Melly & me

Scrappy Cabin Challenge Scrap Swap #2

There has been such a positive response to running another scrap swap so here it is!!!

If you are participating in the scrappy cabin challenge and need some more variety for your blocks or if you just want to spice up your scrap collection for another project then join up.

We had so much fun last year and I know that a lot of fabulous email pen-pal friendships were formed.  So lets make sure we have a lot of fun once again!

Here is a photo of my fabulous (and very neat) package I recieved last year from my swap partner Net!  If you look at my scrappy cabin quilt so far you will see plenty of these pieces of fabric added in with my own!.

For this swap you will need to send a minimum of 250g (half a pound) of scraps suitable to be used for the Scrappy Cabin Challenge to send to your partner (All 100% cotton or linen patchwork fabrics please). 

If you are interested in participating in this swap please leave a comment on this post by the 15th of March to let us know.  We will then collate the interested parties and send you a swap partner via email.  It will be up to you to make contact and swap postal addresses with your swap partner.  Of course this swap is open internationally and it is likely that you will need to post overseas depending on the partner you are given.

Yay - we can't wait! - Melly & Rosie 

oops.

"Melly"

"Yes Rosie"

"Look what I just found in my fabric pile!"

"Wasn't that supposed to be finished by the end of 2007??"

"No, surely we said 2008!"

"Do you think anyone is on to us??"

"I know!, I know! Let's take a photo of it with Baby Floss.  Surely the cute factor will win us an extension!!"

"Great idea!!!"

So guys, did it work??????  Have we bought some time??

We have to admit that our original challenge to each other did not quite get done in time!!  We could blame it on Houston, we could blame it on the Boogie, but I think we will spare you the excuses and extend our challenge to the end of 2008.  Phew! That feels better!!

Melly's catch up session this weekend produced the second quarter of her Scrappy Cabin quilt..

So here is her quilt so far!  1/2 the quilt is done - yippee!!

So if you want to turn this.....

Into this...

or this....

It's not too late.  We have officially extended the Scrappy Cabin challenge to December 2008.  Take a look at our tutorial here and our Scrappy Cabin post here if you want to join along or be inspired to continue if you started when we did.  This is our guilt free pardon to us all!

Melly & Rosie

Scrappy Cabins & Beertje Zonn

This week I have felt some freedom to choose what to do with my time.  I have to tell you that this has been a long time coming!  So on Tuesday I said to myself "what will I do today?"  I had decided to take a sewing machine break but all that I wanted to do was sew!  I didn't want to design or make any more softies, I just wanted to have some mindless sewing fun!  So out came the scrap draw and I went into a scrappy cabin frenzy.  I enjoyed myself so much and feel that I now have some progress to share!  Rosie had been doing so well with her challenge but I am very sorry to say I only had 4 blocks completed before Tuesday - very dismal I know, but now there are 25!  The best thing is that I had so much fun and love the results, so I am very inspired to get that quilt made!!

Here are my 25 blocks all sewn together!  I have decided to border all of the blocks for my quilt with a 1" white border and random corner squares.  Looking at the size of this completed panel I think I am a quarter of the way to my lovely quilt - only 75 more cabins to go!  The problem is that I am now craving some more interesting scraps, I thought a stash addiction was bad enough, now I have a scrap addiction and want MORE! 

During the last week we have also come across a very inspiring blog after receiving a comment from Sonnja in the Netherlands.  Sonnja is an amazing woman who is doing a fabulous work making these beautiful "Beertje Zonn" for Aids orphans in the 3rd world.  

This week she has been able to hand over 100 Beertje Zonn to an organisation that will deliver them to 100 Aids orphans in Uganda!!  What an angel she is.  She is giving us all an opportunity to be a part of this amazing work and is asking for donations of fabric to make her beautiful Beertje Zonn.  Each little bear takes 12" x 24" of fabric.  If you would like to join Rosie and I in donating some fabrics then please visit Sonnja's blog and send her an email.

Now I need to decide what to do today as I again have some lovely free time...more scrappy cabins???  Maybe a flossie or two??  A shower and breakfast would be a good start, enjoy your day!! - Melly

 

Winners aplenty and scrappy swaps!

