Giveaway winner

The wait is over -- it's time to reveal the winner to the giveaway. 

And the winner is.... Donna Louise Flanagan, who made the 10th comment, which was the one randomly selected by my beloved Excel ;) Congratulations, Donna! Please email your postal address to xinyuealice0803(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll get this lovely piece of batik sent over to you. 

Finally, thank you all for entering, and also for your very kind words welcoming back. 

Have a great week all! 

Back with a giveaway!

Guys, I can't believe it's been almost a whole year since I last wrote on this little blog of mine. Where has the time gone?! What's new with you?

The main reason for my absence has been quite simple. It sounds like a cliche, but I struggled to find the time and space to sew. Let me explain. We've done quite a bit of work on the house since I last posted, and after the last 3.5 years of hard work, it is starting to feel more like ours. It does mean, though, that whenever a room needs refurbishing/renovating/ripping-out and starting over, my lovely girl cave becomes the storage room, or during the most recent project, our bedroom. 

After a few big projects, followed by quite a lot of clearing up, I've finally reclaimed my sewing room, and it is time that I get back to sewing. 

Oh how I have missed sewing, and my little blog, which, coincidentally, has turned 6 this Friday!

I'm partly reassured, however, that upon return, a) I still seem to know my way around my sewing machine(s), and b) whilst vlogs and instagram have transformed blog-sphere, there still appears to be people blogging, and reading blogs. 

Now, what better way to return than with a giveaway? 

In my trip to Bali this time last year, I made a special trip to Denpasar, to visit the batik shops, including the wonderful Dewi Mas, to top up my stash with some more exotic pieces. After buying a couple of fun cotton batiks and a vibrant piece of viscose for myself (projects featuring them are coming soon!), I couldn't not pick up a beautiful cotton piece (2m long, 1.06m wide) for a lucky reader as well ;) 

What do you think?

To enter, simply leave a comment before midnight (BST) Friday 22 September, and the winner will be picked out of a hat. 

A couple of pictures from the shop:

Before I go, I wanted to share my sewing to-do list with you. Remember my sewing blackboard? Most of these are pretty simple yet effective, so should be perfect for easing me back into sewing, before trying out more ambitious projects (like sewing activewear and more undergarments, which I really want to do). What's more? They are stash busting, which is much needed.  

Aaah I must admit, it is great to be back. I can't wait to share my completed projects with you very soon. 

Introduce the FREE pattern for reversible camera lens cases!

I have something completely new for you today. I have pulled together a little PDF pattern for you all! I was planning on sharing this as my giveaway for the Sew Grateful Week, but having not seen much movement on that this year, I have decided that now is as good as ever, so here it is! 

It's a bit of a mouthfull, but it's a simple little pattern to make padded cases for your precious camera lenses. 

As someone who loves travelling, as well as sharing what I’ve made, I’ve really jumped onto the photography wagon pretty late. After years of relying on point and shoot cameras, and sometimes phones, I’ve lost count of the number of times I wished I could have better captured the moment. Finally, a few months ago, I took the plunge and got myself a Sony Alpha A6000, a compact system camera. What can I say? It has been everything that I could’ve possibly wished for.

But I soon found myself with a small (first world) problem – to make the most of the interchangeable lens camera, I purchased a couple of spare lenses. Despite the high cost (boy are these pieces of glass expensive!), I was surprised that none of them had come with even a pouch. So I spent the first few weeks wrapping them carefully in bubblewrap before putting them in my padded camera bag… You can’t be too careful with glass!

Then it occurred to me that I am able to solve this problem -- I can sew a few padded cases  for the lenses myself. What’s more, this would be a great way of using up scrap fabrics! After doing some basic maths, I realised that it would be easier to accurately draw shapes to specifications on the computer; and then I thought, why not share it with my readers even though the pattern is simple? I’ve been thinking about digitising some of my self-drafted patterns anyway and sharing them here for free, so this simple pattern could be a test run. I also know that a lot of sewing bloggers are keen photographers – and I can guess that just by looking at the wonderful photos on your blogs!

I suppose what I’m really trying to say is that...

