2014...A Look Ahead

Hopeful Threads is entering is 4th year of sewing to give. 

4 years. 

WOW! It's been an amazing journey filled with getting to know so many of you as we share our creativity, far and wide, in many, many ways to help our friends in need. What a blessing it has been!

While I am looking very much forward to a continued outreach in 2014, there are going to be some significant changes to the way things flow around here that I would like to share with you. 

As you saw in the post I shared yesterday, we have been very busy around Hopeful Threads.

In 2013 alone, the Hopeful Threads community has sewn and donated hundreds and hundreds of handmade gifts to fulfill a variety of needs! Some of these have included care bags for homeless shelters, bibs, blankets & quilts, school supplies and the project closest to our family's hearts, nearly 500 stuffed toys have been donated since May, to children in foster care through our ongoing FLUFF Project! 

SEW EXCITING!!!!!!

As we look ahead to the coming New Year, it's always a time for us to pause and reflect, but also begin planning. 2014 holds some significant plans for our family personally, and so we are adjusting our calendar now to begin preparation. This includes Hopeful Threads.

Rather than having Monthly Projects as we have for the past 3 years, for at least the 2014 year, we will be transitioning to Quarterly Projects. This will allow us a more concentrated focus and greater impact per project, as well as, free up some time personally for me. There will be times when my posts are as frequent and detailed as they have always been, but there will also be times when things are a bit quieter, as I attempt to follow the ebb & flow that life presents on a day to day basis, with my primary focus being on my family.

I look forward to continuing to ride this ride with each of you and am so very grateful for your friendship, support and participation. 

Happy New Year, and.....

2013....Projects at a Glance.

2013. A fabulous year of sharing our creativity in a way that helps another!

Read more about each of our projects HERE.

Thank you for being a part of the giving efforts of Hopeful Threads!

Looking forward to sewing with you in 2014.

Good Tidings of Great Joy to ALL!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas....

source

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Maybe....

Free Printable HERE.

WINTER Sewing Giveaway!!!

There's something about Winter that just makes sewing & quilting even more right, don't ya think? To close yourself in your creative cave and be covered with fluff and threads as you stitch out your beloved creations.
THAT is a Winter Wonderland for sure! ;)

Being the first day of winter here in the US, I have a special giveaway for you all! I'm really excited about this one and know you are going to love it!!!!

 You know those darling Embellishment Charms I shared on my Family Stockings post yesterday??? Well, how would you like to have an assortment of those (and more goodies!) to add to your projects and special creations you are hand-making? 

Our friends at Dritz Sewing/Babyville Boutique are ready to send 1 lucky winner an Embellishment Gift Pack with charms, Babyville ribbons, appliques, and labels to accent your handmade gifts with that special finishing touch! FUN!!!! US Entrants simply follow the Rafflecopter prompts below to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner announced & emailed 12/23/13 and expected to respond to claim prize within 48 hours or alternate winner may be chosen.

A very WARM THANKS to Drtiz Sewing & Babyville Boutique for this generous and fun creative giveaway!!! And GOOD LUCK to all the entrants!!!

Handmade Family Stockings

 I had sooooooo much fun making these!!!! They are the first stockings I've ever made for my family and I love how they turned out! The fabrics, the embellishments and the stocking design all came together just the way I wanted. A very satisfying project! 

I used the free stocking pattern from Pattern Revolution. You can find it here. 

Additionally, I had these very special Embellishment Charms that I have been waiting to find the perfect project to use, and this was it!!!

I saw these beautiful charms at Quilt Market and couldn't wait to get my hands on some! You know how I always love using handmade labels to add that special touch to my items, but these take that a notch further! Aren't they beautiful!?!?! They offer a three dimensional accent that can be added to your handmade gifts for all your friends and family and come in a variety of designs. Embellishment Charms by Dritz Quilting can be found or requested wherever you purchase Dritz sewing products. 

Here's a close up of how I used them on our stockings. Each person chose their favorite color or design making for an even more personal touch. I love these and will definitely be using them on more of my projects in the future!

We are getting so very excited about Christmas Day being just around the corner! Our family loves this time of year and all that it represents! 

Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care. :) Maybe, just maybe, I'll get mom & dad's finished in time.....we'll see I guess!

Hope you and your families are having a wonderful season as well!

Merry Christmas!

*Embellishment Charms shared were provided for my review. My opinions of the product, like always, are mine.*

I took the "Stalking" Challenge!

Are you playing along with the "Stalking" challenge at Pattern Revolution???

