New Website......I Moved

 

Well I think I have finally figured out all the links and tools so that all of you lovely people who have chosen to follow along on my journey will be transferred to my new website location with me! 

But......on the off chance that I missed something or messed up, this post is to let you know that I have moved and then I will go over to the new website and post a very brief post welcoming you!!

If you don't receive the welcome post by tomorrow....you will all know that I messed up....

So here's what I need you to do for me, if you could take a minute....

If you receive the welcome post, can you leave a comment...just say hello, or have a look around the new site and let me know what you think!!

If you don't receive the welcome post, in 2 days, can you leave a comment here on the sign off post...and I will try and figure out what I did wrong and fix it, or if you would rather...the sign up options are in the sidebar near the top on the new site....but I am hoping that won't be necessary and we will transition seamlessly!!

Fingers Crossed....see you at my new website....

www.upstairshobbyroom.com

GiveAways: We Have The Winner...Eddycrest Naming Contest

So the good news....

The Eddycrest team has chosen the winning name for their newest sewing desk design......

The not so good news.....

We did not reach our goal of 1000 names....

We fell short of the 500 names mark....making the Prize Level 1

I want to say thank you to all of you who shared and added names...

And there were a few of you, you know who you are, who went above and beyond....

Trying to help reach that ultimate goal of Level 3!!!

But...

Stay tuned and stay connected....

I heard a rumour that the Eddycrest Team may try another contest at some point......

I also want to say a big thank you to the other Sponsors who stepped up and offered amazing prizes for you all to win!!! 

BeBe from 

Rita from

 And Pam from

One more little TidBit of info for you all.....

I've been working on a new website....not me really, but a friend.....lol

And it is almost ready to launch....just tweaking some last minute issues.....

Like you being able to continue to follow my blog by email, etc....

and a few other, oops forgot about that, things. 

So keep a look out for my last post here, coming soon....which will direct you to the new sight...

I'm super excited to switch...but be patient when it does happen there will be some tweaking that will still need to be done..and a learning curve for me on the new interface....

But, I'm hoping for a very smooth transition!

Also, I will not be shutting this sight down, as the last post will help direct anyone who misses the announcement the first time or just happens to land on my home page from old links....

but when all is said and done all the content from will have moved and will be available in a much more user friendly format!!

Now on let's announce the Winners.....

The winning Desk Name is......

Submitted by:

Tamara Isaac-Smith

Tamara will receive the Quilt Hanger for her name submission.

Runner Up

Compact Starter 

Submitted by: Sharon Tucker

And Honourable Mention

Just A Table

Submitted by: @friedatong

The winner of the Random prizes:

Gwen Brewer

Monique Atkinson

Shared on Social Media Prize Winner

Kholoud Abdulaziz

All winners will be contacted shortly by the prize sponsors! Thanks so much everyone for participating and a special congrats to all the winners!!

Have a great rest of your week!!

Blog Hop: It's my day for New York Beauties & Flying Geese

Quick Note: anyone looking for the Big Giveaway, Naming Contest...follow this link to enter!!

Finally I get to share....I've been so excited about this book and blog hop, it's been hard to wait!

I'm not exaggerating when I say, I have always shied away from curved piecing ( It scares me, intimidates me....You get the picture) and when I have tried, I didn't much care for the outcome.....

But, I also like to push myself and except a challenge...and when asked to be a part of the blog hop.... This book cover just sucked me in....

Who wouldn't want to create some of those amazing projects!!

As I flipped through my ebook, I fell more in love with Carl's patterns, so I decided
failure was not an option!!

I don't know what clicked, but something finally did, and I am so excited to share my finished project!!

I also wanted to say thanks to CT Publishing for the above photos from New York Beauties and Flying Geese, and for inviting me to be a part of this blog hop, thank you Carl, it has been such a pleasure. I love everything about this book...from the gorgeous sample quilts representing the patterns, to the book's layout...Carl includes lots of tips,
fabric idea and layout plans....
I had such a great time working on my project for this blog hop event, so I know you are going to love hopping from blog to blog over the remaining 10 days seeing Carl's patterns come to life
through all the different bloggers joining in.

