Thursday, September 17, 2009

handmade inspirations...betz white inspired giveaway

The winner of the giveaway is...
Robin who said...

"Lovely giveaway! I'm inspired by my granddaughter.
Thanks!
Robin"

Thanks to everyone who participated. I loved reading all the responses and checking out your blogs. What an inspired and inspiring group! Blessings to everyone.




Betz White's blog was one of the first blogs I ever read. I went there before I even knew what a blog really was searching for repurposed felting inspiration. I found it, and now I am a regular visitor because she consistently has great ideas on being resourceful and crafty!

I recently made the hat pictured above using Betz's Make New or Make Do Pattern: the reversible bucket hat. The directions were very clear. The pattern came together just as it should, and I love the fact that the pattern includes sizes for toddlers, kids, and adults. I definitely "made do" using repurposed upholstery samples for my fabric. I may revise the flower pin that I made to attach to either side. I made my reverse using a coordinating green fabric with brown embroidery. I figure the hat may be somewhat water repellent so I am hoping to use this as a rain hat this fall.


In case you haven't heard, Betz recently introduced a great line of organic fabrics. I love the bold color combinations and the cottage inspired, geometric patterns. Woodpile is my favorite. They are available in her etsy shop. As is her newest book, Sewing Green, which has so many great ideas about being resourceful in sewing functional items for all aspects of your life.


And now for a very special Betz White inspired giveaway given with gratitude for all the crafting inspiration that I have received from reading her blog over the last couple of years...the winner of this giveaway will receive three vintage 100% cotton floral print pillowcases (including one with the same print that Betz used in the apron pictured above) and your choice of one of Betz's pdf patterns offered through her etsy shop.


Here are a few repurposed pillowcase ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

I once saw the most darling set of a vintage pillowcase dress with leggings and cardigan wrap made from a repurposed cashmere sweater that were worn under and over said dress. I wanted to mention it too since it does seem like we should be focusing our crafting attention to items that offer more warmth as we are heading head first into fall. That said, there is always Christmas gifts (that lunchbox would make a great gift) and if you are like me...getting the materials now might just make it possible to sew the project by next spring;)

To enter, you need to leave a comment by Thursday, September 24th, answering the following question:
what has been inspiring you to create lately? please include links if you would like to. The last giveaway generated so many thoughtful responses, I'm sure we will all be inspired by the comments this giveaway receives.

I'll randomly pick the winner next Friday, and announce it in this post. Please leave your email address so I can notify you if you are the winner. I can only pay the shipping of the vintage pillowcases to a winner in the united states or canada, if you live in a country besides these, please do not enter unless you are willing to pay the shipping difference or just want the pdf pattern (thanks!) .

29 comments:

  1. love this. betz is great!

    i have been so inspired lately.

    i love this bag by enchanted mama http://enchantedmama.typepad.com/enchanted_mama/2009/09/flowers-for-my-girl.html

    i am ready to regroup with thanks to marisa http://creativethursday.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/a-simple-life.html

    shouldn't everyone have their own stamp designed just in case... http://lizzyhouse.typepad.com/lizzyhouse/2009/09/postage.html

    love this post from maya
    http://mayamade.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-heart-is-with-her.html

    there are so many others but i have been on a blog hiatus while we have some seriously needed home remodeling done. fall will be another new beginning! thank you.

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  2. i love her blog too! and in fact - the answer to your question about what has inspired me lately is all the blogs i've been reading! i stumbled upon blogs recently and am hooked. the writers of these blogs are amazing and talented. i find myself bouncing from blog to blog and sometimes i have to stop bookmarking b/c i realize i can never read them all!! you all have gotten me reinspired to redecorate, reorganize, cook, craft! i wish i could list all the blogs i read but i'd be afraid i'd miss someone!

    but like you - betz white was one of the first ones i stumbled upon and i love her fabric line...i appreciate the chance to win! thanks!

