four january giveaways!
By Patricia Belyea
This month’s giveaways feature Aurifil Thread Collections and Kai Thread Snips—two essentials to get you started in the new year! Each giveaway is valued at $58.
Aurifil threads, made in Italy with Egyptian Mako cotton, create happy sewing machines with virtually no lint and minimal tension issues. Plus, the thinness of the threads promise flatter and more accurate seams.
The color selection of Aurifil cotton threads extends to 250 colors—216 solids and 36 variegated.
Paired with Aurifil Small Spools Collections are Kai Thread Snips from Japan’s leading manufacturer of sewing scissors.
The Kai 5125 Thread Snips feature an ergonomically styled grip for maximum comfort and handling. Their spring action quickly takes care of any threads.
PB TIP: Never grab just any scissors to cut a thread. Oversize scissors might overcut right into your project! Use the correct scissors for each task.
Each thread collection features the favorite colors of well known textile and quilting designers:
Giveaway No. 1: Folk Story by Sarah Fielke. Ten 220 yard spools of 50 WT cotton thread.
Giveaway No. 2: !ndelible by Katarina Roccella. Ten 164 yard spools of 40 WT cotton thread.
Giveaway No. 3: Gleeful by Caroline Hulse. Ten 220 yard spools of 50 WT cotton thread.
Giveaway No. 4: Sketchbook by Sharron Holland. Ten 220 yard spools of 50 WT cotton thread.
To participate in the January giveaways, just answer this question in the Comment Box below: What new quilting or sewing challenge would you like to take on this year?
Thank you Aurifil Threads and Kai Scissors for your generous donation of these giveaways.
To visit the Aurifil Threads website +click here
To visit the Kai Scissors website +click here
HOW THIS GIVEAWAY WORKS: The January 2016 giveaway drawing will be held at midnight PST on January 31, 2016. Giveaway is open to US residents (sorry to my Canadian and international friends), 18 and older, void where prohibited. One entry per person. Four lucky winners will be chosen with a random number drawing. Winners will be notified within 24 hours. Winners must respond within one week of notification or their giveaway will be forfeited. A list of winners can be obtained at any time from Okan Arts. Thank you for participating!
The winners of these giveaways are Lorraine E of Orting WA, Alice R of Torrance CA, Edna W of Fresno CA, and Nina Dilley of Sharon MA.
You’re Invited
QUILT ART SYMPOSIUM
April 16, 2016
Washington State History Museum, Tacoma WA
Join with the art quilt community for a day reflecting on What’s Next For Quilt Art.
Three speakers talk about what they’ve learned and what they believe is next:
Dr. Sandra Sider, Curator, Texas Quilt Museum
Cathy Izzo, Owner, The Art Quilt Gallery in Manhattan
Chris Sazaki, President, Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA)
The day also includes a luncheon, a tour of the Contemporary QuiltArt Association (CQA) exhibit, and an opening party. Plus lots of time to mingle with like-minded individuals. Learn more at QuiltArtSym.com
leave a comment to Trudi Rammelkamp
154 comments to “four january giveaways!”
I want to make a scrappy quilt to use up some of my stash. Maybe even a new wall quilt for my studio.
This year I want to finally use the cotton sateen and cotton silk blend fabrics that I bought at Mood several years ago with the intention of making a small wholecloth. Not sure if I will still do a wholecloth or perhaps an Amish flavoured with modern colours.
I am new to quilting, but my hope this year is to make a Dresden Plate quilt with my stash of bright colored fabrics.
I would love to win your give-away. I was just ordering solid colored yardage for the class in May in La Conner. I want to do Improvisational Quilting. Your class will be a great “kick starter”.
I’m looking forward to more piecing without a pattern, and to be more whimsical in my designs!
I just bought an embroidery module for my machine and hope to master lettering.
I recently received a substantial stash of fabric from a friend who is downsizing. I am challenging myself to work mostly from my stash this year.
Hi! I am gearing up to make/complete a “whole cloth” quilt this year – at least one!
I would like to take the Joe Cunningham/ Pat class!
I use aurifil all the time and those scissors look sweet! This year I hope to finish a queen size bed quilt.
I have a lot of unfinished quilt tops. I would like to make a dent in that pile this year. The aurifil thread collections are just lovely!
