The Patchwork Posse has joined Create H.O.P.E Designs with a brand new quilt pattern!

Posted on by
Reply

We have a brand new designer!  Meet Becky Jorgensen from Patchwork Posse, she’s a spunky, talented stitching diva and we couldn’t be happier about her coming on board with a fantastic new quilt pattern, Monkey Bars.  I cannot even tell you how excited we get here at Create H.O.P.E when someone just emails us a contribution, it’s like manna from heaven, literally. It ensures that we will be able to continue our funding for China Little Flower and One Heart Bulgaria.

Have you ever heard of Patchwork Posse?  Well, let me tell you, it is one cool place!  They have online lessons, BOM’s, patterns for quilts, dolls, stuffies, bags and many other sweet creations.  On top of that, they have a magazine, full to the brim with super fun projects! Here’s the cover…

Here’s a little snippet from Becky…I’m tellin’ ya she’s groovy…
“I love to sew anything that i can get my hands on. I am not restrictive when it comes to projects. I hand embroider, machine quilting, and cross-stitch.  I do it all, bags, hotpads, aprons, quilts, samplers, dolls, toys…and whatever else that comes to mind.  I started sewing when I was 8 and made my first mini sampler–I still have it to prove it!!- then things settled for awhile {i was too busy growing up} and when i had my first baby, I of course needed to make her a quilt. The quilting obsession started and it hasn’t stopped! At one time I stitched for Shephard’s Bush in Utah and now own my own online sewing business, Patchwork Posse.  I have been blogging and selling my goods on Etsy for a few years now, and I have gone beyond ready made items….I have patterns! I love making new patterns and the design process. I have a sketch book that gets filled with more ideas than time in the day to complete.
Awesome right?  Becky is a creator in many ways, and by joining Create H.O.P.E she’s creating an opportunity for the thousands of little one’s who wait to receive the care, love and attention they need and deserve.  She’s an example of using one’s talents for not only her personal needs but also for those that have so much less than her.  It’s with a smile and a willing heart that she has given us Monkey Bars,  I do hope you’ll hop over to our store and take a look at her pattern, Monkey Bars.  I have reviewed her instructions, they are very professional and written for even a beginner to complete.  I love the fact that it only takes seventeen 2.5″ strips and some yardage for the background, that means one jellyroll will make two quilts!”
Here it is upclose…love the modern design and easy of construction…
I love it and I know you will too!  Visit our store to purchase Monkey Bars, 100% of the money collected benefit some really sweet little one’s waiting, such as….Baby You!

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!

Bring home Joshua auction contribution

Posted on by
2

Meet Joshua, he is in China waiting so patiently for his forever family. This little man has waited a very long time and lucky for him he will be home very soon.  Like all adoptions, it is so expensive, it shouldn’t be, but it is.  One might ask, “why are these people adopting if they can’t afford the fees?”.  Well, how many people just have 30,000 laying around?  Do you?  If a person were to show up on your doorstep tomorrow with a beautiful little boy, could you provide for him?  You probably could, and you’d probably be very excited about the prospect, right?  I am assuming that the very fact you follow this blog is because you have love in your heart for children especially orphans.  Well, imagine if the person that brought him said, “he’s all yours, but we need 30K first”.  Could you just go and write that check?  That is why so many families fund raise for their adoptions.  These families don’t just have their hands out asking for money, they have their hearts out hoping that you too can see the desperation and loneliness in these children’s eyes.  We are commanded to provide for “even the least of these,”  orphans are the literally the “least of these”.  These families can provide food, shelter, clothing, health care and most importantly unconditional love.  However, like most of us, they just don’t have thousands in the bank waiting, but willing they are, and in my book that’s all that matters.

It is an honor for me to do what I can to help these children on their journey home. Joshua’s parents are hosting an auction, so this is a little set I created, I hope it makes a crazy amount of money.  If it does, that is wonderful, if it doesn’t…well, it helped regardless and I feel good about my contribution.

Petal dress is a size 2, capri ruffle pants size 2 and the peasant dress is a 3.  Perfect for easter or summer.

