#SewPINK 2021 Blog Hop Recap
#SewPINK began with a blog hop. Each year we reach out to talented makers around the world to share their time and talents to help us promote healthy living and available cancer-screening resources!
Learn more about the #SewPINK Initiative HERE.
In this blog post we will be sharing a highlight from each blog hop post as it comes out. Feel free to browse the list and leave comments below telling us what you've learned or sharing your thoughts. We are so grateful for the time each of these creators have put in — sharing resources, patterns, donations, and more. Our hearts have definitely been warmed this October and we hope yours has been, too!
SOOKIE SEWS — October 27, 2021
"Today is my day to share with you about the #SewPink Initiative created by ByAnnie.come LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer.
In an effort to help spread the word, I’m sharing my FREE Hand Sanitizer project and I used the ByAnnie Elastic and purse hardware. Then all you need to add is some fabric. Watch the video [on the blog]!..."
MISTER DOMESTIC — October 27, 2021
"This is the third year that I’ve participated in Annie’s #SewPink Initiative and I’m always honored to participate when asked. Her patterns are phenomenal. Bags are next level extra to sew and any time I try to wrap my brain around the entire process, anxiety is sure to follow. But with PatternsbyAnnie, I know that if I just focus on the step directly in front of me that I’ll have a kickass bag in the end. And woweewow is this one already starting to blow my mind."
"And I think it’s funny to some folks that I weave all the time and have no idea what I’m gonna make with it. Well, this right here is why. I had this ready made quilting and woven rainbow gradient weave that I made using Libs Elliot‘s Phosphor Collection. And then I grabbed my TRANSformation print from my Love is Love Pride Collection and it’s like they were meant to go together..."
THE LITTLEST THISTLE — October 25, 2021
"October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and as part of that, ByAnnie has come up with the Breast Cancer Initiative, which you can read all about here.
For my part in the blog hop I made the large version of ByAnnie’s Out And About Bag, the perfect size handbag for those of us who can’t be doing with traditional handbags and can’t fit everything in their pockets. This is one of the patterns that comes with a set of video tutorials to walk you through the various stages just in case you’re more of a visual person than a written instructions person, just enter the code you find inside your pattern..."
GIVEAWAY: Katy's ByAnnie Stiletto & Pressing Tool giveaway! To enter, leave Katy a comment on THIS POST telling her which pattern you would like to use it for from ByAnnie.com OR tell her a resource you’ve found useful for breast cancer information that is not in her blog post. Entries close at midnight 01/11/21.
SHANNON'S STUDIO — October 23, 2021
GIVEAWAY: Congatulations to @1thriftyredhead! Winner of a $30 ByAnnie digital coupon!
"My niece has been dealing with breast cancer first hand this last year. She is strong (and also falls apart) and is all the while amazing. She posts what is going on to our family and I went back to the beginning to reread some of it. A couple things stood out to me. One, she found it early which gave her options and two she was so relieved it was treatable. She said, “…it’s treatable and I can get through this.” She has a husband, 4 kids and a life she wants to live. It’s been 8 months and her battle isn’t over. It was life changing and she’s working her way to a new normal..."
"...I focused on the monthly exam. How do you take something potentially scary (the monthly breast self-exam) and make yourself do it monthly. All I could think of was to add a little fun to it and keep it forefront all the time. So I decided to make a over-the-door pockets holder..."
KNOT & THREAD DESIGN — October 22, 2021
"I am excited to share my PINK project this year. I decided to stick with another theme of this month, Halloween! And since there are so many cute PINK halloween fabrics out this year I ended up making my Olivia’s Baskets in pink fabrics. They are the perfect size to hold all your Halloween goodies.
These baskets are made using ByAnnie’s Soft and Stable which always gives great structure to any project. These baskets are made from Art Gallery Fabrics Spooky and Sweet collection. The two with the pink exteriors are the medium size and the one in black with the pink pumpkin is the small size. I’m excited to fill them up and use them this month..."
GIVEAWAY: Olivia's Basket bundle giveaway! To enter, tag your favorite sewing Breast Friend on this post with a little pink emjoi!
TERESA COATES — October 20, 2021
GIVEAWAY: Bosom Buddy kits with Cuddle® fabrics for six lucky viewers from Week 42 of LIVE with Annie
"Today I’m joining Annie on her Facebook Live (it’s at 2pm Mountain!) and I’m excited to share a bunch of tips for working with Cuddle® fabrics and ByAnnie patterns. I’ve used a number of her bag patterns over the years (A Place for Everything, Pack It In, Tools of the Trade, and Travel Essentials, to name a few), but for this we decided to use Cuddle® for a few other patterns and started with the Bosom Buddy as part of the #SewPink initiative.
