Today marks the start of the Ishi Contest. The idea is simple: create a garment with the Ishi pattern, upload it on to the Contest Page, and win fabulous prizes!
Sponsors and their prizes!
Shall we start with the prizes? In the past few weeks, I asked a few shops and companies if they wanted to sponsor the Ishi Contest. The response has been overwhelmingly generous, and so I’m very happy to be able to offer around $700 in amazing prizes ($693,96 at the current €/$ rate, to be precise). There is fabric of course, but I also thought of those hard working little models of ours, and included a few lovely items for them as well.
The Ishi contest is generously sponsored by:
GOLD SPONSORS
Umbrella Prints
Umbrella Prints is a renowned Australian textile house which specializes in organic fabrics. Founded in 2006 by artist & textile designer Amy Prior and graphic designer Carly Schwerdt, Umbrella Prints has grown into a favorite with quilters and other seamstresses worldwide who are looking for unique, original and sytlish prints. If some of the fabrics below look familiar, this might have to do with the fact that they are used on the cover of the Ishi pattern. Needless to say, I’m very proud to have Umbrella Prints as a sponsor to this contest. Amy and Carly are generously giving away 3 meters of choice of their stunning Flowers collection (AUS$78 shop value!).
Monday’s Milk
Monday’s Milk is a beautiful Dutch webshop which sells a great collection of fabrics, yarns, and handmade products. Fabric brands sold at Monday’s Milk inlcude nani IRO, Atelier Brunette, Cloud 9, Kokka, and more. In addition, owner Rozalinde also sells patterns from Merchant and Mills, Echino and nani IRO. Monday’s Milk is currently having a huge sale to make room for all the lovely new items which will soon be arriving, so you might want to visit her shop now. Monday’s Milk is generously giving away a €25 shopping voucher to two lovely winners!
Raaf & Vos
Raaf & Vos is a stunning kids’ shoe store located near the Belgian city of Ghent. Owner Tine’s selection is all about quality, and so is her professional advice: she is a former kine-therapist. At Raaf & Vos you can find the cream of the crop in European children’s shoes: Zecchino d’Oro, Bisgaard, Pepe, Pom d’Api, Ocra and more. Her online shop offers worldwide shipping and free return. Raaf & Vos is generously giving away €50 shop credit to one very lucky winner!
Urban Sew
Urban Sew was formerly called the Fabric Stash, and many of you will probably also know owner Janice from her beautiful blog So-Cal Sewing Mom. Janice is an incredibly nice lady with a great taste in fabrics. In her shop, you’ll find great designer prints from brands like Kokka, Cotton + Steel, nani IRO, Camelot, Cloud 9, Michael Miller and more. But Janice also has a great nose for basics in jersey, corduroy, linen and the like. Add to that patterns from a range of brands, and you know you’d love to win the $50 Urban Sew voucher which Janice is generously adding to the prize package!
Mon Depot
Mon Depot is a unique fabric shop, which sells fabrics you will not find at any other webshop. Owner Katelijne has a great talent for sourcing overstock fabrics from exquisite clothing brands. The European sewing community is going wild for her fabrics from Strass, Fragile, Lily Balou, Scapa, Furore, Christian Wijnants, Anne Kurris, and many more brands and designers. MonDepot offers free shipping in Belgium on orders over a mere €25, and in a range of other European countries on orders over just €35. Thank you, Katelijne, for adding a €50 shopping voucher to the prize package!
Madeline De Stoffenmadam
Madeline De Stoffenmadam is not only a great webshop, but also a very cosy fabric store located in the Belgian city of Lier. Owner Nancy has over 1500 different fabrics in store, from brands such as Art Gallery Fabrics, Birch, Lillestoff, Paapii, Lecien, and Atelier Brunette.& In addition, Nancy’s shop also hosts great workshops, and has a weekly open atelier where seamstresses can work on their own projects while chatting and meeting new friends. Nancy is generously contributing a €50 shopping voucher to one lucky winner.
Imagine Gnats
Rachael Gander probably needs no introduction to most seamstresses: she is the blogger, pattern designer, and fabric shop owner behind Imagine Gnats. Her beautiful fabric store has a great selection of fabrics, including nani IRO, Robert Kaufman, Cotton + Steel, Art Gallery and Kokka. I love her wide range of double gauzes, chambrays, and knits especially. In addition, you’ll also find fabric care products, notions, patterns and handmade scarves at Imagine Gnats. Thank you, Rachael, for giving away a $50 voucher to one winner!
Lela Stof
Lela Stof is a new fabric webshop based in Belgium. Owner Silke makes a fast and friendly service her priority, and offers free shipping for orders over €50 (and a tiny €3.50 shipping rate on orders below). Fabric brands offered include Birch Fabrics, Froy & Dind, Soft Cactus, Finch Fabrics, Timeless Treasures, and many more. But Silke also offers patterns, notions, and handmade items, and she organizes home parties. Thank you, Silke, for generously giving away €50 worth of Froy & Dind fabrics of choice.
Volksfaden
Volksfaden is a Berlin based fabric webshop and brick and mortar store. For me personally, Volksfaden was my introduction to pretty fabrics, when a Belgian interior design magazine referred to it as one of the coolest fabric shops in Europe. Brands sold by super nice owner Linda include Echino, Soft Cactus, Aterlier Brunette, Birch, Moda, Petit Pan, and more. In addition, Volksfaden has an amazing range of basic solids, as well as patterns, books, buttons, and so on. Linda is generously giving a €50 voucher to one winner.
Fulton & Co
Pretty buttons can be a great addition to a handmade garment, but unique and stylish buttons in other materials than plastic are hard to find. Enter Fulton & Co, an LA-based ceramics studio owned by Sarah Fulton. Sarah does not only make beautiful buttons; you’ll also find jewerly and tableware such as plates, cups, and bowls in her Etsy shop. I used some of her buttons in these two dresses two years ago, so I an testify to their excellent quality. One winner can pick $50 worth of buttons at Fulton & Co.
