Celtic Solstice

Quilt Show

Block Swaps Update

I'm still having a great time swapping quilt blocks. Every time I join a swap I learn something new. Here is a picture of the blocks I received in the Civil War fabrics Ohio star block swap.




Here is a picture of the Puss in Boots blocks I received:




I'm working on three other swaps, a "scrap happy" swap on Quilting Around the World a mini nine patch swap for block_swappers and a nine inch nine patch for the same site.


There are many good reasons to join a block swap.
Reason one is to try a new color scheme. I tried a new color scheme for the Puss in Boots swap. I had all those colors but never would have combined them myself.

Reason two is to find out more about your stash. In the Scrap Happy swap I learned that my stash was lacking in very dark colors. Next time I shop I will be adding some dark colors to help make my quilts "sing".

Reason three is to try a new block pattern. In the Scrap Happy swap I made a block I've never made before. It's just a simple double four patch, it's a classic, but I'd never used it before.

Reason four is to increase your productivity. Those deadlines really get you sewing.I find that having a deadline makes me more productive. I know that without these block swaps I wouldn't have made as many blocks as I have. When I finish these five swaps I will have enough blocks made to put together 5 new quilts. How's that for productivity!

Reason five is to help you "raise the bar" on your accuracy. I always want to send in my best work so I'm a little bit more careful and accurate when I make blocks to swap. That's a good thing because I know sometimes I get a little sloppy than I'm not happy with the way my quilts turn out.

Can you tell I highly recommend swapping quilt blocks? Head on over to some of my favorite forums and join a swap today, you'll be glad you did.
Quilting Around the World
Block_Swappers
MailBlocks
About.com Quilting

If anyone knows of other block swap sites please leave me a comment.
Also I'd love to hear about your quilt swapping adventures so leave a comment, I'm sure we're all interested in what you have to say.

Free Live Workshop

Marney from Artella is giving a free live workshop on this Thursday, February 26, called The Complete Idealist's Guide to Growing a Creative Business: 37 Ways to Really Make an Artsy Living.

I'm going to be leaving my quilt guild meeting early so I can join in. Click on the link to sign up. If you haven't checked out her web site you really should. Artellaland is a great place to visit for crafters, writers and artists.

One World One Heart Winner!!

I'm a lucky winner on not one, but two blog giveaways at the One World One Heart blog event.
I've won a paper-mache item from GreenishLady. Follow the link to see a photo of my prize. I really can't wait which one I get. I'm glad I don't have to choose, I don't know which one I'd pick.
My other prize is another mystery from Palm Coast Art It is a mystery packet of beads and a handmade bezel. I'm sure I will love them. Check out her Etsy shop here: palmcoastart.
This blog event was great fun. Maybe next year I will have my own givaway.

If you missed the givaway this year you can still see the list of participants . I'm still checking out the blogs I didn't get to visit during the givaway, you should too.

One World One Heart

Just want to let everyone know about the givaways at http://oneworldoneheart.typepad.com/
I'm not participating, I just found out about it but maybe I'll try it next year. Of course I'll have to update my blog a lot more often!!

Quilt Block Swap Frenzy!!

I'm swapping like crazy!! Here are the Puss in the Corner swap blocks I did for QATW.

This is the color scheme that "Bookworm", the swap hostess asked us to use: earthy reds, warm browns, and golden creams and tans.
I haven't used this color scheme before. It's beautiful and I had all the colors in my stash already, so I guess they're colors I like. I just needed a little nudge to combine them. I love when I find a swap that teaches me something.

I'm also working on 2 more swaps. These swaps are on Blockswappers, a subgroup of the Stashbusters group that I've belonged to since 2002. The first is a mini nine patch swap. The blocks finish 3 inches. I don't know what I'm going to do with them but they're so cute I couldn't resist. Any suggestions?

I signed up for 4 sets of 10 and I have one set done and the other 3 sewn into strip sets. I'm hoping to get those finished today. If I do I think I'll sign up for a few more sets, like maybe 6......that would give me 100 swapped blocks and the 5 extra from each set that I make. I'm using up some of my fat quarters and if I cut 5 dark 1 1/2 inch strips and 4 light 1 1/2 inch strips I get 15 3 1/2 inch nine patches. Here's a picture of my progress so far:


I'v also signed up for 2 sets of 9 inch nine patch blocks. That will give me 20 swapped blocks and about 8 that I've made for myself. For some of the blocks I used the "leftovers" from the fat quarters I cut my mini 9 patches from so I have a lot of different blocks.


I found that 2 FQ'a will make six 9 inch 9 patches and 5 dark and 4 light 3 1/2 inch strips cut from the width of the fabric will make 12 blocks. Ten to swap and two to keep.

This swap isn't due until May but these blocks are so easy and I was in the mood for some simple piecing yesterday that both sets will be finished today. So far I'm the only one who's signed up for this swap. I hope as the due date gets closer more people will sign up. It would stink to have all my blocks made and have the swap canceled.

Any one else interested? in joining? Go to Blockswappers and sign up. Here's a picture of some of these blocks:

Now what other swaps can I join................