Postage Stamp Swap

When I heard Mary (@mary_thecuriousquilter) was hosting a charm square swap I jumped in with both feet and my considerable collection of 2.5" squares of fabric. I've had some really good luck and some really bad luck with swaps in the past. I went into this one with high hopes and I was not disappointed. 

The first step, for me, was sorting through my collection of 2.5" squares. I have been cutting these little pieces of fun for quite a while now. This is what the collection looked like before I started sorting.

This is what it looked like after I had pulled 600 charms out for swap partners. Look at all that room for new fabrics!

I sorted them into two newbie packs (50 charms each) and five swap partner packs (100 charms each) and waited for the call to sign up. I was ready when the partner email went out. 

How does one package those charms? Well, this is what I went with. I'd read that many quilt bee block swaps use Glad Press-n Seal to wrap the blocks so they fit into a letter-size envelope. 

Fold it all up and those charms are less likely to shift about during shipping. 

Slip into a note, seal and mail. Then, wait for what seems forever for the charms from your partners to find their way to you. It felt like forever. 

Here are the 500 new charm squares I received in the swap. So many fun, new prints! I need to start working on a postage stamp quilt since I'm fairly certain I have enough to make a rather large quilt.  

Want to learn more about how these swaps work? Check out The Curious Quilter Blog to learn more. 

I'll talk about how much something like this costs in another post. I was going to include that info but I've already talked enough for one post. 

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

6" x 9" envelopes

Postage Stamp Quilt Swap

I've been trimming some of my smaller scraps into 2.5" squares for a while now. Here is my collection of little squares. I learned about a charm square swap hosted by the Curious Quilter on Instagram. This is often where I learn about all sorts of fun swaps.

Here is the empty space left behind after I sorted out several stacks to swap. I am hoping to get back quite a collection of new fabrics.

Here are my swap stacks. Two identical sets (left top and middle), three unique sets (right top, middle and bottom), and two for newbies (these are shorter stacks of 50 charms). I've signed up and now I wait for my partner info. So much fun!

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
6" x 9" envelopes

What's in a Name Tag?

To help people get to know each other, the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild coordinated a name tag swap.

I decided that I want to do some tiny paper piecing to make sure I got it right. I designed a stack of tiny flying geese. I used Electric Quilt 8 to design the paper piecing papers. There is an option to print as many as will fit on a page, so I went with it. There was a printing problem (the user) so I ended up with two pages of these.

I grabbed my bin of scraps and make a couple units. They came out rather nice, I think. 

I added some sashing so I would be sure not to trim off any of those carefully made points. I paired the piecing with an embroidered panel. 

I free motion quilted this on the Juki. It was my first time using the Juki to free motion quilt. It was a great experience! I left loads of room for pins, too. I have two pins attached to my current name tag and I wouldn't want to keep anyone from having room for their flash.

I added the binding and made it into a lanyard. I really hope Marcia likes it!

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Quilt design software: Electric Quilt

MQG Pouch Swap

The DC Modern Quilt Guild and the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild are doing a bag swap at the next Baltimore MQG meeting.

As one would expect, partner assignments went out weeks ago and I just got around to constructing my swap bag. The recommended pattern was the Open Wide Pouch by Noodlehead. It's a free pattern with a great tutorial. I dug around in my stash for the appropriate colors. At least I hope they are the appropriate colors.

Then I fiddled with Electric Quilt 8 until I had design I liked. The block finishes at 12" by 12" so I can quilt it and then trim it to the right size.

I decided to make a couple stacks of flying geese. The tools I used are listed at the bottom of the post.

I pieced the panels after fussy cutting the background pieces. All that fabric going in the same direction is such a happy thing!

I dug around until I found a leftover piece of batting and got it loaded on the long arm. While this might seem a silly thing to make with the long arm, I have to admit I love the results. I'm just a better long arm quilter than I am a free-motion quilter on my domestic machine.

Aren't those panels fun?

