Broadway Mini Quilt Swap

I participated in another mini quilt swap (I'm doing it a lot lately) and the theme was Broadway. Our partners (still a blind swap so we don,t know who is making for us) used our sign up forms and our IG feed for inspiration on what Broadway shows we liked and our personal tastes.

My partner liked the King and I so I set to planning...  I used one of the Playbills of the dancing couple for inspiration.

First I thought to do a foundation pieced mini but I wasn't happy with my fabric options even though I thought my partner would like the unique look.

Then I found an ombre' FQ and I knew it would be perfect for an appliqued piece.

Since I wanted it to look similar to the playbill, the design needed to have the "set" to look like a stage so I used fabric painting and stenciled on a design.

I set about creating patterns, cutting fabric and getting ready to applique the couple. I had a scrap of fabric perfect for the King and a yellow perfect for the dress.

Finally, I thought it best to give a little dimension to the couple so they stood out a little more and maybe had a little more movement-like quality.  I added the ruffle to the dress.  Then I sewed the dress and suit detail with a piece of batting on the back. This raises the couple off the background fabric some, especially since I added another layer of batting to quilt the remainder of the mini.

I'm really pleased with how it came together except that now it's been posted, it seems some are thinking it's from the Beauty and the Beast. I didn't notice that but I can see it now. My partner is happy with it, though so that's all I care about. :-)

I also sent along a few Art Gallery FQs, a couple silly items and a foundation pieced mug rug (referencing another playbill for the King and I) with an elephant on it.

And she liked it, yay!

Now, want to see what I got from my partner, Ahlia (@ahliajade on Instagram)?  Look!

I love Mary Poppins & blues & pretty quilting so this is just a winner all the way around. My biggest concern is finding a proper place on my wall for it. :)

Cheers!
Beck

Minion Mini Swap 2015 (Instagram Swap)

Bello! 

We are glad you have taken an interest in this swap. Bear with us, we are going to start with the negative so we can end with the positive.   

First and foremost, this is an Instagram only, blind (you won't know who's making for you) mini quilt swap for US (APO/FPO) participants only.  If you are interested in a broader swap or an international swap, rest easy, @ninjadesigns (IG handle) is hosting an international minion craft swap with sign-ups on 7/31.

Please read the following carefully.  We realize these may sound harsh and to an extent, that’s our intent. It’s no fun for anyone when recipients don’t receive packages or when the volunteer swap mamas have to track down senders, etc.  At the end of the day, it’s about simple courtesy and respect. While we assume everyone participating has it and extends is, unfortunately, sometimes, people lose sight of it.  We promise to respect you and what’s happening with you so long as you promise to respect us and help us make this a stress-free and fun swap. Really, it’s about minions so how can we not keep it stress free? 

RULES

1. You must have an active and public IG account through the duration of the swap and have an active email your swap mama may contact you with (email will not be disclosed to any other participants.)
2. You may only sign up for yourself.  You may NOT sign up for anyone or anything.
3. Take note, there are MANDATORY reply/update requirements.
• You must respond to your swap mama, when requested, within 48 hours
• You must post pictures or a mosaic by July 31
• You must post with a plan of attack/idea and/or fabric pulls by Aug. 31
• You must post an update on your progress by Sept. 30
• You must provide notification of when you shipped your mini and all packages must have tracking (sending Priority mail is usually the cheapest way to get tracking) - Shipping may begin on 11/7 and the last ship date is 11/14
• You must provide notification of when your mini is received by posting a received photo on IG and tagging your partner and swap mama
4. Swappers will be assigned partners with comparable skill levels.
5. Mini quilt cannot be smaller than 16”x16” or larger than 24”x24”
6. Extras are fun and seem to be a regular part of swaps these days but first and foremost, they are not required nor should they be expected. If you send extras that is your choice but please understand you might not receive any. Everyone’s budgets are different. To that end, should you desire to send extras, please respect the maximum $20 threshold. We want this to be about your creative, not buying, genius.
7. Smokers MUST pre-wash their mini quilt prior to sending to their recipient.
8. All photos must be tagged using the hashtag #minionminiquiltswap

Sign-ups are open until 11:59pm ET, Sat. 7/18 or until 100 people sign up, whichever comes first. We reserve the right to re-open or extend sign ups at our discretion.

Are you ready to sign up? Please click HERE to complete the form. 