I think that’s one of the biggest issues out there with philanthropy, we all want our contributions to cause a tidal wave of relief, but rarely that happens.  We lay awake at night dreaming of all those little faces, we cry, we brainstorm, we commit to making a difference.  In the end though, we only help a few?  Is it enough?  Yes, it is.  I just finished reading this book, and the one thing I took away from it was that saving ONE is enough, and to concentrate on one at a time.  Jesus left his entire flock to save the one lost lamb, that one mattered to Him.  It is the same for us, everyone matters, even just one.  So, do what you can and don’t get discouraged or disillusioned that your tiny contributions don’t matter.  I love the classic story of the starfish on the beach, there were hundreds, even thousands that desperately needed to be put back into the salty water they call home.  A small boy did his best to throw as many as he could back out and when asked, “why? There are so many, you’ll never save them all, some will surely die”, his innocent and wise response was, “it matters to this one”.

If you have the time and resources please hop over to Joshua’s auction page, he sure could use the help.

Baby quilts! Hidden Treasures auction contributions.

Posted on by
1

Once again, we have the pleasure of supporting the wonderful auction, Hidden Treasures. This time we contributed two quilts, both handmade by yours truly.  The auction this time will benefit three very special little boys, Moses, Jacob and Noah, who will be all be brothers!  Go HERE to learn about these handsome little men, and their new family.

This quilt is pieced and machine quilted.  It measures about 38″ by 42″, the perfect size for a stroller, carseat or even a wall hanging.  I love the bright colors, they remind of spring, which I hope is right around the corner!  Here’s a full shot of the quilt, please forgive my mediocre photography skills.

This quilt is also pieced and machine quilted, I also added some applique.  It is made out of really soft, high quality flannel.  It measures 40″ square, not too big, not too small for a sweet baby boy.  I wish you could touch this flannel, it is like silk, Maywood Woolies do not pill and get that scratchy flannel texture after repeated washings.  I think this would be the sweetest wall hanging, it’s full of vintage charm, but the colors are very modern.

The auction closes February 7th, so hurry over to Hidden Treasures and look at all the goodies they have available!  This is a great opportunity to not only win some fabulous prizes, but be a part of a sad story with a very happy ending.

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!

 

 

 

Izzy & Ivy Designs giveaway featured by icandy handmade!

Posted on by
Reply

A short time ago I was contacted by Autie from icandyhandmade, turns out she bought our (Izzy & Ivy Designs) Sweet Polly Playclothes Pattern and wanted to know if she could feature it!  Ummm…YES!  One of the coolest parts of being a pattern designer is when you find out someone really awesome, like Autie, likes your stuff AND wants to talk about it! After a whole lotta fist pumps, and a victory lap around the studio, I emailed her back and together we planned a giveaway of our Sweet Polly’s Playclothes pattern.

Have you ever been to Autie’s blog?  It’s amazing!  She is so creative and very, very generous.  These are just a couple of the tutorials you’ll find…

This is her version of our Lucy’s Little Flower dress, I adore her fabric choices.  You can purchase your own copy in our store.

Fun right?  Well, if you go visit icandyhandmade you can enter to win your own copy of Sweet Polly’s Playclothes!  I will also be throwing in a package of our SPRINKLES!

The giveaway closes next Monday, so be sure to hop over to icandyhandmade quick! Thank you Autie for the wonderful feature of Create H.O.P.E, we truly hope that 2012 brings your wonderful blessings!

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!

AVIVI Doll Carrier and yellowhibiscus Designs

Posted on by
Reply

Create H.O.P.E has a new designer! It is with great pleasure I introduce you to yellowhibiscus designs!.  We are always praying for new designers and Jaye Jaye Lutz fits right in with her compassion for orphans and sweet candor.  When I opened up her pattern,  I was over the moon!  What a great idea!  The AVIVI Doll Carrier is  perfect for all those little one’s toting all their “stuff”.  Bella Bug takes nearly every toy she owns with her everywhere we go.  Now she can carry her “poose” , carry a baby and  wear a baby all at the same time!  Seriously, she absolutely adores her new carrier.

The instructions are really easy to follow, with many diagrams guiding you through every step.  The whole project went together in a little over an hour.  I loved the fact that I only needed two fat quarters, velcro and some elastic, so the AVIVI Doll Carrier is a very affordable project to be given as a gift.  Like all our patterns it is done in a dowloadable PDF format with computer drawn pattern pieces.  Jaye Jaye has given quite a few options to ensure that the carrier is perfect for it’s little owner.

