The first of October it’s exactly 2 year ago that I’ve launched my very first Compagnie M. pattern, the Mara blouse! Today I’d love to celebrate this joyful event with a 2nd Compagnie M. sewing contest. A special contest with 3 categories & levels, one that invites you to push your boundaries. Are you ready to mix & match? Feel like hacking one of my patterns? Or are you a beginner? Than don’t think this contest is too difficult for you: the plain & simple category makes this contest interesting for all types of seamstresses! Be sure to participate because I’ve got the most amazing sponsors. With their support I could create 9 awesome prize packs worth about 3.195 euro in total!!!

The challenge

Pick a category and get creative!

1. Plain & Simple: The ideal category for seamstresses with little experience. Sew your favourite Compagnie M. pattern without changing  anything to the original pattern. Of course there are still plenty of options to get creative: combine several fabrics, color block or pimp the design with small details without changing the pattern pieces!
2. Mix & match: Compagnie M. patterns are designed to mix & match. Something unique in the pattern design sector! Pick 2 or more Compagnie M. pattern and create your own new garment! In this category you’re not supposed to change my pattern pieces at all, only to combine them in an original way! An example in this category is my own Louisa-Ileana remix.
3. Pattern hack: This category is the play field for the experienced seamstress! I invite you to hack one of my patterns (or a combination of several patterns). All seamstresses that change at least one pattern piece will end up in this category. Of course you may draw a complete new pattern piece too. Just make sure that we can still spot enough elements of the original pattern(s). An example in this category is my Charles dress since it has several new pattern pieces.

This contest is open to everyone!

By participating in this contest, you accept the competition rules. This competition is not organised to get you stressed. :) No negativity please! Sewing is supposed to be fun!

Doesn’t matter where you live or how experienced you are. Do you feel like participating with several projects or categories? You can! The jury members are excluded from the contest, sponsors are allowed to participate.

The timing

The contest starts now and you have until October 25th 9pm (CET + 1 timezone) to send your creation to our contest mail address.

The jury consists nine members:

• Bambiblauw: a Belgian online fabricshop
  represented by Lieselot Wellens
• De Stoffenkamer: a Belgian on- & offline fabricshop (Ghent) represented by Helena Balcaen
• Madeline de Stoffenmadam: Belgian on- & offline fabricshop (Lier)
  represented by Nancy Moerenhout
• Petite Couture: Belgian onlineshop represented by Wendy Thijs
• Lotte Martens: Belgian textile designer
• Trine: the Danish sewing blogger behind ‘Groovybaby and mama‘
• Eva: the Belgian sewing blogger behind ‘by Eva Maria‘
• Annika: the German sewing blogger behind ‘Näh-Connection‘
• Isabelle: the Belgian sewing blogger behind ‘le labo d’Isa‘

To keep this contest a fair challenge and since I know some bloggers personally, I will not judge myself!

How will they evaluate your work ?

The jury will select a personal top 10 per category and score these projects. These four criteria will be taken into account:

• Fabric selection / combination
• Color use / combination
• Originality
• Attention to detail

Public voting

From the 25th of October (when all entries are online) till the 1st of November 9pm (CET + 1 timezone), votes are open. Little hearts will appear next to all blogposts. Use these to vote for one or more entries. Only one vote per user will be registered.

The judges votes will represent 80% of the result. The public votes that represent 20% will be added according to the ranking of the voting. Note: scores will not be made public.

The winners will be announced on the 2nd of November unless there are technical or practical problems.

What can be submitted?

The submissions are pictures of the finished garment(s). Present them preferably on a model. It’s allowed to send items sewn before the start of the contest. Please keep in mind that clear pictures are easier to evaluate: it’s best to include at least one front, back and detail picture.

Every contestant can enter maximum 6 pictures per creation. Together with these pictures you’re allowed to submit an explanation of maximum 300 words (not compulsory). If you have a blog or website, you may add a link to more pictures / text.

Send an email to contest@compagnie-m.com to enter your project. Do you want to enter with several projects, then send us one email per project.

This is what the email should contain:

• E-mail subject: this will be the title of your blogpost
• E-mail content: all the text in the email will appear in the blogpost. So don’t add any other type of information.
• Pictures: attach maximum 6 pictures per project.
• Category: plain & simple, mix & match or pattern hack. (Bjorn will thank you for this extra info!)

It’s important that you send us this email with the address linked to your Compagnie M. account.

After our approval, your project will appear in the contest’s blog!