This week's giveaway sponsor is Miss Matatabi, a little ETSY fabric shop based in Tokyo, Japan that has happily been sending fabrics all over the world since June 2007. Matatabi is "catnip" in Japanese and as it playful name suggests, the shop specializes in kawaii contemporary Japanese fabric and gorgeous sewing trims and notions. It also offers a large selection of beautiful Nani Iro fabrics.

The shop is run by Frances, a lovely Australian who came to Tokyo six years ago to study Japanese. She planned to stay in Japan only for a year but everything changed when she met a charming Tokyo boy who is now her husband and doting father to their two cats.

As Frances singlehandedly runs the shop but she also gets some help from Mr. Matatabi. Frances who is very much pregnant with Mini Matatabi at the moment is preparing for her wee one's arrival in November. She is excited and looks forward to having her sweet baby girl as her shop assistant. As shop owner of Miss Matatabi, Frances is very convo-friendly and sweetly packages her customers' orders with lots of love, care and attention.

The shop also has some of the most talented, creative and loyal customers! You can see the lovely handmade creations made from Miss Matatabi's fabrics and trims on the Matatabi & Me Flickr Pool. Feel free to submit your handmade lovelies made with Miss Matatabi fabrics to this very friendly Flickr group.



Miss Matabibi has an ongoing Autumn Sale with everything at 40% off! If you're planning to create something handmade and heartfelt for your loved ones this holiday season, there's no better place to visit than Miss Matatabi. There are lots of gorgeous fabrics to choose from for any handmade project. As Frances will prepare for Mini Matatabi's arrival, the shop will go on a break sometime in November but will be back soon with something special for December. Fans of Japanese fabrics will have to check on Miss Matatabi very so often because the new Nani Iro Antique collection produced by Naomi Ito for Kokka is coming to the shop soon!

The shop also has a very special promotion for Sweet Tidings readers! Any Sweet Tidings reader who purchases fabric from Miss Matabi ETSY shop between October 14th - October 21st will receive a free fat quarter fabric surprise! Please enter the code "I love catnip" in the "message to seller."

1. Nani Iro double gauze set. 1/2 yard of Nani Iro fuwari in purple and 1/2 yard of Nani Iro fuwari in pink and green.

2. Lecien Kyoyasai set. 1/2 yard of Kyoyasai spring onion fabric and 1/2 yard of Kyoyasai dark blue dots. (Kyoyasai is a Lecien collection featuring vegetables typically found in Kyoto).

3. Kokka kawaii canvas set. 1 x fat quarter of Kokka solid yellow canvas and 1 x fat quarter of Kokka kawaii flying fabric.

4. Lecien Mrs. March set. 1 x fat quarter of Mrs. March flowers in pink and 1 x fat quarter of Mrs March flowers in blue.

Giveaway Mechanics:

1. This giveaway is open to everyone worldwide! All new and old Sweet Tidings readers, lurkers, delurkers, readers with with blog or no blog are warmly invited to join.

2. Visit Miss Matatabi on ETSY and bookmark the shop as a favorite. Select your favorite items from the shop then come back here to post your comment.

2. Readers who twitter, blog or retweet about this sponsor giveaway will receive additional entries. Please leave your twitter or blog giveaway links in a separate comment.

3. Please include your complete contact details (i.e. email address) so there will be a way to contact you in case you win. Comments will be closed midnight of October 21, 2009 and the winner will be announced as soon as the giveaway sponsor has drawn the winner. Winners will be selected by the giveaway sponsor in any manner he/she chooses.

Happy commenting and good luck! Big, big thanks to Frances of Miss Matatabi for this generous giveaway! Visit our sponsors (see sidebar) for the best in handmade craft supplies, gifts and more!