Pink Swap Received

My partner for the Pink Swap received today. She loved everything so much, here is her actually post. She did such a fine job displaying everything.

Okay here it is, from my best-Craftster-friend:
(I love you so much Deanna!)
A super cute pj set with log cabin applique on the shirt and wide legged pants (which I love).

closeup

2 awesome 12X12 log cabin style pillow covers. I love log cabin blocks. They are backed with white minky dot chenille, so soft and feminine.

And................ ......a SUPER AWESOME log cabin quilt backed with super soft and warm pink fleece to go on my bed! I have made tons of quilts for people in swaps (cause I'm a super overachiever) but have never received one so when I saw it in the box I ripped it out and started jumping around with joy and ran straight to my bedroom (actually I danced and pranced to my bedroom) to put it on my bed screaming for joy like I just won the showcase on the price is right. It is so gorgeous and beautiful and I love it so very much.
Look at how pretty my bed looks now!!!!!!!



You are so awesome Deanna. Thank you so much for being the BEST!!! And thank you Malisha for partnering me with her and hosting this swap. I will definitely cherish this quilt forever.

I am so happy that she likes everything. I cried with joy from her reaction. I have never gotten such wonderful feedback from a craft project I have made, from anyone. You made my day.

Crafty Wants and Wishes

Fabric:

My wist has a ton of fabrics that I really like/want.

• 4.5 yards of Laminated cotton in 'brown carnival bloom' or 'brown daisy dreams' or 'black dandy damask' by Michael Miller to make a rain coat (big wish for any or all three) The pattern I want to use requires 4.5 yards though, so it would have to be a continuous cut.
• Any holiday fabric (I want more holiday themed stuff around the house)
• Any quilting cottons (I prefer bright bold colors/patterns)
• Any cute bright print flannels
• Thermal
• Stretch Lace (pink or leopard)
• Corduroy (in solids or fun prints)
• Fat Quarters (I would like 2 of any print)

Patterns:

Any of these listed patterns (I’m a 10-12 so please buy the smaller sized patterns). I know some of these may be out of print, but I still love them and maybe you can find them.

• McCall’s: 5804, 5144, 5538, 5717
• New Look: 6557, 6787, 6858
• Simplicity: 2932, 4531, 2701
• Amy Butler

Notions:

• zippers (any length, but really need some long separating ones for coats and stuff)
• buttons (I love big decorated ones that I can use as embellishment)
• thread (any color)
• sewing machine needles (all sizes)
• ribbons and trims (I really like the bright ribbons and very girly colors)
• Iron on Appliqués
• elastic (all sizes and types, I really need underwear elastic)
• interfacing (all weights, and preferably iron on, but I don't mind sew in)
• cotton or wool quilt batting (I love the warm and natural 100% cotton)
• Pattern making paper (I don't ever cut my original patterns, I trace everything)
• Muslin
• The heat proof batting (I don't know what it is called, but it is the stuff you put in oven mitts)
• Rotary Ruler (Fiskars makes one that I like)
• 6”x24” clear quilting ruler

Yarn:

• 100% cotton
• Handspun
• Wool

Other:

• I really would love a screen printing kit. I love to make freezer paper stenciled t-shirts but all that cutting is wearing me out.
• PVA glue for book binding. I want to start making my own notebooks and journals
• Jerzees fitted t-shirts (Adult Size M/L, in pink, white, grey, black, blue, or green. Either long or short sleeve)

I need to craft up a storm

I have so much sewing to do in the next month. March is so full of birthdays, it feels like Christmas sewing. I have 6 people to give gifts to, and I want to try and make everything. I have some ideas, but I am still lost for some of the other people. After I finish my Kitchen Swap stuff I will focus on what I can make everyone, and start with that stuff.

I finished all my Pink swap stuff and I am quite pleased with how it all turned out. I loved everything so much, I am making it all for myself as well. When Kaymadben receives this week I will post pictures of the goodies.

I have received two of my Sweat Shoppe Swap goodies. The 'Scrabble Tile Pendants' and the 'Cris Cross Coasters'. The pendants are very cute and will make cute charms. The coasters match what Kaymadben made for me in the Christmas in July Swap (an apron and placemats). I can't wait to see what else I get. The other three things are sort of surprises. I know what they are, but not what colors I am getting.