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  3. What a beautiful and inspiring give away Elizabeth!
    I love, love vintage pillowcases/sheets and feel the same way about aprons! *sigh* : )
    I would be thrilled to win this!
    My crafting changes with the seasons, in this new cooler season my focus has been turned to knitting and working with wool, spinning, felting... My sewing is usually guided by the seasons and in these Autumn days I feel like I am nesting and sewing for my home making everything fresh and cozy as we prepare for the winter months. Next up on my list is aprons and potholders for all of the bread and soup making my kitchen has seen lately. Thanks for your generous offer : )

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  4. office supplies have been inspiring me lately! all of my friends' kids are going back to school and I don't have any school supplies...so lately I have been really attuned to all of the adorable office supplies on the market. :)

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  5. My inspiration is Etsy. I can browse and not be looking for anything inparticular, and come away with 15 new ideas! LOVE Etsy! PS: I adore Betz and her blog. I do hope to be that crafty/resourceful someday!

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  6. My inspiration is autumn, and reading through the archives of these blogs:
    http://www.amberdusick.com/
    http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/
    http://blueyonder.typepad.com/my_weblog/

    Thanks for a chance in your giveaway! I would love to make the lunchbag! What great ideas.

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  7. I have been feeling inspired by autumn of course, the weather turning much cooler, preparing for a new year of homeschooling, handwork projects to share with my daughters. As far as blogs go I am starting to feel overwhelmed... but I love that wonderful log cabin quilt that Soulemama just made for her daughter. And everything about Gardenmama's blog is inspiring me these days, even though there aren't really any specific sewing posts. Just the beauty of it all makes me want to create more beauty in my home!
    Those beautiful vintage pillowcases are pretty inspiring too!

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  8. I'm dabbling in a variety of crafts at the moment and I'm finding that I am very inspired by "Handmade Home" by Amanda Soule. Her wool blanket inspired me to decorate a canvas bag for one of my little ones lately using some vintage buttons from my husband's family along with some wool felt to dress up the effect.

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  9. the change in seasons has inspired me lately, a lack of spring clothes ofr my little ones has had me at the sewing machine sewing.

    I love Betz White's blog too, so many great "green" projects.

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  10. nice blog and lot's of wonderful fabric..
    autumn makes me happy and I'm like a busy bee

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  11. My bout for creativeness hasn't surfaced beyond merely 'appreciating' lately but I'm getting that itch! Sights & sounds in my daily routine has been inspiring to be creative - nothing particular but everything in particular! The greens in the ocean, the clouds in the sky, the colors my girls have picked for the bedrooms walls [now that they are both teens!], reading...spacing out...engaging in conversations, eavesdropping on conversations while standing in line...ALL of it!

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  12. I am inspired by this post! Really, I just went and dug out a vintage floral pillow case and plan on trying that annamaria pattern sometime today.

    I find inspiration everywhere. For me the most interesting projects tend to evolve from the most unexpected sources. It seems that when I let process lead the way, I have more exciting out comes.

    Thank you for offering this wonderful give away, Elizabeth! It's fun to read everyone's responses.

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  13. The weather!! This is the best time of year to me...and it brings out the craftiness in me for sure! Great giveaway and thanks for letting me know about it.

    http://minivanlife.wordpress.com

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  14. Amanda Soule's blog has inspired me lots recently, so much so I'm starting a dress making course on Friday which I'm really excited about! I've also been hitting some carboots and picking up some great bits.
    The pillowcases look great, plenty of ideas for them x

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  15. found you on the vintage swap - ..... I too am a Betz fan.... what a fun give away ~ thank you :-)

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  16. My kids are inspiring me to create things right now. I have three little ones and I have so very many things that I want to make for them! I am hoping to pull of birthday books for each of them, like the one in Amanda Soule's book The Creative Family, beginning with the baby who turns one this week. I am also knitting furiously to make Christmas Stockings for the younger two. I have so many projects swirling around in my head, nearly all of which are kid related, in one way or another. Those pillowcases would make an awfully cute dress for the baby girl!

