Are you up for a challenge?

I'm always ready for a challenge and indeed, if someone dares to tell me I can't do something (as in "not capable"), I will try my best to prove them wrong. Sometimes I'm successful and sometimes not, but the challenge is always exciting.

Here's a photo of the most gorgeous way to recycle old denim fabrics from jeans, skirts, dresses, shirts etc. Yes, it's the stunning Marlon bag.

Marlon

the start of the challenge

I can hear the dubious enquiries now:

"What's Marlon and recycled denim got to do with being open to a challenge and who exactly is being challenged here?"

Firstly, Lizzy and yours truly...

On counting up last week, there were no less than 375 patterns on the website! To ask you how many you've downloaded and how many you've actually made, would just be rude so let's fly past that one. My point is, there's a massive choice, for beginners to the most experienced. But! For Lizzy (or me), that's not enough!

Our challenge (set by Lizzy): to get this number up by 25 over the next few months, so at Christmas there will be at least (what makes you think we will stop at 25? :-o) 400 patterns available.

At the time of writing this blogpost, there are 21 weeks to Christmas, which means we have to come up with more than 1 pattern per week. "No problem", I said. Eeek!

We're on it! Marlon is pattern number 1 (or 376, whichever way you look at it)

Then, there's you, the beginner...

Have you ever made a bag? Not even a simple tote bag? Well you can! I'm sure that over the coming weeks, there will be plenty of patterns for quick and simple projects for you to "cut your teeth" on. Indeed there are loads of Lizzy patterns already that have helped many a new stitcher on a journey from beginner to accomplished, if not expert.

Your challenge: make something, anything.

Search or keep your eye open for a project you love the look of, that is small or straightforward or both, but like nothing you have made before, then make it!

Warning - sewing addiction approaching!

Promise

a great beginner project

And what about you, the cautious...

Are you the person who only makes items that sit nicely within your comfort zone? You can sew, been sewing for years, but it's lack of confidence that holds you back. You make a quick pouch today, as it's someone's birthday tomorrow, but that's as far as it goes. When you see other projects, you love them but they scare you a bit.

Your challlenge: be bold, make something you've never made before.

It could be a bag like Marlon, why not? It could be that you've never made a quilt, not even a little one? How many times have we all said "I could never do that!"? You can, do it!

Maya

the perfect quilt to get you going

I was getting round to you, the procrastinator...

"I'm going to make one of these, I love it." Who was it that said that but hasn't done it. Come on, hands up! Well, me for a start. I'm full of intention, but somehow other things get in my way.

My excuses include: "I just don't have the time" or "I don't have the right fabric (well that's a laugh, of course I do!)" and then, "I had to cook dinner" or even "the phone rang". I always qualify all excuses by adding "... but I definitely will do it!"

Your challenge: Set aside a weekend, a day, an afternoon or even an hour, choose something you've had your eye on for ages and don't let anything stop you - schedule it!

Fern

a really popular bag just waiting for you

And in the end there's you, the UFO hoarder...

This is probably the biggest section of our lovely sewing community. I have more unfinished objects (projects) than I comfortably have room for, or am willing to admit to. A bit like the procrastinator above, I will finish them, all of them, well some of them, well maybe... one day.

Your challenge? I think you already know it but here it is: finish it!

Dinner Plate

you have until 6pm, LOL!

Amongst the projects on the design table in the coming weeks will be something, probably loads of patterns, that will fit with your challenge category.

There's nothing like a challenge to make us think, to wonder, to ponder. To rise to a challenge sometimes involves a steep learning curve, always requires commitment and determination, and staying power is essential. It doesn't mean you have to do it all today, this minute, but let's set those goals:

Be on it - we are!

Schedule it - I have!

Do it - you can!

Make it - stitching it now!

Finish it - it's done! Phew!

Ta Da!!

The gauntlet has been "thrown down". Who will be first to pick it up?

Be like Lizzy and me -

commit to it, tell someone (us maybe) that you're doing it, and be on it!

The sense of achievement when you succeed (and you will) is awesome, huge. The encouragement and inspiration that you will then be to others is massive, and the skills you develop along the way are yours forever and priceless.

I'll be back next month to see how you've risen to my challenges, because by then we'll have at least 4 more patterns to play with. In the meantime,

Happy sewing

Kath x