Monday 10 February 2014

imagine gnats indiegogo campaign and giveaway

Earlier this year, I set myself a few unofficial goals to work toward this year. I did the whole goal-setting thing a few years back when we moved to the Prairies and can proudly tell you I achieved every one of them.On my list this year:

engage more with the online sewing community    |    blog more regularly (I used to be so good at that one!)
update my shop more frequently    |    finish all the projects I've started
make (not just ogle) the stuff I see on Pinterest    |    sell my wares in some shops

In the spirit of that first one on the list, I've been making a few new internet friends lately. One of them is Rachael from over at imagine gnats. If you're into reading sewing/crafting/stitching blogs, chances are good that you've stumbled across Rachael's work already. She's well known for creating amazing patterns that are easy to sew and can help even novice sewers learn some new tricks. Personally, I've had my eye on her bess top pattern for ages and I can't wait to make the meridian cardigan. Her blog has some pretty fantastic tutorials and DIYs on it if you'd like to get a taste of her awesomeness. I highly recommend her infinity scarf DIY...I may have made one (or six) myself.

Like me, Rachael has been setting herself some goals lately. One of them is to see her beautiful patterns in print. She's recently launched an indiegogo campaign to help raise funds to make it happen.


Here’s what Rachael has to say about her business and campaign:
imagine gnats started as a little etsy shop, selling small sewn items to help support my family and also to give me a creative outlet in a corporate world. it’s come a long way in just five years… from a hobby to a full-time job. my love of sewing and design has grown as well, and now my own sewing patterns help and inspire others to create.

i am proud to have created patterns for garments that are easy to sew and easy to wear. imagine gnats patterns feature classic silhouettes with a modern twist that incorporate clever details and practical techniques.

currently, my patterns are all offered as printable pdfs. the money raised on indiegogo will help cover the costs of an initial run of paper patterns, which means sharing my designs with even more sewists and inspiring more people.

for the cost of one pattern, you can help me reach my goal AND be one of the first to get the printed pattern of your choice. for a little bit more, you can get a full set of imagine gnats printed patterns. plus, early bird specials offer even better deals for the first contributors!

my initial print run will include 500 each of my existing five garment patterns. all of the money raised will go directly to that effort. once patterns are printed, i begin the selling and distribution phase.
If you like the idea of helping someone achieve their goals and would like to contribute to Rachael's campaign, you can do so at the bottom of this post.

But wait! Not so fast there, clicky finger...there's more!

Rachael has kindly donated a complete set of her five garment PDF patterns for me to give away! How awesome is that?!?! To enter, just leave a comment here on this blog post or on the Milkybeer Handmade Facebook page telling me about the first thing you ever sewed (feel free to make something up if you've never sewed a day in your life - be creative). Any and everyone is welcome to enter. I'll pick a random winner from all entries at noon on Monday, 17 February (that's NZ time, so a day earlier for most of you). The winner will be announced here on the blog and on Facebook.

-- The giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered. The winner was AngieB who has been contacted and is hopefully happily sewing her new patterns by now.  --

OK, now you can go ahead and contribute to Rachael's campaign.

36 comments:

  1. Great giveaway! My first sewing project was a quilt that I still have left to finish! That was two years ago! All that's left is the binding, but that's my least favorite part. I think I'll just machine bind it and get it over with. My hand-stitching is terrible, so I'm worried that I'd do a worse job with that than the machine.

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  2. The first thing I sewed was a pillow with my Aunt. I was about 4 or 5. I loved it and have been sewing ever since. I am turning 43 this month so it will be about 40 years I have been sewing and still love it.

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  3. I started with doll clothes on my first sewing machine and then tried a skirt for my mom which she actually wore :) Nice give away

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  4. I had my mother's beautiful 1950's Singer Featherweight but was too afraid to use it ... until a friend visited and helped me make a knitting needle roll, the first thing I ever sewed! Thank you for the giveaway!