1) This is my first attempt at digitising patterns and writing up instructions, so please do bear with me and send me any comments/feedback; 

2) I realise that this is fairly easy, and you can probably work it all out by yourself, but I hope I can save you some time by setting it all out! I’ve pitched the instructions at the beginners level, and have tried to explain each step thoroughly and with the aid of photos (if I drew, you’d be waiting for my pdf patterns for decades).

Now the pattern itself. I’ve done a bit of research into the sizes of lenses, so have made 3 sizes for this pattern based on various diameters. Choose the pattern based on diameters, as the length/height of the case is easily adjustable. The below is an indication only; please do measure your actual lens before choosing the pattern size and cutting out the fabric. 

Pattern size	For lens diameter	Is designed to fit	Tested real life example
S	58mm-61mm	Many of the smaller Micro 4/3 lenses. Examples of Micro 4/3 cameras include Canon EOS M, Olympus pen series, Panasonic Lumix G series	This size has not yet been tested as I don’t have a lens which fit into this category. Be assured though the maths works!
M	62mm-65mm	Larger Micro 4/3 lenses, many APS-C lenses (if storing without the hood). Examples of APS-C cameras include Sony Nex and Alpha a?000 series with E-mount lenses, Samsung NX series with NX-mount lenses	Sony E-mount kit 16-50 lens for my Alpha a6000
L	70mm-75mm	APS-C lenses (with hood) and full-size DSLR lenses.	Sony E-mount zoom 50-210 lens; Carl Zeiss 32mm f1.8 lens for Sony E-mount

What you'll need:

• One fat quarter for outside fabric - quilting or other medium-weight cotton would be perfect
• One fat quarter for “lining” (this is notional of course as the whole thing is reversible!) - quilting fabric would work again of course, and you can go crazy with your mix and match. Alternatively you can use brushed cotton/flannel here for added softness. 
• One fat quarter worth of wadding/batting for added protection
• 40cm of ribbon (up to 2cm wide)/double folded bias binding for the drawstring

Benefits of these cases:

1. Great protection – it’s padded from top to bottom, so you can chuck your lenses into your handbag rather than having to carry around a camera bag. More glamorous and safer (not shouting out “I have a fancy camera” when you’re travelling is always helps in my book). The pattern also “bags in” all the seams so they would be poking out on the inside leaving fluff at your treasured lenses.
2. Perfect use of scrap fabric – this pattern is designed to be reversible, which not only is fabulous, but allows you to mix and match your scrap fabrics, too! You can have so much fun with it!
3. They would make great gifts – something that’s handmade and also made to measure? What a lovely gesture! The recipient doesn’t need to know that it’s simple to make!
4. Quick to make – No need to finish seams, no closures/buttonholes to make other than inserting a drawstring! Very simple, quick and effective.
5. It’s a free pattern – what are you waiting for?

Click on the links below to download! 

FREE Pattern: Reversible Camera Lens Case - Size S

FREE Pattern: Reversible Camera Lens Case - Size M

FREE Pattern: Reversible Camera Lens Case - Size L

Instructions for all sizes

Any suggestions/comments/feedback (good or bad) please do get in touch, as it could help me decide whether to go ahead and digitise some of my dressmaking patterns. 

I can’t wait to see what you make ;) 

And the winner is...

Renee from Me Made Makes! I'll be in touch shortly to get your postal address for this lovely pencil skirt pattern. 

Thanks for everyone for participating in the Giveaway! Better luck next time :)

Back from holiday giveaway!

Hello my dear readers, I am back from my holiday, and I have a quick giveaway for you to cheer us all up! 

I bought issue 10 of Love Sewing magazine when I came back to sooth my post-holiday blues. The holiday blues were pretty bad this time, I must admit, as I came back from the beautiful and sunny Grenada and SVG, and as soon as view of the UK emerged from the clouds, we were greeted by snow :( 





This seems a long time ago now... (It was Sandy Island, where we spent a day and overnight enjoying the beach and wonderful snorkelling). 

Anyway, within the magazine pack there is a pattern from Simply Sews -- it is a pencil skirt pattern, in UK size 8-16. I really like the look of it, but as the odds of me actually making it is pretty slim (I have enough skirts, plus the pattern will need grading down in size), I thought maybe one of my lovely readers might treasure and make use of it more :)

Here it is:

All you need to do if you would like to take this pattern off my hands is to leave a comment to this post. Entries will close on Sunday 22nd Feb (midnight GMT) and the winner will be selected at random. I'm happy to post this worldwide. 

