Fun Mail

Spicing Up the Kitchen 2 package from sewlikesue

Yesterday, WH started to go out to get the mail, opened the door and shouted, "You have Fun Mail!" and I thought, "What could that be?"  I had totally forgotten that I hadn't received my package from the SUTK2 swap.  What a fun surprise!  I opened it up, and look at the cool stuff that sewlikesue included.  I always need dish towels and pot holders, and these are awesome.  My potholders are old, burned, and worn out, so these gorgeous new ones are most welcome.  And I think WH must use my dish towels for paint rags, because aside from the ones my sister made me for my birthday a couple of years ago, they are few and far between.  The lovely decorative dish towel is also most welcome.

But would you check out that luscious table runner?  It's gorgeous!  And look how well it goes with my placemats from meanfish2 in the placemat swap!  I asked her if she planned it, and she said no, but if not planned then truly inspired.  Just look at this:

Won't they be great together?  Now, how cool is that?

I also received 6 more blocks for my Christmas village quilt in the CF Bee.  June was my month, and my blocks are trickling in, but it's ok, because I know I won't get to them til fall, anyway.  Every single block is just awesome!  Look -

CF Bee Blocks from domesticass

I was truly dying for a block like this! A flying Santa!  How perfect is that for the family of an airline pilot?

And I just love the stone foundation of this little house.  And the candy roof.  So cool!

CF Bee Blocks from CNSnow

Isn't this the perfect little house for a Christmas village?

And the snowy tree and presents are awesome too

CF Bee from breathe and sew

I just love these snowy hills - won't they look great in my village?

And this little house is soooo cute!  Love it!

So, I've received half of my blocks for my Christmas village quilt.  I'm sure the rest will be along shortly.  These are all so wonderful, I am sure my quilt will be gorgeous.  I actually have enough fabric, I could maybe make 2 or 3 quilts.  Hmmmm....  maybe that's an idea for some Christmas gifts.  Well, whatever - it will all need to wait until after September.

In other news, I am finally making progress on Pauline's gifts for the Santa Sack swap.  I had planned to do them last weekend, but with BD#2 home, I really didn't do any sewing.  (I did mend some stuff she had sent home with me months ago, though.  THAT's pretty amazing.)  Anyway, I did promise Pauline I would put her package in the mail on the 14th, which is the date she requested.  I'm going to include July, August, and September's gifts, since sewing time will be limited for the next little while.  More bang for the buck, you know.

Anyway, have a great week.  Happy sewing!

Placemat Swap Reveal

My partner received her placemats in the mail yesterday from Placemat Quilt Swap 6, so I can now share what I sent her.  She asked for something summery and said her absolute favorite color is red and her favorite fabric is gingham.  She has a 5-year old son who will be heading off to school in the fall, so I wanted the placemats to be a little bit fun.  So I started out with this pieced watermelon idea. I thought they might be fun for picnics or pretend picnics maybe.

For the other side, I chose these bright yellow dragonflies.  I think it might have been OK to stop there, but while we were teasing each other, my partner mentioned that she liked these placemats that I did awhile back, so I thought, "why not?"  I saw a pattern somewhere for a placemat with a pocket (although I think that one rolled up to take along on picnics), so I decided to applique the fruit motifs onto a pocket for napkins or flatware.

I wanted to include a cloth napkin, but I could only find white, and that just wasn't what I was going for.  That and the time constraints, and - no.  Anyway,  each of the pockets is different.  I toyed with making the pear red, but I just couldn't.

So, an appliqued kitchen towel, one of my famous hexi needlebooks, and the package was complete.  I got the nicest thank you email yesterday from my partner, meanfish2.  It really made my day.

That is until I realized that my own placemats had arrived in the mail too. Perfect timing for  a non-secret swap, huh?

Aren't they gorgeous?  And fun!  I'm having a blast examining all the different fabrics she used.  LOVE the strawberries.  And apparently she stalked me well enough to know that I love anything paisley. 

And wouldn't it be fun to use them in pairs as a table runner?

Oh, I am so excited.  These are great!  Meanfish2, you're the bomb! Thanks so much