The Bosom Buddy pattern is a free download from ByAnnie and was designed to help create a comfortable way for the seatbelt to rest. This is a great project to add a little Cuddle® to since it will just make it even softer and more comfortable! I made a couple of versions of it, and Annie made her own version, which gave us an opportunity to compare and contrast what worked and what didn’t...
...I also used the Cuddle® to keep my iPad comfortable in the iCases pattern. It seemed like a no-brainer that the inside should be soft, but I’d never really considered it before. It was easy peasy and I love the look and feel..."
SUZN QUILTS — October 20, 2021
"It’s my day to once again help spread awareness for breast cancer screening. I hope every woman is aware of how important monthly self exams and especially annual mammograms are each year once you reach 40, or before if like me, you have a family history of breast cancer. I can attest that mammograms are no fun! I’ve been getting them regularly for nearly half my life.
Diagnostic MRIs & ultrasounds that some years for me are every 6 months instead of 12, aren’t fun either, but it beats the alternative. I also know that if they find something in their testing they’re probably catching it early & it will hopefully be easily treatable. Early detection is so important. There are so many reasons to try to stay healthy & our precious new grand baby, Emma, is a good reason for me..!"
OKLAROOTS — October 18, 2021
GIVEAWAY: Enter giveaway on the blog for a Project Bags 2.0 bundle! Giveaway ends midnight October 31st.
"This month I have the incredible opportunity to join ByAnnie's Annual Blog Hop to raise money for breast cancer research. I honestly can't put into words how excited I was to be included in this, and on top of that, they're letting me film a tutorial for one of their patterns!
This week we're going over a great beginner pattern: The Project Bag 2.0. This is a fun, scrappy project that has a little bit of everything. Some quilting, some vinyl, some binding. It's a schmorgesborg of sewing fun..!"
MEADOW MIST DESIGN — October 16, 2021
"Today is my day as part of the blog hop hosted by ByAnnie called #sewPINK to celebrate October as breast cancer awareness month!
I am so excited to be offering my newest quilt pattern, Reedy River Falls for free for the next four days (through Tuesday midnight EDT, October 19th) and having a giveaway sponsored from ByAnnie.
Here is Reedy River Falls, a celebration of pink fabrics and half square triangles..!
... So how did this quilt get its name? I started out trying to think of a name with the word "diamonds" in it, but found that every name I came up already was a quilt pattern.
Reedy River Falls is a waterfall and the jewel of downtown Greenville, South Carolina where I live. Because the quilt contains diamond (or jewel) shapes I named it after the falls..."
GIVEAWAY: Through October 19th, download the Reedy River Falls quilt for FREE with code "SEWPINK"
LOVE YOU SEW — October 15, 2021
GIVEAWAY: Congratulations to @Sewcial.butterfly! Winner of a $30 coupon to ByAnnie.com
"With this past year, I feel that the effects of Breast Cancer are hitting even closer to home ever than before. I made the milestone birthday of 40 years and made sure to get an appointment for a screening. But the harsh reality of getting older is also seeing more friends diagnosed with breast cancer and then seeing them go through treatment.
The story that hit closest to me this year was hearing about my “big sister” from my college sorority start her fight to battle breast cancer. We are the same age and she has four young children to care for. She is such a strong and beautiful person inside and out who is staying so positive through her care. It’s truly amazing to see what she is overcoming."
For the #SewPINK blog hop, I wanted to make my latest pattern, the Christine Sling (which was released just less than a month ago!) You can read up all about her features here. And of course, I couldn’t help but pick out some fun PINK fabric for the project! I found this gorgeous Crane fabric by Teresa Chan and it’s symbolism really spoke to me. In Chinese culture, the crane is the prince of all feathered birds only second to the Pheonix. It symbolizes longevity and peace – which is what everyone is searching for when struggling through cancer. They want a long peaceful life and these cranes will hopefully bring that to my “big sister...”
EMMALINE BAGS — October 15, 2021
"Last time I was in the #SewPINK Blog Hop, I stitched up one of Annie's fabulous patterns and had a lot of fun with it. This time I really wanted to work with some bright pink cork fabric so I could sew, but also do some painting on the edges with some bright pink edge paint. Working with edge paint always makes me feel like I have been doing some crafting as well as sewing, so this project ticks all of the "crafty" boxes for me - cut, sew, & paint!
I have been wanting to make a Key Fob Wallet, pattern by SewGnar, for ages. (We have the printed paper pattern in the shop, or you can get the PDF right from SewGnar.) SewGnar patterns are such excellent cork scrap busters, and I do have a lot of cork..!"
...Read my blog post, & see how you can win 1 of 2 gift cards worth $50.00 at emmalinebags.com...
