Odds and ends, including a Birmingham Meetup!

No finished garments to show I'm afraid. The dress I've been beavering away on is finally completed but can't be blogged about just yet as it's a pattern test for a brand new company so I have to keep my lips sealed....

However, lots more in the pipeline. First of all, I'm doing:

I, Sabs of tybalt-king-of-cats.blogspot.co.uk, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade/self-stitched garment at least 3 times a week (sometimes under a boilersuit...) for the duration of May 2013

Ok, I need to explain the boliersuit part, don't I? Well, for two weeks in May, we were supposed to be having demolition/construction work done in our kitchen. Mr Sabs and I were going to do the said work ourselves with the help of my in-laws. Wearing pretty dresses while knocking down walls didn't really seem like a good idea so initially I wasn't going to sign up for MMM13. But I couldn't bear not to, as I'd been looking forward to it for months so instead of making the full "I'll wear me-made every day of the month" I knocked it back to three times a week and thought that at least some of my tops could be worn under a boilersuit while I was working. It now turns out that our plans will be probably be put on hold which means that I can commit to more!

Are any of you taking part? It's so popular, there're loads of pledges all over the blogosphere already! More details can be found at So Zo...

I've been really lucky to win one of Krafty Kat's blogiversary giveaway lots, the jersey fabric. Need lots of practice with jersey so really happy! Thanks Kat!

And then there's this:

Birmingham Meetup

Saturday 15 June 2013

Oh I can't wait! The lovely Kat (Krafty Kat), Marie (A Stitching Odyssey) and Claire (Sew Incidentally) are organising this - thanks gals! I was gutted I missed the last one in November so I'm really excited. There's going to be sew much fun hanging out at the Rag Market and Barry's and, of course, lots of buying and swapping of fabric. Full details on any of the three blogs (click on links above). Who else is up for this? See you there!

And lastly, here's a sneak peek of the fabric for my next project, the Washi Dress, which I've been a bit obsessed with for a while. Look, the colour matches the bottom of the pattern packaging!

*Edited to add: I didn't win the Pattern Review Fitted Blouse Contest but thank you to everyone who voted for me. I had fun making it and just being in a competition was cool!*

Could I win another giveaway for my birthday?

I think I'm pushing my luck here but Tilly of Tilly and the buttons is hosting a mega giveaway where the prizes include a whole host of goodies including:

* Three digital sewing patterns from Victory Patterns *

* 2m of fabric from Eternal Maker *

* Lace peter pan collar kit PLUS £15 of fabric from the Fabric Godmother *

* £30 voucher to spend on fabric/patterns/haberdashery from Sewbox *

  

And that's just half of the prizes on offer!

Now that I'm fresh off the back of winning a book from Roobedoo, do you think it's too much to ask that I win all of this as another birthday present...?

Head over to Tilly's brilliant blog for more details and a chance to enter. But if you win, could you donate a prize to me too? Thanks ; ) xx

Oh, and it's my birthday today. I've already has a few presents - I'm hoping to photograph them and put them on here later. It'll be a a mad rush this evening to finish sewing my Robe Sureau in time to wear for my birthday trip tomorrow. You'll never guess where I'm going - to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London! Woo-hoo, I'm so looking forward to it! Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and Butterbeer for me then!

Ha ha, didn't realise the title was in French!

An early birthday present

I was one of the lucky winners of Roobedoo's birthday giveaway last week - and in a funny twist of fate, it's my birthday in a few days' time. I got home yesterday evening to find lovely package waiting for me.

And when I opened it up, not only was the book I'd won inside but also a lovely postcard.

It's called Stylish Dress Book. I've had a quick flick through - which is mainly in Japanese by the way! - and it's different to anything I've seen before. Most of the garments are very loose fitting smocks which I think might drown me a bit. There's also some slightly odd creations like this house-coat dress and something that looks suspiciously like a nightie...

But there are also some cute dresses, the following two being my favourites:

However, I think I may have to take everything in a teeny, tiny little bit! But first, I'll have to brush up on my visual learning skills as all the patterns and instructions are in Japanese...

Thanks Roo for a very different and unusual birthday gift! I look forward to the challenge...

Megan Nielsen giveaway

OMG OMG OMG Megan Nielsen is having a first birthday party giveaway!

I'm hyperventilating after seeing the prizes...patterns, fabric, labels, notions and more - I mean what more could a girl want?! I especially want to win the Kelly skirt and Darling Range dress patterns...

To enter this fab competition head over to Megan's blog (am I allowed to refer to her by her first name?) I'm keeping everything crossed that I'm one of the five lucky winners!