to make your own version, we’re including enough EPP Iron-on precuts to make your ribbon with each Pocket packer pattern ordered on any of our websites.   We can also put together kits in the same fabrics we used – or of course you may have our own favourites.

We have a Giveaway

As part of the blog hop I have a $30 digital coupon to give away to one lucky reader – you just need to pop over to my Instagram feed and find the Sewpink post and enter to win. And remember, we’re giving you the EPP Iron-on 1” diamond papers when you grab the Pocket packer pattern.

Don’t forget to checkout the other amazing sew-leb-rities participating and see what they have on offer during the month of October.

BLOG HOP 2021 SCHEDULE

✂ Oct. 1 (Fri):Fat Quarter Shop - The Jolly Jabber

✂ Oct. 2 (Sat):Sallie Tomato

✂ Oct. 4 (Mon): Hugs ‘N Kisses

✂ Oct. 6 (Wed): Sewfinity

✂ Oct. 11 (Mon):Beyond the Reef

✂ Oct. 13 (Wed): Great Heron Thread Co.

✂ Oct. 15 (Fri): Love You Sew

✂ Oct. 15 (Fri): Emmaline Bags

✂ Oct. 16 (Sat): Meadow Mist Designs

✂ Oct. 18 (Mon): OklaRoots

✂ Oct. 20 (Wed): Suzn Quilts

✂ Oct. 20 (Wed): Teresa Coates

✂ Oct. 22 (Fri): Knot and Thread Design

✂ Oct. 23 (Sat): Shannon’s Studio

✂ Oct. 25 (Mon): The Littlest Thistle

✂ Oct. 27 (Thur): Mister Domestic

✂ Oct. 27 (Wed): Sookie Sews

And Don’t forget to go have that Boob check – no matter how busy you are.

happy stitching,

Helen

 

The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Our efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection, and support for those affected by breast cancer.

To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

To find screenings available near you:

● Breast Screen (Australia)

● CDC.gov (US)

● WebMD (free screenings)

In addition to participating in the #SewPINK Initiative, Fat Quarter Shop invites you to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation with the goal of raising $10,000.

To find the Fat Quarter Shop fundraiser visit: https://fundraise.nbcf.org/FatQuarterShop

 

To learn more about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation visit: https://www.bcrf.org/

Guest bloggers this month are the team at Aurifil

The wonderful team at Aurifil this month have jotted their thoughts on why stitching is their therapy!

Erin, creative director, Karen, master educator, Kate – Chicago office and Hilary, social media coordinator- have all spoken about their quilting journey and what it brings to their lives…

Pop on over to their blog and read it all here

As I partnered with Aurifil to create and provide a specialised thread collection for our Stitch Therapy 365 program they were an obvious choice to share the blog journey with.

With the beautiful 12 weight threads on offer, the weight of this 12 wt thread being just perfect to cover my printed stitchery lines on the fabric panels.

And be sure to follow them on Instagram and there may just be a giveaway coming up.

Yes a Stitch therapy thread collection

AND

a Stitch therapy 365 panel and program to be won…

If you want to know more about our beautiful mindfulness project click on the picture below.

If you’re already enjoying the journey we have just a few of our daily therapy mouse mats left. A great reminder to take a break from the computer and have 5 minutes of ‘you’ time with a needle and thread..

Hope you get your therapy in today..

hugs from Helen

Quilting changes Everything for Pat Sloan

My dear friend Pat has written our article this month...  I first met Pat many years ago in Houston demonstrating a sit down longarm machine - I didnt buy the machine but I never forgot who Pat was... Here's a little more about her...

Pat Sloan designer, author, lecturer, and with her weekly radio show... Pat truly is the "Voice of Quilting". She has a deep passion for making quilting fun for herself and everyone around her. Pat loves to hang out with quilters on the internet as well as visit you in person.. be inspired to get more done!

