Swappy Stuff

I've been horrible lately about posting pictures of my swappy stuff.  The truth is, I haven't done as much swapping this year, but I'm really starting to miss it.  I kind of overdid the swapping last fall, doing something like 11 swaps between October and Christmas, and when all the January swaps started, I purposely avoided signing up.  I did participate in the 4S Swap again though (formerly the Sweet and Simple Scrappy Swap - which I admit was kind of a mouthful) and I received this Friendship Bag (ala psiquilt) and awesome goodies from Stephanie @ the Quarter Incher. 

I owe Stephanie a huge apology though - the package came just after I got back from watching the grands in March when I was miserable with bronchitis for the 3rd time.  Her beautifully colorful package really cheered me up, but I put it away before photographing it or even thanking her.  I'm usually not so thoughtless.  I'm going to blame it on being sick. 

I absolutely love the handles on this bag.  Aren't they fun!?

And I received this cute little mini quilt from Mhairi in Australia in the Sewing with Friends swap.  This group has been swapping for more than a year now, and it's always so fun to see what others come up with.  This neat little mini has pockets, that Mhairi kindly filled with fat quarters.

And the back is almost as much fun as the front.  What cute fabrics she used!  I just love how bright they are.

And she thoughtfully put hanging corners on the back.

Thank you Stephanie and Mhairi.  I feel like a very lucky girl!

Potpourri

I decided that today I would tell you about some of the non-quilty things I've been working on this month.  Despite my little rant about Flickr, there are still a few swaps going on.  This one - called the Secret Tote Bag Swap, is just ending, and this is the little tote I made for my partner.  I created the pattern myself, and I really like the fun shape the pleat gives to this roomy bag.  The theme was nature, and I found this pretty home dec fabric on the remnant rack at JoAnn's, which is not my usual thing, but it was so pretty, who could resist.  And I think it does make a pretty bag.  Whitney said she was a mom with young children and she requested lots of pockets, so it has my usual zipper pocket and double patch pocket on the inside.  I didn't take a photo of the inside, but the lining is a brown Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow print that was on sale at my LQS.

Another fun little project I did recently was this cute little pinnie.  My partner requested a wrist pin cushion, so I had to figure out how to do that.  (Isn't the internet wonderful?  I combined a bunch of ideas I found to make this little pinnie just what I wanted it to be.)  This one has a little plastic base (cut from a Cool Whip container lid) at the bottom so you won't stab yourself.

The patchwork is from the leftovers of the Fairy Tale Friends honey bun I used to make my Fairy Tale Friends Quilt, which was my first finish for 2013.  I put a little button and some felt leaves in the corner for a little flower.

I honestly have no idea where this little piece of Minkee (or Minkee knock off?) came from, but I found it in my scrap basket and decided it would make a really comfortable wrist band.  I used both elastic and velcro so it was v-e-r-y adjustable to just about any sized wrist.

And I don't remember if I told you about the little Friendship Bag I made for my partner in the Sewing With Friends swap.  Yup, same fabric.  I didn't have the pattern handy, so I just guessed.  I think it might be a little deeper than she specifies in the pattern, but hey - my philosophy is "If you're going to make it, make it your own."  In keeping with that idea, I used ribbon for the handles.

I'm working on the Autumn Sampler from the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.

I haven't done counted cross-stitch in years.  Are the holes in Aida cloth a lot smaller than they used to be???

I'm not making a ton of progress on this project so far...  I think maybe this one might be finished by NEXT autumn.

My friend Wanita's birthday was in August, but we just managed to get together this week to celebrate.  I made her this Union Jack bag for her birthday.  I've had the blocks done for-e-ver, but of course I didn't manage to finish the bag until the morning of our lunch (why rush into these things, right?)  Anyway, the blocks are from the Victory Garden quilt pattern.  I was kind of surprised at how huge these blocks turned out to be (originally, I was thinking Union Jack mug rug - but not from these monster blocks...  placemats came to mind.)  I used some Kona coal for the bottom of the bag so that the whole Union Jack would show.

I used this DS Quilts gray dot (yes, GRAY!) for the lining, with my favorite patch pocket.

So, that's what's been going on craft-wise around here...  What are you working on?

Swappy Stuff

I recently participated in a pin cushion swap.  I had a terrible time with this one - for some reason I kept putting it off.  And when I finally decided it was time, I had lost the pattern I intended to make, which of course required another trip to my LQS.  In the end, instead of replacing the first pattern I bought a different one.  This is Heather Bailey's Effie and Ollie pattern.  I think he turned out super cute, even though his trunk isn't quite round.  I stuffed him with rice, so I think that may be the problem with his trunk.  If I ever do him again, I will stuff the trunk with fiberfill before I stuff the rest of him with rice.

I especially love his ears.  I think they are so fun!

In return, I received this fun AMH Wild Flower pin cushion from Jodi (usairdoll), which I have been meaning to make for myself ever since Amanda made herself one several years ago.  As is so often the case, I never got around to it.  But now I don't have to!  Isn't it fun!  I love the fussy cut petals.  And the colors are perfect - bright and fun.   Perfect for my new sewing space.  And it's filled with walnut shells, so it won't go flying across the room when I try to stab it with my not-so-sharp pins.

Lastly, I received this really cute angel friendship bag from Laura VanVleet in the Friendship Bag Swap.  I guess my friendship bag got lost or something, and Laura, who is one of the mamas, made me this fun bag.  Don't you love the little strawberry and kiwi in that fabric strip?  So summery and fun.

And look at all the fun goodies she stuffed inside.  A pattern, a honey bun (yummm), a pin cushion (which matches the bag), a tissue holder, some fun trims, and my personal favorite: a credit card holder - yet another thing I have been meaning to make for myself, and haven't gotten around to doing.  Maybe next someone will make me a new wallet.  LOL.  That's been on my list for awhile.  The Kate Spade one Arielle got me on her 9th grade chorus trip is just about shot.

In other news, the my new sewing space is in its 3rd or 4th iteration (nope - no new pictures yet...  soon I hope).  I thought I had it nearly finished yesterday, but then the wall bracket came for the computer monitor (I have visions of watching movies and Craftsy classes while I sew)  which required moving all the stuff stashed against the wall, and then finding studs (which are apparently hiding), so it's not up yet. 

And in the process of creating this room, I have managed to tear up Every.  Room.  In.  The.  House.  Of course there are paint and tools (including some kind of saw) in my kitchen.  And goodwill stuff and the old bed frame in the living room.  And too much furniture in Arielle's old room.  And a complete reorganization of the garage.  How do projects mushroom out of control like this???

And I haven't really sewn in 10 days.

It's making me crazy.

Tell me it will get better?  Please?

Friendship Bag Swap

Well, my resolution to ease up some on my swapping barely lasted a month, but this one was just too good to pass up.  This was an easy little project filled with fun goodies for my partner.

It started with an adorable little quilted gift bag made from Rachel's tutorial (of psiquilt fame).  And isn't it so much more fun and environmentally friendly than those cheap paper ones you buy at the dollar store?

For the outside, i used strips from that same FE bundle of Bonnie & Camille's Ruby that BD#1 got me at Sample Spree a couple of years ago - yup the same one that I made the Simple Merry Christmas Quilt and the Love Pillow from.  It's really amazing how far a FE bundle will go!  I used a scrap of texty print from the Waterfall pillow as the base.

My partner said she liked texty fabric, so I lined it with a texty print in the same colors as the outside.

And then the fun began....

I started filling it up.  I had the best time!  I hope there's something in there that will make my partner feel special.

Because that's what friends are for.