More swap stuff

The friendship bag went astray, or was somehow appropriated by the post office. It certainly never reached its recipient. What with sewing mojo already being at the low ebb, this didn’t help. Still, there is simply no excuse for the tardiness of my package in the stitcher’s angels swap, but more of that by the by.

Once I got myself by the scruff of the neck back to the sewing machine I made a replacement bag for Renata of Zigzago:

Replacement friendship bag

This one made it to Italy, I’m glad to say.

TheStitchersAngel

I received my package in the stitcher’s angels swap at around the time one would expect if the sender stuck to the deadline, that is, in November. I loved the package, but didn’t have the heart to blog about it until I’d sent my own, and the longer it took the harder it was. Anyway, my package was put together by Lene of Denmark, and just look at this overabundance of loveliness:

Angel present

For more pictures, just click through to Flickr.

And I finally got my own package in the post, then waited with bated breath until Joy could report its safe arrival. Wouldn’t it just have been sod’s law if it got lost after all that? But they did arrive, and I could breathe again.

Friendship bag swap, bag sent and received

I was a bit optimistic earlier this autumn and signed up for a couple of swaps. Well, let’s say I haven’t been able to stick to the deadlines completely. I am contrite, and consistently a couple of days late. I must resist the temptation to sign up for more swaps in the near future. Anyway, one of the swaps was the Friendship Bag Swap hosted by the Quilting Gallery.

Friendship Bag Swap

Here is the one I made:

Friendship bag swap - bag with goodies

I used the pattern provided by Rachel Griffith, because I’m lazy and because it really is quite a nice pattern, and I was rather pleased with the result. The bag is wee, cute as hell. I think I’ll have to make another one to keep.

Here’s a detail:

Friendship bag swap - detail

And here it is all wrapped and ready to go :)

Friendship bag swap - wrapped and ready

A few days after I sent mine off, I received this little gem in the post:

Friendship bag swap - Mine, all mine!

Made by the wonderful Maya.

It came with goodies galore, too:

Friendship bag swap - my present

And now to send an apology to my next swap recipient, I’ll be late…

I got a treasure in the mail

I received my quilt from the Doll Quilt Swap on Thursday, but the first chance I got to photograph it in natural light was this morning (well, it is winter). Here it is:

Doll Quilt Swap 5 - front

Now, do you think any doll will ever get to come near this? Ha! It’s mine, all mine! Mine, I tell you. You dolls just keep your tiny little hands off!

I will have to find a scrap of wall to display it. This might prove difficult, but I have faith.

Here’s the back:

Doll Quilt Swap 5 - back

I could happily gaze on that for hours, too, how did my benefactor guess that I simply looooove these colours?

And look at the quilting:

Doll Quilt Swap 5 - detail

I’m speechless with admiration. I need to get my sewing machine fixed and start practicing feathers. Oh, and the log cabins have nifty spirally quilting, which is even better than the feathers, if such a things is possible. Ok, let’s say they are equally brilliant, shall we.

And who is the master (mistress?) of this wonderful creation? Well, her name is Shelly Sutton, and she blogs here. She teaches classes. That figures.

‘Scuse me while I go gaze some more at this little work of art.

Done!

Quilt done!

The doll quilt is done and on its way to *******. 

Pretty happy with the way it turned out, since it’s actually quite close to how I pictured it. I ended up cutting off the top ray of sunshine in order to square off the top and only realised afterwards that I could probably have fixed it with a scrap of blue instead, but it works like this, no? I would have free motion quilted it, too had I dared switch the presser foot on my machine, unfortunately I dare not, as the part where you fix it is worn and needs replacing and I really need the macine to work next weekend when we have a workshop. After the workshop I am handing the machine in for service, I swear. Here’s to hoping the recipient likes the quilt!

Go have a look in the Flickr pool for the swap, by the way. Such a lot of amazing quilts! I haven’t received mine yet, I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

Doll Quilt Swap

I joined round 5 of the Doll Quilt Swap (though I don’t seem to be on the blogroll… Hm. Might need to email someone about that…) and I’m finally making progress. I had one design in mind for a while until I realised it was madly complicated and I had two months ‘ till deadline, not two years. I then had another idea, but needed more fabric. Once I got the chance to, I went shopping. I now had an idea and fabric. Then the lass fell ill (she’s fine now, but we had about a week of cuddling and not getting much done) and then I came down with a serious cold. Anyway. I have started, and I’ll probably manage to finish tomorrow so that I can get it in the mail on Monday. That should theoretically be enough, the deadline for reception is 1 December, but international mailing being what it is, well, uhm. I sure hope it gets there.

Anyway, pictures:

Dolls' quilt swap - part 1

Dolls' quilt swap - part 2

Dolls' quilt swap - part 3

That was how far I got a couple of days ago. I now have all the rest of the bits in place, pinned or fused and tomorrow I will attach them, then back, quilt and bind. And voilla. That’s the theory, anyway.

While looking for the fabric I needed for this quilt I found some others that I just “had” to have (surprise!). These are from Jordbærstedet:

Shopping: Jordbærstedet

And these are from Sy Steen:

Shopping: Systeen

Lookie! Fishies!

Fishies!

And do you remember this WIP? I found my stars. Obviously what I now want to do is drop everything else and finish this, but I have TONS of things to do that actually need to be done by Christmas, so it will have to wait. But, you know, look! Stars! Proper stars!

Stars! I found stars!