On the off chance that someone else struggles with curved piecing...
here's what I did differently this time....I am so sorry I forgot to take a picture....
I found the centres of the first two sections that I was joining, by folding in half and finger pressing. Then I pinned the pieces together at that centre mark. Then I matched the straight outside edges and pinned there, and finally I used my hands to guide and manage the fabric, matching the curves.  I had much more success this way then trying to add extra pins.
The other wonderful thing I discovered...the further out in the circle I went the easier the curves are to piece!!! Whoop, Whoop!!! (you probably all knew that already, lol, I can be a slow learner)


I have to laugh at myself...the longest part of the whole building of the blocks, for me, was in gathering and laying out my fabric choices from my stash...but it was so worth all the time...and that is just me...way to picky and an over thinker....


I decided to choose four random blocks from the templates at the back the book, so I could try multiple different styles of the piecing....
And then join them together to make a square pillow. It was also all I had time for right now! I will be making a larger project in the futures!!! And one of those round pillows...they are fantastic!!

And you can lay your blocks out in multiple different ways, which is fun to see...

But, chose the circle for my pillow, so it looked more like the colour wheel I was aiming for.

I quilted the pillow top with one of my go to digital pantos called Malachite!

And used leftover pieces to add a cute flap to the zipper back!!

Well I hope this has inspired you to think about picking up a copy of Carl's new book for your very own and try one of these fantastic blocks or quilts!!

But.....
One lucky blog hopper is going to be lucky enough to win a copy of their very own....
If you live in the US, CT Publishing will be sending you a hard copy of the book,  an international winner will receive an ecopy.

Just to make it easier for me to pick a random winner I'm using Rafflecopter, but keeping it really simple.
Leave a comment, anything...what you've liked best so far, are you afraid of curves like me? A tip or trick for curved piecing if you love it......just say hello......lol

And a winner will be chosen at the end of the blog hop, and I am pretty sure every blogger is giving away a copy, so drop each day for the link to the next blogger!!

And just a heads up....
my blog address will be changing in the next few weeks. I will send out one final blog post from here, before the change is final....still some tweaking left to do.....
but I am so excited about the new layout, but nervous about learning a new interface.....hopefully it will all go smoothly!
Following me is always optional, but if you don't want to miss out on any of the happenings and especially the move coming soon, please consider following along by email (in the bar on the right hand side of my blog page) or IG @upstairshobbyroom or Twitter @upstairshobbyrm
or if FB is your thing I have a FB Page

New York Beauties & Flying Geese Blog Tour:  Schedule

Mon. May 1:

C&T Publishing

Tues. May 2:

Blue Nickel Studios

Wed. May 3:

UpStairsHobbyRoom: You Are Here

Thurs. May 4:

Teresa at Quilting is my Bliss

Fri. May 5:

Angie from Gnome Angel

Mon. May 8:

Tracy from Generation Q Magazine

Tues. May 9:

Pink Door Fabrics: Instagram @pinkdoorfabrics

Web. May 10:

Melissa from Quilting Room with Mel

Thurs. May 11:

Sara from Sew Sweetness

Fri. May 12:

Carl from 3 Dog Design Co.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The New York Beauties & Flying Geese Blog Tour......has started!!!!

Quick Note: If you are here for the Big Give Away...Naming Contest blog post, follow this link

New York Beauties & Flying Geese 

I was super excited to be asked by Carl and CT Publishing 

to be a part of his new book, New York Beauties & Flying Geese, review and blog hop!

As many of my followers will know, I stay away from curved piecing....

But I also love a challenge, especially when it's handed to me.

So when I was asked to join in....of course, I said yes!

I'll share more of my curved journey in my post on May 3!!

Till then enjoy!!! And Good Luck, I'm pretty sure every blog is hosting a book giveaway!!

Here's the complete blog hop list! I will update to direct links as they come live on their days.

New York Beauties & Flying Geese Blog Tour:  Schedule

Mon. May 1:

C&T Publishing

Tues. May 2:

Scott from Blue Nickel Studios

Wed. May 3:

Sandy from UpStairsHobbyRoom 

Thurs. May 4:

Teresa from Quilting is my Bliss

Fri. May 5:

Angie from Gnome Angel

Mon. May 8:

Tracy from Generation Q Magazine

Tues. May 9:

Pink Door Fabrics: Instagram @pinkdoorfabrics

Web. May 10:

 Melissa from Quilting Room With Mel

Thurs. May 11:

Sara from Sew Sweetness

Fri. May 12:

Carl from # Dog Design Co.

