Swappy Stuff - Pouches and Baskets and Blocks, Oh My!

After my swapping hiatus earlier in the  year, I have finally decided that a bit of judicious swapping would be fun. One of the first swaps I signed up for this year was the 4S Swap.  Originally titled the Sweet and Simple Scrappy Swap, 4S just seems easier, you know?  This round was baskets following the Birch Fabrics tutorial.  Anyway, I was gifted with this lovely package from Amber_Crawley.  So, so fun!  The paper pieced balloon is just awesome.  And being that I have just reorganized my sewing space, fabric baskets are especially welcome.

And while the front of the basket is just spectacular, the back is just as cute.  Love that eyeglasses fabric.  And all the dots.  I'm always in love with dots.

My little basket turned out well, I think.  While cleaning my room, I found a half yard of Hello Petal Jump Rope that I had no idea I had.  It made a great focal square in the middle of my QAYG panel, and a fun lining too.  The rest of the QAYG is just out of the scrap bin.  I love creating projects from scraps - it makes me feel so thrifty.

I used a different fussy cut square on the back.  

Last month, our ECMQG swap was Friendship Baskets using the psiquilt tutorial.  I received this fun little bag from Elaine.

Apparently I neglected to take a picture of the one I made, but it was similar to this one I made last summer from some AMH Loulouthi selvages my daughter sent me.  I love using selvages - especially pretty ones.

I've been playing along in the Sewing With Friends swap for a couple of years now, and this time I am swapping with my good friend Leona.  We met for dinner the other night, so I had a chance to take her her pouch for this round.  I used a fussy cut from the Heather Ross Crafty Chloe line she did for Hancock Fabrics a couple of years ago, and quilted it with the Bernina zigzag stitch #4.

On the back, I just used a scrap of Denyse Schmidt fabric from JoAnn's.  In fact, this whole project - with the exception of the fussy cut square on the front, was directly out of the scrap bin.

I used a piece of pink I found in my recent housecleaning for the lining.

One of the fun swaps I'm in this year is the Handmade Birthday Swap.  I've been making these little pouches for the birthday girls, filling them with a few fun sewing goodies.  This is my latest one, made from Hothouse Flowers, by Mo Bedell.  I just love these colors.  They make my heart sing!  This is from a FQ bundle I bought from Westwood Acres when I visited a couple of months ago.

The ECMQG does a block lottery each month.  Everyone who contributes a block also contributes a dollar, and one (or sometimes two or three) lucky winners take home enough blocks to make a quilt.  This month we are doing a 12-1/2 inch carpenters square (swoon) block.  These blocks are 1/4 the size of Camille Roskelly's Swoon pattern, but they still have a big impact.

We're also doing a wonky star charity quilt made from Moda's Sphere fabric by Zen Chic.  This is the block I made. Can't wait to see the quilt when it's finished.

Last of all, I'm working on a quilt for my friend Leona.  Once I got the blocks for the Block of the Month nearly done, she decided she really didn't want the quilt after all, as it held difficult memories for her.  I've been feeling guilty for almost a year, so when she said she wanted this Lazy Sunday (pattern by Lee Chappel) quilt out of AMH fabric (Dowry and True Colors), I jumped at the chance to make it for her.  I've got the blocks done (all 112 of them!), and now just have to put the top together.  I think this quilt is going to be fabulous - all those rich colors will just take your breath away, I think.

So, that's what's been going on in the sewing room this week.  What fun things have you been working on?