Most of what I do is small scale, but would like to challenge myself to do something bigger this year. Not only bigger, but finished! Thanks so much for the giveaway.
my sewing challenge this year is just to be on top of things and get quilts finished and not leave the tops for a later day to get quilted and bound.
I want to try English Paper Piecing this year and the thread would really come in handy. Thanks!
I want to design and quilt an art quilt. I will draw the mermaid’s face and use applique for rocks, some paper pieced birds on shore and embroderied grasses in foreground. I can visualize it, but now I need to get started. Thank you for your drawings and website
I have a number of silk shirts that I want to make a quilt from……I have been collecting for a couple of years and I think this is the year.
My challenge for 2016 is to begin a series of mini quilts to illustrate stories in the memoir I’m writing.
I would like to challenge myself with some hand quilting this year. Maybe to do a small quilt and then something larger.
I made a beautiful ‘antique’ quilttop, and I am planning to machinequilt him with feathers…will be challenging!
My greatest challenge will be to get myself into–and stay in–my sewing room to finish up my ever-so-many UFOs!
Wish I could attend this, but that is the weekend of the Fidalgo Island Quilter’s QUILT SHOW (15th & 16th of April). And I am the featured artist this year so I will be pretty busy with my stuff.
I’m finally taking on the social aspect of my quilting love and have joined my local guild. Hoping my timid nature doesn’t get the better of me!
Using handwork to accentuate quilts, clothes…whatever I am creating.
I want to make a quilt for my little son ( 20 y).
I would like to machine quilt better.
Folk Story Folk Story!! I love Sarah Fielke!!
I plan to make my way through my basket of unfinished projects. I have a mix of quilted bags, modern quilts and art quilts to finish. I’m looking forward to that sense of accomplishment as I finish things.
I would like to try zentangle….thank you….marta
I would like to make an improvisational quilt based on curves as described in Sherri Lynn Woods book.
Hand applique and thread embelishment
I want to make an abstract landscape quilt this year, to really stretch out of my comfort zone
The challenge for me this year is to spend time working on a new skill for each new project I start.
I really want to make a dent in my piles of unfinished projects. So many of them I really love, but they do no good not finished or, in some cases, not even started.
My 2016 challenge is to complete my first hand appliqued quilt and begin a pictorial applique of my son and his dog, asleep on the sofa.
This year I’m trying ruler work with my home sewing machine on the quilt i started in 1999. Just bought some templates and ruler foot.
This year my goal is to complete a project that I started in 2013, and one that I started in 201, and one from 2015. Then I will move on to translate 3-4 quilt sketches/doodles into 3-4 COMPLETED quilts. I rediscovered the sketches in a journal that I thought I had lost. Lo and behold, the journal had slid to the back of my jam-packed fabric cabinet. I want to blend fabrics from my stash (in said cabinet) with new fabric acquisitions that I plan to make at Okan Arts! I am thinking some lovely Yukata cottons, would be fabulous! Here’s to a creative 2016!
Happy Sewing & Creating everyone!
This year my goal is to complete a project that I started in 2013, and one that I started in 2014, and one from 2015. Then I will move on to translate 3-4 quilt sketches/doodles into 3-4 COMPLETED quilts. I rediscovered the sketches in a journal that I thought I had lost. Lo and behold, the journal had slid to the back of my jam-packed fabric cabinet. I want to blend fabrics from my stash (in said cabinet) with new fabric acquisitions that I plan to make at Okan Arts! I am thinking some lovely Yukata cottons, would be fabulous! Here’s to a creative 2016!
Happy Sewing & Creating everyone!
I want to create art quilts using my collection of international fabrics.
I plan (really, hope) to finally start work on the quilt to honor my mom and dad. All the imagining, planning and collecting is done. All I really need to do is, well, do it!
This year I would love to work more with quilting using contrasting thread. I also would love to experiment with writing in my quilting stitches.
I’d like to try an English paper-piece quilt. Possibly (with a lot of hesitation) a piece like the La Passacaglia quilts. I know…BIG challenge but it seem like it would be very stimulating during these hours of winter.
I have good skills but never mastered hand quilting at all. I would have to start out small
I want to master my longarm machine and do hand guided custom quilting on all my quilts hanging in the closet and more that are not yet done.
I am finishing a wool appliqué art nouveau quilt started a while back. Next is a needle turn silk appliqué quilt done on shot cotton featuring an assortment of Japanese dolls and art objects
I’d like to make a hawaiian appliqué quilt
I would like to make a double wedding ring bed runner this year.
