Fun Mail Update

I  have received some lovely things in the mail lately that I thought I would share.  This lovely Dresden clock came to me from Pam (sewmama123) in the Modernista Swap.  She really hit the nail on the head!  The fabric is Madrona Road, a long-time favorite, and I love that she fussy cut the tree into the center of the Dresden.  The hand stitching outlining the Dresden is really exquisite, and totally up my alley.  She even sent along the stand and a battery for the clock!  Now that's thinking! 

Along with the awesome clock she sent this very cool pennant that I currently have hanging over the doorway in my sewing space.  I love that I see it every time I go through the door, and that the words she embroidered remind me of what is important.

This lovely mini granny came from Emily (simple girl, simple life) in the DS Quilts Mini Quilt Swap, along with some delicious chocolate covered cherries that I had for breakfast one morning.  (Yum!)  This was such a perfect idea, especially since I was just in the process of finishing my granny quilt when it arrived! 

I decided to hang some of the wonderful minis I have received on the wall in my sewing space.  I wish I had more room, because I have many lovely mini quilts that I would love to display!  The top one is from Suvarna (rkpulipaka) from the Wish List Swap, and the middle one from Heidi (fabricmutt) from last fall's Modernista Swap, I think.

 When I returned home from vacation, I had a couple of packages waiting for me.  This beachy mug rug is from Maria (Mary/Maria) in the Rugs With Friends swap.  The embroidery is so fun, and I love the fabric she chose for the waves!

 Here's side two.  Isn't this a fun little print?  Perfect!

 And the Popsicles mini is from Kristina (kcalgary) in the Fab Little Quilt Swap.  It is so awesome.  I have been coveting a Popsicles quilt since I first saw it last summer.  So fun!  And the details are amazing!  Love the little print behind the flower popsicle.  And I love the wonky cross border, and the fact that she used Loulouthi (another current favorite fabric) in her design. Instead of binding, she used a facing technique.  I love that the design goes all the way to the edge.

 

And the embroidery on the 4th popsicle is awesome!  L.O.V.E. it!

And the back is nearly as cool as the front.  I love the fabrics she chose for the panel and the border on the back.

All in all, it has been a great month in the mail department here at prsd4tim2.  I feel so blessed to receive such thoughtful gifts!

Wishing you a happy day!

Totally FAB Little Quilt

Last week I received this wonderful little quilt from Linda (Quack Quack 22) in the Fab Little Quilt Swap, and today dawned bright and beautiful (for a change) so I could take some photos.  I have to say that this is a TOTALLY FAB little quilt.  I love it!  Isn't it gorgeous???  I can't even imagine making all those flying geese, but I love how they turned out.  I love that it is so colorful.  I love the tree in the center.  I love the piping around the center medallion. I love the stripey binding. 

Truly, I just love this quilt.  Linda did such a great job.  It is gorgeous, and executed so beautifully.

Check out the jewels she added for the leaves on the tree.  And the flying geese in a circle are amazing.  I've been too intimidated to try this technique yet.  But look at those perfect points.

And the label is just as amazing as the front.  Look at all those teeny tiny flying geese.  Each one can't be more than an inch and a half.  I could just sit and stare at the label!  It's really a shame I can't look at both sides at the same time.

This is the lovely package she sent me.  See the hoop?  It would have been a lovely swap item on its own.  It is just beautiful.

And I love the saying she chose.

The happiest of people
Don't have the best of everything
They just make the
Best of everything!

Words to live by.

Thank you, Linda for a wonderful swap!

Fab Little Quilt

I'm playing along in the Fab Little Quilt Swap - FLiQS for short (why do we love acronyms, I wonder?) - and this is the little quilt I made.

The pattern is from 99 Modern Blocks which is a great resource for ideas for modern quilt blocks.  This particular block, called "Wedged In" in the book (they are in alphabetical order) has fascinated me since I flipped through the book the first time.  I'm calling my offering "Ripples of Love", since the way the blocks flow out from the center, getting ever larger reminds me of ripples in a pool.

And then when  Dawn (guiltyquilter) made a pillow for PTS8 from the pattern, I knew I just had to make one myself.  Dawn modified the pattern, making it a little bigger and substituting larger fussy cut blocks for the teeny tiny squares in the middle.

I used her fussy cut idea with some little medallions in a bit of Kumari Gardens fabric I had lying around, and built my blocks from there.  The small drunkard's path blocks are appliques and were hand sewn.  (Yes, they were kind of a pain.)

Then, as you can see, I added some rows of hand quilting to give it interest, picking up some of the colors in the blocks.

It is far from perfect, but overall, I really like it.

I hope its new owner will enjoy it too.

Too Many Swaps?

Mosaic for Fab Little Quilt Swap (FLiQS)

NOTE:  The Think Christmas Blog Hop/Simple Merry Christmas Quilt Giveaway ends TONIGHT at midnight.  If you are still thinking about entering the giveaway, leave a comment on this post.  (Note that the prize is 8 FQs of Denyse Schmidt's DS Quilts fabric, not the quilt itself.  Sorry.)

I got a little bit behind last week when I was making the Merry Christmas Quilt, which had to be finished and posted by midnight Thursday.  I almost made it.  The blog post came at 1:15 am or so, but I doubt I had anyone jumping up and down to read it at that time of day.  Should you want to make this little quilt yourself, the tutorials are here (part 1) and here (part 2).

Then I had hoped to spend the weekend sewing but I volunteered to help a friend organize a swap, so I spent the weekend partnering up swappers (who knew it would take me so long???)  This swap mama stuff is more difficult than it looks, but I finally came up with a method that worked for me after about the 4th try.  And then there was the fun of sending 45 emails...  But overall, it was a good experience and will serve me well the next time.  There's a first time (and a learning curve) for everything, right?

Mosaic for DS Quilts Mini Quilt Swap

So Sunday evening, after all the emails were out, and when I should have been sewing but I was watching the Olympics instead, I sat down to make some mosaics for some swaps I've joined.    We all know that I'm a swap addict and apparently have no self control when it comes to these things.  Is it the fun of making something for someone else?  The fun of getting a little present in the mail (and even WH likes that part)?  The fun of stalking my partner?  The fun of trying something new?  All of the above?   I have no idea what motivates me to do these things, but at least it's not a self-destructive addiction.

Is it?

Mosaic for my new colors for Q3 of the 3x6 Bee

And I made 4 mosaics.  Is that a ridiculous number?  To make in one night?

I always use Big Huge Labs to make my mosaics, and it made the mosaic just fine, but I can't get it to download the credits for the yummy pictures I choose, so all of my mosaics are credit-less.  I'm sorry creative Flickr people.  I really tried.  I even disconnected Flickr from BHL and reconnected it, and it still doesn't work.  I see on Flickr that it works OK for other people, so I'm not sure what has gone wrong.  People put so much time, effort, and creativity into these lovely creations, I like to give credit where it's due, you know?

Mosaic for the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap

So I'll be swapping like crazy for the next couple of months.  But I'm still determined to work on the list.  August is, after all, FINISH IT month.  It has been proclaimed!