Lovely Swap Goodies

I've had a wonderful couple of days. The weather is getting much cooler and I usually don't like these darker days. But for some reason I'm feeling cozy and I'm having the urge to organize, clean and snuggle. So I'm doing a bit of each of those and having fun working on a quilt for Project Modern. 

I'm really enjoying the new items in my home that swaps have brought my way. There was much excitement the other day when my Scrappy Hoops Swap package arrived all the way from Australia! Little Miss J and I were having a late lunch when we saw the mail carrier walking up the driveway and I knew exactly what he was carrying. Isn't the packing tape adorable. We had fun opening it and I was just shocked when I saw what was inside.

I had seen this hoop on the group's Flickr and loved everything about it. The colors, the words (Where ever the ride takes me), the polka dots, the bike, the scrappiness. She even painted the hoop aqua. Love, love, love! But what were the odds that I would get the one that I loved so much. Miss J and my husband thought it was pretty cool too. I love looking at it and I'm very impress with the bike embroidery. It will definitely have a special place to hang in my sewing room!

Leah even sent a couple of beautiful fat quarters. They are so pretty! Thank you Leah!

My other swap goodies came from the KC Modern Quilt Guild. For the November meeting we were to bring something we made with a holiday theme (any holiday) or a few fat quarters of fabric. I brought some of my favorite Basic Grey Fruitcake fat quarters and then felt a bit bad because so many people had made the most gorgeous projects to swap. I need to step it up for next year!

We got to break up into smaller groups and participated in an activity where we could ask each other questions and get to know people in our group a little better which I loved.  When it came time to swap with people in our group I had my eye on a little bag with the brown polka dot fabric you see in the potholder above. I knew the fabric was from that very same Basic Grey line that I love so much and was hoping something inside had the same fabric. And it did! These darling potholders were inside.

I haven't seen the Christmas print before but it's just perfect. I love text and swirly prints. It reminds me a little of some Christmas dishes I've seen at Williams Sonoma.

I've never had any potholders this shape before and was very curious about how they'd work. They work great and have already seen some action in my kitchen. I just love opening my little drawer by the stove and seeing them there. Sarah used a neat technique for the binding that I'd like to try soon. Thank you Sarah! I love them!

The Scrappy Hoops Swap

I finished my hexies for the Scrappy Hoops Swap on Flickr while I was riding down the road to TX this past weekend. I put it in the hoop yesterday morning and it was in the mail by the afternoon. It's headed overseas but I can't reveal where yet.

My partner's inspiration mosaic had lots of mushrooms, hexagons, Heather Ross fabrics, lots of bright colors so I tried to include all of that. I put a mushroom right in the center. It was so fun to use my Heather Ross scraps that I'd gotten from Etsy a while back. I pulled some other scraps and fabric from my stash. I just loved working on it and I hope she likes it as much as I do!

I kept all of the papers in while I stitched and traveled to keep it stable. You'll notice I punched a hole in all of my papers. It makes it sooooo much easier to pop them out. I usually just unbend a paperclip and insert the end in the hole to pop them out but this time I had a pair of tweezers handy and just grabbed the paper at the hole. No digging under the seam allowance!

I usually press both the front and back with the papers on and then press again after the papers come out. I was able to leave all of the basting stitches in so seam allowances stayed nice and flat while I put another layer of fabric on the back. I just trimmed up the thread tails and made it look as neat as possible.

 
I was a bit sad when I put the piece in the hoop. There was an owl and butterfly I really liked and some of my other favorite hexagons had to be trimmed off. Yikes!

Here's the little label I put on the back with some Heat n Bond. 

A gorgeous hoop arrived in my mailbox after lunch today and I can't wait to show you pictures!

A Little Hexie Peek

I've been stitching away on my Scrappy Hoops Swap project and thought I'd share a peek. I'm so happy to finally be working with some of my Heather Ross scraps. I just love the softness of the Munki Munki. So much so, that I've been looking online for Munki PJ's to actually wear! 

I am eager to finish and get it off to my partner but my left hand that holds the hexies together is hurting a bit. At first I thought I had fallen on my hand or banged it but I suspect it's the gripping while I stitch. Hopefully I just have some hand muscles that need to get used to the work they are doing. I may have to slow down a bit....or hurry up and finish :)

Scrappy Hoop Swap Inspiration

***It just occured to me that I shouldn't post photos from flickr of projects others have completed without their permission, even if they are inspiration. I deleted the photo, but if you'd like to take a peek, click on the link below and you'll see the mosaic and information about the projecrs and their very talent creators.
 
Hoop Swap Inspiration

I joined in on the Scrappy Hoop Swap on flickr and I'm excited! I think it will be so fun to design something special for someone but I'm also a little nervous. I hope I send something my partner likes. I know I'll be thrilled with anything I receive. I'm just looking forward to the suspense and surprise!

Here's the mosaic I made of projects on flickr that I love. Can you tell that I really love scrappy things!

When I made the mosaic I couldn't think of a single thing I don't like but after a lot of thought I decided that perhaps there is one thing. I'm not a big fan of owls. Don't get me wrong, I love real owls in nature. They're beautiful. But owls have been all the rage in both scrapbook paper and fabric designs for a while now and I'm just not drawn to them. I know I must be in the minority because I see them everywhere. Actually, the Alexander Henry owl fabric is pretty cute but I'm not a brown owl kind of girl. Am I the only one?