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  5. The first thing I ever sewed was a quilt when I was 11 years old. The blocks were large (6 inches I think) and made from old denim jeans and flannel shirts! I still have it and it is a great quilt to use for picnics and sitting outside in the summertime.

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  6. Nice to meet you over the internet...foundnyou on the imaginegnats facebook page. I honestly don't remember the first thing I sewed...i've had my own sewing kit since I was small.mI remember sewing a toy for the neighbour's cat out of scraps and yarn about age 7

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  7. I wish you the best with your new adventure! My first sewing project was an apron we made in Home Ec class back in junior high. I chose a solid yellow with orange thread for topstitching. Why? Who knows? It turned out great and it got me hooked, so that's what counts.

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  8. The first things I made were by hand stitching with my grandma; doll clothes and quilt blocks. The first thing by machine was in Campfire Girls and was an apron; just a rectangle on a plastic hoop.



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  9. my first was a burnt orange corduroy skirt with a pleat in the front! :)

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  10. First thing I ever sewed was a potholder! My grandma started us sewing straight lines when we were young and we churned those out :)

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  11. First thing I ever sewed was cleaning cloths! I zigzagged old towels into cloths for my mom when I was 5 as a first project. :)

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  12. I'm pretty sure the first real thing I sewed out of fabric was a small patchwork sampler when I was around 7 years old (I still have it too)

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  13. The first thing i ever sewd was a little stuffed chicken! I still have it :0
    Thanks for the chance!

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  14. I started sewing quite young and made clothes for my baby doll.

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  15. The first thing I made was a pillowcase dress

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  16. the first things I made were Barbie clothes for my sister's doll when I was about 10 or 11. I love the Bess top!!

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  17. I made a patchwork doll quilt when I was 5 or 6. I recently found it in my dad's basement and now my daughter sleeps with it every night. The fabric is little Dutch children in neon colors. Awesome!

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  18. Barbie doll clothes when I was a kid!

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  19. My first sewing project was a little pillow when I was just a little girl. My mom taught me to sew. After that pillow and a few other little things I did not sew again for years. Now I am making my own kids quilts, pillows, dolls and so much other fun stuff. Thank for the opportunity. I love Rachel's patterns!

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  20. First thing I sewed as a kid was a draw string bag. Thanks for the chance. Theresa @DearCreatives

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  21. The first thing I sewed was a rectangle skirt for my daughter. I made the waist band a paper bag skirt type. I did it thinking I made something up! Next thing I know they are everywhere.

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  22. Like any newlywed years ago, the first thing I made was kitchen curtains - I'm still making them decades later too. I love these patterns more than I can say - she is very clever. Thank you for hosting the give-away.

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  23. The first thing I sewed a long time ago, when I first tried out sewing, was a pillow. I stopped sewing in 8th grade (why?!?) and started again this past August. The first thing I sewed then was a little reusable food bag!

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  24. The first thing I remember sewing is an apron in 4H.

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  25. The first thing I ever sewed were curtains for my bedroom. :)

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  26. The first things I ever sewed were clothes and bedding for my Betsy McCall and Barbie dolls. I also remember sewing a gingham apron and cross-stitching snowflakes on the pockets when I was eight.

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  27. I started off making clothes for my dolls when I was a kid.

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  28. The first thing I ever sewed was a skirt for my daughter

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  29. The first thing I ever sewed was a bookmark I cross stitched with my grandma in 4th grade!

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  30. I remember sewing barbie skirts as a kid!

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  31. Thanks for the giveaway!
    The first thing I tried to sew was a bean bag... turned out horrible :(
    I've sewn plenty since then, first successful sewing cloth diapers for my oldest son *I think*

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  32. Dolls' clothes on my children's machine when I was about 8 - I remember sewing shut the armholes of the dress!

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  33. First thing I sewed was a skirt for myself when I was a teenager. :)

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  34. A quilt for my brother. It was basic and poorly made, but it had possibly the most love of anything I have ever made put into it.

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  35. The first things I ever sewed were clothes for my dolls! I didn't understand about seam allowances so once they were complete they were way too small. lol

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