What's Happening in April...

A quick heads up on some sewing related happenings in April...

Umbrella Prints challenges you to create something different and wonderful from little pieces of printed fabric for the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition. There are some fabulous prizes. I've just purchased my packet of trimmings.

The Spring Fluff Drive is the current sew-along to help others, over at Hopeful Threads. You can join Kristy in her aim to make 500 soft toys for children in foster care.

Lily's Quilts is supporting Siblings Together, a charity set up with the purpose of bringing together siblings who have been separated in the care system. You can get involved by making a quilt in support of Quilts for Siblings Together.

Signups have begun for the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 2014! You'll have the choice of three great charities to sew for, lots of great giveaways and the chance to know that you're doing good for someone else while doing something you love!

Join the sew-along for Challenge Create: Adult Edition, or follow along as the four contestants unveil their creations.

The sisters at Frances Suzanne will shortly announce this month's pattern to flip.

April's project over at The Monthly Stitch, is Sewing Double / Seeing Double. Write a blog post and include both garments. There are many ways to interpret the challenge.

Kid's Clothes Week runs from April 7th - 13th. This time there is an optional theme, MINI ME.

Sew something for yourself by joining in with the Parisian Top Sew-Along at Go To Sew. The sew-along finished April 15th.

Every 15th of every month, there is a new theme for all crafters to interpret in their choice of crafty weapons. The current theme at Le Challenge is BRIGHT. One winner will be chosen at random.

This month's challenge at Redress, is to tackle a new repair. Select a damaged item of clothing that needs a little loving care.

Selfish Sewing Week begins at the end of the month, April 28. There will be featured stitchers every day, and an  Indie Patterns Giveaway

Sew Mama Sew is hosting two Spring Sew Alongs. You have till the end of May to sew a quilt and be eligible for prizes.

Melissa, from Melly Sews, is hosting the Berkshire Blazer Sewalong, April 7 - 11. There will be blog posts and sharing within the Facebook group.

Amy from The Peekaboo Pattern Shop, is hosting the Savannah Pleated Party Dress Sew Along. There is a Facebook group where participants can ask for help and advice and be in the running to win a gift card.

The third Thursday of each month, Call Ajaire will post a pattern MashUp. There will be a review of the patterns used, general instructions about how they were combined, tips about mashing, and giveaways for the patterns in case you want to sew your own MashUp. Thanks, Magda, for alerting me to this.

The aim of the Decipher Your Quilt series is to give readers the skills to look at a quilt block, understand what type of block it is, and to understand the maths behind it. An anonymous Dear Abbey-type question and answer section will be running throughout the series.

Have fun whatever you are sewing this month!

... Pam