It was decided yesterday, after a frizzled phone conversation, that the draw was to be delayed a day.  Sorry to all of you who have been checking back to see if you were a lucky winner.  The winners of the random draw are.......

Miss Marzie, Donna and Lisa Rothen.  However, we were so excited to get over 100 comments for the first time ever and have decided to give the lucky 100th commenter her choice of pattern also.  That is you Jane Weston!  Congratulations to the four of you.  Please email us with your postal details and your choice of pattern.

Due to Rosie's stuff up email mix-ups we were both lucky enough to have two swap partners each for the scrap swap.  Here is what Rosie received from Marianne this week

She was so generous making a beautiful bag and knitting a gorgeous pink face washer.  Her cards are out of this world and of course the scraps are divine!  We are slightly ashamed of our photography here, as when you look at Marianne's blog you will notice that her pictures are indeed perfect.

Melly also received her second swap package this week from Lori.  As well as the cute little extra gifts, It was so fantastic to be given fabrics that we have never seen before.  Each one is new to us and it will definitely add spice to Melly's scrappy cabin blocks.  Thank you both very much!!  By the way, wondering if we can change that scrappy cabin quilt deadline to December 2020????!! 

Swaps, Sewing, Patterns & Giveaways!

Thank you to all of you who are leaving comments and sending emails about your scrappy swaps!  It sounds like you are all having such a ball and we love seeing all the little extras that people have sent in their parcels!  Here is Rosies beautiful swap parcel that she received this week from Janelle.  She is so thrilled with her gorgeous scraps and extra treat and has had so much fun. 

Also this week we have been continuing to get that big order ready for "Wild Jam" in Melbourne.  Here is a pic of the five Freyas that came to life this week as a result...

And the best news of all is that we have written the patterns for our three new designs!!   Mad Cow, Buzby & Baby Bee and Lottie & Little Lady are now available!   

You do know what that means, don't you??  It's celebration time - It's GIVEAWAY TIME!!!   

Make sure you leave a comment on this post or send us an email and on Wednesday we will draw the names of three people who will win their choice of one of the new patterns.   

Good luck and a great flossy weekend to you all! - Melly.

Scrappy swap received!

Yesterday in the mail I received my first scrappy swap package from Net!!  It nearly killed me but I had to wait until my husband returned home at 9:30pm with the camera to open my treats as I wanted a photo of the cute packaging!! I had this staring at me all afternoon and night just begging to be opened!

So once the man was home it was a quick snap shot and the opening began!!  Inside was the most beautiful, neat and organised pile of scraps!  Net had trimmed and ironed all of the scraps and I had a quick think about my scraps that I had placed in her package.  Sorry Net - not nearly as neat and tidy!!  

It was so much fun going through all of the scraps and seeing pieces of yummy fabric that I have never laid eyes on before!  I am very keen to use some of them right away.   And just look at the gorgeous little extra treats that Net enclosed!  The cutest little buttons - one which is handmade with felt and is simply adorable!!!  I love it all Net - thanks so much!

I hope some more of you are starting to get your scrappy packages in the mail - what fun it is!! - Melly

Its swap time!

YAY! Swap time has arrived!  This event should greatly spice up your scrappy cabin quilts!  Everyone who has registered for our swap will be notified by email today with their swap partners email address.  Please email your partner for postal details.  Here are a few more guidelines and answers to your questions.

* Fabric scraps should be 100% cotton or linen.

* You should include 250gm (1/2 pound) of fabric scraps packaged in any way you would like. (Brown paper lunch bags not as universal as we thought!)

* Scraps can be as small as you like as long as they are usable for the scrappy cabin challenge.  Scraps should be no bigger than approximately 10" x 10".

* All swap packages are to be sent on or before the 15th of June.  Please let your partner know when you have posted your package.

* If for some reason you are no longer able to participate, please email us so that we can ensure no one misses out.

* If you feel you would like to enclose an extra treat for your partner feel free though this is not a requirement of the swap.  A card would also be a lovely touch!  Who knows you may make a swapping buddy or penpal for life!

* For those of you who have missed out, we will repeat this swap if it is successful.

* HAVE FUN!!

