Stitching shows, meet-ups and a Competition!

Hey there, I recently met with sewists and bloggers Charlotte (English Girl at Home), Rach (Rach Against the Sewing Machine) and Victoria (Thimble End) at the CHSI Stitch 2016 trade show. We'd been invited to a bloggers breakfast by ICHF who organise the event. There was so much to see at this trade show, so I've included some photo's I took on the day to get you in the mood for the up-coming sewing shows happening at the NEC and ExCel. There was also a demonstration by DMC of some of their forthcoming products. Thanks to both ICHF and DMC because breakfast was really good and I had such fun playing around with the new products ( which you can read more about in the photo's section below). 

It is so great to meet up with other sewists and chat about all things sewing, especially when you've been nattering on Instagram for a while! I've been to a few meet-ups in recent months and always meet such lovely people. If you're based in the Midlands (I'm more Leicester based than B'ham) then there are several more meets going on in March for any if you are interested. 

Charlotte has a regular Midlands Sewcialists meet-up once a month now, the next meet-up is 30th March. 

Rach is organising a meet-up at the Sewing For Pleasure, Fashion & Embroidery and Hobbycrafts show at the NEC on the 19th March. I'm gutted that I can't make it to that one. I went to the show last year, I purchased lots of lovely fabric and had a great time hanging out with my mum and sister! 

Competition Time!

If you are interested in attending this show or one of the up-coming shows at the ExCel or the NEC then you should enter my competition!! I'm hosting a ticket give-away in conjunction with ICHF Events who are offering FIVE of my readers a pair of tickets each for one of the following shows:

• Sewing For Pleasure, Fashion & Embroidery and Hobbycrafts, NEC, Birmingham 17^th – 20^th March 2016
• Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycrafts, ExCeL, London 7^th – 9^th April 2016
• Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycrafts, NEC, Birmingham 1^st – 3^rd July 2016

The five lucky winners will each get to pick which show they want to go to! 

How to enter:

• Leave a comment below, along with your email address. 

And you can have an extra entry if you:

• Follow me on Instagram and repost this picture using the hashtag #sewnintheatticcomp

Entries must be made by midnight on Monday 7th March.
I will pick the 5 winners at random and notify them the following day.
ICHF will fulfil the prize directly with the five winners.
Please note that the prize does not include travel or other related expenses.

Good luck to all who enter and I will leave you with some photos I took from the Stitch 2016 show to get you in the mood:

DMC 'Custom by me!' range allows you to transform, customise and upcycle your clothes and accessories instantly using a 'rinse away Magic sheet' . 

The self adhesive sheets, with pre-printed patterns can be repositioned before you stitch the design. Here I'm having ago at the customisable tote bag.

At the stitches show I tries the letter sample and this is me rinsing off the 'Magic sheet' to reveal the design!

I think these would be great for those wanting to try a new craft, children and those who are into customising.

DMC who have been around for 270 years(!), had a really cute stand. 

Creatures in boxes, I think these are the 'amigurumi' patterns - I bet my kids would love it if I made some for them! 

If only I could crochet!

Bloggers Hannah and Rosie from The New Craft House had some great looking sewing kits

Beautiful samples from Clothkits who also have sewing kits

Dashwood Studio's exhibit was absolutely beautiful. I definitely want to make a mini quilt now!

Look at those adorable baby booties! 

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