giveaway day!

It's time for Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day once again, and I'm so excited to be participating. If it's your first time here, welcome! Just to get you up to speed, I'm Caitlin, and in addition to posting recent projects here on the blog, I make quilts, sell hand-printed fabrics by amazing designers in my online shop, and work at the digital fabric-printing company Spoonflower.

This year, I'm giving away your choice of one fat quarter or fabric panel from my Etsy fabric shop. To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me your favorite design in the shop. I stock a rainbow of modern fabrics by Maze and Vale, Umbrella Prints, and Sarah Waterhouse. For an additional entry, follow Salty Oat on Instagram and leave a comment saying you're an Instagram follower.

The giveaway will remain open until 11:59 pm EST on Friday, December 12, and a winner will be announced by Sunday, December 14. Please be sure to enter your email address in the space above the comment form, so that I have a way to contact you if you win. 

And! As a bonus, now through December 12, use the code SEWMAMASEW at checkout and receive 10% off anything in the shop!

>>> This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Commenter #70, Sandi Timmons, for winning the fat quarter of her choice. Thanks to all for entering! <<<

hello, hello

This weekend, a friend helped me take tons of new product photos for the blog and shop, and I'm so excited to share new fabrics and quilts with you in the coming weeks! In the meantime, I'm going to go ahead and pull a new winner for the Lunden Designs pattern giveaway, since I never heard from the first winner.

Drumroll please....

Congratulations, Rachel! I've sent you an email. Thanks again to all who entered!

giveaway winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered last week's giveaway for two quilt patterns from Lunden Designs! The lucky winner is...

Congratulations, Tana! Please send me your contact info, and I'll get the patterns in the mail to you!

P.S. I just restocked the shop with some favorite fabrics, so be sure to stop by if you haven't already!

star system quilt + a giveaway

When I attended my first Quilt Market back in 2012, I had the pleasure of meeting Melissa Lunden, of Lunden Designs. Melissa designs gorgeous quilts, and I've had the chance to test a few of her patterns. The first pattern of hers that I tested was the Star System.

When Melissa sent me this pattern, I knew I had a stack of fabrics that I'd pulled months earlier that would be perfect. Fabrics included Lizzy House pearl bracelets, polka dots, Japanese florals, and Alexander Henry's Heath cross-hatch.

This pattern definitely used techniques previously outside of my skill-set---like machine sewing hexagons and sewing Y-seams that lay flat. I feel like I learned so much through Melissa's instructions and was really proud to have a finished quilt top in the end.

I stuck with simple straight line quilting and backed the quilt with the ubiquitous Ikea numbers print, which I thought tied in quite beautifully with the front. Since the quilting isn't terribly dense, the quilt is quite squishy and soft, perfect for snuggling.

It's listed for sale in my Etsy shop here, along with a few more photos.

Melissa kindly sent me some extra patterns, and I'd love to share them with one of you! For a chance to win both patterns, simply leave a comment below. I'll select a winner at random next Wednesday, July 23. This giveaway is open to everyone!

giveaway day winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered last week's fat quarter giveaway---I appreciated each and every comment! The lucky winner is Sandra. Congrats, Sandra! And thank you to everyone for playing along!

P.S. You can still snag your own Hearts in Cherry Blossom fat quarter over in the shop!

giveaway day!

 

For everyone that's visiting today as part of Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day, welcome! My name is Caitlin, and I'm a quilter and owner of a small fabric shop specializing in fabrics from independent designers from around the world. A few random things about me:

• I love working on English paper-piecing, especially when I travel, and am excited about an improv hexagon project I started while visiting the Outer Banks over Thanksgiving.
• I recently started designing a few simple embroidery patterns---Joy and Hello---which are available through Spoonflower.
• I'm a member of the Wish Circle of do. Good Stitches, and this Arkansas Traveler quilt we made is one of my favorites.

For today's giveaway, I am offering up a Cherry Blossom Hearts fat quarter by the Australian fabric company Umbrella Prints! This pretty organic cotton fat quarter measures 19" x 27" and is perfect for quilts and crafts projects.

To enter, please visit my Etsy shop, and then leave a comment here telling me your favorite item or the name of an independent fabric designer you'd like to see added to my virtual shelves.

This giveaway is open to everyone and closes December 13 at 8:00 pm EST. A winner will be drawn at random and announced Sunday, December 15th. Good luck!

>>> Giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered! <<<

rounded corners + a giveaway!

 

This weekend I fell in love with rounded corners and bias binding. I typically avoid bias binding in my quilts---straight-grain binding is so easy to cut and creates little waste---but while taking Tara Rebman's Quilt-As-You-Go Patchwork Bags class on Craftsy, I was inspired to branch out.