Good luck! 

Let me leave you with a few more holiday snaps. Good times! 

The water really is this colour. We stayed for 2 days and 2 nights in Tobago Cays! Possibly the most special place we've ever been to on earth. 

My snorkelling and swimming skills benefited so much from this trip - it helps when there are colourful fishes, huge turtles and interesting corals to look at. 

An iguana chilling in the tree of an inhabited island. 

And some hard-core hiking, too! We actually walked past a few abandoned flipflops along the way...! 

Have a good week everyone! And good luck with the giveway :D

Giveaway winner!

Thank you for all of you that have participated in the giveaway. I am really appreciative of all the stories and experiences that you've shared about how sewing changed your lives - I very much enjoyed reading them, and it was nice to see some common themes coming out. 

But without further ado, it's time to announce the winner! 

Drum roll please..... and the winner...by random selection...is....

Sabine Delannoy! 

Congratulations Sabine! Please could you drop me an email with your address at xinyuealice0803 (at) gmail (dot) com. If you could do this in the next couple of days I'll be able to post the fabric over before I head off to China this weekend, but otherwise I'll send it when I get back in 2.5 weeks time :)

Have a great weekend everyone! 

How sewing has changed my life, & blogiversary giveaway!

Hello readers! I hope this post finds you well. Can you believe that another year has gone by? This little blog of mine is 3 years old today! 

I've got something different, and something of a tradition for you today. 

Starting with the something different, instead of reflecting on my projects this year, at this 3-year point, I think we are ready to look back and reflect on how sewing has changed my life. Not a grand topic or anything, I know. 

Firstly, sewing has made me realise that I need time to be able to enjoy my life, and amongst other things, this was one of the reasons why I decided to move on in terms of jobs a few months ago. Knowing that I should make time for something that I truly enjoy was liberating, and being able to make this happen was absolutely brilliant. I am much happier with myself as a result. You see, it can be life-changing! 

Secondly, sewing has made me more familiar with my own body shape. Don't get me wrong, I never though I had massive boobs, hips, or legs that went on for miles, but fitting my own clothes had been very helpful in getting to know my own body shape well, and where it might be smaller/shorter/flatter/fatter than the "standard" shape (i.e. where the pattern alterations typically are). 

Following from the second positive change, with clothes that fit better, I feel much more comfortable and confident in my outfits, and in my own skin. I also take pride in what I wear more, and it is a great conversation starter with strangers. 

The next change sewing has made is that I spend less buying clothes, but spend more on fabric/haberdashery/sewing machines. There have been so many times where I'm browsing through shops, and thought to myself, "what a cute dress/top/skirt/trousers/pjs", but then immediately thought "I could make that so easily!" Of course more often than not, I don't then go away and end up making it, but if I don't miss it after a few days, I clearly didn't need it to start with. I often find that when I shop now, I focus more on how complex the construction of the garment is, as opposed to how it looks. Geeky or what?!

The final thing that I want to mention is that sewing made me feel part of a really great community. When I had a quick weekend stop in NYC, what did I do first? I emailed Sonja from Ginger Makes. I've also received emails from readers about nearby fabric shops, or asking for tips on wedding dress makings, and I do love helping out where I can. It really does overwhelm me sometimes, in a great way of course! 

So that's me. How about you? Has sewing changed your life? 

Now that's off my chest, it's time for a great tradition - the blogiversary giveaway! 

Remember this little project? Yep, I've got some of that lovely fabric left over to give away! 

It measures 1.5m wide and 1.56m long at the shorter end, and approx 2m long. It's funky, it's lightweight, and it's 100% natural cotton. I can confirm that it is very comfortable to wear, and doesn't even wrinkle too much. What more could you possibly want? 

To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment below, by Sunday 14th September (closing at midnight BST). I'm happy to post to anywhere in the world, so do feel free to enter wherever you are. The winner will be announced on Monday 15th. Best of luck!  