We are so grateful to Jaye Jaye for sharing her talents with Create H.O.P.E Designs, her pattern is benefiting the beautiful children in Bulgaria.  We encourage you to visit  One Heart Bulgaria to learn more about their outreach and the many ways they are helping the orphans of Bulgaria.

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!

Fishsticks Designs giveaway results!

Posted on by
Reply

Holy cow, 198 total entries!  That’s a record here!  Before I give the results I need to make sure everyone understands how I got them, because it might be a bit confusing.  For every pattern bought, the purchaser received 5 entries.  I added them up and entered them and tacked them onto the 123 comments on the giveaway page, for a grand total of 198.  So, if you were the first person to leave a comment on the blog page, you are actually the 76th comment.  I hope that makes sense.  Random.org produced the following numbers…

12…Erin Kimmons…she is the winner of the bag.

65…Emily Goria…she is the winner of the pattern bundle and gift card.

154…Desiree @ Wee Share…she is the winner of the Camp Shirt pattern and fabric bundle.

Congrats ladies!  I have contacted all of you, please be sure to get right back to us, so we can get your prizes out.  I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at our new pattern AVIVI doll carrier, it’s so adorable and very easy to make.  My own Bella Bug has been strutting around in it for a week…so cute.

Here’s some eye candy for you…this blossom has my heart doing back flips.  Please pray for God’s plan to be revealed for this little one, she’s so special and like most spicy Chinese girls…a fighter.

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!

Christmas pennant banner tutorial with free alphabet template

Posted on by
3


I made this adorable pennant banner last Christmas and I thought you might enjoy it.  I made mine to hang over my window, but the possibilities are endless!  Your space is small?  Try JOY, NOEL, or even BAHUMBUG!   Change up the fabrics and use it for a birthday banner, they are all the rage right now, I am sure you can come up with something fabulous.  You can download the free PDF for the alphabet here.  It is reversed and ready to go (you’re welcome).  So here goes with the tut….

You need:

  • Felt I had a piece that was about a yard, it was oodles. Depending on what word or phrase you use will determine your quantity needed.
  • Fabric for the applique. I used 1/3 yd., but again you might need more or less.
  • Fabric for the thingamadingy at the top (can’t for the life of me think of what it is really called…must be late). I bought enough to cut the strips on the bias. Bias tape would work also.
  • Heat-N-Bond Heavy. I used this because I was lazy and didn’t want to stitch around my letters, but you certainly can if you want :o )
  • Ric rac, ribbon, pompoms and any other doodad you wanna put on these beauties.
  • Jingle bells, I bought the big ones, because my banner is quite large.
  • The PDF.
  • Basic sewing supplies.

Trace your letters onto the Heat-N-Bond. We reversed everything already (your welcome yet again).

Iron the pieces to the WRONG side of your fabric.

Cut it out and peel off the back. Iron the letters to the pennants. Make sure you use the acrylic setting, felt melts, unless you are using real wool or bamboo felt. I hit mine with a little steam.

Now this is how I cut out my pennant, listen and read carefully. (Sorry the image isn’t rotated). If you are not going to change the size of the letters then do what I did. If you do change it, then you will need to alter the size of the pennents. I took a 10″ strip of the felt, found the center and measured and marked down 17″. I took my ruler and lined it up at the top of the 10″ strip and the mark, then I cut it and repeated it for the other side. Then I used that triangle to make the other six I needed. Was that awesome geometry or what?!?! Hey, it worked. Mr. Anderson would be so proud…not.

Line up your pennants right next to each other. Cut your thingamadingy strips 2.5″ inches wide, piece them together if needed. Iron the strips in half with wrong sides together, like binding for a quilt. Yes, you are looking at another banner, this is my bratty little sister’s (nah, she’s sweet).

Lay the thingamadingy strip on the right side of the pennants with the raw edge lining up with the top of the pennants. Pin well. Sew with 1/4″ seam. Iron the strip up and away from the pennant. Topstitch, you can see my gorgeous topstitching below, I love to topstitch, weird huh?

Cut your trims to the right length and attach them. I chose to put mine all right under the fabulously top stitched thingamadingy. Then for the finishing touch, stitch your jingle bells on the ends and hang that baby up!  Your done, it’s purdy isn’t it? I love it and so did Jack :o )

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!

