Photos of String Blocks from About.com Swap

Here are photos of the string blocks I got back from the About.com Quilting Forum swap. I only made two sets so I'll have to make some more to make this into a quilt. I'm thinking of making a square wall hanging size that can be draped across a table, but I'm not really sure. I'm undecided on what to do at this point because I don't want to make a lot more of these as I didn't really like adding the little squares on the corners. The look is great, but that part is just tedious to me. We'll see. :)

Nevertheless, the blocks are great and one of them is from Brazil! :)


Starting from the top, from left to right: Wanda, Wanda, Susanna, Laurie, Helen, Louann, Alexis, Lisa N. Patty, Grace, Ivani (from Brazil!) Louann, Sylvia, Laurie, Grace, Patty, Ethel, Lea, Lea, Susanna

Photos of Jar Blocks from About.com Swap

After over a month I have finally taken photos of the jars I received from the jar block swap on About.com's quilting forum. This was my first swap, and I think it was a great way to get me hooked! It was so cool to send in a bunch of jars of only a few fabrics and get back a ton of jars of all kinds of fabrics. I sent in 54 jars and out of the 54 I got back there were no repeat blocks. I'm not sure what's better, the variety of fabric or the many places they came from. Most are from across the US, but there are some that are from Canada as well.

I'll post three from each swap... click on the blocks to view the rest of them in my Webshots albums.

Bug Jars
Sent 18 blocks w/ 3 different prints
Received 18 blocks w/18 different prints

Novelty Jars
Sent 12 blocks w/2 different prints
Received 12 blocks w/12 different prints



Fruit & Vegi Jars
Sent 24 blocks w/3 different fabrics
Received 24 blocks w/24 different fabrics

Pictures Are Up

I just wanted to be sure that everyone checks out the More Updates post since I have added photos to it. We can thank my husband, Gabe, for finding my USB cord. Thanks Gabe! :)

Pincushion Swap

I received my pincushion a little over a week ago and it's so cute and quite pink. My swap partner also included a pink fat quarter with pink daisies, what a sweetie! :) I really like the decorative stitching, and I like that it has a quilty look to it. Thanks so much Marlou!





I also finished the pincushion for my partner on Sunday. I had made the pink one initially but after reading my partners likes, I decided to make a different one; and I like it better. It's not quite as thick as I had hoped, the pins poke out the bottom of it so I really could use a little leather bottom but hopefully my swap partner doesn't mind. This was my first encounter with rick rack, and I think I'm hooked. I wasn't quite sure how to use it, or how to make it go round the corners, but it seemed to work well. Love the stuff. I see many colors of rick rack in my future. ;)

More Updates *Photos Added*

Oh my goodness it's been a while since I've posted but we have been so busy this is the first weekend we've had a chance to really do anything fun. I still haven't been able to find my USB cord so I can upload pictures from my camera, but I promise to upload them soon. (ETA: Photos are here!)

We are all moved in now (finally!) and still have a few boxes to unpack. Things are getting set up around here and it's feeling like home. Yesterday, after a trip to Joanns, I spent some time quilting the crib quilt for Dominic. It's the first time I've machine quilted anything bigger than a mini quilt and shoving that crib quilt through my machine sure is a chore. Thank goodness the spray baste holds well! I managed to get the outlines of the main blocks and the middle of one block finished yesterday. I still have to fill in the rest of the quilt so I'll work on that through the week. Dominic's mother has requested furry fleece (aka poodle fleece?) for the back of the quilt and after much discussion someone suggested I quilt it with a cotton backing and then tack on the furry fleece before I complete the binding (much like what I did on my satin string quilt). I loved the suggestion and will be finishing this quilt up this month.



I also bought a cuddly quilt kit from Joanns (I'll post a photo asap) for the baby. It has some really great green and brown fabrics, but after opening the nicely folded package up I was a little disappointed in the amount of fabric that comes with the kit. There is NO room for fudging when cutting the squares out, so I better make sure I have a few cups of coffee and plenty of light before starting on this thing. I also thought the backing was going to be the brown cuddly fabric, but it's actually the green flannel (which is okay I suppose). The instructions call for no batting, and to sew the top to the backing, right sides together, and then turn. Instead I will add batting and quilt it and finish with a binding. I just can't bring myself to turn a quilt, it doesn't seem right.



I also have another quilt idea for Dominic (why am I making so many? I don't know!) using the Aunt Grace Ties One On scottie dog fabric. I bought 1 yard and am planning on combining it with red, black, and cream Kona solids to make a square playing quilt for the baby. It should be pretty darn cute.



I finished the pincushion for the pincushion swap today. I really love it and will be making a second one for myself. I didn't use a pattern online because I wanted it to be a little different. I hope my swap partner likes it! (Again I'll post a picture asap).

As far as any other ongoing swaps I'm in... the pincushion swap is the last of the sewn swaps I've signed up for. The only other swap I'm involved in right now is the Obnoxious Fabric Swap. I have a few obnoxious fabrics I will be happy to see go... but I am also wondering why I am asking for other uglies in return. *shrug* I guess it will be fun to see what everyone else comes up with.

That's all for now. I hope everyone has enjoyed the extra hour of daylight today, I know I have... tomorrow morning I may not be to appreciative.