Fab Folds Sewing Challenge: September 2012

If you're new to my blog, WELCOME!!!!  Where have you been?  Among other crafty and bloggy things I do, I host sewing challenges.  I challenge other sewists to:

• finish a project within a reasonable deadline,
• learn new sewing techniques, 
• hone the skills they already have,
• and stray from their comfort zones.  

My goal is to entice sew-persons from all over the world to meet an intriguing challenge.  I know I'm not the only crafter who struggles with completing projects.  I find that these sewing challenges are just the jump start I need to finish what I start, show off what I've learned, and be inspired to do more.  How about you?

• Are you interested in fine-tuning your sewing techniques?  
• Do you need some inspiration to get back into sewing?  
• Do you work better with a theme and/or a deadline?  
• Does the idea of connecting with crafty folks from all over the world excite you?  
• Are you ready to inspire and be inspired in return?  

If you can answer yes to any of those questions, perhaps this challenge will appeal to you.

I am very interested in techniques that add texture and dimension to my sewing projects.  I love ruffles and quilting and mixing prints and fabric types.  I also totally geek out on math and geometric shapes.  You'd think I'd be totally into pleats, pin-tucking, and smocking.  The sad truth is that besides a bit of canadian smocking and a few pleated handbags, I've never really explored any of those techniques to my satisfaction.  I came up with this challenge to remedy that.  

Why fab folds?  Well, essentially that's what pleating, pin-tucking, and smocking are all about.  You fold the fabric and secure it with stitching.  Ruffles and gathers have their place in creating texture and dimension in fabric, but I had to draw the line somewhere in this challenge.  Let's focus on pleats, pin-tucking, and smocking.  Folds in fabric secured with stitching.  Intrigued?  I hope so!!!!!!

Please get out your rulers and your irons and your creative minds and join me in this challenge!

The Fab Folds Challenge, should you choose to accept it, is as follows:

You are challenged to:

Successfully execute pleating, pin-tucking 

and/or smocking in a finished piece.  

What you sew is up to you.  I suggest something small and easy like a zippered pouch, potholders, or a small pillow.  Re-fashioning an existing piece is another option.  

Please don't submit a project you completed before this challenge began. 

Your secondary challenge is to:

Be friendly and reasonably available.

Take a little time to get know the other participants and visit their blogs. Share your tips.  Ask for help.

In the sign-up form below, please provide an email that you will check, read, and respond from.

• You have until September 30th, 2012 to fill out the entry form and submit your finished project.  
• October 1-31 will the the voting period.
• Winners will be announced and rewarded in the beginning of September.

1. Fill out the easy sign-up form so your profile can be displayed at the bottom of this post.
2. Accept an email invitation to the challenge's Google discussion group.
3. Become a contributor to the challenge pinterest board.
4. Promote the challenge through your blog/twitter/facebook etc.
5. Finish your challenge entry by the deadline.
6. Make a blog post (I can make one for you if you're not a blogger) about your entry.
7. Vote once a day for your favorite entry.
8. The entries with the most votes receive bragging rights and fancy buttons.

<div align="center"> <a href="http://ricochetandaway.blogspot.com/2012/08/fab-folds-sewing-challenge-september.html" title="Fab Folds Sewing Challenge" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC71WJBI1v2elXep6PYX0120T2dCjMeQawbS9LpGIbsD6L9PIG5f4GFsFsmiG4pBZIOO3dxx3o_r8TxOx6nKBXHCLq31vuIPba8_PjpADPI7Ej4Hzunt9xRqnLymA50We2_aCmMkpaJh4/s1600/folds+challenge+button.jpg" alt="Fab Folds Sewing Challenge" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

banner coming soon!

I've started a Pinterest board especially for this challenge.  It would be great if all the participants could be contributors to the the board.  It's a great way to share inspiration, works-in-progress, and finished pieces.  Our Pinterest board for this challenge is titled The Fab Folds Sewing Challenge, 

but here is list of links that includes previous challenges as well:

Fab Folds Sewing Challenge

2-in-1 Sewing Challenge

Garment Sewing Challenge

Solids-Only Tote Challenge

Naughty Notions Challenge

Typography Challenge

Woot!  Let's make something cool!