I am not a quilter.I am mostly a knitter, spinner and weaver. However, I recently went to a shibori & indigo workshop in Japan and I would like to make my samples into a lap quilt. I do some sewing and I would like to tackle sewing with knits and sew a couple of tunics or tops.
i have a collection of at least 20 yrs of old antique katazome, ikat, deconstructed
kimomo , 50 yr old blue and white yukata…this year i will start a project with
these pieces!
I am determined to focus on art quilts this year. Random, forget the rules…small quilts. My urge to make bed sized quilts needs to be put on a shelf for the year.
I intend to learn how to use my new Pfaff machine!
This is the year that I’m going to quilt an entire project using free motion quilting.
I want to work on improving my Free Motion Quilting!
I bought a bunch of solids to do some seminole piecing, ironed the pieces, and they have been hanging for a year ready to be cut- life and other sewing projects came up so the solids have been looking at me saying ” I’m still here!”
This year I want to make beautiful patchwork pillows.
I would like to play with designing in solid colors- explore the impact of different color combinations and pattern sizes.
i am going to try more embellishments this year and some thread painting also. Could really use an Aurifil thread collection .
Wow. If I won this amazing Aurifil Thread and Kai snips I would work on using them with my quilting journey of Lodestar quilt blocks! I’m challenging myself to feel more at ease with color selections and learning new strip piecing methods that negate the need for y seams. Beautiful giveaway. Okay to repost on my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook? I’m Elizabeth @ ElysianGlenn85. Please pick me! 🙂
I want to try a project with Kantha stitching. I love the handwork and the the stitched look. Thank you.
I want to do an applique quilt. Would love to get better at it. 🙂
craftyccain@gmail.com
I have 2 wedge quilts on my plate for 2016. I hope I will be able to do them.
I want to do large curves. I love the look of half circles but have not done that yet.
This year I really want to design and create a wall quilt for my daughters room in a fairy tale theme. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.
Erin
ErinLoves2Run at gmail dot com
My goal this year is to get my sewing space in order and tackle a pants pattern I’ve been putting off fitting.
I hope to make a quilt made solely of cotton yukata fabrics. Hardest part, which ones to use!!!!!!!!!
This year I will try new designs in my quilts, learn more about color combining, and I will practice and use my BSR on my Bernina much more! I am looking forward to trying new threads and designs, and getting a feeling of freedom and movement in the quilting process. It will be a good year!! Thank you for this opportunity to try new ideas and thread. Happy New Year to you.
To find my true design style and fine tune the style in series.
I would like to try free motion quilting this year. Bought a free motion foot for my Brother and didn’t get a chance to use it before the machine went kaput. Now I’m onto an old, wonderful Bernina. I’ll get a free motion foot for it one of these days, then it’s time for me to go to town!
I would like to feel comfortable free motion quilting.
I plan to do more applique. I love all the collections.
I am a returner to crafts now retired, small patchwork quilt my challenge – A bit excited to take the journey back and also tackle my new Janome S5.
Make a crazy quilt using both hand and machine techniques.
I want to stop procrastinating and actually FINISH some tops which I’ve pieced already and make others for which I’ve collected the fabric! Quilting the sandwich seems to be my hang-up.
What new quilting or sewing challenge would you like to take on this year?
I would like to design and release an original pattern of my own that features beautiful quilted feathers.
Hi, gearing up to make a baby charity quilt in blues,maybe 2 of them! These threads would come in handy! Thanks OKAN ARTS,AURIFIL+KAI SCISSORS!
I’m not 100% certain my goals for 2016 are targeted at New techniques. I definitely want to work on my precision piecing skills, continue to develop my free motion quilting skills, as well as complete a stack of UFOs. But, I guess I can say I’m exploring learning about foils and painting on fabric too!
QuiltShopGal
http://www.quiltshopgal.com
I so want to finish up all my ufo’s and try not to start anything i can’t finish….great giveaway…happyness04431@yahoo.com
I am looking forward to learning new surface design techniques.
I want to learn how to hand appliqué a full size quilt top.
I would like to learn how to free motion quilt on my domestic machine, using a different pattern other then my normal meandering. Thanks for the great giveaways
Finish my third hand quilted wedding ring quilt!
