MUG RUG SWAP
How do they do it? All those great quilters out there who can whip up a mug rug in an hour! This has taken me the better part of a day. I found it particularly challenging to work without a pattern - should be easier you'd think - not! Maybe when I have a litle bit more practice and I don't agonise so much I will get quicker.
I am finding that sewing for someone else is a lot different than sewing for myself. For myself it doesn't matter if the stitching is wonky or size is out a bit or the fabrics don't look as good together as I thought they would. But to sew something for someone else, even something as small as a mug rug, is seriously challenging for me.
First there is the dilemma of which fabric to use? What pattern to choose? Will my swap partner like it? Should I try to be a bit more creative? Not so creative? The questions are endless and in the end I have to just admit that this is supposed to be FUN!!! I know I will just love anything that anyone else sends me so why shouldn't others feel the same?
Well after all the agony I have to say I am really pleased with the end result and at the end of the day if my swap partner doesn't like it she will probably have someone she can give it to. This one and it's mate when I make it will be winging their way to Winconsin, so I think the other one will have to be something Australian.
POSTCARD SWAP
My postcards are all put together and I am still waiting for some Fast2Fuse to finish them off. I have really enjoyed doing these and have used a variety of methods such as applique, photo fabric, log cabin, etc. They are all different and I have done a number of them to showcase Australia, so I hope whoever ends up with one will be pleased. There are some great ideas on the net and I have loved seeing what other people have made.
My good friend Sue from Girl's Shed has some Fast2Fuse that she will very kindly lend me until I can get some to replace it. This means that tomorrow night at sewing guess what I am going to be working on? I can't wait to get these finished and in the post, because that means the sooner I will be getting some back! Selfish I know, but I am really excited about receiving something other than bills in my letter box!
OTHER BLOCK SWAPS
I still haven't received my block in Quilting Blocks Swap Australia , but hopefully it should arrive any day now, then it will be time for a new swap partner for February.
February will also give me a swap partner for the Christmas Quilting Blocks Swap Australia and I am really looking forward to digging out my Christmas fabrics again. It is great to get to use them more than once a year!
I should also be receiving some Pastel Card Trick blocks soon too and I am really looking forward to these and I think they will be really pretty. Once I get my blocks I think I will be making up some more for a lap quilt. I really liked doing this block.
The last swap I am in is Birthday Fat Quarter Swap and I will be sending off 11 (yes 11) fat quarters to different ladies around the globe. This means of course that I will receive 11 back! More goodies to look forward to! I have got some cute Australiana fat quarters ready to go and will have to keep my eyes open for more. I don't think I have to send mine out until June so I have plenty of time.
Well.... all this swapping should keep me busy in between working on my UFO's and making my Mum's photo quilt. On this note, I have had my oriental wall hanging on my dining room table for the last week, pinned and waiting for me to get to, but of course, postcards and mug rugs are much more exciting at the moment. I seriously have to get stuck into Mum's quilt as this absolutely has to be finished by Mother's Day! April would be better, so I can give it to Mum while she is visiting, but hey, you can't hurry these things. It is only 4 months late as it is!
On that note I had better call it a night. We have a valuer coming in the morning to check out our house and at the moment it looks like a tornado has been through! I will leave you all with a quote which I am borrowing tonight because of the state of my sewing room.
"Dull women have immaculate sewing rooms." If this is true I must be extremely interesting!
Keep safe and happy quilting.
Your Mug Rugs are lovely and I'm sure your swappartner will love them. I'm in this swap too (my first swap ever), and I have the same dilemmas as you. But, as you, I have told myself that I will love anything anyone sends me so why shouldn't it be the same for others? Maybe we take this too seriously :)
ReplyDelete