GREAT HERON THREAD CO. — October 13, 2021
"This is my second year participating in ByAnnie.com’s #SewPINK Initiative Blog Hop! I am so honored to get to share a little bit about my personal story and contribute to raising awareness about breast cancer screening through my most favorite thing — sewing!
This initiative feels quite personal to me because my mom died from breast cancer in 2002. When she was first diagnosed around 1989, she was only 32 years old and screening and treatment were really different than they are now.
Getting a yearly mammogram beginning at age 40 can help detect breast cancer earlier and improve treatment outcomes..."
QUILT PASSION — October 12, 2021
"I am so happy to be a part of the #SewPINK blog hop, although I do not have an active blog! The SewPINK is an initiative from @patternsbyannie Their products are a big part of my shop! Love them!
To support the research of breast cancer, I made a kit for a Piecekeeper ( a pattern from ByAnnie of course). I sell the kit and the money goes to the Swedish Breast Cancer Society. The last two days, since I first presented this, has been very busy! So many Swedish quilters want to be a part of this!
We ran out of fabric, so now we offer kits with roses instead, while waiting for new Think Pink fabric to arrive.
So far we have collected 7000 SEK, that is around @$850. And we are just on the second day!
DONATION: ÅSA is selling Piecekeeper kits, proceeds go to the Swedish Breast Cancer Society!
BEYOND THE REEF — October 11, 2021
GIVEAWAY: Donate $36 to the #SewPINK fundraiser and receive 3 1/2 yards from her "Merry & Mod" fabric line
"I asked Annie and her team if I could make Nesting Baskets. For this set of baskets, I used Our House fabrics by Windham Fabrics (coming to shops this Spring) and a light grey variegated Aurifil 50 wt thread. Wonder Clips are very helpful, as are sharp scissors for precise circle cutting..."
Follow along on this blog as Natalie gives tips for sewing your own set of Nesting Baskets. We've sewn a few projects in her new upcoming fabric line on display here and you won't be disappointed. The colors are beautiful and the designs are joyful, perfect for a spring bagmaking spree!
Natalie also shares some important breast cancer resources. Be sure to get screened!
SEWFINITY — October 6, 2021
"My friend Annie Unrein of byAnnie.com started the #SewPINK Initiative, an online event focused on breast cancer awareness. Her goals are to encourage people to get their screenings and to donate to breast cancer research. This is our 3rd year participating, and we are only too happy to participate and to help support this worthy cause.
Here's what I came up with: an awareness ribbon Zip It Up organizer. Annie has so many wonderful sewing patterns, and it's so fun experiment with inserting our awareness ribbon block into her projects. I have to say it's pretty perfect on the front of this case..."
GIVEAWAY: Free "Awareness Ribbon" pattern!
HUGS 'N KISSES — October 4, 2021
GIVEAWAY: English paper piecing tutorial!
"This year when I went in for my bi-annual Boob check I ran into a friend coming in as I left. Not surprising – we’re all around the same age and demographic in a smallish town, so often you see someone you know. Little did I know that she was there for a dreaded callback – which resulted in a positive result and weeks of surgery, chemotherapy and years of anxiousness and checks to come.
What surprised me most when we next caught up and discussed it was that it was the first time she had had a breast check. (she is early/mid 50’s). This is despite having family history - and it being free to have Breast screens here in Australia from age 40..."
SALLIE TOMATO — October 2, 2021
"For our project on the blog hop, we made a SewPINK inspired Cork Carry Along. We chose this pattern because we wanted to create something that would be useful and hopefully bring a little joy to those who may be going through treatments now, or breast cancer survivors..."
READ SALLIE TOMATO'S BLOG POST
This Carry Along pouch features:
- Petal Pink Cork Fabric for the exterior,
- Optional Exclusive Cork Awareness Ribbon Embroidery Applique designed by Reen Wilcoxson of Embroidery Garden,
- Optional free-motion quilted panels,
- Sallie Tomato Rose Gold Hardware and Zippers,
- And a pink cotton fabric for the lining.
Find kits and supplies on the Sallie Tomato website!
20% of kit proceeds will be donated to the BCRF
FAT QUARTER SHOP/THE JOLLY JABBER — October 1, 2021
GIVEAWAY: Three winners to receive a $150 Gift Card to Fat Quarter Shop. Enter to win in the blog! Giveaway ends Sunday, October 31, 2021.
"For the month of October, we’re sharing our Healing Hearts Quilt pattern to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This is a pattern we wrote years ago and released for a limited time, and now we’ve brought it back as a permanent free pattern.
The quilting community is incredibly caring and generous, and we live our values when it comes to helping others. Chains of hearts represent the care and support we hope to bring to those who are affected by breast cancer..."
READ THE JOLLY JABBER'S BLOG POST