I hope to design and complete a quilt using charm squares in my stash.
2016 is going to be an exciting year for me! I have decided to try my hand at “no pattern-no rulers” quilting. I hope it will help me discover my “inner artist” and open new doors to the fiber arts. I have a drawer full of beautiful Yukata cottons that may actually be cut into this year!
My goal is to complete one ufo a month and gift it. This is very doable as many are almost complete.
I’d like to play around more with vintage linens, incorporating them into beautiful, useful objects for daily use or eye candy. The first trick is the daily discipline of “Art First.”
I have made some quilt blocks but I’ve never actually made a quilt. I’ve been collecting inspiration over the past year and would love to actually do this in 2016!
My sewing and quilting challenge I would like to learn this year would be to do needle turn appliqué.
Try some painted and manipulated fabric techniques, adding texture and substance to free motion work.
This year I am going to try free motion quilting on my home machine.
I am hoping to spend more time with my asian fabrics, including silks and yukakas, creating some art pieces. I am working on finishing my first for a possible show in February and it feels right.
I’m going to make a special baby quilt to take to the Czech Republic to give to my grandnephew–and his new wife, whom my husband and I have yet to meet. My Czech family appreciates any gift made by hand, especially one from their American relative!
This year I’d like to try embellishing my quilting projects with decorative stitches.
I love No.4. I would like to have enough quilts made for a new solo show.
Plan on trying fabric dying in new year.
My challenge is to finish a double wedding ring quilt I started 10 yrs ago for my niece along with 2 new quilts that I am signed up for in classes that include curves and paper piecing.
I have a persistent feeling with clouds of ideas that want to be directed onto a piece of fabric. Two distinct ideas. One is a matryoshka-type female, another is a tall tree with surrounding padded forest floor.
They will be appliqued of snipped pieces. I’m thinking of how to do this without the quilts being ‘tacky’.
a scrappy quilt i have enough
I want to make a king size crazy quilt and play with couching, making a sectional wall hanging…
I’m taking on the challenge of making a wedding ring quilt for my son and his finance of whom we are so excited to welcome into our family. She proudly wears her Seahawks colored Yukata cotton infinity scarf I made for her birthday!
What a treat to have 10 spools of Aurifil thread to match a line of fabric.
Thanks for the opportunity.
Having just set up and oiled a vintage sewing machine, I’m getting ready to achieve something in fabric in 2016, not yet defined. I could use some great threads and snippy scissors to make my next steps even more satisfying. Thanks!
I am looking forward to continuing my improvisational journey breaking out to ruler-less piecing.
Wow! My quilting challenge definitely has to be to try and get through a substantial number of my projects from quilting classes. lol. That would give me more totes available for more classes! Take care!
Patty
My challenge for the New Year is to learn my new Longarm and in doing so, make at least 12 quilts for different charities using free motion quilting and ruler work.
I would like to figure out how to stabilize and finish a 40 year old hand pieced Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt top. Cottons from the 70’s. White material between the flowers tends to fray and make holes and that’s been the problem.
This year I will be focusing on experiencing different surface design techniques. I hope to produce numerous pieces. Winning thread would be very nice!!
I just purchased a small Bernina sewing machine with a stitch regulator. My challenge this year is to get over my fear of quilting my small projects, with the help of my new sewing machine.
I have been making quilts for over 25 years and have never made one for myself. My goal is to make a quilt for me!!!
I want to change my focus from bed quilts to art quilts.
I would like to advance my machine quilting skills and learn how to operate one of the sit-down quilting machines with BSR.
I’d like to improve my machine quilting, specifically free-motion. I need many more hours of practice to get where I’d like to be.
I am going to make a small wall quilt for my daughter’s new home. My hope is to try the technique of stuffing the quilt called trapunto using one of the fabrics I bought from your shop.
A king size crazy quilt and a project with couching and fun thread play in a sectioned wall hanging…
I would like to learn a quilt as you go technique
I’d like to build my confidence with free motion quilting – so I can actually finish all the tops hanging in my closet!
I would like to finish a few UFOs and make a modestly sized Double Wedding Ring quilt!
I would like to finish some projects in progress. It’s important for me to get some of them completed. I went into cardiac failure on 4th of July, on life support for a few days due to chemo and radiation. I’m all fixed up now and feeling much better. I realized after that, I gotta get some of these things done so my family will have some sort of idea as to what goes on in my sewing room. I’m on tract, got two quilt tops done already this year. It’s a year of determination and I’d like to take a Judy Niemeyer class to learn a new technique. Totally a new beginning!
