Modernista - Summer, 2013

I'm in a tearing hurry this morning, but I just wanted to take a moment to share the pillows I made for my partner in the Modernista Handmade swap.  The theme is bedrooms, and she said she would like some modern pillows to decorate her room.  She said she likes modern designs and bold prints, and I found this fun pattern in Fast Quilts magazine.  I got brave and cut into my AMH Field Study.  (Do you find it hard to cut into your hoarded fabrics?  Oh yes, I do!)

I echo quilted the triangles in a concentric pattern, until I ended up with a tiny triangle in the center, then quilted swirls in the white space, and then went away for two weeks.  When I came home, I decided that I liked them plain, but they seemed just a bit dull...

So I added a bit of hand quilting with various colors of perle cotton I had on hand.  I think I like them better this way.

I hope my partner likes them too.

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!

Fun Mail

 There has been some really fun mail arriving at the prsd4tim2 household lately.  Last Saturday was no exception.  I received my Modernista package from Heidi (fabricmutt).  I am so excited by the things she sent.  First was this wonderful little mini quilt.  I've seen these around Flickr and always been slightly envious.  What an adorable creation she made for me.  I especially love how the fabrics she chose work so well in this little scene.  The pearl bracelets for the sky and the DS Quilts green for the grass.  The text picket fence.  The "brick" for the house - not sure what fabric that is but it works so well.

The detail is really cool.  I love the "trim" on the eve of the house and the quilt on the clothesline.  How about the lady in the window with the turkey?  And check out the mailbox.

So fun!

But that wasn't all she sent.  She also sent this great table runner.  Love the colors with the linen.  And there are some of my favorite prints in there.  So yummy.

She added a few charms, and what a perfect package it was.

I also received my winter package from Mary P in the Rugs with Friends swap.  Mary is really on the ball, because I haven't started my little mug rug yet, although I do have a plan, which is an amazing fact in itself.  Such cute little FQs came with the package.

But the mug rug is an amazing creation in its own right.  This is a Texas snowman (Mary is from Texas, obviously!)  How do you know?  Check out his hat!  But I love the expression on his face and the detail of the quilting.

Thanks Heidi and Mary for such great swaps!

Modernista - For the Kitchen

For the past several months I have been involved with the Modernista Homemade swap as a mama.  It has been a lot of fun to see the fun things that folks have created.  We are taking the house a room at a time and creating wonderful items to brighten each other's lives.  What fun!

Our first adventure was into the sewing room, and sewing machine covers and mini quilts abounded.

I received such fun items from my partner, Whitney, an uber-talented sewist and one that I missed by moments, I am told, at my brief foray into Sewing Summit (I was the babysitter, remember...)

This time I got to assign the partners - all the partners, including mine.  Yeah, that means I know who my partner is, if I go back and look, but to be honest, I have forgotten.  It also means I got to pick the partner I sewed for, and I have to admit that when I saw that Cynthia wanted a casserole carrier, I picked her to sew for.  I had a dynamite idea that I wanted to see come to life.

Many years ago, my sister made me a casserole carrier along the lines of the one above.  She used double sided quilted fabric.  It has gone with me to every pot luck and compassionate service assignment for at least 25 years!  It has been well used and well loved. And still looks pretty good for all the wear it has received over the years (even if it does look a little 70's).

And so I set out to create my own.  I've made a few of these over the years, but they have all used the double-sided quilted fabric you can buy.   I wanted this one to be different.  It was also a good chance to use my EZ Dresden template.  I've been wanting to use it since the SLMQG issued their challenge last summer.  Alas, I'm too late for the prizes, but what the hey!  I used two layers of batting so it would be extra puffy and keep foods nice and toasty warm.  I also made it a little bigger than the original.  Sticking a 9x13 pan in mine is kind of a stretch.  Cynthia should have no problem fitting a large pan (round or oblong) into this carrier.

It was not a difficult project at all, and in fact, I had a lot of fun choosing fabrics to my partner's taste.  I probably would not have added the brown if she hadn't mentioned that it was one of "her colors", although I am really jazzed by the Pure (by Sweetwater for Moda) text fabric.  It was on sale when I was in Utah last time, and I bought a couple of yards of it.  You can probably expect to see it in quite a few projects until it is gone, which I know will make me sad.

I think I may make several of these casserole carriers for Christmas, and may even do a tutorial if anyone is interested.  They're pretty fun to make, and I really like the Dresden design.  I may even try a scrappy Dresden, if I do it again.  Or, create a patchwork block and then cut it to shape and size.  I think the variations are as endless as your imagination.

I also made her a variation of the 1-hour tote with Aneela's Crazy Scrappy Blocks for the pocket,  and no batting, so you can use it for a grocery tote.  I added a string and some velcro, so you can roll it up and tuck it in your purse so you always have a bag when you shop.  I must have a dozen fabric grocery totes, but somehow they never make it into the store with me.  I made some crochet dish cloths and decorated a dish towel and sent it off in the mail.

Cynthia has already received it, and said she liked it.

I guess I can call that a successful swap.

Can't wait to see what my partner has made for me. 

Are you a Modernista?

If you like making quilty things for your home, this may just be the swap for you.  Sign-ups are currently going on for the Modernista Homemade swap on Flickr.

Last time we tackled the sewing room and there were a ton of fun and beautiful modern items for the sewing room.  This is the sewing machine cover I made for my partner.  It was a real departure from my comfort zone, but overall I was pleased with how it turned out.

And here's the totally awesome package I received from my partner, Whitney!  It was so fun!

