Is it too last week to talk about New Year resolutions?

… Well. I’m doing it anyway. And I’ll be”Outrageously Joyful” doin’ it! That’s my mantra for 2016. “Outrageously Joyful”.

Last year I declared 2015 was my year to live fearlessly. And I have to say, I did more things that made me cringe, want to hide and hold my breath BUT I also had a year where I felt more alive. A year that felt I was headed in a direction that I intentionally wanted to go. I was driving the boat instead of going with the flow. It was AWESOME sauce!

So what’s this got to do with cleaning my toilet and being outrageously joyful? The two usually don’t go hand in hand (at least not in my world).

When my world opened up with being fearless, I learned SO freaking much! But you know what happens when you learn stuff, you realize how much more you NEED to know. Three quarters of the way of through 2015, I realized there’s a lot of back end stuff I need to set up to for myself to move forward. Some of these things are big, some are small. Some things that I can get done lickty split and some things will be a grind. I have a lot of ground to cover and as I’m doing it I want to be outrageously joyful doing them. Reminding myself this is what I want, this is what I’ve chosen…

Here it goes: Yay! Cleaning the toilet! I’m so glad I have a toilet and I don’t have to go outside in the cold and use an outhouse. I LOVE indoor plumbing!!!

2015’s recap, left from right:

1. December-I released my # sewinglikeamothertrucker Hard Core Cassette Tape Pattern
2. November-Finished Module 3 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design!
3. July-Released my free Match Needle Book with a kit for the Pacific Northwest meet up in Seattle (Circa 15 provided the fabric for the kits)
4. February-Working in Module 1 (The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design) I designed my first ever repeat. I broke into giggles when it worked! I used cut paper (because I was being way to precious with my drawing)  and have since framed the cut out. I proudly display it in my studio.
5. September-A show of my Fabric Stash Drawing Project at Dry Goods Designs in Seattle. A dream come true!
6. June-A design from Mod 1 (The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design) was featured on Print+Pattern (Brain completely exploded!!! Wildest dream came true!!)
7. January-My Fabric Stash Drawing Project was featured in Love Patchwork & Quilting. After being mentioned on Flossie Teacake’s blog, that happily fell into my lap.
8. Pretty much the same thing as #2.
9. July-This is the cassette tape book cover I swapped at the PNW meet up in Seattle. It was won by Jonna. Who’s Jonna? Jonna, tested the cassette tape pattern for me (and many versions of it!) We met in person for the first time at the there. She’s as lovely in person as she is online. She’s @bespokeoutlaw on Instagram. Definitely check her out, her feed is amaze-balls! Just like her!
10. 

Oh and not on the list but definitively a 2015 highlight, I was hugged by a Sea lion! It was an “Outrageously Joyful” hug!

Congratulation Zenna you won the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway! That’s six  Cotton + Steel Fat Quarters and my PDF Hard Cord Core Mini Quilt Cassette Tape Pattern! Thank you to everyone who entered, your comments were outstanding and crazy fun to read!

You asked for it! So here it is! My “Hardcore Mini Cassette Tape Quilt Pattern!” It’s ALL done AND you could win it during Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway Day!

PLUS, I’m throwing in SIX Cotton+Steel Fat Quarters! The winner will be selected at random on Wednesday, Dec 16th. The PDF pattern will be sent to your inbox (emailed) and the Cotton+Steel bundle will be sent to your mailbox (snail mailed)! BUT you gotta leave a comment answering the question below. Sew Mama Sew rules. International entries welcome.

But hey, don’t worry if you don’t win, I’ve listed the pattern on my Etsy store. Feel free to have a snoop around. I only have the one pattern right now but I look forward to filling it up with lots of goodies soon.

Now, whether you’re an ambitious paper piecing newbie or a slick experienced type, a general knowledge of paper piecing and quilt construction is a must for this pattern. However, I’ve included a list of resources to get you out of any jam. Don’t worry, I got your back.

