The last couple of Mondays have been full of Sewvivor details, all leading up to this day! Everything you need to know to audition for Sewvivor is here in this post– including the Sponsors, Prize Packages, Judges, Timeline, Challenges, Rules, FAQs, and How to Enter. Read through EVERYTHING, and at the bottom of this post is where you can audition to be in the Sewvivor competition.
First I’d like to introduce this season’s sponsors. I have invited and hand-picked each of these sponsors to participate. Each company offers a wonderful selection of fabric, notions, or patterns, and I am genuinely impressed with their customer service. I sincerely appreciate their generosity, and for making this entire competition possible.
Click on their logo to visit their website!
I’m so excited to present the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place Sewvivor prize packages! No contestant will leave the competition empty handed– all Top 16 will receive a prize. The grand total here is nearly $2,000.
1st Place:
(over $1,000 value)
(over $1,000 value)
$100 gift card from Fabric Worm
$75 gift card from Fabric Depot
Fat Quarter Bundle from Westwood Acres
Thread Assortment from Coats and Clark
Fabric yardage from Free Spirit
$75 sewing gift basket from Dritz
$50 gift card from The Fat Quarter Shop
4 DVD sets ($160 value) and prize bag from It’s Sew Easy
$50 gift card from Raspberry Creek Fabrics
10 yards fabric from Art Gallery Fabrics
Thread Assortment from Aurifil
Quilting Shirt from Patchwork Threads
13 issue ($100 value) subscription from Love Patchwork and Quilting
Podcast Interview with Modern Sewciety
2nd Place:
($400 value)
$50 gift card from Fabric Worm
$50 gift card from Fabric Depot
Fat Eighth Bundle from Westwood Acres
Thread Assortment from Coats and Clark
Fabric yardage from Free Spirit
$25 gift card from The Fat Quarter Shop
2 DVD sets ($80 value) and batting from It’s Sew Easy
$50 gift card from Fabric Depot
Fat Eighth Bundle from Westwood Acres
Thread Assortment from Coats and Clark
Fabric yardage from Free Spirit
$25 gift card from The Fat Quarter Shop
2 DVD sets ($80 value) and batting from It’s Sew Easy
5 yards fabric from Art Gallery Fabrics
Thread Assortment from Aurifil
Quilting Shirt from Patchwork Threads
3rd Place:
($325 value)
$25 gift card from Fabric Worm
$25 gift card from Fabric Depot
Shop Owner’s Bundle from Westwood Acres
Thread Assortment from Coats and Clark
Fabric yardage from Free Spirit
$15 gift card from The Fat Quarter Shop
1 DVD set ($40 value) and batting from It’s Sew Easy
$25 gift card from Fabric Depot
Shop Owner’s Bundle from Westwood Acres
Thread Assortment from Coats and Clark
Fabric yardage from Free Spirit
$15 gift card from The Fat Quarter Shop
1 DVD set ($40 value) and batting from It’s Sew Easy
Fat Quarter Bundle from Art Gallery Fabrics
Thread Assortment from Aurifil
Quilting Shirt from Patchwork Threads
Top 16:
Sewvivor Sewalong:
Quilting Shirt from Patchwork Threads
Last week I introduced these amazing women to you here. I’m so honored to have them each involved with Sewvivor on our Judging Panel! Their job is to select the Top 16 from the auditions, and then help narrow down the competition as it advances. Their individual votes will always be confidential, it is their collective vote that will be used in the judging process.
Mary Dugan from Molly Flanders Makerie
Jeni Baker from In Color Order
Amy Newbold from Sukie Don’t Ya Know
Jenny Fox-Proverbs, Editor of Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine
Sarah Fielke from The Last Piece
Every Monday!
June
2- Sewvivor Season 3: Quilter’s Edition Launch Announcement
9- Timeline + Challenges revealed
16- Rules + Voting process explained
23- Judges revealed
30- Sponsors + Prizes Packages revealed
July
7- Auditions Launch + Detailed Recap
14- Love Patchwork and Quilting Spotlight
21- Auditions close + Giveaway
28- Top 16 Contestants Announced
August
4- Get to know Contestants
11- Challenge 1: Nautical + Voting
18- Challenge 1 Results
25- Challenge 2: Quilted Bag + Voting
September
1- Challenge 2 Results
8- Challenge 3: Hexies + Voting
15- Challenge 3 Results
22- Challenge 4: Lap Size Quilt + Voting
29- Challenge 4 Final Results
The following weekly challenges will only pertain to the Top 16 who are chosen to compete in the actual competition. I wanted to put them out there so you would know what the competition will entail so you can decide if entering Sewvivor is right for you or not. As you can see, the four challenges are very open to your own interpretation. I give you a theme, and you run with it! Tutorials and patterns ARE allowed to be used. ALL SEWING AND QUILTING MUST BE DONE ENTIRELY BY YOU. No long-arm quilting done by another person is accepted once the competition begins.