This is the year I learn hand applique! I have dabbled in needle turn applique with Sara Fielke, a starch the edge applique with David Taylor and a turn the edge onto freezer paper applique with another instructor. I have not yet found the sweet spot for me. This is the year I succeed with some kind of hand applique!
For 2016 I would love to learn to home quilt small projects:small quilts, table runners, etc. Then I would like to design my own quilt rather than modifying someone else’s design.
Hand quilt by a queen size quilt from the top I finished 2015 so I can enjoy it on my bed! BTW, love all these giveaways!!
I would like to complete every month’s srt challenge on time!
Woo hoo! Love aurifil and all the boxes of collections are gorgeous!!
For the new year I am trying a challenge that is out of my box – a just for fun with a broad theme – nothing I would ever make for myself but so far it is lots of fun and I am on task – trying!!
“Let your stitches show” – my 2016 mantra!
This year I am going to make two wedding quilts, one for each of my sons and their lovely fiancees.
I want to make quilted bags combining cloth and felted crochet pieces.
I want to explore the beautiful art of sashiko.
This year I plan to learn and use hand stitching for texture and embellishment, a la Sue Spargo. Slow, but inspirational quilting.
I want to develop the skill of free motion quilting on my domestic machine. I love Aurifil threads for both machine piecing and handwork.
This year I am going to sew at least an hour a day, and learn to do the blanket stitch for applique. I have been doing raw edge fusible, using straight stitch. Thanks for the chance to win.
I would like to find a good pattern to use with my dutch chintzes.
learning to threadpaint.
I will keep working on lower my stash. I get new ideas every time I go through it.
2016 is my year to try circles! I technique I have avoided so far! Wish me luck!
I’ve recently started doing applique with wool, and I’m looking forward to working with quilters quality flannel to do a series of 4 bird panels. A bit of a challenge for someone who likes to do fusible/fast applique!
I’d like to choose a shape or technique and create a few pieces in a series.
Thanks for the opportunity to win these great products! I would like to play with “making fabric” from sewing itty bitty scraps together!!
I usually do raw edge or machine applique. Needle turn applique is something I really want to become better at this year.
After 55 years of working, I am retired and have organized my office into a sewing room! I am ready to win the give away and sew a legacy of gifts for family and friends.
This year I would like to become proficient at Machine Quilting.
i want to make a quilt top for my own bed, it’s about time!
Happy New Year
Carol
I am going to learn needle-turn applique.
I always enjoy reading your newsletter but this one was extra special with the piece on the memory quilt.
I am working on expanding my quilting walking foot quilting beyond ‘straight’ line decorative stitches. I have found lots of inspiration, now comes the application!
I am taking a linoleum block printing class at my local community college and I hope to be able to use the blocks I carve with fabric paint to stamp onto fabric, and then incorporate the fabric into quilt blocks.
I’m just getting back into sewing after 30 years off my machine. So I’m relearning to so and starting with quilt blocks and small projects.
I hope to finish 5 quilts in 2016!
I want to try my hand at using some yukata and Juban fabric in a new quilt pattern.
I want to try my hand at a bit more contemporary quilts with brighter and larger print fabrics. There is so much more to choose from in the fabric world, great designers. I love the Japanese fabric and wonderful beauty brought to the USA.
Love your thread and have many projects planned where I could put it to good use.
I would like to try making a fiber art wall hanging. I usually sew items for practical use (purses, etc) so I’d like to branch out and try something that’s more about the “art” than about the “usefulness” 🙂
I’m a sewing beginner, so probably something simple like a quilted potholder. Thanks for the chance to win.
I want to make all 100 blocks in Tula Pink’s book, 100 Modern Quilt Blocks. I’m using Moda For You fabrics by Zen Chic.
My biggest quilting challenge is finishing the projects I start. I hope to complete a few things this year!
I plan to learn more techniques for embellishing clothing with embroidery and paint sticks. I especially like dragonfly and ginko motifs. Thanks for the great giveaway and for your always inspiring blog!
Very soon, I want to try paper-piecing. I’ve seen so many wonderful projects and patterns….I must be the last sewist on the planet to try this! I just need to find a solid block of time to figure it out.