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  17. I love your blog, and what a fantastically generous giveaway you're hosting! Inspiring me right now is simply the approach of Fall...I've been knitting a lot and have sweaters and socks on the brain.

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  18. My Mom inspired me. She just visited me and while she was in town I worked on fixing a doll hairstyle and painted a teapot (at a paint your own china place here in town). I also have almost finished a new prayer shawl and have lots of new doll making ideas. Another inspiring site is this one www.kaleidosoul.com I've been making soul collage cards for a while and the process is really a joy.

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  19. Found you on the vintage swap and so glad I did. These would be oh so adorable on my little one year old in all sorts of ways.

    I have been inspired a ton by moving all the books from our guest room and relocating them to a really great place in our living room and then using the guest room shelf for all kinds of perfectly packaged craft supplies ... baskets, leather boxes, tins, jars... every time I look at it I think about how much I want to make something. It also forced me to sort through my unfinished projects and I have been steadily finishing them.

    I for some reason just found nienie but I think there is nothing more inspirational to me right now - her journey over the past 13 months is unspeakable - but she does right for the whole world to read! http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

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  20. Lately I have inspired by all of the goregous knitted/crocheted items over on www.ravelry.com especially sweaters.vests and longies. I am try to sew some matching shirts to go with the longies for dd.
    I have been making lots of things for Christmas gifts lately. http://daphne-creativemom.blogspot.com/
    daphneg16@hotmail.com

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  21. Thanks for including me!

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  22. I have been inspired by many craft books that I got the library to buy! I love my library. This week I am working on projects from Handmade Home. I will be blogging about it through out the week. This book has so many good crafty ideas for repurposing vintage items.

    www.thepowerofme.typepad.com

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  23. I would love to win these beautiful pieces!

    I am all about re-purposing things lately and find inspiration in making some old into something new again! This is right up my alley!

    www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com

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  24. Melanie Egorin (melanie_egorin@yahoo.com)September 22, 2009 at 6:49 AM

    I am inspired but the sudden changes and fissures in my life. I moved to Germany with my family to allow my partner to follow his dream. In preparation for our move, I evaluated everything , and I mean everything, we owned and decided if it was important to me. For the first time in years, I have time to think rather than try to balance family, work, friends, and the hustle of Washington DC. I am using this time to tackle the long list of things I want to create and learn but somehow the list keeps growing as I see more of the world.

    More concrete inspiration has I am inspired by the wonderful children's clothing I have seen on the streets in Germany and France.

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  25. Hi! Thanks for the chance to win! I've been re purposing old wool sweaters that I bought last spring. I'm working on a vest for me and a cardigan for my little man! $7.00 + 7 sweaters = loads of crafty time! This time of year I want to work on warm things like making soups and chilies for the freezer and apple butter for the pantry! I'm not ready for it to stay cold yet, but I do love when we can have the first fires of the year!!!

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  26. Thank-you for your warm comments on my blog!

    Well - I'm inspired by all these lovely comments!

    My baby, my 3 littles, my husband's hugs, our warm September weather (here up north), the fields of like hearted blogs (like this one), my cup of coffee in a cozy clay mug, baskets, yarn, vintage fabrics...these are a few things that inspire me everyday.

    Thanks for the great giveaway offer!

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  27. I've been inspired by my children and by my stuff -- all these wonderful raw materials crying out to be made into something. Today I was ironing some handed-down fabric scraps and each one seemed to be asking me, "So, what will I be?"

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  28. Lovely giveaway! I'm inspired by my granddaughter.
    Thanks!
    Robin

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  29. What a terrific giveaway!
    Right now I am inspired by the amazing colors of the changing leaves right outside our window.
    I am so inspired by these knitted leaves at http://shivayanaturals.blogspot.com
    also so many wonderful ideas in Amanda Blake Soule's new book - Handmade Home.
    Thank you!

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I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment here. I love reading each and every one. If you have a question be sure to leave an email address as that seems to be the most efficient way to follow up with an answer.

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