Sewing since she was a child and quilting for over 20 years, Pat eventually looked to her craft as a business. After a few years quilting she started to teach quilt making to others and then turned her skills to pattern designing. She found that she really enjoys designing and seeing how other quilters made her patterns. In 2000 Pat's designs became so popular that she and her husband Gregg formed a design and publishing company called Pat Sloan & Co. In addition to designing and publishing her work, they now travel around the country teaching and showing her quilts to quilt guilds and quilt shops. Also, Pat has had her designs published in all the national magazines, she has written 31 quilt books and has designed many lines of fabric for Moda Fabrics.

When Pat took her passion to the internet she built several quilt communities, the largest is her group on Facebook with over 55,000 quilters from around the world.

Over Five years ago Pat started a weekly All Quilting radio/podcast. I have chatted with Pat twice now on her show.  You can hear her interview quilt celebrities, historians, designers (that would be me) and authors from around the world, all on your computer! All the podcasts are available for download.

Visit her web site www.patsloan.com to see all things Pat Sloan.

 

Below is her take on the Therapy of quilting - note: Pat has included many links with offers to the things she loves. Please click on the links to see her favourite things.

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Our February Stitch therapy guest blogger is Lyn Carson Harris

This month's guest blogger is Lyn Carson Harris who contacted me with an offer to tell her story and why she creates...

Here is a little more about Lyn's background

Lynn lives in Michigan where she creates art, raises chickens, and grows vegetables. Both of Lynn’s parents grew up on farms and, like the little red hen in the children’s story, she was taught to do things from scratch and to never let anything go to waste. Her thrifty upbringing led her to her current style of working with scraps and the desire to use “every last piece.” Her quilts have been juried into international shows and gallery exhibits and her work is in private collections around the world. She is the author of Every Last Piece and has also been published in numerous books and magazines.

She writes:

I create textile art using the techniques employed by past generations of my family to create utilitarian objects such as clothes and quilts. I connect the past to the present and honor the beauty and artistry of the handmade. My most recent work is a series of small scale abstract designs inspired by the experiences of someone I love and care about who is in an abusive relationship. My wish is that these pieces of art can help to prevent domestic abuse by increasing understanding and awareness of this pervasive problem. While all of my pieces are original designs, I turn to the geometric patterns of antique quilts for inspiration. My art often evolves dramatically from the start to finish of a piece, and I find as much pleasure in the process as in the completed pieces.

Here is Lyn's story surrounding her therapeutic quilt:

 

Years ago, when four of my family members entering nursing homes, I decided I needed a travel sewing project for time spent in the car traveling and visiting with them. I prepared an intricate appliqué piece and had it basted and ready for any stitching time.  I stitched on that piece for months and as I neared the end of the appliqué three of those four family members died- in the same week.

 

I went on to finish the piece. I hand quilted it and entered it in a national quilt show. When I got the quilt back from the show, I folded it and put it in the closet in my sewing room. About ten years later, while cleaning that closet I pulled out the quilt. I unfolded it completely unprepared for my reaction when I saw the quilt again. I was instantly in tears. That quilt held a lot of memories and grief. Unknowingly, I had parked my feelings and emotions in the stitches of the quilt for a time when I would be better equipped to process them. It was quite a moving moment. 

I am currently working on a series of quilts that is serving a similar purpose.  A member of my family is in an abusive relationship. After many years trying to help my family member and trying to come up plan after plan that would never help, I finally came to the realization that people are allowed to make decisions that are not in their own best interest. I am now working on a Domestic Abuse Quilt Series to raise awareness of aspects of domestic abuse as well as a form of therapy for myself.

You can see more of Lyn's work on her blog and read about her Abuse quilt series and the therapy they bring.

 

If you'd like some stitching therapy of your own, with everything provided for you then join in our Stitch Therapy 365 project - all the info can be found here.

If you have a story to share about how Stitching (and sewing, crafting, quilting etc) has affected your life, we'd love you to share it with us..

hugs for today
Helen