Tips & Resources 
We love being able to give away wonderful prizes, and we thank our amazing sponsors who make all of it possible. Today, we run down our latest winner roll call: the Oliso® iron winner, the Fabric.com Rustic Wedding winner, and the two Liz & Alicia's Fave Fabric winners. Four folks whose smiles went from mild to mega-watt when they heard the news.
One perks you up, one calms you down. Ahh, fabric… our drug of choice. Today's two pretty picks are both new collections perfect for warmer weather, and available right now. Hipster by Holli Zollinger and Shannon Lamden for Riley Blake Designs came out this month. It's an energizing set of prints that range from bold retro graphics to funky Cross Stitch and Scallop Knit prints. These two concepts (the bold retro graphics with the cross stitch and scallop) seem at odds, and yet they work together fantastically – I want it on pillows and a "hipster" summer dress. Linen Closet by Renee Nanneman of Need'l Love for Andover Fabrics is the epitome of fresh, crisp fabric. Envision a pretty set of bed pillows and a softly colored quilt; add an open window with a morning breeze blowing through... a silver tray with coffee, scones and strawberry jam... a kitty at the foot of the bed and nothing pressing to do. I want to go there.
Because quality tools make a world of difference in your finished projects, we feel extremely fortunate to use Janome machines exclusively in our Sew4Home studios. No matter what we dream up to make, we know our Janomes will be up to the challenge. Just a couple weeks ago, we profiled the new Janome Magnolia 7630 to show what you can expect right out of the box with a standard mid-range Janome machine. Today, as promised, we start collecting entries to give away a 7630!
Sewing is an art. But is does rely on science and technology as well. And there's math with all those fractions and geometry. But most importantly... there's your machine. A good machine makes the difference – not only in the sewing experience but in the professional look of the finished project. Janome America is the exclusive sewing machine sponsor of Sew4Home and we love our studio Janomes. When you have a great machine, you can literally forget about it, and put your full concentration on the art of sewing. To borrow a line from Janome that explains this phenomenon: the easier the tools, the more creative you become. Janome machines are precise and reliable from the top of the line to the most basic entry level model. One of the very first articles we did on Sew4Home explained the parts of a basic sewing machine. We've decided to update that article today as the first day in Janome Week – for the benefit of all the new sewing enthusiasts out there. Plus, it never hurts for any of us to dust off our skills and knowledge.
When my kids were young, we had a nightly ritual called The Basket Brigade. We would walk around the house, laundry basket in hand, picking up stray toys, socks, bottles, crackers... whatever had cascaded to the floor during the day. The hope was there would be a clear enough path in the morning to stumble to the coffee pot without impaling your foot on an army guy. This is best done at night because picking up during the day is kind of like raking leaves in a windstorm. But there is hope. If you have a few really cute things to help you organize, it makes it all seem much more manageable. Our Tidy Up Collection has four great ideas to try.
Do you live with a picky eater or a non-stop muncher? Meal times are a big part of every day. In fact, sometimes it can seem like kids are in need of a meal, a snack or a drink pretty much 24/7! We have five, fun projects to help you Serve Up the goodies in style. This week's compilation series of kid-friendly projects is our way to help you filter through the hundreds of great articles here on the Sew4Home site. We hope you find some old favorites you'd forgotten about or discover a new idea with make-it-now potential.
I believe it was WC Fields who once said, "Children are inherently sticky." It's true, babies and kids are messy. It's their job. It's our job to try to clean away the layers of dirt and smashed bananas so we can see just how adorable they are. We have four items in our Clean Up Collection. All with our signature easy, step-by-step instructions. Even if you're brand new to sewing, you can tackle these projects and have them turn out great.
Cuddle time is awesome time. There's just nothing better than snuggling up for a bedtime story, a special movie, or to sooth the latest boo-boo. We've picked eight cuddle-worthy projects, from super soft blankets and quilts to squeezable stuffed animals. There are hundreds of great articles on Sew4Home, and we know it can be hard to keep track of them all... especially if you're a brand new visitor. So, today we're shining the spotlight on some great kid-friendly classics. Take a new look at an old friend or discover something new. Make it today; snuggle tomorrow.
Sometimes the littlest things get the biggest attention. When we're posting a picture to Pinterest or Facebook or loading a new project on the main site, if it has anything to do with babies or kids, likes, re-pins and comments go through the roof! So we decided it was time to collect some of our favorite kid-friendly items and bring them to you in handy bite-size chunks. Today, we're going to "Pack Up." We have five wonderful ways to get up and go. Because whether you're headed on an extended vacation or just making a trip to the store, going somewhere with a baby or toddler can seem like assembling for an Arctic expedition. It helps if you have something functional, and more importantly, fabulous, to put it altogether.
As we enter the final phase of making a quilt, you should be proud of all you've learned thus far. If you think back to Part 1 of this Series, you may have been skeptical about adding "how to quilt" to your sewing toolbox of skills. Now you can see it was simply a case of ignoring your fears and going forward with curiosity and confidence. We encourage you to remember this as we venture into the final phase!