The following rules will only pertain to the Top 16 after the actual competition has started. I wanted to lay out all the rules so you can decide if entering Sewvivor is right for you or not. Read to the next sections for the Audition details and directions.
–If you think that you’ve got a chance of making it into the Top 16, you are welcome get a head start for the 4 weeks of challenges at your own risk! I am not responsible if you make a project but do not make it to the Top 16! All projects submitted for the 4 rounds of competition cannot have been made any sooner than July 1, 2014. Do not reveal them on your blog until they are revealed on Sewvivor. ALL sewing and quilting for thee competition must be done entirely by you.
–Contestants may use patterns and online tutorials for projects. When you post your projects on your blog, you’ll need to cite your sources. If you create your own pattern, we’d love to see a tutorial in pictures! Full tutorials will be featured on YOUR blog (giving you all the traffic).
–Projects will be revealed on Monday mornings 9am EST. Voting will be occur Monday at 9am-Wednesday at midnight EST. Advancing contestants will be notified via email the following Thursday morning. They will not be announced on this blog until the following Monday at 9am. (See Timeline for all Reveal and Results dates).
–This means that contestants…. every project will need to be emailed to me by Sunday at 6pm EST. You will submit 5 pictures… 1 “before” or “work in progress” picture, and 4 “finished project” pictures. Explanations describing your project should be no more than 4 sentences per picture. Pictures should be around 500 megapixels (I’m not too picky- but a pretty standard size is what I’m looking for). You are welcome to send the HTML. (I will go over this in more detail via email with the contestants).
–Contestants may use patterns and online tutorials for projects. When you post your projects on your blog, you’ll need to cite your sources. If you create your own pattern, we’d love to see a tutorial in pictures! Full tutorials will be featured on YOUR blog (giving you all the traffic).
–Projects will be revealed on Monday mornings 9am EST. Voting will be occur Monday at 9am-Wednesday at midnight EST. Advancing contestants will be notified via email the following Thursday morning. They will not be announced on this blog until the following Monday at 9am. (See Timeline for all Reveal and Results dates).
–This means that contestants…. every project will need to be emailed to me by Sunday at 6pm EST. You will submit 5 pictures… 1 “before” or “work in progress” picture, and 4 “finished project” pictures. Explanations describing your project should be no more than 4 sentences per picture. Pictures should be around 500 megapixels (I’m not too picky- but a pretty standard size is what I’m looking for). You are welcome to send the HTML. (I will go over this in more detail via email with the contestants).
–You will be allowed to post the full tutorial on your blog, the day it is revealed on Sewvivor. Hopefully, this will help you get lots of fun traffic to your own blog!
–Just like on Survivor, there may be a few twists and surprises. For example, Immunity, Tribal Councils, and Challenge Rewards may come into play. These will be random to keep things as fair and fun as possible. By entering, you agree that this is part of the competition, and will play along fairly.
–VOTING: The total judge vote + the public vote will each counts as 50% of the entire vote. The judges will email their votes to me, and their votes will remain anonymous (as to which judge picked what project). This counts as 50% of the total vote. The audience (readers) will also vote, using an online poll, which counts as the other 50% of the total vote. Contestants are allowed to rally votes from their family, friends, blog readers, etc. Each device (computer, iphone, tablet, etc) is allowed 1 vote. I cannot help you if your uncle’s computer is not letting him vote, etc.
–Elimination Process:
Challenge 1- Top 16
Challenge 2- Top 10
Challenge 3- Top 5
Challenge 4- Top 3
–Who can enter? Pretty much anyone! Beginners, shop owners, international friends, previous contestants, even Sewvivor sponsors can still enter. The judges cannot enter. Projects that have been sewn by contestants for Sewvivor in previous seasons may not be entered for an audition. (Yes, projects entered but not accepted into a previous season may be entered, and Sewvivor Sewalong projects from previous seasons may also be entered).
–Season 3 is a Quilter’s Edition. This does not mean you must have previous quilting experience (beginner or advanced quilters may enter). But it DOES mean that all projects entered MUST be quilted. You do not have to enter a quilt. It can be any quilted project (ex- quilt, mini quilt, pillow, bag, pouch, apparel, etc).
–To define “quilting” for this competition… it must be an item that is either pieced and/or quilted. The piecing may be done by hand or machine. The quilting may be done by hand or machine. You must incorporate at least one technique, both being the most common.
–Your project can be anything you’ve ever sewn (even if it was 5 years ago), or you can make something specific just to enter. It must be made by YOU (see exception below). It does not have have to be your original idea or tutorial, and it doesn’t matter if it was made with or without a pattern. Machine and handsewing count. Crocheting and knitting do not.
–For Auditions, YES your quilt may be quilted on a long-arm machine by another person. You must specify this in your blog post entry. If you make it into the competition, long-arm quilting by another person will not be accepted.
–Does it need to be a finished project? I’d encourage that, but if you have a work in progress that you’d like to enter, such as an amazing quilt top that is pieced but isn’t quilted yet, then yes you can enter that!