I immediately knew I wanted to take part, but having SOOOOOO many patterns I love I had no idea where to start! 

The idea is to take the FREE stocking pattern they are offering and transform it into a unique creation in honor of one of your favorite patterns. Essentially....make the stocking look like your favorite pattern. 

After MUCH deliberation, I decided it would be fun and festive to use one of my favorite stuffed toy patterns from My Funny Buddy! I decided to make my stocking mimic Lucy's Reindeer Pattern.

Ok, so here are the pictures of the pattern from the My Funny Buddy shop...

 ...and here is my "Stalking" creation...

Whatcha think????

Pretty stinkin' cute right???

Sure hope My Funny Buddy likes it too! :)

I'll be adding my little fella to the contest....yes, the whole "Stalking" challenge is part of a contest. You can play along too! Get all the details here.

And don't forget....you can get 25% OFF anything in the My Funny Buddy shop until 12/21/13 using discount code "HOPE25". She has soooo many cute patterns that would be perfect holiday gifts and stocking stuffers!

Oh!!! Be sure to stop back by later this week to see the gorgeous new stockings I made for my crew using the fabulous free pattern above from Pattern Revolution. I've sewn this one a few times now! ;)

The Power of One. YOU.

Sewing Essential - Crafter's Comfort (Arthritis Relief) Gloves

If there were ever an item I felt "essential" in my sewing room, especially during the colder months, this would be it! What I'm wearing above is the Crafter's Comfort Gloves by Dritz. I've worn a similar product focused towards arthritis patients for several years, so I was delighted to see this product being offered within the crafting industry, since I primarily wear them when I am sewing. 

 The gloves are part of a product line called Creative Comfort. This clever line of products has been thoughtfully designed by an Orthopedic Surgeon to enable crafters to keep doing what they love - while supporting, warming and providing pain relief to their thumbs, hands, wrists, back & neck. See the full collection here. 

I sincerely love these gloves!

 Having experienced an injury to my right arm several years ago that resulted in some loss of circulation to my hand, my hand gets very, very cold, very, very easily. Cold hands become stiff hands, and well.....stiff hands don't want to do all the things I need to do to be able to sew and create as I wish to. When I wear these gloves, they not only keep my hand nicely warm, but they help me maintain my flexibility and prevent some of the hand & upper arm arthritic aching that I experienced before wearing them. 

I use them comfortably & easily throughout my creative process.

The gloves come in a variety of sizes. They are made of a breathable cotton/spandex fabric, so no sweating. They provide mild compression throughout the covered area that supports and warms as you work. The open finger tips allow you to still be able to grip and type/text freely. They are machine washable. You can ask for them wherever you buy your Dritz sewing products. 

Because my hand is hard to keep warm during the winter months, I have often even slept with mine on. This is an item that I can not do without when it comes to sewing during the winter. My work room is in our basement, with concrete floors and is much cooler than the rest of our house. These gloves keep my hand warm & flexible which keeps me sewing....which makes me very happy! :) 

An absolute "Sewing Essential" for me!

For other items I like to keep in my sewing room or consider sewing essentials, see the "Sewing Essentials" page at the top of the blog. 

*Disclaimer: The particular pair of gloves used in this post were provided to me for review. All opinions are my own. 

Perfect Stocking Stuffers from My Funny Buddy!

If you are looking for a fun, quick and perfect gift to help stuff those stockings, the Reindeer Stuffie from My Funny Buddy is perfect!

 These little guys go together in a snap and are so cute! Perfect gift for boys and girls!

This bundle was made for some really special kids in our community. 3 of them are going to a set of brothers that along with their amazing Mama each year, they perform RACKs. That is Random Acts of Christmas Kindness. I am loving following along with their fun this year! They do the simplest yet most thoughtful things like "plug" soda machines so the next person doesn't have to pay, leave microwave popcorn taped to a movie rental box and candy canes taped to ATMs, each with a note that says "You've been RACKed!" with an explanation of what that is. Well, they inspired me! And, these little guys will be showing up in their mailbox with a message saying they too have been RACKed! :)

The 4th one is headed to a very special girl that has been going above and beyond in her family. I hope each of them likes their new holiday friend!

Find this sweet pattern in the My Funny Buddy shop here!

Maybe you can perform your own RACKs in your neighborhood! :)

**BONUS**
Use Code "HOPE25" to receive 25% OFF Anything in the My Funny Buddy Shop from now until 12/21/13! Check out all that's available here. 

Merry Christmas!