If you need minion meme ideas take a look at Karie’s IG feed, she’s been posting one a day for the last six months. She claims she has not repeated any of them but if you find a repeat between 6 months ago and today, 7/15, I will make you an extra goodie!

Kan pai!

Becky (@sarcasticquilter) and Karie (@karie_twokwikquilters)

Disclaimer: We will be reviewing the “naughty swappers” list and using our discretion regarding participation. We want everyone to be able to enjoy this swap. Lack of communication with the swap mamas or not sending minis at all may find your name added to the “naughty swappers” list.  Truthfully though, we are reasonable people. If you work with us and communicate about what’s up, we will work with you. If not, we reserve the right to note publically on IG or privately on the list when/if we can’t reach you, you flake for no reason, or you sign up anyone or anything besides yourself.

Yes, more minis!

But this will be it for a while. The following were swaps signed up for last year and finished this year.  The Schnitzel and Boo IG Mini Swap, the Disney Quilt Swap and the Bitches Get Stitches Swap. I will post in order here because if you don't like profanity or sexual innuendos you will have the opportunity to leave the post and ignore my little creations and pics of what I received. Yes, it was meant to be swap a little on the raunchy side and it was a whole lot of fun.

First up, the Schnitzel and Boo IG Mini Swap.
I ended up making for a person who lived a town or two away from me and happened to just join the Fredericksburg Modern Guild so I had a chance to get to know her a little before making the mini.  She said she liked things that looked a little different than others and that she liked BariJ, Art Gallery fabrics.  I pondered and pondered but ended up deciding that a disappearing pinwheel using the fabrics would be neat approach so I went for it.  And I liked it. Thankfully, so did Beth. :)

The person who made for me Becky (IG: @keepmeinstitches), well, from the moment I saw this posted on InstaGram I was hoping and hoping it was mine. There isn't one thing about her package that didn't sing to me. The deer heads, camoflauged in the Joel Dewberry fabrics, a wristlet made with Joel Dewberry Notting Hill, and a JD jelly roll. Sing, sing, sing... loved the colors, too!

Second up, Disney Mini Quilt Swap.
I struggled a lot with this one for my first partner because I was intimidated by some of her skills but as fate was watching out for me, she needed to back out of the swap due and I was reassigned an angel.  Since I hadn't started anything yet for my original partner, I was able to create something special to the angel and I love what I came up with. I went with a minimalist approach to Genie, her favorite, then sent her along a Cheshire cat mug rug and Disney mug with a couple other of her "favorites" on it.

The person who made for me (IG: @evil_moogle) went over the top. She found some Seven Dwarfs fabric and highlighted my favorite dwarf Grumpy. It's so spot on I can't help but grin every time I see it.  Then she did this awesome cross-stitch hanging and added a few Grumpy decals that I could use for good measure.  So cool!

This was such a fun swap to make and receive and most certainly to watch others create.

Last up, the Bitches Get Stitches Mini Swap (warning, profanity below). Stop reading the remainder of this post if you prefer not to see it.
This swap had clean to really naughty levels. I think my curse and "dirty" factor landed somewhere in the middle despite my favorite curse word being "fuck".  However, the lady I was making for, Miranda, let me tell you, she was a saint. I sent this swap SO LATE because we moved unexpectedly and Miranda patiently waited for me to send along her package. She should be receiving it any day now but I think she will like it. She made a comment, the dirtier the better so I went with it. Thinking innuendos, I found a few phrases on the internet and printed them on fabric.

The first: "Remember, it's not polite to spit." I put this onto a cup cozy and sent along the cup, with the cozy on it and some bachelorette straws. Not just any straws, penis straws! I feel pretty freaky even writing that.
The second said, "INVITATION: We are hosting a charity concert for people who struggle to reach orgasm.   If you can't come, please let me know."  I put this on a zippy pouch. (hehehe)

The third said, "My fortune cookie told me to masturbate. 'Why not treat yourself to a good time instead of waiting for someone else to do it?' "  This went on the same zippy pouch as the other but on the opposite side. (evil grin)

Lastly, I went with a straight and simple, "What. The. Fuck."  This went onto a simple mug rug.
I also bought a bright pink baseball cap to send along that said, "Classy Bitch." It seemed appropriate.
Also, though, since she waited SO long, I wanted to send along a thank you for her patience so I made her a mini she could actually hang in public, if she wanted. She loves skulls and crossbones and Anchorman quotes so I put them together and voila!

