THE DILLY BAG-A-LONG STARTS TODAY

Today is the start of the Dilly Bag-a-Long and for the next four weeks myself and a group of super-duper bloggers will be helping you make your own version of the Judy Newman Dilly Bag.

It’s a great project for anyone looking to learn how to sew with hexagons. The bag is a big size and perfect for stashing your knitting project, kids toys while you’re on the go or using as an alternative to a handbag. (Or my personal favourite a massive treat bag… it holds A LOT of chocolate! Or, you know, so I’ve been told…)

The Dilly Bag-a-Long will be running for 4 weeks which gives you plenty of time to hand-stitch your hexagons. (You can machine stitch them if you’re so inclined, I’m just scared of Y seams!)

The pattern for the bag includes a template and instructions for hand stitching hexagons, however you can use English Paper Piecing (EPP) to make your bag. (You can even vary the size of the hexagons you use (I used 2″ hexagons when the pattern is for 1.5″ hexagons) – you just have to make the hexagon fabric to the set size of the pattern. Make sense?)

What’s a Dilly Bag-a-Long?

It’s quite simple, just purchase Judy Newman’s Dilly Bag Pattern (you can purchase the PDF Pattern here) and make the Dilly Bag between 22 September to 17 October. While you’re making the bag, and when you’ve finished it, you can share your progress via the internet and connect with the others that are making the pattern too.  It’s just like having a sewing bee, but from the comfort of your own home, on your own timetable and no one’s going to notice if you’ve been in your pajamas for 4 days.

You can purchase the PDF pattern here.

There’s 5 ways you can participate in the Dilly Bag-a-Long:

1. The Fussy Cutters Club Facebook Group – you can join the group and post your progress pictures and completed bags to the group wall.The group is over 900 members strong and shares so much fabulous fussy cutting projects so not only can you see all the fabulous Dilly Bags you’ll be able to get fussy cutting inspiration for other projects too.
2. Instagram – you can share your progress and finished Dilly Bag via Instagram. All you need to do is use the hashtag #dillybagalong on your images and we’ll all be able to find them, like them and comment on them. It’s a great way to meet some new Instgram friends.
3. Blog About It – if you’re a blogger you can always blog about your progress and share your completed projects. I’d love to see your posts so be sure to either drop me a line and let me know that you’ve blogged or come back and link up to your blog post in the comments.
4. The Fussy Cutters Club Flickr Group – you can upload and share your progress and completed Dilly Bag photos in our Flickr Group. It’s a great way to provide a little more information about your project and find some new friends.
5. Email Me – If you’re not quite sure how to share your progress and completed project via any of the above methods you’re more than welcome to email me your photos and I’ll share them for you.

My hope is that not only will you end up with a fabulous Dilly Bag at the end of the 4 weeks but you’ll also make some new creative friends and find inspiration through sharing and connecting.

How are we going to spend the 4 weeks?

Here’s how we’re going to break it down over the coming 4 weeks:

Wednesday 23 September: Sharon @ Simple Things

Friday 26 September: Sharon @ The Projects of My Life

Wednesday 1 October: Judith @ Just Jude

Friday 3 October: Progress link party here @ GnomeAngel.com

Wednesday 8 October: Kate @ Stitched with Love

Friday 10 October: Kathy @ iamacraftykat

Monday 13 October: Barbara @ Sunflower Stitcheries

Wednesday 15 October: Rachel @ Little White Dove

Friday 17 October: End link party here @ GnomeAngel.com

The 4 weeks are going to fly by! We’ll be finishing up the Dilly Bag-a-Long with a link party where you can share your progress and finished bag.

[pullquote]Not sure what a link party is, why not check out this post on link parties![/pullquote]

All entries submitted on the final link party will go in the running to win either a mystery prize from Judy Newman or Sarah Fielke’s “Little Quilts” or a mystery F8’s fabric bundle from me. There will be 3 winners voted on by the public.

You will be able to register your entry, via the link party (simply using the hashtag on Instagram or sharing your project in the Facebook Group will not be sufficient to enter the draw, you’ll need to link to the blog post via the Inlinkz widget), from Friday 17 October at 9am AEST until Monday 20 October at 8:55am AEST.

Once your project is linked up it will be eligible for voting on by the public. You can promote your entry via social media, your own blog, skywriter – any way you’d like.

Voting will open Monday 20 October at 9am AEST and close Wednesday 22 October at 5pm AEST. Winners will be announced on Friday 24 October at 9am AEST.

So, are you going to Dilly Bag-a-Long? (Sounds like a new dance craze doesn’t it?)

If you would like to purchase Judy Newman’s pattern for the Dilly Bag you can do so by clicking here.