This time, we're going to update the kitchen with modern quilty things.  I think you'll agree that my poor, sad little kitchen could use some help.

Want to join us?  Head on over to the Flickr group or email me and I'll send you an invitation.  We'd love to have you join us.

Fun Mail!

Isn't it fun to walk out to the mail box and find wonderful little surprises waiting for you?  Yesterday and today have been that way for me.  Lots of fun mail finding its way to my house.

Isn't this little fabric basket adorable?  This little gem is from Rachel of Stitched in Color.  I love the colors and the prints she chose.  And who can go wrong with linen?

And check out the fun fabric card!  Whoooooooooo's it from, anyway???  haha

Here is the wonderful selection of scraps she sent.  She pegged me, didn't she?  All those lovely bright colors?  Perfect!

 And the basket coordinates so well with the fabric basket I received from Whitney in the Modernista swap.  Is that perfect, or what?

Whoa!  I didn't show you my Modernista loot?  Well, I'll have to fix that.  What was I thinking???  I received this back in July and I took pictures and everything!  Here's the serger cover Whitney (sew.whitney) made for me.  Isn't it cute?  And it fits the serger perfectly.  Love the applique dress.  And the orange/aqua combination is my new fave.

Whitney had my name for the needlebook swap in RATZ (Rapid and Tiny Zakka Swap) too, so she made a coordinating needle book.  Love it!

So here's the whole package.  It was such a fun swap!

Also in today's mail was this adorable summer mug rug from Jeanette (scrapnchick) in the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap.  I'm a little tardy with my offering this time.  I lost a whole weekend due to Hurricane Issac (which didn't come here, thankfully!) and I honestly thought I had more time.  I'm spending this weekend trying to get a bit caught up.  I am making progress, just not as much as I would like.

Anyway, is this camper not the cutest thing you have ever seen?  It is positively adorable.  WH and I have often talked about packing it in, selling it all, and taking off in the camper (that we don't have) to see America!  Now we can - vicariously, of course.  Love the detail in this delightful little mini quilt!  The pennants hanging outside and the curtains in the window!!  Too fun!

I'm also playing along in the Rugs with Friends swap.  This is a very small group swap, so by the time it's over we should have swapped with everyone, I think.  My partner this time was Irene, and of course the theme was autumn/Halloween.  I'm OK with Halloween, but I prefer the autumn theme.  This little mini is just so fun.  Love the cute pumpkin coasters and the "flower" on the left is an adorable drawstring bag.  Too cute.

I received an addition to my GMFG quilt from Becky (miesmama) in the Sew Fun Bee.  Once I receive all the blocks from these ladies I will have enough blocks to make the quilt.  BD#1 has my solid on order that I'm going to use to make the hexies to join the blocks.  Oh, this is going to be a lovely quilt!

And I received my first block in my new color scheme in the 3x6 Bee.  I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I'm in a star hive and a pinwheel hive this quarter.  This pinwheel block is from Suzy (Butternutlake).

I'm sure you'll agree that this has been an exceptionally fun mail weekend!  What a lucky girl I am!

Now, I'm off to make some {hopefully} cute little things to brighten someone else's mailbox next week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Fun Mail

In this post I mentioned that Peggy (mydaytocraft) and I did a private Table Top Swap.  She made me these lovely napkins

 and I made her these

And I told how I was worried that mine were lost in the mail because I hadn't heard from her.  When she responded, she said she was distracted because she was making angel pot holders for the PP11 swap.  Well, little did I know that the person she was making the angel potholders for was me!

The theme was summer and I think she nailed it.  Aren't they fun!

And if you like irony, you'll love this...  See all that beautiful hand stitching on the kite pot holder?  Well, that is the thread I sent as "extras" in the napkin swap we did. 

Peggy, I love my pot holders.  So, so fun!

I also received a lovely package from Pam (imadelong) in the DS Quilts Doll Quilt Swap.  It is amazing.

The piece de resistance is the doll quilt itself of course.  I was blown away.   The embroidery, the quilting, the piecing, the color.... Pinwheels, stars and hourglasses, oh my! 

Check out the cool label.  In another burst of irony, Pam and I were double partners and didn't know it.  She received my circles mini.  What is ironic to me after seeing her label is that my first idea - the one that didn't work - was a zig zag quilt.  I love this idea.  I really struggle with quilt labels.  I may have to borrow (because stealing is SO tacky) her idea.

And look at the cool hanger she put on the back for me...

Sadly, her quilt has neither a label nor hangers.  The label, because I forgot and the hangers because I didn't think of it in the first place.

 Pam also included this amazing sewing kit, AND all the goodies inside.  I was blown away.  I can go anywhere now totally prepared to sew.

 It is entirely possible, however, that I would have been totally satisfied with this swap if I had only received the card.  This is so perfect for me, I think I may have to frame it.  I have always said that I'm not sewing, I'm doing FABRIC THERAPY.  I tell WH that fabric therapy is cheaper than a shrink.  The truth is, I'm not sure he really believes me any more.

I am over the moon with both these swaps.  I hope my partners like their items half as well as I like what I received.  Thank you Peggy and Pam for the great swaps.

I was really over-committed for May and I still have at least 3 swaps to receive and one more to make and send. 

Guess what's on the docket for today?  Yup.  This last swap for the Super Swaps group is due to be mailed by the 31st. 

And then I think I'm slowing down a little for the summer.  I'm only doing the Table Top Swap and the Modernista Swap, which, by the way, is still open to new participants until Thursday.  If you want more info, check out this post.  Care to join us? 

I think I'll head for the sewing machine to finish my oven glove for my Super Swaps partner.