Lucky HSTs

This is too good to be true, can somebody pinch me, please? My HST quilt top placed second in the Just the Top category of the Emerald Quilt Challenge over at a.squared.w. Wow, this is the first time I entered anything anywhere and I'm so excited and bursting with happiness.

I want to thank Sarah and Fiona, especially, for encouraging me to take part in the challenge. Not only had I not known about it, but I seriously doubt I would have entered without your kind words of encouragement. Sarah, you've also egged me on to finish the top in time. Fiona, you kept me level-headed. Perfect mixture for me. Thanks, ladies!

And thank you to everybody else who has been following along with the top's journey. Sharing this one with you has been so much fun and I'm still flabbergasted, but obviously overjoyed, by the amount of love it receives.

I can't wait to continue this one, see where it takes me, and take you along for the ride. The quilting should be a ton of fun and I'm planning a mixture of machine and hand quilting as soon as I can afford batting. Thanks to the sponsors and Ali I can definitely afford the backing and binding fabric now - what to pick?? Just a solid? A print? A solid combined with my 36 leftover HSTs?

Stay tuned, folks. And please check out everbody else's entries, not just the winners. Competition was definitely tough and inspiring!

Happy sewing and a most wonderful weekend!

Blogiversary Giveaway Winner

With the quilt top finished this weekend and entered into the Emerald Quilt Challenge, I've finally found a moment to draw the winner of my blogiversary giveaway. First off, thank you everybody who shared their recipes, or even their lack thereof, with me. I'll be sure to try them out and will let you know how I like them. Now, without further ado...

Lucky number 15 - Juliet of Tartankiwi!

Who also wrote:

Congrats, Juliet! I'm glad you didn't forget and willl be emailing you shortly for your address.

Everybody else, if you still want something Mareen-Made I've got two open slots in the Pay It Forward Handmade Swap.

Wishing everybody a grand week. Happy sewing!

We have a Winner!

Welcome back to the draw! Since Tabatha mentioned the metaphorical hat and we had one in our closet, I thought it'd be nice touch to use a literal hat instead of a random number generator. Lots of pics for transparency's and nostalgia's sake and the fiancé watched to ensure that the draw went above board.

The hat.

26 names...

...turned into 26 tickets...

...and put in the hat.

And the winner is...drum roll...

...who said...

Congratulations Cecilia! I've already emailed you. Let me know which cover you'd like to call your own and I'll make sure to send it to you asap. I think we're all curious to know which one you will choose!

The brown one?

Or the multicoloured one?

Also, let us know once you've made your own Dresden and how they look together!

Thank you all for your enthusiasm. I'm stunned so many of you professed interest in my little project and took time to encourage me along the way. I hope you're enjoying a splendid weekend!