Jelly roll swap

I am on a self-imposed "No-Buy" right now. I have so much fabric, I really need to make what I have work. And when I can't find something I think I really need for a quilt, I dig in and look harder and make something that I already have work.

So, I have been looking for fun fabric swaps. When I swap, while I get new fabric coming in, I also am getting rid of an equal amount of fabric. It's a wash!

On the left are two jelly rolls that I have received from another quilter; on the right are two jelly rolls that went out earlier this week from my own stash to her. Aren't they yummy!

I joined (yet another) Yahoo group that focuses on stashbuilding (you probably recall prior posts where I mention my stashbusting groups), quite often through swapping and not buying. I found a willing swap partner, and we settled on a 2.5" strip swap. On the top is a 20-strip roll of miscellaneous fabrics, and on the bottom is a 40-strip roll of batiks. This is an absolutely ingenious way to add more variety to your stash without spending any money (except for postage), and without increasing the size of your stash, as well.

Look more closely above at the beautiful fabrics my swap partner sent me! Don't hate me because my stash is beautiful...:)

These 2 rolls above are the 60 strips I sent to her. The kicker is, I had no idea I had at least 40 batiks! Where did they come from?

(A close-up above of the batiks I sent out this week; just so we could see them better...)

That's what happens when you are unorganized and your fabric is in different places; you don't know what you have. I have recently finished some larger purging/sorting tasks, and so now I can really start on the not-so-large projects, such as consolidating, organizing, and purging fabrics. Um, wait; on second thought, this is another major task. :) I was speechless when I put all of my batiks together, to discover that I had so many.

I suggest doing some fabric swapping of your own! Set some ground rules, so you won't be disappointed. For example, are you sending out quilt-shop quality fabrics, and you only want those in return? Make sure that is a stipulation (my partner and I did this). What size fabrics do you want to swap? I actually did a swap of quilt-shop quality scraps a few weeks ago with another swap partner. Are there specific types of fabric, specific colors, etc. that you want? That you don't want? State that, as well. Are you flexible as to when you want to send/receive the fabrics, or will there be deadlines? Make that clear. Also, consider that some swaps are one-on-one, and others are done in a group, with a coordinator. (Yes, I am also doing a group swap; I sent 12 quilt-shop quality batiks, and I am getting 12 new ones back!)

You are welcome to contact me if you want to talk a bit more about this, or if you want the name of the Yahoo group where I've been swapping. Or, you're welcome to contact me if you'd like to swap with me! I seriously suggest that you consider this; with the price of fabric rising, this will become more of a necessity than a luxury.

Modern Siggy Block quilt

Last night, I finished binding my Modern Siggy Block quilt.

I was aiming for that "gradually changing color" effect.

There were 97 of us who participated. I chose an 8 x 12 layout. I put my own block on the back as a label.

Anna Maria Horner afficionados will recognize the border and backing as Garden Party fabrics.

Like this guy, I JUST made it!

I wanted to be able to put 2010 on the label; I did.

I got my brown bag!

Look what came in yesterday's mail!

All the way from Australia!

As you might recall from the last post, I joined a Brown Bag Quilt challenge. This is what my partner sent me!

Um...I think this is a bit more than 2 yards of fabric. :) Isn't she generous?!!!

There appear to be 9 quarter yard cuts:

And 24 charm squares:

Wow! And, these are supposed to be rejects?!!

Some of this fabric feels a bit heavier than the regular all cotton quilting weight fabric I normally use. But it still feels like all cotton, and very soft. I am already envisioning what fabrics I'll pull from my abundant stash to put with this...

I sent her half-yard cuts of each of these four fabrics:

I really and truly hope she likes it as much as I like her choices for me. Thanks, partner. :)

Brown bagging it

I will be brown bagging it.

I entered a Brown Bag Quilt contest. The idea is to swap 2 yards of fabric (4 half yards or 8 fat quarters) from your stash with someone. At least 90% of that fabric must be used in a quilt, combined with any amount of fabric in your stash, to create a quilt in the size of your choice. If you buy fabric, you may only buy one piece.

This BBQ (ha! love the acronym!) is being sponsored by the ladies over at Stash Manicure, who work hard to create quilts from their bountiful stashes, as opposed to purchasing new fabric, in the effort to reducing the amount of fabric in their personal stashes--and to encourage you to do the same. This is supposed to be a nice way of having an "ugly quilt" contest, they said. Actually, to be clear, it is a way of passing onto someone else some fabric you are no longer in love with, or are just not using and may never use. So, it's as if you are getting more quilt fabric for free--not only did you not pay for it, but you didn't even increase the size of your stash to get it! Like that!

I'll be sending my fabric to my partner tomorrow. Once she gets a brown bag from me, and I receive a brown bag from her, I'll share pictures of the fabric with you. This is one project I can justify, because it will ultimately mean more fabric out of my house!

Swapping squares: Received

Wow. That was fast.

Thanks, partner!

Swapping squares: Sent

I am doing a one-on-one swap with a woman that  is looking for squares of kid-friendly fabric, including food fabric. As I write this, the stack of 50 squares that you see in the photo above, all of which are 7" squares or larger, are making their way across the country to her. In turn, her 50 squares are on their way to me. Yay! Now I will have no excuse for not having adequate fabrics for an I Spy (or similar) quilt, right?

Another Modern Siggy Swap!

I participated in the Modern Siggy Swap hosted by Rachel a few months back; I can't wait to get my squares!

Jaybird quilts is hosting another Modern Siggy Swap if you missed out on the first one; this is a GREAT way to easily get all of the signature blocks you will need to do a signature block swap.

Hurry on over while there's still time!

A few February finishes

I actually completed some of the things on the February to-do-list!

I finished my blocks for the Modern Siggy Swap--all 101 of them.

I finished an apron for the black and white apron challenge (less fancy than I'd hoped, but form needed to follow function this time).

I finished the sets of reusable grocery tote bags for the local food bank--I think there were nine in all.

My daughters' skirts have been started, at least.

There were a couple of unexpected finishes, as well.

Like these personal care bags (our sewing circle creates these great little drawstring bags for a couple of local ministries who serve those that are homeless, in crisis, or in transition; they contain hotel toiletries.) I probably sewed a few dozen, and helped stuff most of them. We completed 367 (I think) in the past week and a half.

A great new recipe for doughnut muffins. Kevin and Amanda blogged about them, and they got the recipe from Fine Cooking. Thanks, guys, for alerting me to the existence of a fabulous fat-and-calorie laden muffin, which tastes like a doughnut. SO good. DD2 asks to make them almost daily. Hate you two.

And a couple of puzzles, just for fun.

Now, don't ask me what I must get done THIS week.

A new swap!

O my goodness! Did I share the good news?

I am part of Rachel's Modern Siggy Swap!

I have been wanting to get in on some of these quilt block swaps, or block parties, or any of these virtual quilting shindigs. So here I am!

Yes; here I am. I need to make (gulp) 101 blocks. Probably pretty soon. Now, Rachel herself assures me it will go very quickly. Hmm; I sure hope she's right.

I'll keep you posted.