I changed my mind on the zipper color, and I'm really glad I did. This is a much better choice than the blue one I had picked out early in the project. This is one of those projects I would love to keep. That happens way more than I ever thought it would. I hope my partner will be as happy with it as I am.

Tools (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Vitessa Advanced Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
6.5" Easy Angle Ruler
Companion Angle Ruler
Tucker Wing Clipper Ruler
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Electric Quilt 8

divergence

This quilt was a result of one of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild bee I participated in last year.

I was the queen bee for the month of April, so I guess it is fitting I finished it in April of this year.

I used the same backing for another quilt and liked it. I thought it would be perfect for this quilt. I quilted swirls as an all-over quilting design. The thread is a very light gray, the same light gray I piece with most of the time.

I think the quilting really adds a dimension to the quilt.

Scrappy binding, again. I really like how this one turned out. Look! I even remembered to label the backing before I loaded it onto the frame.

Free foundation paper-piecing pattern I designed for the bee can be found in this blog post. More about my process and how this one came together is in this post from January.

Make Modern

I made these blocks for a group project.

You can find instructions to make your own Cross-cut Blocks in this post from A Quilter's Table.

My blocks measure at 12.5" by 12.5" (finish at 12") but the idea is the same.

Bee Blocks: May

This month the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild Queen Bee is Monica. She has set me the task of making two Alpine blocks. White, red, yellow, and teal. All fabrics I definitely had on hand. Someday I will run out of fabric. Someday.

You can find a tutorial for this block by Alyce on The Bee Hive. The stitch and flip method makes up blocks quickly and with accuracy.

I've made myself notes on how to make the block using my favorite tools for flying geese units (Easy Angle ruler, the Companion Angle ruler, and my recently purchased 6.5" square ruler from Creative Grids for the square and rectangular cuts). Sadly, this method does not work very well for a square-in-a-square block, but I'm totally okay with that.

Two finished blocks ready for the next meeting of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild.

Do you have favorite cutting rulers that make traditional piecing easier? Do you have a square-in-a-square technique that is quick and accurate? I would love to learn about it.

Bee Blocks: April

April was my month to be queen bee for one of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild's bees.

This bee is based on stash fabric, so members should be able to pull fabrics from their collection to create two 12.5" by 12.5" blocks (unfinished), or similar square inches of blocks. The blocks should not be overly complicated. (Do not download the image below, it is only an image and not a foundation. The foundation is linked in the text below the image.)

I wanted a gaggle of flying geese. I also wanted to make it really simple for everyone to make the blocks. I set myself the task of using EQ7 to make foundations for simple paper piecing, if that was something they wanted to try. They can also use their favorite method to create flying geese of the appropriate size. You can download my foundation to make your own flying geese. Make sure you print "actual size" and measure to make sure the outer line measures 6.5" by 9.5" before printing all your foundations.

I printed out my foundations and pulled some fabric from my collection. I'm not going to provide a step-by-step foundation paper piecing tutorial as there are so many out there. This one from Fons & Porter has nice video tutorial. I asked for five of these units from each of the bee members. This works out to one goose unit less than two 12.5" squares would be if sewn into squares.

I made two blocks using this method.

I also cut several flying geese units using my favorite rulers for this kind of work: The Easy Angle and the Companion Angle. Bonnie Hunter has some great videos about her ruler that does the same thing these two rulers do.

I didn't sew my geese units into blocks yet. I'm going to wait until I have the units from the other members of the bee so I can scatter mine around to give it all a little more uniformity.

A super-sized thank you to Jane at Projects by Jane. Without her tutorial I would have been lost and unable to upload and share this foundation for paper piecing the geese. Jane has loads of great stuff and patterns on her site so you should go check those out, too.

Bee Blocks: March

Thuis month I made bee blocks for the queen bee using a pattern from Blossom Heart Quilts. The block is called Alpine.