The kind folks over at Craftsy (an online video classroom specializing in a variety of crafts including quilting) recently gifted me a spot in Tara's class. I always learn new skills best by watching someone else demonstrate them first, so I found that Craftsy's video platform worked well with my learning style. In the class's first lesson, Tara walks you through the steps of the quilt-as-you-go technique, in preparation for creating a bag, which is how I came to make my scrappy potholder with rounded corners.

The quilt-as-you-go technique was a lot of fun to try, and I love how it uses up scraps of all shapes and sizes. I'm already brainstorming ways to use the technique on zipper pouches and pillows.

 

Thanks to the class, I'm also already thinking about ways to incorporate rounded corners into the quilts I'm currently working on for my shop. I think they add such a nice touch to a project. (Jolene over at Blue Elephant Stitches often incorporates rounded corners into her quilts---like this one---which I love!)

And now for the exciting part: Craftsy has offered to give one of my readers a spot in the class as well! To enter, simply head on over to Craftsy and sign up for an account right here. If you already have an account, you can simply log in here to enter. A winner will be drawn on Wednesday, July 31. Good luck!

Update 8/1/13: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winner, Sarah!

giveaway winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my little giveaway, and welcome to all of my new followers! The winner of the mini charm pack and pinback button is...

Congratulations, Melissa! Shoot me an email [saltyoat at gmail dot com] with your mailing address, and I'll get your package in the mail!

giveaway day!

Welcome to everyone visiting as part of Sew Mama Sew's giveaway day! If this is your first time at Salty Oat, here's a mini round-up of some of my most popular posts over the past few years, to get you up to speed:

• One of my first quilts was made from the bunting I hung up at my wedding. 
• When learning to embroider, I stitched a sampler using a doily as my inspiration. 
• I think napkins are fun to make and give (see evidence here, here, here, and here). To make your own, check out my log cabin napkin tutorial over on the Fat Quarterly blog.
• I was lucky enough to have two embroidered pieces (this one and this one) included in group shows in Seattle a few years ago.
• I love to quilt. Here are a few of the quilts I've made this year: for my parents, for my sister-in-law, for a friend, for me. 

Now for the giveaway! This year, I'll be giving away a mini charm pack from Moda (each square of fabric measures 2.5" x 2.5"), featuring the fabric line Kissing Booth by BasicGrey. I'll also be giving away a hand-stitched, cross-stitch pinback button, featuring the letter of the winner's choice.

To enter, simply leave a comment below, telling me what letter you'd like stitched on your button. Please be sure to include your email address, so that I have a way to contact you if you win. Comments will close December 7, at 5:00 pm PST, and a winner will be chosen at random and notified by December 9. This giveaway is open to everyone, domestic and international.

*Giveaway is now closed.*

giveaway winner!

Names were pulled from an oh-so-lovely pitcher hand painted by Anna Betts.

And the winner of A Rainbow of Stitches is . . . Seaside Siblings! Congratulations, Lou! I'll be e-mailing you shortly for your mailing address. Thank you so much to everyone who entered and for all of your great suggestions about things to check out in the DC area!

I'm off to Vermont today for a week of crafting and family time. I've scheduled a few posts to keep you entertained in my absence, and I'll check back in next week, hopefully with a new project or two to share. Hope you all have a lovely week!

big news + book giveaway!

Salty Oat (and the rest of my family!) is moving to Washington, DC, the home of the other famous salty oat cookie! Lots of packing, planning, and traveling will be happening in the upcoming weeks, so you may notice things are a bit quiet in the shop. But have no fear! I will continue to check in and report on some recent craft projects and the progress of our move, and I've scheduled a few posts (full of lots of pretty pictures) to keep you entertained while I'm on the road and in the air. 

In the meantime, as I prepare for our move to the East Coast, I've started to go through our house, looking for things that we no longer need and can donate to charities around town. One thing I came across on my shelf was an extra copy of A Rainbow of Stitches, one of my favorite sources for contemporary cross-stitch and embroidery patterns (this project was made using a pattern from the book). I thought you, my dear readers, might find the book useful, and so, I've decided to give my extra copy away. 

For a chance to win, either become a follower of this blog and let me know in the comments (or let me know if you already are a follower) or leave a comment and share your favorite thing about DC, whether it's a restaurant to try, a must-see craft store, or a fabulous museum. Please be sure to include your e-mail address in your comment so that I may contact you if you win. 

There is one entry per person. Comments will close at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, July 5, and a winner will be chosen at random and announced on Tuesday, July 6. This giveaway is open to international readers. 

*Full disclosure: There's a small coffee stain on the top of the book (it adds character!), but it's otherwise brand-new and full of lovely patterns.

pincushion swap: what i sent + new giveaway winner

In March, I took part in a pincushion swap organized by Claire over at Claire's Crafty Blog. For my swap partner Ina (who lives in the Netherlands--my first international swap!), I made this succulent pincushion out of felt.