I'm an ADORNit Girl!!!

I shared awhile ago that I was chosen as one of ADORNit.com's "it girls" 

or ADORNitGirl Ambassadors

And I was beyond thrilled to be chosen, as I have always been a huge fan of their fabrics!!

Before I start gushing and sharing all the fun I've been having and will have for the next 3 months.....

If you landed here and are looking for the Big Give Away, Naming Contest...follow this link!!

Ok on with the gushing....

Let's start with the video I shared on IG of me receiving my box,
so you can see all the fun items I received to play with!!

I spent more time on all the surprises I received in my box, which I will share in another post later this week, but let me say this much....
I was also super surprised to find out just how much fun the Paintables are!!!!

But...
Fabric first, being as this is what I do and love....
Flamingo Fever....
The name is just fun and the fabrics....well, they are just beyond cute...with a colour palette
that is perfect!

The first thing I decided to do was design a new quilt block, of course.....
I'm calling it Star Promenade...

I'm loving it so much...that now I need to order more fabric,
 because this needs to become a full quilt of some size....it just makes me smile!!

And then with the scraps and bits I started making another block to become a pillow and to demo one way to use a panel block that may have been cut from the bolt without opening the panel.....

No Fabric wasted is my moto...
So I went to work on a pillow design with a pocket for the centre block!!

1. and 2.) show how I added a bit of fabric to the panel block that had a bit cut off, so that when I fold the block it would be the length I needed!
3.) fold and line up *I also added a some interfacing to each of the panel blocks 4.) Base two pieces of fabric together.

Then I just used what I had and started piecing blocks together....adding as I went to get it to the size I wanted. It was fun to just play around, without a real plan, and I love how it turned out!!

And don't you just love this flower border....
The print is rows of the flowers with a cute black line in between....

I added some simple stitch in the ditch quilting, and the top of the pillow was done!!

So onto the back...
and the back has to be just as cute....right?
It's like a quilt...if you make the back interesting too, you get a two for one, project!!!

So of course I used the extra HST I had from piecing the two blocks and used the bits I had leftover again.....

You can see in the picture below I didn't have enough of the yellow print to make the zipper flap, so again I just added some extra fabric, because this will be on the inside of the flap, you really won't notice!!

And just that easy...the pillow is done....
Ok it took a bit of time to do the custom piecing....but normally pillows are super fast, and
always cute!!! Such a great way to jazz up any space and with summer coming...why not your outdoor space!

And see...you only will see that little strip of cream when you unzip the pillow.....

Hope you enjoyed all that fabric eye candy as much as I did!!
I have more ideas coming for the remaining fabric and an order I need to send in to see if I can get my hands on some more of the Flamingo Fever.....

and later this week I will share all the fun I have been having with paints and watercolours....

Have a great week everyone!!

SaveSave

#1000NamesWins......Eddycrest Sewing Furniture.....Naming Contest!!!

When I say this is Big....I am not kidding.....but how Big? That depends purely upon all of you!!!!

You control the level of prizes in this contest!!! Intrigued?

I'll explain in a minute, but first, let me tell you a little bit about 

@eddy crest.furniture

I first became aware of Eddycrest Sewing Furniture while on a shop hop here in Ontario, Canada. 

It was love at first sight, when I saw the sewing table set up in Country Patchworks 

but I wasn't ready to purchase at the time, because I was still saving for my longarm.

Fast forward a few years and again on the same shop hop, with my husband this time, who is my rock and supports my quilting hobby 100 percent. He also is so much better about spending money on me then I am. Why is it that women feel guilty.... even now that my kids are full grown... I still struggle with spending larger amounts of money 

on things that are "just for me".....

My husband calls them "investment pieces", Happy Wife, Happy Life, lol

and asks me...will they be used, will they make things easier, 

will they last...yes, yes and yes!!!

He's the best, and so right! (don't tell him I said that, 😉)

Ok...back to the original post.....

