More Swap Updates

Whew! The last swaps have been sent, and received. This school year is over. Well, for three of us anyway, the little one still has one more month to go as he's on Year Round. I can finally sit back and relax a little.

I have been out of school for one week now and I have spent that week cleaning and organizing my sewing room. Putting away all those little piles that seem to accumulate. I have finished mom's Mother's Day quilt (I know, I am terrible, I didn't get the binding on it in time, but it's all done now!) I have stitched the blocks for a patriotic quilt (I LOVE all things RW&B and I am in love with how this quilt is turning out, I can't wait to show you!) and made a table runner (All but the binding, hoping to do that today).

But in the meantime I have some really awesome swaps to update you on!

First of all...the STUD swap. Our theme this time was "Specific Room" so you got your partner then chatted back and forth about what room you need a quilt for. My partner was SewGentle and she wanted a quilt for her powder room door so that people could find it as it masquerades as a closet door and guests were always confused. I was excited to do this and planned a cute little boy/girl quilt with the little restroom people, but when I saw pictures of the room that the bathroom is next too, it was far too elegant for a cutesy quilt so I decided to go with something a little more classic. I really love how it turned out, and I think she does too =0)

In turn, she made a quilt for my family room. In all of my years of swapping I have hinted that I would really like a RW&B quilt for my family room, but have never received one. This was perfect because she HAD to make one for me =0P  And I am so amazed by what she sent. Hand applique is something that I have always wanted to learn. I have done a few projects, but I'm not very good at it, so I was thrilled to death to open my mail and find this gorgeous little quilt, just for me! It's so much more than I had hoped for!

Next up was the Denyse Schmidt doll quilt swap. I was so bummed that I missed out on the first round of these, but I only had a tiny collection of DS fabrics and I couldn't bear to use them on a swap, I wanted them all for ME =0P So I didn't sign up and I have regretted it ever since! So, when they announced the second round, I signed up right away! I made one quilt to start with, but I just didn't love it. I kept looking at it and looking at it, and couldn't bring myself to quilt it and finish it. I just knew it wasn't the right quilt for my partner, even though she commented and said she liked it on Flickr.

So, I went back to the drawing board and came up with something we both loved. In fact, I loved it so much it was REALLY hard to send it away, but I am glad it is now at home with Lorraine in Australia.

And in a twist, Lorraine is the one who made a quilt for me. I love it! I have wanted one of these geese in the round for so long (Paper piecing freaks me out! So I have never tried one, but I am determined to learn how to paper piece!) She also made me a cute little pin cushion, and a darling little fabric basked with embroidered cherries <3

Then came the FLiPS Swap. I have never joined a pin cushion swap before, so I was pretty nervous about this. She asked for a Matryoshka. I have to say, for something so simple, this pin cushion was a nightmare! The first one was WAY too skinny, so I made a fat one and she was way too fat! I picked her apart, emptied the stuffing and resewed her FOUR TIMES! I still don't think it's quite right and somehow her face got off center in all my unpicking and resewing, but luckily my partner liked her, so I'm happy. (Now I want to unpick and resew the skinny one that I kept =0P)

My sweet little pin cushion came from FriedaSew who was sneaky! She posted pictures of it on Flickr and said it was for her mom for Mother's Day. Color me bummed! I was tickled when I opened the package and found it was for me after all. You know me and Cherries, we love each other!

She also sent a darling little zipper bag and some fun cherry fabrics that went straight into my cherry prints collection that is being saved up for my all cherry quilt.

An added bonus was the darling little Donkey that MollyJolly sent for my son. Isn't he cute? My son loves all things donkey and when MollyJolly found out, she contacted me and said she would love to send one of her extra donkeys our way. I'm not sure who loves this little donkey more, my son, or my kitty, who has decided this donkey is her baby. She keeps stealing him and hiding him from my son. She grooms him and hisses at you if you try to take it away from her.

Next up was the RATZ swap. I'm still not sure what Zaka is, but I joined anyway. This swap is supposed to be small items with a quick turn around. Our theme for the first month was Key Fobs. I made this little wristlet for my partner Synnove in Norway.

And received this super adorable zipper bag key fob from SharpShayla. I love those sweet little birdies having a cherry breakfast! (Although I really hate it when I have little bird pecks in my cherries in real life LOL)

I just really feel like I have hit the swapping jackpot lately. So many gorgeous things made just for me. My family doesn't understand my desire to swap. They don't understand why I spend all that time and effort making something, just to send it away. What I try to tell them is...I would much rather make something and send it to someone in a swap because I know they will appreciate it. I know that they will recognize the thought, the effort, and the time put into it. To them it won't just be nothing. There is validation there!

Unlike the quilts I have made for other, non quilting people, who to them...it's just a blanket. They don't think twice about throwing it out on the grass and sitting on it, or letting the dog chew on it, or throwing it in the trunk of the car for when it's cold. Swappers know what went into it and treat it accordingly. And they THANK YOU, unlike the other people I have made quilts for. I have been so disappointed by the various family members I have made quilts for. NOT ONE has acknowledged that it's a hand made quilt, and none of them have actually thanked me for them. It has been so disappointing and has made me vow that I won't make another quilt for a non-quilter, they just don't get it.

Well, except for my SIL who is expecting her first baby. I have one in the works for her because I KNOW she will appreciate all that went into it and love it as it should be loved =0)