A Table for Two Please

If you're looking for the SMS Giveaway post, go here!  Sorry, the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway has ended.

A couple of months ago, I was poking around Flickr-land when I realized that I had missed the sign ups for a swap I was actually pretty excited about.  I left a whiny comment, and a couple of days later Amy, the swap mama, contacted me and asked if I wanted to do a private swap with someone who hadn't swapped before.  I thought about it for - oh - about 10 seconds and then jumped in with both feet.  For one thing, Peggy (mydaytocraft) offered to angel the swap.  THAT takes real dedication and interest.  For another, she had some gorgeous things in her photostream - not a lot of things, of course, but we all have to start somewhere, right?  For another, I really like cloth napkins, and handmade cloth napkins, well, I really, really like those.

So we made contact with each other, set a mailing date, and communicated a little about what we liked.  I advised her to add to her favorites and make a mosaic so I'd have some ideas about what she liked.  I did a little stalking of her blog and photostream.  And before I knew it, it was almost the mailing date and I hadn't started.  Oops!  So I got busy sewing, and popped them in the mail on the day.  And a couple of days later, I got this gorgeous package in the mail.

But I didn't hear whether she received my package or not.  I was getting worried.  Finally, I FM'd her and yes, she had gotten it, but she was distracted by angel-ing another swap on short notice.  Now THAT's dedication.  (Did I say that before?)

Aren't they gorgeous?  Absolutely classic.  And they go really well with my kitchen.  Lucky, lucky me.

But now that I know that she has received my package, I can show mine here too.  These are the napkins I created for her:

She said they use cloth napkins every day in their family, and sometimes use them more than once if they're not soiled, so I thought it would be great to make them each a little different.  I used a selection of DS Quilts fabrics, which seem to be my "go to" fabrics lately.  Each napkin is different on the back, and the same on the front, except for the "binding" which is just carried over from the front.  Each one has a different "citrus" applique.

I was actually amazed at how well each of these went together (although looking at the photos now, I realize I should have pressed them again before their "photo shoot".)  I really didn't fuss with them at all.  I cut the front 2" smaller than the back and then just folded the back over the front.  I mitered the corners simply by folding the corner in diagonally, and then folding the sides over 1/2" and then again right at the ironing board.  I barely pinned them.  Easy peasy.

The napkin rings were just two DS Quilts fabrics sewn together and bound, and closed with velcro, and then a button sewn over the velcro to hide the stitching.  I believe I cut the napkin rings to 2-1/2" by 5".  They were pretty darn easy too.

This was a fun project and a fantastic swap.  Thanks, Peggy, for swapping with me.