Tuesday 8 November 2011

Giveaway....Giveaway....Giveaway

This is my 499th post and so today I'm going to launch my 500th post giveaway and also share my first ever quilt with you.  My 500th post will announce the winners of the giveaway goodies.

In 2004 when I decided to make a quilt for the first time I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.  I did know what I wanted to do, however.  I wanted to make a wallhanging to represent the sea and I had been inspired by seeing some examples of stained glass work.  One piece was a very modern design hanging in a craft shop in Mousehole, Cornwall, the other was a much older stained glass window in a church in Penzance, also in Cornwall. Without consulting any quilting books I decided how I would make my wallhanging and steamed ahead.  Here it is:

My trusty Singer sewing machine expired while I was attempting to stitch together the pieced top, a layer of something springy from the upholstery factory shop and the length of curtain lining that I used as backing.  This led to my first visit to the Festival of Quilts where I purchased a new machine and then rushed home to experiment with the array of embroidery stitches it offered.
"Cornish Seas" finished I proudly hung it in the wall of my bach where it remains. For all its faults I'm very proud of it and of all it has led to.  One day I might make "Cornish Seas II".

You very politely read through that but here's what you are really after - 
my 500th post giveaway!
There are three quilty gifts up for grabs.

1.  I am very pleased to tell you that Keira at the lovely Kiki's Craft Corner in bonny Scotland has agreed to sponsor this giveaway.  She will send one lucky winner either
or 
and you get to choose.  
Head over to her website, have a look at all the gorgeous things Keira has there and leave me a comment saying which you'd like to win.  Sounds easy eh?  Many thanks to Keira for her generosity.

2.  The lovely people at British Patchwork & Quilting Magazine recently sent me a copy of their latest "Inspirational" publication to giveaway to one of you.  It's all about strippy quilts. 
For a chance to win this great book which has 14 super projects and features in it please leave me a comment about the first quilt you made.



3.  Finally, I am going to send one of my lovely followers the tea cup rug I made for the tutorial on quilt as you go (but not the cup and saucer I'm afraid!), you don't need to leave a comment for this one, I'll just choose from my "followers" list using the random number thingy.

So, to make it clear:
You can enter all the giveaways or just one or two.
1.  Leave me one comment about your first quilt for one chance to win "Inspirational Strippy Quilts".
2.  Leave me one comment giving your choice from the Out of Africa threads (list the four colour sets you'd like)/Charm Pack (e.g. Dogwood Trail) or Fat Quarter Bundle (e.g. Bundle 7 - blues) for one chance to win those goodies from Kiki's Craft Corner.
3.  Be a lovely follower.
4.  If you'd like to spread the news about my giveaway on your blog or Facebook please leave me a comment with the link to your post and I'll give you an extra chance in the giveaways as a thank you, the more the merrier.

I'm away from my computer for a few days now, visiting my parents and revisiting my inner Essex girl!  I'll announce the lucky winners in my next post, my 500th (who would have thought I had that much to say?!!), which will be on 14th November 2011 so entries remain open until then.
Good luck everybody and thank you to you all, those who have been with me since post number one right through to those who have recently joined me, your comments make my day, day after day.

38 comments:

  1. Congratulations Lis on your forthcoming 500th post - what a fantastic acheivement

    ReplyDelete
  2. My first quilt was a quillow for my Mum's birthday - she loved it and it was on her bed until she died

    ReplyDelete
  3. If I was lucky enough to win I'd choose the Dogwood Trails charm pack

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am, of course, a follower!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrats Liz on your blogging milestone! Already a follower! Jxo

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love choice of precuts & bundles. I'd go for Etchings charm pack! Jxo

    ReplyDelete
  7. My first ever quilt was made from recycled cushions & curtains! Not the best looking thing I've ever made!! Jxo

    ReplyDelete
  8. My first quilt was a log cabin quilt as you go...very badly made if I look back on it, but a good learning curve.

    ReplyDelete
  9. If I am lucky enough to win, I would love the charm pack or the fat quarter bundle...your choice. congrats on your 500 blog

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi there Lis, and many congratulations. If I'm the lucky one, it would have to be fat quarter bundle 4, just love those clear colours!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi again Lis. Your first ever quilt looks pretty good to me, and is just so suitable to be hanging up in your bach with those lovely colours. My first quilt was one I made for the bed in our first caravan. Made in brown, cream and green with the fabrics ever so carefully co-ordinated, it served us well. I went to my first ever class and learned about rotary cutters, mats and rulers but did wonder why the teacher went on and on about the quarter inch seam! It is now retired and does duty in the car. Congratulations again on your 500 milestone.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love your very artsy first quilt. Nice colors! My first (no pictures taken of it) was just squares of fabrics I happened to have, and "bound" like my grandma did hers - with blanket binding from the store. It was made for my newest baby - my daughter, but there were no cutesy baby colors or prints. She later used it to play with, drag around and it is no more. Next I made a couple of covered boxes as sewing box and play box for my daughter with a dolly. Oh, the good old days. Thanks for helping me remember.