The pattern is taken from this excellent tutorial for an appliqued succulent sachet, created by Laura of Bugs and Fishes (I love Laura's blog and felt projects!). All of the elements are handsewn, and the pincushion is stuffed with leftover quilt batting.

In other news, I never heard from Kristin, the gal who won my giveaway day pinback buttons (sorry, Kristin!), so I've gone ahead and drawn another winner.

Congratulations, Kitten Delicious! I'll be contacting you to get your address so that I can get the buttons out in the mail to you ASAP. Thanks again to everyone who entered!

quilting project: little trees quilt

After much slacking on my part (and a failed attempt at using stretchy seersucker as a quilt backing--not a good idea, in case you were wondering), I've finally--finally--finished my little trees quilt.

I made it using this Purl Bee tutorial by Sharilyn of Lovely Design, which was based on one of Sharilyn's lovely quilts.

I used a combination of new and vintage fabrics for the trees. Each trunk is made from scraps of Japanese fabric featuring sheep on a brown background. I tied the entire quilt with dark red pearl cotton and used black binding tape on the edges. The back features a green fabric I picked up from the remnant pile at the fabric store.

P.S. I have yet to hear from Kristin, my Giveaway Day winner. Kristin, please e-mail by Wednesday, May 26 (tomorrow), to claim your prize. If I don't hear from you by then, I will draw a new winner on Thursday. 

giveaway winner!

Thank you so, so much to everyone who entered the giveaway and welcome new followers! After taking out a few multiple comments, I used random.org to select the winner.

 

Congratulations, Kristin!

Kristin, please send your mailing address to saltyoat [at] gmail [dot] com, and I'll get your package in the mail.

I loved reading everyone's comments and suggested cross-stitch motifs (boy, do you guys love owls!). Some of my favorite suggestions included a goat, poppies, records, and an elephant. 

Didn't win but still want your own set of "I "*heart* U" buttons? Head on over to my Etsy shop and pick up a set.

giveaway day!

Welcome, Sew Mama Sew! readers! I had such a blast doing giveaway day last December, that I've decided to do it again. Today, I'll be giving away a set of three cross-stitch pinback buttons, one of the new products that will be available for sale in my Etsy shop in the coming weeks.

Each button is one inch in diameter and is made from brown and cream aida cloth that I found during a thrifting trip last year. The three little buttons spell out the phrase "I *heart* U."

There are two ways you can enter to win these pins (though there is only one entry per person):

1. Become a follower of this blog (or let me know if you already are) or subscribe to it using a feed reader (or let me know if you already do) and leave a comment below. 

or

2. Leave a comment and tell me what cross-stitch designs you'd most like to see on buttons. Patterns? Woodland creatures? Pancakes?

Be sure to leave your e-mail address in the comment form (it will remain invisible) so that I can contact you if you win. I will ship internationally, so this giveaway is open to everyone. The giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. CST on Thursday, May 20, so be sure to leave a comment before then. The winner will be announced on Friday, May 21. Good luck!

earrings by adaptive reuse

Back in December, while attending the Blue Genie Art Bazaar, I filled out a card for a chance to win a pair of earrings by Adaptive Reuse. A few weeks later, Christine, the owner of Adaptive Reuse, contacted me to let me know I was one of the lucky winners of a pair of retro saucer earrings.

The earrings feature tin discs in two shades of blue and are both light and playful. 

Everything in the company's jewelry line is made from colorful bits of found and upcycled tin. This pair of earrings and this pair are two of my favorites. For more lovely images, check out the Adaptive Reuse Etsy shop here.

lunch tote giveaway winner!

Thank you so, so much to everyone who entered the giveaway! I was blown away by the number of responses and I loved reading each and every comment.

Without further adieu, the winner of the lunch tote and napkin is:

Congratulations, Laura! I'll be in touch to get your address and I'll mail your package this week.

And in case anyone is interested in purchasing their own lunch tote, feel free to drop me a line (by leaving a comment on this post). I have extra fabric (and another one of those red buttons!) and would be happy to recreate it.

giveaway day!

Today is your lucky day! As part of Giveaway Day, organized by Sew, Mama, Sew!, I am giving away not one, but two super cool handmade items.

In celebration of the first ever giveaway on this blog, I'm offering both my recently made lunch tote (which is too small for my lunch, but should be perfect for yours!) and a handmade pink and khaki napkin.

Wondering how to enter? Simply comment on this post (and become a follower of this blog, if you're so inclined), and I will choose a winner at random. The giveaway will close on December 6 at 11:59 pm CST, so be sure to leave your comment before then. I'll announce the winner on December 7.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

Unfortunately, this giveaway is open only to readers with U.S. mailing addresses.