  

I sent out cloth lunch sacks to my five swappers. I really like how they turned out, but there are some things I might change if I make more. I made them all interfaced and lined for extra stability. They are all cotton, except for the flannel Mickey. I want to make some more for quick and easy gifts. They were great for using up smaller pieces of fabric. Each used up less then 1/2 a yard of each color. I will probably do these for quick gratification projects.

 

 

I also made a really cute 'Market Tote' this week. I found this great gray corduroy fabric with light pink polka dots at Joanns when I was looking for Pink Swap stuff. I couldn't resist buying it. I also bought some pink and gray ribbon to go with it. I knew when I bought it I wanted to make this bag, but I didn't know when I would get around to it. I went roller skating with the 6th graders on Thursday and needed a new cute bag to take my stuff in. It was a very quick project, as it only took me 45 minutes from cutting to finish. I lined it with some super cute bright pink polka dot fabric I have had for awhile, which made the lining super fun. The ribbon on the front and back are only sewn partially so that I can adjust the size of the bag. the ribbon can be tied in the front or around the sides. This bag is huge, measuring 18"x18". I love how it turned out and have lots more planned for the future. I think I want to add pockets to the next one. Or maybe some pouches to match. All the choices.

I have to work on the Kitchen Swap today, so hopefully I will stay motivated enough to finish that up before evening. So, I sew.

Weekly To Do January 25-31

1. Sew 2 placemats
2. Sew 2 singlet grocery bags
3. Sew 2 lunch totes
4. Sew a workout bag
5. Sew a picnic tote
6. Kitchen Swap Stuff

I finished the Pink Swap stuff and it is in the mail for Kaymadben!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

I have the day off of work to celebrate a great leader. I am going to spend the day getting our other computer back from the virus doctor and grocery shopping. I also really want to finish the Pink swap stuff so I can send that out. I don't really have very much to do with it, maybe 3 hours left. I also want to work on some of the Kitchen swap stuff. I finished one small item last week, now I have at least 6 points left to craft.

I have a long list of things I need to do and I never seem to have enough time to do it in. I probably would be able to finish some of those things if I didn't start new projects before the others were finished. Or if I didn't get angry with the project and just stop working on it for the day or week. Yesterday I was trying to sew a button hole into the doggie coats I was making and the fabric wouldn't feed, so I just stopped working on it. I refused to sew at all yesterday because of it, which means I didn't get anything done. Instead I decided to watch House Season 1 and crochet. I got another 1/4 of my blanket done and I am now up to 3/4 finished.

Yesterday I found a great pattern for a basket weave crocheted blanket. I was so excited, because I taught myself how to knit so I could make a basket weave blanket and that didn't work out well. Now I will be able to do the blanket in crochet, which I am much more  comfortable with. I think I know just the yarn I want to do it with too. I have this great pink baby soft yarn that I originally bought to make a baby blanket with. Now I have the stitch to do it with. I can't wait to get started with it. I am going to finish this other blanket first because I am so close. So, I sew.

Weekly To Do January 18-24

1. Sew 2 placemats
2. Sew 2 singlet grocery bags
3. Sew 2 lunch totes
4. Sew a workout bag
5. Sew a work portfolio
6. Sew a picnic tote
7. Pink Swap Stuff - 90% done
8. Kitchen Swap Stuff

I finished the doggie coats, the sweat shop swap stuff, and Nick did the fence for Nibbles.

I need a break

So I know I just got back from winter break, but I need another one. I am so bored with work. I get really frustrated while at work, and I am getting headaches easily because of it. I am not used to being stuck in the same boring job for so long. I normally get to move around more and do other things to make the job more enjoyable. I guess I will just have to do what I can to stick it out until June. When Nick and I will be able to just go and do stuff together without stress. We have lots of ideas for camping and hiking planned. I really want to go to New York or California this year too. We will have to see how that goes.

I haven't gotten too much sewing done lately, and the sewing I have gotten done is stuff that I probably shouldn't be doing. I really need to focus on the swap stuff that I am working on. I am so close to being done with the pink swap, I just need to finish and send it. Then I can start on the kitchen swap full heartedly. I signed up for the Sweat Shoppe swap and I have to make 5 lunch sacks, similar to a brown paper bag. I am almost done with those, it won't take me long to finish up with them. I probably won't get much sewing done at least until Friday night, if not until Sunday. I have Monday off so I should get a lot done by then. Hopefully I will be finished with a lot of my swap stuff, so I can go back to normal sewing (not that I haven't been doing other sewing instead anyway). So, I sew.