Tuttle
Who doesn’t LOVE Japanese sewing books? Tuttle is the premier publisher and seller of books rooted in Asian culture, language, and history, and the company behind popular sewing books such as Sew Sweet, Sew Chic Kids, and Sewing For Your Girls. One lucky winner takes home these three beautiful books. Tuttle is currently having a sale, by the way, with many of their sewing books marked down. Visit Tuttle here.
SILVER SPONSORS
hello shiso
Hello shiso is a California-based design studio which makes beautiful accessories for girls, boys, and sometimes their parents. It was founded in 2010 when owner and designer Mimi Tsang started making her own accessories in her backyard studio. Since then, hello shiso has grown into a renowned and well-known brand of handmade hair clips, headbands, bracelets, and more. Make sure to visit the hello shiso shop, which is filled with beautiful, whimsically styled pictures. A great source of creative inspiration!
Kousen & Karton
What’s better to complement a handmade outfit than a pair of cool socks or tights? The Belgium-based webshop Kousen & Karton (“socks and cardboard”) offers an amazing range of socks, tights, leggings, and other accessories for kids and adults alike. Think brands such as Funky Legs, Oilily, Lily Balou, Happy Socks, and many more. In addition, owner An also celebrates her other passion in her shop: paper goods. So you’ll also find masking tape, paper toys, cards, and interior decoration items at Kousen & Karton. An is generously giving a €25 shop voucher to one talented seamstress.
Sanae Ishida
Most of you will know Sanae Ishida for her amazing sewing skills, but this talented creative soul also just released her first children’s book. Little Kunoichi is a funny and stunningly illustrated story about a little girl who practices hard to be a ninja. The book is not only one of my own daughter’s favorites; the book was also an Editor’s Pick and one of the Best Books of May on Amazon. Sanae is generously giving away a signed and personalized hardback copy of the book to two lucky winners! Visit Sanae’s blog here, or buy her book here.
THE PRIZES
Prize #1: Best fabric/color combination
The Ishi pattern presents a lovely challenge to show off your combination skills. The Ishi Contest Jury will pick one creation which does an amazing job at combining fabrics and/or colors. The winner will receive:
– 3 meters of fabrics of choice from the Flowers collection by Umbrella Prints (AU$78)
– €50 store credit at Raaf & Vos
– €50 store credit at Mon Depot
– $50 store credit at Imagine Gnats
– €25 store credit at Monday’s Milk
– $25 store credit at hello shiso
with the bigPrize #2: Best pocket
There are all sorts of creative things to do with the big Ishi pocket. The Ishi Contest Jury will choose the creation which has the most original and/or beautiful pocket. The winner will receive:
– 3 Japanese sewing books, selected by Tuttle
– $50 store credit to spend on buttons at Fulton & Co
– €50 store credit at Volksfaden
– $50 store credit at Urban Sew
– €25 store credit at Monday’s Milk
– a signed and personalized copy of Little Kunoichi by Sanae Ishida
Prize #3: Voters’ choice
Finally, everyone will be able to vote on their favorite Ishi dress. The creator of the most popular Ishi dress will receive:
– €50 store credit at Madeline De Stoffenmadam
– €50 worth of Froy & Dind fabrics of choice at Lelastof
– €25 store credit at Kousen & Karton
– a signed and personalized copy of Little Kunoichi by Sanae Ishida
All three winners will also receive a copy of my upcoming Jaanu pattern.
Our lovely jury members!
The esteemed members of our jury, who will decide who wins prizes #1 and #2, are:
– Rachel Gander: blogger, pattern designer, and shop owner at Imagine Gnats
– Mie Pilborg Brindle: sewing expert, fabric combiner extraordinaire, and blogger at Sewing Like Mad
– Katelijne Vayssier: head boss lady at Mon Depot fabrics, and the fastest seamstress I ever met.
– Rachel Kovac: beloved sewing blogger (Stitched Together) and creator of stunning outfits for her 5 equally stunning children
– Sanae Ishida: amazing sewing blogger, children’s book author, and all round creative wonder
– Rozalinde Innemee: owner of Monday’s Milk, and all round expert on all things beautiful
– Griet De Smedt: Belgium’s most popular sewing blogger (Emma&Mona), a double sewing book author, and just a really kind lady too!
Rules and practical issues
– Contestants upload one image of an Ishi dress they created in the link party. They’re is no need to have a sewing blog, but the image preferably links up to a page which contains more pictures and a description of the garment (e.g., on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, …).
– Contestants can enter multiple Ishi garments; just make sure that you upload each creation only once.
– Ishi garments created before the contest was announced can also be uploaded.
– The contest will close on July 2, at 12 noon Brussels time.
– Next, voting starts; it closes on July 5, at 12 noon Brussels time.
– Unless there are technical or practical problems, the winners will be anound on Monday July 6.
– Prizes #1 and #2 will be awarded by the jury. Each jury member will make a top-5 for each prize. Next, the votes will be tallied and the creation with the most votes will win.
– In case of a tie, a new voting round between the tied creations will be organized.
– Contestants can only win one prize. If one contestant ends up first in more than one category, she will win the prize with the highest value (so combo > sack > voters’ choice). The other prize(s) will go to the #2 (and next #3) contestant in that category.
– Let’s keep this contest fun and fair. It’s okay to ask friends, family, and your blog readers to come vote for you, but please don’t engage entire companies to come and vote for you. And be kind: please refrain from making nasty comments about other people’s creations, no matter how much you disagree with the eventual voting outcomes.
– Have fun!