In other news... Our beautifully talented, fabulously artistic Aunty Yda has updated her website.  Her site is basically a gallery of her work.  We both fell in love with her new collages and particularly loved this one, "Design van de straat".  We have added her to our favourites and suggest you have a visit.

The technical half of the "Melly & me" partnership is going on holidays for a week.  The technophobe half will attempt a post at some point during this week. (There are no prizes for guessing who is who!!)  If there is no new post, rest assured that we will make up for it on my return - Melly.

Scrappy Cabin Challenge fabric swap!

We are so excited about all of you who have joined us on the "Scrappy Cabin Challenge" that we have decided it is time for a scrap swap.  Many of you have said that you are new to quilting and don't have a large variety of scraps yet.  We would like to remedy this and spice up your scrap stash!  If you are interested in participating in this swap please leave a comment by the 30th of May to let us know.  We will then collate the interested parties and send you a swap partner via email by the 1st of June.  It will be up to you to swap mailing addresses with your swap partner. 

For this swap you will fill a lunch sized bag with approx 250g (half a pound) of scraps suitable for the Scrappy Cabin Challenge to send to your partner (All 100% cotton patchwork fabrics please).

Please note that this will be open internationally and you may need to post overseas depending on the partner you are given. The swaps will need be sent on the 15th of June at the latest.  Anyone may join even if you are not working on a Scrappy Cabin quilt!  We can't wait! 

Also, thought you might like to see what Black & Spiro have done with some of our Little Kitties.   Cute huh?     

Until next time, happy swapping and may the floss be with you!  Melly & Rosie.

Scrappy Update

We decided a "scrappy cabin challenge" update was due as we are dying to know who has joined the challenge, how you are all going, how much you love your scrappy cabin blocks etc, etc, etc.......

Here are a few more "Melly & me" scrappy cabin blocks that have been born over the past couple of weeks.

We have a number of members over at the flickr group who have been sharing their pictures and thoughts which has been fabulous!  Some of the girls have given their OK to share their progress so here are a few great blocks to get you inspired and motivated.

These groovy blocks are from Jennifer and Melanie......    

And these cuties by Raesha and Violet.

Thanks so much girls for sharing your gorgeous photos!   

How are the rest of you going?  If you have had any progress we would love to see the photos and hopefully share your handiwork with everyone.  We can't wait for the day that we can all show off our finished quilts! 

For those of you who wrote to us wanting to join the fun, but felt that the idea of a quilt was just too daunting, we have come up with some smaller projects ideas.  Here is a picture of a cute little pincushion that can be made so easily by adding some polyester toy-fill and a couple of cute vintage buttons. 

Some other great suggestions are sewing together 9 or more blocks to create a cushion front, or the idea that I intend to try in the next few weeks - sewing 6 together to create a dolly quilt top.  These are all great ways to use up your scraps to create gorgeous finished products.

We would love to hear how you are all progressing, any further ideas and any feedback in general.  Keep those scrappy cabin blocks coming and don't forget it is never too late to join!  May the floss be with you all,  Melly & Rosie

Lovely things

Thank-you to everyone who left a fantastic response to the "Scrappy Cabin Challenge"!  We are so excited that some of you are going to join us on the journey and are bursting to see some of your blocks!

Over the past couple of days I have been putting together this new wallet and wristlet set (pattern to follow soon)

Rosie and I will be teaching these sweeties at Patchwork on Central Park on Sunday the 6th of May from 10:00am - 3:00pm.  We will also be teaching the Sangsangs on Sunday May the 20th 10:00am - 3:00pm.  Central Park will be taking bookings next week so ring promptly if you are interested as there is a maximum of 8 people per class.  We would love to see you!

Of course this weeks sewing left me with lots of yummy scraps which resulted in a few of these - YAY!

We may be a little quiet for the next 4 or 5 days as we have a very large order of Little Kitties and Silly Bunnies to make for Anna at Black & Spiro.  We will be using our loveliest fabrics and can already see all those delicious scrappy cabins that will follow!

As always, may the floss be with you! - Melly

PS from Rosie - Thank-you so much Jocelyn for the amazingly beautiful hanging heart that you sent me through Leanne.  She brought it around yesterday and I am thrilled with it!  How thoughtful of you.