Giveaway winners

Hello! I hope this post finds you all very well. It's time to announce the winners of the giveaway:

The winners picked at random are:

• Melanie Robin from A Little Yorkshire Girl in a big craft world
• Elena from Tea for two

Congratulations ladies! Katy and Alex from AlexSwfit Designs will be in touch with you shortly.  

In the meantime, I hope you all have a lovely weekend.  

Garment District and last week of the GIVEAWAY

Greetings from the Big Apple! So I shopped the Garment District, and it was downright fabulous! Just a few snaps to share with you today. 

Also a reminder that the wonderful GIVEAWAY is closing in just a week's time, so if you haven't entered, please feel free to do so not only for a chance to win some fabulous handmade goodies, but also to support a great little independent shop that is just starting up. 

This is at Fabric for Less, where I bought 2 beautiful pieces of viscose/rayon (more on that later).
 

The fullest fabric shop I've ever been in, and trust me, I have been to the fabric shops on Brick Lane! (It's next to AK Fabrics on West 39th, although I can't for the life of me remember its name, the shop owner described it as a "fabric garden"). 

Gray Line Linen -- although I didn't buy anything from there, I could see that it is a perfect place to go if you need anything linen. I even saw some jute runners, which might do as stair runners with some modification? I digress. 

Here's some fabric that I bought:

Three pieces of cotton jersey, in different weight. Yep, I play with knit now! More on that another time. 

Some beautiful rayon from Fabric for Less -- you can actually see the red one on the roll in the picture above. The green one? I'm sorry if you like it, too, as I finished the roll with my 3 yard purchase. I think it would make a beautiful dressing gown - something different, eh? 

The stretch fabric, lining, and the rose print rayon (with some body, which I have earmarked for a dress with some structure) are all from AK Fabrics, together with some sweatshirt fabric. 

In addition to the fabric, I also bought some rayon seam binding, which is very hard to come by in the UK. 

The shops that were most successful in getting me to open my purse are Pacific Trimming and AK Fabrics, because of their great variety of stock, and the extremely helpful and knowledgeable staff. I also made purchases from Chic Fabric and Fabric for Less, both of which are apparently owned by the same people, though I found the former to be much better in terms of service. But hey, when I can get beautiful viscoseon/ray for a $5 per yard, how can I complain?

So all in all, it was a very fruitful trip to the Garment District, and a great day indeed (I also fitted in comfortably the High Line, New York Public Library, Macy's, and managed to catch a brilliant musical, After Midnight.). No complaint from me whatsoever (apart from tired feet)! 

 

That's all from me for now. Until next time, happy sewing! And if you get a break, make sure you don't miss out on the giveaway! 

GIVEAWAY by Alex Swift Designs!!

Hello my dears, I hope you are all keeping well wherever you are. Here in the UK, we are having a rainy few days, and sadly there's not yet any real sign of summer. 

So how about a rainy day giveaway? I have got something truly special for you today. One of my dearest friends, Katy, with her just as super talented boyfriend, have recently started a new venture in their spare time (this is in addition to their full-time jobs!). This creative pair in London haven fallen in love with screen printing, and have designed and handmade some beautiful products. They have recently launched their first range, Hector, which features a sophisticated and handsome chocolate Labrador. 

Here's just a few products from this wonderful range: 

Aren't these fabulous? And remember, Hector is the first range by Alex Swift Designs, and with your support, this great independent shop will feel encouraged to design more and more diverse ranges, in addition to adding to the existing one. 

What's more, the designers behind Hector are not only creative, but also very generous! They would like to give away the following to some lucky readers:

• a tote bag of your choosing; and
• a greeting card of your choosing. And if we get more than 30 entries, another winner will be chosen for a second greeting card. That's 3 winners altogether!

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment here indicating which design is your favourite (eg Odd Hector Out, Striped Hector, Flying Hector etc), before midnight BST on Sunday 15th June. 

Want to boost your chances? By liking the shop on Facebook, and/or admiring the shop on Etsy, your "name in the hat" will be counted twice (or three times if you are super keen and do both!) 

The even better news is, this giveaway is open to everyone ANYWHERE in the WORLD!  

When the giveaway closes, 2 or 3 winners will be chosen at random, and Katy and Alex will be in touch with you to arrange shipping. So don't be shy, my dear readers, enjoy the giveaway!