Update: she received it and likes the package! Yay... (this is her photo)

From another person (IG: @mnnofziger), I received 2 wonderful handmade gifts! A tote where she painted on the fabric some graffiti style "fucks"  and I love them!

The other side has a neat hexi and is clean and prim.

That means I can take this bag out in public and I did just that the other day. The F side is not really in your face noticeable unless you are staring at it.  Also, she stalked well because during this swap I came across a neat coffee mug. I posted it and mentioned I needed to find one somewhere. She commented and we had a little silly back and forth about how everyone needs one. I saw her making one later, saying it was for her partner but it never crossed my mind that I was that partner so when it came in the mail, suffice it to say I was very, very happy and I use that mug pretty frequently during these cold weather days. Heck, I think I need to go get some tea right now that I'm thinking about it. :)

There you go, you are all caught up on my swaps from last year. Do you participate in mini swaps? Do you love them as much as I do?

Cheers!
Beck

More mini quilts

I have  made a few more mini quilts for 2 different reasons. The first reason is for another IG swap, actually called IGMini Swap. :)

My partner said she liked rainbow things and improv but wanted something a little more sophisticated. Trying to touch on all three items, I came up with this, It's quilted in rainbow variegated thread.

I sent a little mug rug, too, for the heck of it.

I made the quilting show on the back because I figured if she didn't like the front it would give her an alternative way to hang it.  She seems to like it, though, and the quilting so maybe she will hang it both ways, depending on her move.

This is what I received from someone else in the swap. I love it!

The other minis I created as giveaway prizes to my IG followers. I have been active there while not so much here and chose 5 random followers and made a mini of their choosing from the website fandominstitches.com.  It's great if you know how to foundation piece and like themes!

 The extra "O" is for a friend.

I had some fun making all of these.

Cheers!
Beck

Being a Swap Mama

I'm in my third round of the Schnitzel & Boo Mini Swap (it just started) & my second round as a swap mama for it. However, before I get into the meat of this post, I wanted to provide a little background.

This swap, originated and run by Kristi over at Schnitzel & Boo, is partly responsible for all my swap sign ups to date and is directly responsible for my volunteering as swap mama.Twice. I enjoyed the large group of people to follow, seeing their creations and listening to their buzz about the ups and downs of trying to make for partners they've never met. I shared in every one of those experiences in one way or another and I made new InstaGram friends and widened the number people I stalk (I mean, follow and praise!) greatly. :)

All that said when I went into round 2 of the the S&B swap, I put on my answers that I would help as a swap mama and lo and behold, a swap mama I became. WHAT A RIDE! 

(One more note before I forget, Karri over at Karri of Berries has a great post on being a swap participant. Give it a read. I've been guilty of one or two things on that list that I shouldn't do (like "I like everything") but mostly, it's a helpful guideline to get you thinking about answers for the next swap you sign up for.)

You might think being a mama is just checking in with your group of participants here and there and kind of keeping track of their progress and you are right.  It also means being organized (honestly, I don't remember yesterday so remembering who was on my list and who they were making for was always a blur).  For me, organization meant knowing how to read my excel spreadsheet that contained the makers and all their information as well as the receivers and all the answers to the swap questions! It meant knowing where everyone was in the process. Were they on track to finish on time, did they send their mini, did they receive their mini?  It meant answering questions along the way by participants and helping them get more info from the recipient if the maker was having difficulty finding much (some folks are less active on social media).  It also meant keeping track of people who had to drop out or those who did not receive a mini and being sure a Swap Angel was assigned and then that mini was made and received.  There were more, little things in this whole process but that's the gist.

I hated it.  Okay truth, only a teeny, tiny, itty, bitty part of me hated it. The part of me that felt unorganized and out of her depth at the beginning. But then, the part of me that gets a high off of organizing something, making a process and seeing it work, LOVED it.  I liked it so much so that I offered to be a mama again. I'm taking what I learned the first time around, applying it to this round and trusting that it will work so I have little fear of being stressed over this. 

So, if you are ever thinking about being a swap mama, here are some things that work as best practices for me. Modify them, make them your own. We aren't robots and what works for me is not always going to work for everyone else but I'm posting this just to consider, more of an FYI.

What works for me?

