Wednesday 4 March 2015

What's Happening in March...

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

Sewing for KIDS...

Project Run and Play has changed the format this year. At the beginning of each month one past Project Run & Play Contestant will pick one of their free patterns or tutorials. Each monthly winner will be receiving over $100 prize package. March's designer is Jessica, from Me Sew Crazy


Each month Shwin & Shwin will select a pattern from their shop as the pattern for the month. Throughout the month you can sew up the pattern as you want. Share a photo in the Facebook group to enter. One person will win a $50 gift card to an online Fabric store. This month's pattern is the Maggie Mae Dress/ Tunic.




REFASHIONING...

From Castaway to Couture is an exciting, national refashioning competition. Castaway to Couture is brought to you by the Australian Sewing Guild Inc. in collaboration with Red Cross Stores. Buy a garment at a Red Cross store and refashion it. Lots of prizes. Competition ends 22nd May.



CROSS STITCH, EMBROIDERY, APPLIQUÉ...

If you do applique, cross stitching and/or embroidery and want to highlight your top 3-5 most beautiful projects, sign up for Meet & Greet Stitchers from Around the World by March 14. On March 20 you will highlight your work.



HANDBAGS...

The Lombard Street Bag Sew_Along runs during March. Enter photos of your finished bag into the Facebook album for a chance to win pattern prizes. Participants need to purchase the Lombard Street handbag pattern.



CHARITY Drives...

Precious Hearts, an organisation supporting children who undergo heart surgery, is looking for people who can sew balloon covers.

Every year The Mirabel Foundation throws an Easter party for the families they support. Mirabel children have lost a parent or are no longer in the care of their parents due to illicit substance abuse. If you’d like to join in the Mirabel Bun-anza, by making and send a bunny, you can find the details at Meet Me At Mikes.


Sign ups for the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge begin March 15. You have until June 12 to finish and mail your quilts.

Sew Mama Sew is hosting 6 Weeks of Love for Softies with A Soft Toy Drive to benefit children in foster care

Become a member of the NICU Helping Hands ANGEL GOWN® Program - national and international team of volunteer seamstresses.



QUILTING...

Sew Fresh QuiltsSew Fresh Quilts is hosting the Elephant Parade Quilt Along. Lorna will be showing a block each week. You can try out as many or as few blocks as you like. Make a quilt or make a mini. Make a cushion. Make whatever your imagination leads you to make by the end of this month.

The Drunkard's Path Quilt-Along is a monthly goal to sew one block and finish a quilt in time for Christmas 2015.

The Snapshots Quilt Along will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Fat Quarter Shop and Moda Fabrics will match up to $10,000 of donations raised.

The English Manor Mystery Quilt Along is themed around the show Downton Abbey but you don't have to watch the show in order to lay along. The mystery quilt along runs over a 12-week period, with a new block pattern released each week.

The Irish Chain Twist Quilt-A-Long runs till mid April and is hosted by Happy Quilting. There will be lots of size options and easy step-by-step weekly directions. Weekly progress prizes and Grand Prizes at the end.

The Charm Square Sampler Quilt Along runs till early April. Shannon, from Modern Tradition Quilts will post every Saturday with the next week's instructions.

There are 9 patterns in the Zoo Animals Quiet Play Block of the Month. Each month one free pattern becomes available. The patterns range in skill level, with the easiest first. The 10" blocks are foundation paper pieced.

The In Flight Quilt Along uses paper pieced patterns.There are discounts if you buy the patterns early. There will be monthly link parties and prizes.



WOMEN'S CLOTHES...

Selfish Sewing Week will take place March 9-15. The event will be hosted on Kollabora. Lots of projects will be shared during the week and there will be a huge indie patterns giveaway too.

Join in with Sew News and make yourself a slip in the Sew Chic Sew Along. You will need to purchase a pattern.

Oliver + s is hosting the Cappuccino Dress + Tunic sew-along, beginning next week. You will need to purchase a pattern.

Wardrobe Architect is all about designing a personal wardrobe throughout 2015. Runs till December. January covered finding your core style and exploring shapes. February is cleaning out your closet and taking inventory.

Sew Your Own Wardrobe for a Year - that's the challenge - no ready to wear purchases from January 1st to December 31st 2015.