So how about that for a rainy day cheering up? I for one could certainly do with some sun, as I have a bit of a backlog of projects to share with you - just waiting for some daylight to arrive for decent photos! But for now, do take advantage of this giveaway and have a good week! 

Sew Grateful giveaway winner!

Thank you for those that have taken part in the Sew Grateful giveaway -- I knew it was a bit of a narrow one, given the size of the pattern, but it was great to see so many of you commenting! 

So the winner is... thanks to the random generator on good old Excel again... No.5, which was -- Rachel! I will be in touch to post the pattern shortly. 

And don't worry if you haven't won this time -- there will be more giveaways coming up soon, I promise, so watch this space!

I realise that I should have said what I was grateful for during Sew Grateful Week. But hey ho, here it goes -- I'm extremely grateful for the entire sewing community -- and yes, if you are reading this, you are part of what I'm grateful for! So thank you! I think it is safe to say that this is simply the most helpful, supportive, and encouraging group of people that I've every known! 

And on that note, have a great week everyone!   

Sew Grateful Week -- GIVEAWAY!

Happy Sew Grateful Week, my lovely readers! 

Today is the GIVEAWAY day, and I've got a little vintage number for you!

It's an early 1960s pattern, in size 12/Bust 32. If you are participating in either the Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge or Mad Men Challenge 3, or like me, both, then this could come in handy for you! 

I will run this giveaway till midnight (GMT) of this Sunday (2nd March) and will be happy to post to you worldwide! All you need to do is leave a comment below, and a winner will be chosen out of a hat, and announced on Monday!   

Good luck! xx

Giveaway winners!

It's time! Thanks to the "randbetween" function on Excel, I'm pleased to announce that the winners from the blogiversay giveaway are:

Winner of the fabric -- Elena from Tea for Two
Winner of the lavender -- Maud Parent from MP by Maud

Congratulations! I can't wait to see what you make!

Please could you let me have your postal address?

Giveaway - blogiversary and 100th post!

As promised, it's time for a giveaway! It's a special occasion -- today it's the 2nd blogiversary for this little blog of mine. This is also the 100th post on Moonbeam, and I just realised that I have 100 followers on Google Friends Connect as of today!

To mark this occasion, I've got 2 freebies for you to grab. First of all, this beautiful lightweight cotton. It's 2.50m long and 1.10m wide - don't you just love the delicate pattern? It would be perfect for a summer dress, or a cute little top (the Alma Blouse, anyone?)

The second freebie is some dried lavender. Remember the lavender bags that I made earlier this year for my mother-in-law's wedding as favours? I have over 500 grams left, and although it is making the house smell incredibly relaxing, I thought it would be time to part with it, and let it go to another home. 

To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post before the end of Saturday 21 September (midnight GMT). If you would prefer to enter for only one freebie, please indicate this in your comment. Otherwise I will assume that you are entering for both. Everyone is welcome to enter, and I will ship them worldwide. The winners will be picked at random, and announced on Sunday 22 September. Any questions, just ask. 

Best of luck! And happy giveaway!

And the winner is...

...Sassy T from Thread Noir! 

Congratulations! Please email me your postal address and I look forward to seeing what you make from this wonderful pattern :) 

Thank you for everyone who has taken part. There will be a couple more giveaways to come in the next few months, so watch this space.

Labour Day Giveaway!

Happy Labour Day everyone! 

Having worked full-time for almost 6 years, it only just occurred to me this year that the UK does not really celebrate Labour Day on May 1st, and by "celebrate", I of course mean "the employers are kind enough to give us all an extra day off". As I admired all the out-off-office messages from my overseas colleagues, and hearing about the family get-together from  my parents on everyone's day off in China, I decided that it was time to figure out, once and for all, why we didn't get a public holiday in the UK today. (In fairness, though, we do get a day off next Monday, as a "Spring Bank Holiday", but why don't we just join the rest of the world and celebrate all the hard-working people on 1st day of May instead?)

Naturally,  Wikipedia is where I went. And this is what I learned:

Europe

The 1st of May is a social celebration for the rights of workers in Europe.

Except in UK, where only the Queen is celebrated.

Um... what?!?!