I pulled the requested colors from my stacks and stacks of fabric and cut two blocks for the bee. I didn't use the exact cutting directions because I'm not a fan of stitch and flip construction for flying geese blocks. I used my Easy Angle and Easy Companion Angle rules to cut those geese and their corners.

A slight miscalculation in cutting and they ended up a little more scrappy than I had planned, but I don't mind. Another project checked off for the week.

Bee Blocks: February

The queen bee for the first round of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild set me a simple task. Make the equivalent of two 12" bu 12" blocks in whatever makes you happy. I dug through my 2.5" charms and found enough to make a single 6" by 12" piece.

I also pulled out my Quick Curve ruler and directions to make this darling churn dash block (instructions for this block found in the Curve It Up pattern). It is always fun to make something a new way.

Then I made two flying geese units that measure at 6" by 12". That means that I have at least one 6" by 12" block too many. I suppose she will have to suffer through my block-making craze.

Now I just need to plan what blocks I want for my month.

It's in the Bag

I've been working on more than a couple fun knitting project bags over the last week. Pattern is based on the great, free tutorial from Noodle-Head.

First was this fun knitting fairy bag. The machine embroidery design is from Urban Threads and was the perfect thing for a knitting project bag.

I also stitched up a couple more. One with the fun knit-themed fabric I picked up at a quilt show and the always fun Waking Dead fabric. The blood splatter fabric is the perfect companion. Zippers from ZipIt Zipper Supply.

Finally, we have the package I received as part of the All That and a Bag of Handmade swap. Look at all these great things! I love swaps where my partner puts thought into my package and comes p with something awesome! This was perfect. Fun colors and great finished objects. I think the phone case (purple on the bottom right) is my absolute favorite!

What is in a swap?

A Here are some progress shots of some of the projects I've been working on for my latest swap. I joined the All That and a Bag of Handmade swap weeks ago and have been slowly working towards completing all the projects. Warning: the post is full of progress photos but no finished object photos.

My partner wanted the double-zip wallet by Anne Graham in her book Handmade Style. This is a great project and I'm glad I decided to make this wallet. My first ever magnetic snap, if you can believe that. The directions were easy to follow. I also made another Open Wide Zippered pouch using Noodle-head's free tutorial.

Next up was a dumpling pouch. This pattern is free from Michelle at Michelle Patterns. She has some great patterns for sale and she is a master at little things. You should totally check out her blog.

I also made an eyeglasses case using a free pattern from Pink Pony Design called Raccoon Case. This was the first time I used this pattern and while I made some modifications to suit my zipper collection it was very easy.

I buy all my zippers from Zip It! Zipper Supply on Etsy. Great prices, selection, and service. Every time.

My swap momma for this swap is the patient Cyndi from The Nosy Pepper. This is the second swap where she is a swap host and it has been great. Check out that blog for links to great projects an other creative people.

Nametag Swap and Fabric Challenge

At the last meeting of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild I participated in a wonderful name tag swap. The first design I made was an embroidered cat based on an image from her website.

Then, I worried that it wasn't quilty enough so I quilted one. My free motion isn't perfect, but I'm really pleased with the outcome of this name tag.

I also received a fun name tag in exchange from yet another maker. I love it when a swap goes well.

There was also a fabric challenge as part of our quilt making for charity. The challenge works like this: bring 1 yard of fabric and your scissors. Snip you fabric and rip it into two pieces. Drop one piece at your feet. Pass the other piece to your right and take the fabric from the person on your left. Repeat until you have seven pieces. This is my stack of fabric, in descending sizes. The smallest piece is big enough to cut one 4" square.

I was really digging my color choices until that little snippet of lavender sneaked in at the end. I'm going to use it, though.

I've pulled some other solids from my stash and I think this will be a fun one. This is my final pull of fabrics. I've been merrily cutting the fabrics down into 4" squares to make into an equally tall stack of 3.5" half-square triangle blocks. This will likely lead to the whole project spending too much time on my design wall, but I don't mind.

Have you joined in a fabric or color challenge recently? This one sounded great and I'm glad I joined in.