Left: Short Right                                  Right: Standard

We ended up going back and taking an Eddycrest shop tour....and let me tell you, it's impressive!

Starting with the C.N.C. machine that cuts out each blank sheet of baltic birch

The sewing tables are then routered, sanded and branded by the talented Eddycrest team

The Top Secret finishing process comes next and let me tell you it is smooth!!

(no pictures of that though...lol)

Then the tables are assembled and ready to ship to all us happy customers!! 

You can see in the first picture I ended up buying a Short Right and a Standard....I'll share more pictures and my experience (all good) in another post, being as this is probably going to be my longest post to date, and you are probably anxious to get to the contest......

And I bet by now you are also wondering what the big surprise is.......

or maybe you skipped to the bottom, lol 

Well the Eddycrest team is expanding their product line to include another sewing table size...

It's just perfect for a small room sewer, compact in size, but with the same quality and craftsmanship that Eddycrest puts into all their products......

And

They are having a hard time coming up with a name.....

They've been calling it, 

the Basic Sewing Centre work table that is ergonomic and stores just a little bit, but looks and feels "Real Nice"

As you can image that is quite a mouth full....that's where you all come in....

They have decided to have a naming contest, 

so get your thinking caps on and come up with your best idea! 

This is not a random draw type of contest, best name wins, chosen by the Eddycrest team...

 but there is a catch.....

It's a 3 tiered contest:

Level 1:

If 50 of you lovelies submit your name ideas

The Eddycrest team will award the naming winner with a 40" Quilt Mount with white finish

Valued at $70 Can.

click on picture to be taken to a video on how the quilt mount works

But......

Level 2:

If 500 of you amazing readers submit your name ideas

The Eddycrest team will up the ante and the top prize will become a shelving unit 

(sorry fabric not included)! 

Valued at $400 Can.

And the Second place winner will receive the Quilt Mount

And if that wasn't good enough....

Level 3:

Here it is the top prize, if 1000 of you totally awesome followers and friends submit your name ideas (spread the word)

The Eddycrest team is generously awarding the winning name's submitter with.....

Their very own model of the new desk they just named!! How awesome is that!!!

And the Second runner up receives the Shelf Unit 

And the Third runner up receives the Quilt Mount

Valued at $950 Can.

And I know right about now, some of you are wondering.....is this contest open outside of Canada.....

YES!!!! 

Isn't that Fantastic!!

Open to all!!

And if that wasn't awesome enough....

A few of my other Blog Sponsors 

have generously donated more prizes

So if your name wasn't chosen.....

You still could win in the random draw for these 3 amazing prizes...

Rita from

@fabricplease

is sweetening the pot with this offer for one lucky random winner

Level 1

 Charm Pack of Joel Dewberry's Modernist

or

Level 2

 Layer Cake of Joel Dewberry's Modernist

or

Level 3

Layer Cake of Joel Dewberry's Modernist + 3 yards winners choice from Modernist line 

(must choose in stock yardage)

Pam from

@madaboutpatchwork

Level 1

$10.00 Gift Certificate

or

Level 2 

$20.00 GC

or 

Level 3

$40.00 GC

BeBe from

Level 1

$25.00 Gift Certificate

or

Level 2 

$50.00 GC

or

Level 3

$75.00 GC

So here is what you have to do......

You knew you would have to do something, 😉

I tried to keep it really simple...so share via social media, on FB share original post with blog link

IG share any Contest post with #1000NamesWins 

And if you have multiple name ideas....share one name per comment....so we'll all know when we reach that 1000 names goal!!

 Let's get to a 1000+ name submissions and max out these prizes!!

but, do stop by the links I provided to the sponsors and look around and share some love or stop by their social media sites and say thanks.....

If you are a non reply blogger, please please please leave an email address....I sure would hate for you to loose out because I can't find you

To add your name for submission, click on the comments link below! 

There have been a few comments that haven't made it through...I've checked all my settings and am not sure what is happening. If for some reason you comment doesn't post, email me directly....but try the comment link first! Thanks. Trying to keep all the names in one place. 

upstairshobbyroom at gmail dot com

Thanks Everyone

a Rafflecopter giveaway