Never mind. In the spirit of Labour Day, and to cheer up all of us in the UK, I thought I'd host a little giveaway for my followers. So here it is:

... a great jacket pattern - Butterick 4610, so you can make up your version for spring! 

It's brand new, factory folded, and in size AA(6-12). If you need any more convincing, then check out this wonderful version here. 

Why am I giving such a great new pattern away, I hear you ask?

Well... let me just ask you this - have you ever liked the look of something so much that you accidentally bought it twice? 

Yep, that was what happened. I kid you not. I was doing some "research" on jacket patterns about a year ago, and fell in love with this pattern, so I bought it from my local Fabricland. Then summer came, and I never got round to making the jacket. Autumn followed, and I started looking for a jacket pattern again, and was, once again, thrilled to find this little gem, having forgotten all about my previous transaction only a few months before, so bought it online. It was not until when I was trying to put my new purchase in my pattern drawer, and neatly in the jacket & coat pile, when I was very confused to find that I have got it already!! 

Anyway - my daftness is your gain! 

To enter, you need to be a follower of this blog, either on Google Friends Connect, Google Reader (if you have not done it already, you will need to switch to an alternative soon), on Bloglovin, or by email (or any other means, just say). Simply leave a comment (confirming how you follow Moonbeam) by midnight of Saturday 11th May 2013 (British Summer Time) and you will be entered into the "hat"! Winner will be picked at random. 

Yes, it is that simple. I will happily post the pattern to anywhere in the world, to find the pattern a good home. 

Best of luck! Happy commenting :)

Book review: Couture Sewing Techniques and Giveaway Winner

As requested by some of my readers, it is time I did my first sewing book review. This one is probably my favourite, not only because I simply could not have made my wedding dress without it. It is, of course, Couture Sewing Techniques (Revised & Updated) by Claire B. Shaeffer. 

Before I start though, it is also time to announce the winner of my first ever Giveaway! Thank you for all the lovely readers that took part - I appreciate all the wonderful comments and very helpful suggestions. The winner was selected by a random number generator (thank you Excel!) and the beautifully green fabric goes to... drum roll please... Arielle (lakaribane) at Fashion Maté! Arielle, I will be in touch by email shortly. 

 

Now the book review. 

This book is based on the 2001 version of Claire's Couture Sewing Techniques, but revised and updated 10 years later to not only to bring the book up-to-date, but also to add a new chapter on special fabrics and lots of beautiful photos. 

I bought this book almost as an alternative to Susan Khalje's Bridal Couture, which is out of print, and goes for £100+ on Amazon (there is a cd version available from the US, but when I was making my wedding dress, I just didn't want any further delays over potential custom issues/shipping problems). I was really glad that I did make the purchase, as it was of invaluable help (as were all the PR members on the Bridal sewing board). 

The book is made of 2 main parts: the basics to couture sewing, and applying couture techniques. I think this makes logical sense, and makes a great read from cover to cover - this is not what I can say for a lot of sewing books, especially techniques-based ones. However, I must admit that at times, I did find that some techniques are not situated in one place, so I had to jump through a couple of parts. Though all in all, this was not a big problem for me. 

The book contains so many wonderful couture techniques, and made me feel like couture sewing is not out of my (or anyone's) reach. The techniques are well explained, well illustrated, and in most cases, well applied in the later parts of the book. 

It takes you through the history of couture sewing, which personally I found a fascinating read, but I could imagine some readers considering it irrelevant. It contains lots and lots of references to the great famous fashion houses, with exclusive photos of some wonderfully constructed items, which was inspiring. 

There are also lots of "Claire's tip" next to some techniques, and I really loved those as I felt like I was being given great insight of the industry, and "tricks of the trade". 

Towards the very end of the book, there is also a section on special occasions wear and wedding dresses. Selfishly, I wished that the wedding dresses section was a little bit longer, especially as there are not that many sewing books on the market for wedding dresses constructions. But it certainly contained some useful information on the key elements of wedding dresses, which I did find helpful. 

Overall I thought this was a fantastic book. Although I don't think this is something that complete beginners should get their hands on straight away, this is certainly suitable for advanced beginners onwards who are interested in learning how to sew better. It helped me a great deal, and made me appreciate hand sewing so much more. 

Happy sewing everyone! x