Sew the Show - Each month Alida Makes will choose a television show. Alida will sew something inspired by the show and will feature some patterns that could be used. Participants sew their own piece. One entry will be chosen at random to win a prize. March's show is Boardwalk Empire.

March's project over at The Monthly Stitch, is Inside Out. Details to be announced.

The Historical Sew Monthly - Every month in 2015 will feature a themed challenge to sew (knit, crochet, tatt,  embroider or otherwise create) an historical garment or accessory that fits the theme.



MONTHLY Challenges...

Celtic Thistle Stitches Fiona is again hosting Ho Ho Ho and On We Sew, a monthly link party to encourage Christmas sewing throughout the year. There will be guest hosts, tutorials and giveaways each month. Add your projects from 18th of each month. I'm determined to join in this year!!! Details yet to be announced for 2015.

New to Me in 2015 is a place to show off anything new you have tackled for the month. Projects don't have to be sewing related. Link ups open on the 25th of each month and stay open till the end of the month.

Smalls: pin cushions, needlebooks, book marks, biscornus, ornaments, etc, can be sewn for the 2015 Smalls SAL. The SAL is open to new participants all year. You can join in whenever you’d like.

The Teacher Librarian2015 Sewing Design / Inspiration Challenge! - each month there will be a topic or challenge to stretch creative ideas and step outside the box. There is no winner, no judgement. Just lots of bragging. Challenges apply to both dressmaking or patchwork/quilting projects.



STASH BUSTING...

Join Project:Leasa for Sew My Stash 2015. There will be challenges throughout the year.

The Stash Busting Sew Along 2015 is hosted by Tumbleweeds in the Wind. There is a different theme each month.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at So Scrappy - Each month a new colour will be chosen. You just need to dig out some scraps in that colour and make something -- anything. Each Saturday a Scraphappy link up will be posted so that you can see what everyone else is up to and collect some new scrap busting ideas



UFO Challenges...

AllPeopleQuilt is challenging their readers to finish some UFOs (unfinished projects) with the help of 2015 UFO Challenge. Post photos of your finished projects and progress on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtag#APQResolution.

A Lovely Year of Finishes - Each month pick one project, anything you like (it can even be an entirely new project, so long as you can finish it in the current month) and tell yourself, “I Will Finish It.” Prizes drawn randomly each month.

2015 FAL at On the Windy SideOn the Windy Side is hosting the 2015 Finish-Along, where you'll find the motivation to whip those WIPs, polish off those PHDs and wrap up those UFOs. Lots of prizes.



ONGOING Themed Sewing Link Parties...

Add your refashioning projects to the Clothes Upcycling link party at Creating My Way to Success. Projects can be added at any time. The 500+ projects already added will provide you with lots of ideas and inspiration for your refashioning and repurposing.

Threading My Way_Threading Your WayThreading Your Way  - themed ongoing sewing link parties here at Threading My Way. You can add as many projects as you like throughout the year, or just check out the sewing ideas, tutorials, pattern reviews and pictures, made by YOU.



ONGOING charity projects...

Hopeful ThreadsSew to Share - Kristy, from Hopeful Threads, will be focusing on sewing a variety of items to help others, on-going throughout the year.

Fluff Project (large) The Fluff Project is all about making stuffed toys for children in foster care. What started as a monthly project, co-ordinated by Kristy, from Hopeful Threads, has now turned into an ongoing drive.

Days for Girls International: Feminine Hygiene Program... Every Girl. Everywhere. Period. Veronica, at SewVery, brought this one to my attention. Such easy projects we can sew to help these girls retain their dignity.

Imagine a world where every little girl owned at least one dress. This is the aim of Dress a Girl Around the World. There are chapters around the world and within many states of the U.S. The Australian, Washington and UK branches are very active, as no doubt are many others. These are just the ones I've had contact with.



I'm planning to continue a robot quilt I began last month, as well as sewing a few presents. What are your plans for the month?

... Pam

5 comments:

  1. Phew! I am exhausted just reading that list Pam :)

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  2. wooooooow! So much is happening! wooooooooooooooow!

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  3. Another great collection of fun goings-on - I'm participating in some of those projects, and I see others on my daily runs around blog/internetland - you should see the goodies being posted for Sew Mama Sew's softies series!

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  4. There are so many things to try and do as usual :)

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  5. Thank you for keeping me month by month up to date of the sewing activities!

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