The finished quilt measures – 26″ x 28″ (66cm X 71cm)

The pattern includes:

• 16 pages in total
• 11 pages of instructions
• 10 paper piece cassette tape patterns
• A material and fabric needed list (for batting, backing fabric and binding included. However, the pattern doesn’t include instructions on quilt sandwiching, quilting or binding)
• Block and Quilt Keys
• Assembly instructions
• Tips on how to customize your cassette labels (my favorite part!)
• Background cutting diagrams (plus a cheater sheet to make life easier)
• A Resource list
• Measurements in both inches and centimeters
• The pattern can be printed on standard letter sized paper

Once you have the pattern you can make all kinds of cool things too! Like this:

Isn’t it outstanding?! This Christmas mug rug was made by pattern tester extraordinaire Jonna (@bespokeoutlaw on Instagram). Coming this new year I’ll be posting other cassette tape projects you can make with the cassette tape paper piecing patterns. Stay tuned!

And as always, for Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Days the BIG question… I always love the answers. A few years ago I asked about who’s number you’d want to find in a Matchbook. I was giving way one of my Match Needle Books. The answers were a mix of sweet and naughty. Hey, tis the season! (PS since then, I wrote a pattern for the Match Needle Books, it’s FREE. It’s over there on the right hand side.) Okay, here’s the question to enter the Giveaway:

You’re going on a long road trip with someone you have a crush on. You haven’t told them yet. To let them know and set the tone for the trip, what would be the very first song you’d put on your mixed tape?

Good luck and if you’re on Instagram, I hang out there as @lysaflower. If you’re on Facebook I have a page there too. That’s one of the great things of Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway Day, I’ve met some pretty fantastic people through it. I look forward to meeting you!

Happy #sewinglikeamothertrucker!

designing

Here is the break down of the answers:

The majority of commenters wished to find numbers of people they’ve fallen out of touch with or lost.

There was a group that would like to chat with their favourite quilters.

But I think the biggest chunk of commenters wished to find the number to… hmmm, how should I put it… hotties:

Like Daryl from the Walking Dead (I though you ladies might enjoy this link – emoji kissy face, emoji kissy face, emoji kissy face)

Elvis Costello

Tom Selleck

Harrison Ford as Han Solo (a nice Magnum PI cross over in that link)

Alexander Skarsgard (Eric from True Blood)

Tom Hiddleston (Loki from Thor) this is the video a prank that was played on him that won me over.

Oh and there was the Queen, not necessarily a hottie but still, I thought a great answer.

Only one person asked specifically for a phone number 867-5309. Which was funny because I had that number on my wall, wink!

But what everyone wants to know is who won?! Now this is a little awkward because the winner said she’d like George Stoumboulopuluos’ number. Why is that awkward you ask? Um, he’s my boyfriend. Or a least that’s what he tells me every time I watch his show.

Either way a big congratulations to Number 105 Leanna!  Now I must mention Leanna has a great blog called Poot and Boogie and has created an AMAZING movement called the Advocates. It will give you goosebumps, good ones though. Leanna also has a Facebook page too. I encourage you to check it out!

A big thanks for all the blog love last week. Right back atcha! I hope you find all those people you’re looking for in your match books. Thanks for popping by and I hope to see you again!

Cheers
Lysa

Welcome and thanks for popping by! I’m very excited to be a part of Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway Day again!

A few weeks back I was given, along with other Warp & Weft Sewing Society members, a challenge to make something with Lotta Jansdotte’rs new fabric line, Momor and Sylvia.  This is what I came up with! Match needle books! By leaving a comment and answering this question, “whose phone number would you love to find written on the inside of a match book?” you will be entered to win one of my match needle books. But that’s not all! As a bonus you will also win the pattern to make a match needle book and a kit with all the pieces you’ll need! Free to let me know which colour you like best from the photo below.

Each winner will be chosen randomly and international entries are very welcome. The contest will be left open from now until May 16th  at 5 pm PST . The winners will be contacted on May 18th and their match needle book and kit will be shipped out on May 20th.

Best of luck!