1. Get ORGANIZED - Take the excel list sent with the detailed information & make a new sheet that contains the only info I really need in my quick searches. Add a couple columns for action items such as, confirmed partner received, mailed date, received date, etc.  
2. RECORD my interactions with my group on the spreadsheet. For example, if Sally tells me she's travelling for work and will be mailing on the 20th instead of the 16th b/c she didn't have a chance to finish binding before she left, I can record it in a comment column and let her partner Jane know that it's mailing a couple days late (also recording by Jane's name). Between work and home life, I won't remember if I told Jane so noting that helps me.
3. USE the resources available to you. I often screen shot my IG notification feed so I don't miss something I'm tagged on if I can't respond to it right away.  I also use the folders in my email. When I've responded to something, I will file the emails into the folder. That way, only the emails that I still need to act on are in my inbox.
4. COMMUNICATE proactively with my group. If mail dates are arriving, I will ask my group to check in on how they are doing.  I'm a last minute worker so I tend to think a reminder of an upcoming deadline is a good thing.
5. Be POSITIVE and PATIENT.  I can usually manage the first one but the second is a little more difficult some days.  I always try to remind myself that while I may be fielding 1600 questions at once, the person asking me one question does not know that and if it takes me 3 days to respond, she's likely feeling her ask has been overlooked or ignored and is reaching out to others. What to do? Figure out your reasonable response time. for me, I like to try to answer IG requests within a couple of hours. That is reasonable for my schedule but email takes longer.  If I know I wont be able to answer quickly, I at least try to respond quickly and give the person asking a time frame in which I will provide an answer.  You have no idea how quickly stress can be reduced for me and the person needing an answer, by taking a moment to do that.   
6. TALK with the other mamas.  If you aren't sure something is going right or have questions about how you are handling things, ask the other mamas.  Because we are all different, they have invaluable input. Sometimes, you just need to let a little vent out so you can go back to being #4. Other times, the mamas will also help you stay on track with communications to your groups. 

That's it. Pretty simple, right?  Really, the spreadsheet work was the turning point for me last round. Trying to keep it all in email or IG made me go a little mad. As soon as I got smart about keeping it all in the source that came to me, it was simpler.  I hope this gives you ideas about what might work for you if you ever decide to become a swap mama and if you do, enjoy the ride.  It's actually pretty fun to interact with so many people as they stretch their creative talents.

Thanks, Kristi, for being responsible for bringing me so much joy in making minis, swapping them and, yes, in letting me do it all while also getting my "organize on".  

Cheers!

Beck

Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap -via Instagram

I may not have been blogging much lately but I have been getting things done.  Of course there is work and home. We had one kiddo graduate high school this past June - Yay K!

Then there were a couple customer quilts to quilt (one is pictured below). They were both very pretty and enjoyable to work on. I hope I've done a well enough job to make them repeat customers!

Aside from the other two quilts I last blogged about, I have been working on quilt blocks for two bees I'm in, the Stitch That Stash Bee and a LA Traveling Quilt Bee.  To keep me from wondering what I have and haven't blogged about with regards to those, I will save all the block photos and post them at once for each.

But lastly, and the focus of today's post, are three mini quilts I have completed. I participated in the Schnitzel and Boo Instagram Mini Swap and boy was it fun. I ended up making 3 minis instead of one but all were enjoyable and I got to stretch my creative wings.   This was a blind swap so the recipients never know what they are getting until they get it.

First, the angel mini for a person who still hasn't received one (it may be in transit from AU or it may be lost, who knows?). She said Camille Roskelly was an inspiration and she seemed to favorite a lot of rainbow quilts.  So, being quite smitten with the swoon block myself, I made her a Rainbow Swoon. It took a minute to figure out the cutting and color placement but once I did, sewing it up was nice and easy. I liked it so much I had a hard time mailing it but her happiness in receiving it makes me happy in the end.

Second up, a mini for a gal that did not have a lot of quilty inspiration on her IG feed to help me figure something out.  I stalked her Flickr and Pinterest accounts and ran across an entire Pin Board devoted to Alice in Wonderland.  Not the Disney version either, but the more vintage looking Alice. That gave me some ideas about rabbit holes and quotes.   So I used the template pattern from my Rabbit quilt and made a black and white "hole". I hoped the color placement would give the visual effect of falling and gave a couple simple swirl quilting lines to aid in that effect.