    ReplyDelete
  13. oh what a wonderful choice of gifts. I've been a follower for quite a while. My choice would be the Out of Africa threads (Panorama, Aster, Forest, Hellebore). The first quilt I made was called the 'Ugly Quilt' and you can see it here:
    http://eclectic-meanderings.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-post_08.html
    thanks, Lis

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Lis, please enter me. I am drowning in a sea of paperwork so no stitching. Just a teeny tiny distraction reading your blog!!! See you in December. Angela

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hmm choices I think I would have to go for the Dogwood Trails Charm Pack(please;o) and you know I am a follower:O)
    If you hadn't said what your wall hanging was made out of I wouldn't have known, pretty good for a first!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love your quilt! & Happy 500th post! No need to enter me in the draw...here's too many more!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a lovely giveaway! If I were to win I would like the 'Collection for a cause' charm pack.
    Congratulations for your 500th post!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great giveaway, I've updated my blog with the alert and you'll know that I'm a follower too! If I was to win the fabric I would like a blue FQ collection - I seem to be going for blues and reds at the moment.

    My first quilt was a sashiko cushion cover, which I still have but it is in store as it is the worse for wear. I made it about 17 years ago when I first went to Bourne Quilters in Poole. I'd never heard of sashiko before then.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Congratulations to you 500th post. It is always such a pleasure to read them and I have learned a lot about Japan!
    Looking forward to the next 500!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a wonderful way to celebrate a momentous milestone. I happened to notice this morning that I was up to about 175 posts so not even half way yet. Is it a happy coincidence that the quilting magazine has features on Kimonos and the Seaside?
    My first quilt is in the future - I have 3 on the go but have yet to finish one.
    Teresa x

    ReplyDelete
  21. If my number comes up I'd like Fat Quarter Bundle 6 - reds/white, please.
    Teresa x

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lis,You always make your posts so interesting and readable. Well done on doing 500.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I would love the fat quarter bundle #7, 8, 9, or 10. Congrats on 500 posts!

    ReplyDelete
  24. The first quilt I ever made was for my folks, about 25 years ago. It was just a basic squares patchwork, hand tied with yarn. LOL! Funny thing about it is, I am trying to ressurect that quilt right now. My mom gave it to me about two years ago to see if I could patch it....I almost threw it away, but hang on to it. I dug it out about a month ago, cut it apart and am now sewing it back together. It's still ugly, but maybe they can get a few more years use out of it.

    ReplyDelete
  25. 500 posts? Crikey - well done Lis!
    I've bought these threads from Keira before, so it's a no-brainer for me to choose threads again - I'd love to win Morning Glory, Orchid, Hydranga and Fuschia, please - although I'd probably be happy with any choice, they are so lovely and soft to sew with! Thanks for the giveaway, both of you!

    ReplyDelete
  26. That was an amazing first quilt -wow!
    My first quilt was a sampler from Lynne Edwards' books.... a lovely way to learn techniques, and made whilst I was bed and sofa bound, so most of the blocks were made by hand. It took several years until it was sashed and the flimsy completed, and even more years until it was quilted!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Lis, I've just tried the link from Brit Quilt and it took me somewhere strange.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow Lis almost 500 posts keep up the good work. Well, you know I'm a follower so that's one entry, I've just posted on my blog all the details on your giveaway (and how we met!). My first quilt was a hand pieced hexagon cushion, long gone now I'm afraid. Lastly, I'd love to win the Out of Africa thread sets. I says to send you and A our love.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi, wow 500 posts, congrats! I love your first quilt, you are justified in bing proud of it, it's great! Fab colours! I was sent a quilt when Lusa was born 20 years ago, and thought I can do that, then proved I couldn't! 8" (ish) squares (ish) in random cotton and poly cotton and goodness knows what else, all cut by hand. The points are all over the place! I didn't add wadding but backed it first with an old brushed cotton sheet. Years later I added fleece and it became my camp blanket when the girls were brownies and guides (I cut a slit in the middle so I could wear it like a poncho!) I do love it! Thanks for the blast from the past! If I win kind Kiki's contribution, I'd love a charm pack as I've never used one, but hopefully you or Kiki would chose me one!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Fat Quarter Bundle Number 4 for me! On a dreary day like today - the colours just jumped out of the screen at me. Happy 500th post :o)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Congratulations x I think a Modern Workshop charm pack would feel right at home here!

    ReplyDelete
  32. My first quilt was made entirely of free upholstery samples from my C&G Interior Design course - I still love it to bits x

    ReplyDelete
  33. tinarose from sweetypie13 November 2011 at 23:17

    hiya liz- you are making me feel guilty now, I would love the threads and the book looks interesting do I leave two comments?

    ReplyDelete
  34. back again, been and looked at kikis, those african threads are a really good price, going to order some, love em, perfect for kantha and sashiko from tia

    ReplyDelete
  35. Congratulations on your 500s post. What an achievement Lis - good luck everyone - Hugs Nat

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your lovely comments, ideas and opinions, they make my day. Thank you for visiting Piece'n'Peace,
hugs, Lis x