Fishsticks Designs Giveaway! It’s a doozy!

Posted on by
123

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Oh boy, I am excited to share this giveaway with you today!  Bonnie at Fishsticks Designs has graciously offered a fantastic giveaway for you!  I adore Bonnie, she is a very kind soul and extremely talented, she’s made up of all kinds of special, and like all our designers she is groovy woovy.   She reached out to Create H.O.P.E as soon as it was announced and her pattern, Watered With Love Layette, is a best seller.  Her attention to detail is amazing, her patterns are so well written I think my 15 yr. old son could whip up her designs without a hitch, and he doesn’t sew!  Fishsticks Designs is all about adorable, comfortable clothing and accessories.  Knits are used often and her diaper bag is amazing.  Another great thing about Fishsticks Designs…she has boy patterns, AND they are cute!!!  That my friends, is not easy to find.

Now for the eye candy….drum roll (I am literally making that annoying sound as I type)….

First up…The Mama & Baby Bag!  This awesome bag is loaded with pockets and lined with waterproof PUL!  It has a matching waterproof changing pad and wet bag.  The fabrics, and color combination is adorable.  Red and aqua, so very hot, even the trendiest momma will love toting this around.

Second, a set of Bonnie’s knit patterns, including the Undercover Bottoms Boxer Briefs, the Charlie Tee & Hoodie, Rockin’ the Raglan Tee and finally the Little One Layette.  As if that isn’t amazing,  winner will also receive a $20.00 gift certificate to The Fabric Fairy!  The Fabric Fairy is a great store with an amazing selection of great knit fabrics.

Last in this great giveaway is a copy of her brand spankin’ new Everyday Camp Shirt and she’s including some adorable fabric from Ann Kelle’s  Remix and Ready, Set, Go! lines.  1 yard of Chocolate Argyle Plaid and 1/2 yard of Lime Rush Hour.  I can’t wait to get my hands on this pattern myself, my Jack is always asking me to make him something, he would love this shirt, and I would love him in this shirt.

 

So what do you think?  Pretty great, right?  This is how this giveaway is going to work…

For every pattern you buy in our store, you’ll get 5 entries, just leave us a comment and I’ll take care of your entries.  You may enter the giveaway without buying a pattern, but I will need you to leave your contact info as a comment.  If you share this giveaway, please comment where you shared it and that’ll enter you also.  

Are you all ready for the holidays?  I sure am, but I’d sure like some snow to cover up my dead, brown lawn.  We’ve got snow in the mountains, but nothing really in the valley.  My oldest is just finishing up his first semester of finals and then he’s home for almost a month! I cannot wait to see him every morning, geez I miss that boy, even his smelly laundry.

Good luck on the giveaway, it’ll end this Friday, so you’ve got 4 days and minute to win it!  This giveaway is being linked to the incredible giveaway being held at www.sewmamasew.com/blog!  This giveaway will be open to international winners, although your patterns will be PDF’s.

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!

When it rains, we smile…

Posted on by
1

I know I promised to reveal the brand new pattern, but guess what?  We have FOUR new patterns to debut!  Two of which compliment each other perfectly, so I’ll be showing them off tomorrow.  I know, I know, I promised today, but it’ll be worth the wait.

 

Would you believe it, if I told you…

Posted on by
2

That this gorgeously plump, healthy baby didn’t always look so sweet.  He looked desperate, severely malnourished and quite frankly scary.  Little Flower received this little guy in 2010, his remote orphanage couldn’t figure out why he was constantly vomiting and unable to gain weight.  He was hospitalized and they couldn’t figure it out either.  Luckily for this little person, China Little Flower was contacted and a short time later we have a baby with more rolls than the bakery.  His story is one of hope, love and dedication.  You can read all about him here.

Here is his before picture….I know it’s really hard to look at.  Is this really the same baby? It is, hard to believe but true.  This is what Little Flower does and I am so grateful to be part of it.  Thank you so much for your support, they do amazing things with your 5.00.

Tomorrow is an exciting day!  We have a new designer with an adorable new pattern!  I made it up and let me tell, you all are going to want one.  Perfect for Christmas!  Be sure to stop by and get the scoop :o )

Remember you are everything to someone with nothing!