ATC Challenge!!

Up for a challenge?? This is for you!!

Swap Sign Up: From now until May 8th (3 weeks) - Partners assigned between April 30-31
Swap Deadline: Your ATC must be sent by May 29th (3 weeks)

You will make one standard size fabric ATC (2.5" x 3.5") for your partner. You can use any techniques, methods and embellishments to create your fabric ATC. The ATC base should be fabric stiffened with interfacing or a cardstock backing.
See our tips for creating a fabric ATC.

Note: I am making this swap for fabric ATCs only at this stage, however may open it up to mixed media options if there is not enough interest.

Now for the challenge part: I will give you the last 5 words from Illustration Friday's weekly topics. You should use at least two of these themes when creating your ATC. Be creative!

The words are: Journey, Bottled, Duet, Toy, Cultivate

Be sure to include a note with the name of this swap and your Swap-bot ID so that your partner can rate you when they receive your art. Also include a description of your interpretation of the theme.

Any embellishments welcome!! For example: embroidery, quilting, sewing, beads, findings, paint or ink - anything you can apply to your fabric.

You may start making your ATC immediately (and have up to 6 weeks to complete it) or wait until partners are assigned and review your partners profile to personalize your ATC for them.

Newbies welcome.
If you have any 1 or 3 ratings please contact me first.
Remember if you join in you are making a commitment to the swap!

My original idea was to limit this to only two topics where both must be used, however I want to see how this will go and if you enjoy the challenge so please provide some feedback here.

Chain Stitch ATC Swap

Welcome to our second swap! - Chain Stitch

Swap Sign Up: From now until May 15th (1 month) - Partners assigned between May 15-16
Swap Deadline: Your ATC must be sent by June 15th (1 month)

You will make one standard size fabric ATC (2.5" x 3.5") for your partner. Embellishment and materials are your choice, however you must include the embroidery technique chain stitch and your ATC base should be fabric stiffened with interfacing or a card stock backing. See our tips for creating a fabric ATC.

Be sure to include a note with the name of this swap and your Swap-bot ID so that your partner can rate you when they receive your art.

Other embellishments welcome!! For example: embroidery, quilting, sewing, beads, findings, paint or ink - anything you can apply to your fabric.

Because the theme and embellishments are senders choice you may start making your ATC immediately (and have up to 2 months to complete it) or wait until partners are assigned and review your partners profile to personalize your ATC for them.

Newbies welcome.
If you have any 1 or 3 ratings please contact me first.
Remember if you join in you are making a commitment to the swap!

Chain Stitch

Here is a simple stitch to try. You may already be familiar with chain stitch. We're playing around with the basics this month!! It is really fun to constrain yourself to exploring one stitch on your ATC, or maybe you'd like to mix it up and try all the variations like rosette chain stitch, double chain stitch, etc. Check the link at the end for some variations.

If you've never tried this before follow the steps below. You can click any of the images to see them larger.

	1. Bring the needle up from the back.		2. Take the needle back down at the starting point.
	3. Bring the needle back up about 1/8" away.		4. Gently pull the loop until it sits flush with the fabric.
	5. Continue on in this manner, forming a chain.		6.When you reach the end take the stitch down on the other side of the loop to secure.
	Example. A flower made from 5 seperate (detached) chain stitches.		Example. Lengths of chain stitch.
	Example. More detached chain stitch lying on a fabric join.

Create an ATC using chain stitch and embellish as you like.

For some further instructions and variations on this stitch check out: Mary's Video Tutorial on Needle'n'Thread

Have you tried this? Post your results to your website/blog and add your link in the comments!!

Add Your Link

It is great to see people dropping by the ATC Swaps blog and the first monthly swap. There is still a week to decide if you'd like to participate this time. Then after the 15th I'll assign partners and start the signup for the next swap.

We have 3 participants and 11 others watching the loom bloom swap which is a fantastic start. I know I am more than happy that I am not alone on this one and if we make it to 5 participants I'm going to do a little happy dance around my sewing room!

I know that sometimes time and money contstrain our hobbies. At this point I have been able to make my ATCs purely from stash materials and since I'm a letter writer, I already have envelopes to send off my art. My biggest expense is postage (only about $2.20 internationally though thankfully) and I don't want this to hold anyone back from participating. So while the aim of the swaps is ultimately to send your art and receive a small piece in return, there is nothing stopping you from making an ATC and keeping it for yourself.

Here is how we're going to include everyone... If you tried the technique (whether you're swapping or not), you can take photos, post them to your website or blog and then add your link into the comments on the technique page so we can all see what you made.

Have you made your Loom Flower yet?? Post your results to your website/blog and add your link in the comments!!

I've also been working hard on filling the site with tips and info. Please feel free to send me any questions or suggestions. You can respond here, or send me a private message on Swap-bot.