Then I added 4 quotes but jumbled them all up so it's like a phrase search for the rest of the quote.  They read, "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop."  "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get." "How long is forever? Sometimes, just one second." "You have to be half mad to dream me up." I called it "Alice's Jumbled Thoughts."

This was a fun one to make and very nerve-wracking.  I mean, what if that board was there for ideas for a friend's wedding shower or something?  Turns out, however, it was her board and she liked the mini and uniqueness of it all the more. Yes!

Last but not least was a mini that had me truly nervous about sending.  Again this person didn't have a lot of quilty inspiration on her IG feed but had some family posts and posts about her horses. She gave me a good idea of her likes on her sign up sheet and I sat to thinking about how to get her something more personal for her, I browsed her IG feed more closely.  I happened upon a nice shadow photo which she labeled "me and my shadow." A light bulb, I can make that. But how? How to make it look nice? Ahh, wonky strips of her favorite colors with the shadow overlaying it. Yep.  So I did it. Then sent it. Then stressed she wouldn't hate it or be disappointed.

Her response just served to remind me that when we listen to our hearts, we create quilts which truly touch people.  This is what she wrote when she posted her receipt, "possibly the most amazing thing anyone has ever made for me... another pic after I pull myself together." "I was hoping it was mine but hubs was skeptical saying the pose was so common it could be anyone (in response to a sneak peek I posted) with a horse so I talked myself out of it. I retired Gracie last year and it has been a very emotional thing for me, so this mini is particularly special."  I felt like I did something good and I love that feeling when I make a quilt. Yay!

The person who made for me was Eileen (IG: Luckycharm933635) and she hit it on the head! I love her paper-pieced creation with fussy cut fabrics and color choices.  How can this not make me happy, just look at it!

If you've never participated in a swap, consider it. If you are open to receiving whatever, you will probably enjoy it quite a bit.

Cheers!
Beck

Happy New Year

I have so many things I want to share with you all but I've been such a blogging slacker that every time I thought of blogging, I felt overwhelmed with trying to "catch up".

I sat down yesterday and organized the things I wanted to share.  Would you believe, it's not that much? Why is it that list in your head is always so much larger than the one in reality?

Anyway, it made me realize I could

1. Catch you up on what I was doing quilt/sewing wise last year 
2. Tell you if I met my quilt-y goals for last year and my goals for this year
3. Share with you a little on my continued journey to health and fitness

Probably all within a few posts, too.  With luck, January will be about catching up and Feb. will be about sharing current events and completions.   

My first catch up share from last year?  Well, it was swaps! I participated in several swaps (mini quilt, mug rug, sweet pouch and blocks).  I also donated a couple blocks to people who requested them.  If you have not participated in any online swaps, I would highly recommend it.  You meet new people, it's fun to try to build something special for your partner and the anticipation of receiving something just for you is exciting. Plus, these swap groups always have pictures and discussions and the creativity you see is just inspiring! Oh, and they are quick projects.  The best!  

So, these are the swaps I've sent and received this year which have not already been shared on the blog.  

Blocks donated to the DC MQG for kitchen sink charity quilts:

Blocks donated to a couple friends to help them make quilts for someone in need:

I participated in a Sweet Pouch Swap.  I made a pouch using Patchwork Place's Hoo-Ha Pouch tutorial and sent it off to my partner in Latvia. I filled it with sweet goodies and a couple silly little stocking stuffer type things.   

This is the cute little pouch and the goodies that I received from her.  :)

Lastly, I participated in the Schnitzel and Boo Mini Swap.  This was the hardest swap for me all year.  It was a blind partner swap, which is usually fun but this one was so challenging. I checked out my assigned partner's work and it was great. I felt like I needed to come up with something truly unique that incorporated several of her "likes" for styles.  Oh my, oh my, oh my, it was all in my own head but I still pondered and pondered.  Finally, inspiration hit.  I adapted a block/quilt pattern for a mini and made what I hoped would be a true modern quilt with linear inspiration and a teeny tiny bit of whimsy.  I think I did it and am so proud of what I made up.  She liked it, and really, that's ALL that matters. :-)

The mini I received came from a quilter who, and I love it, took my comment that I liked primary colors to heart.  This mini hangs proudly in my line of sight in my sewing room. Hooray!

I hope last year treated you all well and I hope this new year is full of promise and success!

Cheers,

Beck