DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTACTED US SINCE WE LAUNCHED BACK-TACK II WHO WILL BE AWAY DURING SIGN-UPS, AND WHO HAVE ATTEMPTED TO SIGN UP PRIOR TO THE SIGN UP DATE, WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE LIFE EASY FOR ALL OF US (MAINLY NICOLE AND I REALLY) AND OPEN SIGN UPS NOW. WE WILL RUN THE SIGN UP PERIOD TILL 24TH AUGUST AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, OR UNTIL WE HAVE 100 PEOPLE. This note will also appear on both our blogs, and we hope this doesn't confuse you, or cause any undue difficulties. Now go sign up! (If you'd already signed up please don't sign up again.)
With greatest pleasure and with much enthusiasm, we announce Back-Tack II!!
Many of you have watched eagerly as amazing items unfolded over the last few months on people's blogs. Crafty creations with so much variety and colour have been popping up all over the place.
Well now you get to play again, or for the first time, and be part of something pretty special. Nicole and I have been scheming this one for a while and I think the end results will be pretty fantastic. We've taken a more laid back approach this time, mainly because it's being run so close to the original. Also because we realise some people struggled with the inability to control fabric selection (don't fret - we will run the original version again next year). Back-tack II therefore is a chance to spoil someone, and indulge secret desires. Mmmmm, intrigued? Read on.
For this Back-tack, we'd like you all to make a bag for your back-tack receiver - something like a tote or a shoulder bag - something large enough to carry 'stuff'. You can use whatever fabric you want, whether it be from stash or something you've specifically gone out and purchased. Be creative. Knit it, sew it, felt it. Make it simple or elaborate. We want you to get to know your recipients, find out their likes and dislikes - are they a vintage fabric fiend, a knitter, or have they just had a baby and need something waterproof. We'd like you to think about accessorising the bag, making a little makeup pouch, pocket mirror case, or coin purse. There are many patterns and inspirational photos out there to get creative with, and we'll post a load of links to books and images as well.
But that's not it. Oh no. Wait, there's more. We want you to find out from your recipient what their secret craft urge is. What craft have they always wanted to try and never quite got around to doing? Crochet perhaps, or knitting socks, or needle felting, embroidery, making soft toys, printing cards...the urges are endless. Once you think you've got it sussed we want you to go out and put together a complete kit for them - an all in one craft kit in it's own little bag (which can be reused of course!). For example: if they've always wanted to try crochet, you could include a selection of crochet needles, enough wool for a small project, a pattern book or instruction book, needles for weaving in ends, and any little accessories which might make the kit complete. Give them everything they need to satisfy their urge. When it's all together, wrap it up and send it off to reach your person by October 31st 2005.
What we'd like to see is your end bag product, and eventually your finished craft piece as well, although we do realise these things take time, so there's no pressure on anyone to do that. We'll keep a flickr gallery open for it.
Still interested? Have we captured your imagination? Think you might sign up? Well here's the critical, serious, no-nonsense part. Please remember we place a high value on your commitment to this project if you sign up. If emailing your recipient and sending things on time aren't your forte, or you know you have some life things coming up which may interfere with this, please reconsider and come back when you think you can commit. You must make the effort to write to your recipient, say hi, ask questions, tell them you've sent your parcel, and say thankyou when you receive yours. You must commit to sending your goods out on time. We expect you will blog about what you've made, and what you've received, and that you'll send us photos as well. We expect you to make a minimum monetray contribution of $40US including postage which is fair given what we're expecting.
We are again limiting places to 100, and to bloggers only. It's a lot of time, energy and resources organising this many people, and that's our reasoning for limiting places. Having a blog is an absolute, and please don't ask us to change the rules if you don't have a blog - go out and start one!! This time we will screen people, and once we have 100 the list will close. If you've emailed us previously, we will have sent you an email about this post, and it does not mean you are automatically signed up. Please do not comment here and assume you're signed up - we can't track most emails addresses from blogspot.
Still reading? Good!! Here's the dates.
Sign Up Period commences August 17th and closes August 24th (or before if 100 participants reached)
Match Ups will be made August 24th - August 30th
Match Ups will be sent out September 1st - September 10th
Back-tackII officially starts September 15th and will run through till october 31st.
Flickr Gallery of finished products will go up beginning November.
Do you want to play? We'd love you to play because we had a lot of fun last time and know you'll enjoy it this timt too, so shoot us an email at backtackATgmailDOTcom, with "Signup for back-tackII" in the subject and sign up with your Name, full postal address, blog url, and whether you are happy to send internationally.
Happy sewing guys!
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