Fabric Giveaway! Tell HQ what you want....and we'll see what we can do. [Now Closed!]

Thanks for entering and for all your amazing feedback - this giveaway is now closed but if you still want to share your thoughts, we'd love to hear from you. We're putting our thinking caps on, sifting through your suggestions and looking to the future.  Winner of the giveaway to be announced on Friday's post - good luck everyone!

As we said at the beginning of the month, we're planning on making 2013 HQ's year - we've got so many exciting ideas, projects and new things in the pipeline but we need your help.  Just like when we were creating the website, we're asking for your feedback on what you want to see HQ doing in the future.  I know this is a little vague but we really want to see which ideas are the most popular. 

So, for example:

• Do you want to see us introducing specific new manufacturers or designers to our range of fabrics?  If so, which ones?
• Are you hankering after a specific type of fabric.  For example, are you looking for more linen blends for bags, light upholstery, etc? Or are you having trouble finding voiles or cotton poplin?
• Is it advice that you want?  Would a regular masterclass on specific sewing techniques be useful for you?
• Do you find it hard to find specific haberdashery items?
• You've been telling us that you're really pleased with how we try to look after our customers but we're by no means complacent!  Is there something specific about our customer service or the way our website works that you think we need to change?
• Any suggestions on our postage options?
• We want to expand our range of fabric stacks and add scrap bags to our offering - anything we need to know about these before we get stuck in?
• ANYTHING else you think we could do to make your lives easier and your crafty shopping even more fun - being as specific as you can will help us be what you want us to be!

Basically, what can we do to make HQ your first port of call when that fabric craving comes calling?

You know we love to hear from you  (and so many of you stop by on the Facebook page to have a natter) but this time, we want you to leave your comments here on the blog, please.  And as an added incentive, we're going to pick one comment on this post at random a week today (Monday 28th January) and this person will win a stack of 4 fat quarters of their choice!

It couldn't be simpler to enter, you don't even have to have previously ordered from us - if you buy fabric online or are thinking of doing so, we need you! Just pop your comment in the box below; we'll take your thoughts on board and enter you into the competition.  If you share this on Facebook or twitter, mention that below and we'll give you another entry in the competition.  Easy as pie.

Washi Dress photos - at last - and mini version news!

I made my own Washi a few weeks back but have only just managed to get some photos of it!  I just want to clarify now that this is not me modelling the dress but the lovely Rebecca (thanks Rebecca) who looked gorgeous in it, even if it was a bit big for her!

As it is winter, I made the dress with the longer sleeves, using the free downloadable patter piece and tutorial on the Made-by-Rae website. 

 

 

 

Rebecca is also wearing my gorgeous Hare necklace, a Christmas present from my wonderful parents (thanks M&D).  The necklace is made by the brilliant Tracy Hare of Morning Mrs Magpie.  We met at a couple of craft fairs over Christmas and I fell in love with her work - especially this cute little fella! 

 

 



 

 

The shirring in the back of this dress makes this dress so comfy to wear - I could wear it everyday . . .

 

 

. . . and the pleats in the front make it so flattering (not that Rebecca has to worry about that but I certainly do!)

I knew straight away that I wanted to make my first Washi out of the beautifully fun but subtle Silver Rooftops from the Velocity range by Jessica Hogarth. From a distance it looks like a gorgeous flat silver grey, but as you get closer, the amazing city skyline pattern is revealed - it's a real talking point!

 

 

As you've probably gathered by now, I changed the neckline on the dress as I think this scooped neck is more flattering on me.  I just drew the line I wanted when I made the muslin (recommended by Rae in the pattern and massively worthwhile so you can get the bust darts perfect before you cut into your precious fabric) and made sure I was happy with it before transferring the line onto the actual pattern.

 

 

I decided to do a full lining in the top of the dress which was so easy to do. Problem is, it looks so gorgeous on the hanger, I don't want to hide it away in the wardrobe - much to Pete's annoyance! Unfortunately, as I type my Washi is in the boot of my car which is half an hour's trudge through the snow from here (I had to abandon it driving home on Friday when the snow hit but I'm hoping to retrieve it and give it a nice stroke tomorrow!) You can't really see the lining in these photos but here's the fabric . . .

 

 

 

Little Florine from Lotta Jansdotter's Echo range which works beautifully with the Silver Rooftops.

 

Photo by Rae Hoekstra

 

 

If you've gone a bit crazy for the Washi as we have here at HQ, you might be interested to know that Rae Hoekstra has just produced the Geranium Dress pattern (basically a mini Washi) for sale as a downloadable PDF and is offering a free PDF of the Little Geranium - a mini version for 0-3 months.  This would be an amazing present for someone expecting a little girl this spring!  Wouldn't it look AMAZING in this . . .

. . . or this . . .

 

 

. . . and here's the link to the full Geranium pattern on the Made-by-Rae website.

 

Photos by Rae Hoekstra

Don't forget, any comments on how Fabric HQ can be better, bigger and all round brilliant in your eyes, please leave your comments below for your chance to win our fabric giveaway.

 

Cheerio for now!