–You may enter ONE project. Entries that are not “family friendly” will be deleted. Be sure it is your best representation of you, your sewing skills, and your creativity!
–For Auditions, YES your quilt may be quilted on a long-arm machine by another person. You must specify this in your blog post entry. If you make it into the competition, long-arm quilting by another person will not be accepted.
–Does it need to be a finished project? I’d encourage that, but if you have a work in progress that you’d like to enter, such as an amazing quilt top that is pieced but isn’t quilted yet, then yes you can enter that!
–You may enter ONE project. Entries that are not “family friendly” will be deleted. Be sure it is your best representation of you, your sewing skills, and your creativity!
–Big Tip: Take good pictures! Besides your sewing skills and creativity, presentation will play a big role in a competition like this. Large, clear pictures are appealing to the eye, and it is easier for the judges and audience to see and appreciate detail.
–You MUST have a blog to enter. It doesn’t need to be a fancy or popular blog- you can create one for free on www.blogger.com, or it can even be your family blog. Please note that you will see increased traffic to your blog by entering this competition.
–If you share a blog with a family member or friend, yes you may each enter the competition from the same blog. Be sure to specify that your projects are different and that you are different people.
–Entries will be accepted in the form of a link party, (see last year’s auditions for an example). Directions on how to enter are found below.
–This IS open internationally! I love and value my international friends, and encourage to you participate! 🙂
–The Top 16 will be chosen by the Sewvivor judges, and will advance to compete in the 4 rounds of Sew-vivor competition. (Judges will email me their Top 20 picks, and I will tally up and average everything to choose the Top 16).
–For anyone who would like to sew along but not enter the competition, I have started a Sewvivor Sew-Along Flickr group or you can post on Instagram with hashtag #sewvivor! There will be SewPrizes given to winners at random!
BEFORE YOU ENTER:
1. There is an entry fee of $5 via Paypal required to enter. Please send to:
familyeverafter at gmail dot com
In the notes on Paypal, include your first and last name, blog name, and email.
*This is the first time I’ve charged an entry fee. I hope you’ll understand why– I spend hours and hours setting up Sewvivor and moderating it during the competition. I love every second, and I am so appreciative of you for entering and following along. I hope this experience is positive for everyone involved. The entry fees will help me justify the time I invest organizing it all in the wee hours of the morning. And if you win- $5 is but a small price in comparison to all the amazing prizes you’ll receive! 🙂
2. Please follow ‘Family Ever After’ on at least one of these accounts. You won’t want to miss behind-the-scenes action!
3. Write a NEW blog post showcasing your entry project. Title your blog post: “Sewvivor- Blog Name- First and Last Name.” The URL needs to be to your specific entry post, not to the homepage of your blog. No entries from flickr, instagram, facebook, google+, etc. (Review all the guidelines in the FAQ above).
*Update: A few people have emailed me, not wanting to use their name on the internet for security purposes. I am SO sorry I didn’t think about this! I no longer ask you to add your name on your blog post entry. Just “Sewvivor- Blog Name” will be fine. If you’ve already entered, please feel free to remove your name. I can also remove it from the links below.
*Update: A few people have emailed me, not wanting to use their name on the internet for security purposes. I am SO sorry I didn’t think about this! I no longer ask you to add your name on your blog post entry. Just “Sewvivor- Blog Name” will be fine. If you’ve already entered, please feel free to remove your name. I can also remove it from the links below.
4. Post the Sewvivor button on your blog sidebar or within your blog post (just highlight the button below, copy, and paste).
5. Post a link or picture from your blog to facebook or instagram. Hashtag your entry: #sewvivor.
NOW YOU’RE READY TO LINK UP YOUR ENTRY BELOW:
1. First, make sure you have read through everything on this post.
NOW YOU’RE READY TO LINK UP YOUR ENTRY BELOW:
1. First, make sure you have read through everything on this post.
2. From your blog, click on the title of your entry post. You’ll find the URL address of your post at the top of your browser. Highlight it and copy it. Then come back here, click on the blue “Add your link” button below and paste the URL. FOR THE ENTRY TITLE, use the same format as your blog post– “Sewvivor- Blog Name.” Also, be sure to leave your EMAIL. You’ll be taken to a page to choose the picture you’d like to represent your project. Click “select,” crop if you’d like, and then you’re done. (If you mess up with any of these steps, you can delete it and try again. Please email me if you run into trouble).
Auditions are open JULY 7-21 at midnight est.
**Extended until JULY 22 at midnight est!
**Extended until JULY 22 at midnight est!
The Top 16 will be announced on July 28.
Now the question is… who will Sewvive?
GOOD LUCK!
PS- Did you read ALL the entry Rules above? 3 main things:
*Title your entry “Sewvivor- Blog Name”
*You are ineligible without paying the $5 entry fee via paypal 😉
*Follow via: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, RSS, or GFC
(Entries may take a few seconds to load)
